Customer Reviews

Timex T5K254 Men's IRONMAN 150-Lap TAP Screen Sleek Watch

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I have been using Timex Ironman watches for more than 20 years. I love them and never wear anything else.

I bought this one for two reasons:

1.) The display is big and easier to read during workouts than some of my other watches;

2.) I like new gadgets.

I took the watch for my first swim workout and during a 2,000 yard swim, the stopwatch randomly recorded a split 87 times. Sometimes, it would record a split every 5-10 seconds, for no reason.

I attribute this to either the tap screen being defective or there is a small leak in the watch, which will eventually destroy the watch.

Otherwise, the watch is just about like every other Ironman watch, though I really do like the large display and the tap-screen function is kind of cool and allows for mindless split recording in the middle of a workout or a race.

I have contacted the seller for a replacement and will post an update when I get a new one.

***MARCH 13, 2010 UPDATE***

I received my second watch from the seller. It too has the same flaw. As I told them in an email - Timex has a fundamental design flaw with the Tap Screen: Even at the highest tap setting, when you swim, unless you place your arm gently in the water on each swim stroke, it records that stroke as a tap i.e. a lap. Obviously, this is useless to a triathlete.

I actually live about 15 miles from Timex headquarters. It is a great company, with great people. Timex supports local races that I compete in and I have nothing bad to say about it as a company. I just can't believe that it would release a watch for TRIATHLETES that does not work in the water. It took me exactly five minutes each with two separate watches to determine that the tap screen technology is flawed. How did this product ever make it out of testing???

This is simply an unfortunate mistake by Timex.

If you are just running and/or biking, the watch may be OK. If you are a triathlete, avoid this watch like the plague. I just wish I could give it zero stars.


***MARCH 27, 2010 UPDATE***

The seller of this product - Clever Training - is great. They were very cooperative and after the second watch was returned, issued a full refund. I would definitely do business with them again. (Though I think Timex should reimburse me for the shipping charges to send back two of their defective watches.)

I have the same problem with the tap technology -- my watch logs laps randomly even on my easy runs (with the tap force setting set on "High"). This is possible to reproduce, try flipping the watch upside down (with the screen face down) and gently tap at it, it's logging a lap with almost no force tap at the "high force" setting.

This makes logging laps impossible, affecting target time pacer as well.

I bought the Ironman Sleek 150 with TapScreen technology mainly for the large watch face so that I can better see my times during workouts and races. I thought the tap technology would be cool too. However, I have now had the watch a little over a week and completed three swim works out with it on. During the workouts the watch, all on its own, recored several lap splits without me touching anything. I don't know if it is a flaw in the tap technology design or what, but if this happens during a triathlon it defeats the purpose of accuratly keeping track of your split times. I am also worried that the watch will at some point leak during a swim, due to this problem, and ruin the watch. I am very disappointed in this watch. I have always raced and trained with a Timex Ironman watch, and this is the only one I have had problems with. The fact that it cost $90 doesn't make me feel any better. The best thing about the watch is the large face and the sleek design, as well as the many functions, but the tap technology isn't working correctly for me. This is a brand new product and I should have waited and read reviews before I purchased it.

It's a good watch. It has a bigger face than previous Ironman watches. But, it doesn't get in your way. It has a slimmer profile, which is very nice. I like the integrated watchband, which is the whole reason I had to get a new watch: the other one broke and there was no way to get it fixed (stupid Timex engineers). I like the tap mode. It is hard to work out what you have to do to make it work precisely. But, it has a backup start button, too. I have been a longtime user of Ironman. I hate the color that this came in. It either makes me look like I just got back from a rave or night club, or it makes me look like I should be a fan of Oregon State, Oklahoma State, or Ohio State (loosely). To the color I say "booo". For everything else, it's a pretty decent watch.

Also, don't be fooled: there is no wireless link to your PC or whatever. It just logs your workouts in the watch. Unless there is something I haven't found out about this watch.

Love how flat the watch sits on my wrist. I was hoping to use it swimming laps, but if you put it on the light tap setting, it gets stopped by accident. If you put it on the harder tap setting it is too hard to tap. Couldn't find a setting that worked for swimming. I do like it for everyday. Seems much thinner than any other watch I've had lately.

Sleek looking watch with good, large display. The BIG problem with this watch is the TAP function. It's a great idea that has been poorly executed. It has 3 sensitivity levels, however even at the highest setting you still get random laps being recorded while swimming. I swim mostly in the open ocean and without fail I get random laps recorded throughout my swim. The only way to avoid this is to set the mode back to Time of Day once you start the chronograph (as suggested by Timex themselves). This is ridiculous given it is sold as a watch for triathletes! What you need is the ability to turn off the TAP function and use only the buttons.
I have yet to use the watch while running or cycling but I imagine that any jarring while carrying out these activities will cause the same problem.
An otherwise great watch really let down by its main selling point - the TAP function.

Being a triathlete with "over 40" eyesight, I struggle seeing digital watch dials when I take off my Rx glasses to get in the water. Further, on hot sweaty days, I "think" I push the lap button, but later find out I really didn't push it hard enough. This watch is the solution to those two problems. The dial is big enough to be legible to me w/o glasses just coming out of the water. Of course your vision and thus your legibility will vary. The Tap feature is very nice and works well.

UPDATE:
Six months into using the watch it dies. The screen is just dark, no matter what button I press. I ship it back to the factory and they send me a new replacement, because it is less than 1 year old and thus still in warranty. But then, the replacement watch dies less than a year after that. Same issue -- screen just goes dark. I am not abusing this watch. Using it for pool swimming and running, with gentle taps and button pushes.

Two out of two watches die in less than a year of light usage. That is shameful. I love the design, but will not buy another Timex -- it is just not worth the hassle for shoddy products.

Worst quality ever! Zero stars. The wrist band (strap) wears out very soon (like in 9 or 10 months). The strap cracks for normal, regular use and breaks. Since the strap is "built-in" with the watch, you cannot replace it with some kind of after-market strap. You're screwed. Your watch cannot be worn. If you're lucky, you can still get it repaired or replaced through Timex warranty. But good luck getting information on the process from their web-site. They just give a mailing address.

I bought this watch because I enjoy running and swimming with intervals. The big screen and various options is what mainly convinced me to buy this watch. I was very hesitant about buying the watch because of mixed reviews but the watch has proved to be very useful in everything the description entails and because I am a very picky watch person. Previous reviewers must have received a faulty Tap Screen watch because the tap sensitivity on my watch is without fault. The alarm is plenty loud enough.

It is a bummer that the wrist band cant be replaced if it breaks but I'm giving mine about 2 years which I think is a good live span. The wristband holder does in fact come loose every once in a while but that is not a big deal to me.

I have had this watch for about a month now and it is performing great. The wrist band holder is the only thing that worries me as wear and tear will tear it up pretty fast I feel because its flimsy. But I'm hoping that it also will hold my wrist band down for at least 2 years.

I have been wearing/using Timex Ironman Watches for years and I cannot say enough about their products. They have always met and have exceeded my expectations as a triathlete, runner, hiker, and professional race timer. With that said, this watch is a major let down.

I bought this watch primarily for my workouts in the pool. I do not wear it running or biking because I recently started to use another brand's GPS device for those activities. I did not buy it for the TAP Screen technology, but I thought that that might be a nice feature. I bought the watch primarily for the large number, high lap count, sleek design, and the additional features that I have grown to love from the Timex Ironman line of watches over the years.

The TAP technology sounds good in theory, but it just does not work well for me. The TAP has three levels of tapping that you can set it at; lite, medium, and hard. First of all it is difficult to aim and tap the screen with your finger in the middle of a workout or set. I find it easier to hit the button in the side of the watch. With that said, once the watch is started I usually cannot make it a lap without stopping it or setting the lap count off. Now I know that my stroke may not be the best, but I consider myself to be in the high-average range among triathletes. That should not effect the function of the watch though.

i find the TAP technology completely ineffective in the pool. The watch should be redesigned with a lite, medium, hard, and OFF setting and I should be sent a new one for my frustrations. This watch will be relegated to my bike handlebars while doing sets and intervals in the trainer during the winter. I am glad that I bought this watch from Amazon and did not pay full price. I will not recommend this watch to my fellow triathletes.

I final review begins with the letter P and ends with -oopy.