Comments about Garmin Forerunner 610 GPS w/ HRM Monitors:

Takes a little while to get accustomed to setting up the watch.

It's not a good triathlon watch as you cannot use it in the water!

If you want to use it on the bike, I would recommend to get the bike components as it's hard to read it on your wrist while cycling.

Chest strap is awesome. Comfortable.

Comments about Garmin Forerunner 610 GPS w/ HRM Monitors:

I upgraded from the Garmin 205. Satellite detection is much faster, less than a minute, compared to two or three minutes. Customizable screens allow you to set up training screens to meet your specific needs. The software is excellent with 2 options: Garmin Training Center which resides on my PC, and Garmin Connect, an online dashboard that allows you to view other runners routes. You can even save their route to the watch and compare times. The new smaller size is an advantage and a disadvantage. Less real estate means the numbers are smaller. However you can customize the training screens to show less data making them easier to see. The only complaint is the Touchscreen gave me trouble during the setup. I have not found it to be a problem during actual use during a run. Battery life is much improved over the 205. You could actually use the 610 as your normal watch if you keep it in power save mode when not running. Overall, a major improvement and the best GPS watch currently available in my opinion ( Timex was too big, Nike webpage and software primitive, haven't looked at Suunto).

Comments about Garmin Forerunner 610 GPS w/ HRM Monitors:

This is an great update to the "watch" style GPSs. Gives you all the information you need at a "touch" of the display. I have been running with it for the past two weeks and it has functioned flawlessly. I have had no issues with the touch display even when it was raining. I upgrade from the 305 and if I had to give any recommendations it would be to bring back the ability to adjust the pace setting. I like to have my pace read out in as close to real time as possible (smoothing) and that setting is missing from this unit. Other than that you will not be disappointed.

Comments about Garmin Forerunner 610 GPS w/ HRM Monitors:

The touch screen is a nice improvement from the bezel. Aquires satellites quicker and uploads data to the computer much quicker and more consistent. HRM is not an improvement. The old version is much better. Buy this.

Comments about Garmin Forerunner 610 GPS w/ HRM Monitors:

Nice upgrade from the 405. Switches from running to cycling much easier than the 405. I ordered the HRM. I do not recommend the new HRM. You have to remove 4 tiny screws to get to the battery. One of the screws must have been cross threaded and I could not remove it; therefore, I have not used the new HRM. The strap is not as durable as the strap on the old HRM.

As far as the 610, it is cool. I only regret purchasing the HRM. Hopefully Roadrunner will take care of it for me.

Comments about Garmin Forerunner 610 GPS w/ HRM Monitors:

I bought this watch at the end of December of 2011 as a holiday gift for myself. Since I like Garmin products and I have been using the Forerunner 305 and 210 before this one, I thought 610 should be a nice update from 210.

The touch screen is okay to operate. It felt a little bit heavy than 210. The edge of the glass screen cracked after one month but it does not affect the function. After 8 months' light use, the watch started to deplete charing every time in the battery recharging cradle. Or sometimes it does not response to recharge the battery at all. So I called Garmin and sent it back and got the first replacement. It seemed fine without charging problem. I used it for only 2-3 times for my marathon in October. Before the end of December, the battery recharging problem happened again and I contacted Garmin, sending back the watch and got the second replacement.

After that I have been very careful about the watch and only used it for no more than five times since I basically run on the treadmill in the winter. Now the watch's charging problem happened again and just died.

So overall - 610 is expensive, fancy with touch screen and wireless transfer but not durable. I do not know how other reviewers have no problem with it. Maybe they had the later vision with the updated software. I just contacted Garmin again, and according to the representative, I need to update the software. But I only had this replacement for 4 months! So I updated the software online, and let keep finger crossed the recharging problem will be solved.

Comments about Garmin Forerunner 610 GPS w/ HRM Monitors:

The Garmin 610 works great and has been fully reliable. I have been using Polar for over 10 years, but have been disappointed in the past years with them.. This is why I choose Garmin to help me with my running... I will be using it for the my Chicago Marathon training and for a 50k race that I have line up in the fall... This watch does it all.. I bought the 210 but didnt like that fact that you cant see your heart rate with the time together on the same screen. The Garmin 610 has all the options that the 210 falls short.

Comments about Garmin Forerunner 610 GPS w/ HRM Monitors:

The Garmin 610 is my first GPS, and I love how easy it is to use. The numbers large and very easy to read. I like how my pace, the time ran and mileage, are all on one screen. I did have an issue with my first one, but it was replaced with no problems. I've owned the second one for over a year now, and so far no problems with this one.

Comments about Garmin Forerunner 610 GPS w/ HRM Monitors:

My needs are pretty basic, but fundamental: accuracy, ease of use, and reliability. I want a watch that can display four data elements on one screen so that I can see my current pace, average pace, distance traveled, and elapsed time without having to change screen windows during a run. I have had my Garmin 610 for about 9 months and it succeeds admirably in all these respects. This is the best watch that I have owned.

Accuracy: Distance run conforms very well to measured race distances. For example, in a recent marathon, there was a 0.1mile difference between distance recorded and the measured 26.2 mile course (I ran tangents). This is a big improvement over my older Garmin 205.

Ease of use: The watch is small yet the displays are well laid out and easy to read, even for my older eyes. My concern is hitting the wrong button since I inevitably hit the wrong one during a work out. This seems impossible with the Garmin 610. There are only 3 buttons (power on/off, start/stop recording, and reset). Scrolling between screens mid run to see different run parameters (sometimes I just want to see 2 data elements with the accompanying larger fonts instead of 4) are handled by tapping--not scrolling--the screen or the bezel. This works extremely well, so I feel that Garmin idiot-proofed the watch with me in mind. The touch screen also works with gloves.

I also like the fact that the watch vibrates after each mile and after I hit the start/stop button. Thus, if I stop during a work out and restart my run, I get confirmation that the watch has responded to my pushing of the start/stop button.

Reliability: Absolutely reliable during operation and charging. Satellites don't get dropped. Recharging doesn't result in a drained batter as sometimes happened with my Garmin 205. I have no complaints about time to acquire satellites upon start-up.

Other: The watch operates in power saving mode after the workout has been stopped. This is a nice feature. The watch also has the useful history function, so that I can see how fast I ran each mile. Finally, the watch fits nicely on my wrist.

Note: I bought this watch in a RRS brick and mortar store. The store manager was wearing one, and helpfully demonstrated the functions; then he let me wear it so that I could try it out. This helped cement the sale.

Comments about Garmin Forerunner 610 GPS w/ HRM Monitors:

Before you purchase a Garmin 610, I strongly suggest that you visit the Garmin forums, where you'll read about the various issues that users have had with their 610 watches. Then, decide for yourself.

The 610 is a great watch WHEN it works. I am on my third replacement. The watch repeatedly suffers from charging problems: the charge would deplete when plugged in, and sometimes the screen would freeze and go blank while trying to reset the watch in order to charge it up again. The customer service is great, but I am not going to bother replacing my watch again.

Comments about Garmin Forerunner 610 GPS w/ HRM Monitors:

This is my second Garmin this year. I like all the features on the 610. And I can pick up a satellite connection in the house while I am getting dressed to run. The construction seems really good on this unit.I would defiantly trust the 610 for long runs.