Garmin Forerunner 610 GPS Touchscreen Running Watch with HRM

The Loving Outdoors Lowdown

The new 610 is the latest in Garmin’s GPS-enabled Forerunner sports watch series and packs a range advanced training features into a slick touchscreen design.

With the 610 Garmin have taken the touch screen technology that proved so popular with the Edge 800 and have applied it to the Forerunner template. The result it a touchscreen interface that is sensitive enough for easy use (even whilst wearing gloves) but not so sensitive that it can be activated by your sleeve rubs or flying debris. It’s also water resistant (but not suitable for swimming) and rugged enough to stand up to running at the highest level. Watch the clip below to see the 610 touch screen in action.

Like the Forerunner 410, the 610 includes the Virtual Partner training function but advances things a little further with the addition of Virtual Racer (calm yourselves retro computer game fans!). Aimed at the more competetive trainee, this function allows you to download other runners’ performance stats over specific courses and then ‘race’ against them virtually. The avatarized stickmen representing you and your competitor’s performance adds a nice graphic dimension to the ‘race’ which really helps ramp up the excitement! Our friend Jake for Garmin explains below…

As well as the thrill factor, Garmin have also uppped cycle-compatibility with the 610 with nearly all functions having a cycling option along side the primary running option. With only basic ‘breadcrumming’ GPS capabilities it’s by no means a substitute for the Edge 800 but used with Garmin’s speed/cadence sensor and heart rate monitor it makes a handy training companion. In respect of this enhanced two-wheeled compatibility, the 610 is handle bar mountable.

Another feature unique to the 610 is the Training Effect function which helps you stay abreast of your personal fitness levels. By monitoring your heart rate during exercise the Training Effect feature will calculate a score indicative of your workout on your fitness levels giving an unprecedented insight into your pain-to-gain ratio. The video below shows how this works…

Other features include:

Speedy Hotfix satellite connectivity allows it to hook up to the satellite network in seconds and keeps it locked on where lesser devices fail (under tree cover, in valleys etc).

Virtual Partner function allowing you to race against previous performances

Vibration alerts- the 610 will buzz when you need to pick up the pace, or when your heart rate is working too hard or not as hard as you’d like.

Second-by-second performance breakdown data.

GPS giving distance, speed and location information.

Retina-melting back light.

New cradle-style charger.

What You Get:

• Garmin Forerunner 610 GPS Touchscreen Running Watch with Heart Rate Monitor

• Premium Heart Rate Monitor

• USB ANT Stick

• AC Charging Adapter

• Charging Clip

• 12 Months Manufacturer's Warranty

• FREE water bottle worth £10!

• FREE P&P

What Garmin Say:

The first to put GPS on runners' wrists just tipped off a whole new race. With a touch, tap or swipe, Forerunner 610 lets you get on with your run while it tracks all the details.

A Touch Faster

Forerunner 610 gives you several ways to get in touch with your training data. The swipe and scroll action makes it easy to adjust settings, review your run history and more. A quick tap of the screen is all it takes to advance to the next training page so you can see more data.

The 610’s sleek touchscreen is as rugged as it is functional, proving it’s more than just a pretty face. The 610 can stand up to rain, sweat and splashes, yet it’s sensitive enough that you can operate it with running gloves.

Behind that smooth glass surface is a watch that’s ready to work as hard as you are. The 610 provides accurate distance, pace, GPS position, heart rate¹, calories and more. It can even guide you back to the starting point of your run, giving you the freedom to explore new routes and always find your way back.

Advanced Features

Training tools like the new Virtual Racer™ can turn any workout into a virtual matchup. This feature lets you race your previous bests or challenge any activities uploaded to our Garmin Connect™ site. Virtual Racer accounts for varying speeds and real-time conditions, so it’s truly you vs. your opponent. Or, use the Virtual Partner® function and see how you measure up to a static pace you set. Forerunner 610 also offers vibration alerts, which you can customize for time, distance, calories, heart rate or cadence. So, when you reach your targets, you’ll feel a gentle vibration.

Training Effect

It’s time for a sport watch that can help you train smarter, not harder, and the 610 can do just that. It’s our first sport watch with the Training Effect capability from Firstbeat. Training Effect measures the impact of an activity on your aerobic fitness, which essentially helps you train more efficiently. Your Training Effect is calculated based on your user profile, your heart rate and the difficulty of the activity. The 610 also offers customizable heart rate zones, alerts and heart-rate based calorie computations.

Store, Analyze and Share

When your workout’s done, Forerunner 610 keeps working. It wirelessly uploads your run data to our Garmin Connect™ site when in range of your computer so you can go back and review your run on your own time. It works via ANT+™ wireless technology and the USB stick that comes with your watch. No wires, no manual uploads, no sweat. At Garmin Connect, you can see your activity on a map, view lap splits and explore activities from other users. Garmin Connect is Mac® and PC compatible.

Monitor Your Health

You also can track weight, body fat, body water and six other measurements when using the Forerunner 610 with the Tanita BC-1000 body composition scale. The readings are stored on Forerunner 610, then automatically sent to Garmin Connect when in range of your computer.

Forerunner 610: high-tech training with a touch of easy.

The Techie Bit:

Physical & Performance:

• Unit dimensions, WxHxD: 1.80" x 2.50" x 0.56" (4.57 x 6.35 x 1.42 cm)

• Display size, WxH: 1.0" (2.54 cm) diameter

• Display resolution, WxH: 128 x 128 pixels

• Touchscreen: yes

• Weight: 2.54 oz (72 g)

• Battery: rechargeable lithium-ion

• Battery life: 4 weeks in power save mode; 8 hours in training mode

• Water resistant: yes (IPX7)

• GPS-enabled: yes

• High-sensitivity receiver: yes

Maps & Memory:

• Basemap: no

• Ability to add maps: no

• Accepts data cards: no

• Lap history: 1000 laps

• Waypoints/favorites/locations: 100

• Routes: 0

Features:

• Heart rate monitor: yes (some versions)

• Bike speed/cadence sensor: yes (optional)

• Foot pod: yes (optional)

• Automatic sync (automatically transfers data to your computer): yes

• Garmin Connect™ compatible (online community where you analyze, categorize and share data): yes

• Garmin Training Center® software compatible: yes

• Virtual Partner® (train against a digital person): yes

• Courses (compete against previous workouts): yes

• Auto Pause® (pauses and resumes timer based on speed): yes

• Auto Lap® (automatically starts a new lap): yes

• Auto Scroll (cycles through data pages during workout): yes

• Multi-sport (changes sport mode with a press of a button): yes

• Advanced workouts (create custom, goal-oriented workouts): yes

• Simple workouts (input time, distance and calorie goals): yes

• Pace alert (triggers alarm if you vary from preset pace): yes

• Time/distance alert (triggers alarm when you reach goal): yes

• Vibration alert: (choose between alert tones and/or vibration alert): yes

• Interval training (set up exercise and rest intervals): yes

• Heart rate-based calorie computation: yes

• Customizable screen(s): yes

• Barometric altimeter: no

• Unit-to-unit transfer (shares data wirelessly with similar units): yes

• Power meter compatible (displays power data from compatible 3rd party ANT+™-enabled power meters): no

• Sport watch: yes

• Additional: Watch functions include dual time, date and alarm. Garmin Connect and Garmin Training Center are compatible with Windows® XP or newer and Intel-based Mac running OS 10.4.11 or later with Safari.