Garmin - fēnix 3 HR

Yeah, I did that every day of the PCT with my Fenix 3HR in 2017. Watches have come a long way.

I had my Fenix 3 HR for almost 10 years before switching to the F8 Solar. It was still working, not a single scratch on the sapphire glass (used it for rock climbing and in harsh environments). Only replaced it as the battery runtime started to decrease (had to charge at least once a week in the end) and mainly because I wanted the bee features 😁

Is the Instinct a touch screen? I had a Fenixn3 HR which I used for about 5 years. Upgraded to a Tactix 7 and was disappointed with how much dimmer it was than the 3. I figured it must be the touch screen functionality which I don't even use.

Hmm Fenix 3 HR had sapphire crystal but no touch screen or solar charging. I thought the solar was just the ring. Who knows....Fenix 3 HR was noticeably brighter. Anyway I want MIPs so 8 pro definitely won't do anything for me. Instinct 3 looks nice but I have Tactix 7 now so I'll stick with that.

Good to know. I have a Polar H10 chest strap for workouts, so that will work. I had a Fenix 3HR YEARS ago when I didn’t know what I was doing, but for some reason, that watch helped me get into the best shape I was ever in. I think seeing all the data in one place, with context added, encouraged me to get after it more.

I started with the Fenix 3HR and then "upgraded" to a Fenix 5 (2nd hand ebay bargains). The built in rowing app gives you all the basics. I'm older and find it very hard to read the watch metrics sculling/erging so combine it with iphone apps. RitmoTime is a bit obtuse but gives you a nice large customizable screen with all the data you need. A one time purchase, but worth it IMO.

Fenix 3 HR, looks like I have the oldest Fenix so far. I bought it for my 30th birthday. I'm turning 40 this year and see no reason to upgrade.

I got a Felix 3 in 2018 that I replaced earlier this year and it was still only needing charges weekly, maybe twice a week if I did some real long bike rides

Garmin user since the Fenix 3HR and I don’t know where the hate is? Are we sure it’s not bots lol? Everyone I know in real life loves their garmin and through the years I’ve gotten at least 9 other friends and family to get Fenix’s or Descents. They all love them. Nothing comes close to durability, battery life and sheer amount of data and options. A lot of times the “chatter” online doesn’t equate to what’s happening IRL. That statement applies to most things in life.

I have had 2 Garmin watches (fenix 3hr and Fenix 6)in the same time my friend has had no less than 5 AWs. The build quality is unbelievable on Garmin and the battery makes Apple look pitiful. 2-3 weeks on a charge. I forgot I had my fenix on and did a mud run. Didn’t even phase my watch. Literally dragged it through the mud and it just kept going. Apple Adds a good product but Garmin is next level.

Long story: Relentless Approach A short story of my journey in seeking the best health and fitness monitoring ecosystem burning **$$$$$** along the way. I just sold my Apple Watch Ultra 2 (black) last week and switched back to Garmin. Honestly, I couldn’t believe how much shorter the battery life was than what was advertised. It’s frustrating when reality doesn’t match up to the marketing, especially after spending so much. Thinking back, my Garmin Fenix 3HR might still be my favorite. Three weeks—21 days!—of battery life and not a single touchscreen in sight. That sapphire screen and titanium case made me feel like I had something unbreakable on my wrist. Maybe it just clicked because I’ve been a loyal Casio guy since 1996. There’s something about those no-nonsense watches that just feels right. Later, I tried the Samsung Watch Pro. It claimed three days of juice, and for WhatsApp, Telegram, and messages, it didn’t disappoint—three days plus, actually, before it needed a charge. Decent, for someone always on their phone. But after about 10 months, I let it go, chasing something new. Then in 2023, things got interesting. I bought an iPhone 15 Pro Max even though my main was still a Samsung Android. I hadn’t used an iPhone since the 6s and was curious what had changed. A year later, my mom ended up with the iPhone—Face ID just works better for older folks who struggle with fingerprint sensors, and her social circle was deep into iPhones. So back I went to Samsung and grabbed a Fold 5, keeping up my fanboy streak since the days of the S5 and Note 2. Of course, when the Fold 6 launched, I upgraded. Around the same time in 2023, I picked up a Fenix 7 (47mm), no flashlight, MIPS tempted me. A few months later, I passed it to my son—his old Instinct needed to retire. That led me to an Epix Pro in March. Loved the features, but honestly, the Always-On Display meant battery dropped to about five to six days, which was a letdown. Then came the brand new iPhone 15 Pro with Apple Watch Ultra 2 (natural titanium). Again, the battery life let me down. So I circled back to the Epix Pro—this time, no AOD—and suddenly, I had nearly two weeks of battery! I missed always having the display visible, but the extra days were worth it. Still, in December 2024, my curiosity struck again. I bought an iPhone 16 Pro, mainly for the new camera button, with another AWU2 (black). Apple’s health tracking is impressive with Welltory, but the short battery life was a thorn in my side. Just one week ago, I sold it and once again put on my Garmin Epix Pro. Now, I’m keeping an eye on the Fenix 8—and maybe even holding out for a Fenix 9 if Garmin follows their usual two-year update cycle. If I’m honest, I’d rather not count the money lost from 2023 to September 2025. The lesson here: don’t follow my footsteps if you value your wallet. Garmin works best with Android—that’s just a fact for me. On Android, the Garmin Connect app lets me toggle app notifications on and off individually, so I can really control what pops up on my wrist. With iPhone, everything seems to show up by default, and while you can kinda work around it, Apple’s system is just too tightly locked down for my taste. Apple Watch gets all the privileges, as you’d expect. In the end, here’s my takeaway. If iPhone’s your main device, go for the Apple Watch Ultra 3 (when it launches), but keep realistic expectations for battery life. If you love Garmin like I do, Android gives you the freedom to make it work best. There’s just no perfect system—each has trade-offs. Right now, I’m using a Pixel 10 Pro with the Epix Pro. Part of me regrets not going for a MIPS screen Garmin for even better battery life, which is why I’m looking ahead to see what the Fenix 9 will offer, maybe in 2026. I wished small form factor phone specs is on pared with big devices like S25 Ultra (Technological limitations). Who wants to carry a big phone exercising or running, it's just don't feels right.