Products

Technology

Timex Ironman Run Trainer GPS

Recommended Price :- £225

Review

This is the second of the Timex Ironman GPs watches and I suppose the name implies that it is targeted more to the runner than triathlete (Well, it is called 'run' trainer).

Straight away you can see it is smaller which is always a good thing and the styling is much improved from the 'quite' big and bulky watch which was enhanced bu the tiny wrist of many runners! There some things the same though with the plug charger and the main attributes of the watch with the speed, distance and heart rate function on the watch...which is the main thing I was after in buying the watch.

A new function with the Timex Run Trainer is that it provides you with up to five programmable repeating timers with labelling capability. The Ironman Run Trainer also has a recovery timer with a operator defined duration, which looks like a reasonably nice attribute for testing recovery to determine how fitness has advanced.

I will put some of the main attributes below but the main thing I was worried about and heard was bad (on the earlier Timex Ironman Global Trainer) was the GPS signal... I would say it takes a few minutes on this watch which is fine and more than happy with. It has also lasted around 8hours on full signal (thanks to a young budding cyclist for testing this for me!).

Good Points

Very good GPS signal reception

Stylish

Digital chest strap delivers 2.4 mHz transmission and it's ANT+ suitable

Use of Training Peaks Online (very detailed information)

Five programmable repeating timers with labelling capability

Recovery timer with a operator defined duration

Hydration alerts

Auto lap (both time and distance)

Day to day function 10 weeks

Bad Points

It would be great to get a little bit smaller again

Price quite high although competing with Garmin models 210 in terms of functions

Only had for one month so untested on durablity long term

Took me a couple of weeks to get used to it (you will love it if your in to gadgets)

Conclusion

For £225 it is not cheap  but this is a very good piece of equipment and is battling with watches like Garmin 210 which doesn't quite have the high spec of this watch. It is much improved from the Global trainer and from my experience the signal reception is no longer an issue.

All I need to do now is get the training in for London!

Score

  8 / 10