Amazon: Running Shoe Deals - click here to view current selection.
Running Warehouse: Great prices on closeout shoes! View current selection.


Garmin Forerunner 10 (FR10) Review: Great Performance in a Small, Low-Priced Package

FR10 Orange

Update 7/8/2014  –I have now posted a review of the Garmin Forerunner FR15. The FR15 is basically an update to the FR10 that adds step counting, heart rate monitor sync, and longer battery life.

One of the first reviews I wrote here on Runblogger was of the Garmin Forerunner 205 GPS watch. That was way back in April of 2009! I loved the 205, and it was a mainstay on my wrist for a long time. It tracked distance and pace accurately, provided a ton of customization options on its large screen, and the battery seemed to last forever. On the downside, the 205 was huge! It was not a watch that you’d wear around all day.

Last Christmas I finally upgraded to the Garmin Forerunner 610. From a functional standpoint, the 610 does pretty much everything the 205 does (with the exception of crazy long battery life), but does so in a smaller form factor that can stay on my wrist all day (no more swapping watches for workouts!).

I’ll have a review of the 610 coming soon, but I started this review with mentions of the 205 and 610 to make a point. When it comes to GPS watches, I’m a Garmin fan. I’ve tried watches from other brands, but none of them have yet satisfied my needs as well as Garmin watches do. A big part of that is that I can easily import Garmin data into Dailymile.com and Sporttracks, which are the two places I sync my running data. That fact alone has kept me loyal to Garmin.

A few weeks ago I entered a affiliate partnership with Clever Training whereby they’d occasionally provide me review samples of products that they carry (you can get 10% off most purchases at Clever Training by using the code RunBlogXJT – purchases support this site and allow me to write in-depth reviews like this one!). Here’s how it works – they send me a product, I try it out, write a review, then send it back to them. Their suggestion for a first review was the Garmin Forerunner 10 (FR10) GPS watch. I agreed to try it out, and have been using it for the last several weeks.

The FR10 is essentially the “entry-level” GPS watch in the Garmin lineup. I was initially skeptical about it as my experience with other more basic GPS watches has not been great (e.g., Soleus 1.0, Timex Run Trainer 1). They tend to lack the functionality that I look for, current pace tracking has been iffy, and easy export of data to my preferred sites/programs was lacking.

I’d read a few reviews of the FR10 which discussed its limitations, and I wasn’t sure I was going to like it. At $129.99 MSRP it’s the cheapest GPS enabled watch in Garmin’s lineup, and it lacks the customizability of siblings like the 205, 610, and so on. However, I’ve come to realize that the simplicity of the FR10 is its biggest strength, and I’ve actually been blown away by this little device. It pains me that I have to send it back!

Let’s dig into the review.

Size/Form Factor

First and foremost, compared to other GPS watches the Forerunner 10 is small. In fact, it’s not a whole lot bigger than a standard stopwatch that has no GPS. If you saw it on somebody’s wrist, you’d be hard-pressed to identify it as a GPS-enabled device.

IMG_2185[1] From left to right: Garmin Forerunner 610, FR10, and FR205. My cat Mokey seems to like the FR10 best, and the 610 still thinks it’s in Oregon.

IMG_2188[1]

IMG_2191[1]

Garmin Forerunner 10 colors

Not only is its form-factor compact, the FR10 is also very light. My Garmin 205 and 610 weigh 2.8oz each, and the FR10 is only 1.5oz, and the difference is noticeable when wearing it on your wrist. It’s a super comfortable watch for all-day wear – hand’s down the best option I have tried for a GPS watch that stays out of the way. The FR10 also comes in a slightly smaller form factor for women with black, pink, green, and violet as color options (see photo at left).

Menus/Options

In terms of menu navigation, the FR10 is as simple as it gets, and this is a huge plus. I like my FR610, but the touch screen isn’t very user friendly and there are a ton of menus to sift through. The FR10 has only 4 buttons, and they are intuitive and super easy to use. On the top left is a backlight button. On the top right is a button that serves to initiate a workout and functions as the “enter key” in menus. Bottom left is a back button, and bottom right is the button you use to pull up and scroll menus. Simple!

FR10 Orange

I was most worried with how the FR10 would handle my data needs on the run. I loved the 205 because it had a big screen and I could configure the 4 data fields to show just about anything I wanted. I could also toggle between three separate screens, so that allowed 12 fields total! More than anyone really needs on the run, but I’m a data junkie. The FR10 limits you to only two data screens, each of which displays only two data fields. But, because there are only two fields, the text is large and easy to read.

There are 6 data field combos that can be shown on each screen: Time/Distance, Time/Pace, Time/Calories, Pace/Distance, Pace/Calories, Distance/Calories. You get to choose two of these via the Run Options—>Data Fields menu on the watch.

IMG_2199[1]

Sampling of data field display options

There is an additional level of customization for the Pace field. In the Run Options—>Pace/Speed menu you can configure the Pace field to show any of the following: Current Pace, Lap Pace, Average Pace, Speed, Lap Speed, Average Speed. You only get to choose one, so you can’t have one data screen show Current Pace and another show Average Pace. I mainly use Current Pace, and I have auto-lap enabled so after each mile it spits out my lap time, so it gives me what I need.

Other menus include a nice History menu that allows you to view your data from each run (see photo below), and a Records menu that records your fasted time at the mile, 5K, 10K, Half-Marathon, and Marathon distances (also longest run). In the Run Options menu there is a Virtual Pacer that allows you to set a target pace and get alerted if you deviate, and a Run-Walk/Interval option where you can set run times and walk/recovery times. You can also turn on/off a manual lap button (lower left button during a workout).

IMG_2201[1]

Summary data from yesterday’s 10 mile run

Performance

I’ve used the Garmin Forerunner 10 on almost every run for the past several weeks. I even wore it when I ran the Vermont City Marathon a few weeks ago, with the FR610 on the other wrist for comparative purposes. I did another 10 mile run with both watches yesterday for a final test.

I have to say that I’ve fallen in love with this watch – when wearing both the FR10 and FR610 I often find myself looking at the FR10 more often than I look at the FR610. If it weren’t for just a few missing features (e.g., wireless data transfer, better interval workout capability, foot-pod sync) I’d consider selling my 610 on Ebay and buying FR10’s for myself and my wife.

As I mentioned above, my main data screen on the FR10 while I run displays current pace and distance. I have Time/Pace on the second screen. For the majority of runners that’s all that’s really necessary. Most of the time that’s all that I need as well.

What I love most about the FR10 is that the current pace readout is rock-solid. It reports pace in 5 second increments, so 8:00/mile, 8:05/mile, 8:10/mile etc. At first I didn’t think I’d like this, but what it accomplishes is a lot less fluctuation in current pace readout (and let’s be serious, current pace readouts on GPS watches probably aren’t accurate to the second). When running my marathon, I relied on the FR10 almost exclusively for real-time pacing and used the FR610 for it’s lap display (the main reason why I’ll keep it – being able to display lap time, lap distance, current pace, and lap pace all on one screen).

I have found tracking accuracy in the FR10 to be right in line with the much more expensive FR610. In fact, the FR10 measured the Vermont City Marathon course more closely than the 610 (26.37 miles for the FR10 vs. 26.48 miles for the 610 – need to work on running those tangents!). On my 10 miler yesterday, the FR10 measured 10.13 miles at an average pace of 8:22/mile, the 610 measured 10.12 miles at an average pace of 8:23. Pretty solid agreement! The Forerunner 10 has earned my complete confidence in its ability to track pace and distance.

The FR10 is rated at 5 hours of battery life with the GPS on, and it made it through my marathon no problem. It’s not the life that my old 205 had (I swear that thing had a Prius battery in it and recharged while I ran), but it’s sufficient for my needs up to now.

My only performance complaint about the FR10 is that it tends to not track that well under dense tree-cover (few watches that I have used do this well). If ultras are your thing, the combo of 5-hour battery life while recording and sub-par forest performance mean you should look elsewhere.

One other thing to note – as an entry-level watch the FR10 does not include a heart rate monitor. I don’t generally use a heart rate monitor, so no big deal for me.

Data Export

As mentioned above I use Dailymile.com and Sporttracks to store my run data. The FR10 syncs with Sporttracks without issue, but dailymile import does not seem to be supported at this time (note – I initially reported that it does sync with dailymile – this was an error on my part as it was uploading the data from my 610, not the 10 – I was wearing them both on the same runs for comparison). I’ve also started using Garmin Connect a bit and really like it. If I hadn’t been using Sporttracks for years I might even consider using Garmin Connect as my main run storage location. Below is a sample screen from Garmin Connect showing the FR10 recording of my run at the Vermont City Marathon:

VCM Garmin FR10

As an entry-level watch, the FR10 does not upload wirelessly (I like this feature of the 610). It connects via a USB cable that snaps securely into place on the back of the watch.

IMG_2194[1]

Garmin FR10 – Sync Cable and Back of Watch

IMG_2195[1]

Garmin FR10 – Sync Cable

The only data I typically look at that is not recorded on-board the FR10 is elevation (e.g., you can’t get elevation in SportTracks). However, when you upload the data from the watch to Garmin Connect you can view an elevation profile that is based on your GPS track (I suppose similar to how a site like MapMyRun or GMap Pedometer computes elevation profiles when you create a route manually on a map). Otherwise the data I get in Sporttracks is essentially the same as the data I get from the 610.

Summary

Given the fact that the Garmin Forerunner 10 is positioned as an entry-level GPS watch, I wasn’t expecting to love it as much as I do. Everything that it does, it does well, and for the majority of my runs it’s really all that I need. The only place it falls behind a bit is when I need more detailed lap data for an interval workout. Other than that, I could easily see using this is my full-time GPS watch, and given how much smaller and lighter it is than the FR610, I’m half-tempted to buy one for myself as an all-day watch and save the FR610 for more complex workouts (though I’d have a hard time justifying that purchase to my wife!).

The FR10 is an ideal GPS watch for a beginning runner, and for the experienced runner who doesn’t much care about anything besides how fast and far they ran, it is an equally good choice. At $129.99 MSRP the price is right as well.

Big thumbs up for the Garmin Forerunner 10!

Update 7/8/2014  –I have now posted a review of the Garmin Forerunner FR15. The FR15 is basically an update to the FR10 that adds step counting, heart rate monitor sync, and longer battery life.


The Garmin Forerunner 10 is available for purchase at Clever Training in the colors seen below. Clever Training specializes in fitness electronics, and has agreed to provide a 10% off discount to Runblogger readers on most products that they carry – just enter the code RunBlogXJT at checkout. Purchases support this site and help me to write reviews like this one. Your support is very much appreciated!

FR10 Orange FR10 Black Garmin Forerunner 10 Silver
Garmin FR10 Pink Garmin FR10 Violet FR10 Green

Track and Field Shoe Sale at Running Warehouse!

Running Warehouse Track Shoe ad
Running Warehouse Runblogger Sidebar

Save $$$ On Shoes Gear:
Running Warehouse: Great prices on closeout shoes! View current selection.
Amazon.com: 25% or more off clearance running shoes - click here to view current selection.
Connect With Me On:
Facebook - Runblogger | Twitter - @Runblogger | Instagram - @Runblogger


Recent Posts By Category: Running Shoe Reviews | Running Gear Reviews | Running Science
About Peter Larson

This post was authored by Peter Larson. Pete is a biology teacher, track/soccer coach, and dad (x3) with a passion for running, soccer, and science. If you'd like to learn a little bit more about who I am and what I do, click here, or visit petermlarson.com.

Comments

  1. Timely review. I was just saying to my wife that maybe it’s time for me to finally get a GPS watch.

    I’ve resisted for years. If you are a data junkie, I am definitely a luddite.

    I do have a basic running watch but all I really track is total time. But for many periods of time I’ve run with no watch. I work in technology all day, but what I like about running is that it requires no equipment. I don’t even keep a running log. I vaguely know what my weekly mileage is, I don’t care about my peak and average for the last months. I only need a stopwatch for the occasional times I do track workouts. And my race results are the best measure of my current fitness levels.

    So my battery recently died on my current watch. Couldn’t find my watch screwdriver and ran/raced the past couple weeks without a watch. Wow, it felt great — do I really need a GPS watch….

    My other complaint about GPS watches is cost. I don’t want to spend the money. But at $129, I didn’t know they made GPS watches so cheap.

    This really looks like my dream GPS watch (although it still looks big in the pictures, maybe I should try a women’s black?)

    • Pete Larson says:

      It’s really pretty compact, but I’m used to watches that are massive by comparison :) The beauty of this one is hat if all you want is distance, pace, and time, it does that really well, and if you want more you can see it in Garmin Connect.
      Sent from my iPad

    • mbyouknowme says:

      I like running with a GPS watch for 2 reasons.

      1 it simplifies logging. I’m not a data junkie but I need something in front of me to correlate plan to reality. With the watch I just import into sportstracks while finishing cooling down/drinking lemon-aid and I can look at it later if I want. (plus its nice to easily see long term improvement)

      2 I run on vacation when traveling to new places and having the GPS trace is like a free souvenir. I can look back at my crazy loopy OMG I’m lost run in Bruge and laugh and remember passing the same statue 3 times somehow.

  2. Pete – have you been able to use the 310xt? I am at the point where I’ve been using MapMyRun, but think I am ready for a real watch to get current pace readings (I’m not an experienced enough runner to KNOW what my pace is). When I use mapmyrun, I get an update every mile, but often times I am not running where I wanted to be – either to fast or to slow.

    I am considering this entry level watch or the 310xt, which is not much more expensive. It looks like I could display more categories on the main page with that – and since I’m a triathlete the ability to use it on the bike would be a nice benefit as well (or at least, being able to wear it the whole way, even if I mainly just use it on the run).

    I’m concerned about the 310xt size – it looks significantly bigger. I’m curious if it feels obtrusive in size.

    Any thoughts on the FR10 vs. 310xt would be much appreciated!

    I plan to buy through your link to clever training, FYI. Keep up the good work.

    Drew

    • Pete Larson says:

      Thanks Drew! I have not used the 310XT, but I’d guess it’s similar in size and functionality to the 205 that I mentioned in this post, jus a newer version. It’s also an older model now, with the 910 being the newest in that lineage. It’s likely quite a bit larger than the FR10, but it will have a lot more options in terms of display screens, data fields, etc. There’s also the ability to use a heart rate monitor. Probably not a watch you’d want to war other than for workouts. Not sure what distance triathlons you do, but the 5hr battery life of the FR10 could be a limiter there as well. I wound up buying the 610 because it’s small enough to wear all day, but has plenty of configuration options and data screens. But, it’s much pricier than either the 310xt on clearance or the FR10 new.
      Sent from my iPad

    • Andrew Ward says:

      The current pace displayed in the 310xt jumps around to much to be of any practical use. Better of using the virtual partner screen, this will give you distance and time in-front or behind your set pace.

      • Pete Larson says:

        Unfortunately that’s a problem with a lot of newer watches it seems,I have the same issue with the Timex and Soleus watches. That’s one of the reasons I really like the FR10, really solid current pace readout.
        Sent from my iPad

      • Thanks for your help! I didn’t know that about the 310xt, it has always gotten such great reviews.

  3. Skerminkel says:

    Any opinion on Garmin’s practice of integrating the wrist band in the body of the watch, i.e. no hinges or clips? What happens when the wrist band wears out or breaks?

  4. This is why getting something for free is not the best way to write an accurate review. Part of a review is actually discussing these things, not just giving them a limited nod in an abbreviated, parenthetical list. So incredibly tired of reading rah-rah-rah non-critical reviews of equipment that others will have to invest real money in.

    • Pete Larson says:

      Did you even read the review? Not sure how much detail you’d possibly want….and, the watch goes back to the company that provided it, not a freebie.
      Sent from my iPad

  5. Rebecca Joyce says:

    I recently bought and returned this gps watch. I’ll give you my thoughts as a newbie runner and a woman:

    The simplicity and price are perfect for beginners not ready to invest in very expensive running accessories. I found the setup, use, and upload process very easy. A great tool for beginners is the virtual pacer, which allowed me to program the watch for my targeted pace and it warned me if my average was falling behind or getting ahead. It also auto-pauses when you stop running, which I thought was great for me because I run in an urban environment with stop lights and crosswalks to navigate. It can also give you a timer for run/walk intervals.

    The big downside of this watch is the battery life. It can go a max of 5hrs, I’ve read even less on other reviews. If this is a product marketed to beginners (based on price and features), then they should know that a lot of beginners don’t run a marathon in under 5 hrs. A pet peeve of mine is the colour selection in women’s products, so I bought a “man’s” watch because I wanted the cool orange colour. It looked fine, but while running it kept shifting and needing to be adjusted because I couldn’t get it to be snug around my wrist. I’m don’t have particularly small hands or wrists, I’m average-sized.

    After further research I think my next purchase will be the Nike watch and I’d love to hear your thoughts on it. For $30 more it has an 8hr battery life, connects to a heart rate monitor (sold separately), and can connect to the Nike shoe pod (sold separately) for indoor runs or whenever the gps doesn’t work. A lot of new runners, like me, use mobile device apps to track our runs until we’re ready to invest in a watch, so it is a big bonus to me to be able to build upon the dozens of runs already in my Nike+ record, plus I’m used to the interface.

    • Pete Larson says:

      Good point on the 5 hour limitation for new marathoners, hadn’t thought of that. I personally have not yet tried the Nike watch, I’ll have to add it to my possible review list!

      —-
      Pete Larson’s Web Links:
      -My book: Tread Lightly: http://ow.ly/bdUO0
      -Blog: https://runblogger.com
      -Twitter: http://twitter.com/Runblogger
      -Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Runbl
      -Discussion Forum: https://runblogger.com/forum

    • Noelle Bakken says:

      Hi Rebecca! I just wanted to comment, because I have the Nike watch and was considering it vs the FR10 before I purchased it. I eventually picked the Nike watch because of the shoe pod/HR monitor capabilities, and because I was already using the app for awhile and liked the interface. I will say the shoe pod is *not* accurate for indoor/treadmill running – it calibrates to your stride outdoors, so if you want to use it for the treadmill, it will be off. I have an average-smallish wrist and it fits me fine, and I feel like the accuracy is good. (I ran a 5K this weekend with it and it showed exactly 3.1 miles when I crossed the finish line, which I wasn’t expecting since there’s always a margin of error with GPS watches.) I’ve also had some extremely rainy (read: torrential) runs with this watch and it worked like a champ. The biggest downsides are that most of the customizing has to be done on the computer and not on the watch (setting intervals, etc.), and also you can’t download your GPX data files from Nike and re-upload them somewhere else (like Runkeeper or Strava). At least not easily – I’ve found some backdoor options, but it’s not ideal. So if that’s not a dealbreaker for you, I’d say go for it, especially if you’re already using the Nike+ system and have a history of runs in there.

      • Rebecca Joyce says:

        Thank you for your feedback, Noelle! The Nike watch is on its way to me as we speak, I think it’ll be the right choice. Nike+ is the only interface I’ve ever used, so I’m not too concerned about uploading it to others. I also don’t want to lose all the badges I’ve already earned :)
        The treadmill issue isn’t a dealbreaker because on runs over 2 miles (which mine always are), you can manually adjust your distance to what the treadmill shows.
        I’m really glad you replied, I’m very excited to receive my Nike watch and start using it.
        Thank you!

  6. Pete,

    I am currently running with the FR305 and I’d like to go a bit smaller on the wrist. In doing some reasearch I noticed that there is a standard FR10 model that you reviewed here and a smaller (woman’s?) model as well. Either would be considerably smaller than the FR305 but does the smaller model fit well on a man’s wrist? Have you tried it on?

    Thanks! Love the blog!

    -Levins

  7. I have the FR305 as well. Had it for a couple years now, in fact. And I have to say, it’s tough seeing these newer, sleeker looking models come out and not wanting to pounce and upgrade. It’s a smaller package for sure, but does it have all the bells and whistles my 305 has? Regardless, I still don’t feel like I’ve maximized the capabilities of my 305 yet. As a performance athlete, what features would you say are the best to tap into on a watch like the FR305?

  8. Sarah @RunFarGirl says:

    I received the Garmin10 for Christmas and have been very pleased. My previous “training” watch was a Polar heart rate monitor and foot pod that was 7 years old, I stopped using it a few years ago because the foot pod drove me nuts. I simplified down to a watch from Walmart: the chrono setting only clocked up to an hour. Then I upgraded to a timex ironman. So the Garmin was a big step for me! ha! But I just want basic info, try not to get too caught up in the data and just run by feel. Still use the Timex at the track because I like the lap setting on that better.

  9. TheBirdShoe says:

    I’ve had the FR10 since last fall, and I agree with pretty much everything you’ve written. I (mostly) love it. My only two peeves are:

    1) it would definitely benefit from “lap time” field, and

    2) it seems to take FOREVER to get a satellite signal before a run. I routinely find myself standing around for 5+ minutes waiting for a signal. I ran the Philly marathon with the FR10 last fall and, despite hitting the “start” button a good 4-5 minutes before the start of the race, didn’t get a signal until i passed the 2-mile mark. frustrating.

  10. OKCarole says:

    I received this watch as a Christmas gift and have fallen in love with it. As a petite woman it is difficult to find small watches and this one works for me. The simplicity of the menus and buttons is important to me and Garmin Connect is easy and provides abundant info. It is really nice to take on vacation when you are unfamiliar with distances so you get an accurate measurement of your runs and when I went to Santa Fe it was interesting to look at the elevation profile. This watch provides all the basic info I need and want. I don’t do interval training but have tracked my daily training runs for years and this is great for that purpose.

  11. wanderlust262 says:

    Hi Pete,

    You mention that the watch synced directly with Dailymile. My girlfriend has this watch and it cannot find workouts on DM (although they syn with Garmin just fine). Did you use any special method to sync? Thanks for any info you can provide.

  12. Nell Gyenes says:

    Thanks for the review Pete. I’ve been one of those runners relying on an inexpensive Timex Ironman sports watch to manually track time/splits because GPS models looked overcomplicated, too pricey, and from what I observed with my run buddies, not always reliable. Based on what you’ve noted, I may finally (after 1,000s of GPS-free miles) give the FR10 model a try.

  13. Ricardo says:

    Hello,
    I have 1 question: they watch just gives the distance in miles? can i change that to kilometers?

    Thanks in advance
    Ricard

    • Pete Larson says:

      Yes, I believe you can switch the units on the watch. I no longer have it though so cannot check for sure.
      Pete

      Sent from my iPad

  14. Rodnei Souza says:

    I really liked your topic

  15. Kerri Rury Ter Mors says:

    We bought this watch for our son who runs high school cross country. He runs a 5k and needs to run each mile at a different pace. His 1st mile needs to be 5:50 so if we set it at that it will pace mile 2 and 3 also at 5:50, and they need to be faster times. Can we pace miles 2 and 3 at different times on this watch? I hope this make sense.

    • Pete Larson says:

      Not sure on that, but you do can get real-time pace so as to know if you are near target pace at any given moment.
      Sent from my iPad

  16. Manuel Sison says:

    My wife bought me a Garmin Forerunner 10 last May 2013 and after just 5 months, the strap separated from its mooring on the watch body. I had read in another review someone complained that her strap broke and I was very careful with handling the strap. Looking at how the strap is attached to the body, it is obvious that the design is quite flimsy. It’s quite a pity since I have been very happy with the watch’s features and performance. Attached is a photo of the watch showing how I had to jury rig it for my 10 km run this morning. I expected a more sturdy design in a watch used for sports.

  17. Jennifer Allen says:

    Thank you for your post on the Forerunner 10 (lots of details). I purchased this watch a few months back, but just learned more about it from your post. I have decided to wear it in my race tomorrow instead of my 310xt as the 310 is so heavy and big. Having the current pace available on the Forerunner 10 will make a huge difference. Thanks again.

  18. Nicola Combe says:

    Hi Pete,

    Thanks for your review, it’s really helpful. I’m a total beginner runner so I’m looking at the FR10 as my first running watch.

    I wondered if the watch measured distance and pace etc in miles or kilometers? And can you change the unit of measurement?

    Thanks,
    Nic

  19. I previously owned a. Fr110 and like it quite a lot till it went dead one day.

    Recently recieved the fr 10 as a gift. Tried it out for a run and found it good. Just would like to ask this question. with my fr110 when I took take a break for some time during a run I could resume the same run under the same activity. However with the fr10, during my break, the fr10 counted down from 30s to 0s and then saved it as a run activity. When I resumed I had to start a new run activity unlike what I could do with the fr110. Is there any settings I could change to make the fr10 behave similar to my fr110?

    Hope you understand what I am trying to ask and thanks.

  20. I have just bought the forerunner 10 and am loving it!!! it is easy to use, is accurate and finds the GPS in seconds. I have owned a forerunner 410 for a few years but that is too big, too heavy and has more functions than i need.

  21. My husband just bought me this. Question: Can I use this to record my treadmill runs?

    • The FR10 does not sync with a foot pod, so it does not work for treadmill runs unfortunately. You’d need a model that syncs with a foot pod accelerometer or one that has a built in accelerometer.

  22. My Polar RC3 GPS suddenly decided to stop charging the day before I was to run a 5k and then a half marathon the next day in Miami. I purchased an FR10 at the marathon expo and have been very happy with it since then. I checked out this review today wondering about battery life for a marathon, and I’m happy to read about your experience at Vermont City.

  23. Pete, one issue I noticed with the FR10 versus the Garmin 205 and 305: the latter two watches came with an AC power adapter for the USB cable while the FR10 did not. Without the adapter, I am unable to charge the watch from an AC outlet and I sometimes do not bring my laptop when traveling. Fortunately, I can use the USB AC adapter from my now-deceased 305, but this could be an issue for other runners. I am not sure if an iPhone USB power adapter would also work.

    • Not sure on the iPhone adapter, but I’ve got so many USB AC adatpers laying around now it’s usually easy to find at least one that works. Good point though!

  24. Hey, I was hoping you could maybe help me with one thing.. I just got the FR10 and Im getting alll set right now. But the time is not setting itself thru the sattelites nor manualy. It keeps still sayin its 12am 1st jan. What do I do? I have tryed everything so far. Thanks a lot, Sophie

  25. Thanks for a great review! I think you should demand to keep the products you review… Don’t sell yourself too cheap! :)

  26. I have this watch, two of them actually… (I won them both within a week from two different magazines.) It’s a nice, simple GPS-watch, with ONE big flaw, their quality on the wristband.
    It started to get a little loose in the corner, then a week later, it just fell off when I was clockin’ another 1 km on the track. And I’m far from beeing alone with this problem: https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?48845-Wristband-Fell-Off!

    I’ve been in contact with the Garmin Support and they will send me a new set of wristband, but I’ll guess they will peel of as easy as the original did…

    • Hey, Daniel! If you have two of them, could we work out a price? New runner here, training for a disney marathon, and dying for a running watch! ;)

  27. Somehow I was able to have both the virtual pacer and the run/walk intervals show simultaneously on my Forerunner 10. I don’t know how I did it, and I can’t get it back. Does anyone know how?

  28. So, this watch won’t work on a treadmill without the foot pod, correct? And they do or don’t come with the product? Trying to figure out what to do…want one desperately!! Any insight would be awesome! Thanks!

  29. sally adkins says:

    I love my forerunner 10, however the garmin connect website is a problem. I purchased my forerunner 10 last yr around christmas. started logging miles daily to track my progress. well in Sept the garmin updated the website with new features. I was permanently locked out our my account. I contacted Garmin tech support numerous times. I had 9 months of miles logged and no way to get a final total for the year. So as of Dec 3, I wasn’t able to obtain my year long running mileage bc of website error. First time running the entire year. So I created a new user hoping I will not have this problem again, today cant load my mileage bc of website failure. really ?? so Im not too happy with the website garmin connect that supports the forerunner 10. Thanks Sally Adkins

  30. sally adkins says:

    I love my forerunner 10, however the garmin connect website is a problem. I purchased my forerunner 10 last yr around christmas. started logging miles daily to track my progress. well in Sept the garmin updated the website with new features. I was permanently locked out our my account. I contacted Garmin tech support numerous times. I had 9 months of miles logged and no way to get a final total for the year. So as of Dec 3, I wasn’t able to obtain my year long running mileage bc of website error. First time running the entire year. So I created a new user hoping I will not have this problem again, today cant load my mileage bc of website failure. really ?? so Im not too happy with the website garmin connect that supports the forerunner 10. Thanks Sally Adkins

  31. I am hoping someone can help me with a problem I get. At the start of an organised run, I press the start button to get a GPS fix on my location. However it could then take another 2mins before the start gun goes off. By this time my FR10 watch has moved back to the default opening screen – the one with the time of day and date.

    I click start again and obviously that’s too late – the race has started.

    • Chris,

      During that waiting period it should show a count down screen at some point that counts down to PowerSave mode or something to that effect.

      You can just press a button to exit that mode. Also once it locks in the first time the subsequent times are much faster. So typically in the waiting time before race I look in once… let it go to power save. Then in the start line i will start it back in LocateSatielite mode (finds them in 10sec) the second time.

  32. I’m a new runner and want something super simple, so this info is great. One feature I’m trying to figure out – can I customize a workout based on time? for example, can I set a 30 minute run and then get notifications when I have certain amounts of time left (10minutes, 5 minutes)? Thanks!!

    • No on this watch, very basic functions and no workout programming. You can find the Forerunner 220 on sale now for only about $50 more and that should allow what you are looking for.

Shop Running Warehouse – Summer 2023

Trackbacks

  1. […] Pete at RunBlogger https://runblogger.com/2013/06/garmin-forerunner-10-fr10-review-great.html […]

Speak Your Mind

 Notify me of followup comments via e-mail

You can click here to Subscribe without commenting

*