Watch advise needed - confused re different pace options

Thanks FRC. I thought when I bought the 405 years ago that it would be simple but couldn't figure it out from the basic menu functions. I doubt I'll ever work it out now as I'm just waiting for the price to drop a bit to pick myself up a 910 - I also do triathlons and ultras and am slow enough I really need all the extra battery life I can get! I do sometimes use the virtual partner to pace myself but its not quite as useful as something that would beep fast/slow alerts at me.

Koala: I'd agree not to get the 405. It's an old model now and the newer ones are most likely better. And yes, you might be buying 2008 stock that's been sitting around in a warehouse for 4 years. Though loads of people still buy 310s new and they're ancient now so maybe my reasoning on that is a bit duff...

yes, avoid the 405. it does have major problems with being too sensitive.

405cx fine, 410 better.

runs with dogs, I'm also looking at 910, also running ultras.

managed 7.5 hour 35 miler with the 405cx though. and you can also connect a little battery pack, garmin will still record but charge.

910 does look nice. no pace alerts still though, unless programmed.

my old 201 does it just in the menus, high & low speed to beep at. 305 too as well.

Another way to get pace alerts is to use the Garmin-ready plans from this web site.

Mind you, after using them, all I wanted to do was switch off the damn beeping 

yeah, they're just a programmed setup, same as I mentioned.

Running with pace alert set, its more like say 1m x 13 at pace x-y, plus a bit at end...so harder to configure.

Also messes up the screens if you want to see other things or do a manual split

current pace isn't 100% accurate hence why they took it for pace alerts.

Fit-Running-Cat wrote (see)

runs with dogs, I'm also looking at 910, also running ultras.

managed 7.5 hour 35 miler with the 405cx though. and you can also connect a little battery pack, garmin will still record but charge.

910 does look nice. no pace alerts still though, unless programmed.

my old 201 does it just in the menus, high & low speed to beep at. 305 too as well.

Yes, I've been using a little battery pack with mine since the start of the year now. Well, actually since my first ultra which was 33 miles and at which my Garmin died at 5 hrs and 55 minutes, when I was less than a quarter of a mile from the finish line. Which really REALLY f**ked me off big time! I don't mind carrying the battery pack on ultras as I'll be wearing a little backpack anyway, but I'd feel a bit of a tit running round a marathon with it.

Am now tempted to pick up an older 305 instead of a 910. All the ultras I've been at, they usually seem to be more popular than any of the newer ones. Maybe they're genuinely better for the longer distances...

My old 201 does 12 hours and still does. 305 similar if a bit chunky in a Blakes 7 sort of way.

7h30 with 13% battery left not bad going, and that's using a course so screen changing often.
Sub 6 hrs is short, not fully charged ?

For 125 quid, I'd still get a 405cx though.

It was fully charged all right - plugged into the wall up till 30 mins before the start of the race and showing 100%. It charges up fine, just doesn't hold the charge for any length of time. And it's deteriorating rapidly. That was back in March; more recently at the Loch Ness marathon it started beeping low battery not long after the halfway point and just barely kept going till the end. I finished just under 4:30 and it had been showing 0% battery for the last couple of miles, but still managed to record the whole thing. I've always taken good care of it and its in good condition, but I have used it a lot. I guess rechargeable batteries only keep working for so long...

Garmin do a repair / fix service, I think 59 pound. They just swap for a brand new / refurbed one.

Friends old 405 went at 7 hours so it does vary, mine was a replacement after being stolen last year so only a year old.