fēnix® 5X Plus

I think it depends on how often you run with your phone. I've had a Garmin Fenix 5+ and now a Forerunner 955, both with maps. The offline mapping is cool, but personally I use it like 2-3x/year (even breadcrumb). Most of the trails I run on are pretty straight forward and that handful of times I've gotten lost, I just use my offline Google Maps to point me in the right direction. Usually it's just long 15-20+ mile runs in unfamiliar places while car camping that I might create a course, assuming I don't do a simple out-and-back. The Garmin app allows for me to create courses right there and push it to my watch with ease. I think Coros and Polar are similar (Maybe Suunto too?). Obviously with multi-day backpacking, mapping becomes more important on-device due to battery life concerns.

Upgraded from a Fenix 5+ to a Forerunner 965 mostly because the Fenix was having a lot of troubles charging. I think I'd had the Fenix maybe three years; I had bought it right as the Fenix 6 was coming out. But when I got the Forerunner, I also appreciated the better screen, the much better multi-band GPS, and the improved heart rate sensor versus my old watch. So, there were some hardware improvements between generations but the other features that Garmin has added mostly don't interest me. I'm so distrusting of their performance metrics, I don't really any attention to them. I don't see myself buying my next watch because there's something NEW added feature, it'll be because either the Forerunner doesn't hold a charge anymore, or because I've smashed up the watchface or something. Kind of like with computers maybe ten or so years ago; there was less and less of a reason to keep upgrading every couple of years, because the improvements were marginal and the old machines worked just fine.

I have a Fenix 5 Plus with Sapphire that I got in 2018 that is still going strong. It's been through some solid crashes and the glass still looks great.

Still love my Fenix 5x plus. Old but does what it should. During work days and months, its just a minimal watch face and i see my mails and messages. During holidays, its a workhorse, serving me all my topological maps and trails during multi day hikes. Screen is still mint after all these years. Even battery still going strong. It even has offline spotify playlists. Was worth every cent i paid. The only reason i would upgrade would be if i could get even more battery life and a flashlights. But newer ones have same or less battery life die to all new features, and a long battery life and flashlights is just counterintuitive

Something like a 5 Plus (maps and MP3), maybe a 5X for battery. I wouldn’t write off the Forerunners, Vivoactive or Venu watches. 5 series aren’t getting updates I believe but they work and pretty solid. Have you considered normal smartwatches, Galaxy Watch 5 Pro can be had under £50 now and top build quality.

Something like a 5 Plus (maps and MP3), maybe a 5X for battery. I wouldn’t write off the Forerunners, Vivoactive or Venu watches. 5 series aren’t getting updates I believe but they work and pretty solid. Have you considered normal smartwatches, Galaxy Watch 5 Pro can be had under £50 now and top build quality.

5S Plus is part of the same generation. I had one before and they are just as good other than weaker battery life due to the smaller case. S models used to be 42mm bezel, no letter was 47mm and X models are 51mm but huge - too big for me to wear comfortably.

Something like a 5 Plus (maps and MP3), maybe a 5X for battery. I wouldn’t write off the Forerunners, Vivoactive or Venu watches. 5 series aren’t getting updates I believe but they work and pretty solid. Have you considered normal smartwatches, Galaxy Watch 5 Pro can be had under £50 now and top build quality.