X10 questions.

[Prosit]

I'm considering buying a X10 which I plan to use for hiking etc. and for running. To this I have a few questions regarding the use of the X10.

a) Is it possible to create waypoints on the computer (e.g. through Google Earth), send them to the X10 and then let the watch guide me through a new running route?

b) Even though I know it's not a running watch like the Forerunner 405 how easy is it to use when tracking time, speed and distance on the run?

c) From the manual I can see that there are different 'light' options. How do they work in real life? Are they practical to use or just for 'gadget value'

I'll appreciate any answers.
Have a nice weekend.

Prosit

P.S: English is not my first language so bear over with any strange wordings.

[kxux]

I'm considering buying a X10 which I plan to use for hiking etc. and for running. To this I have a few questions regarding the use of the X10.

a) Is it possible to create waypoints on the computer (e.g. through Google Earth), send them to the X10 and then let the watch guide me through a new running route?

b) Even though I know it's not a running watch like the Forerunner 405 how easy is it to use when tracking time, speed and distance on the run?

c) From the manual I can see that there are different 'light' options. How do they work in real life? Are they practical to use or just for 'gadget value'

I'll appreciate any answers.
Have a nice weekend.

Prosit

P.S: English is not my first language so bear over with any strange wordings.

I have got X10 about a week ago so my experience is limited. I did use Garmin 405 for about 3 months last year when it came out. Here are few observations you may find useful.

1. X10 is not truly running watch if you want to keep it for splits and performance evaluation. It is ABC watch and has functions geared towards people hiking or running with ABC watch for navigation and tracking of the route. What I mean is that when you run race you will not be able to capture mile / km splits with lap button as you may be used to. But it is great for runs during which you do not mind to get lost and the back track home. For that it is great.

2. 405 is running watch. It has some functions you can not find on any other watches - running partners, simultaneous use of foot pod and GPS and use of GPS for foot pod calibration. But it has some serious flaws. Well that is why I got rid of mine. Firstly some imbecile designed controls for this watch to touch bezel - great concept, but try using it with sweaty hands, or and do not forget that the bezel reacts also to dripping sweat, touch from your shirt and other. So at the end you will be locking the controls for the run which kind of defeats the purpose of having a watch, because you will see just that one screen or will need to unlock the watch to switch the screen or take lap. The watch is rated very low for water resistance and Garmin specifically recommends not to swim with it. The older model 305 was rated the same and quite a few people flooded them while swimming.

3. The GPS fix on X10 is very good. I ran run race the day after I got the watch despite lots of hills and tree cover I never lost signal. Yesterday I was just playing with it in the house and the watch actually gets GPS fix inside my house which is the first watch to do so. I was blown away by the GPS unit in X10.

As to your questions:

a) Both 405 and X10 support waypoints creation in the software and transfer to the watch. The 405 then uses arrow pointing to the next waypoint, X10 uses little better way to navigate - you can see it in the manual. I like the X10 including the software support better, but maybe it is because I also have NG Topo with my state and that actually lets me transfer the routes to the watch as well.

b) I used the watch during the race and it was fine for tracking overall time. But since it was my first time using the watch and I had time goal in the race all I did was to start it before we took off and switch it off when we were done. There is some limited support for lap times, but I did not look into it yet. I do have plenty of running watches - Suunto T6c, Polar RS800cx that I use during training and racing. The X10 is more for times when I just want to go out and not worry about my HR, I do not mind getting lost and then backtrack home. Or for times when I take my son geocaching which we also just started recently.

c) The back light options are pretty useful especially if you get the military version - you can switch on the night use and not worry about switching on the backlight.


Let me know if you have any questions.

Jan

[Prosit]

Thank you very much for this quick and very comprehensive answer. Also very useful to hear your comments on the differences between the Forerunner and the X10.
Thanks!!!

[Jeff_C]

Oh and one more critical point... the forerunner looks like a toaster strapped to your wrist and the x10 looks cool...

(ok ok, I am biased) But IMVHO I dont care for the look of the Forerunner. Its not something you could wear as you ONE watch.

[kxux]

One more thing - when I tossed (well sold on eBay) the 405 I replaced it with T6c and later Polar RS800cx - you can check my blog if you want to read more comparisons. I have tags on all posts so it is easy to find comparisons and reviews.

http://runtotri.blogspot.com

I'm triathlete so for my training I need something durable that I can use not only for running, but also on the bike and most importantly in the pool or lake. Garmin fails on the last one and the issue with bezel make it hard to use. I have seen people go back to 305 due to the bezel issues. By the way the bezel looks and feels cool in the living room or shop, but try to use it when you do strides and run 5:30 /mi and your hands are sweaty... Ok, Ok I'm getting off my soap box.

[Jeff_C]

Is that the model with the touch screen kind of bezel... like an iPod?

[scandium21]

I just came back from a run using both my T6c with foot pod and X10. Just as Kxux said the T6 is more for training when you want HR and fitness data (..and buy the way Kxux I did read your site which is why I turned down the opportunity to buy a Garmin 405 even though it was a steal!).

My X10 though is great for storing routes and following them for navigation. What it does give through the navigation are some easy quick access to info like time to Home, time to a waypoint, distance to a waypoint or Home, or to Start, and will give you direction pointers from a downloaded route for turn by turn directions. I find this useful to get info on estimated return time and estimated time enroute etc. I have not downloaded routes yet but store routes in Trek Manager from workouts Ive done, then pick one for the next day if I want.

Using both may sound a bit crazy, but today we have stupid weather in Vancouver. Its actually snowing, so I rode my bike on a windtrainer first, using the T6 with the speed sensor (GPS not much good there), then went for a run using the foot pod, but also turning on my GPS as I was putting my runners on. I wanted to follow a running route a did a month ago which was exactly 10km, so used the GPS for that. Used the T6 more for instant speed/HR data.

Oh, and I also knew bad weather was coming in because my X10 Weather Alarm had been going off all morning, which is why I put aside my usual morning outdoor rider for a trainer ride and a run.

Very useful tools. Get both.

[kxux]

Is that the model with the touch screen kind of bezel... like an iPod?

Yeah someone actually called it watch with iPod complex. It is a good idea, but not well executed. While you can operate iPod during the run it is not working all that well with the 405. iPod is not as sensitive to wet hands as 405. But even with iPod I used to slow down to change play list. Changing songs is fine, but other operations that require you to look at the display take more effort.

I think many people are attracted to the watch that has GPS built in. I had both and like the X10 better although not necessarily as the only training watch (I miss HR and more sophisticated lap times) but it is OK for general time keeping when you train. E.g. go for a run and run steady pace for 45 minutes then turn back and head home. Especially if you do this in new city or on new path. I expect that with X10 I may end up running different paths. But for general training I'm sticking with pure training watches.

[kxux]

Thanks scandium21. The way you describe is exactly how I use the watch in training. I did take the X10 and Polar RS800cx with G3 for a race last weekend and the accuracy of the X10 is comparable to what I was seeing on Polar. I compared the GPS route in Google Earth and they look almost the same. The difference is that the Polar has external GPS sensor G3 that sits on your hand while X10 has everything built in.

I still do not trust the GPS for pacing in races though - the pace was very dependent on the tree cover and satellite reception. Both G3 and X10 had wide variation of pace - by my effort level I was running sub 7:00 pace while the watch was showing over 15:00 which is walking... I will stick with foot pod for that.

[scandium21]

Ya, the pacing from GPS is a bit slow on the pick up while running. I think its just the angle of the sensor being on your wrist, because the X10 (and my X9i before that) is almost always spot on when I mount on my handlebars for riding.

Although the GPS readout for pace is not so great, I still find it incredibly accurate for 'bigger' numbers like time to end point or distance to end point etc.

Keep up the good web writing Kxux!