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When it comes to the triathlon watches, they come handy in a number of different ways. Apart from keeping tabs on your lap time, they can provide you valuable information about different metrics including speed, cadence, and heart rate.
They can even determine the number of calories being burned by you during a specific interval and in fact, these watches can even measure your stroke-count.
These watches incorporate a wide range of features so unlike their traditional counterparts, you can use a single time-keeping device for swimming, cycling and running. They will provide you with a distinct set of metrics for each activity so you can take your game to the next level.
Talking about one such device, one which comes with all the aforesaid features, have a look at the Garmin Forerunner 310XT. In this article, we have reviewed this watch for all those triathlon-enthusiasts who are still in two minds about whether or not to invest in their money in this product.
Garmin Forerunner 310XT
When it comes to Garmin, this brand is synonyms with quality in the field of sports watches. It has produced a series of high-quality devices in the past and same is the case with this one.
The Garmin Forerunner 310XT is a dedicated sports watch designed to accommodate all three activities of a triathlon race. Incorporating a large display, this product comes with an easy-to-use interface.
It also features superior connectivity options as you can connect this product to your PC. Then comes a large battery life which, when coupled with an affordable price tag of this model, makes it ideal sports watch for a wide range of customers.
This watch really stands out in comparison to other tri watches in the category.
Features & Benefits of Garmin Forerunner 310XT
Lightweight Design Watch for Sports
When it comes to the Garmin Forerunner 310XT, this watch incorporates a lightweight design. The overall weight of this product is just under 2.6-ounces so even if you are going to wear this watch for all day long, you won’t be suffering from any sort of fatigue.
Your Perfect Multi-Sport Watch
As already mentioned, the Garmin Forerunner 310XT is a dedicated multisport watch that lets you enjoy different modes of swimming, cycling and running.
Each mode will be displayed on a separate screen and it is very easy to move from one screen to the other in the midst of your race.
All you have to do is just to press a single button and you can easily switch from one mode to the other.
The screens for both the running as well as cycling mode can be programmed to display up to four different metrics at one time.
For example, if you want to know about pace, distance, speed and your heart rate while running, you can select them from the main menu of this gadget.
Depending on your personal choice, and the activity which you are going to perform, you can also choose various other metrics.
The Smart Watch for Swimming
This is the first step of every triathlon race and the Garmin Forerunner 310XT has made sure that you will enjoy impeccable precision when it comes to determining metrics at this stage. The watch is designed to stay waterproof for as much as 50-meters underwater and with the help of its built-in GPS technology, this product can track your heart rate and location under water.
It can also provide valuable information about your speed and the distance covered from one point to the other. If you want to avail this option, you just have to start the swim mode before starting your swimming session. Once you’ve completed, press the lap button and it will determine the aforementioned metrics in a flawless manner.
Cycling Assistance
When it comes to the Garmin Forerunner 310XT, this product comes integrated with a premium ANT+ technology. It means that if you have an ANT+ power meter fitted on your bike, you can connect it with this device.
Afterward, it will display valuable metrics about cadence, heart rate, and bike speed.
You can even program the Garmin Forerunner 310XT to give some sort of notifications at the end of each lap. These notifications can be selected in form of vibration or you can also select an audible beep.
In either case, it will notify you about your position and the number of laps which you have completed.
The Watch, Which Helps Your Track Running
Just like any other high-quality watch from Garmin, the Garmin Forerunner 310XT displays a handful of information when it comes to the running mode. It can track your heart rate, cadence, pace and distance along with various other metrics.
The manufacturer has designed this product in such a way that apart from tracking your current pace, it can even determine your average pace from start to finish.
In this way, it allows you to enjoy an in-depth analysis of your running session which is viable for all those of you who are always striving for improvement.
Virtual Partner Functionality
This particular feature comes handy for all those triathletes who want to stay motivated. Basically, this feature lets you compete against a virtual opponent which eventually allows you to make the most of your workout sessions.
USB-connected Smartwatch
In order to make it easier to transfer files to and from this gadget, the manufacturer is providing a USB dongle with the Garmin Forerunner 310XT. You just have inserted the Bluetooth USB into your laptop port and it will automatically install the Garmin software.
Afterward, it can transfer all your workout information to your PC wirelessly.
However, if you just want to transfer your running metrics, you can also choose the specific information which you want to upload. In this way, you can prevent this device from accumulating a lot of space on your computer.
Long Battery Life
The Garmin Forerunner 310XT comes with a long battery life as you can use this product for no less than 20 straight hours. This is more than enough for anyone because everybody can charge this device at the end of their day.
Long Warranty
This product comes with a 1-year limited warranty which gives you a further assurance about the quality of the Garmin Forerunner 310XT.
Buying Guide for A High Quality Smartwatch
Before we look at the set of features which the Garmin Forerunner 310XT has to offer, let’s check out some of the key features which should be present in a high-quality triathlon watch.
It is obvious that every triathlon watch should come with a built-in GPS. But what are the other features which one should look for in this purchase? Let’s find out.
Multi-Sport Features
Nobody wants to purchase three different watches for keeping track of their swimming, cycling and running activities and neither should you.
Therefore, it is imperative that the triathlon watch, in which you are going to invest, should come with a multi-sport feature.
A product having this feature ensures that you can use it for all three activities of a triathlon race.It comes with a waterproof construction so you can use it during swimming.
It can provide you with your speed, heart rate and cadence along with various other metrics which makes it a viable purchase for running.
And finally, you can connect it with your bike’s built-in ANT+ power meter which is ideal for all those of you who want to make the most of your running sessions.
So when a triathlon race is a combination of three different activities, you should make sure that your ideal watch can be used in all three of them.
Waterproof Construction
As already mentioned, every triathlon watch should come with a waterproof construction. Not only it makes it capable of providing you with valuable information under water, but at the same time, it also makes it a long-lasting product.
Nowadays, different watches come with different kinds of waterproofing ability. For example, some of them cannot be used for more than 50-meters beyond water but there are others as well which can go up to 100-meters in this regard.
Connectivity Options
This is a viable feature for triathletes who want to work on their weaknesses by looking at their performance in their previous race.
Basically, a watch having this feature allows you the luxury of uploading your race metrics onto your smartphones, tablets or even laptops so you can look closely where you need to improve on a consistent basis.
Some watches come with a Bluetooth feature for this purpose while others employ Wi-Fi connectivity. When the former feature allows you to upload your data on smartphones, it’s the latter which facilitates your way of making a suitable connection with your PC.
Garmin Forerunner 310XT Alternatives
Apart from the Garmin Forerunner 310XT, here are other some high-quality triathlon watches which you can purchase from the market.
Garmin Forerunner 920
Yet another high-quality product in this series, the Garmin Forerunner 920 is designed for triathletes who can afford to spend heavily on this purchase. This product comes with a wide range of features as you can wear it during swimming, cycling and running.
It can track your heart rate, average speed, vertical oscillation, and distance.
In fact, this watch can even track the number of steps taken by you in one minute and when it features a built-in GPS tracker, it makes it an ideal purchase for the professional triathletes.
TomTom Multi-Sport Cardio
Available in a stylish fusion of black and red, the TomTom Multi-Sport Cardio is designed to track all three activities of a triathlon race. It features quite a lightweight design and thanks to its one-button control, it is pretty easy to operate this device.
You can use this item to track a handful of metrics and when it comes with a built-in heart rate monitor, it can keep you notified about your personal health.
Fitbit Flex 2
One for the budget-oriented customers, the Fitbit Flex 2 is one of the least expensive products on this list. This model incorporates a band-like design and you can use it for all three activities of a triathlon race.
It also features a long battery life and even though this product comes without any sort of heart tracking feature, it can still track your speed, distance, and steps along with various other metrics.
The Final Word
If you are looking to purchase a dedicated triathlon watch, one which can track all three activities of this game, the Garmin Forerunner 310XT is worth a try. This product has almost everything which you could expect in a high-quality sports watch and more.
It also comes with a waterproof design and thanks to its large display, you can easily use it under all kinds of situations.
- [1] runnersworld
- [2] techradar
- [3] tomsguide
