Functionality: The Garmin Forerunner 405 Watch has a GPS system fitted on it, as do all Garmin watches. This GPS system helps the athlete keep a track of various vital parameters such as distance covered, speed and time taken to cover the distance, and your heart rates. It also helps you to adjust your workouts based on various factors such as distance, climate conditions, and area of workouts. Part of the allure of a GPS watch and the Garmin 405 is that it adds significant discipline to your workout. No longer are you simply going out and running for distance or time, but you can set a very precise pace target or do intervals with great precision. The Garmin watch is also invaluable to those who may be working out while traveling, in new areas where they might not be familiar with trail distances or have reliable milestones to mark their run. You can also upload the Garmin Training Center software to help you analyze your workouts. This software can also be used to maintain a list of workouts and ride data.
Accessories Included: The Garmin Forerunner 405 Watch comes equipped with a range of interesting accessories. When you buy this useful running watch, you also get a USB ANT stick, a charging clip, an AC adapter, an owner’s manual and a quick reference guide. An optional accessory is the heart rate monitor, which rounds out the functionality of the watch to give you the complete training gauge. The battery in this watch is not intended to be swapped out or replaced, but is known to be reliable, good for up to 8 hours between charges. For that reason, you should keep the warranty information in the event the battery is poor power after only a few uses — one of the most likely reasons you would ever need to send it back.
Design: The Garmin Forerunner 405 Watch is a trendy and sleek for the fashion conscious people. It is also lightweight and weighs only one pound. This is a huge improvement from past Garmin watches which, while always functional, were in the past known for being large and bulky. With the smaller watch comes a slightly smaller screen, but for most people it will be easy to get used to the display in just a few runs.
Overall: A GPS watch is now a must have for someone who is getting in to running or cycling. The only real question is what watch should they go with. The 405 offers several advantages over other GPS watches, namely its size and its style as a “normal” watch. Some purists prefer the Garmin 305, a great watch with a good track record. It has a larger display for easier reading, and some report it as being more reliable when sweaty or wet. The 305 also has about two more hours of battery life (10 hours total) between charges than th 305. It is a larger watch, however, and for those with petite wrists or who don’t like the additonal weight (it weighs nearly an ounce more — potentially noticeable over the course of a 10 mile run), the 405 should be considered.
