Is the Timex Ironman Global Trainer a Good Value? Where Can You Get a Great Deal on this GPS Watch?

Any serious multisport athlete will be familiar with a Timex Ironman watch. The series has made a name for itself when it comes to accurate tracking for the purpose of improving the user's fitness. But one of the major features that Timex watches lacked were location tracking features and GPS makers are already making compact GPS wristwatches for people that cannot afford to hold a handheld while working out or keep the device in the pocket. The Timex Ironman Global Trainer GPS is the first Timex watch that is entering the heated GPS watch competition.

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Company Overview

The Timex Triathlon first launched in 1984 is the result of collaboration between Timex and the Ironman Triathlon officials. The name later changed to Timex Ironman after Timex got the rights to the name. A follow-up launch of a new watch bearing this name was made in 1986 where the watch received improved water resistance. After the company saw a huge surge of sales a year after the launch, Timex hopes to expand the Ironman brand in the form of various styles to keep up with the competition.

Highlights

Unlike other competing GPS watches, it is hard to tell at a glance that the watch actually has GPS features since Timex has a lot of experience in designing watches.

Although it is bigger than the standard Timex watches, it functions similarly to its Ironman cousins with three large buttons on each side and a convenient "Start / Split" button on the front. These buttons are easy to press making the user interface and customization easy to go hands on with. The 1.5-inch display supports the interface nicely allowing the screen to be divided into four sections each containing their own data fields. Selectable data fields include heart rate, pace, distance, and more. Timex tries to distance itself from the competition even more by incorporating the Indiglo backlight technology into their watch.

The watch also comes with a number of accessories including a USB charging cable that doubles as the syncing cable. A clip-on mechanism is also included along with the standard AC adapter. Users can purchase the watch with a bundled heart rate monitor but the purchase remains optional since the ANT+ wireless connectivity allows the watch to interact with other ANT+ heart rate monitors or bike power meters.

Drawbacks

Those with small wrists may find themselves at a disadvantage due to the watch's larger size but this is a drawback shared by many GPS watches. Timex also does not support connectivity for foot pods which those on the treadmill require. Beginner uses may also find the TrainingPeaks software to be overwhelming to use. Uploading data to the web isn't as easy as it should be.

Reception

The Timex Ironman Global Trainer GPS received mixed reviews from early users but people think Timex is taking the right steps in competing. The overall GPS accuracy was commonly rated as average while the software left a lot to be desired and the Timex is not compatible with other software.

Some reviewers believe that a lot of the quirks may be fixed with a firmware update so be on the lookout for these types of updates and check the Timex website for new software that may add better usability to Timex's first attempt at a GPS watch.

See Lowest Price on Ironman Global Trainer | Read Customer Reviews