hwz1's Full Review: Garmin Forerunner 201 Handheld GPS Receiver
With spring coming I am sure a lot of people are ready to get out and start a walking or running program. You want to know how far you went and how many calories you burned, right? You want to know if one route is the same distance as another route. You may want to know if you are going as fast today as last week. How can you tell all of these things?
Well, I would argue that you can find these things out the old fashion way- taking your car out and traversing the route to see how long it is. Want to know how fast you went? Do some math and you can figure that out also. All of these things can be done with a little common sense and no cost other than gas. But we are a nation that needs and wants to know answers now. The Garmin Forerunner 201 GPS Receiver provides these answers and more.
The 201 can figure the following calculations out for you while working out and then when you finish: Calories burned, distance, speed, and time. The best thing about the 201 is that the calories seem to be a lot closer to what you might expect to burn in a workout, rather than the ridiculous numbers that you sometimes see with other devices. I also calibrated the distance function and it is exactly the same as what the car odometer reads.
So, you have all this information at the touch of a button, but does it do you any good? Yes, because you can compare it to other workouts. You can store the same things mentioned above along with the route. I find that this is very useful as you try to go the extra mile or turn a distance in a better time every time you workout. You can also break the stats down to look at days, weeks, or the entire history of the 201.
Another aspect that I like a lot is the virtual partner. The virtual partner is allows you to set training goals versus the partner and see how you are doing. In other words, say you wanted to run a six minute mile. Simply set the virtual partner to run it in six minutes and see you how you keep pace with the partner. One caution with the partner; he is in really, really, really good shape so do not be too frustrated if he blows away your pace.
Yet another thing I like is the ability to refer back to as many as 100 different routes. Again, this comes in helpful when gauging how you are performing versus previous runs. It also reminds you of what routes you have taken.
What else do I like? The 201 is pretty simple to use and program which I think is a big benefit as you want to get this out and go. There are just six buttons and the screen is big enough that reading it is not a problem. The 201 has a wrist strap that holds it in place and you do not really notice it after awhile- measuring just 3.26" x 1.71" x .69". Finally, the lithium ion battery provides up to 13 hours of usage after a three hour charge. I guess this is true, but I always re-charge when I come in so it does not really matter to me.
What do I not like? I found that the wrist strap basically renders your wrist useless while wearing. You can move the strap up your arm, but then you have a very strange feeling. The only other thing that I was not thrilled with is the lack of GPS stuff. This is not a GPS device in the way that you and I have come to know GPS devices. It is more of a performance tracker with a few GPS functions.
A final note that I will on something that I am on the fence with- the satellite signal. I usually get one immediately when I am in suburbia, but often struggle with the signal in the city. I am told that this is normal and not something to be concerned about. I guess this is true, but it is something you should be aware of before purchasing.
How do I rate the 201? I rate it very highly as a performance tracking device and in the middle as a GPS device. Fortunately for Garmin, they seem to be marketing it as more of a performance tracker than anything else. Hence, I think this is a very good device and would recommend it as the outdoor exercise season approaches.
Free Shipping! Authorized Garmin Dealer. A brilliant design featuring three separate sport modes for running, biking, and other sports. Garmin Forerun...More at Fitness Equipment Superstore
eBay offers you smart deals and the widest selection, ranging from the everyday basics to things that are as unique as yourself. With millions of item...More at eBay
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.