Customer Reviews

Timex Global Trainer Speed and Distance GPS Watch

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

The specs of the watch are really good, but it is when you start using it that one realizes that the Timex Global Trainer does not perform to expectations.

Firstly, the GPS in the watch, although it uses the same chip as that of the Garmin Forerunner, the performance in the Timex Global Trainer is extremely inaccurate. i.e. it takes an average of 5-7min to lock the satellites, unlike other devices, which can lock satellites in matter of seconds. Also, once a session is recorded and loaded onto a map (such as Google Maps), one can appreciate that the tracking of the device is very inaccurate. I have seen distance reading erros of up to 12% (e.g. you run 10miles and the watch says you have run 8.8miles!!) , which is very very bad. Other GPS watches only have a 2% error max accuracy (i.e. Garmin). I have checked this issue on the internet and other user reviews on Timex's Global Trainer GPS show this same issue. I have sent the watch to Timex, got it replaced for a new one, and the same issue persists. TIMEX HASN'T GOT A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM even with their latest FIRMWARE release (v. 3.14) made on August 2011.

Secondly, the workout data downloaded from the watch to the PC is proprietary and can only be used on the TrainingPeaks website. Forget about exporting you data to other better and cheaper websites such as MapMyRun or WorkOutLog. This wouldn't be a problem if TrainingPeaks had a good system, but it is slow and in many occasions it won't load 100% of the workout information (plenty of software improvement is needed on their side). TrainingPeaks has a cost of c. $20/month, while other websites only cost $20/year. The Free version of TrainingPeaks won't show you all of the information from your watch (e.g. HR zones, Cadence Zones, Power Zones, etc).

Conclusion: The GPS is a no go. On a spec basis the watch is not that expensive against competitors but if you include the cost of the software to visualize your workouts you need to add $+120/year, and thats another no go. I have bought the Garmin Forerunner 310xt, Garmin is better value for money and you are not stuck with proprietary software that doesn't work!

I have a Garmin 405 which is not waterproof... I wanted something I could use for the entire triathlon... this one is waterproof but will not provide data on the swim... things I did not care for...

1. Took FOREVER to acquire signal... downloaded new firmware.. still takes minutes to acquire!
2. HUGE... this thing is HUGE... not heavy but HUGE!
3. Training Peaks software not as user friendly as I am used to... costs $$ for access to all the features.
4. None of my logs are Timex compatible so uploading requires manual insertion of data... BAD!
5. You may be able to have 4 fields of data visible at once but it is nearly impossible to read it while running because it is so small.
6. Glare based on angle makes reading watch difficult!

I was happy to go back to my Garmin... this thing was just not for me!

This review is effectively a response to many of the reviews that have come before. Since pieces are picked up from various, rather than respond, I'll just write my own.

First off - the utility of this watch depends upon what you do with it. If you are a straight up runner, there are probably better watches - unless you are working on using increased cadence (more on the footpod below), heart rate, distance and time at the same time in your workout. Perhaps my eyes are better than some of the reviewers, but I have no problem reading the key aspects of the 4 portion view. And seeing lap time (for example, how fast was the LAST mile), heart rate (used to control pace and exertion for me during workouts and competitions), distance (to know where I am in the aforementioned mile), and overall time in the same glance is pretty powerful for me. Throw in Pace in another view - just a click away, and I've got what I need to train and compete.

Further, the ability to completely customize any of the 6 or so screens is pretty valuable - for example, I have one of them set for Clock, so I can switch to the time of day to see whether my wife and family need me - but I don't buy the 'it's too hard to read stuff' because you can then go with a three or two window view and the font increases accordingly. In fairness, I don't think anyone could read the micro "time of day" at the very bottom of the screen unless the athlete in question was stopped (no way on a bike for example).

As I recently added biking to my working out, I added an ANT+ cadence monitor to my bag of ticks. After properly installing on my bike it was maybe 5 seconds until the cadence data was streaming real-time on the watch. Same with the footpod that I just added to increase my running cadence to better approximate my cycling cadence.

Do not be mistaken, this is a great running watch (I have yet to see ANY GPS unit that doesn't make errors - our larger Garmin Car unit puts us in the neighbor's yard all the time - so what?) I do believe that it's possible that the Garmin sports division watches are more accurate - but they might not be. The point is that the true TRI series from Garmin (310XT for example) is an acquired taste from a visual perspective to say the least. I'd rather wear this while running - but that's personal taste.

Don't go out and buy the 610 Garmin and expect it to support power meters - as it doesn't. Plus it's twice as expensive relative to this unit - which isn't to say that you can't find something from Garmin at the same price point.

I really like TrainingPeaks - and despite the annual cost find it to be a pretty solid tool. Comparing it to MapMyRun is a stretch. Training peaks is looking at the entire athlete - nutrition, peaking for events, exhaustion, etc. That said, one should consider TrainingPeaks in the cost of the watch if one is serious about the data - I too was disappointed by the 'free' offering by Timex.

While I do see why some folks might be disappointed by this product and it might not work for them - it looks like there are too many DATED (important to see reviews using the latest firmware, for example, as I am - downloaded last week fresh off the press) and negative reviews of this product. They shouldn't create the impression to the multisport athlete that this watch doesn't work. It does work and I've had a great deal of enjoyment using mine. It's made me a better endurance athlete and turned me on to Training Peaks (which for me is a good thing). This watch is TONS better than the top-of-the-line Polar that it replaced (proprietary everything just to start).

There are some very balanced reviews out on the net - so I'll not try to do a 'be all, end all' here. My favorite is by DC RainMaker - look it up. He's a very serious triathlete and blogger who seems to have kept his and uses it alongside Garmin products all the time (unless I'm misreading his blog).

Don't give up hope if you feel that this is the product for you - it might just be. That said, do take into consideration what my fellow reviewers say. Many of the points they make are true (though the recent addition of Ant+ footpods is NO LONGER true, it was when written). I consider this to be an invaluable tool as I train for and compete in various distance events and triathlons - what more can I say?

Like what the others have said, there are a lot of negative things that can be said of this watch. One is the slow acquisition of a GPS signal. I have the Garmin 350 and it acquires satellites faster by 1 to 2 minutes. The other one is the proprietrary software, trainingpeaks. I wish they'd just offer this for free.

It is HUGE and I like it that way. ;) I wear the watch to the office and people always look at it. If you have it set to TIME only it can last 2 weeks without charging.

Oh, and another gripe, for some reason the clasp/buckle of the watch rubs on my wrists, which can be inconvenient to slightly painful after awhile.

I also use the heart rate monitor that came with my Garmin 305 on this watch and it works fine.

My wife won this watch from her local running group as a drawing/giveaway. Brand new out of the box, it was too big for her but I liked it so much I used it and planned to buy her a smaller timex unit that wasn't so clunky. I used it about 12 times, bikes, runs, and 2 triathlons. After my last tri (which it worked great for) I noticed it was completely dead when I got home. Given the short battery life of most GPS watches I wasn't suprised and plugged it into the USP port to charge it up. Later that day I turned on the unit and everything sounds normal (I can hear the beeps and see "life" on the display) as it did before... but the display is all black. The pixels are active, but they are all dark. Who should I call, as I do not have any proof of purchase and don't even know how old the unit is?

Great tool! I have had it for a two weeks and am very impressed! It delivers as promised...eventually. After it aquires the satellites, which might take a minute, it works perfectly. The battery last long enough for any activity except maybe an mutiple day trip. My trick is to charge it near a window and leave it tracking sats. All I have to do is put it on and run. I used it on the golf course in the run mode. It tracked my distance very accurately. Con: BIG! I am a watch guy and I feel ridiculous wearing it for any othe occasion. Overall, I am glad I bought it and love how it gives me the 4 screen information I want to see. It's the best running partner if you don't have a real one!

I have had this watch for over a year now. I started to use this watch to train for my marathon however, the watch is very slow at aquiring the Satelilite. I recommend not buying this watch until they fix the GPS connection time. I am waiting for my Garmin 610 to come in to see how that watch performs. Hopefully it will be better then this one. Not worth the buy also battery does not charge to full I can only get it to charge up to 90%.

Got this as a Christmas present and have been using it ever since. Yes, it is huge but it is not a watch. I have not had problems acquiring a signal. Some have mentioned inaccuracy but I think this is a problem with all such devices. Recently on a group run, there were four gps devices. Three were different models of Garmin and I had the Timex. At some points, there were .4 of a mile difference between all of them, but each one had a different reading. It is a training aid, not a precision device. Compared to the price of a Garmin, it can not be beat.

I'm sending this watch back for several reasons. Here they are:

1. GPS Accuracy - It's not that great. When I run on the track I always run in the outside lane. However, this watch has me anywhere from the soccer goals in the infield to the street beyond the bleachers. When I'm running through town, there are times it's half a block off. From the map created with the GPS data, I couldn't tell if I was running on the street or in an alley. I don't expect a GPS watch to pinpoint my location exactly, but this was totally unacceptable.

Also, it takes forever to acquire a signal. Sometimes I'll be in my front yard for 5 minutes waiting for a signal. It's frustrating to be ready to run & have to wait. Once it locks on though, it doesn't drop it.

2. The Software - You must use this watch with TrainingPeaks ([...]) software. It's OK, but there are tons of other options out there. Being tied to one vendor is a recipe for disaster. TrainingPeaks is OK, but the really good stuff requires a paid membership. Not cool Timex.

3. It only records data every 2 seconds. Garmin watches record every second.

4. The elevation feature is a joke. There's a 5k route I take around town. I start/stop at my house, so the elevation gain/loss should be even. Nope, not according to Timex. Sometimes I gain hundreds of feet, sometimes I lose hundreds of feet. It's never the same, or even close.

5. Can't use a Foot Pod (or similar device)with it. No treadmill running during the winter.

Some good things...

I have a feeling a lot of this will be fixed in firmware updates (I'm running the latest firmware), but I'm not going to suffer through it. The watch it very sturdy; I never worried about hurting it. Also, it's more customizable then any watch I've ever used. - great for the geek in me.

Perhaps in 6 months or a year this watch will kick ass. However, as for right now, I ordered a Garmin Forerunner 310XT.

If you're considering a GPS watch, this is a tempting option due to all of the bells and whistles. I can tell you now, RECONSIDER! This is hands down the worst possible option. Okay, maybe not the worst, but let me tell you why this thing blows:

- It SUCKS at picking up a GPS signal. So many times on my run it's taken half of the run to acquire. I gave up extending my warm-up time to get a signal. I now just go when I'm warm and hope that at some point it picks up an adequate signal. It seems like 3/4 runs I don't ever get a GPS track.
- It's confusing. There are so many Bells and Whistles, that you focus on the watch, not the run.
- The Battery is weak. When I say weak, I mean like I can't use it throughout the day because it won't last. I have to charge it before a run. Forgot to charge? Looks like you're going without. Actually, that's not much different than when you go with.
- To track your workouts on your computer, you have to purchase a membership to Training Peaks. They have a free service, but it's not worth your time unless you're going to pay for it. And it's not cheap to join.
- It's big and bulky. This is kind of a given with anything GPS, but this seems to be the king of big and bulky. I feel like the incredible hulk is holding around my wrist.

One thing this watch does do really well is track my heart rate. I love finishing that long run and seeing 1000s of calories gone. Unfortunately, I can get this same feature from a $40 heart rate monitor from the local sporting goods store.

This watch is definitely not worth the money you're going to pay for it. I hear good things about Garmin, but I've never used one.