311 replies to this topic

[runhard]

Hey BB,

The garmin 610 is awesome and I rely on it for my interval training and keeping the correct pace. Makes it easy. Well worth it. I have a friend who is currently selling his  (he is not a runner) and is still in the box never opened. $350 postage included. If you are keen let me know.

If anyone else is keen please PM me.

RH

[brendanburrows]

Hi RH,
I'm new to this forum & can't work out how to PM you haha. I'm interested in the 610 from your friend, can u pls send me an email to brendan.burrows@hotmail.com and we'll get it done there.
Cheers BB

[runhard]

Email sent!

[bigempty]

I'm interested to hear from people that have had their 610 for awhile.   I had been having trouble with mine charging like a lot of people and it was mainly because the charging contact on the watch at the back looked like it began to rust.  Over the past 3 months i had been cleaning this by scraping it with a knife.  This was working fine until today when it now looks like the contact has come nearly completely loose and  my watch is not charging at all!!!!  A friend of mine is having the same issue as well with the rust! Not good and not happy!

Anyone else have this experience?! Time for a new watch, but as much as i love my 610 I don't know if I should get a new 610.  They don't seem to last very long.

[runhard]

Mine started to reverse charge.  They swapped the charger over and it fixed the problem.

Love mine but it could last a little longer.  Contact garmin and see what they say.  they have been very helpful to me.

[Greenman]

bigempty, on 11 May 2012 - 11:57 PM, said:

I'm interested to hear from people that have had their 610 for awhile.   I had been having trouble with mine charging like a lot of people and it was mainly because the charging contact on the watch at the back looked like it began to rust.  Over the past 3 months i had been cleaning this by scraping it with a knife.  This was working fine until today when it now looks like the contact has come nearly completely loose and  my watch is not charging at all!!!!  A friend of mine is having the same issue as well with the rust! Not good and not happy!

Anyone else have this experience?! Time for a new watch, but as much as i love my 610 I don't know if I should get a new 610.  They don't seem to last very long.

Same issues here.  It died yesterday.  This is the second 610 I have had.  The original one was replaced by the shop I purchased it from after about two weeks as it didn't charge either.  My current 610 is rusting on back with a rust bubble under the paint???  Great watch when working but come on Garmin????

My original purchase was in August last year, so I rang garmin and they told me to return it for a replacement.  My advice would be to get your Garmin 610 replaced just prior to the warranty running out if you can.

[bigempty]

Greenman, on 12 May 2012 - 01:53 PM, said:

bigempty, on 11 May 2012 - 11:57 PM, said:

I'm interested to hear from people that have had their 610 for awhile.   I had been having trouble with mine charging like a lot of people and it was mainly because the charging contact on the watch at the back looked like it began to rust.  Over the past 3 months i had been cleaning this by scraping it with a knife.  This was working fine until today when it now looks like the contact has come nearly completely loose and  my watch is not charging at all!!!!  A friend of mine is having the same issue as well with the rust! Not good and not happy!

Anyone else have this experience?! Time for a new watch, but as much as i love my 610 I don't know if I should get a new 610.  They don't seem to last very long.

Same issues here.  It died yesterday.  This is the second 610 I have had.  The original one was replaced by the shop I purchased it from after about two weeks as it didn't charge either.  My current 610 is rusting on back with a rust bubble under the paint???  Great watch when working but come on Garmin????

My original purchase was in August last year, so I rang garmin and they told me to return it for a replacement.  My advice would be to get your Garmin 610 replaced just prior to the warranty running out if you can.

Yea I just sent mine off to Garmin today, I only brought it in June last year.  It is a great watch when its working, however this build seems to have a lot of issues.  Hopefully it gets replaces without any issues!

[Emrun]

I was having a reverse charging problem back in March, once I stopped hyperventilating and started thinking rationally I cleaned the charging points on the watch with a cotton wool bud and a little WD40.

They were pretty mucky and this solved the problem, right away it started behaving and charging properly.

Now I give the unit a good wipe with a towel when I take it off to get the sweat off and keep the charging points clean.

Cotton wool bud + WD40

NOT a KNIFE

[bigempty]

Emrun, on 16 May 2012 - 10:40 AM, said:

I was having a reverse charging problem back in March, once I stopped hyperventilating and started thinking rationally I cleaned the charging points on the watch with a cotton wool bud and a little WD40.

They were pretty mucky and this solved the problem, right away it started behaving and charging properly.

Now I give the unit a good wipe with a towel when I take it off to get the sweat off and keep the charging points clean.

Cotton wool bud + WD40

NOT a KNIFE

It had actually begun to rust......I tried the gentle approach I guess my "irrational" side took over!

[Greenman]

Greenman, on 12 May 2012 - 01:53 PM, said:

bigempty, on 11 May 2012 - 11:57 PM, said:

I'm interested to hear from people that have had their 610 for awhile.   I had been having trouble with mine charging like a lot of people and it was mainly because the charging contact on the watch at the back looked like it began to rust.  Over the past 3 months i had been cleaning this by scraping it with a knife.  This was working fine until today when it now looks like the contact has come nearly completely loose and  my watch is not charging at all!!!!  A friend of mine is having the same issue as well with the rust! Not good and not happy!

Anyone else have this experience?! Time for a new watch, but as much as i love my 610 I don't know if I should get a new 610.  They don't seem to last very long.

Same issues here.  It died yesterday.  This is the second 610 I have had.  The original one was replaced by the shop I purchased it from after about two weeks as it didn't charge either.  My current 610 is rusting on back with a rust bubble under the paint???  Great watch when working but come on Garmin????

My original purchase was in August last year, so I rang garmin and they told me to return it for a replacement.  My advice would be to get your Garmin 610 replaced just prior to the warranty running out if you can.

Express posted it to Garmin last Friday, arrived today (exactly one week).  I sent them back the watch and charger, they returned a brand new Garmin 610, boxed with charger, new heart rate monitor, USB ANT stick, all the manuals etc.  Stoked with my new watch!!!   Good on ya Garmin!

[Kaiser]

I've a question if anyone can help. My fully charged 610 died today during the Great Ocean Road marathon, screen blank, watch reset, data gone. Not the first time it has happened. Bought it from HTA, it is still under warranty and I've got receipts. Do I go through HTA or Garmin to get it repaired/replaced?

[eggs]

Wooo I've just ordered a 610, can't wait for into arrive!

[Rob28D]

On the edge of buying one of these! Between spending $499 on a 610 or continue using my free flawless SportsTracker iPhone app is the issue, I want the watch to make running easier without an iPhone strapped to my arm and having the time/distance at the glance of my wrist, also the respect from other runners and to seem more professional, though iv'e read and it seems there are alot of faults and problems with them in the long run. Also it looks like Garmin Connect doesn't have a great deal social wise (can't add or follow friends or comment on workouts, limited/poor social network sharing etc) wich is a great thing i love about ST, i have friends and family on there that keep eachother motivated, i don't know what to do!

[runhard]

Just get it!  You wont regret it!! I didnt  

[eggs]

Mine arrived yesterday, took it out for a test run and love it. Loads better than my iPhone and also much more accurate. I can still upload to Runkeeper very easily to keep the social aspect but get much more detail.

This weekend will have a play around with some intervals and the virtual partner.

[mik]

Am having some issues with mine, the accuracy and satellite pickup. I am currently in the brisbane cbd and usually it won't pick up for a few minutes and even then it is not accurate at all for the 1st 5-10 minutes. Sometimes its fine (like yesturday morning). I would say its the fact that its all tall buildings but if I use endomondo on my phone, it locks on instantly, and it is completely accurate on the map for the entire run. The 610 will still be off a bit for the rest of the run, and then when I stop it, it is lagging by half a block.
Its not making me happy

[churchie11]

Thinking of pulling the trigger on the 610.

Anyone know if my Wahoo ANT+ sensors (HR, foot pod) will work? May try to save some cash by buying the watch only

[mik]

they are ant+ so the "should"...

[churchie11]

mik, on 31 May 2012 - 05:20 PM, said:

they are ant+ so the "should"...

That's what I thought - I guess there is only one way to find out.......!

[SirRatty]

churchie11, on 31 May 2012 - 09:44 PM, said:

mik, on 31 May 2012 - 05:20 PM, said:

they are ant+ so the "should"...

That's what I thought - I guess there is only one way to find out.......!

Yup, take them into the store with you and ask to try them before you shell out the $$

Oh, and my Wahoo HRM works with my dad's Edge (Garmin) cycle computer - to the point it just picked mine up when I was playing around with it after a ride and my dad had taken his HRM off.

Edited by SirRatty, 01 June 2012 - 12:12 AM.

[Emrun]

Yikes!! I just got a nasty fright!

A while ago I lost the HRM for my 610, I just looked into buying a new one and they cost $89!!!  The price difference between a 610 with and without a HRM is $50.

Why the $39 difference to buy one after market?

[mik]

Because everything is cheaper if you buy it in a bundle...

[Rob28D]

Emrun, on 01 June 2012 - 09:31 AM, said:

Yikes!! I just got a nasty fright!

A while ago I lost the HRM for my 610, I just looked into buying a new one and they cost $89!!!  The price difference between a 610 with and without a HRM is $50.

Why the $39 difference to buy one after market?

Check eBay

[Emrun]

Rob28D, on 01 June 2012 - 04:40 PM, said:

Emrun, on 01 June 2012 - 09:31 AM, said:

Yikes!! I just got a nasty fright!

A while ago I lost the HRM for my 610, I just looked into buying a new one and they cost $89!!!  The price difference between a 610 with and without a HRM is $50.

Why the $39 difference to buy one after market?

Check eBay

Way ahead of ya!!

[rosamichelle]

the unbeatables

[Kaiser]

2 weeks since sending the 610 back, Garmin replaced it with a refurbished model. I'm happy, at least there is a replacement.

[Tongey]

Happy Birthday to me. New 610 from my wife.

[Rob28D]

Got mine today, looking forward to getting out there tomorrow!

[churchie11]

Well I recently had a great personal triumph - work related. So I rewarded myself with a 610. First run today - loved it!

[Zed]

My 601 was less than 1 year old.
Signs of rust on the back of the unit.
I sent it to Garmin Australasia last Friday with a request for repair/replacement.
No questions asked. New unit arrived yesterday. Looks like the back is a polished steel rather than matt, wonder if that will improve the rust issue?
Awesome customer experience.

[Steve466]

If anyone is interested I bought a brand new 610 from rebel sports in Perth, with HRM, for $382. Found it on the net from an Eastern states store, for $424, that has an actual bricks & mortar outlet, important point, rebel price matched then took 10% off as per their advert. Enjoy.

[SirRatty]

Hmmm... would you mind sharing name of said competitor store? Private message would be fine.

[Steve466]

http://tbsm.com.au/i...oducts_id=10206
that's the web site if it doesn't work try TBSM.

[Stewymee]

610 or 910?

Both seem to do exactly the same thing but the 910 is a little cheaper and the battery lasts longer. I just sold my 210 and need (want) to update ASAP.

Anyone know if Rob will match those prices?

Edited by Stewymee, 10 September 2012 - 08:13 AM.

[leyley]

Stewymee, on 10 September 2012 - 08:13 AM, said:

610 or 910?

Both seem to do exactly the same thing but the 910 is a little cheaper and the battery lasts longer. I just sold my 210 and need (want) to update ASAP.

Anyone know if Rob will match those prices?

Do you mean the 910XT? If so it is more expensive but has pretty much all the capabilities of the 610 (minus touchscreen) plus swim lap analytics, somewhat questionable underwater HR ability but it is water tight and weighs the same 72 grams (despite the fact many people consider it more bulky)

If you are into multi-sport - swimming and cycling that's the watch for you otherwise the consensus is pretty much with the 610.

I am just wondering about the barometric altimeter. I understand the 610 doesn't come equipped with that feature but can you see your altitude gains losses automatically when uploading your data because of the GPS functionality? I would like a HRM with the functionality of reviewing correlations in increasing altitude with increasing HR and slowing pace.

I have shied away from Garmin products in the past because I weigh in the mid sixties (kilograms) and they always seem very bulky to me and cumbersome. 72 grams is like wearing three quarters of a packet of rice crackers on my wrist. I have a Casio which weighs around 24 grams I currently wear and always find myself taking that off straight after my sessions. Even the Polar 46 gram models seem a bit heavy. Is it worth investing in a Garmin given that they weigh some 25 grams more than the high end Polar monitors? (rs800x/rcx5)

Has anyone tried the price match at an Eastern Suburbs Rebel Sport outlet? Bondi Junction or the city? Any luck with getting it for $384 with HRM? I've looked online and I can get a refurb model with HRM for $325 and get the brand new model with HRM for $348 but I'm willing to pay the premium of $36 for the in-store warranty and AU plug. I wouldn't pay anymore than that though and if they refused that price match would definitely resort to online only.

[Curreo]

The 610 is great for running. I don't know about Rebel at Bondi but you may as well give them a call and ask.

Seriously though in terms of weight, the difference between 20 v 40 v 60grams is negligible. I doubt anyone would know the difference. and even if you did something that small is not going to make any difference to your performance. I hardly even notice mine.

[leyley]

Since wearing my Forerunner I've noticed it causes discomfort when I alternate wrists. Should I continue to alternate wrists? Is there any benefit to it? Or is it the opposite... Is it bad to strengthen both your wrists when you are entirely focused in running (I can see for people not devoted to running who do weights and cross training that strengthening both wrists is necessary, but I wonder whether it is beneficial at all, whether it can actually place undue stress on an additional wrist)

[Stewymee]

Went into Rebel Sports last week (thanks Steve466) and they did a great deal on the 610. They price matched & beat the tbcm price by 10%. Came in at $385. So far loving it.

[WetWeek]

.

Edited by WetWeek, 28 September 2012 - 05:30 PM.

[leyley]

I have been using the GPS for longer distances and if I steer clear of tunnels and the CBD skyscrapers it does very well in terms of accuracy (usually within 98%) however when I sprint train it often has to 'catch up' even when I set it up to auto mark 100 metres (interval workout). It seems to be alright for 400 metre reps but anything less than that accuracy can be out. Today I ran 100m sets off 1:10 (so a good recovery for such a short distance) and it was only vibrating to a stop once I reached beyond the dead ball line. I walked measured the field during my cool down and it accurately measured the 100m from goal line to goal line but when I was sprinting it ran 10-15 metres long. I was sprinting 13-14 seconds for 100 metres to give you an idea of the pace. It was recording 15:XX seconds each time. Has anyone else had problems with sprinting training accuracy?

Also sometimes when I run it lops off some of the curve and just records a straight line as if I never ran the small bend. Luckily I run on a field where the bends aren't all that significant but it seems to record in straight line distances rather than curved tracking (judging from the movement analysis on the connect Garmin player.) For a 12km it can lop up to 15 metres a lap  from the overall distance run because of this. So if I run 30 laps it can be 350-400 metres short.

[WetWeek]

leyley, on 01 October 2012 - 07:03 PM, said:

Also sometimes when I run it lops off some of the curve and just records a straight line as if I never ran the small bend. Luckily I run on a field where the bends aren't all that significant but it seems to record in straight line distances rather than curved tracking (judging from the movement analysis on the connect Garmin player.) For a 12km it can lop up to 15 metres a lap  from the overall distance run because of this. So if I run 30 laps it can be 350-400 metres short.

Try changing the recording rate from smart recording to 1-second recording.  That may solve your problem.

[leyley]

WetWeek, on 01 October 2012 - 07:28 PM, said:

leyley, on 01 October 2012 - 07:03 PM, said:

Also sometimes when I run it lops off some of the curve and just records a straight line as if I never ran the small bend. Luckily I run on a field where the bends aren't all that significant but it seems to record in straight line distances rather than curved tracking (judging from the movement analysis on the connect Garmin player.) For a 12km it can lop up to 15 metres a lap  from the overall distance run because of this. So if I run 30 laps it can be 350-400 metres short.

Try changing the recording rate from smart recording to 1-second recording.  That may solve your problem.

Ok it is set to smart I saw the 1 sec option but just kept it at the default. Thanks for the tip

[WetWeek]

Cheers.  Let us know if that solves the issue.

[nindustrialny]

I "WANTED" to buy 610. Now I "want"
I read a lot about GPS bugs and problems.
I read about rust on the back cover.
Those are two main issues, especially GPS flaws. This watch is mainly for GPS functions etc.
DOn`t know if Garmin is going to release any fixes.
For the time beeing I am using N8 phone and Sports tracker.

[jzr]

If anyone is in the market for a Forerunner 610 in time for Christmas - 99bikes.com.au have them for $409 with Premium HRM and free shipping. I have been hanging out to buy one for over a year and finally put the money down last Thursday (6/12/12). It says for a 'limited time' so not sure how much longer they will be at that price for but certainly the cheapest I have seen anywhere right now (anywhere reputable and in Australia that is, not eBay or o/s - 99bikes are confirmed as an authorised Garmin dealer so guaranteed Garmin AU support in the event of warranty issues).

Note: I am not linked with 99bikes in any way - just thought I'd share this great deal with anyone in the market for a 610 right now.

[WetWeek]

Reading on the Garmin US forums the 610 is now being produced with a plastic back to resolve the corrosion problem.  Don't know if the updated model has made it to Aus yet?

[runhard]

The corrosion issue is a problem.  I have had 4 garmin 610's which all have had issues with corrosion and then charging. thankfully Garmin are great at swapping them under warrranty.  Hope the plastic fixes the issue.

RH


PS great watch otherwise and wouldnt buy anything else as it suits my needs perfectly.

[Evil]

Like Runhard I have had multiple 610's. I am (only!) on my third - doesn't this say something about the product quality?

Yes Garmin are great at swapping watches under warranty but this only last 12 months. If you are having any issues get them addressed before the orginal 12 month warranty expires. Any replacement watch has a 3 month warranty.

I wish Garmin would fix these issues however I think they use the limited life span of their GPS watches as a driver of extra sales. This however will only work in the short term and will not help the company in the long run.

When my latest Garmin dies (and I am sure it will) I will be looking at alternatives from other brands.

[jzr]

Evil, on 10 December 2012 - 02:14 PM, said:

Yes Garmin are great at swapping watches under warranty but this only last 12 months. If you are having any issues get them addressed before the orginal 12 month warranty expires. Any replacement watch has a 3 month warranty.

I'm not an expert on the Consumer Law however, I do know a bit about it and anything purchased after 1 January 2011 comes with 'consumer guarantees' (http://www.accc.gov..../itemId/1023610). These outlive any warranty offered by the manufacturer. One such guarantee is that the goods will be fit for purpose and do what they are promised to do. Not being able to charge the watch because the design is such that the contact points corrode through normal usage would seem to suggest that it can no longer do what you bought it to do.

I reckon you could push the point pretty hard especially if you have reached the point of multiple replacements should Garmin's warranty expire. For a watch that costs around $500 you would reasonably expect it to last longer than 12 months and be able to be charged.

[alowflyingpig]

I've just put in my order for a 610. Been using the FR60 for the past 3 yrs.. Will be passing the FR60 onto my wife as she is just starting out and doens't need/want all the bells and whistles - plus she runs with me once a week.

From what I've read, this is a beast of a unit. I love the race against a previous activity option!