Garmin Forerunner 910XT GPS Watch

As most of you that have been in or around the running world likely know, Garmin makes GPS watches that can be used in training and racing. I use the Garmin Forerunner 910XT and it fits all needs nicely.

This watch is designed for triathlon. It has three modes: swimming, biking and running. The swimming mode can be set to open water or pool swim. When choosing pool swim, you're prompted to input the yardage of the pool you're swimming in. 

The display is nice and easy to read in all light conditions (after dark, you need to press a button to activate the back-light). The buttons and functions are fairly intuitive, and it's easy to switch between modes (just press and hold the "Mode" button). And best of all, it's comfortable. It's slightly larger than the watch I wear to the office every day, but no more uncomfortable.

I've used my regularly and have never had a problem with it in any of the three disciplines of triathlon. It does occasionally take quite a while to find satellites, but I gather from talking with others that this is a fairly common issue with most GPS watches. 

The only downside to the watch is that I cannot connect it to my smartphone and upload my statistics for the activity that way. My wife's Garmin (a running-specific model) has this feature, but the Forerunner lacks it, meaning I have to sit down in front of the computer to sync the watch. Overall it's not a very big deal and it certainly wouldn't keep me from recommending the device to anyone, but it is a slight hassle.

Overall though, the watch has been an absolute blessing and delight. I don't look at it much when swimming or biking and mainly use it there to keep track of my yardage/mileage, but I rely on it when I run to get my splits right. It's very nice to be able to simply glance at my wrist instead of having to fumble for my phone to find out the info.

If you're a triathlete looking for a GPS watch, this is the one you want. I can't recommend it highly enough. Below are two images of the watch itself, as well as what comes in the box.