Gear Review: Garmin Forerunner 10

Garmin sent over the Garmin Forerunner 10 for road testing.

Last Sunday, I took this pretty baby (no exaggeration!) out for a spin on a 14k easy run with friends.  Without reading the manual, I wore it that morning and took off.  Good thing it didn’t rain despite the expected storm because I wasn’t even sure if it was water resistant!

– Garmin Forerunner 10 comes in various colors for Men and Women –

Here’s my review on the Garmin Forerunner 10.

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+ Provides Essential Running Info.  The Garmin Forerunner 10 provides the basic and most important information a runner needs from a workout: Pace, Distance, Time, and Calories. With the Garmin’s dependable GPS-based system, distance and pace are pretty accurate.

– Screen after the run. Hey, don’t judge my pace! It was an easy run! –

+ User friendly. To start running, just press the right top button to grab a satellite signal and within a few minutes, you’re good to go. As with all Garmin watches, all you need is common sense to get started. I never ever had to read through their product manual. We all have time for long runs, but we don’t want to waste 5 minutes figuring out how to start a running watch, right? To add, all functions can be easily accessed using the two right buttons.

– Just click on the right top button and you’re off! –


– Click on the right top button again to pause or end a run –

+ Backlight. If you start running before dawn or at night, the backlight is definitely a must.

+ Virtual Pacer. The virtual pacer is available in most, if not all, Garmin running watches. It allows you to set a target pace and you can race against a virtual runner. The watch will alert you when you are on pace or if you go too fast or slow.

+ Counts laps. The watch can monitor your pace and time for laps. I usually have my laps set per kilometer and this helps to track your average pace per lap for a long run.

+ Run-Walk Intervals. For runners who practice run-walk technique, this is a God-send. You can input number of minutes running and walking and the watch will alert. No need to add/subtract while on the run.

+ Easy to charge and upload. Just attach the charger to the watch and plug it in like a cellphone. This is also the way to upload data to Garmin Center.

– The charger attaches to the back of the watch –

+ Comfortable, Good size, Lightweight. This watch is as light as a feather, it’s comfortable, and it fits on the wrist quite nicely.

– The Garmin Forerunner 10 with its siblings the Garmin Forerunner 310XT (strapless because I use this for the bike) and Garmin Forerunner 910XT –

+ Comes in various colors. Black/Red & Orange/Black and Pink/White for men and Green/White, Violet/White & Black/Silver for women.  All colors are available locally.

+ Water resistant. Up to 50m.  (Great to know I can run under the rain with the watch again in the future!)

+ Functions as a watch. This is a big deal for me: You can use it as a regular watch! Battery life on watch mode lasts up to 5 weeks.  That’s fantastic.

+ Affordable. The watch costs P8,990. Not bad compared to other pricey Garmin models.

– Limited to 2 Data Fields. While running, the interface provides two data fields at a time: one screen provides time and distance and the other calories and pace. While I appreciate the simple and clear interface, I count this is a negative for one, like me, who is used to the Garmin Forerunner 310XT or 910XT which can provide 4 data fields at once. But, for the first time Garmin user, this won’t be a problem at all. One can easily switch screens by pressing the down arrow. Data is large enough to read while running. Data can be customized as well.

– Short battery life for training. According to the Garmin website, “for typical use (with GPS on 30 minutes per day), battery life is 10 days. If used continuously with GPS on, battery life is 5 hours.” For runners who run above 5 hours for a marathon or an ultramarathon, this is a serious issue.

– Limited archives. History can store only up to 7 past runs. If you’re OC over your training, make sure to upload your data regularly to Garmin Center.

[ TBR VERDICT ]

I highly recommend the Garmin Forerunner 10 as an entry level running watch. It provides the basic and essential info needed by a runner along with additional features. Garmin pretty much took the key features in their top of the line running watch and packed into this the Garmin Forerunner 10. No frills, all function.

My only concern with this watch would be its short battery life on GPS mode.  I’m assuming they designed this truly for beginner runners running short distances.

So, who is it for? I would say it’s for the beginner runner, the experienced runner (who runs half marathons or shorter) who is on a budget, the triathlete who wishes to have an extra running watch on top of his/her triathlon watch on casual days or running days. The latter is actually me. I’m pining for the purple one! Sigh.

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