Cracked Face on Forerunner 310XT
Well that didn’t take long! I’ve owned the Garmin Forerunner 310XT all of two months before cracking the glass face. And I don’t even have a glorious story to go with it – when taking it off, it fell face first on a tile floor.
In my opinion, a non-recessed screen, lens or scratchable face is simply a design flaw. If a product is meant for active outdoor use (and this one most definitely is), then a design feature as simple as a raised and perhaps rubberized lip would help guard the face. This feature wouldn’t even detract from the nice sleek styling of the 310XT.
As I can tell, the other sport gps units from Garmin, including the Forerunner 405, have recessed faces. I would imagine this lesson was learned long ago, shortly after the invention of the wrist watch. Why the 310XT face is completely exposed baffles me.
I also have the Flip Video, which sports non-recessed surfaces on both sides. The lens protrudes from the front and the viewing screen is flush on the back. There is simply no safe way to even set the device down. Again, a simple mico-raised rim around the lens and screen would keep these glass faces off the deck when face down.
Repairs/replacement for the Forerunner 310XT are currently a fixed $99 rate – for that I’m thankful. Follow the instructions on Garmin’s Warranty Information page. When I get the unit back (10-14 business days after Garmin receives it), I will be designing my own face guard to prevent this from happening again. Perhaps something as basic as a wide rubber band around the head of the unit would work.
Forerunner 310XT returned from Garmin’s repair shop in under 10 business days. The refurbished unit appears to be just about new and is working fine.
Setting up the sync again with Garmin Connect was required since I received a different unit in return. The firmware was also reset. I was surprised that an older version of firmware was put on the unit and I needed to upgrade as soon as I received it. Perhaps this unit had been on the shelf for a while.
The only thing left to do is to implement a homemade face protector so I don’t crack the glass face again. $99 for a repairs/replacement was a fair charge, but I don’t want to pay it again.
I just cracked mine in the exact same manner (and the screen was already scratched due to bouncing around in my bag to and from work for weeks) – good to know it can be repaired, nominally speaking.
Post something when you do find a way to protect the bezel – I’d be interested in doing the same. Thanks.
Thanks for the post Dominic. The exact same thing just happened to me as well. I’ve used it for 2 months and pulled it out of my bag with the glass all shattered. What does your make shift glass protector look like? Can you post an update to this with a picture?
Thanks again!