Your Fitness Solution: The Garmin Forerunner 201 GPS Watch

If you happen to be a professional athlete, you will definitely get a lot of use from the Garmin Forerunner GPS 201 watch. It has a wide range of functions for the sports nut. It comes with a GPS sensor, an electronic map, routine change and reversal capabilities, calorie tracker, lap details and record, performance archives, auto stopwatch with auto-lap and auto pause functions, lap timer, pace alert, distance alert, free Training Center software, a flexible wristwatch strap, and an A/C desktop charging unit with a serial port.

The GPS 201 is the best choice for a professional as well as a less-involved athlete. It generally keeps track of the speed and tracking facets of a workout. This unit offers quite a number of good features, but its worst design error is that its performance is quite unpredictable. This is the reason why it is hard to consider it perfect. Its dimensions of 3.3 ? 1.7 ? 0.7 make it appear more bulky than a normal fitness watch; actually it is lighter than it looks, weighing in at only 2.8 ounces. The watch is safe for use in water and hence it can be used by swimmers or by runners in rainy or damp weather conditions.

The GPS 201 can hold a lap record history of 5000 laps and offers many more features that you may adjust to match up with your own demands and individual requirements. Among the most useful features the watch has is the Training Center Software. This is an apt feature for you to use to store your workout details and can also help you see ways in which they have varied along your path, particularly if done some exercise at different elevations. The Virtual Partner function helps you set standards that you want to reach. You just need to compare your real-life workout session with that of your friend.

The GPS connectivity of this 201 model is put down by a number of buyers because the signal is fickle at times. In addition to that, consumers also tend to find fault with the inconsistencies in functions like altitude and pace readouts. This model does not come with a heart rate monitor. Currently, when most of the computer interfaces can work with a USB, this unit still lags behind with a serial port facility.

The wristband of the Forerunner 201 GPS Fitness Watch is of a flexible material, enabling you to sport the watch around your wrist or your bicep as you wish. Its LCD display screen is easy to read in brightly lit conditions as well as in darkness. The rechargeable lithium alloy battery can hold a charge for 14 hours at a time. It seems to be just fine for runners, but may not be quite adequate for biking, etc.

Overall, the Garmin Forerunner GPS 201 is a watch with a lot of virtues. The training Center software and the Virtual partner features deserve special mention. Unfortunately, its unreliable GPS signaling is its only flaw.