Garmin - epix Pro (Gen 2) Standard Edition 47mm

I have Epix pro gen 2 47mm ss, it is great, got it for 50% off. Don't pay 800, look for discounts, also don't go for newest models, Instinct 2 solar or 2x is great, also Foreruner 955... Find some store and go try them and seek youtube for further info- chase the summit, desi fit...

Had 265, now epix pro gen 2 47mm. Had 70km run and batrery was 40-50% off. If can handle 51mm epix is with enduro battery and it is a beast too. You can try cts od youtube video about ultra marathon with 965. Epix is great watch, dont be concerned about updates, they are all old after one or two years...

Sensor hr 5, flash, sapphire? Maybe. Having epix pro gen 2 but love 955

And im saying that with Epix Pro gen 2 47mm on wrist 🤣

The Epix Pro Gen 2 (47mm) was on sale last week for £360 and that has ECG. I bought it. Seems to have all the features on the Fenix and a nice bright Amoled screen.

That's where I got it from. Good deal and it's been very good so far, my first smart watch of any kind.

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 use an Epix pro gen 2 for the activities you list.

And it *still is* the current watch, just without diving and a speaker/mic. The chips and sensors and everything are identical, there's no reason the Epix Pro hardware can't support the newer features, other than Garmin just doesn't want it to.

Hi! UK also, possibly not “lowest levels” but worth a look for the money, H Samuel on the high street have the epix pro gen 2 for around £360 on a sale at the mo. Gives you 90% of a fenix 8 for loads less money. Will cover everything you listed in your post and more. Source - I bought one last week and coming from Apple Watch Ultra 2, for my needs the Garmin dominates!

Battery life is great, I’ve had mine since last Friday, charged to 100%, have worked out 2hrs per day every day since, only take it off to shower and currently sat at 43%. You can put music on it but as it’s not LTE (my only real fault with it so far) I have to take my phone with me anyway so just use that for music. I believe you can use Spotify, deezer, YouTube music but like I said I haven’t bothered so don’t know how much of a pain it is to do! I had to watch a fair few YouTube videos as it’s my first Garmin too but am getting the hang of it now. Would definitely recommend

Basically, microphone & speaker for calls from your wrist, 40m dive capability, slightly longer battery life, more modern interface (epix has amoled still) more waterproof buttons. That's about it. None of those mattered to me so the epix was a clear win for the money.

Same, I came from AW2 with cellular and was really worried that it not having connectivity was going to be a deal breaker, esp as I like to leave my phone at home when out running. I bought a flip belt and now the phones with me anyway. Everything I need comes with the phone. I turned all notifications on the watch off, and you know what, after 10+ years of AW I don’t miss notifications on my wrist at all. It’s been really nice to be more disconnected if I’m honest. My original plan was to keep my AWU2 and either use both or go back to it when I couldn’t get on with the Garmin. Am a week in now and I’m resetting the AW and it’s going up for sale tomorrow. I love apple stuff and am deep in the the eco system but I’m more than happy with the Epix and it suits my training way more. To answer your question I’ve been for a pool swim with mine and it’s fine so rain / 1 metre is no issue

Yep right model, I think it just means you can accept the call by pressing the button on your watch. You still need to have your phone and AirPods in for it to work tho.

Yeah everything still works , you’ll just sync when back to your phone.

I have a epix pro and battery life is over 2 weeks. The built in flashlight can be a drain if used a lot. Battery life was a huge step up. I like my awu, but felt like I was charging it everyday for my use case.

Not sure model, but strength training should be much improved with the Fenix 8 on. I have the epix pro and wish strength was better, but i just manually track now.

Thanks for this, I am on the fence about dumping my Epix Pro 2 and going AWU3. I'm stuck on the daily suggested workouts feature that I love, and how the watch is simply a source of training/recovery data on my arm as opposed to a mini iPhone.I use the LED flashlight daily so I would miss that for sure. However, being able to run completely phone-free is a BIG plus, as well as modern-day music/audiobook accesss (literally loading an audiobook on my Garmin as I type this and it's SOOO 2003). The always connected while working out is going to become more important to me in a few months as my wife and I are having our first child. I also have a Tesla and being able to leave my phone at home and use my watch as a key for my car is definitely another perk. Are you planning on using RunGap or similar to keep dumping info into Connect? You surely have a lot of data in the Garmin world

I have been using both the AWU and Garmin Epix Pro for a few years now. With the latest updates to Bevel, I put my Garmin in the night stand.

I throw it on the charger every other day while I shower. If I golf I have to do it every day.

For me battery life, durability and for anything sweaty, wet, dirty etc...touchscreen sucks. I have it disabled on my Garmin Epix Pro 2. Think about your *use* case and decide from there.

if you have the epix pro 2, that watch was released about 2 and a half years ago. the normal epix pro was released before that. that said, Garmin can do better with updating their watches. I think with the new menu system with the fenix 8, it will be better. This is also the reason I wouldnt recommend getting an older watch, unless your needs are basic and the deal is good

I have owned two Garmin watches, including currently an Epix Pro. If I had to do it over again I would have saved my money and gotten a Coros Pace Pro.

I ditched a Garmin Epix Pro 2 for my Omega Seamaster Pro and Whoop. Couldn’t be happier . I use Runkeeper for tracking run stats and audible updates that aren’t available on whoop yet.

I’ve worn a lot of watches and trackers. For a beginning runner I would get a Garmin Forerunner. I’ve owned the entry level and the Epix Pro ($1100). Garmin is the most consistent running tool I’ve owned

Appreciate your write up. I’m thinking of getting it from my epix pro 2 but I love this thing. The flashlight is amazing. I am just not using it to its full potential such as thru hikes or ultramarathons. You didn’t mention battery life in either pros or cons. Is it not a big factor for you? What battery life are you getting?

A good thread on someone going from the 7pro to the 955 [https://forums.garmin.com/sports-fitness/running-multisport/f/forerunner-955-series/338556/just-downgraded-from-fenix-7-pro-sapphire-to-955-solar](https://forums.garmin.com/sports-fitness/running-multisport/f/forerunner-955-series/338556/just-downgraded-from-fenix-7-pro-sapphire-to-955-solar) I've had the 965, Epix 2 Pro, and F7XSS and kept the 965. The others felt too bulky for me. It recently died and I tried on the F7 again and just bought another 965 and put a tpu film screen protector on it and am pretty happy with my choice both times around

Fenix 8 if budget isn’t a factor, epix pro gen 2 best bang for buck if budget is a factor

Super practical! I was a newbie runner and the coaching has helped me run 4x a week and increased my pace, distance, and v02 max! I’m so glad I dumped my AW for Garmin though for the epix pro. The battery life cannot be understated

I second this. Exact same use case run 3x/week and weight train 3-4x/week. I found the epix pro gen 2 sapphire to be best utility and bang for buck. I tried the FR but was too run focused and I preferred the more tactical look. The fenix 8 was nice but at double the price with same sensor technology it didn’t felt worth it. You do forgo the mic and voice features but I didn’t need it and didn’t want a true smart watch but prioritized a fitness forward watch. 3 months in and I love my Epix pro gen 2 47mm

Garmin epix pro gen 2 51mm sapphire and hrm pro plus chest strap

I use a Garmin Epix Pro AND up to today an AWU2. Last week I had a long run in the rain and I can tell you the AW was super frustrating because of rain on the screen and trying to interact with it. Garmin physical buttons, no problem. Today just finished a 50k race wearing both. For the second time this year the AW activity froze and then crashed/ended many miles in. If I wasn’t also running the Garmin I would be furious. Also apropo of nothing the AW started at 100 percent and ended at 9 percent. Also the AW did not have always on screen and trying to see the screen on wrist raises — the delay to wake up the screen was irritatingly long by comparison to Garmin. I’m not continuing the experiment and just not using the AW for fitness anime

I use the 4.0 and a Garmin Epix Pro. The 4.0 HR during exercise is trash. Since they didn’t fix the sensor, I will not be upgrading.

I have an epic pro but definitely would have got the gen 3 for everyday at work if they put the new sensor in it. Crazy to me they didn’t.

I’m on an epix pro 2 and just got the AWU3. I already miss the flashlight, who knew that simple feature would be such a highlight (literally). I was planning on giving my Garmin to my son, but I’m still holding off. I’m still trying to get used to Apple’s health app to find the most meaningful metrics after my rides, this is where Garmin Connect had me hooked as it got me addicted to maintaining or improving my vo2, etc.

I would suggest the Garmin in that case. It's not perfect when you are articulating your wrists during workouts (eg - lifting) but it's still very good. Excellent during running or cycling workouts. Check out "Fit Gear Hunter" on Youtube. He is a CrossFit enthusiast who does FIT-file comparisons for the accuracy of Wrist HR on various watches vs. Chest Strap (considered the high-bar standard); the Garmin watches consistently perform well during his workouts based on wrist data. I loved my Suunto for style and the user interface, but when I purchased a Baro9 and it failed to read my resting HR metrics (sleep, recovery, etc.) and my workouts (including running), I was basically stuck with a watch that worked as well as my old Suunto Spartan. It was super disappointing and drove my switch to an Epix Gen 2 Pro. I really enjoy it.

Does an Epix Pro Gen 2 do the same as the Approach watch? I have one for fitness (running, triathlon) and golf, it pairs with CT10 sensors, does virtual caddy and Plays Like.

I tried to switch from Garmin to AWU, and while I love everything the watch can do, I found that I didn’t care about most of the features and apps that my phone and MacBook are much better at doing. Also the Achilles heel of the AWU is the battery life. I couldn’t stand charging it every day and taking portable battery chargers on camping trips, etc. I went back to Garmin and got the epic pro gen 2. I get like 3 to 4 weeks of battery life out of it, along with a flashlight, which for some reason I’ve found insanely useful. It is more fitness focused, but the battery life is a huge factor in a triathlon/ultra marathon watch. The new fenix series coming in the next few months are rumored to have 5g and possibly some additional features. Everything they’ve paywalled I don’t use anyway.

Calories are never accurate. Get the Epic Pro Gen 2. The screen is essential for maps and navigation IMO.

I was 15 years of garmin owner and recent model was epix pro 2. Garmin watches very professional and real deal however i switched to awu2 8 months ago im very happy. Cuz of AW benefits my Main reason was apple music. Im a guy who doesnt carry phone since 2018 while running etc and garmin was full of issues to use music app or load some tracks offline listening as i dont get my phone with me. But.. apple wartch brought all my apple music library and ease of use , and addition to it i have now e-sim cellular online i can receive or make calls without phone while doing exercise in early hours. So garmin has very advanced fitness tracking and better battery life . These two only better over apple watch anyrhing else as smart watch apple watxy better , 72hrs battery live i learnt to live with ut and im not pro sportman i dont need that much data for my fitness

I have an Epix Pro, aka the AMOLED version of the Fenix 7 Pro. It is not a perfect watch, but it is good. However, there are some long lasting bugs in the firmware and the last major version has been release by Garmin despite multiple beta testers reporting bugs. That is something that kills the experience. I had a Fenix 6S Pro and a Vivoactive 4 before. Both good watches with their strengths and flaws, but never that buggy. So, unless you want diving, I wouldn't go with the Fenix 8. Get a used/refurbished Fenix 7 Pro or an Epix Pro and have almost the same watch and features for a lot less money.

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 )

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 )

Garmin does a function called Extended display that enables you to transfer your watch data screens on to your head unit if you happen to own both. Prior to owning my epix pro 2, I was just using my Edge 130 plus (with power meter + hrm). I didn’t really enjoy using the watch on its own while riding because of having to lift my hand of the bars to check my numbers. However the processing power and health data are more advanced on the watch than the little Edge head unit. These days I usually record activities on my watch with display set to ‘off’ and use extended display on the 130 to check out my power/hr/speed etc. If I’m following a route I also use the extended display to view my normal riding data but tap the watch to wake up the screen and browse the map to make sure I’m headed in the right direction. It works really well for me

My watch (Epix Pro) seems to track the sleep phases quite accurately. This is why I decided to go for the Index Sleep armband to make use of the smart alarm functionality. The damned thing hasn't woken me a single time during any "shallow sleep" phase, it always sets off on the exact time! If this doesn't get fixed by a firmware update, it was a total waste of money.

255. Right for your running and cycling. Good batt and price. Epic too.heavy. HR can be less accurate if excessive bounce from running or excessive bounce on bike from uneven roads.

I've been using my Epix 2 Pro to do multi-day Hikes. The issue with Garmin for multiday hikes is their software is very limiting on the watch and on garmin connect. During multi days, if I get to my destination and want to stop the watch for the days stats, I press resume later. This caches the data and will pop the activity back up the next day, but it COMPLETELY DISABLES sleep and other metrics like body battery. So I am unable to effectively track multi days of sleep in the backcountry, a metric I am interested in The other issue is that if you save the activity, you cannot restart that activity... even if you accidently save it. Meaning my miles and activities would be inaccurate Then on top of that, Garmin won't let you stitch multiple single activities into a larger multiday activity on connect... needing random 3rd party sites to do this then reimport Basic software features making this watch not as reliable or user friendly in the Backcountry. I also charge my watch every other day in the field (I bring solar and battery bank) due to using all systems on GPS or the watch gets super weird when in the forest or summiting mountains on steep terrain Other than those simple to fix issues, this watch does everything and anything I need. It has exquisite mapping and one of my most used items in the backcountry If anyone has any fixes to these issues, or has another watch brand that has better software. Let me know

Yes, but I used to do this with the Epix as well. The inconvenience would be to take it off to charge when I don’t need to, not when I would have had it off anyway. If the watch lasts 5-7 days on a full charge with the daily shower top ups I am more than happy. And for long hikes/events, I assume using a chest strap would save a bit of battery as the watch wouldn’t use its optical sensor.

I moved from a Garmin Epix Pro to the Ultra, except I got it last Friday. My treadmill runs over the weekend and Monday were all under 1 hour and consumed between 3-4% battery each, although with a HRM600 chest strap, so no optical sensor. I charged the watch using my phone as a power bank while showering and managed to squeeze 4 days from 80% since I put it on until 10% when I decided to give it a proper top up. Very pleased with the battery, although it’s not the 14 days I got with my Epix. That being said, I love the smart features, the confort (feels very light), the screen, the sensor accuracy, the rings and Workout Buddy. I thought I will miss the morning report and body battery, but am doing just fine without. There’s a free app called Body State which offers some insights, although subscription based ones like Athlytic and Bevel probably have way more. I haven’t tried any of them yet. Sleep tracking seems on point, although I notice a drop in my deep sleep compared to Garmin’s tracking, but nothing major. Things I don’t like: -HR zones and how it calculates them (220-age, and automatic refreshes every month). I don’t know how you can do Z2 runs with it. -HRV sampling seems to happen every two hours. HR sampling is every few minutes when not moving. -No smart coach - but plenty apps in the store - Runna being good. Edit to add more things I don’t like: it overestimates active calories (compared to Garmin) All in all, if they keep improving on it, I don’t think I’m coming back.

I never had it going down, only up. I was actually reading about this over the weekend, and apparently you lose 1-1.5bpm per year, but Garmin never downgraded me.

I swam for triathlon training and for a sprint tri last summer. Garmin Epix Pro 2 and then an Apple Watch Ultra. Both were accurate in the pool. AWU was very accurate during the race (open water in a lake.)

Wish I could say the same recently for my epix pro gen 2 recent update drains the battery over 20% while I sleep with nothing changed in setting I’m getting max 3 days without a charge now 😢

Ich habe die gleiche Erfahrung gemacht. Alle schreien immer wie toll die Akkulaufzeit an der Garmin ist. Vergleich AWu mit EPIX pro 2: Oxygen an, Always on display an, Ich höre bei jeder Laufeinheit Musik. Dual Band an, kein SatIQ. Die Garmin zeigt mir jedes Mal nach dem Aufladen 14 Tage an. Prima. Erfahrung: Nach 3-4 Tagen ist die Uhr schon unter 20%. Die Apple Watch Ultra hält rund 2-3 Tage. Ich lade aber sowieso jeden Tag nach dem Aufstehen, bis ich das Haus verlassen. Das sind meist rund 30 Minuten. Dazu kommt, dass die AWU die Möglichkeit hat, zu telefonieren. Apple Pay, Garmin Pay ist wohl eher ein Witz. Und auch die sonstigen Funktionen braucht man gar nicht erwähnen. Der Unterschied der Batterielaufzeit ist wirklich nicht so groß, wie hier immer behauptet wird.

The Fenix 8 is objectively the best of those watches, but by far the most expensive. The Enduro 3, Fenix 7 Pro or Epix 2 Pro (if you want OLED, which is honestly a must for me now) have a very similar set of features but will be significantly cheaper. I personally wouldn't buy a watch for its solar charging - not only do some models of the Fenix series have that too, but all of those have great battery life to easily last multiple days, and in most cases, you will have the ability to charge your watch in some capacity at the end of the day. I can't say a lot about Coros, pretty sure they're fine too, but Garmin works great for me so I have no reason to switch

Garmin isn't the best imo okay let me rephrase I have the epix pro and venu 3, I prefer venu 3 just because it's a little more lighter and hugs my wrist better

So I had the Apple Watch one ended up switching to the Epix Pro because I do a lot of indoor cycling and I needed to be able to manually adjust the mileage after the workout. Does the Apple Watch three allow you to adjust the mileage in the workouts app after the workout?

Garmin Epix Pro, HR strap (I use a Polar one) & an Oura for Sleep & Recovery has been my trio that has worked the best to get me through training.But do yourself a favor and never look @ your scores for sleep and recovery race day!

I sold the ultra 2 and bough epix pro. but Garmin made it obsolete so soon with no new UI updated and then not rolling on features which are there now on newer watches. It feels like cheated that my 1 and half year old watch is now obsolete. Although Garmin has good health matrix but I do not think it justifies the price tag. I will move back to ultra 3

It's already outdated (but still do more than 165). That why you can buy it at that price so don't expect anymore new update (same as 165,265,955, 965, Epic Pro etc) but the good thing is it's more stable/less bugs.

At that price 255 if you can live without touch screen. BTW Epix Pro at 370 is a steal but if you don't need map, climbing features, rugged &heavy case, 255 is more than enough.

IDK. 955 is maybe Garmin's most bang for your buck. However, look-wise it isn't much different from 255 why pay another 120 more if you don't need map, music, touch screen and climbing features. On the contrary, Epix Pro (Gen 2) looks much nicer but that's another more 80.

Lots of good advice above so probably a case of picking which one you like the look of the most from all those. The only thing I want to add is that they are all quite large and can be uncomfortable to sleep in, so if you really want to do sleep tracking you may want to budget for the new armband Garmin released. I’m sure some people sleep fine with their watch on but I find it too bulky (I have Epix Pro 2 but they are all similarly chunky)

Im happy with my epix pro 2

Having had the Epix Pro the last couple of years - the flashlight has become a feature I can't live without. As much as I like 5 buttons, I would be hard pressed to choose against the flashlight if its an option!

I have a Garmin Epix Pro 2 and like it (I have small wrists and wanted an AMOLED screen so I went for it) but it’s definitely overkill for CrossFit and I’d only go for that or a Fenix if you want maps or tracking for weird outdoor things.  I used the strength mode during heavy lifting but for WODs I found it too much of a hassle to do anything but set it to cardio and let it go. You’d have to basically fill out a spreadsheet afterwards to effectively track anything but heart rate. I do like the sturdier metal shell on some of the nicer ones because I never worried I’d damage the watch, but any heart rate fitness watch would do what I’m using my $800 Garmin for in a WOD

Garmin epix pro. Little to no problem with default swimming function. Sometimes I use ‘Drill logs’ for super accurate tracking (distance wise).

As mentioned already, disabling the auto-interval feature is, in my opinion, essential for accurate swim tracking. I’ve swum with the Garmin Forerunner 245, then the Swim 2, switched to the Apple Watch, and now I’m back to the Garmin Epix Pro. All of them seem to struggle a bit with auto-interval detection, but aside from that, I’ve never had any major issues with tracking swim styles, laps, distance, or heart rate. Occasionally they might miss a lap or two, but nothing worth stressing over. Also, as far as I know, most indoor swim trackers rely on the push-off from the wall to mark the end and start of a lap (outdoor swims use GPS). So it’s possible your push-off isn’t strong or consistent enough to register properly.

I've owned several Fenix watches. I currently use the Epix Pro and Venu 3. No issues whatsoever. Sounds like the Fenix 8 has issues. I hope Garmin gets their quality control back to normal. Watches at this price point should be flawless.

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.

I hated smartsatches, especially those AW or Samsung, because battery life was useless. Then I got an Instinct Solar, 23 days of charge and all the health and sport capabilities were as good or better than AW but I missed the colour screen so I got a Epix Pro and it have it all, 6 to 7 days of battery life with always on display, 15 days without it. Oled screen, sapphire cristal, and everything I need. Never come back to other regular brand.

Thanks Garmin.  Meanwhile Apple watches are nearly all getting feature updates while Garmin leaves the top end model from 6-9 months ago in the corner to starve while dangling expensive stale AI crumbs. -hungry Epix Pro user

This. Recently got Epix pro gen 2, wanted MIPs but there was 160€ difference between F7 pro and the Epix, I've no regrets moving to AMOLED.  Enduro 3 is probably the best but 51mm is way too big for me.

Venu 3 or epix pro (from secondhand) -screen is amoled. -ui is best as it gets (apart fenix 8 ofc) -elevate 5, as in best sensor there is.( This should be most important thing to keep in mind choosing garmin) -venu has voice assistant if you are in to that kind of thing, venu is slimmer and smaller more formal sort of -epix is a tank, it looks like you can destroy a brick wall with it.

Both my Garmin 945 (which I use as a dedicated swim watch after retiring from daily use), and my Garmin Epix Pro gen 2 seem to have believable heart rate data during swims as long as I wear the watch snug. I remember comparing it to an old HRM-Tri when they first enabled optical heart rate during swims and it seemed pretty close, which was good enough for me. If you want absolute accuracy, you’ll have to get a Garmin watch and an HRM-Swim. You won’t have to pour over an excel file, it will sync the HRM-Swim data with the Garmin watch swim activity.

I had the AWU1, then I bought an Epix Pro 2 about a year ago. Today I ordered an AWU3. I miss the tight integration with my phone and the user interface. I will miss the battery life and the morning report.

The difference between the HR sensors is negligible in my opinion. Went from Epix Pro to 965 and so far it’s on point with the HRM pro plus. You get a few additional features with the Elevate 5, but they are rather gimmicky as far as accuracy is concerned.

I use both. My Garmin Epix Pro is my training watch and my Ultra is my everyday smartwatch. I had been a long time Garmin user from before the days of the Apple Watch even existing and I prefer their platform for training. Plus there are just some things that the Apple Watch does not yet do well, at least not with the default apps, for example swim workouts. However, for everyday use it’s hard to beat the Apple Watch’s integration with iOS. For me though the feature that really convinced me was cellular and the way it can mirror the phone. When out on bike rides I was carrying my phone with me in case of a breakdown I couldn’t field repair and being able to leave the bulky phone at home was a big factor. I actually do double wrist and wear both for some workouts. For runs I have the Garmin on one wrist to track the workout and prompt me if I’m running intervals, as well as evaluate the workout at the end. The Apple Watch is on the other wrist and is for Apple Music playback, to be an emergency phone if needed, and for things like opening my garage door via HomeKit when I get home. For bike workouts I usually just wear the Apple Watch since I use my Garmin Edge bike computer (paired to a chest strap HRM) to record the workout. For swimming I just wear the Garmin since it does swimming workouts better and I don’t need the Apple Watch for anything there. The nice thing is once everything is synched to Garmin Connect it also writes to Apple Health which does update my rings, even for workouts where I wasn’t wearing the Apple Watch.

If you’re in the UK, hsamuel have a great deal on the epix pro gen2

In what way? 6 days AOD 14 without…

Iv come from PW to Garmin they are 2 different devices. The only reason Garmin last for a number of days is because they dial back the feature. As for 24HR Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2) does this.

Lmao the Epix Pro treatment is brutal. Garmin really said "here's your $900 watch, enjoy these exact same features forever while we put everything new on the next model" Meanwhile my buddy's 5 year old Apple Watch just got handed features that would require me buying a whole new Garmin. The update game is night and day between these companies

My epix pro 2 only last like 6 days :(

Epix Pro Gen 2. Have had a Fenix 8 and Tactix 8. Sticking with the Epix. Plus they are crazy cheap right now.

I would agree with you on that. I had Garmin fenixes for years, Garmin Epix pro, Apple Watch Ultra, amazfit trex 3 (current watch) and just got a whoop. Imo for weightlifting nothing beats the Apple Watch (ultra or not doesn’t matter) due to all the different apps available. I was using Hevy and the ability to do a live workout between the watch and the phone at the same time was dope: want to change exercice or do more complex changes during your sessions, you simply edit the workout on the phone. But if you want to do just a 5lbs increment on your lift, you can do it from the watch directly live. Only thing I am eager to test with whoop, which is a important part my decision to do the free trial for a month, is to see muscle strain and how it work in tandem with the cardio based strain. Whoop is the only wearable to do that ( but it seems you can do it with Bevel now)

>if you have the epix pro 2, that watch was released about 2 and a half years ago. the normal epix pro was released before that. It stopped receiving new features like a year and three months after release. Yet, Garmin is still selling it.

Not a lot cheaper. Although, you can find it a lot cheaper from other sellers. The point is, Garmin will sell a $1000 device that is already outdated and they won't keep it current. https://preview.redd.it/isvq3zoyukof1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=e0958e7329be9f829e636854fabeeb27f2b8edff

Well, most smartwatches have that issue with battery life. Garmin has more battery life, but it's less smart, it's kind of a trade off you have to make. My Garmin Epix Pro last for 7 days and the smart features are everything I need (had a Galaxy Watch 6 before) but if you use alot of the smart features of the galaxy watch, you'll miss out on some of those (No LTE for example). But you can find models with calling, notifications, music etc. (and ofc all the fitness feature are some of the best in the market)

Last gen forerunner you can find discounted often and they are great. If the budget stretches, and you want it for lifestyle too, the Epix Pro 2 is discounted a lot also and is great.

this is the main point of buying Amazfit products! had my trex 3 for 3 months now, and like it so much more than my garmin epix pro, and, like someone said, even if it burns out, I can buy 2 replacements or more, and still save money over the overpriced garmin stuff

Yep, buttons all the way. I switched last month from AWU to Epix Pro. Unfortunately, Garmin has no clue when I fall asleep and that skews all data like body battery and other metrics like training readiness. The battery life and the buttons make up for it :).

The AW was nailing pretty well when I was falling asleep. It has a good accelerometer algorithm that detects when you fall asleep. Your respiration rate goes down, your heart rate goes down, you have little to no wrist/body movement, and it marks that moment as the sleep start time. On my Epix Pro, even if I put the watch myself to sleep mode, it says that I went to sleep 3-4 hours after that moment. So, I basically put it into sleep mode at 10pm and next morning it says I fell asleep at 3am in the morning and that I only had 3 hours of sleep. This leads to a poor readiness score and a crappy body battery. As the data analysts say "garbage in, garbage out". I stopped placing too much thought into these numbers. I only focus on my HRV and how I feel that morning to determine if I should go train or not.

Switched from Apple Watch Ultra to epix pro :)

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.

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'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.

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.

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.

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

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

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!

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.

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.

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.

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 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).

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 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 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!

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

Epix all the way

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.

Fenix has always been dead on accurate for me. But I’m using an Epix now. Basically the same but my old Fenix didn’t do HR

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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 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.

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 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

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.

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.

Garmin Epix Gen 2. Not very budget friendly though.

The Instinct 3 is perfect for you if you don’t need maps on the watch. It can load a breadcrumb trail but doesn’t have topo maps overlays. Otherwise look for the previous generation of the Fenix’s, ie. Pro or non- Pro 7’s or Epix. The other option is to check out one of the Forerunner series that has maps. Again previous versions are cheaper than the latest. The features gap between current versions of Garmins and previous versions aren’t that great in its core functionality.

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.

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.

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.

Finis smart goggles + Apple Watch Ultra/Garmin Epix Gen 2. AW and Garmin are inaccurate for sprints timing (they often start the count late or stop the count late...), Finis is much more accurate but does not do HR. AW does not have a rest counter on display, whereas Garmin does. Not really a setup needed for normal fitness swimming though.

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!

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"

the fenix/epix (mainly pros) options are go-to options as all rounders. I also had Instinct if you want a casio/military like watch with 25+ battery autonomy Currently I've been wearing fenix 7 pro and I am very happy about it

100% agree with your review The problem with Garmin is simple, it is as so many say a pro sport watch and bc of that you should live with all the bugs and shitty ui, messed up settings menu bc must are a hard core athlete. At the same time any more advanced athlete just smile seeing garmin watch bc from a training perspective most of garmin metrics are just toys with some very basic failures like z3 is endurance when zones are set by maxhr but all of a sudden when you set zones by lthr your endurance zone is correctly z2, no recovery weeks scheduled pushing people to fatigue themselves to disaster, no way of editing hrv which combined with very shitty sleep tracker makes some days where your garmin forgot to track your sleep destroy whole training readiness calculation without any possibility to edit that one day etc. Don't get me wrong, I'm an Epix user but it is my first and last Garmin product and I will move to AWU next month or so (waiting for AWU 3 and IP16). Garmin is great as a simple activity tracker and if you need one just any old fr955 is enough to track everything you need. With Fenixes you jsut pay extra 600$ just for looks which some like and some not that much. PS. For me Garmin loses bc of a shitty strategy of keeping the simple stuff like new watchfaces only for new models where with any other IT product like a phone, awu, brands have learned to support fully for 5 years or so. (I know I can download new watch faces but they drain more battery and works shittier than the building ones /like no touch gestures etc.) ps. this forum is full of Garmin fanboys so your post will probably will be downvoted to oblivion, bc only positive posts are welcome here. (which is stupid bc it makes people at Garmin think their products is so amazing that they can ask 1100$ for that without solving at least some basic problems). ps2 besides watch faces (this part is for garmin fanboys) major problem was when my watch decided to burn down my house ;;) If any of you use ant+ lights or actually any sensors like a trainer, hr strap etc., your should already know that if you enter a glance menu or any settings menu for some stupid reason your watch connects to your sensors. With lights it works the same way but for some stupid reason Garmin likes to turn them on for a sec, but not always remembers to turn them off. So I was outside my house in the evening ready to start my run just to see through the window that my watch decided to Strat my light, I wanted to let it be but eventually returned home jsut to see my lights on the desk being charged and a smoke coming from desk bc it is not enough to turn on your with without any reasons (like I want to run not ride) but it sets the light on the highest strength (1300 lumen). So yeah I love Garmin and their watches 😀

I mean 400-500$ garmin watch like epix2/fenix7 is a good deal nowadays. I love the mapping, activity menus are ok, just in reality most of the metrics are a bit of BS lifted by a good marketing. Again 400$ is a good price for a tracker but asking 1100$ for a nicer UI menus (which are here only bc owners of FRs got them sooner and it would be hard to sell a much more expensive f8 with shitty menus) and a very low quality speaker and mic is a really brave strategy. I know Apple is not that amazing but it is ok for running, for cycling I use my Wahoo (apple added power meter support and thats something), I keep my music on my MacBook so it will be much easier to sync both (garmin does not support lossless format so I gave up on music bc I hate converting it every time) listening to podcasts is really troublesome with garmin etc. Maybe it is just me and my expectation for Epix I own were much higher. Overall I like it but I think it could be so much nicer with some very small tweaks (like you really need a phd to learn how the garmin energy settings works and when they overrule AOD setting and when not etc.) The thing about awU for me is that I bought Garmin to use my phone less but instead due to lack of or troublesome ui I always take my phone with me anyways just for music and messages. I hope with AWU and some basic apps like notes, reminders etc. I would have easier time leaving my phone at home. Hopefully ps. I love enduro3 and I would strongly consider it as an expedition watch (without any music etc.) jsut as a watch I take on a trip instead of AWU with good mapping etc. But that would make all the metrics obsolete and paying for that 899$ again is just not wise. (now when I think about it, I will probably switch to AWU and buy a used enduro2 just for longer trips and use it alongside my future aWU)

I will make it simple for you ;) If you want a device where you run often and you want something which is a very nice smartwatch and let's you leave your phone at home bc your podcasts and music and notes and reminders are all there with you, just buy AWU (if you use an iphone and remindrs etc. it will be amazing). If you run often but you need some kind of training support and want a feeling that you are doing more then a casual runner but music, notifications etc. will be so cumbersome that you will take your phone with you anyways and you are ok with that, just buy enduro. It's like a lack of comfort due to daily charging (which you can do during a shower) vs a lack of comfort due to crazy amount of bugs, very low quality software and milllion of funcions where half does not work, bu the battery is like crazy good. for me garmin is less usefull bc I read a lot about training and can easily set my owna training plan and I found out that what really makes my run much easier is that I can in seconds sync my book I'm listening too and go out for a run with my watch. With garmin it is just too complicated. if you add all the software bugs in garmin on top of that, yeah it is just not a watch for me PS. any even cheapest personal trainer will be better then garmins automated one and probably much much cheaper. So for me AWU plus eventualy a personal trainer is a best bet bc metrics from garmin like body battery etc are mostly just gimmicks. this guy explains t well: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEmN6JiDGF0&t=646s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEmN6JiDGF0&t=646s)

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.

Garmin ecosystem is chocked full of goodness. Since I run and cycle, it’s great for multi sport. A lot of folks who only run seem to love Coros watches and their environment. I think either of those (with Strava integration) would be an improvement over your Apple Watch.