Watchlopnic: Garmin 235

"Cash Rewards" (cashrewards)
04/08/2020 at 12:00 • Filed to: None

Picked this guy up as a refurb an Amazon. Cheap, due to refurb and an updated model (245) being released.

Size is nice. Anything bigger on my skinny wrist would be too much. The screen is nice and useful.

As a running watch, it’s fantastic. Picks up GPS in under 5 seconds. Accurate. Gives lots of great data, including a VO2 estimate. I like it!

Bonus charcoal review:

Jealous Devil natural lump. Home Depot was out of charcoal, so this was what Amazon could deliver by today (Passover: brisket on the smoker). It burns nice and clean, but is difficult to start compared to Kingsford. For grilling purposes, the variation in size makes having an even heat source difficult, which may or may not be an issue depending on what your cooking.

DISCUSSION (16)

Ash78, voting early and often > Cash Rewards
04/08/2020 at 12:14

I still use my Apple watch for everything (Series 3) , but I’ve been running and working out enough that I might take the plunge into Garmin once Apple updates this thing into obsolescence . I’m generally happy with it and the GPS is strong, even with tree cover. No complaints here — Apple’s native workout app is better than MapMyRun or Strava, surprisingly.

Plus I was getting sick of bots trying to friend me on Strava. Why does every single thing need a social media component? I run in the woods to get away from you people! :P

WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI > Ash78, voting early and often
04/08/2020 at 12:18

I’m still running the original Apple Watch. The O.G. They didn’t even have the “series” naming scheme yet, and it’s still going strong. Battery lasts all day. I’ve accidentally jump ed in the lake a handful of times with it, and it keeps ticking (sorry).

It’s probably the best Apple product I’ve owned.

HoustonRunner > Cash Rewards
04/08/2020 at 12:19

I’m a Garmin devotee. Had a 235, now have a 935. I wear it constantly, and I don’t know that there is a better running watch. It is the multisport version, though my use is 90% or more just running. The Garmin app isn’t great, but functional enough for me.

Just Jeepin' > WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI
04/08/2020 at 12:26

I’m on my 3rd, I think. The first one was sooooooooo slow, I’d have a hard time putting up with it.

Ash78, voting early and often > WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI
04/08/2020 at 12:33

No joke — wifey has a Series 0 (unofficial name) and it’s still pretty fast and battery is at least 80% of new capacity.

It’s the one Apple product I’ve been almost entirely happy with.

Cash Rewards > Ash78, voting early and often
04/08/2020 at 12:35

I had an older Garmin, and didn’t love it. Went to Fitbit, but I’m happy I came back. This is nice.

I had the same issue with Strava. Great program, but I couldn't give the slightest shit about anyone else. They need a lite version, without any social media

WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI > Just Jeepin'
04/08/2020 at 12:35

That is the downside. Anything beyond the main display is basically useless.

Cash Rewards > HoustonRunner
04/08/2020 at 12:37

I wanted to the 635 to track swimming in the hopes of one day doing a triathlon, but I doubt the pool will be open this summer. Plus, tracking swimming is easy, and I'm terrible at it regardless

3point8isgreat > Cash Rewards
04/08/2020 at 12:41

Yeah Garmin! I got a 245 this winter and it has been awesome. So nice not needing to bring my phone every run. And the battery life is ridiculously good.

And all the fun performance stats are neat too. Although it can be frustrating when they take backward some days.

Sovande > Cash Rewards
04/08/2020 at 12:56

The Garmin Dinner Plate.

Cash Rewards > Sovande
04/08/2020 at 13:19

To be fair, I have incredibly skinny wrists for a grown man, even in the context of a 30" waist. Anything bigger than a Timex weekender looks like this on me.

Cash Rewards > 3point8isgreat
04/08/2020 at 13:20

I find the cadence stat correlates nicely with how I feel about a run or any given part of a run.

3point8isgreat > Cash Rewards
04/08/2020 at 14:21

My cadence is pretty consistent until I really start pushing my pace up. I’ve been trying to do heart rate zone training. Not sure if I’m getting the performance results I’m supposed to see or not. But that could just be my frustration with bombing a speed workout last night due to heat.

Cash Rewards > 3point8isgreat
04/08/2020 at 14:30

I know the knock on all the wrist based ones is interval training is not that accurate. Chest strap might be necessary if you're that serious

3point8isgreat > Cash Rewards
04/08/2020 at 14:47

https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a29801627/how-accurate-is-your-wrist-heart-rate-monitor/

This lines up with what I’ve heard that newer ones are at least within a few BPM, which is good enough for me. It at least gives me a # to correspond with perceived effort. Like I know running around 140 bpm is very easy, 150 requires a little bit of extra effort but can sustain it, 165 is when my legs will start to feel lactic burn after a bit . Etc. May not be perfect #’s, but it’s really nice having #’s to go by instead of just “Conversational” and “hard”.

For now I’m just doing base miles and starting to add speed. In June I’ll start a real marathon plan at which point I just have to run whatever pace it says to go.

thejustache > Cash Rewards
04/08/2020 at 14:48

Nice! I had a friend with a 235 and they liked it. I have (had?) a garmin 310xt from a few years back when I did 2 triathlons, and while big and clunky it worked for me until I seem to have lost it during a trip around Christmas.

Now I’m kind of torn between getting something cheap and simple since I’m mostly just running, or saving up for something with some smart capabilities. Mostly I think it would be cool to have something that can hold a few songs and allow Bluetooth to headphones, and live tracking would probably be appreciated by my wife as I hate running with a phone.