Garmin Forerunner 50 with HRM, Foot Pod and USB ANT Stick

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Jump start your training with Forerunner 50. This sleek sport watch is ideal for running, cycling and other fitness activities, and is available with a wireless heart rate monitor or foot pod or both.

Plus it automatically transmits workouts to your computer so you can analyze, store and share data using our online community, Garmin Connect . Get the Data You Need Train inside or outdoors.

The affordable Forerunner 50 provides you with instant workout data including training time, pace, distance, lap pace, lap time, lap distance, average and best pace, calories, maximum and average heart rate. It also records both lap and detailed data.

Forerunner 50 is available in 3 different versions, with USB ANT Stick, with Foot Pod or with USB ANT Stick and Foot Pod. Forerunner 50 comes bundled with different accessories to help you track your progress for whatever moves you.

Listen to Your Heart Forerunner 50 with wireless heart rate effectively tracks and records your heart rate while you work out, providing instant feedback about how hard your heart is working. The included digital heart rate monitor continuously tracks heart beats per minute which is wirelessly transmitted to the Forerunner 50. Even train in a certain heart rate zone to improve your fitness level. And well after your workout is done,

Forerunner 50 is still working, wirelessly transmitting your training data to your PC. Measure Speed and Distance Forerunner 50 packaged with Garmins wireless foot pod lets you track your running speed, distance and calories burned while on the treadmill or pavement. Just snap the foot pod into a clip on your shoe laces, and it's ready to send data to Forerunner 50 as soon as you start moving. After your workout, Forerunner 50 automatically transfers your data to your computer when within range. Track Your Ride When paired with an optional speed/cadence sensor, Forerunner 50 tracks the speed and distance of your cycling workouts. The wireless speed/cadence sensor attaches securely to your bike and measures your pedaling cadence and wheel speed as you ride. You can even use it to train indoors because the sensor attaches to your rear wheel.

Run, Sync, Store and Share You've logged the miles and now you want to store them. With Garmin's innovative optional ANT+Sport wireless technology, your workouts are automatically transferred to your computer when your device is within range. No cables, no hookups. The data's just there, ready for you to analyze, categorize and share through our online community, Garmin Connect , or our Garmin Training Center software. Bike mount and speed/cadence sensor are available as optional accessories

This sleek sports watch is ideal for running, cycling and other fitness activities. Included USB ANT stick provides easy, wireless downloading of workout data from the Forerunner 50 to the computer for further analysis. Included heart rate monitor tracks heart beats per minute which is wirelessly transmitted to the Forerunner 50. By Garmin. Waterproof to 30 meters, can be used indoors or outdoors Multi-sport capabilities, use for running and cycling Training data can display training time, pace, distance, lap pace, lap time, lap distance, average and best pace Join a worldwide community of cyclists, runners and outdoor enthusiasts through Garmin Connect Compatible with GSC 10 Speed/Cadence sensor - monitor pedaling cadence and wheel speed. Memory records both lap and detailed exercise data - up to 100 laps or up to 7 hours detailed exercise data. Available auto lap feature automatically triggers a lap when you reach a specified distance Interval training allows users to set up exercise and rest intervals Zone training available for running speed/pace, bike speed/cadence, and heart rate.

Comfortable vinyl wristband, easy to read 24x18mm display with backlight 12 months battery life Watch functions: time of day , dual time zone, calendar , daily alarm

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Pros :

• Quality design and compact size
• Hassle free connection to computer
• Good value for money

Cons :

• Poor user manual
• Memory on device could be bigger

The Bottom Line : For the relatively low cost of this device, the Forerunner 50 is a very good unit. If you’re not looking for all the frills of higher end heart rate monitors then you won’t be missing out on anything by buying the Forerunner 50. The Forerunner 50 does as advertised and cannot be faulted too badly. Certainly at this price you can’t go wrong.

The Garmin Forerunner 50 is Garmin’s first attempt at a low cost heart rate monitor. The Forerunner 50 is a no frills, basic heart rate monitor suited to a range of sports, specifically running and cycling. The Forerunner 50 provides users with constant heart rate tracking and speed and cadence monitoring with the optional footpod (running) or speed/cadence sensor (cycling). The device automatically syncs your history with your computer using ANT+ wireless technology whenever the two are in range of each other. The Forerunner 50’s compact size and lightweight design make it an alternative to the larger GPS-enabled watches for those with smaller wrists and for those on a tighter budget.

Product Details

• Screen : Monochrome, backlit
• Battery : Coin cell battery (12 months)
• Weight : 42g
• GPS-enabled : No
• Base maps : No
• Computer interface : ANT+ wireless
• Heart rate compatible : Yes
• Speed/cadence compatible : Yes
• Footpod compatible : Yes
• Power compatible : No

Product Features

• Digital wireless heart rate monitor strap
• Set alarms for target heart rate zones to ensure you’re always getting a good workout
• Optional footpod measures distance and cadence while running
• Option wireless speed/cadence sensors measures distance and cadence while cycling
• AutoLap triggers a new lap after a specified distance is covered
• Pace alarm sounds if you drop below or rise above a preset pace
• Customizable screens allow you to view two data fields at a time
• Interval training allows you to set alarms for exercise and rest intervals
• Stores 100 laps / seven hours of data in the device’s history
• Compatible with Garmin Training Center and Garmin Connect
• Downloads history automatically with wireless ANT+ technology whenever the device is within 10m of the computer

Performance
I was at first excited when I saw that Garmin had released a low cost heart rate monitor – I immediately assumed it would be GPS-enabled. Needless to say I was a little disappointed when I found out the Forerunner 50 does not use GPS to determine distance speed. However when you get past this, one sees that the Forerunner 50 is a very respectable device in its own right.

The Forerunner 50 is a very stylish watch – it is compact in design and weighs only 42g, an important factor for those of you with smaller wrists. The buttons feel natural and the main data field is bold and easy to read while exercising (the smaller display is a little fainter but you shouldn’t have a problem with this unless you’re working out without your contact lenses).

The heart rate monitor strap is comfortable to wear and I had no problems obtaining a reading on my heart rate. Both the heart rate monitor and footpod (assuming you chose the version which gives you these attachments) come automatically paired with the Forerunner 50 so there are no lengthy setup procedures. However to get maximum accuracy out of your footpod you will want to calibrate it manually which shouldn’t take too long. Once I had manually calibrated the footpod, I found it’s distance calculations very accurate (I used a GPS to measure the actual distance). Beware though that the footpod is only splash proof, not waterproof as the actual device is.

I found the menu structure to be intuitive and easy to operate which is a good thing considering the rather unclear manual. The Forerunner 50 can display two data fields on screen at once which did get a little frustrating sometimes as I am used to seeing a lot more data on screen at once (I ride with the Garmin Edge 305)… but seeing that this is meant to be a compact device I’m not going to list it as a fault of this particular product but rather a compromise one must deal with because of its compact size.

I must say that while I recognize that the Forerunner 50 is only intended as a basic heart rate monitor, I would have liked to see an altimeter in the device. It’s probably a psycological thing that when I see my pace go down and my heart rate go up, I like to be able to attribute that to a steep gradient when analysing my race on the computer afterwards!

After my morning workout I was surprised by how quickly the history downloaded to my computer – I literally walked into my study holding the device and within seconds the computer had synced its history with the device… without pushing a button! I’m not a big fan of the Garmin Training Center, but the new Garmin Connect website is quite promising. It provides all of your analysis tools and allows you to share your workouts and races with training partners.

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Starting with the Forerunner 305 Garmin finally started producing GPS-enabled watches that didn't make you look like a total goof while tracking your pace and vitals, but these still weren't timepieces you'd be comfortable wearing to the office or even a bar. Then came the Forerunner 50, which had the perfect watch-like form factor, but unfortunately, no GPS. So fans of this line will be pleased to learn that Garmin has somehow been able to shoehorn a satellite receiver into a casing not much bigger than the 50's and dubbed it the Forerunner 405. Besides monitoring and logging speed, distance, heart rate and location, the 405 also features a touch-sensitive bezel for controlling its various functions, as well as the same proprietary ANT+Sport wireless syncing technology as the GPS-less 50. Available in either black or green. However, Calorie computation of Forerunner 405 is based on speed and distance. The new Forerunner 405CX has an improved method of calorie computation based on your heart rate that is more accurate than previous.

Garmin enhances Forerunner 305 to Forerunner 310XT by improving waterproof to 50m and compute calories based on your heart rate like Forerunner 405. However, It looks like Forerunner 305 so that it is more suitable for swimmer.

Take the highly popular Forerunner 50 and make it better. The Forerunner 60 is a fitness watch with automatic PC sync, gym equipment compatible (ANT + compatible devices), wireless heart rate monitor, coin cell battery, Virtual Partner

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If you're trying to lose weight and get in shape, a heart rate monitor (HRM) is a great way to monitor your intensity and make sure you're working in your target heart rate zone. Many monitors not only provide a continuous heart rate reading but also tell you if you're working in your zone and how many calories you're burning.

With the variety of HRMs out there, it's hard to know how to choose the right one for you. Before you spend your money, check out the factors you want to consider when buying a heart rate monitor.

The type of HRM you buy will often depend on your fitness level, needs and goals:

• For Basic Model: Look for a basic model and functionality that offers your heart rate monitoring like the Omron Heart Rate Monitor HR-100C, Timex T5G941 Heart Rate Monitor, Polar FS1

  - Omron Heart Rate Monitor HR-100C is basic heart rate monitor that is inexpensive, easy to use and doesn't require hours of time spent reading a manual to figure it out. You get a continuous reading of your heart rate, an alarm that tells you when you're in your heart rate zone, time of day display and a daily reminder alarm. At around $30-$50, this is a great price for what you get and users will be pleased with how easy this is to use.

  - Timex T5G941 Heart Rate Monitor is basic model that's easy to use, offers basic heart rate and workout information and is a favorite among exercisers. The display is large, so you can easily see the numbers and it includes an activity timer to rack exercise time as well as information about minimum, average and maximum heart rate for each workout. Most exercisers like the fact that you can change the battery yourself (something you can't do with all HRMs) and that you can figure out how to set it up without spending hours reading the manual. At around $30-$60, this HRM is perfect for people who want the basics for a great price.

  - Polar FS1 is the perfect choice for the exerciser who doesn't want to fool with a lot of buttons during their workouts. The extra large display and the one-button functionality make this monitor easy to use and easy to see. The basic features include your heart rate, a visual and audible alarm that lets you know if you're in your target heart rate zone, a stop watch and, of course, a clock. At around $50-$60, this monitor will give you what you need without all the bells and whistles. There are the higher models of Polar FS1 which are Polar FS2 and Polar FS3.

  Features of basic model	Omron HR-100C	Timex T5G941	Polar FS1	Polar FS2	Polar FS3
  Continuous Heart Rate Monitoring (see what your current heart rate is on your wrist watch and how it fluctuates while you are exercising )	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
  Heart Rate Training Zone with Alarms (manually set your heart rate alarm zone, lower and upper heart rate limits in which you will be doing your exercise)	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
  Duration of Exercise Session (tells you how long you have been exercising)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
  Average Heart Rate of Exercise Session	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
  Maximum Heart Rate of Exercise Session	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
  Basic Time Keeping (for example, won't let you set the date and a wake up alarm)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
  Backlight	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
  The aged-based automatic setting of heart rate training zone (Max Heart Rate = 220 - Your Age)	No	No	No	No	Yes

• For Weight Loss: Try a HRM that tracks time spent in your heart rate zone and calories burned such as the Polar F6. Polar F6 does more than just display your heart rate, but isn't so high-end that you'd have to get an engineering degree to figure it out, the Polar F6 is an excellent choice. The F6 has a variety of functions, from tracking heart rate and workout intensity to calculating calories burned and time spent in each zone. It also provides a weekly summary of your workouts that can help you stay motivated and set new goals. There is the lower model which is Polar F4. The higher models are Polar F7, Polar F11 and Polar F55.

• For General Fitness: Try one that helps you improve fitness with information about intensity and training zones, like the Polar FT60. If you're into fitness and want to improve your workouts and/or lose weight, the FT 60 offers personalized workouts that adapt according to your workout habits and goals. The FT 60 gives you weekly targets (such as to workout a certain number of minutes) based on your goals and tracks how you did. Aside from your heart rate, the FT 60 also offers a fitness test, calories burned and it keeps track of all your workouts. The FT 60 is also compatible with the Polar GPS Unit (which is Polar FT60G1) and FlowLink which allows you to transfer data to your computers. At around $197, this is a pricey heart rate monitor but offers great motivation for people who have specific goals. The lower model is Polar FT40 and the higher model are Polar FT 80 and Polar FT 80 w/ G1 GPS.

• For Athletes: Consider a HRM, like the Garmin Forerunner 405 HRM, that offers multi-sport support, workout feedback and advanced features such as GPS and downloadable data. If you're a multi-sport athlete, you may want a more serious heart rate monitor like the Garmin Forerunner 405 HRM. You get a heart rate monitor, GPS tracking and the ability to create your own workouts as well as analyze everything from your pace and distance to calories burned. One stand-out feature is the courses, which lets you compete against your previous workout by comparing heart rate and pace - a great way to see if you're improving from workout to workout. This is also a good one for triathletes because you can transition between sports without resetting it. The lower model is Garmin Forerunner 305 HRM and The higher model is Garmin Forerunner 405CX HRM.

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