Garmin - epix (Gen 2) Sapphire Edition

[The Garmin Epix Gen 2 is on sale at slightly above your budget.](https://www.basspro.com/p/garmin-epix-gen-2-gps-smartwatch?hvarAID=shopping_googleproductextensions&ds_e=GOOGLE&ds_c=BPS%7CShopping%7CPMax%7CHunting%7CHunting%7CNAud%7CGoogle%7CNMT&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=19856022628&gclid=Cj0KCQjw0erBBhDTARIsAKO8iqS3tLPdLpBQmqWoGh7iR9yHF81EXJ-3xG5we8_2vS-FHr91E8VraeoaAmgsEALw_wcB) This is an $800 watch that's on sale for a hair under $450. I got mine on sale at Cabelas and have no regrets.

I would go for either the Instinct 3 or Vivoactive 6. Both new watches are great, no issues. Vivoactive 6 is just in your budget range but isn't very 'rugged', which is the perfect desciption of the instinct 3 (which is a bit more pricey). You can go for the black and white screen of the Instinct E ($299), but the tech is a bit more dated, and if you are coming from an apple watch, im guessing you like the bright screens. Another option is the Epix 2 (refurbished) from amazon for $349 (what I would go for). This is their top of the line watch from a few years ago, but still very advanced with most of the new features. [https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/1316397/pn/010-02936-00/](https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/1316397/pn/010-02936-00/) [https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/1555457/](https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/1555457/) [https://a.co/d/fs1SPqL](https://a.co/d/fs1SPqL)

I have both watches but prefer the Epix more just because of the look. Both are great watches. I track all my workouts fine and have no problem sleeping with it every night.

I just got a refurbished from Ebay for $350 with 2 years Square Trade warranty and dont regret it. i also just do walking, Picke Ball. i like the sleep tracking and battery life ( used to own an apple watch that i needed to charge daily vs 15+ days\_)

mine came in an official Garmin Refurshied box. pristine condition . (if cant do this let me know, Seller for me was BuyDig)

That’s the one I got. It is not the pro version. It does all I need.

Garmin Epix is good at lap counting (except for kick sets). I think its pretty good at stroke detection too bud I don't check the strokes often.

I have the Epix, and am very happy with it. Flashlight gets used every day. It’s just so bloody useful. Battery life is around 2 weeks, and I’m running 5 times a week. Can’t speak for the other device, but slimness would be nice! It’s a thick watch and my wrists aren’t huge, but it can make getting shirts on and off a little annoying. That would be my only real gripe to be honest. It is otherwise comfortable. My only other Garmin comparison is the forerunner 235. That was slim, but had a VERY annoying protrusion where the sensor was. This is not a problem on the Epix. Another pro is the sturdy construction/rugged look; I’ve had it for a good year at least. Watch is near spotless, and I don’t baby it. https://preview.redd.it/fp2lahkizeuf1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d0c40704bee6cc9825605051bf4495f57e728d78 Given it’s Amoled it isn’t always on to save batteries. I thought this would get annoying, but the tilt sensor if anything errs on the side of over sensitive, so 99% of the time it comes on when I need it to. The only time it struggles is when I’m on the bike, but then just resort to button pressing.

Since you don't seem to be doing any crazy sports or have any races I'd go for the pixel! I think it should be equally as capable as the Garmin especially if you're not doing sports. Personally got a Garmin Epix instead of an apple watch (back when I was still on an iPhone). Took it on a Spartan race, swims in the lake, skiing, half marathon and couple shorter races.

Looking to get some advice. I have been using a garmin epix with Cronometer for about a year and it was so helpful with cutting and bulking this past year and extremely accurate. I picked up an Apple Watch Ultra 3 a couple days ago and as much as I want to like it I am struggling with the daily calories with it. Maybe I am just not used to the way it’s showing everything vs how my garmin was. So with my garmin I only started strength training or running workouts. Anything else like walks etc would just pile up in my daily activity balance. Once that hit -350 it would start adding it to my expenditure for the day and my expenditure would just start going up for the rest of the day going forward. It was very easy for me to know where I needed to be based on the time of day. With the Apple Watch I’ve noticed I need to start workouts for walk etc to get full heart rate data and better estimated calories. When adding those in my active energy balance number will go down each time. What I am left with is an energy balance that will not get to -350 by the end of the day and my energy expenditure just kind of stays where it is unless I start another workout. Maybe I am just looking at this wrong and the Apple Watch is a better way of judging my calories. Would love to hear thoughts. I’ve attached a couple of pics to illustrate what I mean.

So here’s the thing, with my garmin this works fine, when I have my Apple Watch set like this the active balance starts much lower and it just never makes it to that threshold. Garmin will show -119 when I wake up in the morning and Apple shows -20. When you do walks, runs, or workouts with Apple that number just never goes up.

Get a chest strap for triathlons, one that works in water. The 965/Fenix/Epix are the same or minimal difference. The latest are the Fenix 8 nad forerunner 970. Get what looks good to you, because features are 99.9% the same. Also Fenix is a big bigger

Fenix/Epix are the same, Forerunner 9xx has 99% same functions but a bit lighter and not as tall, but only available in one size

I’m deep in the Apple iPhone / iPad world, but wouldn’t consider an Apple Watch. I don’t need that level of distraction on my wrist. I have been considering an Edge for my bike for ages, but 2 years ago I setup my Epix G2 on the handlebar mount with the Speed / Cadence / HRM sensors and it’s great. Saves me having to buy another device.

If budget is a big consideration, then look for a hot price on Epix or Fenix 7. Garmin will often run the older models at 40-50% off and you’re not missing out on much.

Many of us have been here. Just get the best Garmin you can afford and you’ll never look back. I bought the EPIX 2, and love it, but the Forerunner 9xx series are probably the best bang for buck if you’re into fitness training.

I have a Garmin Epix that tracks swim data. Prior to getting it, I would just count laps, note the time on the pool clock, and enter it manually.

garmin epix/fenix no complaints

garmin epix + edge 130 on extended display mode. cheap cadence meters on most of the bikes, road bike has a power meter. also cheap HR strap from aliexpress wouldve jumped on garmin earlier if i knew how awesome it is - was on amazfit before because they were cheap everything goes to strava [https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2019/06/garmins-triathlon-extended.html](https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2019/06/garmins-triathlon-extended.html)

garmin epix here - stroke detection is pretty meh but intervals and distance is 99.5% perfect once you turn off auto rest - i manually lap each set

Epix is amoled version of Fenix (MIP) prior to version 8 of the latter. Now Fenix 8 comes in MIP and Amoled options, and Epix is gone. And Epix always had the same exact case as Fenix. You’re mixing things up a little.

Short answer ; none Long answer ; Garmin is not an optimised at all for bodybuilding (I am nodybuil for the last 20 years and have Garmin for the last 10). So just get the one that is in your price range. Any Garmin will do hiking. One thing though, with bodybuilding the watch can and will suffer from repeated contact with the bars and gear. For that I only take Sapphire models. So Fenix or EPIX.

Seconded, Fenix or Epix are great. I have an Epix but tbh a Fenix suits my needs better

A 2nd hand fenix 7 would be my choice. I have an epix gen 2 which is basically the same thing except with an OLED screen (and a much shorter battery life as a result).

There is nothing wrong with going with an Apple Watch. I prefer garmin mainly because of battery life, being able to not charge for 2 weeks when I travel. I also prefer the round classic watch look versus a rectangle. My Epix throws a ton of data, which is great but I also don’t know what to do with it most of the time other than having alcohol is bad for my sleep and body battery and doing some light exercise before bed makes me sleep with less stress. So, don’t fret your choice and if you get tired of AW, Garmin is always available

This is my take. I used to work as engineer at "A"-company often mentioned here that make smartwatches. However, I worked on phones and tablets, not smartwatch. Apple is smartwatch. Cram as much tech into the device as possible. And good value (money spend for tech and features) delivered to consumer. But one big issue is the battery life. Garmin uses old tech. Prices for the devices are a bit outrageous for fitness watch. However, many users who just want fitness watch and don't care for smartwatch features; also don't think about price per tech. I personally buy Garmin only on discount. As for HR accuracy, I suspect the minor difference can be due to power management. It is possible Garmin try to save battery power and sensors are not fully powered. This can result in lower accuracy. Of course this is just speculation. I personally have have had major issue with HR on Epix (Gen 2). This issue tend to occur when another bluetooth device is connected. I can toggle the HR accuracy to be correct (bluetooth device off) and inaccurate (bluetooth device on). At first, I thought it was firmware bug. I have report this to Garmin. And many on Garmin forum also has similar issue. However, it is now 1.5 years and not fixed. So it seems like it is not a bug. So I suspect (but no data to support this) is how Garmin try to reduce power consumption for battery savings.

I agree with all the positives stated here and one more that's important to me. I hate square, rectangular watches. I love the way the Fenix, Epix or most of the round smart/fitness watches look.

Functionality-wise the Fenix and Forerunner are pretty similar, especially considering the new Forerunner 970. The Fenix has diving, but other than that, not much beyond the 970. The other big difference between Fenix and forerunner is styling as well as sapphire glass, for a small amount more weight. My gut is that sapphire is nice but not essential unless you're doing lots of mountaineering backpacking. I got an Epix, which was essential the Fenix 8 of a few versions ago, but at that time there wasn't a Forerunner 970/965. I'm glad I have the more rugged Epix with sapphire glass, but I doubt I would have had any issues. Given what little you've shared, I'd probably look at the Forerunner 965. it's the most budget friendly, and I don't imagine many need the microphone/speaker of the 970 (though the flashlight is cool) and that the Fenix is probably overkill. No wrong choice here though!

Agreed with others that Garmin is a superior sports watch with great battery life, but not as good of a smart watch. For me that is a bonus, but that (and price) are the biggest factors for me! If you do go Garmin, the Forerunner 965 or an older Epix or Epix Pro will get you most of the new features with OLED for a slightly better price!

I prefer the look of my Epix over the AW. The "smartwatch" look of the AW is a big turn-off. Plus I'm a Android phone user so... It's not just a Garmin thing though, I'll possibly move to Coros when I eventually replace my Epix.

Having epix and it is really good, but will sell it due to bad start button after only 9 months from buying it. If you get one- just dont swim with it

Epix fenix are bulkier, heavier, silkier 965... go try them if can... fenix 7 or pro are amazing, no need for 8, except diving...

Epix is a better watch, however it is heavier and chunkier. For what it's worth my wife would never wear a fenix/epix due to the size. Ive always worn a fenix.

Yea. Worth checking the specs of both. The Epix is a rugged watch that will have more rugged/heavy build

It’s a great watch if you aren’t bent on a screen that’s not monochrome. I have a version one I wear for work, probably 6 years old. I do have an Epix I wear to the gym because of a few improved metric and onboard music

I had moved from Garmin epix to pw2 to Garmin epix pro gen 2 and then to a pw3, now I currently have nothing and am trailing no smart watch but think I will go back . I do occasionally hiking and wild camping which is what drew me to the garmins but realistically they are just too expensive for what they offer. I found them lacking "smart" features. Sleep tracking was also terrible. HR and maps were awesome and the battery life is the best. Also found the light very useful. Pixel had the smart features I wanted, health tracking was generally as good if not better than Garmin. The only thing I wasn't a fan of was durability (very easy to mark) and battery life. Its personal preference. Personally I am looking at pw4 but waiting for reviews on the battery life. Or the yet to be announced amazfit t rex pro 3 as a "cheap" Garmin. Hoping as it's more of a smart watch it might have the features I wanted but the health tracking is probably worse (not sure if that bothers me too much )

No one has said it yet, but I’m loving my Epix Gen 2

Used Garmin Epix! Just got one for $270

I have the form goggles and a Garmin epix. The form goggles are always more accurate. Especially if I’m following a routine. Good thing with the goggles is you can see when it thinks you’ve started swimming.

I have the Epix which is equivalent to the Fenix 7 and I'm on my 8th warranty watch. Water keeps infiltrating the bottom right button and even now my bottom right button is disabled and keeps re-enabling when I'm in the water (which sometimes disables my woo/surfr apps).

Nah, you're right on that. I have an Epix, serious overkill, but it's a fun watch and I really wanted maps on it without 3rd parry apps screwing around. My previous watch was a Venu 1, who did the job good enough for me.

If you have the cash, the Fenix or Epix. Those will give you all the features with an exceptional battery life.

I have AWU2 and Epix. I love Garmin’s physical buttons and battery life. Everything else is kind of a wash for me. As a runner, I can make either work. I wouldn’t ditch an AWU for Garmin unless you have a specific need that is unmet by AWU2. Or, maybe you just want to try something different.

I have gone back and forth several times between Garmin and Apple. Garmin definitely wins on battery and buttons. Accuracy a wash in my experience. Currently have AWU2 and Epix, but have only worn the AWU2 the last four months. You can probably make either work for you unless you really need the battery or buttons for your specific use-case.

Second the Fenix. There’s also some good deals on last gen Epix out (which is basically Fenix with a brighter display) for OP’s budget.

I have an Epix and just started using it with the Garmin Golf and Garmin Connect and I like it. I sometimes forget to enter the club after a shot, so I think it would work better if get the CT10 sensors for the clubs. I'd like to hear other's input on the CT10. Has anyone else gone full blown and added the range finder too?

For almost every Garmin wach you can download TennisAI app from garmin store which would capture and recognize your strokes, measure power etc. If you are interested there are two versions of the app and I would recommend to check compatible devices list from the latest one as it has improved interface and match score tracking features ( https://apps.garmin.com/apps/0073ddf4-3ec7-436d-a598-d88cfd0d583a?tid=1 ). The watch shall be worn on the hand that holds the racket so ehen it comes to a device if you buy a havy model like Fenix or Epix (>80gr ) at first it will take you a few sessions to get used to it but if you buy something lighter like venu, forerunner or fenix S version it will not interfere with the game at all.  Also the square devices are in General poorly supported by developers.

Corro carreras de 10-15km y actualmente estoy a punto de correr mi primera media maratón, estuve con el Apple Watch ultra 1 desde el lanzamiento, entre medias he probado un Garmin Epix, y si, tiene funciones quizá que no tiene Apple y mas batería, pero como reloj en general se sienten relojes baratos en comparación con los de Apple (el Garmin era alta gama de 900$), volví al Ultra por la versatilidad de smartwatch + sportwatch, actualmente tengo el Ultra 3 en negro, y no me planteo salir ya de la gama Ultra. Como puntos extra, recomiendo apps como Bevel donde te muestra % de sueño, recuperación y esfuerzo, está comprobado que son precisos, incluso tienes una IA personalizada para tí. Respecto a la batería para mi no es problema. Lo cargo cada 2,5 días y lo hace muy rápido. Uso 5G , dejando el teléfono en casa para irme a entrenar solamente con mis Airpods y el Watch, rastreo del sueño, no me quito el reloj para absolutamente nada. Definitivamente me quedo en apple, (lo digo con conocimiento suficiente tras haber probado Garmin).

Fenix or Epix and yes they integrate with iPhones. Some fitness apps will connect to Garmin. If you want a slimmer watch you can also go for the new forerunner.

Same as you. I only start track an activity on my Epix if I’m doing lead it TR. If i’m bouldering, I will just let it track my heart rate.

I have an epix and watch ultra 2. If you like the fitness info etc of connect then that’s all much better than the native apple answer, if you want to connect to other sensors, bike etc, Apple can’t do that either, and if you just find yourself in the middle of nowhere list with no signal, Apple Watch not much good for that either. However, if you want to leave your phone at home and still communicate, stream music, check the news, that sort of stuff, then Apple Watch is the one you want. Apple Watch also much better integrated with iPhone and AirPods. Other than both being expensive smart watches they’re not really competitors feature wise. Oh and Garmin feels more comfortable to wear and will go a week on a battery. My use split is 95% Garmin, 5% Apple

I had a fenix 5 for many years and recently replaced it with an Epix. I love my Epix, it looks great, does everything I need it to and is bullet proof (and would cover all your bases). The catch is, it's insanely expensive (I got mine in a big sale). Wife has a forerunner 255 and it is fantastic too - smaller, lighter but has all the real world capability my Epix has. I would absolutely buy a Forerunner (probably 265) if my Epix broke tomorrow. Forerunner 265 will have a great screen, mega battery, great HR / sleep tracking etc, all the activity recording you could ever dream of etc. The Epix does have mapping on the watch - personally I have never really used that because I have OS on my phone and have paper maps. I also disabled the touchscreen because the buttons are just as functional and neither are worth the extra several hundred quid IMO. Personally I don't like the look of the instinct but that's just me!

I went from an Apple Watch SE to the Epix Gen 2 AMOLED screen and I can say it’s the best decision I’ve made. This watch is indestructible with the sapphire screen (wiped out once or twice on a mountain bike and smashed it at work) that doesn’t scratch. The battery life is incredible, and it gave me motivation to start running. Couldn’t say better things about garmin watches (the app gets a lot of hate but I think the app is fantastic as well)

I’ve been rocking an Epix gen 2 47mm and recently tried on my buddy’s forerunner 265 and wow. I almost immediately went and bought it. So much lighter and low profile than my Epix. Really considering switching out my Epix

Epix all the way

I personally ditched the fenix and went for the epix because of the display. The fenix has almost nothing extra that is meaningful to me. The lower cost is definitely a perk of the epix as well!

I'd get the Epix Gen 2 for half the price with 98% of the features

I am fortunate to own the Epix, Enduro 3 and X1. They are all fabulous watches. I haven't worn my Epix Gen 2 in a bit and recently put it back in. The screen is exceptional and the fitness metrics are spot on. No need to spend extra cash on the Fenix 8 unless you're a dedicated diver and want a mic to speak into.

I am fortunate to own the Epix, Enduro 3 and X1. They are all fabulous watches. I haven't worn my Epix Gen 2 in a bit and recently put it back in. The screen is exceptional and the fitness metrics are spot on. No need to spend extra cash on the Fenix 8 unless you're a dedicated diver and want a mic to speak into.

Bro, it's literally a fitness tracker first, then 2 miles of data sheets from all that tracking...then all the "smart" gibberish as a barely visible dot on the horizon. At least Enduro/fenix/Tactix/Epix line are like that.

honestly the AW screen-based flashlight gets CRAZY bright. probably not as good as the one on the Epix but it surprised me.

I have AWU1 that I like for wearing to gym due to connection with Gymkit enabled cardio stuff and for using Gymaholic to track lifting workouts. I also double wrist it with AWU on right wrist for music and LTE on outdoor runs. I’m really a Garmin guy and wear F8 (at the moment) or my Epix 2 or Epix Pro 51 for 24/7, sleep, all my favorite stuff on the watch face, etc. I use RunGap to get AW workouts over to Garmin Connect. I do like the AWU for its smart features like unlocking Mac, Siri, etc, but my older eyes prefer the larger F8 51 screen and general Garmin platform including web interface. I also can’t stand battery anxiety, which I never have with my Garmins.

I have AWU1, Epix, Epix Pro 51, and Fenix 8 51 AMOLED. I like the AWU for smart functions, additional cellular connectivity on runs, Apple Music, unlocking my Mac, Siri actions,etc. But I only wear it mostly as a 2nd watch on runs. I’ll focus on why it’s Garmin for me, 24/7: \*Real onboard maps \*Integration (I don’t want Bevel plus Athlytic plus WorkOutDoors plus BodyState plus Pedometer++ just to get functionality or info on watch faces I want). I don’t want to have to pay for an app to get stress metric or download an app to see steps taken on watch face. \*Web interface (Connect) \*Morning Report \*Superior GPS performance with SAT IQ. \*ANT+ device connectivity \*Customizable activity data screens \*More complete and customizable watch faces \*LED flashlight \*Buttons, and “hot keys” with many functions programmable to a button hold or combination button hold. \*More reliable training metrics due to more frequent HR and therefore HRV sampling. Stress, body battery, etc. \*Working Pulse Oximetry \*Suggested workouts \*Garmin coaching plans \*On-Watch Activity review.

Lightweight and more budget friendly is the 955 and 965 (mip and amoled), then you have the same as you are used to, the Fenix 7 will have the training readiness and DSW with mip display, or Epix/Fenix 8 (cheaper/expensive) for amoled. It will all depend on budget. The coros and suunto are not so strong options for the maps. But your Fenix 6 should have daily suggested workout, except the option to see weekly suggested workouts I think.

Switched 5 years ago. Echoing the comment here: this is **not** a smartwatch, but a **sports/adventure watch.**  You won’t be reading your emails, getting texts, or calling a Uber, and the screen is nowhere near as responsive as the AW. If you’re looking for a phone one your wrist, Garmin is not for you. But if you’re training for a sports race, anything from a 5k to an ultramarathon, or even just trying to stay generally fit, the load tracking and suggested workout feature alone is worth it. The battery of data signals you get to tailor and improve your training is worth the switch alone, to a Foretunner or Epix or Fenix. Not even getting started on navigation in the mountains, which is really good — if you hike, camp, trail run, cycle, or generally enjoy being out, you will love your Epic or Fenix.

I was you 3 months ago, do it! You will never look back, I went with the Garmin Epix and love it,

Two months in review - you mean you almost need to charge it a second time?! 🙂 I always wanted one, before the amoled era. I don’t know why I stuck with Fenix and then switched to Epix… As a fellow of the mid-40s club (who also exercises some), I concur it’s overkill. It’s also part of the reason that keeps me going. So to add a famous quote: “No ragrets”. 🫡

I feel exactly the same way and I'm also a decade plus garmin watch user. I bought both the Epix and AWU1 at the same time with the intention to return one of them after I tried them both out - kept them both. Epix is my workout watch and AWU is my day to day. AWU couldn't ever replace it as my workout watch, mainly because of battery life and how annoying it is to me to deal with touch screens when you're all sweaty during a workout. I could function with just the Epix, but the deep inegration of the AWU with my iphone is phenomenal. I also just reactivated the lte on my AWU (6.50 per month with a phone plan on US Mobile - who is awesome) and started wearing both on runs since it's so nice to be able to stream music and leave the phone behind.

Mother vote for Garmin epix. Bought second hand off eBay for less than £250

Garmin forerunner, Fenix, epix, Enduro. And nothing else matters

Vivoactive and Venu (non X1, that thing should have had a name of its own) don't have the advanced running metrics. So it's Forerunner , then check whether the features you want are in Instinct, Fenix, Enduro or Epix if you like one of those better.

UI-wise I find 965 way better than the epix. I 've been using epix fore more than 9 months and my friends FR 265's UI is even better than mine.

I've noticed that between Epix 2 (v4) and Epix 2 Pro (v5) the later is less prone to cadence lock during simple walking for example.

Just be careful of button pushing. There’s usually a caveat in the manual about that. I think the Descent and Fenix 8 have inductive buttons with haptic feedback (?) for this reason. That said I shower with my Epix and push the buttons occasionally in/around water and haven’t had any issues.

i think most people will recommend the garmin line up for non apple users, i use the epix after ditching the whoop and although i miss some whoop creature comforts (mostly being able to trend what affects my sleep) it does what the whoop does at an upfront price - will say that garmin has a subscription service now but it's mostly their ai stuff and additional features, nothing i had before has been taken away

I am an all Apple guy and i've had several iterations of Apple Watch. I just got a 970 on launch and couldn't be happier. The larger, much more readable screen during runs. The battery life. the physical buttons during runs. The metrics that are actually evidence based, not something like you'd get from Bevel. It's just a much better tool. I previously had an Epix and while i did like it the UI was so old and slow i grew to hate the watch. the 970 is the best of both worlds. The UI is much better (can be a little slow at times, but i'm ok with it). I do wish the stupid bezel didn't scratch so easily! I went through each app and disabled notifications i don't want. I was getting too many.

Curious about the fitness tracking and how it compares to Garmin? I’m a Garmin Epix user and considering other brands.

You are not missing anything. Garmin is overpriced and is selling because it is well eatablished brand, not because their watches are worth it.  If you do not need specific advanced metrics, other brands will provide you with same key data for much less money. Garmin procides user with more features and data, but some that data is unreliable and some of those features are half-baked.  I believe Garmin watches have accurate sensors, but due to bad quality assurance in produ tion or whatever reason, many HR sensors started exhibiting issues with accuracy later after months of usage. Garmin acknolwedged HR issues last year but still did nothing to fix it which leada me to believe it is hardware issue as well (they just go quiet in those cases). Also, Garmin hardware quality is not always the best, just look at button failures on their Garmin Fenix 7 and Epix watches - still ongoing issue with those watches sold today at very high prices. Not to mention bad mic amd speaker on Fenix 8 or bad BT module in almost all newer Garmin watches which leads to connectivoty drop outs and issues. It is the best that you do research as you did.

Suunto is also serious competitor. Many Garmin users know about some features not working as advertised. That surprise is not specific for one brand only. It is funny how you skip what I wrote and dance around it. What I said stands - there are other brands that offer beter quality and more features for the money.  You cherry pick one feature that does not work reliably on Amazfit and think that Garmin is better because of it. I never said all features work great on any watch (This OP was about Garmin, not other watches). I said that there are some half-baked features on Garmin watches that work unreliably, which should not happen for such expensive watches.  Finally, DC rainmaker is good but leans heavily toward Garmin. For example, he never mentioned thar Instinct 2 is painfully slow in everyday operations, especially in saving activity and loading a route, and only admitted that fact when he was confronted by several negatively surprised commenters. He never mentioned washed out disolay of Instinct 2. Then in T-rex 3 review he said thst Amazfit does not support its watches for long-time as Garmin does while completely disregarding the fact that Garmin silently stopped feature updates for Fenix 7 and Epix watches it was still selling at high prices, which is much worse than what any other brand did. And so on.

Hard to beat the Garmin Fenix / Epix / Enduro line in terms of battery life. Note: leaving a watch on the map screen drains a lot of power regardless of watch brand. The Instinct is a good second choice if you only need a breadcrumb track to follow; no maps. Maps , on the watch, gives you more information on terrain but shouldn’t be a deal breaker. You could always refer to your phone. Look at previous versions of the watch to fit your budget.

The instinct series might interest you as well, as they are more rugged with very long lasting battery. I have owned one in the past, then jumped to Forerunner 955 for the maps, then to Epix - for the flashlight and AMOLED screen, and now to Fenix 8 for the voice commands, taking phone calls from the watch. The new instinct 3 series have the flashlight too, and the 2X might have it as well (don't quote me on that) Best of luck, they're all great watches!

Garmin. Love my Epix 2 Sapphire. The Sapphire versions have very scratch resistant glass, and the big bonus of including the TOPO maps

Wait. Are you me? I feel like I could have written this. I bounce between iPhone & Galaxy phones. Currently using the Z Fold 7. I have 2 Apple Watch Ultras (1 & 2), Galaxy Watch Ultra & 8 Classic and Garmin Epix Pro 2 Sapphire 47MM. I do short triathlon (and the respective training), obstacle course racing, hiking, F45 functional training, golf and pickleball. The Garmin is the best fitness watch, especially when training for something. The Apple Watch Ultra is the best of both worlds. It's the absolute best smartwatch available and with the usage of 3rd party apps it reaches software feature parity with Garmin. But I FAR prefer my Galaxy phones to iPhone. Even so, I'm hard pressed to think of anything the Galaxy Watch does that I would consider better than Apple Watch. As you mention, perhaps Audible, Spotify and YouTube Music? Due to Apple's restrictions and wanting you to use Apple Music? Both the Apple and Galaxy Watches are FAR superior all-around SMART watches than the Garmin. Generally though, when I am using Android, I wear the Garmin. I'll wear the 8 Classic (6 Classic prior) if I'm someplace nice or dressed up. I almost never wear the Galaxy Ultra though. If I have the Classic watch for non-fitness activities, there's nothing it does better than Garmin.

The instinct line, epic, Fenix, and Tactix will all suit your (his) needs. The new Fenix and Tactix will likely be too expensive. I’m not sure what deals exist on the outgoing models looks like. The Epix Gen 2 sapphire is roughly on par with the previous gen Fenix and Tactix, and usually goes for around $400 (until they are all sold out). The Epix is discontinued but will continue to receive support updates. The Epix, even as an outgoing model, has better health and fitness sensors, as well as better GPS related specs than the newer instinct 3. At full price the Epix Gen 2 pro Sapphire was around $1,000. If you think he’ll like something a little more sleek looking, just as tough, and will like the OLED screen, I’d check it out. I have had 2 instincts, Gen 1, and the crossover (based on the Gen 2 models. Both of my instincts were built like tanks. I used them at work and they got beat up in the woods constantly and never failed. I’m sure that the instinct 3 is just as good, I just don’t have any experience with them. I would avoid the forerunner and enduro line. The enduro is a great watch, but the bezel on it and the forerunner is designed for fitness first, not strength. The raised titanium bezel in the Fenix, Epix, and Tactix is better at impact protection. The instinct also has a raised bezel and is built like a tank, but it is all polymer.

My garmin epix 2 titanium with a sapphire glass face lasts 15 days

Happy owner of an F6Solar 47mm for almost 5 years, delighted with the Mips screen and an autonomy of 14 days, I missed the integrated maps and substantial improvements in sleep control and lack of nap monitoring. 2 months ago I bought from a friend the Epix 2Gen 47mm with Amoled screen, and maps that, without training, the battery lasts 8 days and although I don't need more and I am satisfied with its features, I feel that I want more autonomy for my weekend getaways, where I monitor//route tracking//GPS...it needs more autonomy. My wrists are not wide, the 47mm fits well but I would often like to buy a 51mm Epix 2 pro. This new f8 has more than double the range of my epix 2, that would fit but the price….the price is inaccessible.

43 is tiny , even the standard 47 does more than that

even the 47mm should be getting like 8-10 with aod ON.

His watch is a 51mm mip so as similar as you can get to the Enduro. Garmin doesn’t make a solar amoled watch. I would expect longer battery from the Enduro but something sounds wrong with his Fenix. Heck, I was getting almost 3 weeks out of my 6x pro and get about the same as he is getting with my 47mm Epix so something must be wrong.

I’m not saying i dont look at the map during a run, I’m saying i dont “pan the map” while i am actually running. I usually stop for a moment if i need to pan and look around at the surroundings if i need to. The default map tracking (and tbt) is fast enough for me when i am coming up on an jntersection. Im also using an epix2. I havent noticed the frustrations you mention, maybe i’m not as sensitive or am used to it.

Hey there. Using my Epix Gen 2 for day hikes - built-in map is quite nice. But for "more advanced research" and to keep a bit more autonomy from the phone, the old Garmin GPSMap 64s with Topo Map is still here. It gives over 24 hours non-stop with a pair of AA Ni-MH rechargeable batteries and a set of other 4 pre-charged AA accus give me solid 3 days non-stop - but if we count the sleep time in, I am more in the direction of 5-6 days autonomy. Yes, the device does not look sexy, and the screen is nothing to compare with modern phones (however, quite a bit better in the sunlight!), but it survived blizzard many times, falling onto the rocks, into the river, being in snow, etc. >10 years old as of now. For maximum autonomy, I'd rather look into direction of solar versions of modern Garmin handhelds. Watch is nice, but as soon as you have to answer a question "man, I am standing here and the road is closed - can I cut it through the valley nearby" the screen size starts to play the role.

I got epix 2nd gen, it’s a good watch but for some reason garmin keeps acting like this line of watches don’t exist, and I miss loads of new features

Many of the Garmin lineup support multi sport, and personally I've been on the Fenix track for over a decade now, currently on Epix Gen2. Handles swimming and running spot on paired with HRM-Pro. I have an Edge 1040 for cycling. Wife has a Fenix 8, it's super nice. Weight not an issue for me, Forerunner is a lighter model but gets a plastic case if I'm not mistaken. And go for the Sapphire screen.

I would recommend either Epix Gen2 or Enduro 2. For hiking, especially if you're going to do multi-day hikes, bigger battery in 51mm options could be handy.

I swapped my AW out for an Epix 2 about a month ago and am glad I did.

I've been trying to figure out exactly this right now.... Here's some info which may help. I have an Apple Ultra 2 and that is my everyday smartwatch. It works OK for run run tracking and there's a pretty good app for surf tracking. I just recently tried it with swim and it's OK. The auto sets feature (e.g. recognizing 4 laps as a 100) is pretty reliable, but I don't think that the automatic split times are especially accurate. HR is somewhat accurate. I've tried both the built-in workouts app as well as the [swim.com](http://swim.com) app and although the latter is generally better for "real" swimming it doesn't really fit with my training workflow which involves transferring workouts to Training Peaks. I also wear prescription goggles (-3.0) and find the display very difficult to read in certain scenarios, especially when the screen dims. Some of the data fields are ridiculously small and there is no way to change them. I also have a couple of Garmin devices (Forerunner 955 and Epix gen 2) and for the sake of this discussion both are the same with the exception of the screen technology. The Epix is AMOLED and objectively "better" but the 955 is so much easier to read at the pool. Garmin's auto rest feature (automatic lap/set vs rest feature) is almost good. The issue is that the motion detection is way too sensitive so if I move my arm at all during rest it thinks I'm still swimming. The algorithm also has trouble with rests shorter than 20s so it's common to see workout sets recorded as one big swim blob with some periods of no movement sprinkled in. HR accuracy is similar to apple... at least it was similar for the few times that I wore both to compare. I think that I've settled on wearing the 955 for swimming in the manual mode where I have to press the lap button at the start end end of each rest period. This gives me the most accurate representation of what I did for that session along with pace and HR data that makes sense within the context of the workout. The display is super-easy to read and gives me the information that I need in the pool. The transfer to Training Peaks is seamless and everything appears to be working well at this point. At some point I'm sure I'll stop caring about the exact structure of the workout that I did and just use the watch to record the whole thing. It is possible to pre-build workouts in both platforms and there are virtual coaching products that work with both. I never investigated what's available as I have a human coach who takes care of dictating my daily torture. I will say that having the watch execute the workout isn't all it's cracked up to be. Neither platform is especially good about providing visibility into what is coming up and in some cases barely conveys what you're supposed to be doing right now. If the watch messes up with counting laps then it could put you into a rest period at the wrong time and generally get you out of place in your workout. In some cases it's extremely difficult to go back and repeat a section of a workout. I've gone back to the post-it note stuck to my water bottle as the high-tech way of bringing my workout to the pool. With the workout transcribed in pencil and a rubber band as a safety it's pretty much fool proof.

I went from garmin epix 2 to amazfit helio. Purely because sleeping with the garmin was painful for me whereas with the amazfit can’t feel it. That was the bottom line for me

Finally Venu 4 release, but also finally I can just confidently keep my Epix Gen 2.

I wish I could get those buttons on my Epix Gen 2. Went swimming recently and my down button broke. Inductive buttons would be a worthwhile trade-off for a watch that's marketed as being made for swimming if it won't break in under 2 years.

I have Epix gen 2 and just measured my wrist circumference at1 5 cm. It's prominent, but I am quite used to it. I think you shop for features you want rather than the size.

I got the Epix gen 2, originally I got it because it supported MTB and ski maps but I started golfing with it and love it. I just use the built in apps on it for courses and handicap, so I can't speak to other apps, but it does what I need. The screen is nice and bright too so you can see it any time, even bright sun.

Agreed, I've been using my Epix gen 2 for this for two years its phenomenal

Garmin Epix Gen 2 can be had for $350 or so and it does the things you need. No need to splurge on Fenix or late edition watches.

I just switched from Garmin Epix 2 to a whoop. If you’re a serious runner, the whoop won’t cut it but the Garmin does a good job with the health insights. I’m running less, so I wanted better health insights, which is why I switched to whoop. They aren’t really comparable because they solve for two different goals.

agree. dancing with a fenix 8 will look & feel ridiculous. Slim wrist here, had the fenix 6 pro, epix 2, and fr965. Fenix & epix felt really chunky in comparison to the forerunner, especially running with them.

I agree, Garmin Epix 2 and Whoop owner here. Garmin is pretty shitty at sleep… I’ll be awake for an hour in the middle of the night and it will tell me I had continuous sleep all night. Whoop captures all those wake-ups, even the little ones to roll over. Whoop is convenient because it auto detects activities. It just thinks my heart rate is way higher than it is. No, Whoop, I’m not in Zone 4 playing pickleball. Garmin with its 6 lasers (to Whoop’s 2) is more spot-on (like within 5-10% of wearing my Polar chest strap), but you have to remember to start your activity manually if you want to look at graphs and stats. Garmin is a good watch, with flashlights and altitimeters and compasses and other useful things. There are a lot of customizable watch faces, so you can make it as useful as you like. Whoop is just simple and easy. So far I can’t get myself to get rid of one!

Friend of mine uses my old Fenix. That is a 9 year old watch, going strong. My wife still uses a Garmin watch I gave her 6 years ago. And Im still using an Epix 2, from 2022. There is a lot wrong with Garmin watches , but hardware quality isn't on that list.

Garmin Fenix and Epix Series are far better than this. https://preview.redd.it/cpxhwtjkuuje1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b4d50186d95b15e90086bfa4491d354424f3c0bd I am glad. Haha

Garmin epix 2. So good

My Garmin (Epix Gen 2) measures total volume (type, sets, reps, weight) or else lets you correct anything not automatically detected and then gives you an overall recovery metric that takes into account sleep, calories (of syncing with MyFitnessPal), and stress. It's not perfect and has some annoying constraints (you either lock into a Strength or cardio event when you start working out, so if you go strength you lose some cardio granularity, and if you go cardio, you lose the weights stuff entirely), but it's the best I've experienced so far coming from many years of Fitbits.

The new Venu 4 fits your bill, but costs a bit more, and tbh doesn’t look that rugged Otherwise you’d need to look at the Fenix 7 or Epix series, and go for the 43mm variant

Epix2 should be right in your budget. I bought mine in Dec 2023 for 440 dollshairs so it should a bit lower by now

Did a 26km hike on my Epix 2. Course tracking for the whole thing. Battery went from 10d to 8d. The thing I’m concerned is just the stupid thing that Garmin charges for watch faces. But battery life, Garmin is king

My Epix Gen. 2 is now three years old: if the battery lasts three days, it's only because I haven't done any exercise.

On my Epix watch I have the lock out and screen off functions as short cuts so I can gather data while completely tuning the watch out if I want. There is a ton of value in ignoring the watch and just running without thinking out of it, but I think the long term data gathering has some value. Seeing my yearly mileage slowly go up gave me insight into the fact that I’ve gradually made positive lifestyle improvements. I find it helpful when I’m going through a psychical low - having numbers I can look back on and put the now into context is useful. So that’s what I do. Turn the screen off, lock out the watch and run when I need to.

The oura ring is not a good fitness tracker in my experience. It’s great for sleep/recovery tracking, but I definitely think it’s way behind in the fitness tracking game. As for Garmin, I can’t really recommend you a model tbh bc I’m really only experienced with the Fenix. What I would say is that depending on how long you plan to wait to go back to MTB/weights, it may be worth it to get the Fenix now and you’ll have something good for that later. I do know there are some great deals on the Fenix 7’s/Epix 2’s as they’re now last gen. But they’re still extremely relevant and can be had at great prices for the features they contain. Just some food for thought

I'd take advantage of a sale on the Epix 2 or Fenix 7. Garmin's last, and think of it more as an investment and not a purchase. I'm not sure what your long-term fitness goals are, but a Forerunner or Fenix/Epix model will be able to cover anything you throw at them long-term. The biggest thing I've been telling my friends is, if you ever have dreams of doing a triathlon, get a Forerunner 255/265 and above since that's when the multi-sport/triathlon mode starts.

The Fenix 5 is a beast. I sold mine about the same time. Upgraded to Epix2.

If your sensor should struggle because of the tattoos you can use white epoxy stickers. Before I discovered that I wore my Suunto, Garmin instinct 2, Epix Gen 2 the other way around. But after my both very dark sleeves were finished 6 months ago the heart rate sensor didn't work. Now for the first time in years I wear the new instinct 3 amoled the 'right way', even works with the old Gen 4 sensor. :)

I had my Fenix 3 HR for 7 years before I got my Epix 2 for an amazing deal on Amazon Prime day two years ago. Both are great in the water. I believe Garmin has a specific chest HR for swimming.

I use refsix with an Garmin EPIX 2 and it works well without a connection. I usually cut the Bluetooth connection completely between the watch and the phone during games. This is so that I don’t get disturbed by incoming text messages. I think the 255 needs to stay connected. I got my Epix 2 in a sale at just $100 more than I was planning on getting a 255, so if you have time to wait for deals good to keep an eye on those.

I had Fenix6x and Epix2, and both times I sold them with feeling “Stop eating this cactus”. I like body of Garmin, buttons, battery, features, but Garmin OS and interfaface are so… professionals only and non-friendly

> I do not want 1000$ Garmin tbh that's not the competition to the race s, but really the epix 2 (cheapest amoled with maps) which you can get for $300-400 i think it's fair to say that the race s has ok HR accuracy, but not best in class. i personally didn't have issues with the HR tracking but i did have a bunch of other issues: https://www.reddit.com/r/Suunto/comments/1itwkov/suunto_race_s_review_and_why_i_am_forced_back_to/ > I'm a little weary about the Race S, as I have a 7 inch (177.8 mm) wrist and this may be on the smaller side? i'm not quite sure whether you're referring to your wrist or the watch being small, but i have 160mm wrists and it was about the right size. wouldn't want it any bigger, but the larger strap balances it out.

I'm unsure what they cost overseas, but the Epix 2 has been on sale in the states the past month for $300-$400. I'd suggest adding the Forerunner 955/965 as a consideration with the Fenix/Epix watches. Are you considering the Approach S70 or different high end Approach watch? Because, IMO, that's the only one you should consider. You'll have to decide whether you value weight, aesthetics, and golf or fitness flexibility. * Functionally, the S70, Forerunner and Fenix/Epix are almost the same. It will do everything you want and more. * Will you be wearing the watch full time? The Fenix/Epix watches looks amazing, and can be worn casually or dressed up with a different watch band. IMO the metal body makes a visual difference. * Do you value weight? The Forerunner and S70 is 55g and the Fenix/Epix come in around 80g and the weight difference is noticeable. You get used to it though. The Forerunner has a plastic body, S70 is ceramic, and the Fenix/Epix have either SS or Titanium body. A couple links to help: * [https://breakingeighty.com/garmin-epix-2-review](https://breakingeighty.com/garmin-epix-2-review) * [https://www.reddit.com/r/GarminWatches/comments/1dxeltp/approach\_s70\_or\_epix\_pro\_2/](https://www.reddit.com/r/GarminWatches/comments/1dxeltp/approach_s70_or_epix_pro_2/) IMO, if you can find the Epix 2 for $300-$400 -- get the Epix 2.

I'm unsure what they cost overseas, but the Epix 2 has been on sale in the states the past month for $300-$400. I'd suggest adding the Forerunner 955/965 as a consideration with the Fenix/Epix watches. Are you considering the Approach S70 or different high end Approach watch? Because, IMO, that's the only one you should consider. You'll have to decide whether you value weight, aesthetics, and golf or fitness flexibility. * Functionally, the S70, Forerunner and Fenix/Epix are almost the same. It will do everything you want and more. * Will you be wearing the watch full time? The Fenix/Epix watches looks amazing, and can be worn casually or dressed up with a different watch band. IMO the metal body makes a visual difference. * Do you value weight? The Forerunner and S70 is 55g and the Fenix/Epix come in around 80g and the weight difference is noticeable. You get used to it though. The Forerunner has a plastic body, S70 is ceramic, and the Fenix/Epix have either SS or Titanium body. A couple links to help: * [https://breakingeighty.com/garmin-epix-2-review](https://breakingeighty.com/garmin-epix-2-review) * [https://www.reddit.com/r/GarminWatches/comments/1dxeltp/approach\_s70\_or\_epix\_pro\_2/](https://www.reddit.com/r/GarminWatches/comments/1dxeltp/approach_s70_or_epix_pro_2/) IMO, if you can find the Epix 2 for $300-$400 -- get the Epix 2.

I faced the same issue a couple of months after buying my Epix Gen2 (not Pro). Seller, Garmin support on Garmin forums and the official Garmin service in my city answered "Sorry, return only. There is no possibility to fix". Have sent it back, waiting for a verdict... By the way, I haven't come across mentioning of this issue in other models (Fenix, Forerunner etc.). In Epix Gen2 only. Maybe it's a flawed model.

I love the Garmins because of battery life and all the fitness metrics. I've owned a Fenix 5, Epix Gen2 and a Fenix 7 sapphire solar. I'm partial to MIP screens and like the 7 the most but if you are a fan of AMOLED screens, the Epix is great. I use mine with a Pixel 9 and I've never had an issue with that. You can also store music files on these watches and pair the watch with earbuds so you don't need to take your phone on runs.

I have a Epix 2 prior to that and Fenix 5, used both for strength training, still use my Epix for that purpose. It’s fantastic, you can program multiple workouts on Garmin connect, set the weight, reps, set and rest time and load several workouts onto the watch. I just turn up and select my workout: upper A, lower, upper B, arms and back etc After each set you can manually update the reps (rep counter is ok, mostly accurate) and or weights so as your progressing you can update on the fly your weights and reps. Post workout it gives me enough data to see progress or gaps in training.

it really depends, agree you don't look at the data but if you like to run trails, looking at the map is pretty important I use amoled (epic2) and two things are huge disadvantages mainly for longer runs: \-sometimes the wrist gesture does not work, happens not too often but ofc in the most irritating moment like you don't know if you have to turn left or right on a crossroads etc. and you end up shaking your hand like stupid (you can solve this by turning off gesture and having screen all the time on but you have to run with a strong light on your wrist which is irritating after dark and ofc battery suffers for longer trails) \-direct sun during a snowy winter, there is completely no way to see anything, like not sure how all those amazing reviews are missing that simple fact. It even doens not have to be so snowy just winterish strong sun and amoled gives up. \-last one but only important when you start duing the day and end after dark or other way around, if you set your brightness to high for good visibility in the sun then it is crazy bright after the sun goes down etc. other then that amoled works just fine, I would change for mips but actually it is getting harder and harder to get a nice mips watch.

Black on black! 2 days of use and the improvements are incredible. The 45mm new display is gorgeous, the speakers and microphone are vastly improved, the battery life and charging speeds are excellent and overall the performance is noticably quicker. Very happy with this purchase. (I owned the PW2 and came from a Garmin Epix Gen 2). (Watch face is S4U Assen).

Garmin's fitness tracking is better. I look at it like this: if you want a fitness tracker with some smartwatch functionality get a Garmin, if you want a smartwatch with full Android and Gemini ecosystem, with pretty good fitness tracking get a Pixel Watch. That said according to reviews sleep tracking is superior on the PW4.

Whoa, that is without the AOD. And that assumes you won't turn the screen on all that often. With AOD on and a few hours of GPS activities per day, the OLEDS need charging almost as much as an Apple Watch! I know I've tried an EPIX 2 and they are crap compared to MIP Battery life.

Garmin is where I ended up after trying multiple other watches - there's just nothing else that comes close to overall stability and quality (I had practically zero bugs on my Epix 2) and battery life (6-10 days, depending on AoD). It also has quality offline-first maps for sports and still keeps most of smart functionality.

Make sure you also consider the prices of the Epix 2 (and maybe the Epix 2 Pro?) in your decision. Epix 2 has essentially the same feature set as the 955, but with an OLED screen but with better build quality. It can often be found for < $400 in the states new and less than $300 used. The only thing to be aware of is the non-Sapphire version lacks dual-band GPS. To me the big difference between the watches in your OP is maps. Depending on what you do this may be a non-issue or a huge feature. I basically don't touch maps when I'm on roads, but for trail stuff like hikes and trail running I find maps to be an absolute necessity. It's great being able to load a route/GPX file in your watch and follow that on your watch without touching your phone.

I managed to get through a \~24 hour 100 miler with an Epix 2 by switching the tracking to GPS only and turning off the always-on screen (raise wrist showed screen). I wouldn't necessarily recommend an OLED screen watch for someone doing a lot of hundred mile races, but depending on the course and your fitness you could probably make one of the 47mm Fenix models work or the 51mm Epix Pro.

I used a Samsung watch and before that a old suunto. I have now have an epix 2 and it seems pretty accurate, tracks very closely to my hr straps and my sleep tracking seems fine too. It is not perfect but overall, its the best watch ive used

I have the epix and really like it. Has all the golf features I need but I can use it for hiking/running and gym stuff also. Battery life is fantastic

My wrist is 7.5" (American here, so not well-versed in metric). It looks like 18cm is just over 7" and I've been wearing 47mm Garmin watches since the Fenix 6 Pro. Followed by the Epix Gen 2 and now the Fenix 8. I recently tried the 970 and it honestly felt great. I really wish I hadn't returned it but I didn't want to deal with selling my Fenix 8, so I did. I've been debating getting another one. But the 970, because it's thinner, lighter, and not as bulky as the Fenix 8, doesn't *feel* like a 47mm watch (at least the ones I've become used to). It wears smaller, and that's a good thing. I think you'll be fine with the size.

I use the Apple Watch Ultra but I also have a Garmin Epix 2, both of them work fine: * Garmin: * Health and fitness metrics: Garmin will give you a lot of metrics (maybe too many if you are not training a lot) (Body battery, HRV, stress levels...) * Physical buttons: works better with sweat and rain than a tactile screen. * Haptics: very useful for running series. * Battery: 10x the battery of an Apple Watch * Android: if you do not have an iphone this the one to go * Apple: * Apple Ecosystem: works great with your Iphone, Airpods, Apple Pay etc * Health and fitness metrics: with the new update it gives you some metrics that will determine how tired you are, how was your sleep etc (for me these are more than enough)

I will be moving from an Epix Gen 2 to a Pixel Watch 4 45mm once I'm able. This was helpful. One note - Unless you are coming from the Fenix 8 51mm, the screen size of the 45mm Pixel Watch 4 is larger (1.46 inches) than the Fenix 8 47mm/Epix Gen 2 at 1.3 inches. I think you lose a bit over the edge of the Actua curve, but it's still larger.

I've got an Epic Gen 2 and plan to switch when there's a Black Friday deal. If I do I'll try to remember and let you know

On my epix gen 2, the entire screen might as well be an IR beacon under nods.

Expanding this.. the Fenix line (and the epix gen 2/pro which rolled into the Fenix 8) drastically drop in price if you buy say two years ago model. I don't need scuba or a flashlight so I replaced my Fenix 5 after 6 years with an epic gen 2 for $350. At that point it is stupid good value for money.

My Epix 2 runs 25 days between charges, no problem.

I've decided not to decide. Neither does 100% of what I want. Until one clear winner is declared, I'll use both. The AW doesn't have the screen size not customization for navigation when backpacking, the battery to make it through more than a day hike and the display, while pretty is a little too foo-foo for me... The Garmin doesn't have cellular, can't control my Smart Home and doesn't sync as cleanly as the AW. I use the AW (Ultra2) as my EDC and the Garmins (Epix G2 and 965) when I do anything more than go for a walk. Backwoods backpacking navigation, Fat Bike Bikepacking primarily.

Garmin watches have outstanding battery life. I have the Fenix Pro 7 and my wife has the Epix Gen 2. Both are great watches for golf and everyday use!

Sooo I'll start in general... Garmin is a great option for you except for weight training if you use your watch for more than just basic hr recording during an activity. I use Hevy (paid subscription) while I workout but start a strength training activity on my Garmin to get hr data. Depending on your budget and the Instinct 3 is a good option, however not having maps will not be great for hikes. If you are looking to do hikes i suggest the Fenix 7 or Epix gen 2 ( there are pro versions of those watches which include newer hr sensors and an ecg sensor) Getting certified refurbished items from eBay is a great option.

That is interesting. Got the same epic gen 2 when chose it over AWU 2. I’m all in to Apple ecosystem tbh. But the watch just felt less giving the the garmin. The battery life, the (so said) lack of accuracy in sleep and other measures compared to garmin.

It is expensive in comparison to other garmins, but so worth it. I chose the epix over AWU and love it.

I’ll get downvoted for this but Apple Watch Ultra has better GPS and heart rate sensor. However I like using my Epix 2 for running and my AWU2 for gym, swim, and everyday stuff. I also use the cellular function a lot.

Lately I feel like I'm more tired when I try to maintain a certain pace when using my Apple Watch Ultra 2 compared to my Garmin Epix 2. I also noticed that my HR is higher on my AWU2 vs Epic 2 running the same pace. Today I thought I'd use both at the same time. I was pretty surprised at the results. My heart rate readings from both devices are within 1 bpm of each other but the distance (and pace) has a huge difference. AWU2 recorded 8km (my target distance for today) at 6:58 min / km pace / 140 ave HR. Garmin Epix 2 recorded 9.14km at 6:06 min / km pace / 141 ave HR. Whenever I run with people using Garmin (different models) and I use my Garmin we basically do the same distance (maybe within 20m of each other), when I use my Apple Watch when I run with people using Garmin I always end up having to run a bit longer to record the same distance. I think if Apple is off by 10m or 15m per km to Garmin that's ok, but this is like a 15% difference. What do you think guys? Which brand is more accurate? https://preview.redd.it/9mapv9h5u1wf1.png?width=2625&format=png&auto=webp&s=01b628b08c8aff282c53b9db437d1c039d22aae0

I haven’t been swimming for months now but I am using a Garmin Epix Gen 2. I was using this and a Fenix 3 before that.

I use a Garmin Epix 2 to track my runs. You can set up custom runs and intervals. But I also use the Interval timer app on my phone. I like the app better for a few reasons. It keeps me from obsessively looking at my watch. It is louder, especially when I run with friends. It makes the post run data easier to interpret as it doesn't show 100 different stages. The cons of the app for me are that I sometimes lose track of if I am on walk or run. Since I run with my phone in a run belt, it takes some fumbling to get it out to check. For the same reason, it makes it harder to adjust on the fly.

I use a Garmin Epix 2 to track my runs. You can set up custom runs and intervals. But I also use the Interval timer app on my phone. I like the app better for a few reasons. It keeps me from obsessively looking at my watch. It is louder, especially when I run with friends. It makes the post run data easier to interpret as it doesn't show 100 different stages. The cons of the app for me are that I sometimes lose track of if I am on walk or run. Since I run with my phone in a run belt, it takes some fumbling to get it out to check. For the same reason, it makes it harder to adjust on the fly.

I second epix 2. It's a fairly sturdy watch too. Personally, I don't do much about setting up the strength workout. I just start the strength workout and make sure I log sets and rest periods properly. Garmin also let's you make all the edits after the workout in the app, including changing the exercises.

Better UI and day to day use for me. What drove me to switch back to Apple was the improvement of figment metrics and Garmin pretty much stop support for new features 2 years after I got the Epix gen 2. With Apple I can get the new OS for at least 5-6 years and cheaper.

Solid breakdown! I'd second the Epix 2 rec - got one refurb from Amazon and it's been bulletproof for over a year. The screen quality is chef's kiss compared to the Instinct series and battery still lasts like 10+ days even with GPS workouts Just make sure it's sold by Amazon directly and not some random seller if you go that route

I used to have an Epix 2. I started to have issues with arrhythmia and Garmin kept dragging their feet getting their ECG approved in Europe so about a year ago I switched to an Ultra 2 and I have already been able to record a couple of afibs with and show the ECGs to my doctor. I kind of miss the whole Garmin ecosystem on fitness side (I have a Garmin bike computer), but on the other hand as a smart watch the Ultra is leaps and bounds better especially in the Apple ecosystem. I do have to charge my Ultra every 2-3 days, but in regular everyday life that’s not that much of an inconvenience compared to the Epix’s once a week. If I was coming from a Fenix or something like that, I might miss the battery life more. I read somewhere that Garmin finally got the approval for ECG in Europe, but at the moment my priority is to upgrade this old phone of mine so I’m not really into paying for another expensive watch.

I never have had any issues with swimming with the Venu 2 & Epix 2. The distance is almost always correct. Sometimes it's 1 lap off but that's quite rare. That said, I've been swimming all my life and am quite quick with 1:30/100m over long distances (2k-4k). So maybe I am more predictable and easier to track than a less experienced slower swimmer

You can use a garmin watch for just about any activity possible. There is so much you can do with them. As someone who switched from apple to garmin, i absolutely love my watch. There is a wide range of watches and price ranges. You often can find deals on amazon as well. I have an epix 2. Their big line of watches is the fenix. Battery life is wild too. I probably charge mine once every 10 days or so and i wear it day and night.

I use the Epix Gen 2 as my everyday fitness watch. It has also been the best golf watch I’ve owned. Even more accurate than some of the golf specific Garmin models I owned.

I currently have an AWU. I've had a Fenix 6S which I sold to fund the AWU. I picked up an Epix Gen 2 on the Amazon sale last week. There are definite pros and cons to each. The AWU is better at notifications that you can interact with as well as providing more detail and pictures that can be very helpful, and if you have an iPhone the integration is superior in pretty much every way. Garmin is IMO better as a multi-sport/fitness watch and with a battery that can last anywhere from a week to a month, it's the watch you take if your going on long trips, hikes, etc. Now that I have both I actually will keep both and rotate them along with my 'real' watches. If funds aren't a driving point to be able to afford the switch consider keeping the AW. It does have it's use. Ideally if you could easily sync health data between both into a single app so it didn't matter which you were wearing and your info/stats were updated centrally that would really be the win.

Previous Samsung below the new Watch 7/7 Ultra are below Garmin and Apple in terms of health data accuracy and GPS, meanwhile the newest Samsungs are on pair with Garmin and Apple. The downside is battery beacause WearOS is a crappy OS that use a LOT of battery for everything, so they need to charge it every 2-5 days. Garmin are more suitable if you are looking for a smartwatch with longer battery life and if you don't care about having a smartphone on a wrist. For example i have switched from a Watch 5 Pro to a Epix 2 mainly beacause i don't use the extra functions of WearOS (calling, using Whatsapp on the watch, Google Assistant, Bixby, ecc...) and i prioritize a longer battery life while having health sensors. But the Garmin Venu can make call and send SMS while having a 10+ days battery if they need call and SMS on the watch.

I've got a Garmin Epix 2. It's brilliant for reasons you won't care about, and I love it for things that'll add nothing to your life. It, or one of the cheaper ones, would probably do all you need and more. But. In your shoes I'd get the Form goggles. I've heard really good things about them and it sounds like you can take or leave most of the features. And you accept goggles in your life...you might as well have a pair that do the tracking you want too.

I have an Epix Gen 2, can pick up for about £320 ish when on offer. I've had mine just over 12 months now, love it.

I switched to the Garmin Epix Gen 2 a couple of years ago, and whilst I still use the Garmin because of reasons I'll describe further down, in my opinion, the Apple Watch Ultra is a better watch in \_almost\_ every way - as both "smart watch" and "sports watch". The argument that it doesn't do everything that the Garmin does out of the box is a bit flimsy when you can get an app to make up the difference for a few dollars a year, and it does everything else as well if not better e.g. screen, connectivity, HR, app ecosystem, general UI polish. The old cliche of "Apple Watch is a smart watch that does some fitness, and the Garmin is a fitness watch that does some smart" should actually be "The Apple Watch does both really well, the Garmin does one well, and is barely even tries to succeed at the other", and if you can have both, why not do it. The battery comparison is a very important one, but I don't feel it is important for the reasons most people say it is. The modern Apple Watches will charge so quickly, that taking it off every day shouldn't be that much of an issue for most people, and the reasons the battery runs out so quickly are generally the same as the reasons why it is a better device for day to day use. Where the Apple Watch battery does however become a big problem if you're running (or otherwise taking part in) long endurance events - e.g. runs over 100km (at my slow pace). Some faster people can probably do 100 miles on a single charge of the Apple Watch Ultra, and I had to charge my Garmin during my last 100miler. I'd stick with what you've got, and perhaps spend a little more on an app to make up the differences in workout metrics instead. Reassess when your Apple Watch 10 is obsolete, but even then, seriously consider the AWU instead of the Garmin unless you really need it.

I'd suggest a Polar arm band to wear, which can pair by Bluetooth with the watch of your choice. I use a Garmin Epix 2 and I run an MMA program, but the watch is in my bag and the armband up under my sleeve. The Polar arm band is great. I'd used a Garmin chest strap before and found it buggy and uncomfortable. Definitely would NOT want to be grappling with a ring or a watch on myself or a partner.

Garmin Epix Gen 2 - I bought it on launch so I've had it for about 3.5 years... Zero issues with it.

They changed it! At least for the Forerunner 265, Epic Gen 2, and the Fenix 8. You can now download YouTube music on the watch. All my playlists are on there.

I have a Garmin epix 2, paired with a Pixel 8. This was after selling an iPhone and Apple Watch. I prefer not having to charge my watch every single day! Really the only integration with the phone are notifications and the ability to locate my phone from my watch.

I second this. Bought the same watch for same price or even less than the Approach S70 and have no regrets. Better screen than the Fenix, but has the exercise features I need

Recently sold my Epix 2 for an AWU2. Yeah the battery definitely sucks, and that’s coming from an Epix 2 already which still sucks by Garmin standards. However, I don’t ever see myself going back to Garmin. I use my phone for work a lot, and being able to use Siri to call/text, use ChatGPT, and see & interact with all notifications keeps me off my phone a lot. In that sense, I’m way more productive as I never miss any important notifications and don’t have to open my phone. It’s sort of become a dumb phone in a sense that still keeps me on top of my work. So with that, it really just boils down to your lifestyle & what you need. This isn’t necessarily a “no brainer” thing. Case in point—my father switched from a Galaxy Watch to a Fenix 8, and he loves it so much more since it encourages him to exercise more which is what he needs at his age (plus the great battery which is one less thing for him to think of). So yeah, to each his own; let’s just be happy we all have different types of devices for different people.

I switched from the original Apple Watch Ultra to an Epix two a while back and every once in a while, I get to missing the Apple Pay. My bank doesn’t support Garmin pay and will try switching back and I’ll wear it for 2 to 3 days and then back in the drawer it goes. I think I’m gonna list it on eBay tonight so I can avoid this special cycle. I just bought a forerunner 970 I’m on my way to pick it up and I’m going to gift my Epix to my little brother.

I have a Garmin Epic Gen 2 (had a Fenix 8 but returned it) and also an Apple Watch (had 5 so far). Both are fine and the Apple Watch doesn’t need to be a phone on your wrist and can do just as much for you as the Garmin. I think the saying goes that “everything helps” and in the case of a Garmin - it’s a sort of mindset thing that wearing this watch may subconsciously reminds you to take care of your health - so it’s psychologically maybe more effective then an Apple Watch… just my theory. In terms of what those watches can do - it’s kind of the same: both can track your hear rate , both can track exercise quite accurately, both have a GPS, both have sleep tracking. Plus point for the Garmin: - looks much better - perhaps can make you feel like you’re part of a family of people who like heath and sport - much better battery life - makes you focus on sports and health since it’s not really a smart watch Plus point for Apple Watch: - more stable software then Garmin (for example Fenix 8 software is not the best - I just returned mine) - I’d say Apple has better quality software in general and it’s more polished - Garmin is a bit backwards - sleep tracking works a bit better and the watch can track naps while the Garmin tends to miss naps You’re gonna be fine with both options and pretty much with almost any modern Garmin

Big fan of my Garmin epic gen 2. Not cheap but the battery is incredible. Just don't expect it to be a smart watch in the Apple watch sense. It's not, it's a fitness tracker with notifications. My epic lasts 14 to 16 days with no gps running constantly. If I'm hiking with gos on, I can easily get 4 to 7 days depending on settings.

Honestly even the older Epix Gen 2 has 15-16 days battery life already, which is great. Always on display is not a must, the gesture works well and responsive, so I keep that off. If doing like 3-4x 30-60 minute GPS tracks, it might go down to 6-8 days but its still great. I don't feel the MIP is \*that\* much better for battery nowadays, as long as you take out always on display.

Epix Gen 2 is what I use for both golf and running. It's an awesome watch. Had mine for nearly 2 years now.

Swapped my Epix 2 for the 165. It was just too big and full of nonsense features… jump master and anchor drift… 🤣. Best Garmin ever the 165

Garmin Epix Gen 2. Not very budget friendly though.

I went from Samsung watches to Garmin Epix 2 and I'm so happy. No need to charge every day, the biometrics are much better and accurate (of course now I'm comparing to Samsung). Also I like the Garmin app more how it shows the data. Sometimes I feel like I would like to wear my Samsung for work, but I also track actively my steps so I can't switch all the time

If you have access to a Sam's club might be worth looking there. I got a epix gen 2 last week for $194 plus tax. It does both of those seemingly well.

Same. I daily drive the epix gen 2 and it works great for golf and everything else. Though, my last round it didn’t record my shots. I hit a personal best 315 yard drive and it may as well have not even happened. Really a heartbreaker.

This. And switch off AOD. I’ve tracked a 16hr run with my AWU2, and easily did ribs and hikes of 8hrs with a regular AW(whatever version was out in 2018)…just NOT with the default settings. Oh, and ignore the “just buy a Garmin/Coros/Suunto/Anazfit/ whatever” responses. They’re not helpful! I’ve ran with watches from all those brands through to as recently as Garmin Epix 2. There’s nothing magically “fitness” about them that the supposed “smartwatch” of Apple can’t equally do, and there are lots of advantages to that smarts and having access to a wider ecosystem of apps. If you like the Apple Watch, stick with it, it will easily track a marathon. Take a chance to play with the other watches too, they’re all good but all (inc Apple) pretty much do the same thing when you get down to it running wise.

I've already purchased a Garmin epix gen 2 but don't use it much until my inspire 3 breaks. I really like it's long battery and small form but when it does die, I'm off!!

It's small, amazing battery and you can forget you are wearing it. Don't get me wrong I've already purchased a Garmin Epix gen 2 as a replacement for when it breaks but, I love the form factor of the Inspire 3 and I will definitely miss it. Perhaps get a second hand one from eBay or Vinted just to try. I really do love mine.

I've got an inspire 3 and a Xiaomi smart band 10 with no GPS and a Garmin Epix Gen 2 with GPS. Personally the onboard GPS is not an issue, if you use it it batters the watches battery so I use my phone, it's always with me and the battery is huge.

I've got Runna on annual sub and genuinely do not use it at all. Garmin Coach / Daily Suggestions is also pretty basic IME. What I would do is get a Garmin 55 for £117 (Going via one of the discount links like HealthServiceDiscounts) and then either use TrainAsOne (free version for a few months - after premium free trial - and then if you like it buy the annual sub for £75 on Black Friday), OR, buy a Stryd for £139 with the £8.99 monthly membership for 6 months. If you don't like the Stryd you'll be able to sell it for about £100. I've had a 955 and currently have an Epix 2 and tbh it's only the maps that I really use that I think I would miss in a more basic watch. Some of the stats are sort of fun to look at, but you can get more meaningful and arguably more accurate stats using Runalyze (for free). Oh and get a chest heart rate monitor - a cheap Coospro one will be fine. Edit - actually, you know what, I reckon (check) you could just stick with the Apple Watch and use TrainAsOne and/or Stryd. TrainAsOne will soon be integrating with Stryd AIUI.

Swim functions of Fenix 8 seem to be more of less the same as most somewhat more recent models, even with Swim 2 (honestly, it is fine for swimming. I swam with it for sure a while, but other functions are somewhat lacking). Fenix 8 supports diving but unless you dive, or otherwise do activities not supported by somewhat older models, I am not sure if it would be worth the extra money compared to older models because the swim functions seem to be essentially the same as the likes of Epix or earlier Fenix, more recent swim-compatible Forerunner etc. You should be able to pick up previous models somewhat cheaply, whereas Fenix 8 is quite expensive. I would have bought Fenix 8 if it was much better at swim tracking but it's not, so I did not spend the money to upgrade from Epix Gen 2 (which is annoyingly less accurate compared to Finnis goggles and Apple Watch but I digress)

You might have been unlucky with your watch. If it was under warranty, or not that long out of warranty, do contact Garmin. There are stories of people having them replaced for things that should not have happened. I am on my third Garmin - first one was Vivoactive 4s. It was totally fine with swimming until I smashed it really hard and broken the glass. It still lived for another 2 weeks of daily extended swimming until it finally died. Subsequent replacement, Swim 2, is still very much alive but I wanted other functions so bought Epix Gen 2 when it was heavily discounted. That is what I am using now and it has been totally fine with swimming. If you can, avoid pressing a button while the watch is under water, unless it is a dive watch. I do it from time to time and it copes OK but supposedly not a good thing to do too often (makes the waterproof seal more vulnerable).

I am a dual user of Garmin Epix Gen 2 and Apple Watch Ultra (original version), plus Finis Smart Goggles. Generally speaking, for me, Garmin is worse than AW for accuracy of auto sets - about 20% of my laps are undercounted, and it keeps running up the time well after I stop for a rest - this can even be up to 10 seconds after I stop. AW instead have the habit of not starting the timer until a couple of seconds after I start swimming after a break but the degree of inaccuracy is a bit less than Garmin. For instance, for one of my laps, the time registered on Finis Smart Goggles was 13.3 s. It was 24.3 on Garmin. Finis is definitely the correct one as I can see the timer starting as soon as I push off the wall, and how many seconds it came to when I stopped. Finis has also been validated with manual timing by my coach. I can see that the timer keeps running for a while on Garmin after I stop. Apple watch has a tendency to underestimate the time of took to swim a lap by a small margin. I suspect it starts the timer a bit slowly. So, in terms of accuracy, in my case at least, Apple Watch is a bit more accurate than Garmin, but Apple Watch often underestimates the time it took me to swim a lap, whereas Garmin almost invariably overestimates it.

Vivoactive is pretty good! I swam with it (4s) for quite some time. I only changed to Epix Gen 2 because I killed it doing backstroke without flags and smacked it on the corner of the wall at pretty high speed and smashed the glass (nothing dropped into the pool - but the glass stayed together in bits). It still survived for two weeks after that despite the water getting in it.

My wrist is 13 cm circumference. I have an Epix Gen 2 (47 mm) and it looks pretty enormous on me and it sticks out wider than my wrist. I would not wear it if I were a runner, to be honest. It just feels too bulky. My previous one was Vivoactive 4s and it was a much better size for my wrist (I killed it by smashing it into the wall swimming backstroke without flags).

I use it for workouts and it's pretty good at tracking the reps and sets. Sometimes I have to manually adjust the lift type after the face but it's pretty decent. I also use an external HR chest strap since the watch is not great at capturing bursts in HR. I have an Epix 2.

I have a Garmin Epix. Will likely never Change back. If u are into Sport Go get a Garmin. ITS more a Sport watch with smart functions then a SmartWatch, remember that. The new Fenix 8 or Venus 3 is more and more SmartWatch PS: Battery life is awesome my epix gen 2 Last 17 day with around 15 hours of gps Tracking during that time. I can read incoming Messages(writing back ist tricky but possible)and listen to music over Bluetooth earphone directly from the watch. And even Control spotify on my Smartphone. For me this is all i need fron my "SmartWatch"

Obviously a Fenix 8 Micro LED. For real though, Fenix/Epix watches will give you full golf functionality minus a feature or two which are reserved for the golf specific watches. If you are budget conscious I would look for a Fenix 7/epix 2 series watch. If you have money to spend, a Fenix 8 will be great for everything you can imagine. Forerunner watches do have some golf features but they are dumbed down a bit to basic distance to green and score keeping.

I've had Apple, Garmin and Samsung smart watches but only got "joy spark" from the Garmin Fenix/Epix. The Garmin Fenix/Epix have an intangible attraction that doesn't equate to any feature or activity. One aspect of wearing a Fenix/Epix that I have to admit is attractive to me is that it signifies that I'm a performance athlete.

Depending on the types of weights you utilise in your training, you may want to consider a Garmin with Sapphire Glass. It's pretty much bulletproof (I have hit mine with a 24kg kettlebell more times than I care to mention). That said the Venue range is great if you are not juggling kettlebells.

all garmin watches have all resources youve cited. In my case, I like the look, style and ruggeness, then, my favorite watch is epix/fenix line. I run 4-5 times a week, but use my watch 7 days week, I rly like fenix casual appearance on my wrist when Im not running or doing exercises.