Garmin 010-00679-25 Forerunner 50 with Heart Rate Monitor and Foot Pod Reviews

• So.. according to Garmin's site.. it says it works with your Mac, but not really..

  
  By A74ZC2YVTMBB on 2007-10-23
  Specifically.. on Garmin's site it says..
  
  "Garmin Training Center (GTC) is a training tool for your computer that works with your compatible Garmin fitness device. With GTC, you can analyze and store workout data from your Garmin device on your computer, as well as plan and save future workouts. GTC is included when you purchase a compatible Garmin fitness device. You can also download the latest version of Garmin Training Center for free.
  
  Compatible Garmin devices: Forerunner 50, Forerunner® 201 (PC only), Forerunner 301, Forerunner 205, Forerunner 305, Edge® 205, Edge 305, Edge 605, Edge 705
  
  Compatible computers: IBM-compatible PCs running Windows® 2000 or XP operating systems | New! Intel-based Macs or PowerPCs (G3 or newer) running OS X 10.4 or later"
  
  The above would mean to me that the Garmin Forerunner 50 is a compatible device with the usage of the Garmin Training Center software.
  
  So.. imagine my surprise when the Garmin Forerunner 50 arrived and wouldn't work with my Mac (current Macbook)..
  
  Upon further reading and MUCH DIGGING on Garmin's site this is what I found.. the "ANT+Sport technology will not be mac compliant until sometime in 2008"
  
  So, while the device itself might be fine (and it is), it's intended usage (with a Mac) is not. Garmin should be more forthright about this and insure ALL info on their site is correct (or at least is the same).
  
  

• be clear, this is not a GPS unit (Garmin or no)

  
  By A1N78LL6Q3IOEH on 2007-12-04
  I own a wonderful Garmin 305, which is gret but huge, and needs lots of recharging. Worth it, though. I saw the Best Buy ad for this and then on Amazon, and would have purchased it but>>>
  
  it is marketed by Garmin but is NOT a GPS unit. More a fancy pod-controled pedometer. Be aware before you purchase. Still a good price for what it is, with heart monitor and pod, compared to other vendors, but not what I expected (or you might expect).
  
  

• Nifty

  
  By A93E2D3Z1J77B on 2008-03-28
  It works pretty much as described. I used it on the treadmill today just to test out its accuracy, and it recorded a 3 mile run as being 3.2 miles. I'm thinking the treadmill must be the more accurate of the two, but I could be wrong. At any rate, you can calibrate the device so it's not a big deal. The heart rate monitor agreed with the monitor on the treadmill, and the end calorie calculation was within 2 calories of what the treadmill reported.
  
  The sync feature is pretty cool, but the software feels a little "old". It's good, but it looks and feels like it was written in 1995. Getting the 405 would probably make the software a little more useful because with the GPS you can view your route on a map and it tracks not only distance but elevation.
  
  Overall I'd say it's fun to use and that it's helping my workouts.
  
  

• Great hardware, Garmin Connect still developing

  
  By AYD8BKTUYOFIK on 2008-08-12
  I did a lot of research before purchasing and was down to the 305, 405, and 50. I really wanted a GPS watch, but the price of the Forerunner 50 with footpod and HR monitor couldn't be beat. I also liked the smaller watch and the fact that it didn't need to be charged.
  
  After owning it a week:
  I really like the watch. I don't typically wear them, but it is very comfortable. It is only slightly larger than a typical watch and has a fine adjustment on the band. I'm wearing it all the time.
  
  The hardware is impressive. The foot pod and HR monitor worked very well right out of the box, and were comfortable to wear. They "paired" right away and were ready to go when I was ready to run. The ANT installation went as advertised on windows vista, and the upload works automatically for Garmin Training Center, but not Garmin Connect.
  
  Possible improvements:
  For the watch itself, the number of "views" while in training mode can be confusing. I'm sure I'll get the hang of it with use or reading manual, but it is clearly more than I'm used to.
  
  Installation: The process seemed to drive you toward choosing either Garmin Training Center (software on your computer) or Garmin Connect (web sofware), but not both. I didn't know the pro/con of either, so I wanted to try both. It was awkward when it wanted me to install ANT drivers again for the installation of the second one. I canceled the installation at that point - but found that Training Center was installed.
  
  Software: It is really not clear to me if Garmin Training Center is still being developed. They seem to be improving Garmin Connect (web) regularly, but at its current state, it doesn't have any benefit over Training Center. (remember - I'm not seeing the GPS/maps, so maybe there is distinction there). So after a week, I still find myself bouncing back and forth. There are a few bugs in Garmin Connect and a few notable features that I would really like to see (that is available in other web training software).
  
  Results:
  I'm very happy with the HR monitor and cadence results. They seem spot on and reliable. I'm still working on the distance and pace. I did a test 3 mile run on a measured course and found that it recorded 3.1 miles. I messed up a calibration run by hitting the wrong button, so I'll be trying that again (a subsequent 8 mile run was recorded as a 9 mile run... argghh). I've found that the instantaneous pace is not accurate, but hope it will improve with calibration. Garmin Connect is also doing something weird with the average pace calculation... but I think that is a bug that will be fixed.
  
  Overall I'm very happy with the purchase, but hope they continue to improve the software. Currently, that is the weakest link. If they don't, there may be other sites that accept forerunner uploaded data to fill the gap.
  
  

• Very Accurate but not easily sync'd to computer

  
  By A101DFE4JFIFMK on 2008-03-07
  I also have the GPS enabled 205 but do a lot of indoor track running during the winter months. I compared the foot pod to the GPS & there was only a 40 yard difference on the mile (97% accurate). It seemed less accurate though if I was walking vice jogging/running. It's about only about 90% accurate jogging/running on the treadmill compared to the treadmill's stats and horrible when walking on the treadmill (~80%). Sometimes I wear both watches running outside because the 205 is more accurate & communicated well with the computer (& Google Earth, which is cool) and the 50 has a heart rate monitor & the pacekeeping is a lot smoother.
  Two complaints:
  1. Heart rate monitor strap is weak, don't force it, it WILL break. replacements are ~$13 on Amazon (I'd order another two)
  2. Not really hassle free when downloading to the computer, the watch has to communicate wirelessly with the USB adapapter & sometimes it takes a while for the adapter to recognize the watch. You also cannot upload workouts to the Garmin 50 like you can with the 205.
  If I could start over, I would have bought ONLY the 305 because you can get GPS, heartrate, & foot pod for indoor running. I would have spent less overall. I may trade up eventually.
  
  
• Great Garmin
  By A1YGS38XE4EB23 on 2008-07-16
  Very good product. The things I like best about this product are:
  1. You don't have to charge the watch, like some other models
  2. It isn't bulky, like some other models
  3. The foot pod is great for measuring speed, cadence, and distance
  
  The only cons I have are that the telemetry strap is not compatible with cardio machines in a gym that have heart rate monitors built into them (so you always have to bring the watch with you), and the software for viewing your comleted workouts is pretty bare bones. I am willing to bet that Garmin will roll out software upgrades in the future though.
  
  
• love my garmin!
  By AMNY0I1VU6AZV on 2008-08-21
  I've had for one week, and I'm thrilled!! I just wanted distance, pace, and heart rate, and it gives me all of these, plus more! Also, when I get home from my run, it makes nice fancy graphs and records all of my information while I recover!! Its my own little robot :) This price is a STEAL compared to any other vendor. I chose this over a Nike + Sportsband, and the two don't truly compare. Its easy enough for a first time runner, but good enough for one who plans to run for a long, long time!!
  
  
• Doesn't work with Mac!
  By A1PUXDT5S70ZZ9 on 2007-12-26
  I was pumped to get this for Christmas as a gift - but as a Mac user, it is completely useless. Nowhere on any of the packaging does it say that it won't work with a mac. I felt pretty misled.
  
  If you're a mac user (which many of you are), you are SOL.
  
  
• Worth the Price
  By AWSQYRRWUQREM on 2008-03-29
  I bought this for my wife. I have the Garmin 305 (satelite and does not work on treadmills/ inside) so this is much better for her because she can use it anywhere. She loves it and she hates all the technology stuff. We run 3-5 days a week and she has not had any problems with it.
  
  
• Gets it done
  By A6IZ9BJJYWN04 on 2008-03-31
  It's solid and simple. Blows away the nike ipod sensor. I haven't calibrated it and seems pretty darn close.
  
  
• Runner's Friend
  By A38OLEGCBGHPEV on 2008-04-05
  I really enjoy my Garmin Forerunner 50. The best feature is the automatic upload of my run to my compter. The downside is the training center software. It does not have a print function. Also, I have had problems up-loading the information to my motion based account. Overall, it is the best non-GPS device I have own. It is better than my Nike Triax CV10 because of the USB ANT Stick.
  
  If the Forerunner 405 is this easy, I am playing on purchasing it down the road. Great product and surely this runner's friend!
  
  
• Training for 10K
  By A16QHBESMZNZ2H on 2008-05-17
  I'm using this watch to help me train for a 10k and for the past month it has worked great. After reading the directions i was out the door in about 10min's so it's easy to use.
  
  Only problem i have had so far, the heartrate monitor dosen't fit me... and i'm not so little that i shouldn't be able to adjust it to my size. If your a girl i would try to hunt down one of those sports bra's that holds the heartrate monitor in place. Otherwise, this is an excellent buy, worth every penny and easy to track my running hisotry.
  
  
• Great product & very pleased
  By AYD1MBFTI1916 on 2008-06-11
  My wife saw this advertised in a magazine & said she would like it so I got it for her for Mother's Day. I have used it too several times & have been very pleased with the way it operates. The heart monitor & foot pod all work extrememly well and having this makes you want to work out. I walk around my neighborhood & take different routes & I like to know how how far I have been walking & this does the trick. I also like having the pace show under the other readings to get me to speed up, etc. The heart rate monitor is very comfortable to wear & seems very accurate. I will probably purchase a second one for myself. That is how pleased I am with the product. It lived up to what it claimed to do --- that sums it up!
  
  
• Great product, hard to get started
  By A42PY1KUZBIV1 on 2008-07-08
  I have used Garmin products before and have always been satisfied. The Forerunner 50 is replacing one of the older, much larger GPS Garmin units. My only hesitation was giving up the GPS option, but with the foot pad it still does a great job at tracking distance.
  The only downside so far has been the computer link. The Garmin website would not allow me to register (this step is needed to link to computer with the ANT USB). I contacted Garmin and they did the registration process for me (very good customer service, but a step I could live without). The first few syc's didn't register any info, but now has been working fine.
  Overall, once you get it going a great product.
  
  
• The ant is not reliable
  By A17OS3ENTZD9ZC on 2008-09-11
  I have had the Garmin Forerunner 50 for 4 weeks now and have run with it 4-5x per week. The basic tools are very useful - speed, distance, etc. But my ant stick is very tempermental. One day it works, one day it doesn't. Now it won't show up at all on my computer and the product manual and website are not helpful. I have tried the basics to fix it but don't know what else I can do. So I called Garmin. Their automated message told me that it was a 30-35 minute wait time for help. It should be just a quick install and never have to worry about it again.
  
  
• Nice Product, Poor Manual
  By A1NNHJ5S75M8X1 on 2008-06-11
  I love my Garmin Forerunner 50 now that I have finally figured it out. I did get very frustrated by the vague instruction booklet and still would not have figured it all out, had I not gotten tutored by another owner. The pedometer was very accurate, even without calibrating. My first run showed 2.35 miles on my Forerunner and my friend with a GPS came in at 2.40. The heart rate monitor works great and is comfortable. All in all this is a great motivator for someone who is just getting into a fitness routine and wants to track his/her progress. The download to the ANT stick works well.
  
  
• Garmin 40 w/ Pedometer and Heart Monitor
  By A101ZTGMDMKQO5 on 2008-06-23
  This product is very functional. It provides all of the basic information needed for running. Although the watch isn't very stylish, it is much more discrete than other similar products out there. The buttons don't work as well as my Timex watch and the screen is a little dim for my liking, but these don't detract too much from the value of the product. My largest complaint, though, is with the software. The ANT Agent has difficulty picking up the unit after I have stored information from my runs. I would suggest it to a budget conscious consumer, but not for more serious runners.
  
  
• Useful
  By A25DB0VU218W3W on 2008-05-02
  Its useful, practical and accurate, the good thing: is easy to read and displays the current pace, which is a must for anyone trying to improve speed. The cons: instrucctions are not user friendly, but once you get to know how it works is a great companion!
  
  
• Does everything as advertised!
  By AOPR2X87A40YK on 2008-05-09
  Purchased the Garmin Foreunner 50 a month or so ago and have used it daily since. It does everything it's supposed to with no problems at all. I particularly like the foot pod feature as I run on a treadmill a good bit and the GPS watches are of no use there. Additionally, it's not so big that it looks silly to wear as an everyday watch. The wireless download to the PC works flawlessly as well. Overall I'm very pleased with my purchase.
  
  
• Garmin Forerunner 50 with Heart Rate Monitor, Foot Pod, USB ANT Stick
  By A21RSY96H8952D on 2008-07-07
  Too much setup timed required. Also is too complicated for most computer users. It is not user friendly at all.
  
  

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