Garmin Forerunner 405 HRM Review

Garmin Forerunner 405 HRM – GPS Watch with a heart rate monitor.

The Garmin Forerunner 405 HRM is a GPS enabled watch in the Garmin Forerunner line. If you thought the previous models on the Forerunner watches were impressive, then you’re sure to be impressed with the Garmin Forerunner 405 HRM. It’s ready to use right out of the box (great for mildly tech inept people like me) and comes complete with a heart rate monitor and digital running partner.

The Garmin Forerunner 405 HRM has a sleek design that is made to look like an everyday watch–rather than a clunky heart rate monitor watch. Along with the sleek style comes sleeker buttons too. These buttons can be operated with a single finger and allow you to easily navigate through screens, even while on the run.

My favorite feature of the Garmin Forerunner 405 HRM is the programmable running mate. If you have a thing for competition, you will really love this feature. The Garmin Forerunner 405 HRM allows you to create a running mate based on time, distance, or speed goals. The cool part is that on the watch screen there are two little digital runners, so you actually have someone to compete against (since I frequently have problems with motivation when hitting the pavement, this is a huge bonus).

The quick & dirty:

Where you can get one:
Amazon: $350

Why they rock:

• Easy-to-use right out of the box, no pace-setting calibrations necessary; GPS satellites calculate speed, distance and pace information
• GPS receiver provides rapid first fix and is sensitive enough to acquire signals in urban canyons and under dense foliage
• Navigation capabilities let you mark locations, find locations or navigate back to the starting point
• Chest-strap heart rate monitor helps you train in your target zone to optimize performance
• Calculates calorie consumption based on user’s weight, distance traveled and hills climbed
• Forerunner 405 tracks your cycling workouts when paired with a GSC 10 Speed and Cadence Sensor, sold separately
• Optional foot pod (sold separately) transmits speed/distance data without the use of satellites, so the Forerunner 405W can also be used indoors
• Share workout information and compete against other users recorded courses by wirelessly transferring data to other 405 units nearby
• Virtual Partner allows you to set time, distance or speed goals and then compete against a runner icon on the 405W display
• USB ANT stick automatically receives data from the Forerunner 405 when placed within 10m of each other
• Data can be analyzed by downloading free Garmin Training Center (GTC) software on your computer from the Garmin website

Seat-of-the-pants rating: 10 out of 10

While this gadget may be a little sophisticated for a casual runner like myself, the Garmin Forerunner 405 HRM seems like the ultimate tool for the serious runner. No matter if you are training for a marathon or just like to keep track of your stats, the Garmin Forerunner 405 HRM can help you keep track of and meet your running and fitness goals.

Looking to buy? Check out these sites:
Amazon: $350