Guy Low Price Electronic

Tuesday, 25 August 2009

Forerunner 305 - garmin 305, hrm

(Please note: the other user's negative review for this item is not accurate. The photo pictured is accurate for the Premium HRM, Product Number 010-10997-02. See below for update to original review.)

ORIGINAL REVIEW:

I tested out my friend's Premium Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) on the trail this weekend and was extremely impressed and ordered mine yesterday. (My hat is off to Amazon - this is a better deal than dealer's pricing.)

The premium HRM is an excellent accessory to my Forerunner 405, which I initially purchased without a HRM, and the additional data set will be a big help to me when charting my progress and seeing gains over the same terrain over time, not to mention a decent "zone" training aid when road cycling.

A VERY IMPORTANT ITEM OF NOTE that people tend to forget/ignore when using these HRMs is that you need to wet the contacts for an accurate reading. You can use water, or simply rub some spit on in a pinch, but I would recommend swinging by a running store and getting a bottle of gel - it's cheap and it lasts forever, plus in my experience it provides the most accurate data... which is what we're interested in with these toys, right? :)

Enjoy! I know I will - happy trails.

----

UPDATE, Feb. 11th: Just a brief follow-on update from my original pre-review.

After three runs, this HRM functions beautifully. I have zero data spikes, my 405 picks up the signal immediately, and I haven't even had to use my runner's electrode gel for the contacts; just wet the contacts in the sink and strap it on and go. Simply put, it works PERFECTLY.

It's also great having the training data to see which zone I'm training in or "Why did that run suck so hard?!"... oh, my hr was sky-rocketing and I was pushing too hard for event 'x'.

I would post an image here if I could so you could see the solid data and corresponding Garmin Connect screen capture.

Solid product, five stars. Garmin Premium Heart Rate Monitor (Soft Strap)

But now it's completely unreliable, I mountain and road bike 4 times per week, doing intervals for which I really need the hearth rate monitor. But if it's not tuned in from the beginning of my training it simply keeps it over 200bpm for hours or actually under 100bpm. I have tried creme, I soak it every time and sometimes it works fine but others NOT AT ALL... So I'm trying to find an alternative.

I don't know why Garmin won't package this version with their watches, as the premium heart rate strap actually works. I found the stock strap to be finicky and inaccurate, even with gel. The premium strap works right off the bat without gel and doesn't lose signal through-out the activity. It stays in place running, biking (on and off road), or hiking and is about as comfortable as they get. The snap closure in the front makes putting this on/off very easy. Overall I'd say this is as accurate as my polar strap, and a tad more comfortable. I always found polar to set the benchmark, but this takes it a little further in comparison and is a "no brainer" if you are having problems with the stock Garmin strap.

For the first 3 months, the strap worked great. It's much more comfortable than the standard garmin heart rate monitor. Now it consistently gives false, high readings. This morning I averaged 220 bpm on a run that really was around 150 bpm. I've tried wetting the strap contacts and using heart rate gel. The Garmin forum has an extensive discussion of the issue under the topic heading "Heart Rate Monitor gives me erroneous readings" or "Premium heart rate monitor (soft strap)". Basically, the thing is a piece of junk and I would recommend that you stick with the normal garmin monitor and not the premium version. I've used the cheaper model for 2 years with absolutely no problems.

I was really impressed with the other reviews of the Garmin Premium heart rate monitor so I forked out the extra money and purchased one. I use two Garmin devices, the Edge 705 and the Forerunner 405CX, and both came with their standard heart rate monitor straps. Many people reported better data from the premium heart rate monitor so I was most interested in that. However, after comparing nearly a month's worth of data, I don't really see any difference. I had been wetting the contacts like the instructions and other reviewers said, but the data looks the same to me.

The strap pairs easily with both of my devices, and I've never had a problem with it losing signal or not establishing a connection right away. At times, the standard issue straps took minutes or physically entering the menus to re-pair them to the device. Not so with the Premium strap.

While I don't know that I'd consider any heart rate monitor wonderfully comfortable, the Premium strap is definitely much more comfortable than the standard issue one.

I'm on the fence about the price... Amazon certainly has a better deal going than Garmin's website does, but it's still a heafty price tag for something that normally comes with the device and I feel only functions moderately better for the amount you pay. Certainly if you purchase a device that DOESN'T come with a heart rate monitor, I'd go for this one because of the comfort and the ease of pairing. But if you're purchasing a device that comes with one... I'm not sure that I'd recommend going out and buying this add on.

I purchased a second one for my husband who's build is larger than most, and he has yet to try it on. The true test will be if it fits his linebacker frame without modification.

Bought the Garmin Premium Heart Rate Monitor with the hope that it would be more comfortable than the Garmin "Standard" Heart Rate Monitor. I found that it is indeed more comfortable, but have gone back to using the standard monitor.

Used the premium monitor about 4 times per week while walking on my treadmill since December of last year, and it seemed to be operating ok. The heart rate reading it displayed correlated well with that of a finger tip monitor that I also own. During the past week, however, the readings have become very erratic---often showing heart rates >200bpm. I have tried rewetting the electrodes, moving the monitor around on my chest, and changing to shirts that may contain less static electrical charge with no success. Therefore, I have gone back to the standard (buy less comfortable) standard Garmin monitor that is working fine.

I considered returning the monitor to Garmin for repair or exchange, but decided to first check in the Garmin Forums on the Garmin website to see if others were having this problem, and yes indeed people are! Numerous suggestions are made in the forums such as wetting the electrodes with gel instead of water, wearing only cotton shirts, wearing the monitor upside down, and even wearing the monitor on ones back rather than on ones chest. Personally, I refuse to resort to such Mickey Mouse solutions, and will use the standard monitor instead.

Am not sure what I will do about my Premium monitor. I suspect that what we have here is a basic design that is not very robust or reliable, and that my returning the device to Garmin for repair or exchange might not accomplish much other than my paying some shipping charges.

Updated 2/24/11: I contacted Garmin customer service regarding the monitors' erratic operation, and was told that they have an upgraded soft strap that they would send to me free of charge. I received the new strap within about a week, and now the monitor is working perfectly with no more erratic readings. I am very pleased with the response of the Garmin customer representative (whoes initials are J. R.)! I will consider giving the monitor a 5 star rating if it continues to operate well for a few months or so. - Garmin 305 - Garmin 405 - Hrm - Garmin'

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Performance - motor oils, motor oil

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Mobil 1 is one of those cases where you get what you pay for:

Sure, it's considerably more expensive per quart than regular oil. But you can run it many more months / hours than the ''old fashioned'' brands. And for those of us in colder climates, the difference in starting performance when it's really cold is amazing: Mobil 1 fully synthetic oil (all varieties) thickens a LOT less as the temperature drops. I can still start my vehicle even when it is well below zero degrees F. without plugging in the soft-plug heater; and even my big diesel tractor will start without heating well below freezing (for those of you from southern states: You have NO IDEA how cold 35-40 degrees BELOW zero F. feels; and how regular oil pretty much turns to a near-solid when it gets that cold). Mobil 1 44999 5w40 Turbo Diesel Truck - 1 gallon, Pack of 2

It is hard to find good diesel oil for a VW tdi, this is the perfect stuff, protects the engine and the turbo. I had my turbo burn out when using the oil that oil change places carry in stock, definitely worth getting the right oil.

Sometimes it's a great price here on Amazon and with free shipping, sometimes it makes sense to fly it in.

Otherwise can be had at Wallyworld and some times Tarjjey.

Great oil, although you have to be careful with mobile1 changing their formulas these days (and one reason I moved form 0-40w M1)

The product is top notch, but the only reason I ordered thru Amazon, is because I had thought that Wal Mart no longer carried the item. Just recently I discovered that it is back on the shelves at Wal Mart, and the price is still lower than what I paid thru Amazon.

I've been using the M1 TDT in every gasoline engine I own including motorcycles for over 5 years. Even though it is more expensive than non-synthetic, it is actually cheaper in the long run due to extended drain intervals. Better for the environment as well. I use 15,000 mile intervals for the cars and 7500 on the motorcycles as the gearboxes are much harder on viscosity. All of these engines are "high mileage" and yet continue to run as new. But the real reason I call the TDT virtually indestructible is due to an event that should have destroyed an engine containing a lesser lubricant.

We own a 1990 Lexus LS400 with 223,000 miles and it overheated/boiled over while coming over a coastal mountain pass while my wife was returning from a bridal shower. It is a hazardous descent and dangerous area to pull over. Needless to say she continued to drive the car for over 15 miles with the temperature gauge pegged! The engine got so hot that she said it was pinging so bad that it had no power and when she finally got to a place to pull over the engine died on its own and was smoking heavily from under the hood. When I got there the engine compartment was still smoking and the engine would not even turn over is was so hot. I figured the engine was seized and ruined and I was furious at her. We went home for dinner and then returned 4 hours later to meet the tow truck driver. Just for the heck of it I tried to start it and the engine fired right up! I refilled the coolant to get it home, flushed the cooling system, and changed the oil/filter with new TDT. That was over a year ago and the car still gets driven every day with no harm done. All hail Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck. - Performance - Turbo - Motor Oil - Motor Oils'

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Satin Nickel Doorhandles

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In one word....."Yes."

I lived for decades in a home with door handles and then purchased a home with doorknobs. I found doorknobs to be very utilitarian and not much more. On the other hand, by comparison, I consider doorhandles to be functional luxury. All the doorknobs in our home have been upgraded with Kwikset doorhandles. If you've never lived with doorhandles, after being installed, you'll find doorhandles quickly become a functional necessity as opposed to being considered an upgraded luxury. Why? Because of the ease in opening a door when in possession of a full armload of goodies. This, of course, is in comparison to the difficulty of trying to operate a doorknob while in possession of the same aforementioned armload of goodies. :)

Important note: there are three grades of door hardware of this kind; ANSI Grade 3, ANSI Grade 2 and ANSI Grade 1.

The benefit of upgrading from Grade 3 to Grade 2 is a "very" noticeable difference in both look/feel and build quality. To me, there's no point in going to a Grade 1 unless working in a hospital where orderlies are going be running into the doorhandles with a food cart on a regular basis. The difference in look/feel between a Grade 3 and a Grade 2 is night-n-day in that the Grade 2 product has a totally solid, well made, happy feel vs the light fluffy look/feel of the Grade 3 product. So in your search for a replacement or upgrade, if you can, what ever your choice of product might be, I highly recommend spending the extra few dollars for Grade 2 products. Doing so, you'll be rewarded with the daily personal pleasure and satisfaction (pride), having and using a Grade 2 door handle brings to the table. FWIW, if swapping Kwikset for Kwikset, swapping out old hardware and installing replacement doorhandles in existing cutouts is a breeze. All you need is a medium size Phillips Head screwdriver and ten minutes of your time. Once installed, you'll find these doorhandles have a very solid presence coupled with a satin-ee smooth feel; very nice.

A word to the wise, this is a satin nickel product and your "out-of-sight/out-of-mind" door hinges might be made of brass.

Maybe I don't get out often enough but if you missed it, I love these doorhandles. I'm sure there are many other manufacture makes and models of equal or better quality out there; read that to mean more expensive. But if you're curious regarding this particular make and model of doorhandles, you won't be disappointed if you choose to buy them.

Hope the above is found helpful.

:) Kwikset 730TNL 15 CP Tustin Bed/Bath Lever, Satin Nickel

Very comfortable, practical & with lovely finish. I installed them myself on doors opening both directions, & had no problems. The handles are so easy to use, tho you can catch a belt loop if you like to close the door with your backside...

Love the look, quality, and feel of the Kwikset Tustin lever locks. Simple to install with the left or right interchange of the handles. No need to know if the door is left or right, simply install and switch the handles in about 30 seconds if you need to reverse them. Nice product. Highly recommended.

I purchased this item to replace previously installed Kwikset locks. The locks were originally installed by the builder over 20 years ago. The new locks fit perfectly into the holes and mortises of the old locks. The installation was fast and easy and gave the house a more contemporary look. I would highly reccommend them for anyone especially if you are replacing older kwikset locks.

This Bed/Bath lever is good for bed/ bathrooms. It uses a universal key ( looks like sardine can opener key). The main issue I have with this product is I ordered 4 pieces (satin nickel) and they have various finishing colours. One is satin nickel (dull finish), one is satin nickel (bright finish). The remaining 2 are uniform.

Also 2 of them seemed to be stocks because there is a bit of corrosion in the mechanism. A spray of WD40 did the magic. Nonetheless, good buy.

I bought two of these; one for my bedroom and one for the bathroom. I have never installed doorknobs or levers before and the instructions were not very helpful; however, the Kwikset website has many installation videos and one showed how to install these exact levers. After watching the video, installation was quick and easy. I had to switch both levers for left hand doors and that was easy, too. Now they are both installed and they are beautiful and solid. I'm very happy with them. Highly recommended!

The picture doesn't show how pretty these REALLY are. Heavy construction and look SOOOOOO nice on our 6 panel oak and pine doors!! I've seen the exact same ones advertised for $50.00 ON SALE so these are a fantastic buy. Easy to install. I've had MANY compliments and they work great for kids - no knob to try to grasp hold of. Would buy this brand and style again if I ever ended up moving.'

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Outdoor Gear - axes, tools

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First issue- the axe does not include the sheath or the sharpener as stated in the description.

Second issue- the hatchet blade is is very thick and shapened with a very blunt bevel. Probably not good for anything but splitting small logs. With the nail puller, I'm wondering if its designed more as some kind of demo tool.

I'm also not sure what a "Super Lock 5 System, Safety Lock Fitting" is, but since all I got was a hatchet wrapped in bubble wrap, I don't think I got it.

If you're looking for a camping or landscaping hatchet look elsewhere. I would suggest a Wetterlings (around $45), a Gransfors Bruks WILDLIFE HATCHET, Estwing E24A Sportsman's Hatchet Metal Handle or a Gerber 45905 Camp Axe With Sheath. Ames True Temper 14-Inch Total Control Elite Hatchet With Integrated Nail Puller 1215300 - Axes - Tools - Outdoor Gear'

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Battery Chargers - car charger, automotive

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Excellent product, and the Amazon deal (free shipping and a large price drop) made it a no brainer. The unit is a rugged, very flexible charger from a major company in the business. The de-sulfinization (or is it de-sulfation ?) battery conditioning feature can bring back a battery you would otherwise have to replace (I've used it successfully already), and the 65 amp boost mode can start a car with a weak battery that you would otherwise have to jump (used that too.) I'm very satisfied with this unit, it's light years ahead of anything near the price I paid that I would find at Sears ... Schumacher SC-6500A Speedcharge Automatic Battery Charger

I finally had to upgrade my old faithful 35-year-old Schumacher 6 amp charger - not because it quit working, but because it didn't have enough horsepower to handle the big 105 ampere-hour trolling motor battery in my boat. I wanted a higher capacity unit, but with the same solidly built reliability I've experienced with my old Shumacher charger. This unit was priced quite a bit less than some other brands with similar capability, so I was a little afraid Schumacher, like many companies, might have gone the "cheap" route with their products by using a lightweight case and cheap components. Not so! I was pleasantly surprised to find this is a solid, heavy, well built charger in the best Schumacher tradition. Well designed with a very stout plastic cabinet with pop-up carrying handle, informative and easy to use front panel controls, and nice features like automatic no-spark battery connecting/disconnecting even if you forget to unplug it first, plus automatic polarity protection, and a looong power cord with a handy place to store the cord. I found only a single minor negative: If I had to change anything about this unit, I'd find a quieter fan. The fan, although it's pretty loud for it's size, is at least automatic and only runs when needed, so this is no big deal to me, since I only run it in my shop/garage. Haven't tried the "start" function, which I consider a more or less useless frill for a charger of this size, but it certainly charges all types of batteries like a champ, and the automatic quick charge/maintenance charge function works great. I highly recommend this great little charger.

Works fast and good. This is a great charger. Anybody can use this. The voltmeter and % of battery indicator is nice, I don't have to check the battery with my multi-meter. Havn't used the alternator tester yet but have no doubt it works. By far the best charger I've seen and used. However it is noisy, but who needs total silence in a garage.

This is a special battery charger. It is a speed charger as the name implies. The best feature is that it senses when a battery is "sulfated"

and the 6500a kicks into "De-sulfation" mode. Once that is done,it tries to charge the battery. However all too often batteries are neglected and not recoverable.But the 6500a is a great tool in keeping your batteries

in shape. Also the 6500a has a starting mode and an altenator output tester.Great(best) price from Amazon .

This thing works great. A friend had purchased a Black & Decker smart charger which had piqued my interest in getting a smart charger. I found this one from Schumacher which I decided to purchase over the B&D because of brand quality. You can do a lot with this thing and it's small (read the description). You can even jump a small engine. I wouldn't try on a big truck or a diesel in the cold (with this model at least). My biggest complaint is that the cables for the leads get stiff in the cold below -10 F and worry me that they will crack. That may not concern many people though. I've used it to charge car batteries my boat battery and jump start a car.

I've only had this unit for about a month but use it nearly every day to charge storage batteries and solar power batteries if the sun isn't doing it's job well enough.

To jump through all the hype, all you need to do is connect the charger's clamps, select your battery type (regular, deep cycle, agm/gel), select the charge range, which determines the initial voltage, (small battery, regular battery, engine start) and that's it.

The size, in standard terms, is about 9-inches square and 5-inches tall... in case you aren't able to convert from metric (listed in the ad).

The digital display shows the charging voltage at the clamps but you can toggle the push-button to display the percent charge of the battery, or the percent output of your alternator if you are testing that. It's real handy to check on the battery percent charge to see how charging is going... I get antsy after a while and like to know where I stand on the charge... it's a guy thing I guess.

I have two other Schumacher chargers, all smaller capacity, but I like the automatic functions of this one, and the display takes the guesswork out of your charging progress.

Bought this charger to keep on my Mustang in storage for the BRUTAL winter in Michigan. Hooked it up, analyzed the battery and this charger has performed very well. Kept the battery charged and maintained. Definately a good buy.

My Schumacher battery charger, vintage early 70's finally died. So obviously my first choice was to get another Schumacher. With a little online research I settled on the SC-6500A. This is really the largest capacity I needed. I was very impressed with the size and light weight. The performance has been flawless. I thought I had a truck battery that was not salvageable, but this charger performed the desulfate step and then the battery fully charged. Same thing for a smaller old motorcycle battery that I thought I was going to have to replace. Outstanding product!!

I purchased this to replace a cheap WalMart unit I bought years ago. I have used it on all sorts of batteries including giant diesel engine batteries, and small spiral cell Optima batteries. The jump start function also provides enough juice to get the job done for anything other than a totally dead diesel battery (but even that kicked over after a brief charge).

What can I say, it works well, charges quickly, and looks good. The price on Amazon makes it a great deal. - Car Charger - Automatic Battery Charger - Schumacher - Automotive'

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Camping Stoves - portable grill, camping

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My family purchased a roadtrip grill 2 years ago to use for camping and we absolutely love it. The Stove Grate accessory made it even better, we use it for cooking, making coffee, heating up water for cocoa, washing, & etc. We are about to purchase a second grate as well. If you're thinking about purchasing an accessory griddle I recommend getting one of these instead and then use a pan. Coleman RoadTrip Accessory Stove Grate

We bought the grill for camping, and if you're out camping you're going to want coffee in the morning! The stove grate attachment is the only way to be able to get the coffee going in the morning without messing up the grill plates. It worked fine for us, we cooked all our breakfasts on the grill using this attachment. And it's easy to clean, too.

I purchased 2 of these grates to go on my new RoadTrip grill to take camping. They worked out perfectly!! I used them for "quickly" boiling a big pan of water for corn and for hot dish water and I used two at a time with my beloved Pampered Chef double griddle (I just covered the handles with aluminum foil). For anyone who wants to use the RoadTrip for more than a grill, this is a must have! They are also fairly lightweight and pack away nicely.

This is a fantastic item to have with your road trip grill. We use ours for camping and this item is wonderful. HEAVY duty too! I was amazed at the construction and quality. After replacing 4 camp stoves in 4 years I KNOW this one will last!

I got my Coleman RoadTrip Grill 9941 (the blue one) for Christmas and love it. I wanted to be able to use the grill for all of my cooking needs while camping so I purchased two of these grates for boiling water and using the coffee pot. The grates are a good fit and built very sturdy. The grill and grate have no problem holding a 12 quart stock pot to boil water for dishes or cooking large meals. This grate allows my RoadTrip Grill to replace all of my other camp stoves. I highly recommend getting at least one!

Stove grate works great. We used it on vacation shortly after we received it, and it made the grill just that much more versatile.

Very happy with the purchase.

I would recommend this item to anyone wanting to increase the value of the Road Trip Grill. - Camping - Portable Grill - Roadtrip Grill - Accessories'

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Wood Working - nail gun, brad nailers

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Have used over 6 months building a number of cabinets and other projects. Sets different size brad nails perfect every time under variable air pressures 50 to 100 lbs in both hard and soft woods. Highly recommend for price points. Hitachi NT32AE2 5/8-to-1-1/4-Inch by 18-Gauge Brad Nailer

The Hitachi 1-1/4 brad nailer is a great tool for attaching moldings. It was able to neatly counter-sink brads into solid oak. It's a bit louder than other nailers, but once you see the results, you wont care. My set came with instructions, warranty card and safety glasses. There was no oil or brads included. - Nail Gun - Brad Nailers - Hitachi Brad Nailer - Hitachi'

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