Incredible memories! Shout out to the original Garmin fitness team from Olathe, KS who created the Forerunner 201 on a whim, and then, persevered a few more years with the Forerunner 305 -- literally creating the fitness technology category.
Woah - nice to see ya here Clark! Indeed. It was funny, I almost included some older MotionBased tidbits in there, but the video was getting a wee bit long and had to start cutting!
@@Dcrainmaker could you make a bit of a history video? if you could get a line up of all the edge devices or all the forerunners side by side that would be fascintating
This was my first running watch. Worked brilliantly for many years. My wrist bone has a permanent small bump that the unit kindly created over many miles! It was very chunky!
I still use my 305 chest strap everyday with my 935 and it works perfectly. Thanks for the video. I admire how you can talk and run at the same time for such a long time :)
Love the nostalgia. Ray’s review of the 305 is how I first discovered DCRainmaker. Way back when he actually lived in DC! Been a big fan ever since. I won’t buy a sports tech product until Ray has done his thing.
I got this watch as my first GPS watch for Christmas of 2009. I still use it whenever I run outside, and it is the only GPS/running watch that I have ever had. I have considered upgrading, but honestly, I can't really fault it too much. It is accurate, intuitive to use, and highly customizable, and I simply haven't found that it is lacking any useful features that newer watches have. The only issue I have, is that docking with the cradle can be temperamental at times, but I think most of the issues I have had are down to old software versions of Garmin Express. Yeah, it does take longer to find satellites than my girlfriend's fenix 5s, but it still gets the job done.
Hilarious! I still use my 305 since 2010! Each time I want to upgrade, I stop myself Since it still works great! Charging dock is sometimes temperamental as well. Sometimes I hope it breaks so I can justify an upgrade! :-P
That's amazing that Garmin Express still supports the Forerunner 305. One thing I really like about Garmin is how they keep their software backwards compatible unlike most other tech companies.
Very cool. My first GPS watch was the non-HRM 205, and it was revolutionary for me. I forget how spoiled I am now with automatic uploading and 20+ hour GPS life.
Also my first running watch - and my first bike GPS, using the quick-change mount. I used it for years, and finally sold it really cheap to someone else - who maybe is still using it. It was a tank - both size-wise and how it resisted everything.
This was the most riveting video I’ve watched of yours yet. Manufacturers generally love to tout incremental improvements from model to model. That’s what made your results surprising and fascinating. I guess it shows how good the 305 and GPS was from the start. Great work!
The lack of an end of workout summary or "Activity Saved" buzz would leave me with sleepless nights. I love this. Refreshing change of pace from the typical "fitness tech review".
Ray. The FR305 was my first gps watch, i bought it because your review of it. Since those days i follow you and your content. Few years ago i gave my fr305 to a friend that does handcycling but before i replace the battery to extend a little bit his life. It was a great watch and a great adventure companion. Great content as always!! Cheers!
Wow brings back memories! FR305 was my 1st GPS watch for running/cycling. Unfortunately lasted less than a year and returned back to REI. Thanks for reminiscing this little wonder.
Blast from the past! When I watch these videos, I often wonder how strange it must be for people who pass by to have a random guy running around yelling at a GoPro :).
One of the key reasons I try and film mostly mid morning or mid-afternoon on a weekday, away from people. ;) Still, I figure by now people are used to weird people yelling at GoPro's. :)
FR305 was how quite a few of us got to first know you. Ah the memories. I’ll have to put it under my swim cap for the first lake swim in the Spring. Mine sits in the watch box next to the 920XT since the arrival of the new kid (Fenix6 Pro). I’m embarrassed how many Garmin devices I own with car nav, handhelds, bike computer, HR monitors, and bathroom scale. Varia is next on my list.
Man, this takes me back too. I never owned the 305, but my first GPS watch was the Forerunner 205, which I replaced with the 405CX. Both were absolutely fantastic devices to use.
I loved my 305. The only thing it really lacked was a warning to tell you when you left it on the roof of your car after a ride. Sadly, the Garmin Edge 350 also lacks that warning. You'd think I'd learn after 15 years.
This was my first ever GPS watch when I was training for a marathon in 2008. I loved it. Now I have a Forerunner 645 and I'm amazed at how much things have changed. Did anyone else use the ORIGINAL virtual partner on the 305? I loved the pixelated stick figures chasing each other.
i still use it today. I just changed the aged and broken strap. does everything that is needed for any sporting activity. too many fake runners use modern objects just to get around the park.
Loved that Ray.....have one still that I got 15 years ago here in Dublin Ireland....bullet proof kit and a bit of nostalgia. Would never throw it away....it will be like a running version of a cassette player in years to come.
It is still my most recent GPS watch and every now and then, e.g. when training for just for fun running events, I still use it. This beast is still working like a charm while having the classic retro look :) Thank you for the video and your great work!
Still got my old FR305 - it works fine and i am gonna keep it, even if i havent used it for 10 years - BTW - you didnt mention the wild feature - vitual partner... :-)
Haha... I actually cut the virtual partner feature out. But - the real wildcard feature is in the written review: You could add weight vest weight and have it accounted for in your calorie burn. Seriously, check out the written post where I show that: dcra.in/GarminFR305
I loved my 305 (it still works). From the time when Garmin put all the features in their watches rather and artificially limiting to differentiate watches.
Fun fun. I took a look at my 305 that I used back in 2009 and 2010. I'm using a FR 245M up from a 235 now. My 305 will charge but won't connect with Garmin Express on my HIgh Sierra Mac Mini. I tried the soft reset, and the hold the up button while inserting the HRM into the cradle. Still a no go, but in GE it shows it was updated in 2022. Thanks for the survey!
Used the 910XT for years but it's currently in hospital. Using the 305xt now and it's perfectly fine for any non elite athlete! Does all you really need, and more. Battery still stellar on this device too! Excellent build quality.
I just dug this watch out yesterday for our son who's starting to get serious about running. While I hoped it would still be viable and link to Strava, secretly, I doubted it. Impressive to see it still has serious value in use today. 👍 I still ride with my Edge 705 and it still works like new (as a matter of fact, I might have bought it from you a zillion years ago).
@@Dcrainmaker I loved this video, I hope the feedback will be positive, and you will occasionally make stuff like this. Quick note regarding the FR201: the cradle for that is actually even bigger, and you have to connect it to the computer with a MINI JACK - SERIAL (COM) cable. It was a technical challenge to make it work last year. But a usb-serial converter, and some Virtualbox magic did the trick. I installed TrainingCenter, and was good to go. Oh, additional fun fact: I did not get that cable with the watch (charging cable was different), but I found the specification for it online, so my friend made me one :-D
@@MateHegyhati That's crazy! Indeed, I have an old Garmin Geko around here somewhere, which was basically the internal foundations for the FR201. Same crazy serial port fiasco. It actually took a while to figure out why my FR305 wasn't working till I figured out it was a combination of bad USB cables and cradles. Even then, it's still a bit finicky.
@@Dcrainmaker Yes, but the FR201 had a small running guy when booting, who got tired at the middle of the screen. Still love turning on that watch just for that :-D
I'm currently using my old 305 because my Fenix 3 has stopped charging (new charge clip ordered). It's outlasted two 310xt's and a 910xt in it's time. Every time any new(er) tech as let me down it's always fired right up and worked as good as new...... I love it! :-D
I still run with my 305. Ran with it this morning. Mine is going on 13yrs old and just won't die. The accuracy is good enough to see when you're running on the sidewalk vs in the bike lane. I'm guessing the battery has deteriorated somewhat over time, but I honestly can't tell the difference since the FR305 isn't a modern, 24/7 "wearable" type watch. Mine still runs WAY WAY longer than I can possibly run in a single day... plenty of juice to record a sub-4hr marathon and then all my recovery runs for the remainder of the week on a single charge. I've thought about upgrading a million, zillion times, but my 305 still works perfectly fine as a pure GPS watch. I think the key to this watch's longevity it offering fully programmable structured workouts & being able to pair w/ a chest strap for HR zone training. Without those 2 features, this watch wouldn't have remained relevant a decade later. OTOH if I were a cyclist or a hardcore tri guy then upgrading would be a no-brainer for all power metrics. But as a pure, amature street-runner, the only killer feature I truly envy is on-board music. Would love to ditch my 5G BRICK!
When I lost my Garmin 305, I picked up a Garmin 310xt. It still works great, so I haven't needed to buy a new one. I sometimes secretly wish it would fail so I could justify buying a newer model. Fortunately I don't care that I'm wearing a brick or look like a geezer :)
Great comparison video. I had a 305. Superb watch for its time. I have a Fenix 5 and Edge 830 now. One thing I notice is that GPS mode is more accurate than GPS+GLONASS. Has anyone else noticed the same? Bizarre!
Ah good memories. I had the previous the 201 and 301 but the 305 (or the 205 which was same but did not have HR support as I recall) was the first to give the sort of GPS track quality we expect today as you showed. In some ways they were better for that than some now because the antennae was able to stick straight up at the sky. Think it had some sort of Sirf chip and perhaps started a belief that they were the best. I found my bag of old Garmins recently. Will have to see if they still work.
I had a 410 from 10 years ago and got it out recently to compare to my 945 as well. Hard to argue with solid workmanship. Gives the 945 a run for its money for sure!
Discovered my 305 last month & took to for an hour run. 1s recording but not heart rate strap (no CR3232). it picked up GPS really quick (surprisingly) and tracked well. Battery was 50% after the hour. Watch strap was pretty uncomfortable. It's great it had virtual partner - so you can race your old self on a time trial course. (still worked with Garmin connect & synced to strava!)
Yeah, I suspect mine was on track for about a 2hr battery life. I forgot to check after getting back, but based on the GPS signal soak I did pre-run, that burned one battery chunk (of four) in 30ish minutes.
What a blast from the past! I remember the satellite page as well as coming home and hooking up that huge connector. It also reminds me of using the early handheld GPS units that estimated accuracy in feet or meters but with the caveat that the Air Force could induce random error at any time (to keep bad guys from using the GPS system to target missile strikes). I also remember the DC Rainmaker watch-in-swim cap method of checking open water swim tracking accuracy!
Dude, I remember the early days of my running. I was reading your blog post on this device before buying it 2008 or something :) And recently i took it out from my drawer to train according heart zones as phone wasn't enough 😂
Good memories! I got the watch for my first trans alp bike (friend even managed to upload the whole track ... crashed as soon as you would go in a tunnel) but more importantly for my first Ironman. It nailed it (without the swim obviously). Since that watch I kept going back to garmin....
That was my first Garmin product!! I loved this watch and blame it for a long list of products I had in the following 15 years. Now that's covered by an Edge and Charlie D2.
I still use my Garmin 305, I bought it at least 15 years ago. In fact used it this morning on my bike ride. These days the battery is only lasting for about an hour and a half or so. Going to replace the battery if I can find one. The battery is soldered but looks easy enough to replace with my trusty Hakko soldering iron.
Holy crap. Sure I'm late to the game here but DC rainmaker himself is in NL. I'm a Londoner here in NL myself. Just always presumed you were always in the US
I really miss the Training Center software and struggled with GC on the desktop. I'd get wild elevation gains on bike rides every once in a while but it was pretty solid. Fun video!
I am generally unimpressed with the hrm monitor on the back of expensive watches. I now use the 935 but rely on polar oh1 for heart rate on exercises. It’s really telling that much of the old tech was good enough.
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Incredible memories! Shout out to the original Garmin fitness team from Olathe, KS who created the Forerunner 201 on a whim, and then, persevered a few more years with the Forerunner 305 -- literally creating the fitness technology category.
Woah - nice to see ya here Clark! Indeed. It was funny, I almost included some older MotionBased tidbits in there, but the video was getting a wee bit long and had to start cutting!
I too had the 201 has my first GPS watch. I would say that was more of THE original GPS watch.
@@Dcrainmaker Funny to see my worlds from MotionBased/Garmin and, now, GoPro collide in this video.
@@Dcrainmaker could you make a bit of a history video? if you could get a line up of all the edge devices or all the forerunners side by side that would be fascintating
I just got my FR 101 working.... AAAx2 batteries, velcro strap, horizontal instead of square box....all of my data was STILL THERE! so cool...
I love that Garmin continues to support older devices.
Thinking about taking mine out for a run after watching this. Good times. And sadly, the last time I wore it I was significantly faster than now.
Shh...me too!
Just eat more pasta!
Wow, my thoughts exactly! Felt like running with a little computer on my wrist.... that's what I thought 15years ago, too.
This was my first running watch. Worked brilliantly for many years. My wrist bone has a permanent small bump that the unit kindly created over many miles! It was very chunky!
Loved this. More retro fitness tech please!
Deal!
@@Dcrainmaker yeah! 😁🏃♂️
Would also love to have more retro reviews, like Suunto t6, polar rs800 etc, how they work today (if they do) , accuracy, etc
I still use my 305 chest strap everyday with my 935 and it works perfectly. Thanks for the video. I admire how you can talk and run at the same time for such a long time :)
I also still use the old chest strap from the 305 with my 935 and as you say it still works perferctly :o)
Yeah, still have my 305 with original chest strap. I also have scars on my sternum to prove it. 😀
Same. 935 + 305 chest strap. Upgrading chest strap soon though. Want other metrics.
Love the nostalgia. Ray’s review of the 305 is how I first discovered DCRainmaker. Way back when he actually lived in DC! Been a big fan ever since. I won’t buy a sports tech product until Ray has done his thing.
Bro, best video of 2021 thus far. Awesomeness! FR 305 was a fan favorite of mine back in the day also.
Haha...thanks! Albeit, the only video of 2021 thus far, but I'll take it! ;)
I got this watch as my first GPS watch for Christmas of 2009. I still use it whenever I run outside, and it is the only GPS/running watch that I have ever had. I have considered upgrading, but honestly, I can't really fault it too much. It is accurate, intuitive to use, and highly customizable, and I simply haven't found that it is lacking any useful features that newer watches have. The only issue I have, is that docking with the cradle can be temperamental at times, but I think most of the issues I have had are down to old software versions of Garmin Express. Yeah, it does take longer to find satellites than my girlfriend's fenix 5s, but it still gets the job done.
Hilarious! I still use my 305 since 2010! Each time I want to upgrade, I stop myself
Since it still works great! Charging dock is sometimes temperamental as well. Sometimes I hope it breaks so I can justify an upgrade! :-P
My first GPS watch! Freakin love it! Thanks for the video : )
That's amazing that Garmin Express still supports the Forerunner 305. One thing I really like about Garmin is how they keep their software backwards compatible unlike most other tech companies.
Very cool. My first GPS watch was the non-HRM 205, and it was revolutionary for me. I forget how spoiled I am now with automatic uploading and 20+ hour GPS life.
This was the first GPS/HR watch I purchased back around 2010! So many great memories with that brick on my wrist!
Amazon is still recommending this one to me from a reseller!
Haha...that's hilarious!
I still have my old 305 in a drawer tucked away 😊
I bought my third one less than 2 years ago ...
Also my first running watch - and my first bike GPS, using the quick-change mount. I used it for years, and finally sold it really cheap to someone else - who maybe is still using it. It was a tank - both size-wise and how it resisted everything.
This was the most riveting video I’ve watched of yours yet. Manufacturers generally love to tout incremental improvements from model to model. That’s what made your results surprising and fascinating. I guess it shows how good the 305 and GPS was from the start. Great work!
The lack of an end of workout summary or "Activity Saved" buzz would leave me with sleepless nights. I love this. Refreshing change of pace from the typical "fitness tech review".
I remember someone on my team getting one of these. The thing was HUGE in person.
I still use my Garmin Forerunner 205. It must be twenty years old but it still does everything I want. Now I just use it when I'm racing.
Ray. The FR305 was my first gps watch, i bought it because your review of it. Since those days i follow you and your content. Few years ago i gave my fr305 to a friend that does handcycling but before i replace the battery to extend a little bit his life. It was a great watch and a great adventure companion. Great content as always!! Cheers!
Thanks!!!
I still have this watch. Thanks for making me feel old.
Wow brings back memories! FR305 was my 1st GPS watch for running/cycling. Unfortunately lasted less than a year and returned back to REI. Thanks for reminiscing this little wonder.
I love these videos where time is taken to show you tech stuff . I've had a Garmin 205 for 20 years and it still works faultlessly 👍👍👍 thanks
Blast from the past! When I watch these videos, I often wonder how strange it must be for people who pass by to have a random guy running around yelling at a GoPro :).
One of the key reasons I try and film mostly mid morning or mid-afternoon on a weekday, away from people. ;) Still, I figure by now people are used to weird people yelling at GoPro's. :)
Amazing to see the progress in just 15 years! One small note, Coros watches have that live satellite view, it's very cool!
FR305 was how quite a few of us got to first know you. Ah the memories. I’ll have to put it under my swim cap for the first lake swim in the Spring. Mine sits in the watch box next to the 920XT since the arrival of the new kid (Fenix6 Pro). I’m embarrassed how many Garmin devices I own with car nav, handhelds, bike computer, HR monitors, and bathroom scale. Varia is next on my list.
Indeed - back my first major product review! Well, actually, my first product review at all I think! Thanks for staying along on the journey!
Absolutely love the nostalgia of this!
Thanks Rob!
Ray, You forgot to add this watch is what made DcRainmaker. This was your first in-depth review and really put your blog on the map.
my first garmin watch!
I still have mine. Purchased in 2007 and still works perfectly.
Cannot believe it. Unreal. Durianrider loved his.
It was one of my all-time favs!
@@Dcrainmaker yeh before my time. Mine was Garmin Edge 800 best guess circa 2014 when back into cycling
OH the 305! I LOVED the 305. This video made me feel so good. Such good memories! Thank you! You do AMAZING work. Thank you!
Man, this takes me back too. I never owned the 305, but my first GPS watch was the Forerunner 205, which I replaced with the 405CX. Both were absolutely fantastic devices to use.
Wow! Garmin showing some good product life cycle there. Nice.
The Garmin 305 was my first running watch. Now I use a Fénix 5, BT the old 305 is still working. Nice video. Good days to remember. Thank you.
I loved my 305. The only thing it really lacked was a warning to tell you when you left it on the roof of your car after a ride. Sadly, the Garmin Edge 350 also lacks that warning. You'd think I'd learn after 15 years.
Best video ever! Further solidifies the accuracy of my FR220. Better than a lot of newer watches 👍
Thank you for doing this! I loved my 305! Like yours it still after so much time still works beautifully.
*DC Rainmaker* makes me feel normal wearing both my fenix 6xProSolar on the left and 5xPlus on the right 😊
Boom! I agree!
Got the feeling you really enjoyed doing this review Ray. Maybe you pick a few more items to do a retro review 🤔
Indeed - it was fun! Always up for more suggestions!
@@Dcrainmaker The original fenix against whatever Garmin announces this week at CES
This was my first ever GPS watch when I was training for a marathon in 2008. I loved it. Now I have a Forerunner 645 and I'm amazed at how much things have changed. Did anyone else use the ORIGINAL virtual partner on the 305? I loved the pixelated stick figures chasing each other.
Same here while I was training in 2007 for a marathon at the beginning of 2008.
I have 310 and still using it .Well build machines .
Great concept. My first GPS watch was the Forerunner 201 - bought used from eBay since I didn't have any money at the time.
Going waaaay back there!
That thing looks like a bike gps with a strap xD
@@Dcrainmaker It didn't event have usb cable but a serial connection :-)
i still use it today. I just changed the aged and broken strap. does everything that is needed for any sporting activity. too many fake runners use modern objects just to get around the park.
Loved that Ray.....have one still that I got 15 years ago here in Dublin Ireland....bullet proof kit and a bit of nostalgia. Would never throw it away....it will be like a running version of a cassette player in years to come.
It is still my most recent GPS watch and every now and then, e.g. when training for just for fun running events, I still use it. This beast is still working like a charm while having the classic retro look :) Thank you for the video and your great work!
Still got my old FR305 - it works fine and i am gonna keep it, even if i havent used it for 10 years - BTW - you didnt mention the wild feature - vitual partner... :-)
Haha... I actually cut the virtual partner feature out. But - the real wildcard feature is in the written review: You could add weight vest weight and have it accounted for in your calorie burn. Seriously, check out the written post where I show that: dcra.in/GarminFR305
Even the FR 101 had calorie burn calc, interval training and virtual partner. So clear that "Garmin" was made by runners for runners! 🏃🏽♀️🙋🏽♀️
@@Dcrainmaker Of course he has his own URL shortener. Of course!
I still have this exact unit in my old tech bin too! Nostalgia big time. Thanks for this gem!
I loved my 305 (it still works). From the time when Garmin put all the features in their watches rather and artificially limiting to differentiate watches.
Not quite true - the 205 did not have HR support.
Love my 205 🥰
Fun fun. I took a look at my 305 that I used back in 2009 and 2010. I'm using a FR 245M up from a 235 now. My 305 will charge but won't connect with Garmin Express on my HIgh Sierra Mac Mini. I tried the soft reset, and the hold the up button while inserting the HRM into the cradle. Still a no go, but in GE it shows it was updated in 2022. Thanks for the survey!
Absolutely beat the brakes off of my 305. Loved it. Great video
hey i am not a runner but i still using this watch daily , IT Works! great piece of technology!
Absolutely brilliant video and a great advert for Garmin - I have a 910XT and still use it and love it today - love this type of comparison test
Thanks Ray that was great fun to watch. I occasionally put a 305 on my bike and I’m always surprised at how accurate it still is. Cheers Carlos
I still have mine… Oh sweet memories.
Used the 910XT for years but it's currently in hospital. Using the 305xt now and it's perfectly fine for any non elite athlete! Does all you really need, and more. Battery still stellar on this device too! Excellent build quality.
Thank you for adding the Arabic language. I have benefited greatly. Thank you from Iraq
Happy running 🏃♂️
I just dug this watch out yesterday for our son who's starting to get serious about running. While I hoped it would still be viable and link to Strava, secretly, I doubted it. Impressive to see it still has serious value in use today. 👍 I still ride with my Edge 705 and it still works like new (as a matter of fact, I might have bought it from you a zillion years ago).
Still using it today! Changed the battery last year, good as new!
I used my 310xt yesterday worked great.i have the venu now for all day use
Great memories of mine, I now use a Descent MK2i , amazing evolution
Great, I've done the same with an old Polar V800 vs a Garmin Fenix 6. Both are very precise.
Indeed, the V800 was still in a league of its own back then. Launched Jan 2014. Maybe in a couple years I'll do a decade recap!
Actually the V800’s GPS it’s way more accurate than the one on my Garmin F6
I already love this based on the title. I have a FR205 that easily handled a 5h trail run in the Summer.
Dang, that's impressive!
@@Dcrainmaker I loved this video, I hope the feedback will be positive, and you will occasionally make stuff like this. Quick note regarding the FR201: the cradle for that is actually even bigger, and you have to connect it to the computer with a MINI JACK - SERIAL (COM) cable. It was a technical challenge to make it work last year. But a usb-serial converter, and some Virtualbox magic did the trick. I installed TrainingCenter, and was good to go. Oh, additional fun fact: I did not get that cable with the watch (charging cable was different), but I found the specification for it online, so my friend made me one :-D
@@MateHegyhati That's crazy! Indeed, I have an old Garmin Geko around here somewhere, which was basically the internal foundations for the FR201. Same crazy serial port fiasco. It actually took a while to figure out why my FR305 wasn't working till I figured out it was a combination of bad USB cables and cradles. Even then, it's still a bit finicky.
@@Dcrainmaker Yes, but the FR201 had a small running guy when booting, who got tired at the middle of the screen. Still love turning on that watch just for that :-D
Still use it today 👍 also for biking in unknown terrain, this is a great watch.
I'm currently using my old 305 because my Fenix 3 has stopped charging (new charge clip ordered). It's outlasted two 310xt's and a 910xt in it's time. Every time any new(er) tech as let me down it's always fired right up and worked as good as new...... I love it! :-D
Brilliant... I've been using Garmin computers and watches since they were first launched, some good some not so good, but its great to see this
Indeed, it was ahead of its time!
The best video of this year!
I still run with my 305. Ran with it this morning. Mine is going on 13yrs old and just won't die. The accuracy is good enough to see when you're running on the sidewalk vs in the bike lane. I'm guessing the battery has deteriorated somewhat over time, but I honestly can't tell the difference since the FR305 isn't a modern, 24/7 "wearable" type watch. Mine still runs WAY WAY longer than I can possibly run in a single day... plenty of juice to record a sub-4hr marathon and then all my recovery runs for the remainder of the week on a single charge. I've thought about upgrading a million, zillion times, but my 305 still works perfectly fine as a pure GPS watch. I think the key to this watch's longevity it offering fully programmable structured workouts & being able to pair w/ a chest strap for HR zone training. Without those 2 features, this watch wouldn't have remained relevant a decade later. OTOH if I were a cyclist or a hardcore tri guy then upgrading would be a no-brainer for all power metrics. But as a pure, amature street-runner, the only killer feature I truly envy is on-board music. Would love to ditch my 5G BRICK!
When I lost my Garmin 305, I picked up a Garmin 310xt. It still works great, so I haven't needed to buy a new one. I sometimes secretly wish it would fail so I could justify buying a newer model. Fortunately I don't care that I'm wearing a brick or look like a geezer :)
Great video, super interesting to see how much and how little things have changed over the years
Great comparison video. I had a 305. Superb watch for its time. I have a Fenix 5 and Edge 830 now. One thing I notice is that GPS mode is more accurate than GPS+GLONASS. Has anyone else noticed the same? Bizarre!
I just pulled mine out if the closet to see if my 8 year old wants to use. Amazing how good it still is.
Ah good memories. I had the previous the 201 and 301 but the 305 (or the 205 which was same but did not have HR support as I recall) was the first to give the sort of GPS track quality we expect today as you showed. In some ways they were better for that than some now because the antennae was able to stick straight up at the sky. Think it had some sort of Sirf chip and perhaps started a belief that they were the best. I found my bag of old Garmins recently. Will have to see if they still work.
I had a 410 from 10 years ago and got it out recently to compare to my 945 as well. Hard to argue with solid workmanship. Gives the 945 a run for its money for sure!
My wife still uses her 305 and it seems to be as accurate as her Garmin Forerunner 35, incredible considering how old it is
Discovered my 305 last month & took to for an hour run. 1s recording but not heart rate strap (no CR3232). it picked up GPS really quick (surprisingly) and tracked well. Battery was 50% after the hour. Watch strap was pretty uncomfortable. It's great it had virtual partner - so you can race your old self on a time trial course. (still worked with Garmin connect & synced to strava!)
Yeah, I suspect mine was on track for about a 2hr battery life. I forgot to check after getting back, but based on the GPS signal soak I did pre-run, that burned one battery chunk (of four) in 30ish minutes.
This was great! Thank you for doing this. Still have my 305
Sweeeeeetly nostalgic! I still have mine also.
What a blast from the past! I remember the satellite page as well as coming home and hooking up that huge connector. It also reminds me of using the early handheld GPS units that estimated accuracy in feet or meters but with the caveat that the Air Force could induce random error at any time (to keep bad guys from using the GPS system to target missile strikes). I also remember the DC Rainmaker watch-in-swim cap method of checking open water swim tracking accuracy!
Dude, I remember the early days of my running. I was reading your blog post on this device before buying it 2008 or something :) And recently i took it out from my drawer to train according heart zones as phone wasn't enough 😂
This was my first Garmin device ever! Now "few" years alter with Fenix 6 Pro... still loving it :)
And I loved it! Thanks for making me feel old or OG! Don’t know
Brings me back to the FR210 that I retired just this summer.
305 was my first sports watch.
Amazing! i still use it in April 2021...i bought it in 2009...you should see it!
I still use my Forerunner 305... I even used it for a run earlier today. But I'm planning to finally upgrade to a Fenix 6 now :)
Me too. I keep thinking of upgrading? But the 305 is doing everything I need it for so not in a rush.
Good memories! I got the watch for my first trans alp bike (friend even managed to upload the whole track ... crashed as soon as you would go in a tunnel) but more importantly for my first Ironman. It nailed it (without the swim obviously). Since that watch I kept going back to garmin....
That was my first Garmin product!! I loved this watch and blame it for a long list of products I had in the following 15 years. Now that's covered by an Edge and Charlie D2.
I still use my Garmin 305, I bought it at least 15 years ago. In fact used it this morning on my bike ride. These days the battery is only lasting for about an hour and a half or so. Going to replace the battery if I can find one. The battery is soldered but looks easy enough to replace with my trusty Hakko soldering iron.
Holy crap. Sure I'm late to the game here but DC rainmaker himself is in NL. I'm a Londoner here in NL myself. Just always presumed you were always in the US
Haha..nope, been here in Amsterdam for 3 years, and in Paris for 6 years prior. 🤣
I really miss the Training Center software and struggled with GC on the desktop. I'd get wild elevation gains on bike rides every once in a while but it was pretty solid. Fun video!
The og toaster! God I loved that thing. Such a functional beast. Except for finding satellites lol.
I had a 205 which was the same without the HRM ability. Absolutely loved that thing and lasted me very well! Now have a 935 which is a little better!
I am generally unimpressed with the hrm monitor on the back of expensive watches. I now use the 935 but rely on polar oh1 for heart rate on exercises. It’s really telling that much of the old tech was good enough.
I still love my 310XT!
Love it - I started with the 205 though. " These are my original data fields" ....still to this day the same fields I use on my Fenix 6 today though!
This great! thanks for producing this! it is genius!
Still have mine.
Still works great.
Mainly use it for heart rate...