Early this summer, I purchased the Timex "Bodylink" This is a watch/heart
monitor and gps system. I've found it to be very accurate. Here's a couple
of points on it.

The watch is very easy to operate. The various function buttons actually
make sense. (This hasn't always been true for Timex watches in the past.)

The heart rate monitor works very well. As soon as you have the chest
transmitter on, the watch starts displaying HR. I've had problems with
Polar HR monitors in the past. They often wouldn't start displaying
accurate HR until 10 to 20 minutes into an activity. One negative about the
Timex Bodylink is that although it records average HR, time in certain
HRzones, etc., it does not record max HR.

The gps part (Timex calls it a Speed/Distance Sensor), is a small plastic
device (3" x 3"x 1.5") and probably weighs about 4 ounces (just guessing.)
It comes on an elastic arm strap, but can also be clipped on to a fanny
pack, belt, etc. When the gps device is on, the watch can display a ton of
information: distance traveled, speed, pace, etc. (all in either miles or
kilometers). The watch can display three readings at once, and you can
toggle through a bunch of choices: HR/elapsed time/distance travled;
HR/time/pace; HR/lap time/speed (too many options to list here.

I use it all the time on my bike as a bike computer. I attach the gps
device to my saddle bag and then strap the wrist watch on to the handle bars
where I can easily view it. The odometer/distance readings are dead-on
accurate. If you are reading your speed/pace, you are seeing your
speed/pace of about 10 seconds ago.

I haven't used it for running as much, since just after I received it, I
suffered an ankle/tendonitis injury. So I haven't been running this summer.
I have used it on my few rollerski outings, with the gps device clipped to a
water bottle waist belt. The pace info was really helpful.

I've even used it on a couple of lake swims by putting the gps device in a
small waterproof plastic "otter box" and attaching the box to the strap on
the HR transmitter. Was able to get the distance of certain lake swims that
I like to do. The gps device is "water-resistant" but not water proof.

As far as negatives:

I already mentioned that it does not record Max HR.

It only records one workout at a time. If you start a new workout, it will
erase all of the old data. The watch does record all of the "laps" you want
of any workout

You do need relatively open sky overhead. The gps device will frequently
lose its signal in heavy tree cover. The watch will do "pace and distance
smoothing" if you select this option. I assume this means that it averages
out your speed and distance to make up for missed satellite signals.

The gps device works on two AA batteries. The watch will tell you when they
are getting low. I change them about once a month.

I'm looking forward to using this winter on the snow!

Rick Mitchell


"J999w" wrote in message
...
I believe this has been covered before, but just a quick note saying that
I've
been using my GPS as a hiking odometer and I like it. I can go off trail,
up
and down steep hills taking whatever sized step suits the terrain and not
worry
about it throwing my distance off. Can also be used biking, skiing,
blading,
paddling, etc. I put it in a fanny pack and forget about it, works great.

Can also be used for Geocache hunting! (why I have it in the first place).

That's all.

jw
milwaukee