Garmin 310xt - heart rate monitor, training

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I felt compelled to write a review, because I am disturbed with what some other reviewers are publishing. This is the best watch of it's kind I have owned, and as long as a purchaser understands what it does, and it's limitations, I think they will be more than satisfied. It may be that this watch will not meet their needs, but it should not be a cause to deliver a poor rating.

I have owned the Forerunner 305, the 201, the Timex GPS and a Polar, so I have years of experience. Since I do triathlons, I was most looking forward to the waterproof controls, and 20 hour battery. The charger is a bit funky design, but for me it seems to work just fine. My battery has been lasting at least 16 hours--I haven't tested it further before recharging. One issue that I had with the 305 also, though: the watch should be TURNED OFF while you are charging. If not, as soon as you disconnect the charger, since the watch is ON, it will start "discharging" (as it does normally while it is on. I have been caught several times with a depleted battery on my 305 because of this quirk--I think the watches should be programmed to automatically turn themselves off when the charger is connected).

I have used the new watch swimming, biking and running and hiking, and I am pleased with the performance for each sport. One reviewer pointed out that there should be a "swim" mode--I agree, but I think Garmin may have avoided that mode because the GPS does not work well in the water. Several reviewers complained about that, however Garmin does write on their website AND in their manual that the GPS does not work well in the water (I don't know that I would blame that on Garmin--probably the technology is just not there yet--besides, GPS signals do not penetrate water.) In fact, I did NOT get an accurate GPS distance reading for open water swimming, but it did map my COURSE correctly, albeit with a lot of zig-zags (I know I can't swim in a straight line, but I am not THAT bad).

The biking portion works great. The Garmin matches pretty closely with the distance measured on my bike computer (I don't have the Garmin bike sensor--I want that and the quick-release mount for my next birthday). Of course it also tracks speed, altitude, heart rate, etc. (I used the heart monitor strap from my 305).

Running works well also, basically same as biking although I do set up the display screens differently.

Other, useful new features I have noticed:

1. The watch locks onto satellites more quickly than my 305

2. The watch vibrates, although I wonder how this affects battery life. For instance it vibrates every lap (if I set it) so I know I have completed an autolap without having to look at the watch.

3. The software is more refined (lots of small fixes. For instance the settings function lets me know what sport mode I am in--although I think this could still be made easier and less confusing. And the time zone can be put on automatic--I always wondered why they couldn't do this before--the watch knows where it is for gosh sakes. And there are extra custom screens if you want them--statistic hounds take note.)

4. Wireless data upload. Very nice! Their new "Garmin Connect" site is also pretty useful, and the data can be uploaded directly to the Internet.

5. The 310XT is not much smaller or lighter than the 305 (according to the specs), but it FEELS MUCH smaller and lighter.

6. There is a progress bar for the battery charging. I would like to be able to see how much time is LEFT in my battery--I wish Garmin would add this.



In summary, I think this is far and away the best GPS watch Garmin has made, and is especially appropriate for triathletes (despite the swimming issue). You DO need to become accustomed to using the watch. Although I do not think it is hard to use, you SHOULD read the manual. At least you do not have to keep RE-reading the manual like I do for some other gadgets. I do think this watch is way overpriced, but I am a gadget freak, and I'm sure the price will come down over time, like it did for the 305 (which is a great deal, now, btw, if you don't need a 20 hour battery-life and a waterproof stopwatch :) Garmin Forerunner 310XT Waterproof Running GPS With USB ANT Stick and Heart Rate Monitor

This device has been represented as a triathlete's watch and the first swim proof GPS watch. If you watch the video from Garmin or see any of the advertisements, Garmin leads you to believe that this watch will collect reliable data for all 3 multisport events. It is reasonable for someone to assume this watch can be worn in a race and collect GPS data in the water, since, of course, SWIMMING is the first event in a triathlon.



If you are considering buying this watch realize the following:



-This device does not collect usable data in the water, period (other than time, which any $20 waterproof watch can collect in a much smaller form factor). No heart rate data and totally unusable and inaccurate GPS data while in the water.



-There are preset modes for run, bike, and "other", in which "other" shows a person on skis (explain that one?). They intentionally omit a category for swimming, despite advertising that this watch is for triathletes (see the photo I added under product photos).



-You will need to purchase a separate quick release kit if you want to use this watch on a bike. It does not get accurate data on a bike if you are wearing in on your wrist. It auto pauses, then unpauses for most of the time I am riding if I wear it on my wrist -- even if I have it set to only auto pause when completely stopped. The quick release kit IS NOT the more common one for the 205 and 305 Garmin 010-10889-00 Forerunner 305/205 Quick Release Kit, so do not buy that one. They have made a new one for this watch and most places do not have it in stock yet. As of the date I am writing this review, it is not yet available on Amazon.com. Go to Garmin's website and look under the accessories tab for this watch. You will see a different model number. I have confirmed this with customer service. The part number for the proper quick release kit is: 010-11215-00. Google it.



-If you want foot cadence or the ability to track distance indoors and assume you get it for spending $400 on this device, think again. You will have to buy a separate foot pod which costs $80-100, depending on where you buy it (earlier Garmin Forerunner watch kits included foot pods). Garmin Foot Pod SDM4 (ANT+)



-The watch is large and sits high on top of the wrist (they packed 20 hours of batter life into this watch), so to wear it under your wetsuit will let water in the wetsuit, or you will have to wear it on top of (or crammed in front of) the wetsuit, which will not allow you to remove your wetsuit without first removing the watch (thus adding time to your transition and sort of negating that whole "triathlete" angle). You can see a photo of this watch on my wrist under the photos section of the product.



-There is no way to turn off GPS tracking for only one of the 3 events in multisport mode. Therefore you will always either have incorrect GPS data recording for the swimming mode (or, actually "other", since there is no "swim" mode, as previously mentioned). I have called customer support and they confirm this. Their solution was to turn off GPS while I am swimming, then reset and manually start a new timer and mode during transition 1 for my bike event. I'll let you be the judge of how to take that advice.



So, in conclusion, if you want to setup this watch for a bike and run, and want the ability to wear the watch in the water before hand (and no start it unless you want some incorrect distance data included), you will need to buy:



$400 - the Garmin 310XT with HR

$25 - quick release mount kit (for wrist and bike) (no link in Amazon yet)

$80-100 - foot pod (if you want cadence)

Garmin Foot Pod SDM4 (ANT+)

$35-50 - speed/cadence sensor (if you want cadence for the bike)

GARMIN 010-10644-00 Speed/Cadence Sensor



You'll be into it for $575 retail. Garmin, you did us wrong on this one. Some of us are willing to spend this kind of money on a product if it proves to do what it advertises itself to do. We're not asking it to do anything more than perform as advertised. I realize your fine print saves you from lawsuits, but it doesn't gain you repeat customers. It sends them over to Polar.



[EDIT: I have edited the title of this review to what it currently reads from "Misleading: Not a Triathlete's Watch," because it seems that Garmin has somewhat softened their advertising and marketing surrounding this watch. I purchased this watch when it first came out in 2009, and at the time the marketing videos and advertising in triathlon magazines mentioned nothing about the fact that it doesn't track GPS data in the water, and in fact seemed to lead the consumer into believe it does. That advertising has since softened.] - Training - Gps Watch - Heart Rate Monitor - Multisport'

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Planer Blades - planer blades

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Ordered some new blades for the old Ryobi, and didn't get around to trying them until the set I was using got a bit dull. Set them up as usual, but after some checking realized they weren't aligned properly. Pulled them out and re-set with the ryobi gauge, but realized one blade could not be set properly, as the slots for the screw holddowns are off--a lot. Perfectly visible with the naked eye, once you look closely. So much so that it is not possible to adjust correctly. So I have some useless blades and can't return them. Very disappointing for Freud stuff, and Amazon's return policy leaves a lot to be desired. Bottom line, better try and set these up right away and make sure your pair isn't mis-manufactured. Freud C600 10-Inch Replacement Planer Knives for Ryobi AP10 (2-Pack)

Not much to say about these. They worked fine as replacement blades in my planer. I have no way of testing the type of steel; they do feel like they may be a little soft, but my planer is used for light duty and so far no problems.

I HAD TROUBLE FINDING 10" BLADES FOR MY RYOBI PLANER. I FOUND THEM ON AMAZON AND THE PRICE WAS REASONABLE,SO I PURCHASED A SET, THEY FIT AND WORKED FINE. I JUST NOW ORDERED 2 MORE SETS AND AM SATISFIED WITH THEM. THEY ARE GREAT BLADES.

The knives were exactly as described and they installed in 15 minutes with no fuss. Test it out on some walnut and the results were near perfect. I reset my in feed and out rolls. When I ran the walnut board through after having jointed two sides,the planed side and corresponding edge were so smooth I could have not bothered to finish sand. No end snipe. Excellent product *****

I had some clear heart redwood 2x6 deck boards that I wanted to clean up to use to replace some decking. I decided to "tune up" my old Ryobi AP-10 planer that I purchased in the mid 80's. The power cord was in need of replacing because the jacket was falling apart. I still had the instructions that came with the planer so I figured out how to take it apart to replace the cord. I also gave the planer a thorough cleaning and lubing while it was apart.



Now all that it needed to was a new set of planer knives. I found the Freud C600 knives and ordered them. They arrived quickly and in perfect shape. Installing the knives went quickly because I still had the Ryobi blade alignment tool. The planer now performs just like new and made short work of cleaning up the redwood.



I took the original knives to the local sharpening shop and now have a spare set ready to go. The nice part about the Ryobi AP-10 planer is that you CAN resharpen the knives. - Planer Blades'

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Eneloop Power Pack - eneloop, aaa

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This new eneloop package (Sanyo Eneloop Ni-MH Charger and 8 Rechargeable AA and 4 Rechargeable AAA Batteries) contains 12 of the 2nd-gen eneloop cells, and the MQN06 4-cell charger. Note that unlike the previous eneloop Power Pack Kit, there are no C- and D-shell adapters in this package.



The rated capacities of those new eneloop cells are the same as that of original eneloop: 2000mAh for AA, 800 for AAA. All batteries are made in Japan. The charger is made in China.



I have tested 4 new eneloop AA cells, using my La Crosse BC-900 Battery Charger:

- Right out of the package, the average remaining charge is 1557mAh (min=1551, max=1564)

- After just one charge/discharge cycle, the average capacity rises to 2100mAh (min=2070, max=2130). This is 5% higher than the rated value!



Date code embossed on the AA cells is "10-04 0Y". I assume that means April 2010. Note that just like the old eneloop, the new ones are only charged to 75-80% when leaving factory.



According to the package and also Sanyo web site, the new eneloop is supposed to offer the following advantages over the original:

- "Holds charge up to 3 years" (85% after 1 year, 80% after 2, 75% after 3)

- "Recharge 1500x" (vs. "1000x" for original)

- "Suitable for temperature as low as -20 degree C" (vs. -10)



In real life, it is nearly impossible for the user to experience those benefits. If you recharge the new eneloop twice every week, it will take 15 years to reach 1500 cycles! Also the new self-discharge rate is not much different from that for the old eneloop (which claims 85% after 1 year, 80% after 2). So it is probably not worth paying an extra premium over the old eneloop, just for those perceived benefits.



However, there is one visible benefit for the new eneloop: it comes in different colors!

- The 8 AA cells consist of 4 light-blue and 4 dark-blue

- The 4 AAA cells consist of 2 light-green and 2 dark-green

This makes it easier for the new eneloop to be arranged in groups. For example, you may use one color group in your camera and another group as spare. Plus the new colors looked very nice, too.



The charger included in this package, on the other hand, is a big let-down. It is the same old Sanyo MQN06 which is slow and only charges in pairs. It is simply inexcusable that Sanyo continue to package their best rechargeable batteries with their worst charger. In my case, the price I paid (at a local warehouse Club) is cheaper than buying 12 new eneloop cells separately, so I just tell myself that the charger is thrown in for free. Otherwise I would subtract one star from the rating.



[Update July 29, 2010]

I have tested 4 new eneloop AAA cells, date code "10-05 0B":

- Average remaining charge out of package is 619mAh

- After two more charge/discharge cycles, the average capacity reached 830mAh.

That's what I like most about those eneloop cells (both new and old). They are highly consistent, and their measured capacities are usually higher than rated values.



[Upadte Nov 21, 2010]

Long term self-discharge data: I have tested a pair of new eneloop AA cell, after nearly 4 months (115 days) of storage. The average remaining charge is 89% of full capacity. This result is slightly better than that of the original eneloop, which usually reatins about 87% after three months. But the difference is within margin of error of my experiments. Sanyo Eneloop Ni-MH Charger and 8 Rechargeable AA and 4 Rechargeable AAA Batteries

I bought this for one reason alone: Classic style rechargeable batteries after a month or so, will discharge most of their charge! Requiring another recharging cycle, wasting your time, and increasing your power bill. It also made it impossible to have a spare fully charged and ready to go. I don't know how Sanyo did it, but I am glad they did. These are all high quality batteries, all 'Made in Japan', that look stylish [love the shades of blue] and work just as described.



A must buy for any household. I use them in wireless mouse, remotes, and my camera. You should too ~

This pack was created specifically for Costco stores, where it costs $25 (sometimes $21 on sale). You have to decide for yourself if the 50% markup is worth the convenience of not having to deal with Costco.

I bought two of this set to use in my Canon 580EX DSLR flash and Canon CP-E4 external flash power pack. The AA are blue and AAA are green, as these are the ones with 2000 cycle times with no hysteresis. I used 12 AA batteries for my flash system and the remaining cells to be used for other things like remote controls and wireless mice. I could not be more pleased. The flash recycle time is the fastest I've seen with any battery. This includes disposable alkaline lithium Energizer and Duracell AA cells. In one evening I was able to do nearly 600 flash shots without ever having to wait for the flash to recycle! I kept going, thinking "well, my flash may not fire this time since the batteries are loosing their charge." I knew the Eneloops would be better, but I didn't know it would be this much better. I wish I had gotten the Eneloops a couple of years ago. The charger does take several hours to recharge Eneloop cells and it would probably be best to get a high quality Maha PowerEx Charger like the C801D for a faster charge time. The great thing about the Eneloop batteries is that the voltage doesn't drop after several cycles of charge/discharge.



My only complaint is the packaging is so big and hard to open. Perhaps the packaging was intended for retail to prevent theft.

This is about the only way I know how to get the next generation Eneloop cells in a cost effective manner.



I have been so happy with the consistency of all the Eneloop cells I bought years ago. Hard to believe they can make them better, but they did! I'm glad the cells come in colors so I know they are newer.



Every other NiMH cell I've ever used are now kaput. All Eneloops I've ever bought are still working. They all test at 90-95% of the rated mA*h rating, even after several years in use. That's what I'm impressed about.



I was hoping that the charger had independent bays, but it doesn't. You must charge cells in pairs. Not very handy if you have a device that uses one or three cells (computer mouse, LED flashlight, clock, etc.). In fact, you shouldn't charge cells in a shared bay unless they have been discharged equally. Even so, with a fold-down plug and light weight it will come in handy. Rated 7 hours to charge AA cells, or 10 hours to charge AAA. That's too long to be handy on the road, unless you're gonna charge only 4 cells maximum overnight... there is no 12VDC car option.



Get your mangifier out to read the instruction manual. I don't understand why they provided a manual that is about the size of two credit cards when the whole package is about as big as a 11x17 sheet of paper. The font size is probably 3 or 4. To make matters worse, they fold up the manual three times and tape it to the back of the charger, no way to remove the tape without ripping the manual.



It's crazy this "green" product is packaged in the most resource inefficient way I've seen in a long time... big box store method. The package is 16X10 inches, and is made of 3 layers of glossy pressed cardboard glued together. The plastic in the packaging is not marked recycleable. The package is shipped in an even bigger box, with lots of bubble wrap to take up the extra space. Perhaps the leaves printed on the packaging are really poison ivy. I digress.



I bought another one of these sets after they dropped a couple more bucks. Somebody said the Cosco version is [...] and amazon's cost 50% more. That must have been a little while ago, Amazon's current price shipped free is now close to that price.



To sum it up:

Cells: 5 stars

Charger/Instructions: 4 stars

Packaging: 3 stars



UPDATE: I tried using the older "white" eneloop AAA's in this charger, they will not stay in the charger, the (+) side pops back up and do not make contact. - Aaa - Battery Charger - Eneloop - Nimh Batteries'

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Pepper Shaker Sets

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These salt and pepper shakers are a great size. The screw on lids fit a little loose and didn't stay on very well. I corrected this problem by putting plumber pipe tape around the threads now the lids stay on tight. Also the holes are kind of big and the salt and pepper come out very fast so use caution when seasoning your food. Other than that I really like these shakers and I am glad I bought them. New Commercial Stainless Steel Salt / Pepper / Spice / Sugar Shaker, Shakers, Dredge, Dredges, Set of 2

I've gone through several salt and pepper shakers. Finally I found these on Amazon.com. They are just like the ones that my mom had when I was growing up. They are good quality. One thing to note is these do not have the "S" & "P" designation on the shakers.

Finally ~~!! A shaker that accommodates Sea Salt!

Great flow, so be cautious with application, though

easy to use and they look great on the stove top ~~

Super value for the price! A friend liked mine so

much that I had to give her one!!

I use kosher salt which tends to be bigger grained then regular table salt. I needed a shaker that had holes big enough for the kosher salt to fly out of and that is why I bought them. They are handy for near the stove for seasoning what ever I am cooking.

If you're like me and serious about your cooking, you have two sets if shakers in the kitchen. One set near or around the stove for cooking, and one for the table. These stainless steel beauties are definitely for the stove top. (The salt comes out much too fast for table top use.) Their big, very free flowing, and best of all they are made of a high polished stainless steel that will last forever and clean up like new with a damp cloth no matter what kind of sticky mess you make of them during the cooking process. Also, since their so free flowing they don't seem to be affected at all by the humidity that invades the air in the summer and tends to gum up the salt works. The only small downside I should mention about these shakers is that they are not labeled in any way. No S Or P or anything else. I found that to be of no problem since salt by volume is twice as heavy as pepper. Even half full I can easily tell when I am picking up the salt. If it all concerns you, attach a small sticker somewhere to tell the difference. This should in no way make any difference in deciding whether to purchase these fine shakers. They work flawlessly, will last a lifetime, and are very reasonably priced. Highly recommended....

I would definitely purchase from this seller again. Items were as described and I received them very quickly. As far as the shakers themselves I was a touch disappointed. They are pretty thin, not aluminum thin or anything, but thin nonetheless. The top of the shakers without their lids are very sharp. These would best be used for sugar and flour, but not salt or pepper.

They were inexpensive, so I didn't expect much. They will work for my purpose. It would be nice if there was a plastic lid so that they could be sealed closed. The holes are medium size and allow flour to shake out.

These aren't your kitchen table shaker set. They are designed to be generous and in a kitchen situation they are just perfect. Love em. Tight fitting lids , easy threads to open and close. Corrosion proof/resistant stainless steel. The only improvement I would suggest is to label the shakers....but even that would be difficult as they do so well at so many functions beyond just salt and pepper. So, if really needed, do what I did, use the p-touch and put a small label on each. From a foodie who loves to cook , these are great.'

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Camera Accessories - 430ex, photography

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This seemingly simple piece of molded plastic was recommended to me by a professional photographer. Basically it's the shape of an open box that slides firmly onto the flash. It is small and sturdy enough to stash in your camera bag without worrying about damage. When used the light disperses more evenly and is less harsh on the subject being photographed.



The white box is for general use. Also available are the green Omni-bounce for florescent lighting and the gold Omni-bounce for a warming effect.



PROS:

Inexpensive solution for better flash photography.

A quality product that works.



CONS:

Reduces the amount of light cast upon subject (should be expected with these types of products). Stofen OM-EW Omni Bounce For Canon 430EX White

If you have a flash, this or a light sphere is almost a needed item to improve your creative range with your shots. Though, I highly recommend this product over the light sphere, as they both have about the same visual effect, but the light sphere costs dramatically more.



This device fits easily onto your flash and holds tight. No need for ugly tape or sticky velcro pads that look tacky. This thing merges into the form of your flash and looks like it belonged there the whole time. Looks aside, what does it do?



It diffuses your flash's light so you get a softer and more spread-out look to your flash. No more pictures looking like you're shining a spotlight on people. This has a more "natural soft light" look to it. I highly recommend it for indoor use, because you'll want a soft flash with it being the only light source, and the omni-bounce spreads out the light so you are better able to light up the scene and room.



The only downside is that since it is softening the light, you may need to adjust your flash output. You may have to dial up your exposure (meaning slower flash recycle times and faster battery drainage). The tradeoff is irritating sometimes, but well worth it for the improved looks in your photos.

I have used the Sto-Fen OMEW with my Canon 430EX flash and it fits perfectly. The diffuser is easy to slip on and will stay on tight unless it's pulled off.



This diffuser light to escape in a number of directions (hence omni-bounce)instead of the typical single direction of the flash. The benefit of this is that light is less harsh and because of the bouncing light, there will be less strong shadows and generally more even lighting.



You'll notice the biggest difference in shooting portraits as softer, more even lighting is generally more flattering.

I bought this diffuser when I bought my Canon Speedlite 430EX. It works great! The diffuser fits perfectly on my 430EX. No more complaints from family members about the flash. When the flash goes off, none of the dogs blinks their eyes.

Great diffuser. Easy to put on and take off of Canon 430EX speedlite flash. Does a nice job of removing the glare from too much flash. Slightly "deadens" the light range, but this can easily be adjusted for in post. Highly recommended! And you can't beat the price either!

I have no complaints about the functionality of this diffuser. It does a very nice job of softening and controling light from my Canon flash. Unlike one of the reviewers above, I found that it fits the flash perfectly: it's easy to slip on, but maintains enough friction that it will not easily fall off without purposeful pulling. My only complaint is that this plain piece of flimsy plastic, without any complications that would make manufacture difficult, costs $9, and then requires another $7 of shipping. It's just overpriced. I suppose I shouldn't complain since it increases the functionality of a $400 flash, but it is, afterall, just a flimsy piece of plastic. - 430ex - Photography - Canon - Flash'

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