Garmin 305 Forerunner Heart Rate Monitor

The Garmin 305 heart rate monitor is quite a departure from previous Garmin heart rate monitor models. While you can still wear it on your wrist as you would with previous models, it's much sleeker than previous incarnations. It's not quite as small as a normal sport watches, but it's very comfortable and has a wide screen display that makes for very easy viewing.

The display itself is smaller but with much higher resolution so that you can see what you need to in crisp, clear display. The layout is simple and the buttons are very reactive to touch and its intuitive design makes it easy to use. It's simple and elegant, and much more user friendly and streamlined than previous models.

The Garmin 305 also has GPS built in so that you can utilize various GPS functionality, such as mapping, marking, direction and path. This function can also mark out your route for return, so that you have no fear of getting lost. You can also define several locations and save them so that you can travel favorite paths over and over again simply by choosing one.

Training tool

First and foremost, the Garmin heart rate monitor is a training tool that lets you organize data so that you make it part of your exercise routine. With the Garmin heart rate monitor, you get real-time information about all aspects of your workout when it's going. You get multiple pace modes, heading, grade, elevation, distance, calories burned, and of course heart rate. If you wish, you can also track your performance with a separate wireless speed meter and cadence.

You can set the Garmin heart rate monitor so that you can determine how much data you want to see during a workout, thus customized to your exact specifications.

Training Center software

One of the major features of the Garmin 305 is that it includes the Training Center software, which lets you define courses on your PC that you can then upload onto the device itself. Along with the separate uploaded work on information, you get a complete training guide on your wrist that tells you where to go, where you should turn and what you should do on a specific road or path. On your PC, you can overlay workout data on maps of the course so that you can see where tough hills and easy recovery spots are. This not only makes it easy to plan your workout, but you can also measure progress this way. The Training Center will store up to 1000 workout histories, so that you can see how far you've come — literally as well as figuratively.

The bottom line?

The Garmin 305 is simply perhaps the best heart rate monitor on the market, not just for that function, but because of all of the other features included. Quite simply, it's like taking a trainer with you on your wrist, with fully customized workouts and exact planning. Its GPS capability makes it easy to track and manage different courses throughout your workouts, and its Training Center program will help you keep track of your workouts and your progress, too.

For the latest models, check out the Garmin Heart Rate Monitor Variety.