Gadgetory

the Garmin Forerunner 735 XT is designed for triathletes this $450 watch can track running biking and swimming using gps and glonass there's even a special triathlon mode that lets you switch between each sport with a single button press rather than having to manually stop one and start the other this mode will also time how long you take during your transition between each sport overall I like the 735 xt it's very lightweight and comfortable to wear while training or even throughout the day but there are some concerns it lacks an altimeter and instead of relies on altitude measurements through the GPS which I found weren't all that accurate the heart rate sensor also doesn't work while swimming so you will need to spend extra money on a swim proof chest strap but even then it won't display data in real time and will only show it after your workout is complete and battery life while good it may not be long enough for some people to finish a full Ironman it will last up to 14 hours with an active GPS signal and heart rate tracking but that drops if you have GLONASS turned on there is a special ultra track mode that will extend battery life to 24 hours but it disabled the heart rate sensor and reduces how often the GPS is pinging the satellite so there are some sacrifices but during training I typically saw between 5 to 7 days it was more than adequate for me but your usage will vary depending on how frequently you work out the 735 xt is an exceptional triathlete watch it's slim and light it's comfortable to wear and it has almost all of the features you would need to compete overall it will do just fine for most triathletes but if you rely on accurate altitude information a quick-release kit or looking for something with longer battery life the Fenix 3 or phoenix 3 HR may be worth the upgrade for more information on the forerunner 735 xt check out my full review over at cnet.com you