Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

About me: Ultra runner. Put in lots of miles both on roads and trails. I don't use the watch for swimming or cycling so I will make no comments regarding those features. I have owned the first generation Forerunner, a 205, 305, a Globalsat G-Sport 625M, and a Timex Run Trainer GPS. The Good: As a runner who routinely does runs which last in excess of 8 hours, I need a GPS watch with plenty of battery life. The 910XT claims 20 hours with GPS turned on; although I never fully drained the watch, I can vouch for it having a solid battery. Also, the backlight on the device is extremely bright--brighter than any other GPS watch. The form factor is an improvement over previous generation Forerunners. Built-in altimeter. The Acceptable: The customizable fields remain virtually unchanged from previous Forerunner models--not a problem for me, but don't expect revolutionary new features in your data fields for running. The unit has a vibration feature--this is beneficial since the "audible" alarm feature quit working consistently within a few months of using the device (like both the 205 & 305 were prone to do). Still uses ANT+ for syncing; would have liked to see a WiFi and Bluetooth solution as well. The Bad: The Garmin Forerunner 910XT almost assuredly contains flawed hardware; Garmin pushed the release date back by months (missing the Christmas season) and then rolled it out only in limited quantities admitting that there was a hardware "issue" although they never would state what it was. From the moment it was released users (myself included) began to experience a consistent set of problems with the device, yet Garmin refused to engage users on their forums or provide info on the status of firmware updates. It took them approximately 3.5 months to release the latest firmware (2.50) but they failed to fix the most serious problems--and those are some of the most fundamental for the device. I highly recommend anyone considering buying this device to read the 910XT forums at the Garmin site for the most up to date information regarding user experience. Since I don't cycle or swim, I will not comment in-depth on those issues, however I will note that countless cyclists have reported that the device shuts itself off when using the bike mount. As a runner, I have personally encountered a few problems, two of which I consider very serious. First, the "instant pace" feature has never worked well on the 910XT; the latest firmware update has addressed this problem somewhat, but it is still not fixed. This is inexcusable since it has worked in every other generation of the Forerunner series. More importantly, however, is that the unit will turn itself off if you are running a "course" uploaded to the device. As mentioned previously, the unit also shuts itself off at times whilst cycling. Garmin was alerted to this problem by scores of customers from the first week the device was released; the newest firmware fails to fix it leaving me to conclude that there is a hardware/design flaw that cannot be overcome with firmware. Also, the mapping feature included as part of the course is seriously flawed (whereas it had worked perfectly well in previous generations); the redraw/refresh rate of the maps is horribly slow; the maps will often disappear from the screen whilst running as well. Other Thoughts: Anyone considering purchasing the 910XT is most likely a serious athlete well acquainted with Garmin's Forerunner line. Although the Forerunner line has been highly regarded, the 910XT shows signs that the hardware isn't up to par with the myriad tasks it is trying to accomplish. If tons of users are reporting that the 910XT shuts itself off in mid-workout (both cycling and running) and after 3.5 months of waiting for firmware updates the issue still isn't fixed, you have to really be dense to believe that it's a minor problem. I highly suspect that Garmin will release an "improved" version of this watch (much like they did with the 405CX line)that fixes many of the problems (with new hardware). Until then, my advice is to purchase the 310XT as a suitable substitute or just wait. And whatever you do, check the Garmin forums for updated issues prior to committing to buy this device--the 910XT isn't a gamble worth taking with your hard earned money.