Men’s Garmin Forerunner60 Fitness Watch with Heart Rate Monitor

Reviews of Men’s Garmin Forerunner60 Fitness Watch with Heart Rate Monitor

1.) Just plain AWESOME !
Reviewed by: Kayo Great Lake State
Rating:
I have been using this watch/footpod/HR monitor now for about 6 months and I absolutely love it. It is like having a coach. I am a fairly new runner and completed a half marathon this past spring and loved it. I decided to get more serious about my training and run a fall marathon. The longer runs were really a pain because I'd have to get in my car and drive the route each time....and then remember them as I ran . And of course if an unpredicted problem came up (angry dog, suspicious person, etc) I couldn't really deviate without blowing the run and not knowing how far I'd gone . And also......my paces were off. I was running my recovery runs and easy runs WAY too fast. And then at the time I was using an old treadmill that was totally off pace, so my faster runs---well, who knows how consistent they were. I needed help !

And I got it. Everything fell completely into place after getting the watch. It basically sets ITSELF up,too. So easy to use. The Garmin website is awesome. I understand they had bugs at first, but I have encountered none of that. I can look at a run and see my heart rate and pace on a graph. I can also see reports on mileage, etc. And the ability to see cadence per mile is cool,too. I have learned so much by having all this data. It has made me a much better runner. I pay attention to heart rate now,too.

And of course it is wonderful to be able to track my distance and pace as I run outdoors. I can just take whatever direction I want now....I feel totally free and spontaneous out there. And I use it on the treadmill,too. Way more accurate than the treadmill as far as pace is concerned.
I also run in a lot of trees, which is why I avoided the GPS version. The footpod works everywhere and GPS will lose way points in heavy trees or in a city with tall buildings.

It coached me to a 4:14:01 first marathon finish this past October. It is really accurate and I have never calibrated it. Although I plan to go to an indoor track this week and do that this week before I start training seriously again (I wore it in the marathon and it tracked the the distance as 26.58---not bad over that many miles with no additional calibration, but still.....).

I highly recommend this product to anyone who would like to be able to monitor their training. It is all they say and a lot more. I plan to try to qualify for Boston this spring and I know my chances are much improved with my Garmin FR60 (yes, all my friends are definitely tired of hearing how much I love the watch!).

2.) love it
Reviewed by: K. Brown NY
Rating:
I just purchased the FR60 in lilac for myself (and the men's version for my husband). Currently we are using them for high intensity interval training. The set-up was a breeze. After researching several watches I chose these based on features, price, and brand. A must for us was to be able to upload the data to our computer and graph our heart rates for the intervals. Once we set up this feature using the ANT stick (which was a three step process completely outlined on the garmin website), we were able to do this. It's awesome. After a workout I just walk into our office and within 30 seconds a box pops up on my computer asking if i'd like to see the data online.

We chose these Garmin watches over similarly functioning and priced Polar watches due to the wireless capability. For the polar watches you have to buy an additional module that you physically have to place the watch on to upload the data. I know it sounds lazy, but I prefer to just leave my sweaty watch on my wrist!

Lastly, I was concerned if the watch would fit me correctly since i have rather petite wrists. No problems there. Yes, it's bigger than my normal day-to-day watch, but i like having the larger screen to glance on while I workout.




3.) Wonderful Training Device
Reviewed by: A. Ratner Princeton, NJ
Rating:
After much research, I decided on this watch (along with the optional Garmin foot pod) to help me train for my first half marathon. I'm 2 weeks away from the big race and this watch has been an invaluable training tool. Unlike some other reviewers, I think the watch is a breeze to use--if you have any questions just go to the Garmin website and check out the short training videos. The accuracy of the foot pod is spot on and I ilke that I can use the watch both outdoors and in the gym running on a treadmill. I tend to run at a faster pace than I should, so having access to a real-time display of my current running pace allows me to maintain the correct pace at all times. The watch is comfortable (quite a bit smaller than the GPS watches I've seen) and it's a treat to have your workout data automatically and wirelessly upload to Garmin's training programs (through the ANT stick). For the money, I don't think there's another fitness watch that combines the form, functionality and price of the Garmin FR60.

4.) It Works! It Works!
Reviewed by: Mimmo Long Island, NY
Rating:
I bought this watch because i wanted to monitor my HR during exercising at the gym as well as when i'm kart racing.

The HR belt likes a drop of water on the contact points where it meets your skin and as long as you do that the thing works flawlessly, every time. It was easy to setup and the big bonus is the software that comes with it. Along with the strap and watch you also receive what looks like a small USB thumb drive. This gets plugged into your PC and whenever the watch is in proximity of your PC it will upload all recorded data to your PC automatically; this works flawlessly every time as well. The data can later be reviewed via Garmin's free web based program where you can access the data from anywhere. You also have the option to download Garmin's Personal Trainer software (free) that allows you to store the data on your PC (not a web based program).

All in all a great product and at this price point it can't be beat. I was going to buy a Polar unit but after reading some of their reviews, i'm glad i chose this watch.


5.) Every Gym Rat Needs One
Reviewed by: Tyrone W Richmond, Virginia
Rating:
I first purchased the Forerunner 305 only to find out it didn't track calories burned by heart rate alone so I ponied up for the FR60 thinking I would use it for weightlifting only. I was wrong!!! After using it a couple of times on the treadmill indoors I decided to take it outside. I have found it to be easier to use while running and more enjoyable due to the smaller size. Maybe, maybe, maybe if I did more trail running or running along routes I didn't know the 305 would have been better so I could retrace a route. Living in Richmond though and knowing most of the roads from driving I need time and distance (running and biking) plus the ability to go from the track to the weight room and not miss a beat or calorie, literally. The FR60 does that for me. Like I said "Every gym rat needs one." The 305 is great and if I only ran or biked outside it would fit the bill but I run indoors and out, lift weights and bike outdoors so I needed one piece of equipment capable of fulfilling all my needs and the FR60 is it. Side note, you will probably have to calibrate foot pod for best results.

6.) Best value by far
Reviewed by: D. Roberts Madison, AL USA
Rating:
I've had the Garmin FR60 for almost 6 months now. The main things I was looking for were: (1) Distance tracking, (2) Pace tracking, and (3) Features to tell me if I'm going too fast, a beep indicator for interval training, etc. I had considered buying one of the more expensive GPS watches from them, but I read several reviews that indicated the FR60 was at least "accurate enough" so for the price I was willing to give it a shot.

I love this thing. Although several people have stated that the accuracy of the foot pod is inconsistent, I've never had a problem in 6 months once I had calibrated it, and I've NOT been a consistent runner over long distances - I could go from a 7 min mile to an 11 min mile in 6 miles (hence my desire to have pace tracking). One of the places I run has every half mile marked with paint. At first (after calibration) I noticed that my watch was indicating '0.51' at the half mile marker and from '1.01' to '1.02' at the one mile marker. I figured 1-2% error was pretty good, but recently I realized that the "start line" on this trail was also marked at about 0.01 miles from where I was actually starting. So kudos - 0-1% accuracy.

Over longer distances, you may have some small error introduced, but honestly I'm not going to whine about running an extra 1/50 of a mile here and there. At a recent certified 5K race I took the FR60. At the finish line it said I had run 3.14 miles (I didn't start it until I was at the start line BTW).

You can set up Interval alerts by either time or distance for each - the interval and rest can both be distance, both be time, or one can be distance and one time. I also use the virtual partner. It'll tell you if you are ahead of or behind a set min/mile pace. I can set up alerts for if my pace is too high on longer runs. You can also set it up for high pace, distance, time, calories, HR, and cadence. I'm about to start using the cadence alerts to help me keep up a 90 spm cadence.

The Garmin Connect website has been great. It would be cool to see a few more features but they've been updating it periodically. They can always update software so that the website has more bells an whistles.

If you're really interested in the HR monitor, you might want to look into that before you buy. I don't bother with it most of the time, but I think it's showing my HR too high. I don't really keep an eye on HR, but occasionally I use it for relative tracking like if I want my zone at the last mile to be close to the zone I had on the second mile. But I have my doubts about it's absolute accuracy. I've seen "upgrade" HR monitors for sale that integrate with the FR60.

I'm giving it 5 stars b/c it's everything I was looking for. It's helped me be more consistent on my runs which has increased my run time overall. And I can take it to do a set distance at a new place without having to measure out a course. Some people say it's not very intuitive, but I have never had a problem with usability (caveat - I'm under 30, a lifelong tech geek, and a software developer with an electrical engineering degree).

7.) Great fitness watch!
Reviewed by: C. Fox
Rating:
This is my first heart rate monitor, and as someone who has struggled with using lap/split features and storing workouts in my regular digital watch, I was very happy with how user friendly this watch is. Set up was easy to do with the quick start manual, and the directtions in the online manual were very helpful. The modes are easily to navigate, and the screen is easy to read during workouts. I primarily use this for triathlon training workouts and am very happy with it. I recently purchased the foot pod, which makes this watch far more useful during workouts. I would recommend this watch for someone looking for a basic training tool.

8.) Excellent heart rate monitor - records heart rate history
Reviewed by: D. Barry
Rating:
I have owned several heart rate monitors over the years. I have recently begun working with a trainer on my strength and fitness. I was looking for a watch that would easily let me see how my pulse had varied throughout our workouts. All the watches show your current heart rate, but with this one, you can download the data into your computer and see a graph of exactly how your heart rate varied throughout the activity.
For me this watch with its accompanying strap and ANT stick is exactly what I was looking for.

Initial set-up of the watch was easy. With only a few buttons, all of these watches require that you read the instructions, but once you have done so, it is relatively simple. I am a Mac user, and was able to download the Garmin ANT Agent, and Garmin Training Center and install them without any problems.
The watch was immediately recognized and transferred the data across.

The software shows a graph of heart rate versus time, and will even let you set markers at points on the graph and display the times, time interval and pulse rate difference between them. This is really neat if you are interested in seeing how your heart rate recovery is. Just set one point on the peak heart rate, and then put the second one 60 seconds later and you get an immediate read out of the number of beats per minute your heart rate has dropped in that minute. So much better to be able to go back and do this at your leisure than worrying about it in the middle of a workout.

I need glasses to read, but the display is large enough that I have no difficulty in reading the pulse rate on the display while working out.

As others have said, being able to change the batteries in the strap yourself is a big plus over some other models.

I don't know about the more sophisticated functions like zones and pacing as I am not interested in using them, but for what I want the watch for, it is fantastic. Sharing the graphs with my trainer has given him a new way of looking at how he structures the workouts.

9.) Garmin FR60
Reviewed by: B. Bentley KY, USA
Rating:
This is a very good product. I enjoy being able to track most every stat. I could think of when working out. I would recommend this product to anyone that doesn't mind not having GPS.

10.) I love this product!
Reviewed by: A. Foreman
Rating:
I love the Garmin FR60. The chest strap is very comfortable. The online Garmin Connect feature is really great & easy to use.I love all the reports available. Garmin is very helpful on questions & provide fast feedback. I now also have the foot pod which I love on my runs. I'm sure there are a lot of features that I haven't used yet. It's easy to use & I like the fact that it's ready to go- no calibration. I've played around with it some. It doesn't do mileage on an ellipitical. It will record mileage & calories burned without the chest strap on runs.(I went for a run & didn't realize I had forgotten the chest strap until I was too far away from the house.) I have not tried it swimming. I know it says that it's waterproof but I was still afraid to get in the pool with it. I have used it on my bike but I don't have the accessory for my bike. It still tells heartrate & calories but not distance. I like the fact that it's not bulky on my arm. It really looks like a sports watch so I'm comfortable wearing it to the gym or on runs without calling attention to myself.I can't say enough good things about it. I have told everyone I know about how great it is. Really glad I bought it.

11.) Garmin FR60
Reviewed by: chasx1
Rating:
Great watch, great HRM. Simple to use out of the box, but has some extra functionality beyond its function as a HRM and workout log that can be explored. Works perfectly with Mac which is good for me and the ANT stick is very slick and makes the process of uploading workouts automatic. Good training log online at the Garmin website and great customer service.

12.) Excellent!
Reviewed by: IanMac Buffalo, NY
Rating:
This HRM works perfect! It really helps keep me motivated and in the right zone. I also find myself going longer to reach higher calorie burn numbers. Product was received as advertised and very fast shipping.

13.) FR60 Review
Reviewed by: The Buzz Seattle, WA
Rating:
Have been using product for about a month and very happy especially with upload to Garmin Connect site (although it would be nice to have some more flexability on how to use the data at the site). Nonetheless, works well with indoor cardio (I'm doing Insanity) and running. A+

14.) Garming FR60 GPS Not Really.. HRM Yes Sir.
Reviewed by: Timothy D. Powell So-OK USA!!!
Rating:
I Purchased the Garmin FR60 Bundle W/ Foot pod to Help me learn run pacing and for Triathlon Training. My old HRM just gave up but the chest strap works still works with most of the equipment at the gym without the watch. But there is no need since I have the FR60 but there are some "Issues" to deal with first. The Look and function is very good. However since I'm new to Garmin the menu's took a little getting used to and programing was a little bit difficult, but from what I've heard this is typical. Once you do get the menus down it's very intuitive and similar to other models they offer. The other reason I picked the Garmin unit is the Manufactures of other HRM's in this price range had non replaceable batteries. IE you had to send them back to the factory to be replaced. This is something I really wasn't fond of since I use mine daily. This unit fits nicely on the wrist and can be used as a "Sport Watch" and no-one would know you a Workoutaholic if they didn't know you.

Packaged in the box were the Owners manual and Watch, Foot-pod, HRM-Strap, USB Ant+ stick. There is no software to speak of since it's self loading on the Ant+ Stick. You also need to set up an account with Garmin to download your data and analyze it. BEWARE: Firmware Updates will erase your data and settings on the watch and they need to be set back up!!! There is no Off-line option to review your data :-(. This means you upload your data to Garmin then re-download it in Excel or TCX format then upload it into a training website like Training Peaks(Online) or Sport Tracs(Stand Alone Runs Offline). Granted it takes only a few minutes to do but is a little bit of a pain. Also when uploading you have the option to leave the data on your watch for you to review or when the download is completed the workout date is erased. It takes a little bit of faith to let your data go. When setting up your account you can set up your Heart Rate zones based on age and resting Heart Rate. You can add as many zones as you see fit. For Simplicity I just use 5, now when you look at your data though the amount of time in each zone is not displayed on the website on your HR Graph. The graph look really good but the only data given is Avg HR, Max HR. It would be nice if the time in each Zone was given as well. My old HRM(Which was $40) displayed these with times and % in zones on the watch and didn't need to upload the data. Other data that is Give is Workout Time, Avg Speed/Pace, Max Speed/Pace, Avg Cadence, Max Cadence. All good Data that is essential for training/racing purposes.

For Running the Foot Pod Sensor tracks steps, pacing and speed very accurately out of the box. Pick a spot on your shoes to mount the sensor and pair the device with your FR60, I did a test run at the track and it was spot on after a 1 mile test run. You can either adjust the stride length automatically or manual adjust. There are supposed to be shoe on the market that the Foot-pod will mound directly into the sole under the shoe insert. I believe Nike makes one. Mounting in the laces are just fine for me. The advantage the FR60 has is It can be used indoors without a GPS signal. The combination of the Foot-Pod and HRM gives you very accurate Calorie data when running of a treadmill. I have found that most treadmills are off speed wise to the FR60, for example I warm-up at 10:00 indicated pace on the treadmill and my FR60 shows anywhere from a 9:20-9:35. No a big deal since I'm logging the information for later retrieval.

Since I Cycle I use the GSC-10 Speed and Cadence Sensor for my Bicycle. Same setup as the Foot-Pod with regard to pairing. This can be used indoors as well during winter months on Stationary Fluid Trainer or Rollers to track speed and distance. The downside is NO FREAKING Odometer!!!!!!! what was Garmin Thinking. You get everything else, Distance, Current Speed, Calories, Avg/Max Speed, Avg/Max Cadence, Time, Lap/Distance/Time/AvgSpeed/MaxSpeed/LapCalories, blah blah blah... I had to add my old Speed sensor back to the front wheel to capture Overall ODO distance.

Functionality: The FR60 is pretty easy to set up once you figure out the page layout and logic. You get your data input(AGE, HEIGHT, WEIGHT, ACTIVITY Class(read the manual for this one) into the devise under SETTINGS/USER. After pairing your footpod and Speed/Cadence sensor, You can then set up your "TRAINING PAGES" This is where the FR60 really shines. You can take all the data collected from either your Run/Bike/Other and display up to 3 pieces of data on the screen and have 5 pages to display the data. You can have one screen for Time only and another for Distance and Pace then another for Heart Rate, HR Zone, Calories and so one. If only One line of info is displayed it fits almost the entire screen and gets smaller from there. the Dot Matrix LCD Screen is fairly easy to read at a glace either running or biking.

The FR60, HR Chest Sensor, Foot-pod are all waterproof to 3 Meters so they can be worn during the swim portion of Triathlons or during off road runs that cross creeks or during Steeplechase events. I've worn mine during the swim of a sprint Triathlon. For Triathlon the F60 is not Tri Friendly meaning you cannot change sports easy. I just set it up in Other and Just Press Lap during transitions in and out. Since I'm only concerned with overall time and HR. The FR60 can be set up to scan for Pods so it will pick up either sensor when you press the lap button during T1 or T2. If your set on sport specific Timing press and hold the MODE button and you can then change sports.



15.) Mostly excellent
Reviewed by: Michael Case Kennewick, WA 99338
Rating:
I was drawn to the Garmin FR60 as it represents one of the least expensive full-featured heart rate monitors which can download training data to a computer. Since I do a good chunk of my training indoors on a treadmill, particularly in the winter, a GPS based system was not required.

My experience with the Garmin FR60 has been mostly positive. First, it's important to point out this watch is sold in at least 3 different bundles. There's the basic heart rate monitor only (all black watch), this version (red) which includes an ANT+ Stick used to download training data to a computer, and a more expensive version which includes a foot pod for measuring distance. When shopping for this watch, be sure you know which bundle you're ordering, I had to return the black version after ordering it without realizing it didn't include the ANT+ Stick.

The watch itself is a nice form factor, smaller than the large Polar S120 I'm replacing. Initial setup is easy, the included quickstart guide walks you through the procedure in straightforward fashion. The screen is easy to read, and navigation between menus and setting adjustments is easy. My only gripe with the watch is the placement of the Lap/Split and Start/Stop buttons. Quite simply, these should be reversed. The Start/Stop button is a large white button centered just below the display area, it's quite easy to press. The Lap/Split button is a small button on the side of the watch and takes a firm touch to trigger. When I'm running hard, it's takes a bit of concentration to record a lap, certainly more than I'd like. I expect I'll get more comfortable with this as I use the watch more.

The heart rate strap fits comfortably and is in most ways quite similar to my familiar Polar T31 chest strap with one important exception, it has a door through which I can replace the battery. The Polar strap has to be sent back for a new battery, and a replacement strap is $30-40. The replacable battery on the Garmin is a nice upgrade. As for function, the heart rate is recorded accurately and I've yet to see it interrupted by interference. Of note, the Garmin HR strap does not appear to be compatible with any treadmill I've seen, the watch still records HR accurately, but the treadmill will not display HR on screen. Polar seems to have cornered the market here.

Once a workout is complete, recorded heart rate data can be downloaded to a computer via the ANT+ Stick, a simple USB stick. Once setup, the download process is quite easy. Garmin offers two options for logging your data, the desktop-only Garmin TrainingCenter (which must be downloaded) or the web-based Garmin Connect. I've tried them both, and find the TrainingCenter software easier to use, particularly when viewing heart rate data graphs. If you spring for the footpod, the software will correlate HR, time, and distance. Workout notes can be entered, making this a nice all-around training log. It seems like development is on-going for the web-based Garmin Connect, so it's possible it will get improved features in the future. Note that the data can be exported from either program as XML-based TCX files which can be processed into Excel sheets (with third party software) or uploaded to other third-party training log software. If you're comfortable with the format, the TCX files can be edited directly to include data not recorded by the watch (distance if not measured by the foot pod, calories burned, etc).

Overall this setup has allowed me to do exactly what I had hoped; accurately record my heart rate over training runs and download it to a computer for review and analysis and comparison with previous workouts. I'm excited enough about the system that I'll be adding the SDM4 Footpod to record distance as well. If the Lap and Start/Stop buttons we're swapped, it would be the perfect non-GPS based running tool, and an excellent value as one of the least expensive heart rate monitors which can download to a computer.

16.) Finally a good fitness watch for petite women!
Reviewed by: Book & outdoors enthusiast CA
Rating:
I just received my FR60, and my first impression is that I love this product. I've had to wait for it for five months because it was not on the market as yet; however, on the up side this provided me with a substantial discount, so I have no complaint in this regard. I have had much difficulty finding a good fitness watch that would fit my small wrist. The FR60 fits nicely without being bulky. Compared to my Mio Petite, the heart rate display is much easier to retrieve and most reliable, characters displayed are easier to read, and buttons are more ergonomic. The main difference is that Mio Petite had no chest strap, and the dual pressure button system was quite awkward and unreliable. The lavender color on the FR60 is nice and discrete -- thanks, however, for not making it a hot pink or orange! On the down side, the product is so new that it is not yet supported by the Web site. This deadline is a big failure on the part of Garmin!!! Then tech support is only open at certain hours during the week, and there are no Q&As for FR60 as yet on the Web site. Once I manage to have access to my data online, I intend to order the foot pod, which should be a natural add-on to this product. Despite my initial frustrations, I expect to really enjoy this watch and I highly recommend it to any active woman with petite wrists.

17.) Garmin FR60 HRM
Reviewed by: Cooch Mooresville, NC USA
Rating:
Awsome product for new runners. Purchased for wife's birthday(I am a romantic at heart). She is far from tech savvy as am I but basic functions simple enough to utilize without delving too deeply in manual. Also purchased the seperate foot pod that provides more detailed info and feedback on runs. As time goes by I can see her utilizing more of the functions on the watch and the website but for now viewing her results after a run give her the motivation to get back out for the next time. The Lilac color gives product more of a feminine flavor as opposed to a slimmed down man's watch.

18.) Pretty Good
Reviewed by: beginning stepper
Rating:
I just got the watch in the mail today and so far it seems to be a good watch. One thing I would say is to get the food pod because otherwise I don't think it would do much good. You need the foot pod in order to see pace or distance or even calories burned. I really wish it monitored calories without the foot pod. If you're mostly interested in calories burned and heart rate I would recommend a basic Polar watch.
I'm looking forward to using it as I train for a half marathon this year. It will be nice to see how fast I'm really going and what my distance is when I'm outside.

19.) Great Product
Reviewed by: New Runner
Rating:
I just purchased the FR 60 after initially eyeing the FR 110 Women's watch. But when I went to purchase the watch, the FR 110 was way too bulky and big. I'm 5'9", yet even for me, the watch was overwhelming in size. Additionally, the FR 110 stores all the data on the watch and doesn't offer an option to transfer the data and make room for additional runs. The FR 60 is perfect in size, and I love the foot pod and heart rate monitor which yields accurate data for calories burned, steps per minute, miles per minute, etc.

It's easy to use, easy to set up and small enough to be worn everyday as a functional watch as well. I do recommend going onto Garmin's website and watching the set up tutorial. It makes setting up the watch a thousand times easier as the watch only comes with an abbreviated owner's quick setup manual.

I am very happy with this watch. In fact, i look forward to each run and seeing my progress. Love love love love the watch.



20.) Nice heart rate monitor
Reviewed by: Platofish
Rating:
I bought the Garmin FR60 to supplement my Garmin 305, primarily to use indoors. The Garmin 305 is an excellent device - but, I have a couple of gripes. Such as the battery running low after one use, and occasionally difficult to operate buttons. The FR60 doesn't have GPS, so its ideal for use indoors. Its simple to setup, and absolutely simple to use. Some people have complained about the lack of printed manual - I'm not sure why. Its all pretty obvious, or at least it was to me.

Watch and heart rate monitor work beautifully. The watch is much smaller than the Garmin 305, and reasonably good looking. The numbers are large enough to read, even if you normally wear mild to moderate reading glasses you should be able to read it ok without them. Data upload is trivial via the usb stick.

All in all a great little watch. One of the cheapest that allows data to be stored and then transferred to a computer or web site. Even using a mac, this seems to work ok.

21.) Liking it more the longer I own it
Reviewed by: LeafTurner michigan
Rating:
I've used the watch for 2 months, and have updated this review several times.

Setup: If you're not very good with hardware and techno gadgetry, you might not find the owner's manual to be very helpful, and complete setup very frustrating. However, search "Garmin FR60" on YouTube and you'll find some great instructional vidoes, by Garmin, on how to set up the watch. These videos include screen shots. By the way, you should know the owner's manual is available online only, but you can save and print if you must.

Use: Again, the owner's manual wasn't very helpful on how to actually go use the watch, and go through the "pages." But it is pretty easy if you're not afraid to hit some buttons. Take it on a couple test runs before you actually need the watch.

Foot Pod: no problems at all. It's smaller than I thought it would be, and is not noticeable at all on my shoe.

The ANT stick: once you have everything paired and you've signed on to the website (watch YouTube if you're techno-impaired), the stick does exactly what they say. You get the watch near it, and it wirelessly gets your data off your watch. I have not found how to dump the data off the watch. The software is run/stored on Garmin's website (you create a free account--very easy and quick)....oh, very cool. Goals, history, multiple sports...great great great.

Pace/Mileage Accuracy: Be sure to follow the instructions for calibrating the watch. It's so EASY! And very very accurate!!! I didn't want the GPS watch because reviews have said that 1). the GPS can sometimes take several minutes to find the satellite signal and 2). they lose the signal if they're in trees. With the FR60, you have none of those problems.

Heart Rate Accuracy: 100%

Heart strap: I'm usually like the Princess and the Pea, but I found the monitor to be so comfortable I dind't know it was there. And don't buy this "I'm sooooo little the strap is too big" that you might see on other posts. It fits my 11-year-old skinny son, so shut up.

Design: I have a small wrist, and the watch doesn't look bulky. The strap could easily fit a pre-teen girl's wrist, as well as larger-boned women. My husband scams it once and awhile to check his own heart rate, and the watch fits him. The strap is a little stiff, so I'm hoping that will loosen up, though if it doesn't, the watch was comfortable enough.

I had to give product only 4 stars because I think they really fell down on the set-up and usage instructions, which may be a problem for some. Otherwise, I LOVE THIS WATCH!!!!!!! Once you're set up and ready to go, this watch should get 10+ STARS.


22.) Better luck second time around
Reviewed by: Danna Beaty Stephenville, TX
Rating:
I received this watch for Christmas and was enthusiastic about the prospect of tracking and improving my fitness performance. I had a bit of difficulty deciphering how to operate the watch based on the user manual. It definitely needs some work. However, the Garmin website provided detailed videos on the watch features and how to program. VERY helpful! I am still unsure if there is a way to adjust for elevation while on the treadmill... The mode button was not easy to use from the beginning and then on January 28th, the watch quit working altogether. I called Garmin and their suggestion was to send the watch in and they would send me a "refurbished" watch to replace it. This is unacceptable for a watch as new and costly as this one was. Finally, I contacted the store--Clever Trainer--from where the watch shipped and they immediately agreed to replace it with a new one. I did have to pay to ship it to them, but am happy to find myself with a new watch instead of a refurbished one. So far, so good!

23.) Garmin FR60
Reviewed by: Sebastian Grove Chile
Rating:
I am an amateur runner and this is my first wrist-watch heart rate monitor.
I own an Edge 705 that I use for mountain biking. Lately I decided to start jogging, as part of my biking training, but the 705 is just to bulky to bring it with me on the track.
Looking for a jogging companion, for somebody who already owns an Edge 705, this unit is great since (i) both Edge 705 and FR60 share the same heart rate monitor, so this gives me a spare unit for replacement, and (ii) FR60 can also upload activities to Garmin Connect so all my training information is there, in one place. That is neat.
Both features were strong enough for me to chose this unit without comparing with other brands.
Food pod calibration was done quickly, all I had to do was run for half a mile (with the GPS in hand) and input the precise distance information. From there, speed and distance information provided by this watch are very precise, less than 5% error.
Wireless connection using USB ANT was done quickly and it works perfectly.
Haven't tested all features but so far I am very satisfied with this product, only 4/5 stars because bike features on the watch do not include odometer!!!.
Quite strange that calories measured by Edge705 and FR60, both logging data from the same HR monitor, during the same activity have great difference. FR60 usually doubles Edge705. I am trying to understand why.
Bottom line, if you already own a Garmin product and you like Garmin Connect website, this is probable the product for you.

24.) Much Improved over the FR50
Reviewed by: Ken Zemach Redwood City, CA
Rating:
Having had the FR50 (just OK, watch band breaks after a year, not enough data storage, annoying buttons that press and erase things when you stretch or do pushups, light that doesn't stay on long enough, etc), Garmin has made many an improvement with this version. Several others have reviewed this actual item, so I'll simply say that if you are an FR50 user and are frustrated by many of its shortcomings, the FR60, while no model of perfection, is a giant leap forward. Giant.

Also note that you'll enjoy it a lot more if you read and re-read the manual and play with the screens a lot; you want to be familiar with how it works, how to calibrate (I do it manually) the footpod, how to play with the data, etc.

Lastly, the [...] website has gotten much, much better. Their Windows software product is now a bit lacking in capability, but the online stuff is getting reasonably good for those that actually know how to use their HR and pacing data.

25.) Accurate, yet Faulty Construction
Reviewed by: Gabe P
Rating:
I had the watch for a month and a half and enjoyed using it to track my average pace and heart rate while running or biking. Also used it in the general mode when doing other activities. Very easy to use, liked the ANT agent for uploading. However, after a month and half the watch band broke where it meets the face (see customer image). Don't know if it is faulty construction or if it is because the stiff band isn't a good fit for a mid size wrist. Either way, customer service contacted me within 6 hours of submitting a repair request. Just wish they could send me the replacement so I am not missing my watch on my runs.
And a pony tail holder works wonders!

26.) Such an execelent option!
Reviewed by: Candido Campinas, Brazil
Rating:
I'm using this heart rate monitor along with the Garmin footpod and the USB ANT Transmitter for almost 2 months. This gadget really makes runners lives easier! I'm not an athlete, but I chose running as the sport I'm going to practice for the rest of my life, I hope. FR60 is a very useful, slim, friendly and robust running accessory. The monitor belt is thin and you almost don't notice it on your chest. Moreover it is made of rubber, what means that you can sweat as much as you can on it and it won't be stinking after your workout. Transmitter is awesome too! Within the sensor range, once the USB Stick is plugged to your computer, FR60 just starts to send all your data right away. Then you can use Garmin Connect web page to 'play' with your data. There are many different views, charts and reports so you can follow your performance gain over the weeks. Besides not having the same Pollar's 'pretty' interface and some additional features, FR60 does his job with accuracy with the advantage of showing your data during your workout in a much easier way (it's not confusing). The only reason I marked it with 4 stars and not 5 it is because the foot pod is a kind of hard to be calibrated in the begining. It is very precise when you keep your regular pace (98% to 99%), but you have to calibrate it again when you become faster. Anyway, this drawback does not change the greatness of this FR60 + FootPod + ANT Stick kit at all. I'm very pleased for knowing how much I've being running and also for following my heart rates evolution! FR60 makes me always excited for the next run!

27.) great training aid
Reviewed by: Randy NYC
Rating:
I have been curious about this watch since i first saw it a few weeks ago. I have a garmin 305 that i hate. It takes between 5-10 minutes to locate the satelites before i can start running, so i never use it. I was in a running shop the other day, and they were raving about this unit, so i took a gamble.

The first run it seemed dead-on according to [...]. The second run i brought along the garmin 305 and calibrated it for 1 mile. It was 97 percent accurate with touching a think on the new watch. Color me impressed.

Training for my next 10k will be more fun now.

only one star removed because it's not as simple as polar, and the manual is terrible.

28.) It's just "OK."
Reviewed by: live.laugh.photograph Maryland
Rating:
As a competitive runner, I was really looking forward to a smaller watch for women. In that aspect, this is great. My one real compliant, is that this is a non-GPS watch. Meaning the Foot-Pod is guessing your distance. You are supposed to "Calibrate" it for distance every so often. I ran a half marathon last November. While I know the course was 13.1 miles, the watch read 14.65 miles. Being so far off course can really mess up your training. I am now looking into GPS models.

29.) Disappointed
Reviewed by: JStath
Rating:
I had been looking at this sport watch for 6 months, and had read the reviews in Runners' World. I felt I had researched well, and my husband ended up purchasing this for me for Christmas. I have yet to be able to use the watch while running because it is very difficult to figure out. I have a master's degree, and use electronics frequently, so one would think I could easily figure this out. I tried several times, and my niece also worked on it for a week. No luck. I had one more person to try, and he had gotten other runners' watches working. It took him several hours, but he did get it working. I have not yet had the time to try it out, but I will say that if I still can't get it to work, it goes back. All I am interested in right now is my time, pace, and distance. Another MAJOR complaint is that the owners manual is not packaged with it! There is a quick start guide that was worthless. I did what it said and got nowhere. I spent over $200 for the watch and footpod, and then I am expected to print out the owners manual on my printer (40 pages!)? So, I hope that once I can use this watch, it works, and that I have to rewrite this review.

30.) Almost there
Reviewed by: azarcapshaw Indianapolis, CA United States
Rating:
The monitor has great features - almost everything I could want on the pages for scrolling. The buttons are close together, and hard to maneuver with adult fingers. The bottom left button sometimes doesn't work - I have to press it repetitively. The feature that allows you to upload into software to evaluate your workout is awesome, but it's difficult to initiate, as you are only sent an outline of the owner's manual. You must download the software online, but enabling your computer to do so might require you to call customer service, which has limited working hours. Therefore, the ease of using the software, initially, is a little frustrating.

31.) Swimmers beware
Reviewed by: DC New York
Rating:
If you're a cross-trainer like me, you're out of luck as soon as you get into the water. The heart rate transmitter won't transmit a blip to the watch as soon as it's half an inch below water. This even if your watch is actually strapped to the heart rate transmitter (incredibly uncomfortable of course). One wonders then why they advertise the FR60 as being submergible down to 50 meters. I had this problem with the standard transmitter that came with the FR60 and thought a "premium" unit (advertised as being 30-meter-capable and sold separately) would solve it. Apparently not only was I wrong, Garmin knew this upfront (the manual says it won't work while swimming), took my money, and laughed all the way to the bank. What a poor, poor engineering choice to weaken the radio signal in the name (I suppose) of battery life. I'm very disappointed.

32.) Missed Opportunity
Reviewed by: DH143 Boston USA
Rating:
This is a nice basic HR Trainer which includes the virtual training partner feature, but you can only train against a fixed pace, not against a previous workout or time/distance "course".

There is benefit in sometimes training at a fixed pace over a varied course, but I think Garmin missed an opportunity to make this an outright winner by not including the ability to train against a previously saved workout or "course", like they have in the 305 and 405.



33.) FR60
Reviewed by: Jagdish D. Mistry Cincinnati, OH USA
Rating:
I had bought Garmin FR60 for Spinning and swimming. It works good for spinning but not for swimming. It is over price for the functions.

34.) A nice HRM, but loses the zones and the strap broke - TWICE
Reviewed by: Kevin Miller Houston, TX USA
Rating:

EDIT - 27 Jun 2010 - I have now broken a 2nd rubber piece that holds the wrist strap in place. This is a really nice watch with great functionality, but I can no longer recommend a $150 watch with a strap that breaks so easily.

(My original review) This is a very nice HRM. I like the HR strap. It works very reliably. It synchs with my Garmin Edge 705. It's nice to be able to download my cycling data from the 705 along with my running and gym data from the FR60 to the same website and keep track of all my exercise data in 1 place. It is not too unsightly and I wear it as my "everyday" watch.

A HUGE PLUS and in my case, a decision maker - you can replace the battery on the FR60 watch yourself. My last HRM was a Polar and I had to send it in every few months for a new battery. It cost me $20 and a few weeks of having no HRM each time! I will never go back to Polar until they make the batteries replaceable.

A big negative - Many gyms do not yet have ANT+ exercise machines, so you can't "synch" to the machine like you can with a Polar.

I broke the rubber piece that holds the wrist strap in place after the clasping it. I contacted Garmin and you cannot buy a replacement for this part. My local watch shops didn't have anything for this purpose either. Garmin did offer to replace the entire watch, but I had lost my receipt. So, KEEP YOUR RECEIPT!

A piece of advice if you want to use it along with other Garmin products to update Garmin Connect. You need to log out of your Windows profile and then log back in to switch between devices. For some reason I can't upload from both devices back to back. So, I update from the FR60, log out of windows, and then log back in, connect my Edge 705, and it works perfectly.


35.) cool watch, but a software nightmare
Reviewed by: ken thomas
Rating:
The FR60 was promoted as a simpler, easier-to-use option than competitor Polar.
Well, the watch is simpler and easier to use than my Polar watch, but the software you need in order to save and transfer your workouts - a big selling point of this model - is a complete nightmare. If it works for you, great. But if it doesn't, you're all on your own.
I installed everything exactly according to Garmin's instructions. I even got to the point of connecting my watch with the Ant Agent software - no problem. But then it won't transfer any data. It says 'transfer failed' over and over and over again.
I even tried starting from scratch on a different computer, following the instructions even more carefully than before. Same result.
Response from Garmin support? NONE.

36.) Not easily returnable
Reviewed by: Nadeem Haque
Rating:
This is the first time I have bought something from Amazon which I found was not easily returnable. I was told I have to call seller directly and find out. I do wish Amazon would indicate this on each item which Amazon does not stand behind as it is an important element in placing an order.

Mow my reason for returning. I like the looks and what the watch offers and had full intentions of making it my watch especially for workouts. But when I tried it I found that it does not link up with any machine in the gym. My earlier monitor which was half the price would link up with all exercise machines giving me a continuous heart readout on the machine. This watch too was advertised to do so.

If you want a watch and monitor that will allow all exercise machines to pick your heart rate this is not it. There are many cheaper varieties that do link and give you a continuous readout on the exercise machine.

I will call the Electronica Direct directly tomorrow and hope I can return it. I hope I can.

I had got used to ordering with confidence at Amazon. Now I will hesitate.

I do hope Amazon will take my advice and tell us of the returnability of each item at the time of ordering.

37.) Garmin to Polar
Reviewed by: JDG Vernon Hills, IL
Rating:
Excited for my Garmin FR60 HR monitor, but it quickly ended on my first use. I was able to set up most of it without referring to the manual (typical male) which was nice. Nice features for the money. Liked the idea of being able to change the batteries myself without having to send to the manufacturer. During my first workout in the morning, I spent my workout trying to figure out the HR indicator for being below my set zones. Did see warning for being below my zones, but then it disappeared and never came back & I know I was still below my zones. By the afternoon I was working out again but this time with a Polar. I really wanted the garmin to work because I liked the ability to download my workouts to the computer (at this price point).

I called the Garmin store in Chicago because my owners manual got destroyed by my dog. I was told that it would cost $25 to get a new one ($12 to run it off & $10 to mail). Person said to go online; I did, but I still did not find it helpful.

Maybe I gave up too quickly on the Garmin, but I was able to workout with the Polar with no problems.

38.) Very disappointed!
Reviewed by: Ton
Rating:
I was very disappointed with the FR60. I've literally spent hours trying to get a calorie burn count, but finally gave up. I have read several online troubleshooting forums, tried multiple downloads to update the firmware and it just wouldn't work. Why should something so basic be made so complicated? I don't know why they insist on making you connect with the website for the exercise data. Why can't there be a local option? I tried and tried but it just wouldn't work. I regret this purchase.

Features of Men’s Garmin Forerunner60 Fitness Watch with Heart Rate Monitor

115135BLK000 Features: Log every mile and every minute with this workout tool that tracks your time, heart rate and calories burned, and when bundled with the optional wireless foot pod, tracks speed and distance to indoors or out Stay aware of your levels with training alarms, and push yourself when necessary with Virtual Partner which lets you race against a virtual training partner to improve your If you have to pause, or begin a new lap, you don't have to spend time resetting everything to the Auto Pause and Auto Lap features take care of that for you Auto Scroll allows you to see data pages without fumbling with the device and Multi Sport lets you change sport mode with one button Record up to 100 laps worth of lap history and customize your workouts, with multi-sport, advanced, and simple workout schemes to track your energy output Workout data is loaded to your computer wirelessly with the automatic sync technology, and you can share your data online too as it's Garmin Connect compatible and cam be hooked up with Garmin Training Center Take this one straight into the pool, with water-resistance to 50 meters it doesn't leak during your lap routines Functions as a sports watch as well with 12- and 24-hour clock functionality, dual time zones, calendar and daily alarm Specifications: Weight to dimensions: 16 ounces to 22 x 15 x 06 inches Display size to display resolution: 08 x 11 inches to 56 x 31 pixels Battery to battery life: coin cell battery (CR2032) to 1 year Waterproof: water resistant to 50 meters

1.) Geared for: Running;
2.) Designed for: Men;

Package Height x Length x Width: 5.59 in. x 5.59 in. x 5.59 in.
Package Weight: 0.66 lbs.

Accessories for Men’s Garmin Forerunner60 Fitness Watch with Heart Rate Monitor