If you’re training for a triathlon or just love being active,these two watches from Garmin will help you succeed. They keep track of so much more than just a stopwatch. They monitor pace kept, distance covered, changes in elevation, and so much more. They are compatible withboth ANT+ sensors and heart rate monitors. They are very handy when you want some help to nudge you along. Let’s look at them both and see which one will be the best for you.
Garmin Forerunner 910XT GPS-Enabled Sport Watch
The Forerunner 910XT is water-resistant to 50 meters (5 fathoms) so you can wear it while swimming in pools. It will count your laps and strokes to reveal how efficiently you swam. A single button press then switches it over to track how far you’ll ride your bike or will run, pluswhat the change in elevation will be. Many athletes training for triathlons depend on the Forerunner for these reasons.
The Forerunner has a built-in barometric altimeter so it’s not dependent only on GPS to sense a change in altitude. It can tell you, for example, what grade % hill you just ascended on your bike. It can also warn if your pace is off or congratulate you on reaching your goal by vibrating a silent alert.
Once you’ve finished training, insert the ANT+ USB adapter into your computer and the data from the watch is automatically downloaded. Login to the Garmin Connect software and see your exercise route on a map along with detailed statistics. You can also compare your training with others online.
More features of the Garmin Forerunner 910XT watch
- Comes in black color only
- Weighs 2.5 ounces
- Battery lasts up to 20 hours
- Backlit display measures 1.3” by 0.8”
- Remembers up to 100 locations
- Compatible with Vector ANT+power meter and Garmin Connect as well as the Tanita BC-1000 scale
- Automatically transfers data to Mac or Windowscomputer with ANT stick
- Comes with USB ANT Stick, AC charger, charging clip, expander strap
- Garmin offers a 1-year limited warranty
Garmin Fenix 2 GPS Watch
The Fenix 2 is waterproof down to 50 meters like the Forerunner 910XT, and it tracks your swimming statistics. It monitors your distance, speed, and more while you’re biking or running. It also has a ski mode that counts runs, and senses vertical drop. It pauses automatically while you’re in the line for the lift. It’s a little more complicated to use than the Forerunner 910XT, but it has superior navigation features.
For navigating, the Fenix 2 has GPS and a compass, an altimeter, an accelerometer, and a barometer that senses changes in the weather. It creates a log of up to 50 routes that you can mark with up to 1,000 waypoints. You can combine data from the watch with other Garmin devices, not just a smartphone. Their software, BaseCamp, allows you to plan trips with others and share your journey online. You can also use Garmin Connect.
Another handy feature on the Fenix 2 is its ability to upload data to an iPhone by way of Bluetooth 4.0. (The Fenix 2 can’t communicate with Bluetooth sensors, though, just the ones with ANT+.)It has a 50-hour battery life in UltraTrac mode and 20 hours in GPS training mode. If you use it just as a watch, the charge lasts up to 5 weeks.
One downside to the Fenix 2 is that you aren’t able to get vibrating alerts when you’ve reached your target distance, but it does have a pace alert. It’s limited to showing just three items per screen page, but it can display a lot more pages overall than the Forerunner 910XT. The Fenix 2 will also show you text messages, emails, and alerts that comes from your iPhone.
More features of the Garmin Fenix 2 watch
- Display measures 1.2” or 70 by 70 pixels
- Red backlight so it doesn’t destroy night vision
- In watch mode it gives the time of day (12/24h), calendar (day/date), daily alarm, stop watch, timer, and offers sunrise/sunset alerts
- Compatible with Garmin Connect software
- Comes with strap extender, AC adapter and USB charging clip
- Garmin offers a 1-year limited warranty
Recommendation
If you’re looking for a simple GPS watch that keeps tracks of essentials, and you don’t need the ability to communicate with your iPhone, get the Forerunner 910XT. It’s proven itself a very useful tool especially for triathletes.
If you prefer having smartwatch capabilities, get the Fenix 2. You’ll be notified of messages and emails right on your watch. The Fenix 2 works for triathletes in training, and it’s ideal for people who love to hike and ski, too.
Click here to purchase Garmin Forerunner 910XT on Amazon!
Click here to purchase Garmin Fenix 2 on Amazon!