Garmin Forerunner 405 Down Load
By : Stephen M. Charme (central New Jersey),Editing By : Jay
Garmin Forerunner 405
I have now been using garmin forerunner 405cx for about six weeks and logged over 200 miles. In that time I have had the bevel lock up due to sweat only twice: once in the gym and once outside. The point is that this is even less of a problem than I thought, and should not discourage you from buying this unit.
Update July 22, 2009:
A more serious issue is with the ANT technology. Sometimes I will get a message on my laptop that the transfer of data to the laptop from Garmin Forerunner 405cx was not successful. I then quit the Garmin Ant Agent on my laptop (and sometimes remove and reinsert the ANT USB stick as well), restart it, and have to go through this process three or four times before the data finally transfers to my laptop. The problem began after I updated the ANT software, and I see from Garmin forums that other users have experienced the same problem. Hopefully this is just a bug that Garmin will fix in a later update. While I would not let this discourage you from buying the 405cx, just keep in mind that a wireless transfer of data, while convenient, is not always problem free.
Update August 21, 2009:
Garmin released an update for Macs (and I assume for PCs as well) that solved the download problems using the ANT technology. Now the data transfers work perfectly.
The more I use this watch, the better I like it. Here are my latest comments:
1. The backlight is far superior to that on the Forerunner 305. It produces a much brighter light that I appreciate when running at night either outdoors or on the treadmill at my gym (the treadmill area is kind of dim at night).
2. The battery life is excellent. Even with BOTH the backlight AND the GPS on for a couple of hours, battery capacity is still 75% when I am finished running. What this means as a practical matter is that if you forget to hook this watch up to the charger after a long run, you will still be good to go for your next run. The battery life per charge on the Forerunner 305 is not as good, and sometimes when I forgot to charge the 305 between runs, the battery would die during the second run.
3. The “sweat issue”–i.e. the watch becoming non-responsive when the bevel gets sweaty–has become a non-issue for me since I haven’t experienced any problem in months. Perhaps that is because I periodically “towel off” the sweat on my wrist and forearm during a long run.
Update January 9, 2010:
I continue to recommend this watch as the best GPS watch for serious runners. Using it this winter has been a pleasure. Here is why:
1. I have run in sub-freezing temperatures where the “real feel” with the wind has been as cold as zero. I keep this watch around the outside sleeve of my running jacket so the GPS function is not impeded (as it would be if the watch was covered up). The bitter cold has had no adverse effect of any kind so far.
2. When I take a break during my run at a local convenience store, the watch does not fog up when I go inside, and after I have warmed up, it does not fog up when I go back outside.
3. I have run in light snow, which I just shake off the watch periodically without any adverse effect (and I did not expect any, since I have run in light rain during warmer weather without any problems).
In short, garmin forerunner 405cx is performing great during a very cold winter in the Northeast.
Update May 24, 2010:
I have been using Garmin Forerunner 405cx for almost a year, and it still works great. On a recent vacation to Mexico, the satellite signal was picked up quickly and without any problem, and the same was true when I returned home to New Jersey. Also, I ran outdoors in very hot and humid weather, and was drenched with sweat. It just took a couple of seconds to wipe it off the unit so that it would function properly. Here is a cleaning tip: At the end of each run I stop the timer, then touch the Time/Date at the top of the unit to switch to the time, and then lock the bezel before I rinse the watch off. I found that if I tried to lock the bezel while the unit was still on the exercise screen, sometimes I would accidentally restart the timer. But that doesn’t happen if you switch to the Time/Date before locking the bezel.
I still believe that this is the best GPS watch on the market for serious runners.
Update June 27, 2010:
The other day after I had finished running and transferring my data, I noticed that the time was wrong on my garmin forerunner 405cx. I discovered that the screen had completely frozen, and nothing was responsive. I did some quick internet research and solved the problem as follows: I connected Garmin Forerunner 405cx to the charging clip, which I plugged directly into my PC instead of into my USB hub. Without touching the bevel, I simultaneously pushed in both buttons for about 30 seconds, after which the screen unfroze and the charging screen appeared. The watch has worked fine ever since. I have no idea what caused the problem, but in case it happens to someone else, I wanted to list what worked for me.
Update November 4, 2010:
I have now had this unit for over 16 months, during which I have run about 1600 miles indoors and outdoors in all kinds of weather year round, and it still works great.
I have a few miscellaneous tips:
1. I have seen some reviews complain about battery life. After a 2 1/2 hour run outdoors I still have 70% of my battery life. However, I start with 100% because whenever my unit is not in use, I have it attached to the battery charger. I think that is a good habit to get into.
2. When traveling, I use the Garmin GPS travel case (which I have reviewed on Amazon). I always start with a unit that is 100% charged, then turn the GPS off, then lock the bevel so that the backlight does not accidentally come on if the unit is jostled in the case. If you take those three steps, then you will not wind up with a “dead” unit when you reach your destination.
3. I bought an extra battery charger and keep it in my carrying case. An extra charger is not expensive (you can buy it on Amazon) and ensures that you will be able to charge the unit while you are away. Sometimes when you are packing at the last minute it is easy to forget things, and I already had one trip where I forgot the charger. That’s when I bought an extra one to keep in the case.
4. I have seen a review complain that there is no on/off switch. I agree that might be handy to have sometimes, but it really is unnecessary if you keep your unit in the charger when not in use and take the precautions that I mentioned while traveling.
5. Finally, I have seen a comment that the calories will count up even if you are not wearing the heart rate monitor. True, but the count will not be accurate because Garmin Forerunner 405cxspecifically calculates calories based on heart rate. That means you need to wear the heart rate monitor if you want an accurate calorie count.
6. If you are considering buying this unit but still have some doubts, buy it on Amazon, which has a no questions asked return policy if it does not live up to your expectations in the first 30 days. Also, if you have an Amex card, use it to purchase the unit since Amex at no cost extends the mfrs warranty for one year, and will refund your entire purchase price if an item becomes defective after the mfrs warranty has expired but before the extra one year period from Amex has expired.
Update December 10, 2010:
The price on this unit has dropped dramatically on Amazon because Garmin has now introduced a newer model called the Forerunner 410, which is much more expensive. I have not personally tested the 410, but based on what I have read, I am not prepared to switch. The biggest improvement is supposed to be that the bezel is no longer affected by sweat, but as noted in my review of garmin forerunner 405cx, I have not found that to be a major issue, though I know that some users have experienced problems. Aside from that, I have not read about any refinements that I think are important enough to justify paying substantially more money. Therefore if you are looking for a terrific running watch, I don’t think that can currently find a better one than garmin forerunner 405cx, which I have now been using successfully for 1 1/2 years. And the best price is still on Amazon.
Update December 21, 2010:
It is important to update the software on Garmin Forerunner 405cx to the current version to keep Garmin Forerunner 405cx working at its best. To see what version you currently have, go to Menu, Settings, System, About. Then Google “Garmin Forerunner 405cx software update,” which will take you to the Garmin software update site for the garmin forerunner 405cx. See what the latest version of the software is. If there is a newer version of the software than on your forerunner 405cx, then follow the instructions for updating. I suggest attaching your garmin forerunner 405cx to the charger during the update process to ensure that the update is not interrupted due to a low charge.
I recently updated the software for my 405cx, which I had neglected to do for a while, and saw an immediate improvement in my satellite acquisition, which now literally takes just seconds. Doing an update is not difficult, and the directions are easy to follow.
Update March 6, 2011:
This is the second winter that I have run outdoors with Garmin Forerunner 405cx in the Northeast. It has worked great. I have run in temperatures near zero, during the blizzard that we had in December, and in light snow, sleet, freezing rain, and an ice storm. I never had any problem with Garmin Forerunner 405cx under any of these conditions because at the beginning of each run I had the bezel set to auto scroll (which I always use, regardless of the weather) and locked the bezel.
Using auto scroll and locking the bezel eliminates the sweat and moisture issues that I have seen other reviewers complain about. In addition, when I stop to take a break and want to see the time, it takes me only a second to unlock the bezel, and then lock it again when I am ready to resume my run.
I have now been using this watch for 1 3/4 years and still believe that for the current price on Amazon you cannot get a better value for your running.
Buy Garmin Forerunner 405cx from Amazon
Find here garmin forerunner 405cx VS 305 comparison
Thank you, thank you and a big thank you. My Garmin Forerunner 405 jammed and was a loss as to what to do. I am completing in a race in less than 3 weeks and use my Garmin to track my training. Your advice on how to un-jam the device was of valuable help.