Driving home after the Mineral Springs MUni ride my heart skipped a beat when I looked at my wrist and realized the Garmin 405 had fallen off somehow, somewhere.

I pulled off the road and thought about when I’d seen it last. I was fairly sure the watch was on my wrist when I got in the van so began searching and was relieved to find the GPS watch on the van floor under the back seat amongst the junk from the ride – much better than loosing it somewhere out on the trail, phew!

One of the hard plastic wrist bands had sprung off somehow. Nothing looked broken, I guess the band had twisted under pressure e.g. during UPD ‘s and the spring loaded pin had partially released, then fully released in the van as I was loading up to leave. First job was to re-attach the wrist band.

Don’t you love how many video solutions to the world’s problems there are on Youtube!

Within a few seconds the band was back on, nice.

Ironically the main thing I REALLY don’t like about the Garmin 405 are those dang hard plastic wrist bands – they’re just too cumbersome, stiff and uncomfortable on my small-ish wrist, often getting in the way especially with Kris Holm Pulse Gloves on. I didn’t know a soft GARMIN Wrist Strap Kit was available. Thanks to the video now I do!

According to Garmin the Wrist Strap Kit is:

Great for smaller wrists. Kit includes two comfortable hook/loop closure fabric straps.

Sounds and looks like the wrist strap the 405’s should have shipped with. I’ve gone ahead and ordered some. The fabric straps should be much more comfortable and able to flex during activity with far less risk of loosing the watch due to the band twisting and popping off. They should also make mounting the watch elsewhere e.g. on Camelbak, helmet etc more practical.

To be continued…

Thanks to the magic of the internet the fabric strap kit arrived and is now fitted to my Garmin 405 watch. It is MUCH more comfortable to wear now!