GPS and HRM watches?

Lung Fish said:

What do you run with?

I see the new Suunto models: X6 with heart rate monitor X9
with GPS

I am wondering what features I would use more. I have
never had a HRM before, and I wonder how much the chest
band would annoy me.

If you provide more background information - like what type
of running you do (trail/roads, effort/pace,
time/distance), people might be able to focus their
comments more. If you're wondering about what you'd use
more, how do you expect us to guess 😉

Just a thought. Identify your "needs" (or "wants"😉 for the
way *you* train (not the way I train or someone else on
r.r) and search for products that meet those needs or
wants. It's ok to use toys to satisfy "wants" if you want
to spend the dollars. But why select Suunto vs some of the
other brands that are more common among runners, at least
here in the US? There are valid reasons for this and I've
looked at Suunto products for those reasons, but I'm
curious as to *your* reasons.

In particular, why choose between these two vs something
like a Polar S625sx, which is supposed to be coming out
soon? It's just a question.

Or was your question meant to relate to which is more useful
for training - effort (hr) or pace - rather than specific
devices? And why a gps vs accelerometer for distance / pace?

I can't answer what features you would use more, but I'm
guessing a hrm is more useful than a gps.

FWIW, I run trails and train by effort and time. I can run
with no attached gadgets (admittedly, I do feel naked, but
I can do it), but prefer to run at least with a hrm -
primarily because it's got big numbers that I can see when
running and a large size lap button so I can check for
even/negative splits if doing out/back. I judge my effort
by feel (breathing, conversational pace, etc), occasionally
checking against hrm, but log data with hrm and play with
data later. (playing with data is fun for me and has
pointed out some weaknesses, but it's not a requisite for
running - YMMV)

On long runs on new trails, I take a gps to map the
trail and overlay it on some maps I've got. It's in a
camelbak pocket where I can't see it. The gps also
provides a convenient estimate of distance, time moving
(I may stop to read a trail map/sign or take pictures),
and elevation change. But that's what turns me on and
the way I train. YMMV.

Someone that trains on roads at selected paces would find
something else more useful. But if you're someplace that has
trouble with blocked signals, a gps may not help much, but
an accelerometer device might.

Dot

--
"Success is different things to different people" -Bernd
Heinrich in Racing the Antelope

band should not annoy the suunto goes for 150-300$$ i nice
polar goes for 100. i own 3 polars and i think they are best
bang for buck all i need is the HR and time start / time end
i might break down and get the comp interface but for right
now the 100 does the job plodzilla

Lung Fish said:

What do you run with?

I see the new Suunto models: X6 with heart rate monitor X9
with GPS

I am wondering what features I would use more. I have
never had a HRM before, and I wonder how much the chest
band would annoy me.