As predicted last month on my other blog, Garmin have just announced an all new GPS unit – the Forerunner 405.
Compared to previous Forerunners, the 405 appears to be super sleek and lightweight with all the features you could possibly dream of:
(Feature list courtesy of the Garmin website)
Long runs, tempo runs, speed drills. You expect a lot from your body…and from your training gear. Meet the Garmin Forerunner 405. This GPS-enabled sport watch tracks your training, then wirelessly sends your data to your computer. The ultimate in training technology, its sleek design features a touch bezel that lets you quickly scroll and select features on the run.
Watch Results
Loaded with serious training features, Forerunner 405 continuously monitors your time, distance, pace, calories and heart rate (when paired with heart rate monitor). Each run is stored in memory so you can review and analyze the data to see how you’ve improved. You can even download recorded courses to compete against previous workouts or race a Virtual Partner®. Customize Forerunner’s data screens for instant feedback while you train.
Use with Ease
Sport watch and personal trainer — Forerunner 405 gives you the best of both worlds in a sleek, stylish package. This high performance watch is easy to use and comfortable to wear when not training. Simply tap the touch bezel to change screens without fumbling for a button. Forerunner 405 comes in two color options — black or green — to fit your style.
Run, Sync, Store and Share
Once you’ve logged the miles, innovative ANT+Sport™ wireless technology automatically transfers data to your computer when the Forerunner is in range. No cables, no hookups. The data’s just there, ready for you to analyze, categorize and share through our online community, Garmin Connect or our optional Garmin Training Center® software. You can wirelessly send workouts from your computer to Forerunner, too.
Share Wirelessly
With Forerunner 405 you can share your locations, advanced workouts and courses wirelessly with other Forerunner 405 users. Now you can send your favorite workout to your buddy to try, or compete against a friend’s recorded course. Sharing data is easy. Just select “transfer” to send your information to nearby units.
Track Heart Rate
Forerunner 405 is available with or without a heart rate monitor (see the versions tab) to help you make the most out of your training. Versions with a digital heart rate monitor continuously track heart beats per minute. Train in a certain heart rate zone to improve your fitness level or compare your pace and heart rate to past performance on the same run.
Cross-Train
Take your training inside with the versatile Forerunner 405. Pair it with an optional foot pod to track your speed, distance and running cadence indoors when a GPS signal is unavailable. This new design clips onto your laces for easy removal and automatically turns on when you start moving. You can also add a speed/cadence bike sensor to track the speed and distance of your cycling workouts.
Lock Onto Satellite Signals
The Garmin Forerunner 405 sports a unique design that gives the GPS antenna a better view of the sky, so it can get a stronger signal during your run. And its high-sensitivity GPS receiver provides improved tracking under trees and near tall buildings.
The Forerunner 405 is available in green and black and retails for $318.74. Garmin will also sell a heart rate monitor version for $371.86 in the same two color options and availability is stated as the 1st Quarter of 2008.
Now I just have to convince myself I don’t need the 405. I love gadgets, especially running gadgets as cool as this!
It doesn’t bother me that the 405 is coming out now, since I just got a 305 for $150 a month ago and I count that as a good deal. Maybe I’ll upgrade in a few years when it’s around $100-$150…
Thanks for the heads up.
Thanks for the comment Blaine. I’m actually fine with my 305 too. I won’t be upgrading until something major breaks…
How are you liking your 305? Did you sign up with MotionBased.com to log your activities?
–Steve
Steve & Blaine —
I think I probably win the dinosaur award for tonight — I’ve got my fiancé Erik’s old Garmin Forerunner 201. (He gave it to me when he upgraded to the 305. He’s going to upgrade again to the 405 at some point soon, or so he told me tonight. So then I’ll get his 305 & then turn around & give my 201 to my running buddy. That way, everyone benefits! 😎 )
Decided to finally dig my 201 out of the bin & dust it off after reading all of your GPS posts & comments. 😉
Since I finally located it, I can no longer use the excuse that I can’t use it because I can’t find it! 😉 Guess now I will know “exactly” how slow I’m going! Heheheheh. But as Steve aptly noted on my blog, it is a very useful tool. And it’s time to get serious & start using it again! 😉
Nothing wrong with the 201! I hope you have many great workouts with it…
Make sure you sign up with MotionBased.com – it’s a very cool web app (and you even include it on your Facebook profile)
–Steve
So many cool features! Especially love the wireless transfer capability & data sharing capabilities with other 405 users.
Next thing you know it’ll be able to tell you where the nearest locations are to find water along your running route! Wouldn’t that be nifty! 😉
Thanks for the recommendation. I’ll definitely check out MotionBased.com. Erik just told me that it stores your last 10 runs for free, but he pays an annual membership fee to get extra storage. Do you also have a membership?
Yes, I’ve seen the MotionBased Stats on Facebook page. 😎 Very cool, indeed!
I have to admit I’m guilty of signing up as a member. Actually they were offering a 2 years for the price of 1 deal when I renewed my membership, so I’m good to go for a while yet.
My wife has the free plan and she’s happy with what it offers.
Steve,
I’m signed up for the free version of motionbased.com. I don’t feel a need for the paid version.
I’m actually using MB, plus I’m using the Garming Training Software, plus I’m using Sports Tracks (a stand alone application) – they all have little benefits and since all I need to do to upload is plug the watch in and push a couple buttons, it’s real easy to save data to them.
My actual running log, though, is at runningahead.com. Once Eric (the site owner) finishes the next version of the log which will have GPS imports, I don’t expect to be using much of the other sites unless I want something specific that RA doesn’t wind up offering.
Hey Blaine,
Thanks for the comment. What do you find useful with Sport Tracks? I’ve heard about it, but never looked into it. I do use the Garmin Training Software in addition to MB though.
I just switched from the CoolRunning online log to one at Running2Win.com. CoolRunning were taken over by Active.com and I didn’t like their offering at all. Running2Win is pretty good but I may check out RunningAhead if it comes highly recommended! The GPS upload sounds like a great feature.
Missed your call this afternoon but I’m going to check out link for the recording pretty soon. Sounds like it was a success!
–Steve
Sports tracks is in general a pretty good log (although I don’t use it that way since I like the online convenience) but it can import just as easily as MB or GTC and it has some really good mapping options, especially here in Maine where there is aerial photography available and not just satelite photography. You can install a plugin to correct elevations (like MB can do).
For the most part, I use it for generating maps to use on my site, though. I like the look better than at MB or GTC as it is a bit more detailed and includes arrows with which direction you ran, and you don’t have to take screenshots to get the image since it can export them for you in different formats and sizes.
I hope you like the call. Your question was answered pretty early into it – just ignore the first few minutes as I try to figure out how to get the technology to work. Heheh.
Steve,
FR405 has no pace alert, distance alert or altimeter. So I guess it would not show elevation and would not beep if we are off pace or reached a distance milestone. So I guess, it is a no-frills GPS receiver (less functionality than a FR305) for a slightly higher price and a watch like look for bragging rights.
Cheers
-D
Dasa: thanks for the additional info. I didn’t realize the 2 alerts and altimeter function were missing. Important to know when you’re choosing between the two.
I’m sure many people will be turned on by the look of the 405 and be happy to give up some of the functionality.
Thanks for the comment,
–Steve