Garmin - fēnix 5S

I’ve had my Garmin Fenix 5s for about 7 years and the battery life is still brilliant. Great watch for running.

Garmin Fenix 5s, been using it in a sauna or steam room for 5 years. No problems.

When I got my first Forerunner, maybe 10 or so years ago, it was because Garmin was better for what I needed (HR, GPS, marathon training plan), and I wasn’t interested in a smartwatch. It was also way more expensive, for something I saw as just “cool”, but not as solidly functional. My SIL and her family are all gaga over Apple, which was a turnoff (“why didn’t you get an Apple Watch?”, as if it 100% has to be the best thing ever, also making me feel like I was some sort of dufus). Garmin was a sports watch with a few smartwatch-type capabilities, and Apple was a smartwatch that could do a few sports/health related things. And (at least back then), you couldn’t connect an HR strap to the Apple Watch for increased accuracy. Now, I just look over at my husband every day when he says “ARGH! I forgot to charge my watch!” either before he heads out to do something he wants to record, or before bed when he remembers he needs the alarm in the morning. His Apple watch is a few years old now, but it has been like that since Day 1. Every workout is an exercise in just hoping his watch doesn’t die before he’s done. Also, he uses Strava for his workouts, which is great, but after a hike or bike ride if I ask him any details from it, he has to wait until he can look on his phone or iPad. He can’t just look through the results immediately. While I’m now on my 4th Garmin (switched to a Fenix 5s by choice, then after a while the battery started dying in cold weather (I’m a XC skier), and most recently my fenix 6s developed an inability to reliably connect to GPS), I’m not regretting it. Except the ability to take phone calls on my watch - that would be nice, but it’s literally the only feature I’m jealous about. I will say the each Garmin I’ve had has been better than the last: FR 230 < Fenix 5s < Fenix 6s < Fenix 7s Pro SS. They are getting soooo expensive, so I bought the 7s recently when they were on sale, and refuse to go to the 8s. Never thought I’d spend $650 on a watch! It’s insanity. When I was shopping around and comparing features and reviews, I looked at Polar and Suunto also. But never for a moment looked at Apple. Oh, and I most definitely do not want a touchscreen. My new Fenix 7s Pro does have one, but it also has physical buttons, and the touchscreen can be locked out as needed. All I need is to have to deal with a touchscreen while wearing ski gloves. I’m pretty well immersed in the Garmin ecosystem at this point, between the progression of watches, Edge bike computer and Varia radar. I do have an iPhone and an iPad, and used to have an iPod, but that’s more because it’s easier to use the same interface for those. Overall, it’s just personal choice. One doesn’t really have to be dominant over the other. Each person needs to look at what each watch does, compare that to their priorities and preferences and needs, and go from there. There likely isn’t a wrong answer. For me, the battery life is king, especially in cold weather. And HR accuracy, but if the thing dies mid-activity, HR recording won’t help much. To ME, Garmin is more of a training tool, and Apple is more cool eye candy.

I’m currently still wearing the fenix 5s. Yet I’ve been thinking about upgrading to venu 3s vs the vivoactive 6. Yet I was wondering what made you choose the venu 3 as the upgrade from your Fenix 6s?

Garmin fenix 5s, still going strong after 5 years. Records swimming no problem.

https://preview.redd.it/86f4k7obgcpf1.jpeg?width=1848&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3019545be885c59b5361eb05cccb3831166660bb Fenix 5 from 2016. Still over 1 week batterylife. Running like a champ.

I was a Suunto guy for years, but after my last one got smashed I switched to Garmin, mostly because the Fenix 5 pairs with my Inreach and everything syncs up.

Im only new to the galaxy watch gang, picked up a galaxy watch ultra (2025 model) last month and im loving it. I upgraded from a fenix 5 which lasts about a week and a half on full battery so my only concern getting the ultra was the battery life but i can honestly say wow, cant believe i didnt upgrade sooner. I can deal with the 2 and a half day battery life cos theres so much more i can do with this watch. I can definitely see how upgrading from the ultra 2024 might not be worth it but if youre rocking a watch 6 or older i recommend it for the battery life if anything

Yes on the 265. Some other garmins I had a fenix 5 before and that had an indoor run mode. The accuracy is improved either with a footpod. Garmin make one or stryd I think it's called. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www8.garmin.com/manuals/webhelp/GUID-F41EAFB3-6CC9-42DE-9C6C-9E358DBB0671/EN-US/GUID-3A4C7C6C-1FE3-4EB5-B38E-3F744A5C1F00.html%23:~:text%3DThe%2520watch%2520can%2520be%2520used,the%2520accelerometer%2520in%2520the%2520watch.&ved=2ahUKEwiVjO6nmcWLAxUeT0EAHVACBMQQFnoECBMQBQ&usg=AOvVaw2jd9brKIf5nZGMrm3N0SLa The watch can be used for training indoors, such as running on an indoor track or using a stationary bike or indoor trainer. GPS is turned off for indoor activities. When running or walking with GPS turned off, speed and distance are calculated using the accelerometer in the watch.

I bought a used Garmin Fenix 5 off Facebook, and it's been my daily driver for 2 years. I couldn't be happier.

I had an old garmin fenix 5 but got a very good deal on an Apple Watch ultra. The AW is a better smartwatch but I dont use that kind of functionality so for me it doesn’t matter. Garmin is a way better exercise watch when it comes to cardio exercises so I switch to my old garmin when I do cardio. AW is much better at sleep tracking and other health metrics so thats why I use it as my daily watch. Gym exercise is best tracked with my phone. Battery life is really annoying on the AW but you get used to it.

Garmin Fenix 5 is what I wear. I use the SUP and Kayak activity on it mostly. It pairs with Strava too.

2 generation old Garmin. I got "gifted" a Fenix 5 (released in 2017) and it's more than sufficient in both functionality and battery life. I was so smitten, and since my wife was jealous, we found a Fenix 6 on FB Marketplace for $200. I'm sure the newer ones are way fancier but I'm not ready to spend $800 just yet.

I’ve had the Garmin Fenix 5 and 7 and I love them both. The only reason I upgraded was because I wanted to be able to play my YouTube Music (yeah, I’m the guy that uses YT music) and the 7 is the earliest model you can do it on. Somethings I would say is I didn’t get the solar because not only is the battery life great, but charging it is really fast too. Finally if you get one there are a few tricks you need to teach yourself (or dm me and I’ll help you out): Download your maps Send a gpx file to your watch Send an AllTrails gpx file to your watch Navigate with a loaded gpx Use the TrackBack feature Use the Navigate Back to Start feature

I went from Apple Watch to Garmin Fenix and love it. The battery life is why I switched and I directly credit the battery life to allow me to do more and more extreme hikes and trail runs… and for saving my life 3 different times. The only sports thing that Apple Watch still does better than garmin is playing music… so thats why I took my old Apple Watch off the strap and just toss it into my key pocket (I didn’t want to look like a dork wearing two watches). It weighs nothing and does a great job with my music.

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.

Garmin user for 20 years (since forerunner 101...!!). Last one I owned was a Fenix 5, which was great. After a really awful interaction with Garmin Customer (lack of) Support on an Edge 520 issue, I made the call to ditch Garmin and move to the Apple Watch. The first option was okay, but then upgraded to the AW Ultra 2... and it has been phenomenal, both as a general watch and a sports watch. In practice I use it more than I did the Fenix, and it is a superior device for all non-sport activities; BUT at least it's equal in the sports front. The watch aside, Apple's sports data analysis (is as you pointed out) not as sophisticated as Garmin's, nor is their Fitness+ app as well done (though it's getting better & has some nifty ease-of-use features now). However, using other Apps with the watch gives me more than sufficient performance data for my (& most) needs. I have been with Strava basically since they launched, so that's always been there for run or ride activities anyway. \[NB I have just let my annual Strava subscription run out and have not renewed, as I just don't get what Strava is up to currently, nor their business approach: but that is a different topic\]. So all in all, I have ZERO inclination to switch back to Garmin from the AW Ultra series from a general usage, nor an athletic activity tracker standpoint..., and that's from having been a Garmin Fanboy for 18 years. There you go on my perspective FWIW... ...(NB obviously, given I started with the FR101 back in 2003, one thing I can assure you is that all these watches are really flippin' awesome, when you take a step back and realise what they are capable of nowadays :-D, so I would doubt you can go seriously wrong whatever your choice is. Have fun out there!)

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

**Do all Garmins do these things?** Most do. **Should I grab a second hand older model? Or did I need a specific newer model to do all of these things?** What you mentioned should work on second hand models. BUT I suggest you pick a model that has the latest heart rate sensor (V5) for better heart rate accuracy. And if you can afford a model that has multi band GPS if possible, this makes the GPS much more accurate. [https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=9NWiPDU4gM0JWMfdWFol7A](https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=9NWiPDU4gM0JWMfdWFol7A) Here is a list of new watches with Multi Band GPS (price starts at $400): [https://www.garmin.com/en-US/c/sports-fitness/running-smartwatches/?FILTER\_FEATURE\_SUBTRACKING\_CONNECTIVITY=multibandGPS¤tPage=1&sorter=price-asc](https://www.garmin.com/en-US/c/sports-fitness/running-smartwatches/?FILTER_FEATURE_SUBTRACKING_CONNECTIVITY=multibandGPS¤tPage=1&sorter=price-asc) To research watches, I do recommend you check out [https://www.dcrainmaker.com/](https://www.dcrainmaker.com/), he has wonderful reviews and videos, very in depth. **Watch recommendations** Since you mentioned you are running. I would suggest a watch that has "Training status". Basically it keeps track of your workouts, and suggest more workouts to you. As a runner I love it. Now it is a bit more expensive, the new watches that have this can be found here: [https://www.garmin.com/en-US/c/sports-fitness/running-smartwatches/?FILTER\_FEATURE\_SUBTRACKING\_RUNNING\_TRAINING=trainingstatus¤tPage=1&sorter=price-asc](https://www.garmin.com/en-US/c/sports-fitness/running-smartwatches/?FILTER_FEATURE_SUBTRACKING_RUNNING_TRAINING=trainingstatus¤tPage=1&sorter=price-asc) But you also have some older models if you buy used, such as Fenix 5 & up, Forerunner 245 & up, Forerunner 745, Forerunner 935 & up.

Don't listen to anyone there. They're just haters. I've had an Apple Watch Ultra since 2021 and I've hiked all the mountains of Greece with it. The watch has reliable measurements and one of the best GPS as well as special features for hikes. I had the Fenix5, then the Fenix6 and then I went to the Ultra and I'm never going back.

You get what you pay for. I’ve had my fénix 5 for 6 years now and I’ve never had any issues with it. I wear it daily and the battery last me a good while before needing recharge. You’d be better off buying a used Garmin fénix then being disappointed with the Apple Watch which will lose charge in a day.

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 bought a used garmin Fenix 5 back in 2019. I admit I don't use all of the features. But this thing has taken a beating and still works, still holds a good charge. wear it everyday

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.

I was a Garmin watch wearer/user for about a decade. Various models, ended up with a Fenix 5, all was good. Work then introduced a healthcare policy and we all got free Apple Watch Series 7s for tracking. I tried it out for a month, loved the integration to Apple, sold the Fenix. Then about a year later, I hankered after something with better battery life. So I bought a Venu 2 Plus. I wore this for less than a day, missed the Apple integration hard, returned the Venu and bought an Apple Watch Ultra. I'm wearing that right now.

Well as you stated, coming from a F5 to an Apple Watch Ultra is comparing apples to oranges. The F7 generation saw the use of a dual band gps chip which completely changed the game for GPS accuracy. Wrist based HR tracking will be about the same when at rest. However activity based accuracy is a function of weight. The heavier the watch, the worse the performance. The same is true comparing AWU to the other non-ultra Apple Watches.

Thanks for the review. I’ve been going back and forth between this and the epix pro. Looks like I’ll probably get the epic once it gets to a price point I want to pay for. Currently a fenix 5 user

A used Garmin Fenix is a good option. I have a Fenix 5 and the battery is still good for some 12 hours of activities with the GPS on.

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!

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.

Pro AW: the smart features Pro Garmin: all the sports features and battery life Mostly use smart features and just do some sports once in a while and don’t care about good metrics but just get moving? -> AW Want great sports features, great metrics and battery life but don’t need smart features on your watch?-> Garmin My verdict on AW and Garmin about what sucks after using both interchangingly sind Fenix 5/AW6. You can assume that these things sucking on one watch are better on the other watch: Garmin: - almost no smart Features - paying with the watch is a joke. - can’t interact with notifications other than reading and dismissing them (Apples fault) - not as flashed out as AW UI - with the 8pro you now have LTE but other than that you always need your phone with you for comms AW: - cal metrics are just plain wrong 90% of the time when doing anything that’s not running or walking. They give a wrong impression and are plain useless when trying to loose weight by logging calories. - move alert/standing alert is a joke. Just let your arm hang for 1min every hour and you have a perfect standing record. Stand the whole day but have your arm bent and according to your watch you sat all day. With Garmin you have to either walk 250 steps or can do other exercises. - none of the 3rd party apps (athlytic, bevel, peaks, etc) give remotely useful i.e. correct analytics of my data - battery life. What battery life? - you can’t just easily create custom routes for your run on your phone and use them. And if you let’s say use an app like Komoot then you can either navigate with Komoot or run with a running app but not both. Even with WorkOutdoors you have to upload your own GPX file that you have created who knows where. - no daily workout suggestions if you don’t use a 3rd party app. - Custom workouts dynamically on the fly because you feel like it? Not possible easily. What I use: Garmin Fenix. Why? Health and sports metrics are way more important to me than smart features. For those I have my phone.

I have the s70, but have used garmin watches in the past. Fenix is a great watch and if you can get it for that price go for it. I had a fenix 5 and it was a beast.

I have the s70, but have used garmin watches in the past. Fenix is a great watch and if you can get it for that price go for it. I had a fenix 5 and it was a beast.

Not a swimmer here, but use my Fenix 5 as my daily drive. Still going strong. So damn worth it

I did the opposite move and went from a Fenix 5 to an AWU2. Other than the battery life, I’d say almost everything is better or equal on the Apple Watch. Garmin has more metrics if that’s your cup of tea. I never even used Garmin Connect other than to push my stuff to Strava so I’m definitely not one of those data nerds. I was going to get the Fenix 8 but the price and lack of LTE was a dealbreaker. Took me a couple of days to get used to the lackluster battery life. It does charge quick at least.

I immediately get a GPS lock (within seconds) with my Garmin Fenix 5, provided I sync it daily. If I don’t sync, then it might take some time. Garmin uses Finnish Firstbeat Technologies algorithms for fitness and recovery tracking.

I’m not a fan of Fenix 5 for CrossFit or HIIT workouts. Consistently reads low (l~85 when I check my pulse manually and it’s 140). But I’m not a fan of Apple because I also do a lot of obstacle course racing and running in the rain, and I’m not a fan of tough screens.

Using Fenix 5 since covid , took a lot of licking and still ticking , now shifted to Fenix 8

I'm still rocking a Fenix 5, it does everything I need it to.

Fenix 5. I primarily use my Samsung watch and only put the Fenix 5 on for workouts. So it lasts for weeks on end. If I use it as my daily, it goes for 4~6 days, depending on how often I use the GPS.

Garmin hands down. I've had the Fenix 3, 5, and currently use the 7. Currently thinking about upgrading to the 8

Still on my Fenix 5 from 2018. It's still running strong. With wearing it full day & recording activities, battery lasts about 5-6 days

I was a Fenix 5 guy for 5 years, I was a whoop guy for 3 years, and now I’m a Fenix 8 guy for the next 5 years. :)

I upgraded from my fenix 5 to 965. Soooo happy. Loved and used the fenix a lot, backpacking, mountaineering etc. Now I do triathlons. Better choice. Smaller and lighter, and ofcourse, newer. I’ve found now that I’m more consistent, the training status and performance is nice to see, but it’s with a grain of salt, or just look at the color and no numbers.

ah ? j'ai une apple watch 9 et c'est vraiment pas précis. sur une séance de 2000 mètres elle peut bien me sucrer 200 mètres. J'avais une Garmin Fenix 5 avant et elle était beaucoup plus précise. En eau libre la garmin était aussi nulle

I made the transition from AWU to Garmin Epix Pro last year. Major things that made me switch: 1. Buttons. You can do everything on the watch with the button. There's no need for touch input which is one thing I hated on the AW, especially when my fingers were sweaty after a workout. 2. Battery life. I get 11 days with always on display. On AWU I was lucky to get into the next day with my workout routine. 3. Ability to fully customize data screens. This is essential for my workouts. 4. Keep in mind it's a sport watch, not a smart watch. I don't care about notifications and I disabled most, but you may find this as a downside. Garmin as a developer doesn't have the same level of access to internal APIs to control notifications. You can read them and clear them but that's about it. Cons: 1. Sleep tracking algorithm is shit on Garmin compared to AW. 2. The app design feels outdated. For me, Garmin is the best choice despite the shitty sleep tracking. I had the Garmin Fenix 5 for 3 years before trying out the Apple Watch. After having AW7 and AWU for about 2 years, I decides to go back.

my vote would be for a used/refurb fenix or enduro series, many can be found in local facebook marketplace or certified on ebay. my opinion is based on the following: I have owned a number of Garmins several forerunners, a fenix 3, fenix 5, fenix 6x. Instinct x2 Current setup in a 6x and pro hrm strap. My fenix 5 bricked two years ago and I sent it to Garmin for service. They told me it was dead and sent me a refurb 6x at no cost, that 5 was many years old and well out of warranty. That entire experience was really impressive. The battery life is pretty good still on the fenix and charge it every week or so. Since its 51mm I can read it without my glasses on I tend to lean towards chonky watches. Coros apex pro, just returned a pace pro today. The apex I owned was great and battery was insane, I picked it up used while my garmin was being serviced. eventually I missed the Garmin eco system. In the last few months I having been eyeing a new watch and had read about garmin going pay model so I again looked at Coros. I picked up a pace pro, unfortunately the first order was lost. It ended up being returned as I had a hard time reading it without my glasses. The screen was nice and bright at stock settings but in the three days I wore it ate through over 50% battery therefore having to charge less than weekly was a big change. From what I read they changed their settings and I could not toggle between 12 and 24 hour time on the watch or app I want military time on my wrist as I work nights in a hospital and regular people time on my phone. I had to switch my phone to military time for it to show on my wrist. Eventually I will more than likely pick up an enduro 3

I have had a Fenix 5 6 and now on a 7. Each has lasted me for 3+ years and have sold them off. Every time I have had issues, Garmin has been very helpful. Sorry you had a bad experience, but I don’t know the Instinct line.

1 it's low profile lightweight plastic body. Only 970 fr have flashlight so it's kind of both worlds. I think small fenix models on nylon are also good for running. 2a. I actually like pilates workout animation, do workout and turn off brain. It telling you what to do and for how long. White background is great (mip) black not so much (amoled). 2b dsw training sugestion or running coach are very good. 3.Maps are great when you load gpx route file that tell you what to do, or garmin create route for you on spot. Not so good in free orientation because soc on watch lag and compas lag in change of direction.

Moved from an Apex to a Fenix-s about 1.5yrs ago, and once this ages out I'm moving back to Coros. The Garmin is a fine watch, Garmin Connect sucks compared to the Coros app. It's not even close. The watches are so comparable in terms of functionality, it comes down to price, battery life and size. I've never owned a Suuntu, but damn they are pretty watches.

If you happen to have tiny wrists (like me) and you want the maps (as an avid hiker: you do) your only option is the Fenix S (42 or 43 mm). 7 or 7pro are probably affordable by now. Also, bought it for hiking, but Garmin pay is the most used option for me - works so much better than paying with your phone!

There is Garmin Swim (IMHO essentially it is a ForeRunner, but swim has been put in focus; review here https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2019/10/garmin-openwater-review.html). However, modern Garmin watches are all able to track pool swim as well as gym workouts (you might have to set exercises later in the app if you want to track muscle groups affected). Essentially ForeRunner is for runners mostly, Forerunner 9xx is focused on triathlon, Fenix is mostly for outdoors - but again, all of them can do almost the same. I’d go with Fenix if budget allows.

All true except advanced metrics. They are also present in Fenix (it has even more features for hiking) and Instinct. Forerunner is not more advanced. The rugedness is mostly about the bezel. In fenix and instinct it has a rim which gives extra protection to the screen. But that means rugged watches are more bulky what can be a problem in the gym. The real question is lightness of forerunner vs battery life of fenix /instinct

Get a garmin Fenix, doesnt really matter which model as long as it’s not ancient, off eBay

Good comparison! I’ll add that my fenix shows exercise demonstrations on the watch. I use it a lot

I’ve used several generations of the Garmin Fenix for resort skiing, backcountry skiing, and Nordic skiing in extremely cold temperatures without issue. They’d be fine in very cold weather, but it’s also important to note because you’re exerting yourself and it’s on your wrist, they’re actually probably a lot warmer than the air temperature, so they’ll be more than fine.

Yeah I feel like apple sleep tracking is similar to its specificity with fitness tracking. Instead of in depth (and maybe somewhat disappointing data) it gives you the positive fluff version to encourage general day to day health. I compared whoop vs. AW vs Fenix and Apple was the only one that just skipped my mini awake times. Found that strange

Yeah I mean none of them are perfect but I do think Garmin has been best so far.

I was in the same dilema 3 weeks ago, i dont run that much i go to the gym surfing windsurfing hiking etc. i dont dive but im in the water a lot). Tried both of the on. 970 is lighter and more slik. I went with the fenix after all as i like the rugged look and since i spend a lot of time in the water i thiugh it was a good idea to get something water certified lets say. For you maybe 970 would be the right choice!!

The only time that I had issues with a Garmin watch they replaced the watch well over the warrant. I got a forerunner that lasted a lot (6 years?) and then I gave it to a friend. I'm sporting an almost 5 year old fenix and I got it second hand. The watches they make are sturdy

If you just want to use it for golf, S70. If you want to use it for everything, the AWU. If you want better battery life, with a little less of everything but focused on more than golf, Fenix. I have the S70 and AWU. I only use the S70 on the course, and the AWU for everything else simply because I like the focus better on the S70 and I use the garmin sensors. You will probably have to pay a sub for the gold functionality of a S70 on the AWU, so you have to see if it’s worth it.

Its the Fenix without speaker/mic and without diving features, but better overall performance as tradeoff (longer battery life, MIP screen, better solar charging, more lightweight...)

Know a guy who has used his twice for 100k and both times its died around 60km in. Not the speediest runner but easily makes cut off. The gps in it is shocking too, he would routinely get more distance and elevation on almost any run I've done the whole full smart watch in the past and happily have gone back to a fenix now. Im good with seeing notifications and being able to answer calls. Happily run disconnected from my phone and contact

You can't go wrong. There are features that the newest Fenix (or Epic pro) have that the others don't. So if you care about ecg monitoring that might change the model you are looking at.

The charger on the Garmin was one of those nightmare features. Had many times where I woke to a dead or low powered Fenix because someone had sneezed several houses down the road and my connection to the charger had moved slightly, stopping my Fenix from charging. Not sure who designed this charger, but it was the worse design ever. Made worse by the fact that the charging point on the back of the Fenix slowly worsened over time with sweat from workouts. I had to buy a rubber stopper to cover it. Very annoying design flaw.

I would say the app “ Hevy” for the gym if you like inputting sets and weight is the best one. You can make your own splits but if you want to make more than 5 splits you have to pay. Which let’s be honest anyone who is seriously training doesn’t need that. Progressive overload is king. Also in regards to running programs you can also now customize work outs in the Apple workout app. I have both Garmin Fenix and Apple Watch Ultra . I use the ultra for work . But my Fenix for working out and running . I couldn’t get away from the programming of Garmin . Also the physical button presses while doing activities is just more guaranteed.

I've had two versions of the Garmin Fenix now. The first lasted me 6 years, and I've had the second for 1 or so. I love it. It has a lot of versatility for activities, and the Garmin ecosystem (bike computer, heart rate monitor, etc.) is nice to plug into. I chose the Fenix because I do a lot of swimming in addition to cycling, but they have other models that are great too. It does great routing for hiking and running. It's a really dynamic device!

Really? Can you tell me what I’m missing because I just got an AWU2 and tbh I hate it compared to my fenix. The features I thought I’d enjoy like responding to texts, phone calls, etc I never even use

This is my perspective as someone who uses Whoop and wears an SMP or a Speedy that I rotate according to how I feel. Also, I've tried Oura, and liked it, but it wasn't for me. And I have an AW Ultra that I use when running and hiking, and this is after a few years of using a Garmin Fenix. Most people think of Whoop as simply a fitness tracker, which it is, but it is much more. What seperates Whoop from other things is how it shows you the impact of your behaviors. Yes, I think Whoop was less than honest about their upgrade policy with the new 5.0 and MG release, but I still can't find anything like it. The "magic" of Whoop is that it allows you to pre-select certain behaviors that will appear in a daily journal. Each morning you take 30 seconds to check yes or no on these items, e.g. Did you consume added sugar yesterday? Did you eat a late meal? There are endless options. As times goes on, Whoop continues to show you how these behaviors are impacting your sleep so that you discover how far before bed you should stop eating, or what's the latest time of the day you can drink caffeine without it impacting your sleep (even though you may think it doesn't because you fall asleep quickly). I'm not trying to sound like an advertisement for Whoop, but I think most people evaluate Whoop without knowing what it really does. So when I run or hike I use my Ultra for reasons that don't overlap with Whoop. But the rest of the day, when wearing my SMP or Speedy, or when I sleep, I wear Whoop because it is providing overall health insights that I find valuable and have led to lifestyle changes that I may not have made otherwise--even as a person in great shape who works out six days a week.

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've been impressed as well. I'm a triathlete and ultra runner. I use it for running, biking, and swimming. I've found it more accurate than my Garmin Fenix especially when swimming. I do use my Garmin during events just bc I need that battery life but during training it suits me well. I can run for 3 hours with headphones connected and cell service (I don't carry my phone) and have battery left.

My Fenix is perfect for me. I want to download and have it guide me on a bike ride or a run. I like to know how far/fast I’m going. I like being able to see my texts and decline calls, but I don’t want to send messages or talk from my watch. I don’t want to charge my watch more than every ~7-10 days. I don’t care that much about accurate HR, sleep, etc… but having those things accurate-ish is ok with me.

I would suggest any Fenix or even any forerunner over any vivoactive or venu of you're serious about training. Sure you can get by with most basic stuff on those watches but if you get serious about training or want better features you'll have wanted at least a forerunner model

garmin epix/fenix no complaints

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.

Ok, just hear me out for one second before you think I'm crazy. The red light on the Fenix line is AMAZING. I use it every single night multiple times as it makes walking around at night super easy and not at all straining on the eyes. Honestly, it might be my "I'm not giving up this watch for e.g. an Apple watch, ever" feature. The Tactix light is green. I have no idea how well that'll work at night. But I absolutely LOVE the red light.

The ROI on a Whoop wasn’t worth it to me. When I could pay a higher up front price for a Fenix that would last years. My watch gives me the same info plus tells me the time plus all of the other things. Also, charging it every few weeks > every other day.

Another vote for a Fenix. Great overall wellness tracking between sleep, fatigue, steps, stress, HR, and intensity minutes. But the reason I like it more than anything else is the battery life, 15+ days if I'm not GPS tracking or playing music off of it.

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

I use Garmin. Watch battery lasts a week at a time workout charging and the watch itself is nice. If I'd gotten a less fancy version than the fenix, my watch battery would last even longer

This is what I do. I have a Garmin Fenix as my sports watch and switch to the Vivosmart when I am wearing my Speedy.

Yes, so people need to stop comparing the autonomy of an Apple Watch which looks like a smartphone with the autonomy that goes with it and a Garmin watch which excels in autonomy because it uses an anemic processor which is enough for the basics and a fluidity and a screen which has nothing to do with the Apple Watch, for the rest we agree 👌

You have to compare what is comparable, compare a Garmin Fenix ​​with a bike computer if you want you will also have good autonomy. Afterwards you won't do the same thing, if you just take it to run ok. An Apple Watch has nothing to do in terms of power or screen quality, for health etc…

Issue isn’t normal use. Issue is when using with the fitness or when GPS tracking. My Ultra 1 won’t last me more the 18 hours on long hikes. And this is in low power mode with GPS pushed to my iPhone. If you’re tracking a multi day hike, or plan on being in the wilderness more than 2 days, the watch is useless to carry with you. Especially if you’re in trouble (satellite doesn’t help if your battery is dead) The new Garmin Fenix offers 28 days of battery life, solar charging and will last 4+ days under intense use. Plus it has Garmin InReach built in.

> Every Garmin should match your needs I'm not being picky here, but that's not true 245 does not support multisport mode Only 945 series and newer (and Fenix) support maps

Yeap. The elephant in the room. 16 days battery life on my fenix.

The new fenix has both satellite capability and cellular fyi I don't know if the emergency service is included though l. Guessing it's gonna be a membership like what I needed for the inreach

Thing people forget is that AW also charge in about 15mins compared to a Garmin. I had an Apple Watch and threw it on the charger when I took a shower and that would give it a significant boost. Try that with my F.Pro 7 and it’ll gain 2% Obvs I prefer the Fenix’s battery life, but I find charging takes so long it’s a much more noticeable interruption

Yes. A Garmin Fenix is sexier. And spits out tons more data. But in all reality AWU gets the job done and is a better smartwatch experience if that makes sense

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

I moved from AW to Fenix about 3 months ago. Garmin Connect is of course an awful, terribly designed hodgpodge of junk. It is, however, obviously purpose-built. I finally feel like I’m looking at real and varied data. AW data feels like the kids’ version, compared to Connect data. Don’t ask me for specifics, although I could certainly come up with a ton (both for cycling and for running, especially with running dynamics). But the vibe is different. Garmin is just clearly a more serious platform. Even if it sucks and is clunky.

I made the same change. AWU to 970. And two days in I wished I had the fenix. So I sold it and bought the fenix instead. I am very satisfied now

Pick the one that: 1) is within your budget, and 2) is most visually appealing. Both basically do the same things and have few differences in software/battery that will make a big difference to your use. My vote is always the Fenix :)

Garmin does not have all those features in most watches. Which model can I control my smart home? I cannot directly download apps on my Fenix. I also cannot access Apple Music.

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.

Everyone is recommending fenix for good reasons. However, IF you’re mountaineering ever goes to technical rock / ice…. Then I’d recommend Coros. Does everything fenix can, but the gps works the best for vertical movement

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!

Also love Garmin. I've had several Fenix watches. Currently own an AWU2 waiting on my AWU3 because having a full phone when I run, Apple Music, and 1-2 days of battery life are everything I need. Wallet is pretty nice too.

Bought one relatively recently, I wanted MIP but didn't like the Fenix weight/cost. This seemed like the best option, for ~€300. The 255 would have saved €100, I probably don't need all the 955 features but I didn't like the 255 styling. I'm not sure if it is any more "future proof" but maps is kinda neat. I want at least 5 years out of the tech I buy, and with MIP being less and less common I can't see why I would stop using this before it dies.

Watch does all three things. Bike compy does one thing. Used Fenix on eBay is a good deal. 

I would go Fenix personally if money isn't an issue. Better looking, better build, longer battery, and better (more waterproof) buttons. I really don't like the look of the forerunners so that may also be a big bias for me.

Funnily enough, a lot of people do more than just road running..... a forerunner is not great for swimming, cycling, heavy trail running etc. Ive run multiple half marathons in my fenix no issues as well as doing many other activities without the worry of cracking a plastic watch and having enough battery to do so. I also did say that I was bias towards the look.... but it still remains that I think forerunners look cheap.

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.

Garmin Fenix varieties are good, solar options if you're in the sun etc for extra battery too, but full charge is like ~15 days without non stop Ox readings You can also get a face cover [over clip] and or a screen protector like for your phone on the watch face. Maybe worth looking at!

Hu there fenix is strong, i wish i had bigger wrist. My foreunner 970 is already big so cant imagine fenix on my tiny wrist lol. But both fenix and forerunners trully have real running metrics. I cant believe the venu 4 does not even have daily suggestions based on pac and only has them based on heart rate. A big no no for a runner targetting an specific distance and time. I have been rethibkibg to sell my 970 for a 570 due to the size of 43mm. But i may miss battery, flashlight, running tolerance and impact load more than size lol. Like my wife says you need to give up on something.  4 years ago i used to train daily on hills and fast runs too, so i injured myself like crazy. Thus the reasoning behind running tolerance as it would guide me to increase mileage in a safe manner.

Weekly? Should see the Fenix range. Monthly charges baby!

Fenix is great for running but it’s overkill. Has more features than most runners could poke a stick at, a little on the heavy side too

Epix sadly is a dead watch (nothing new will be developed and you will be lucky if an update arrives) if you have the money and want to stay in the ecosystem, then Fenix is the way to go. Easy choice.

Most of them are decent at hr without a strap but you’d want something with the elevate v5 sensor for the best data and unfortunately that’s fenix only. The 255 or 955 would be the best bet here but the 255 doesn’t have maps. Also the 965 is great if you want oled instead of MIP

Basically any Garmin from the 255 and up. Fenix is the best but pricey so forerunner should be more than enough

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’ve been wearing my garmin fenix in it for over a year. No issues

I swapped my Omega for a Garmin Fenix and haven't looked back. I'm a cyclist in the garmin infrastructure so it makes sense. Its one of the best sports watches, comes in a range of sizes to fit different wrists and I think it looks stylish as well compared to the square apple watch.

Appart from the battery life, flashlight and physical buttons, the AWU outperforms the Fenix on every points. Better smartwatch, top notch sensors (see videos from TheQuantifiedScientist). Sure you need to use 3rd parties app to match Garmin Experience (WOD, Athlytics, HealthFit) but otherwise you won't regret it.

Its a lot smarter then my casio. My casio cant show me the way home after a hike in the forest. It cant show me maps. Therefore its a smartwatch. Its full om smart features a regular watch cant do. I once had a apple watch. Now i can’t think of one feature that watch did that my fenix cant do, rather the opposite. Ooh one thing, the apple watch could answer calls. But that was just annoying. So i would argue fenix is smarter then Apple Watches in many ways not all but many.

Its called a fenix. Its like a mercedes, audi, toyota, skoda… something in the middle.

As a Garmin user, I'm quite jealous. This doesn't replace my Fenix for exercises but would be a great companion for everyday activities and I could wear my classic watches again.

Garmin Fenix, used Garmin for years, battery measured in days not hours

I would say it is not correct comparison. You need to compare Apple Watch with Garmin Fenix. Standard model (not AMOLED) last 24 days. X version - from 30 days. I'm using 6X Pro Solar Titanium and even after 2 years of using it is keeping 30 days on one charge. Neither Apple nor Samsung can bring me the same experience

Garmin’s notification integration with iOS is dogshit. They make great sports watches. They are not even close to AW in the smart watch department.

Have you tried the Fenix?

the cheaper forerunners and Fenixes are great for this, simple, cheap, reliable and near indestructible

I’ve had both. I am primarily a runner but right now doing triathlon training as well. I have the forerunner 955 and it does well beyond what I need. I like it a hundred times better than the fenix I had.

I’ve had both fenix and forerunner. Even as a multi sport athlete ( although primarily a runner) I hands down love my forerunner way better.

Forerunner 970 and call it a day. It's specifically designed for a cost no object triathlete. You can get a Fenix or MARQ if you like but they're heavier. Might be better at golf, scuba and flying if any of those are relevant to you.

Sounds like a good plan. I can't remember which Fenix was the first to be a dive watch but the only other is the much more expensive Descent. If you don't need the additional features from the Descent and the Fenix replaces a dive computer, it seems like you end up getting a really good value. It's worth comparing to some of the Forerunners if the dive aspect doesn't look that strong to you. I think the 255, 265 and 570 do everything you need for actual training functions. The 955, 965 and 970 add maps and the 970 adds a running tolerance function that might be helpful for marathon training. How much do you run now? Do you have a training plan picked out? While Garmin has all of Daily Suggested Workouts, adaptive training plans, and fully pre-set training plans, they all have their issues for a marathon. I actually quite like DSW but more for filling in the gaps and helping maintain balance. https://lifehacker.com/health/what-its-like-to-train-for-a-race-with-garmins-training-plans

Just about every time I've worn my Fenix climbing, I have hit it on the wall. Decided just to leave it off

Getting a Fenix with the purpose of fitness tracker only os wrong. It's like getting the best 4x4 vehicle because the road to your moms house has some sand on it.

Ok then its not an overkill. I personally never follow whatever the watch says avoit rest days though. I'll go with whatever my legs say.

Update. I went to rei today and tried a fenix. It feels double the weight of my 965 and bulkier as well

i have a fénix and i won't bring it. You can get miles and ascent trivially from FarOut. just tap on a point behind or ahead of you. For me the fenix is a training tool, it's not for the main event. your stats will be: * Steps: Many * HR: Light/moderate aerobic * Sleep: Shit * HRV: Shit * Status: Overreaching * GPS: The same damn trail as everyone else. Also the power saver mode GPS is pretty bad and [can remarkably *over*estimate distances. ](https://www.tendigitgrid.com/d/159-garmin-ultratrac-review-and-data-accuracy) Number Go Up is fun but not worth it. Track for the folks at home with the Inreach on 1hr tracking. Your watch won't broadcast to your family like the Inreach will, it's redundant and less functional for long distance location tracking. I have ONCE briefly, used a pre-loaded Course on my Inreach for snow navigation on Wonderland Trail. Probably it would be nicer on the Fénix but not enough to bring it. Ill probably stick some Sierra courses on the Inreach ahead of time though.

But nobody say what garmin works with messages better of do it APW with same iPhone. I switched APW to Fenix namely this reason. I dont miss any whats app call or telegram call or messages from it with fenix. But AWU at all is very very good thing, especially if calls and messages from all messengers not matter for you (I apologize in advance for my English)

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

Garmin Fenix is what I use

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.

Instinct 2X or Instinct 3 Solar would love to be your best climb companion and they promised to be rugged and not easily scratched like the forerunner, Vivoactive or Venu. Fenix would like to concur to the above but it is worried about being a bigger hit to your wallet due to its price tag.

For someone who is new and cares mostly about sleep tracking and GPS activities it’s honestly all kind of the same. You can run with an Instinct and you can hike with a forerunner. Choose based off of look, price, battery life for your particular activities. A Fenix or Instinct pretty much does it all and with great battery life. Doesn’t really matter in the end unless you care about very specific advanced metrics. I personally think most of the Forerunners are ugly so I gravitate towards Instinct because I’m also not willing to overpay for a Fenix when there’s other brands that cover 90% of a Fenix for half the cost. If you want to research alternatives: If you’re looking at an Instinct, check out Coros Nomad. If you’re looking at a Fenix check out Suunto Race 2 or Vertical 2 or upcoming Coros Apex 4.

I got a Garmin Fenix last year, no regrets. I tend to break things but it’s holding up quite nicely. I even take it caving, which I probably shouldn’t.

Yes, I carry a Garmin Fenix and record each day’s hike as an activity. You absolutely do not need a smart watch to hike but it a lot of fun and convenient to have. I love all the stats for each day’s hike. HR. elevation gain and loss. Pace. It’s also convenient to have all the information the watch provides right on your wrist. How many miles you’ve gone. Elevation. (On a nasty up hill I’ll just know the elevation I need to get to and can glance st my wrist for progress without overthinking the distance.) Sunrise and sunset times. Day length. I set a notification to go off 1.5 hours before sunset. That’s my dummy check reminder I need to be looking for a campsite. I also set a lap notification for 1.0 miles. That way I can mentally keep track of how far I’ve gone. The newish elevation acclimation widget has been interesting. Most of these functions/information is as lap available on a cell phone. But it’s nice in watch form. The battery needs of a smart watch are negligible. I did need to recharge it daily.

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.

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.

I use a fenix for activity tracking and an Oura ring for sleep tracking. Two devices is unfortunate, but the oura’s small size, sleep tracking, and readiness metrics are worth it.

"Its been 10+ years since the first AW launch. If i ask you to list various health and training insights provided by AW natively it wont even cover 20% given by Garmin."---Because that was never the intention of the AW. AW was not released as a Garmin watch competitor, it's more of a do-it-all watch. You can easily install 3rd party apps to get whatever metrics you want but Garmin can't do what AW does. I like Garmin's long battery and for me AWU is more than enough as well. "I would not trust any algo developed by them compared to a company like Garmin using a dedicated FirstBeat analytics "-----I was a Garmin user before and FirstBeat is nothing fancy. If you stay in this sub enough you'll see all the posts about the algorithm miscalculation. This post seem like biased praise for Garmin rather than reasonable analysis. I have number of time that my Fenix and FR965 froze during hiking and running, and I don't even bother making a post complaining their shitty CPU and hardware. Wear whatever you want and relax

I was a long time Garmin owner. Mostly Fenix models because I needed the battery life for ultras and Ironmans. I just recently dropped the bulky Garmin for a Suunto Race S. This watch is incredibly light, has great battery life, and the AMOLED looks good. Never thought I'd drop Garmin but so far I'm happy. Edit: Oh and the price. The price of a Race S is wild when you consider the features.

I run a Fenix as well, but look at the instinct line as you may find something there

I feel like they added the green strip just because they knew that otherwise almost nobody would get the Fenix this round. 😂 I am not a fan of the green either, but put up with it anyway, only way to get the hardware features I wanted in the thinner body (and for way cheaper) compared to the Fenix.

Hands down Garmin Fenix or Enduro.

I wear a Fenix because I'm an athlete first. 

I’ve switched back and forth between Apple Watches and Garmin (Fenix). Right now I use an Apple Watch, but I might buy a Fenix as well at some point. Apple Watches are superior in being a *smart watch* - if you have an iPhone. Better notifications, better integration, looks cleaner (better for up to business casual), and it is decent for activities. I love cellular! The Fenix (and probably all other Garmin watches) are superior *Activity Watches*. Way better tracking, nice screen for maps, more customization in data screen, more durable. I like physical buttons, the flashlight of the newer models. But they aren’t good as smart watches. Simply not good enough integration with my phone for what I need, so sometimes stuff aren’t up to date. No cellular is annoying For someone like me who mainly bike, and thus have my Edge, I don’t need to focus on activity watches. I just bring my Apple Watch to be able to ditch my phone without going off grid. And in day to day life I just prefer the Apple Watch. One of each would be superior.

Garmin all day, fenix

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.

Fenix or Coros if you want/need the navigation, otherwise any of the other basic Garmin will be fine

I do both and have Fenix.

Fenix fan, too, for the maps as I am also an avid outdoor person.

Fenix or swim 2 are the best watches for swimming if you use it with the auto stop off

I have my Garmin Fenix because I go for days to weeks in remote places skiing, paddling, etc. It's great for navigation, battery life, barometric pressure, etc. I don't even have it connected to my phone, I do not want to be chronically accessible. I think most people, probably myself included, don't need this watch and it doesn't sound like you do either. If you want something more tech forward, I'd stick with the aw.

Apple Watch will do fine for a long time - only got a Garmin last year. However once you go to only having to charge your watch once every two weeks you just can’t go back to Apple. I have a Garmin Fenix (on the $$ side) but I wear it every day as my normal watch too and have had zero issues making the switch. However there’s heaps in the range, I love accuracy, maps, long battery and lots and lots of data so I can overthink every run - so Fenix it is! The forerunners are great and the vivoactives are a good mid range model. There’s other brands like Suunto, Polar etc. For true accuracy on any wrist watch you may need a chest monitor. But if you really like your Apple Watch I found it pretty good unless you’re somewhere with not much reception

This is not clear. Which activities can't you wear a sorts watch? Do you mean like work or formal dinner where sports watch might not match your outfit? If that is the case, you should consider the garmin fenix. More premium build and you can get different watch straps that can be changed quickly if you need to dress to impress.

The Garmin Fenix is great - you can often find refurbished models a generation out of date from Garmin directly that are right in your price point.

Garmins are very behind gw in the smart features department. Second major difference with gw world is feature sets - all watches have different combinations, the only safe choice is fenix. All other models require deep analysis. Venu3, the smartest watch of its time, does not have timer presets and does not show sunset in the weather app, other models do. Third, be familiar with software update policy. Unlike wearos, Garmins software updates do not assume new UI and features, you can get some of them or not, but you may not expect them.

You really should go for a rugged Garmin like Instinct or Fenix.

Garmin Fenix is impossible to kill

I wear my Garmin Fenix while climbing (indoor and outdoor). I like having the data. It's never been a problem or gotten in the way. It's designed to be worn during activities. Minor scratches also don't bother me though... The watch face itself is still perfect but the metal around the watch face is scratched.

Garmin Fenix, I bought a second hand one on ebay and I absolutely love it and the best bit is the charge lasts for over a week.

I had Fenix for a very long time, then I bought AWU1 then fenix 8 and again AWU2. Why I again bought AW? I don't need tons or obsolete metrics, I can top up battery while in the shower, UI is more intuitive and smoother. Then I have LTE so I can enjoy not taking phone with me to listen to music.

Flashlight on my Fenix is worth A LOT of money to me. Having had it, I could not go back. I would happily pay 200 extra for it I use it so much. Maybe more actually! Having a flashlight on your wrist is incredibly handy.

Same, love my Fenix. I will take it off if there's going to be any hand jams, but otherwise it stays in.

Garmin Forerunner 900 series are great. Fenix if you want something a little rugged and have $$$.

As an FYI: With The Garmin, you can configure your watch and the app to NOT display any data that you don't like or do not want to see. I have been using Garmin watches (fenix) and head units (Edge) since 2012 with no significant issues.

Fenix with talkytoaster maps which have higher detail for mountain areas

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 believe the most important choice is smart watch or sport watch. I dont listen to music when I run and leave my phone at home and also use my watch for trekking. I’ve turned off most notifications as my work requires focus and not really interested in the ”smart” part. I am very happy with my garmin fenix. Its also very robust and resistant to scratches. Integrates well with runna, the runna app on Garmin is excellent.

Most people coming from apple go vivo active or venue. Venue being closest to a smart watch. Personally, I'm a instinct guy. Although I'm wearing a Fenix today since I didn't charge my Instinct for 2 weeks and it died before bed. I've swam tens of thousands of meters (more like hundreds but..) in pool, open and salt water with my Garmins. Done free diving (only to about 40ft, I'm not very good) and press the buttons regularly sub surface. I've also done cliff jumping with every watch, and haven't lost a garmin to water intrusion. I would definitely select a 100m rated model for water sports. Any watch can fail but I've had 6 garmins and none have. I also had a bunch of Casio and Timex over the years and not one failure.

I use a Fenix and and instinct. 100% accurate in the pool unless I'm doing under/overs (15m under, 10 over, 15 under, 10 over) then it will miss some laps. Most people aren't doing the legal 15m pullout (I do it to circumvent no underwater swimming) so this isn't an issue. Other than that, as long as I'm stroking with my arms, it rarely misses a length. I've had an Fenix 2/3/5x in the pool and mostly use my Instinct in open water because I don't mess with a HRM (wrist is fine, I don't care that much for the OWS and if I do I use my HRM pro).

The Apple Watch is deeply embedded in the Apple ecosystem, and most notably in messaging, and events (events is a surprisingly broad subject). It is a superb smartwatch that happens to have a lot of fitness features. Garmins are sports watches first, that happen to have some smart watch features. Forgetting the software featres, the Fenix and Tactix are highly rugged and that's a feature for them.

Fenix owner: I've never even once used the maps when running.

Garmin guy here - Changing the battery in the Fenix is a screwdriver job. It's easy as pie. Of course, does Garmin tell you that? Well, of course not.

The music and podcasts via Spotify work pretty well on my Fenix. What makes it clunky?🤔

Yes they are pretty rubbish for swimming. I just switched to a Garmin Fenix which hopefully will be better. The Apple Watch managed lap counting ok for me but open water was a disaster and the rest of its counting (calories etc) was also well off by the looks of it. Your does sound even more broken than just being rubbish though. It should be able to count laps fairly accurately, I think most of them can do that ok.

do you want more of a smartwatch that can also track fitness? or do you want a fitness watch that has some smart capabilities? that's basically the math when comparing Garmin to pixel or apple watch. I have a Garmin Fenix because I do a lot of hiking and like having the maps on my wrist. But if it weren't for that, I'd probably get the Garmin Instinct

Oh yeah good call. Battery life is super important to me. I do ultras so having 24+ hours of gps is necessary. And when in regular life, charging once every 10 days or so is pretty sweet

If your priorities are Ant+ and a streamlined UI, you might consider returning your Fenix and going with a cheaper device from the Forerunner line. The Fenix line is the more "fully featured" option, but with that comes cost and a more clunky UI. The last two generations of Forerunners will all have Ant+ for less than half of the price.

I do yes. I wear my Garmin Fenix for any workout.

I would also buy a Fenix for the titanium and the sapphire glass, two really nice features lol

Garmin supports those apps (atleast last time when I looked). The best watches for swimming would be a Garmin Quatix but the Fenix is almost the same watch. Both are well made and support for sure Spotify. Strava is connectable within the Garmin App.

There should be, but it isn’t. I have 255 and it’s great, capable, light watch, but it has weak display and no touch, changing straps is a hassle. So I waited long for 975, but I’ll go the Fenix way very, very soon :) Maps are definitely better on the 965 than on 255, navigation there is really rather basic.

I have a garmin Fenix and I love it. I think it’s use for cycling training is fine, but definitely not a must have. I find it much more useful for running, hiking, etc, where its easier to look at. Having a map is also very handy.  Wrist heart rate is nice and easy, but too inaccurate for training. Sleep tracking doesn’t tell you anything you don’t know, it’s just too inaccurate. Body battery is highly sensitive to sleep, so also kind of pointless. I don’t ever use the training features really.  However, some of the other features I use regularly. I cannot describe how handy a wrist alarm is for waking up peacefully without waking your partner. My watch has a flashlight, which I also use daily. The smart watch features are also much more useful than i expected, it’s nice when you’re busy and you get a notification to quickly be able to dismiss, rather than bringing your phone out. Overall I’ve been surprised that the features I didn’t think I’d use I have ended up using way more than the features I bought it for.  Overall: don’t get one for training purposes. Do get one if you are attracted to the smartwatch features as well. 

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.

Battery life is #1. My Apple Watch died before I was done from full battery when I hiked longs peak. I like physical buttons on my Fenix personally over a tiny little touch screen - that also has to be backlit and wastes battery. I think newer models are moving towards touch screens though, mine doesn’t even have the option. It just has a button you can press to light the screen if it’s dark but in the day I can see it just fine.

I have a Fenix and I use it for mostly walking, some hiking and biking I haven’t taken it off since I bought it in 2019. Fantastic watch

Yup, I was comparing the fenix and the enduro at REI and the fenix felt and looked like a normal watch while also having the features I wanted.

It sounds dumb, and I never thought I’d use it when I got my Fenix, but the flashlight might be one of my top used features. I’ll never own a watch again that doesn’t have one.

The 255 is a great piece of kit, Lightweight, battery is great, not a bad smart watch with the MIP screen…. HR tracks well to AW, Fenix and Amazfit TR3. Couple of beats between them.

Apple ultra is inferior to garmin fenix in terms of fitness. Having said that AWU is still a better option for average people. I have both :-)

I have the 965 and my dad has the Fenix, Fenix has much better golf capabilities. They'll both give you yardage keep score and do the basics, but Fenix goes much further.

So I’m trapped under a building and what I’m doing with my Fenix? Checking HRV and training status? With an AWU I can potentially call for help and use the siren

I’ve used a Garmin Fenix, Garmin Swim 2, and Apple Watch for swimming and by far the garmins were superior. My Apple Watch would die after about half an hour in open water, regardless of water temp, and was always inaccurate with my laps and interval times in the pool. The swim 2 and fenix work much better.

No smartwatch does swimming or lifting particularly well, imo. The development of swimming software has always been secondary to the watch’s software for biking and running. That said, i do use and find acceptable the swim function on my garmin (I’ve had a swim 2, forerunner, and fenix). I don’t pay attention to stroke detection so I can’t speak to that but it does everything else you’re asking for.  For lifting, paper and pen is still king. I track my lifting workouts on my watch so i get “credit” for them and the workouts help me reach some of the silly little “challenges” garmin has, but it’s too fiddly, prone to errors, and doesn’t provide me the same information I get by writing down my lifts & how I felt. 

I personally love my Fenix, and yes, most Garmin things revolve around running—but I do HIIT, strength training, and backpacking, and the recovery seems quite accurate. My overall fitness suffers when I don't listen to the readiness score and overdo it.

I wear my garmin fenix with a silicone case thingy while climbing to protect the metal edge. My mate wears his polar watch without any protection and seems to be doing fine that way.

I have a Fenix, super annoying to wear climbing and I honestly didn't find the data features of the watch very useful, I sometimes use it while training, to monitor heart rate, count reps/sets (I almost always have to manually put in reps though it does attempt to auto count). I usually take mine off and use it to time rests, my old Samsung watch was annoying to climb with but the hr data was fast enough to be usable to measure hr during rests, also has a cool feature to remote start your phone camera if you record yourself climbing. Works great for running/cycling type activities, decent fit lifting weights/training, and imo terrible for climbing. I use the bouldering option, but since I don't wear the watch it doesn't really count how fatiguing my climbing is ( although it doesn't do a good job of this when I wear the watch throughout the session either).

i hated my garmin fenix chunky edges on my 4.5 inch wrist which is tiny for my first one i went for the cheap apple watch 6 decided i liked it and went to a series 9 never looked back and also im in the apple ecosystem partley so this has been a great help

I moved from Fenix to PW3 because my $900 Fenix screen died. Garmin told me to go pound sand. PW has been totally fine for normal daily function. I never have any battery anxiety and I keep the screen on 24/7. A morning top up during showers is enough to keep it going. Keep in mind, Auto Screen off is only for when not tracking activity. If you are tracking a long run (Marathon/Ultra) screen stays on which sucks. I would not trust PW to track anything beyond 200-250 minutes (I know, extreme use case)

That's fair. I haven't looked into these options. That's the part i agree with OP on: My 43mm Fenix with Dual gps, Garmin live track, always on screen still had juice for up to 20-25 hours of running. That's a lot of pain and suffering on the knees😅 😜

Garmin Fenix… excellent monitoring of performance and movement!

I have the Fenix as well, and uses the HRM-Pro strap. I wear the watch on the outside of my sleeve doing cross country, and inside my parka (since the sleeve is puffier) for backcountry. It gives me a lot of info on XC mechanics that would probably be interesting if I get a bit more competitive?

It took me a while to get used to the heft of the fenix. It it noticeable while running or any activity in which your hands swing.

My concern with the 265/965 is the raised screen. Just begging to be scratched. How have you found it? Non issue? I’ve had the Fenix and 955. Both recessed screens.

Here is my reason, have you noticed that the major reviewers even when they are testing Garmin or Suunto watches are always wearing the Apple Watch Ultra on their wrist? Here is why, as great as Garmin watches are and I back this statement up , I have owned 3 Fenix's and 2 forerunner 9 series over the years. Running and Cycling are in comparison small parts of my week, even though I run 30 K a week and cycle almost 200K a week. The rest of the week, I am an employee, check email, read and respond to texts, I am a husband, a father , a podcast / music listener , a walker ,a gym goer and the Apple Watch is just an all round everyday watch for me with all the smart features. Sorry for the long winded reply.... and with regards to your last comment, I totally agree , when I was a Garmin Wearer, 99% of the time I saw someone with a Garmin, it was easy to strike a conversation as they were a runner or a cyclist. With the apple watch.....not so much lol

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 keep asking myself the same question. I’ve had a Fenix in the past and I love my Edge 1050 but when I run I want my Apple Music with me and my Watch phone for emergencies. The Watch Ultra does enough running tracking for me. I’d like a little more but not at the expense of the clutter that another watch would bring. The main problem is that you are paying for a huge overlap in functionality if you have both. Two lots of sleep tracking, HRV, oxygen, VO2 Max etc etc. Yes I fully get that ultimately the fitness metrics on the Apple Watch are more basic. I honestly don’t know how people run both.

I had a garmin fenix. Thing was a tank. Ultra is nice very user friendly but damn everybody has one, im thinking of going back just for the batt life and change of aesthetic

 🖐️  I fell for the allure of the Garmin Fenix in 2022, used it for a year.  Pros: nice design, rugged, tactile buttons, 10 day battery life    Cons: No cellular, MIP display indoors, mp3 transfer (I mean…who still has MP3’s lol), inefficient processor, HR inaccurate at times and often delayed (which sucked during interval workouts), software UI/UX is archaic, strength training profile is bonked, charging is slow, third party app support nonexistent) I came back and never looked back. The Apple Watch (Ultra) is a better smartwatch and health device. Plus with added third party apps I don’t miss Garmin at all. 

Buying a $800 product for 360 vs 5 days out of the year, and how 24hrs in a typical day is spent. Thats how I’d decide 

Because it’s basically running a calculator vs a fully fledged computer. Garmin also offloads most of the compute to the phone, which is why many Garmin users are shocked to discover that many workout functions require a working internet connection via Bluetooth to the phone to operate.  Same reason an old timex runs forever 

None of the complex metrics are done on the watch. Not. Even. Close. 

No I don’t think YOU do. Garmin Connect often requires an active internet connection. It really annoyed me when I owned my Fenix.  Look it up, it’s true. 

No, I don’t think YOU do. Garmin Connect often requires an active internet connection for many features. I discovered this when I owned one. It pissed me off. 

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 record a treadmill run for the treadmill and ignore the rest. Not perfect, but I use my Garmin to track my running more than anything else so it fits.

That's the main reason I switched. Loved the Pixel watch for its functions but charging it near daily was a deal breaker. My Garmin Fenix lasts three weeks

Love my Garmin Fenix. Charge about once every three weeks.

I'm very disappointed in my Fenix for gym (and it sounds like the same fault applies to all garmins) because of the logging of reps. When I do a workout it will assume I used the weights I specified, but then it seems to either auto-log reps, which is a disaster for things that don't involve hand movements, and require me to correct them, or assume I did zero and require me to enter the whole lot. If I'm doing 60 sets I honestly don't have the patience to manually enter the rep number, so I use a phone ap instead. The thing that really annoys me though is that it would be so easy for Garmin to make a tiny programing change and start with the assumption that you hit your target. Surely for most people who have a reasonably well-made workout this would mean they only need to change a small fraction of their reps. I have suggested they make that tiny change, as have others, but so-far it has fallen on deaf ears. Hopefully more people will suggest it, until eventually they do it. But for now I'd say stick with the apple watch.

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

I have the fenix and use that as the cycling computer with a seperate chest strap.

The battery and value is great, but the finish and sizing falls short in comparison to the Fenix. I do not care for the speaker and mic though

Garmin Fenix. I will always be team Garmin. Apple is a smart watch with fitness features while Garmin is a fitness watch with smart features. There are certain garmins that have more fitness functions and features than others - even among the new models. Some are more “lifestyle” watches (like venu). So just be aware of that when choosing. When I went from my venu2+ to my Fenix, a host of new features opened up for me that I now could not do without. Check out the r/garmin sub for sure if you think you might go that route

The Fenix is much heavier than the Forerunner. I had a Fenix and switched to Forerunner because of the weight.

I am an AWU → Garmin Fenix convert and have done pretty extensive testing with both, and against dedicated sensors. I have found for basically all metrics where the watch sensors are the source, the Apple Watch is more accurate when compared against the Garmin watch, although dedicated sensors are more accurate than both. I haven’t tried the Garmin chest strap or dynamics pod, but I have compared to a Polar H10 for HR and a Stryd pod for running dynamics. It’s always H10/Stryd > Apple Watch > Garmin. The discrepancy is much higher for HR than running dynamics. I think it is straight up irresponsible to rely on wrist-based HR is you’re using HR as a part of training, but the running dynamics from both watches are more than good enough for most people.

Just buy a fenix and turn notifications etc off. Calls it the only thing that I have on but that also can be turned off.

## Why is the Forerunner better for running than the Instinct or Fenix? The Forerunner series is specifically designed for runners. It offers precise running metrics, a wealth of training features, and specialized performance analytics like Running Tolerance, Running Economy, and even biomechanical values such as pace decrease on ground contact (Forerunner 970). Forerunner models often have better screens (touch, higher resolution) and detailed training suggestions for runners. The Forerunner 265, for example, has a bright AMOLED display that is easy to read while running. Instinct models typically use older sensors and are more geared toward outdoor adventure than pure running performance. The Fenix is also excellent for running but is positioned more as a hybrid multisport watch with a focus on outdoor activities and rugged design [9][10][11][12]. ## In what way is the Forerunner less suitable for hiking/backpacking? Forerunner models are less rugged and lack some of the outdoor-specific sensors and navigation aids of the Fenix or Instinct lines. Battery life is generally shorter, which is a disadvantage for long trekking tours. Features like a barometric altimeter, special navigation functions, and inReach compatibility—which are crucial for hiking—are limited to higher-end Forerunners or are better represented in Fenix and Instinct models. For hikers, map quality on Forerunner watches is also limited or only available on premium models like the 970 [10][13][14]. ## How useful are animated workouts and training suggestions? Animated workouts (yoga, strength training, etc.) are easy to follow on Garmin and motivating, especially for learning technique and form. For runners, the suggested training programs on newer Forerunners are highly useful. They provide daily personalized plans that factor in your fitness level and recovery status. Users report that these features simplify planning and improve training consistency, as the watch dynamically adapts the training [15][16][17][18]. ## Are maps on the watch actually useful for running or hiking? For anything else? Full watch-based navigation and mapping features—found particularly on the Forerunner 970 and Fenix series—include offline maps, turn-by-turn navigation, and visual guidance. For everyday runs on familiar routes, they matter less, but for trail running or hiking where orientation is crucial, they’re invaluable. Maps offer extra value for safety, route planning, and are also popular among cyclists and those exploring new routes [19][12][20][14]. ## Does the Forerunner 970 passively monitor heart rhythm to trigger an ECG? Yes, the Forerunner 970 is the first in its series with an integrated ECG feature, which uses case sensors to record an ECG for issues like atrial fibrillation in about 30 seconds. While the function is always present, the ECG is only triggered manually and does not replace a doctor’s visit. Heart rate is constantly measured, but for a full ECG you must actively launch the function [13]. ## Smartwatch features: Can you read texts or see who’s calling? Does Garmin support RCS messages? Garmin supports push notifications for calls and text messages, and (on Forerunner 570/970) you can answer calls directly from the wrist using the speaker and microphone. However, full support for Rich Communication Services (RCS, e.g. Google Messages) is not yet widespread; Garmin generally handles SMS/MMS, and you can reply with pre-set responses. RCS compatibility is under development and not guaranteed [21][22]. ## Is the speaker/microphone on the 570/970 useful for anything besides answering? How playful is it? The Forerunner 970 has improved audio hardware to make phone calls and use voice assistants (Google Assistant, Siri, Bixby) directly from your watch. The speaker is for calls and notifications but not for music playback. No particularly playful functions are supported; it's aimed at practical uses like telephony and voice commands. The 570 offers more limited audio features but still allows basic call management [23][24][25]. ## What makes a Garmin better than competitors Coros, Suunto, Amazfit? Garmin is regarded as a market leader due to its extensive ecosystem, powerful sensors, wide variety of sport profiles, and detailed analytics. Garmin watches generally provide robust navigation features with maps, access to third-party apps (Connect IQ), precise GPS/heart sensors, and strong accessory support. Coros impresses with battery life and durability, Suunto with simplicity and outdoor focus, and Amazfit mainly with budget-friendly offerings. Garmin is overall more versatile, especially for ambitious athletes and users seeking a deep combination of fitness analytics and smart features [10][23][25]. *** [9] Forerunner 265/745/965, Instinct 2 or fenix 7S https://www.reddit.com/r/GarminWatches/comments/1bl6twt/help_me_choose_forerunner_265745965_instinct_2_or/ [10] Garmin Instinct 3 vs Garmin Fenix 8: Every Difference ... https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2025/01/garmin-instinct3-vs-garmin-fenix8-very-detailed-review.html [11] Garmin Forerunner 265 vs Garmin Instinct https://versus.com/en/garmin-forerunner-265-vs-garmin-instinct [12] Garmin Forerunner 570 and 970: Advanced Tech for Those ... https://runlovers.it/en/2025/garmin-forerunner-570-and-970-advanced-tech-for-those-who-want-to-run-better/ [13] Garmin Forerunner 970 im Test: Die beste Sportuhr 2025 ... https://www.heise.de/bestenlisten/testbericht/garmin-forerunner-970-im-test-die-beste-sportuhr-2025-hat-jetzt-ekg/xx73c4h?wt_mc=rss.red.ho.beitrag.atom.beitrag.beitrag [14] Garmin Forerunner 570 vs. 970: An Easy Choice! All ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jLMnfnER8c [15] Support: Animated Workouts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0noz60nliY [16] How the Garmin Tracker Reignited My Love of Running https://www.wellandgood.com/fitness/garmin-watch-daily-suggested-workouts-review [17] How to Use Animated Workouts on Garmin Enduro 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9p6LzkJw9Hw [18] Garmin Coach Review https://stephaniehnatiuk.com/garmin-coach-review/ [19] Garmin Watches + OS Maps: The Ultimate duo for easy ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19HBRpmPhFw [20] New to Garmin Watch Maps - Need Your Advice for Hiking ... https://www.reddit.com/r/Garmin/comments/16eznyf/new_to_garmin_watch_maps_need_your_advice_for/ [21] Google Messages may work with Garmin for satellite ... https://9to5google.com/2023/08/28/google-messages-satellite-connectivity-garmin-evidence/ [22] Garmin fenix 8 RCS Text Messages? https://www.reddit.com/r/Garmin/comments/1inrdo6/garmin_fenix_8_rcs_text_messages/ [23] Garmin Forerunner 970 In-Depth Review: Brillance at a ... https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2025/06/garmin-forerunner-970-in-depth-review-brillance.html [24] Garmin Forerunner 970 speaker and microphone quality? https://www.reddit.com/r/GarminWatches/comments/1ktyxq2/garmin_forerunner_970_speaker_and_microphone/ [25] Garmin forerunner 970 Review ❌ all the cr*p bits ❌ a ... https://the5krunner.com/2025/07/28/garmin-forerunner-970-review/

I use both Apple Watch and Garmin, If you want a smartphone on your wrist, get an Apple Watch. If you want a \*watch\*, get a Garmin. Are they worth it? i.e. A Fenix for $1.5k? No, they are not. I use one, I like it, but if you're price sensitive, no, they are not worth it. Never used the Forerunner, sorry, don't know.

I had a Samsung amart watch a few years ago and the battery life was appaling I changed to a fenix and haven't looked back. But looking back now I dont really want a watch to send a text on or to take a phone call, ive my phone for that, when im in the car ive hands free and when im somewhere else but need hands free ive my ear phones. I honestly dont know why else anyone would want a smart watch for. My garmin does everything I want it. Track hikes and work out, I can read the texts on it if I can't look at the phone. I love being able to track my hikes and use the map function I wouldn't use a Samsung watch again. Unless there was a game changer which I can't see happening

I’ve liked the garmin interface and rowing app, it gives a decent approximation of stroke rate and pace (on both my original vivoactive and now my fenix)

It is overkill, but it's so freakin sweet. If you can swing it, get it. I bought an S50 and fell in love with the Garmin connect app, it's way more motivating and useful for fitness. I ended up returning the S50 and got the fenix. You don't need a garmin golf subscription for the fenix or S70 to see the better hole maps and green heat maps. You also get wind adjustments which I've found to be very accurate. I'd get the fenix because of the looks, the flashlight, the golf features without the subscription, and all the cool health metrics and training. Edit: the only thing the S50 would be better for is cheaper club tracking, since the CT1 trackers work with the S50. I bought the CT1 trackers and felt that tapping the club to the watch was not easier than just setting which club i hit from the watch screen.

Honestly, there's a TON of overlap between Whoop and any other tracker you need. It'll have your HR and HRV, recovery scores, and target strain. The ability to broadcast HR to your phone should let you cover runs and bike rides in strava. Look into various Garmin options if you want something that can record multisport events, I think Coros can do those too. But if you just want something for easy workout tracking that records swim laps and ride/run HR + GPS route, a cheap Fitbit would do the trick as well. Personally, I use a Whoop plus a Garmin Fenix. The whoop is overkill, honestly, since Garmin has a "body battery" recovery metric and can tell you how hard to go with the training on any given day. I use the Whoop because I deal with behaviors very similar to exercise bulimia and I need something that literally tells me, "you've worked hard enough today, it is time to stop." If I didn't need that, a Garmin would absolutely be sufficient on its own.

I’ve got an Apple Watch SE for hiking, running and cycling and I think it’s great for what I want. I’ve had Garmin in the past and still have an old Fenix I use sometimes for hiking, but I didn’t wear it all the time because it was big and clunky, and the only thing I ever really did with it was look at my tracks on Garmin connect when planning new walks. I found it too much of a faff to use for running in any useful way. By the time I’d remembered how to press which buttons to access whichever nested menu I needed, I could have run a couple of hundred yards. Whereas my AW is on my wrist all the time except at night and if I forget to tell it I’m running it notices and asks me if I want to start retrospectively. I charge it overnight because I’m not interested in sleep tracking so the battery life thing isn’t a nuisance. I have access to all the extra apps I need (like Zwift or Kamoot or OS maps) and I write my workouts to Garmin Connect anyway so I still have that continuous record. So far, it’s working well for me.

I used my Apple Watch for walking the Cotswold Way and it needed charging overnight but that’s what I do anyway. However , this is why I still have my ancient Garmin Fenix and my Etrex and would double up if it was a track I really didn’t want to lose. I don’t rely only on my phone for navigation if it is jmportant, and the Apple Watch is just an extension of my phone, with similar limitations. I regard my Apple Watch as a step up from a fitbit - great for everyday life but not serious athletic equipment. That’s fine because I’m not a serious athlete. I can’t be faffed to wear a Garmin on a daily basis.

Went from a garmin fenix to an amazfit t rex 3. Almost a month battery life and great workout tracking and maps.

I have not used the Venu line, but my daughter has a Venu 2s and has been very happy with it. I’ve always stuck with the Forerunner & Fenix lines myself, because they suit my needs better (outdoor running & trail running).

Yeah I had a farming watch years ago, finally retired it for apple watch for several years, and now got a Fenix a few months ago. Sleep tracking on this $1k thing is really disappointing. Way worse than Apple Watch. TBH I was hopeful the training feedback would be useful, but the other week I was getting sick and it told me I was optimally ready for training. Went out and body said hard nope. Several days of being totally run down and non functional and my watch continued to say good to go. Weeks later and I’m finally recovering, and the watch has me pegged at not ready to train. I wear it all day except in the shower, or on the bike where I use a Garmin 540 with their fancy chest strap. I’m really disillusioned with their claims now AW has some garbage sensors. Useless for me tracking HR during runs even with a tight strap. GPS was pretty bad. Battery is OK for daily use but can’t support activities or camping. But how Garmin sleep tracking is SOOOO bad is beyond me

Garmin Fenix is good!

Fenix if you can afford otherwise any instinct imo.

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.

You say heavy, after one day of wear, no one would really notice the difference in weight between the two. I'm v thin with basically female size wrists and tiny arms (I am male for reference) and run at a v high level with the Fenix and the extra few grams have never bothered me at all; haven't even noticed them after I went from a Forerunner to a Fenix.

Garmin Fenix but I bough it more for the gym and mountain biking. The golf app is amazing.

I do. It's kind of a in the butt the way I do it, but it works for me. I record the workout as two seperate activities. The tread I try to keep by itself, which is fairly simple. That way I can track the distance towards my weekly total milage. But it doesn't work for run/row days. Then the floor I record as a "cardio" activity, then get the workout I manually change it to HIIT on Garmin Connect. It isn't the best solution probably, but it works. It would bother me if I worked out at OT more often.

Can't go wrong with Garmin imho. I've had a fenix and a couple of forerunners, and they've all worked great.

Forerunners and Epix are not supposed to use the button under water. Fenix is better in that regard, I think if you check the comparison also lists as water proof.

Tactix 8 is nice but don't count on any help from solar i have had the fenix and tactix solar and i actually prefer my amoled for length of batt life. i have put it in batt saver mode in full lux not on me for 3 hrs and achieved 1%that went down after wearing it .my casio does way better with solar this is the only thing that is a disappointment!

For me, the biggest advantage is offline maps on my Epix Pro (also available on the 970, Fenix and a few others) which is something that Apple doesn’t do at all - although you can download offline maps on your phone from some suppliers. The other advantage that I exploit is the data sharing across devices - my Edge devices know what training I carried out using my watches, and the data is collated and used to advise my training progress and plans. I would never use any watch on my bikes (unless I really wanted to crash!!) so Apple doesn’t get a look-in for that use case. And I’m not putting my £1600 iPhone on my handlebars.

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)

Garmin fenix works fine in sauna

Fenix or Forerunner. They have precise data especially if you ride a horse

I really like my Fenix overall, and the battery life is a big part of that, but the Garmin UI is at best an acquired taste, and at worst a total disaster that you can manage to somehow grow accustomed to. I would never tell someone to switch to one from an Apple Watch unless they knew darn good and well what they were getting themselves into and they were totally cool with it. It’s worth it to me. If you love your AW, make sure it’s worth it to you before you jump.

My Fenix rocks and gets 90% of everything. I’m the instances when it doesn’t, it’s generally because of a multi joint movement into another movement. For instance, something like a DB Snatch into overhead walking lunges, it might only pickup the lunge portion.

Damn I’m 19 days into whoop and I love it. Personal opinion. I’ve had no issues and the heart rate data matches up with the garmin fenix if not ahead. Sometimes whoop will get a heart rate reading then garmin catches up to. I can see everyone’s point though and I guess it’s what works for everyone :) I’m just happy it works with my heavily tattooed arm with my garmin doesnt. Garmin only works on a certain part where I’m not tattooed I think next year when my subscription is up for renewal I’ll then decide where to go but so far I’m in love.

My Fenix works great for both running and golf.

Fenix is a mature watch now. It's not meant to rival Apple Watch, but it's good enough at what it's for that Garmin just doesn't have as much to add anymore.

I have used mine since 2019. I used to record using the HIIT but it was a bit glitchy so now I'm using the cardio activity.

I had both, currently the fenix. Personally I never used the phone features, such as notifications, calling, payments etc. Notifications on my wrist, most horrible thing to have. But tbf I don’t get any notifications on my phone. Only calls and messages of 4 people. Sportswatch? Phone on your wrist, AW

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.

Garmin Fenix is the best for snow sports

Battery life and durability. Most of what the Apple Watch has to offer me I don’t find value in, and what I need out of it vs the Garmin, it falls short. If Apple ever made a fitness tracker that could actually compete with my Fenix I’d be game simply because I like the iPhone ecosystem, but outside of that I’ll never own an Apple Watch.

Performance data, stamina data. It offers may of the same features the Apple Watch does, but it also lasts for weeks and can take punishment from kettlebells. Apple Watches are Honda Ridgelines, Garmin’s, at least my Fenix, are Toyota Tacomas. Ridgelines do a lot of things the Tacoma doesn’t, but what the Tacoma does, it does better, and I don’t need the other stuff.

Not sure what I have to say will help, but here it goes. I have and I use both. All my exercises and training are captured on a fênix watch (not the latest). The whole Garmin ecosystem is hands down better imho. Both during and after the exercise itself. The dilema on my side starts with everything else. During the rest of the day and during sleep. I can't give up the apple device. Paying for stuff, etc etc... I give up all the HRV, body baterry, recovery that Garmin offers and I wish I had it. The baterry part I made piece with it. Found a routine that baterry is not a ploblem at least with the AW ultra.

For tne fenix line, agree 100%. Garmin needs to stop chasing Apple, double down on what makes Garmins special especially battery life

I have a Fénix and I love it! Literally wouldn’t want to live without it. I find myself using some of the basic features on it daily (like the flashlight). It’s a huge investment, and after having it she may yearn for more tech so I’d get the fénix. I have a gorgeous one, imo. I also have an Oura for what it’s worth and I love that they each do their own thing, but for what she does hands down a Garmin watch

I used Garmin for about 7 years, about 5 models (all from the Fénix line which is their flagship), I loved them, I really did, I was obsessed with them, and it is not just the battery life, the look, they look so gorgeous, like a proper watch compared to the black rectangle the Apple Watch was (Always On Display wasn’t so much of a thing back then). Then I received an Apple Watch as a gift , and everything changed, for starters it was so much more comfortable and light, I’m not a big guy so the massive Garmin Fénix didn’t really look that good on me looking back at old photos of me wearing them, a smaller profile watch looks much better. Then there’s the matter of the smart features, I am now an Apple Shortcuts power user (it is silly but it is true) I have so many and the fact that they integrate to the Apple Watch simply cannot be understated for me, I couldn’t go back to Garmin now, it is just so much part of my life now. There’s also Apple Music which just works fantastically on Apple Watch, albeit not Garmin’s fault but the integration with Spotify in their watches leaves so much to be desired in comparison. Every now and then I look a Garmin watches and still think they look better “on paper” but maybe not on me. In terms of Running, I have to be honest, Garmin does it much better than Apple’s simplistic implementation, but then again I don’t do that much running anymore, I used to run much more back then, probably encouraged by the watch 😄 , but now I focus more on weightlifting and other workout types, I found it is better for me.

For running, the **Forerunners** win because they’re lighter, have better training tools (readiness, load, recovery, VO₂, etc.), and give you more run-specific metrics. The **Instinct/Fenix** are better for hiking/backpacking since they’re tougher, with longer battery and more rugged features. Animated workouts are more of a nice to have, useful if you like guided bodyweight or gym sessions, but most people don’t rely on them. Daily suggested workouts are hit or miss: they’re good for structure but not something to blindly follow. Maps are genuinely handy if you do trails or long hikes; on runs they’re mostly good for keeping you on a planned route. The 970 only records ECG if you start it manually, it doesn’t passively check like an Apple Watch. Smart features: you’ll see texts and calls, but RCS isn’t supported (just standard SMS/notifications). The mic/speaker are fine for quick replies or answering a call in a pinch, but not something you’d want to use all the time. Why Garmin? Mostly the depth of training metrics, reliability, and ecosystem, Coros and Suunto are good but Garmin still has the most polished data!!

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.