Garmin - vívoactive 5

I have the vivoactive 5 and it's fantastic. Great battery life and gives me everything I am looking for in a fitness tracker.

I am nearly three weeks in to my journey with a Garmin watch. I had already been looking at a replacement for my Pixel watch, was becoming less happy with Fitbit. I'm quite active, do a lot of walking and gym training. I like what the Garmin tracks, has given me a far better insight regarding my fitness and has motivated me to push and train a little more. I made a comment to a friend about the badges and challenges being effectively shiny trinkets, but the number of them really do spur you on and I think sometimes that's a good motivator. I'm certainly impressed by the watch, the functionality and what I can track without paying a premium subscription. Worth noting that even with the premium Fitbit offered a lot less!

I use the vivoactive 5 for weight training, walking and yoga and i'm surprised by how useful it is. After each training it already mentions the exercise (not always correct but you can change it manually). I use the watch mainly because i want to be fitter as i have a desk job. Almost 4 weeks in and like it a lot better than fitbit!

Big feature on the FR165 is a barometric altimeter, which they removed from the VA5. This will aid in stair counting and elevation changes when running. The other two features I preferred on the FR165 were the 5 button layout and the extra running metrics. As a runner, FR165 for sure, and if an advanced runner, I’d look to see if you can get a 265 on sale this holiday season

the [Fitbit Charge 6 ](https://amzn.to/4fQM4CE)is great overall but i would go for it if you care mostly about sleep traking, if you are more interested in gym and workout in generaly, i would go for [Garmin vivoactive 5](https://amzn.to/3CDMeiH) It's a bit more expensive but it's a more solid overall

Venu (3 or 3S) and Vivoactive 5 are both cute and come in neutral colors. They're decent for running but are more "lifestyle" watches than running watches. The 265S (S means it's the smaller version) is better for a serious runner. It isn't super "cute" but it comes in white with light blue accents. You can buy aftermarket straps of course.

I use my Vivoactive 5 for fitness tracking and love it. The GPS is excellent (I do a lot of hiking) and you gets loads of data on your workouts. It was $200 on ebay last fall.

I switched to a Garmin vivoactive 5, and it is way more complicated than my tried and true charge 5. The changes that fitbit has been making and my going through 2 charge 5's in 2 years made me switch. I got it on sale a couple weeks ago and have been playing with it, I just miss the familiarity and user friendliness of Fitbit. But I'm not going back.

love my vivoactive 5! I made the switch from an apple watch and I could not be happier. If you are used to the iOS/Apple interface it can be a bit tricky to get use to it at first, but in the end I find it much more user friendly and customizable than the apple watch

I am much more into cycling than running currently and bought the vivoactive 5 which is a nice watch, but I wanted to power meter support and the training readiness features of the 265 has. You can’t really go wrong with either watch. 265 is more of a multi-sport watch. Vivoactive 5 is still a great watch though compared to fitbit and apple watches.

I’ve had some issues with my vivoactive 5 and my Fenix 7 now. Often it’ll track an extra lap or 2, usually if I do 1500m I’ll end up with the watch saying 1525m or 1550m. That said, this week I swam 1500m by my lap count and the watch ended up tracking 1600m. I think it also has to do with the fact that I was in a crowded swimming lane and had to stop/change strokes halfway through laps to avoid running into people.

You should try Garmin. My vivoactive 5 lasts a week with almost everything switched on.

Agree with other posts and I get overnight HRV on vivoactive 5 which is helpful

Go with the Garmin, the fitbit subscription charge is not a nice charge to see in your bank account. Also Garmin devices tend to be more accurate

I have this watch, and it's very lightweight, I don't feel it on my wrist. It usually goes for 40% off on every major sale/holiday.

I have vivoactive 5 and love it Covers my running, my workouts, shows me text announcements and calendar reminders I don’t need to talk into it I don’t need the super advanced running metrics There is a new vivoactive 6 now avail With a few enhancement

I have a Vivoactive 5 and do some frequent lifting with it! Happy to answer questions, so far I love it coming from an Apple Watch.

I did consider the Venu, but really didn’t think I needed to spend the extra money. Features present in my lifestyle are all covered with the Vivoactive. The only thing this watch doesn’t have is the stairs climbed sensor, which honestly I haven’t even noticed it doesn’t have it. As for Pros/Cons, I’d say pros that stand out are the screen, battery life, tracking features, and the watch faces. I have very little cons but do have one: there is a current software glitch present on the VA 5 where the device will randomly click things if your sleeve or clothes hit it. For example, check [this post](https://forums.garmin.com/sports-fitness/healthandwellness/f/vivoactive-5-series/364872/vivoactive-5-randomly-vibrates-and-switches-to-the-battery-manager-screen) on the forum. Other than that, I love it.

No problem, I def recommend it! Honestly, I miss sometimes being able to reply to quick messages as a iPhone user with the Apple Watch, and also being able to customize notifications. I got used to it now, and can still check message notifications on the VA5 so it isn’t as bad, just an adjustment. For the workouts, you have to start a strength workout but I know it has the ability to auto detect a workout I just haven’t had it in me to give that a shot. My luck it would never detect, lol. You can time your sets and your reps and at the end of the workout it will give you a really great summary and even detail what weight lifting workout you did. Sometimes it’s incorrect, but it’s actually impressive how it gets it right from time to time.

That's what I did, been enjoying it for 6 months. (I did find myself lightly jogging yesterday though! Seems we need to watch out lest the watch turn us into runners!)

Venu 3 or Vivoactive 5 for you from your parameter you stated. As to Garmin over the forbidden fruit watch.........all day!

I had the Galaxy watch 7 for almost 3 months. I returned it cuz the battery life is trash and it would only activate when I looked at my wrist like 6/10 of the time and when it did activate it took a split second longer than I would hope for. I returned it and then got the vivoactive 5. Best decision I made in a long time.

I have a vivoactive and can see data older than a year on the website. But you can also download data to a spreadsheet, and I've been keeping a spreadsheet of my swimming since before I had my Garmin.

There’s a decent downloadable app that handles open water pretty well. I think the vivoactive 5 has open water built in. (I have the 4, but used the app on my old Vivoactive HR.)

Altimeter is super inaccurate so not really a good feature. Once you hit Save on your Vivoactive 5 for a GPS run, you get accurate elevation data. So the altimeter sounds like a non essential feature.

My Vivoactive 5 records it fine while swimming. So did Fitbit Charge 3 and 5, I had in the past. But I like Garmin a lot more then Fitbit, as Fitbit got much worse since Google bought them.

This depends on how you want to track your sessions. Some people prefer to start "strength training" when enter a gym and stop it at the end. I use my watch to follow my program like described here: [https://gelberhut.com/strength-training-with-a-garmin-in-a-gym/](https://gelberhut.com/strength-training-with-a-garmin-in-a-gym/) If you want to do the same - a watch which allows to adjust weight/rep number using the touch screen is handy. I know that venu3 and F8 support this, not sure about other models. PS: Not that long ago, Garmin released strength coach (https://gelberhut.com/garmin-strength-coach-what-is-it-and-what-can-it-do/), if you want it: check one of Garmin Venu 3, Garmin Fenix 8, Garmin Vivoactive 5, Forerunner 255, Forerunner 265, Forerunner 955, Forerunner 965.

Forerunner 265. I upgraded a year ago from a vivo active 5 because I needed a longer battery life. No complaints!

I first got an Apple Watch SE and after a few months switched to the Garmin Vivoactive 5. I really enjoyed the Apple Watch and it has everything you need for running, but the battery life is terrible. I could not do any sleep tracking cuz I would need to charge the watch every evening. The Garmin visually also looks nicer (I never really liked the rectangle look of the Apple Watch). In the beginning I did not find the Garmin super intuitive (in comparison to the Apple Watch) and I found all the functions a bit overwhelming, but you get used to it fairly quickly. I definitely think the Garmin is truly worth the money and the Apple Watch less so.

I had a VA5 and the build quality wasn't bad, but it's not as premium feeling as the VA4, especially the buttons. Hopefully they'll fix the software issues. I suggest contacting their support to let them know.

[Vivoactive 5 vs Forerunner 165 vs Venu 3 for non-runner : r/GarminWatches](https://www.reddit.com/r/GarminWatches/comments/1ec4sl7/vivoactive_5_vs_forerunner_165_vs_venu_3_for/) I had both and like both for different reasons / features. Kept the 165 for the additional sport features, breadcrumb routes, etc. Would have liked a combination of the two, a sleeker looking Forerunner. [Garmin | Product Compare](https://www.garmin.com/en-US/compare/?compareProduct=1057989&compareProduct=1055469) Something not mentioned is that the Vivo can't beep, only vibrate and doesn't have the sunrise / sunset glance, which I find interesting.

Your cheapest option will be the Vivo active 5. Garmin Instinct 2x also has a basketball and should be around €300. Forerunner 265 and the Venue 3 will have it also but can be above €300.

FR 165 doesn't have teamsports in the activity profiles. The Vivo active has. Vivo/Venu is also more focussed on wellness then the 165 You can sideload an app in the Garmin Connect IQ Store https://apps.garmin.com/nl-NL/apps/b049d6f3-01f6-4602-a638-28d1db81439d.

Thank you so much! Upon doing some more research I went with the vivoactive 5 actually. I think that'll fit my multipurpose non-hardcore athlete use while also looking good as a normal watch, and hopefully lasting as a somewhat heavy use swimming watch.

My charge 3 lasted for years, but when I upgraded to the Charge 5 I went through four of them in two years with battery issues. It’s a real shame because it had everything that I wanted (except reliability). I’m looking at the Garmin Vivoactive 5 now.

It’s a bit more than I really want, but I’m sold on their quality, and it’s nice that in the app you get all your data instead of with Fitbit where you’d have to subscribe to the premium to get more detailed data.

The forerunner looks to be the better overall package. The Vivoactive is clearly the better looking watch, but for fitness metrics, the forerunner wins It kind of depends what you want though.A lifestyle watch that's very capable at tracking fitness or a more dedicated sports watch.

How do you use your watch during workouts? Do you turn it on at the start and then turn it off at the end, not touching it in between, or do you interact with the watch throughout? Do you like the touch AMOLED or the non-touch MIP screen more? The Forerunner 255 has multi-band GPS whereas vivoactive 5 does not - it has multi-GNSS (but not multi-band). If you plan to run or cycle in urban areas with lots of tall buildings you will get better accuracy out of the 255. In addition, depending on how you use your watch, physical buttons are far superior to touch or swipe gestures during workouts (think sweaty hands or gloves during the cold season). Pressing physical buttons can be done without even looking at the watch, whereas touch gestures require a high degree of dexterity. The big difference is the screen, GPS accuracy, and buttons vs touch. Sleep tracking, heart rate, HRV metrics will be the same because it's the same sensor that is used in both models. The Forerunner does not have as vibrant and beautiful of a screen as the Vivoactive, but as a result has a much longer battery life.

Garmin Vivoactove 5 is good. 

I use the Garmin vivoactive 5 watch. It’s pretty good at tracking heart rate and it’s constantly monitoring it. You do have to wear it snug on the wrist bone though, otherwise you won’t get a fully accurate reading. I use mine to monitor HR, track my period & period symptoms, track steps, get phone notifications (you can’t send texts or make calls from it like you can the nicer Garmin or Apple Watches, but I always have my phone so that isn’t necessary), track stress levels, and sometimes monitor HRV. It also has tons of workout features that I don’t use- and the Body Battery feature is kinda cool. It estimates how much energy you have based on your stress levels, how long you slept, etc. I think I paid around $300 for mine, so it’s cheaper than the Apple Watch for sure.

Oh also, the battery on the Garmin watch I have lasts up to 11 days, which is far longer than the Apple Watch and you can use it to track sleep. (If you can’t tell, I’m a fan of this watch lol)

I have Vivoactive 5 and my girlfriend has an Apple watch. She has to drag her phone with her to listen to music and use the GPS. I'm just running with just my watch and earbuds. If you're planning to bring a phone anyway it may not matter to you, but for me it's very important not to bring it.

I’ve had 3 Garmin Vivoactive watches by this point. Had a Vivoactive 3, it had an issue and they replaced it, eventually it got old so I got a Vivoactive 5.

The Vivoactive 5 has meditation and wheelchair stuff that the Forerunner 165 doesn't. If you don't need either of those, the 165 would be the better choice.

Okay so still the 255 is good for this (or Venu 3 if you want AMOLED instead of MIP, or the cheaper Vivoactive 5 which still has HRV status). If you think HR is important, you must invest in a chest strap too, because optical HR + weight lifting is just not compatible due to physical reasons. I (and many from us) recommend Polar H9 for this (or H10: same sensor but it has better, non-slippery strap).

Yeah op could get a cheaper watch like the vivoactive and the strap that goes with it and it would still cost less than a forerunner.

I used a Garmin Lily before and while it was okay I now have a Vivoactive 5 and it's much better. It's more accurate and i can easily start the activity, create intervals, and rest periods. i was also thinking about getting the garmin swim which is more swimming focused in the end the vivoactive won because it's more of an all-rounder and for the price i prefer something i can wear all the time.

VA5 is actually a Venu3 Lite. Vivoactive line ended with the VA4. The original Venu was the OLED variant of the VA4. They had nearly identical GUI and the same functions. Had a VA4 for years and gave it to my son. Wife still has a VA4s. I recently switched to a FR265. I should have stayed on a MIP display watch. But I chose the FR265 over the 255 because of touch screen. Which I use less than before because most things are easy to use on the 5-button watches without it.

I have both galaxy watch 6 classic 43mm and Garmin vivoactive 5. I also cannot decide which watch to use. But the body battery usually give me a low score compared to energy score and state that the amt of stress during sleep contributed to the lower body battery. Eg, it could be sth like a 60-70 range for body battery but 80-90 range for energy score. I run the same route 3x a week with various device. So distance looked accurate enough for me, with Garmin usually slightly longer even compared with Apple watch. Stats are also similar. I guess it really boils down to battery and user interface that's up to preference.

Garmin makes it as they like to hide some software features from you just because vívoactive 5 is positioned to the bottom of the Garmin lineup. That one thing I don't like about Garmin, this should be regulated by law.

I talked about software features... not physical features. And just becouse it's normal business behaviour it's not meaning that it's the right thing to do. I watch that has (almost) the same sensors than the rest of the watches why should they disable features that is only a calculated thing?

I have a Garmin vivoactive 5 and mostly love it. I use to have a Samsung Galaxy watch. Pros: Long battery life. 7+ days without GPS turned on. The outdoor rowing app is super nice and I love being able to see the output of my row after I get off the water. I'm not going to lie - this is the whole reason behind this new watch purchase. Lighter than the Samsung. Cons: Can't actually create individual text responses. HR monitor isn't as accurate as a chest monitor (I compared it once) but still better than my Samsung. I'm not an iPhone user so I can't offer a comparison. But I have no regrets with my Garmin watch purchase. Edited - added another Pro.

The outdoor rowing option that I had access to was very limited and didn't have the usual rowing metrics (mph instead of in 500ms, and no stroke rates). The GPS was good though. You can see there are lower end Garmin watches you can probably pick up used to test out. https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/5241928a-ffea-498a-a310-8e21b3145c24

I figured out why it doesn't show for me. Vivoactive 5 is not on the supported watch list. 😭 Hopefully it'll get an update soon.

Garmin Vivoactive 5 works great for me. I love the HR monitor, running stats, sleep data, body battery, and intensity minutes measurements. My wife has the Apple Watch. It’s too busy for me. I prefer a watch that focuses on sports functionality and use. I’m just an ordinary runner and don’t need the advanced features found on more expensive smartwatches.

I have had both watches. The forerunner main extra features are training status, training suggestions, race predictor (helpful to see your progress). It also gives you feedback on what to work on ie low aerobic and high aerobic. The Vivo is basically a lifestyle watch. You will forget about the touchscreen about 30mins after you put your forerunner on.

Garmin vivoactive 5 works great for me. You can always try the Venu 3 as well.

My Vivo Active 5 does this. I strength train and run. I use the strength train for reps and sets. Also tells me what muscles were targeted. This is also the only garmin I’ve owned though, so I can’t attest to other watches.

Seconding the Vivoactive 5

I like my Garmin Vivoactive 5

I have the v5. Took my v3 diving and snorkelling and was fine. Just make sure washed well after. You can get some rubber covers that go over the charging port on them. V5 is good for basic fitness. I’ve had mine about a year. No issues with it when running or in gym.

I have had both the Garmin Vivo and Charge 5 and I am an android user so Apple watch is out for me. Durability wise Garmin but not sure how that compares to the Charge 6 as they fixed alot of the issues that the Charge 5 has. But wearing and comfort. Hands down the Charge 5. I have gone thru 2 charge 5 over the last 5 years and would still buy the charge 5/6 over Garmin for the comfort. The Charge 5/6 is much thinner on your wrist and surprisingly that makes a world of difference

For weights none of them are great, you should not spend more money expecting better results. If you think you might get a little more serious about running in the future, get the FR165 (or even the 255/265 if you find a good deal). If not, Vivoactive is a good choice.

I actually prefer my old Vivoactive to the Forerunner. I'm a slow jogger, and this Forerunner is demotivating because it tells me how much I suck.

Just get one of the garmin watches with heart rate tracking. Their most budget one with a heart rate tracker, is their vivoactive, and it'll set you back maybe 200 bucks. But I'd personally spend a bit more and get the Forerunner 255. I currently have a 255, and it's fantastic. Battery life is about a week, but I also do a good deal of running. I imagine it'd go up to 10-14 days if I didn't use the GPS function while tracking my runs. It works with the Garmin Connect app, and that doesn't require a subscription at all. It'll also sync your activity data with Strava for additional tracking if you wanted.

I think you are in a hard spot here! When someone is serious about something, it is difficult to gift them something about that something. In the same way that you cannot gift a mouse to a software engineer unless it's the Logitech Mx 3 or superior, you cannot gift apparel to a serious runner unless it's something really good. My point is, if you want to gift him a watch, it is difficult to recommend you something that is below $300 or $400. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of watches out there that cost less and may work. For example, you can buy the Garmin Vivoactive or Instinct for around $200, or the Amazfit T-Rex Pro for $150 (this is a really good watch for the price). However, if he is really serious about trail running, you may have to consider a Garmin Fenix 6 (between $350 and $400 on Amazon) or a Garmin Forerunner 945 (I just saw it at $319 on Amazon). If he is into both road and trail running, the Forerunner may be a good choice, but if he is getting more and more into trail running, the fenix is the best option. Note: You won't get navigation in budget-friendly watches, but I haven't meet a racer that needed it. Generally, the course is marked and people carry their phones (I have offline maps just in case). Note 2: You can save a lot by purchasing the previous-generation model (that's why I recommended fenix 6 and forerunner 945).

I had a Vivoactive for years that died and I switch to a forerunner a few weeks ago. I am super happy, much better battery, I love the training analysis features it pushes me to work on my cardio as I am more into strength.

Is you're interested in the Garmin metrics and think you'll be getting into running more, Garmin is a great choice, I'd check out the Forerunner line, or maybe VivoActive. My wife and I have been using Garmin for about 12 years so I'm used to and enjoy the ecosystem. It's nice to compare and view our activities in the same app and we have a scale that auto syncs our weight. I'm also on an Android phone. When I wanted an upgrade another Garmin just made sense for me. As others have mentioned, it's more of a fitness watch with some smart features, vs. a full blown smart watch, so if you want full smart watch functionality you may like other options better.

Vivoactive was fine for me for about 6 months, then recently upgraded to a forerunner 265, I don’t think I could go back, way nicer, better in every way, and loving the extra data points.

Garmin all the way if you are using android The tracking is really quite good and the features arent exactly advanced for a beginner, it walks you through basically everything Ive seen a few forerunners or vivoactive go on sale for slightly over 200. Abit higher than your budget but imo worth it, it will last you even when you are no longer a beginner

I love my garmin vivoactive. Uploads to Strava, less expensive than other garmin watches, and has been going strong for 4 years now. I came from a Fitbit and the only thing it doesn’t do quite as well seems to be sleep tracking.

I first had a garmin vivoactive and currently am using a garmin instinct Idk which one I'll get next, but garmin is my preference (they didn't break except for the replacable rubber band, but I look for different devices)

I've been using Garmin Forerunners for like fifteen years now. When I use it on my bike, I use the handlebars adapter rather than wearing it. I had the Vivoactive for a while and it sucked. This was several years ago, maybe they're better? Meanwhile, Forerunners have been getting better too and also smaller. I have the 165 now. But turn your ask around, because you can satisfy not having a smart watch or a screen by not having anything. What do you want this thing to do?

Pretty much all Garmins do. Vivoactive or Venu is a good place to start.

I've loved Garmin since I got my first Vivoactive years and years ago. They felt like they produced quality products, designed to last, sold perhaps at a premium, but without any expectation of continuing fees (unless it was reasonable, like the inreach subscription or a cellular plan). Obviously, recent changes make me question these apparent commitments. I've experimented with other watches in the past (Polar and Apple Watch primarily, but also Coros and Suunto). Generally, I've been disappointed in their equivalent of Garmin's daily suggested workout. DSW has completely changed my life and my running. I will begrudgingly stick around if nobody else can deliver a program that gives me workouts that don't push me to injury. I was a beta-tester for a similar app on Apple Watch and I always felt on the very of injury. I mentioned this to the developers and they basically told me the app wasn't for me. I've heard Polar's version dumps absurdly long runs on you. And I don't know much about Coros or Suunto's offering, if any. Samsung has a watch too, but I'm not optimistic it will have offerings any better than Apple's iOS. And the only other watch I'm aware of besides the big android makers (Google, etc.) is the UNA watch which claims to be user-repairable. I am similarly not optimistic that will have any DSW competitor - but maybe in the future? EDIT: I searched for questions about DSW alternatives before posting - from what I can tell nobody has addressed this question for at least the last 3 months (the search results wouldn't go further than that for me when I sorted by "new").

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

A forerunner 165 or 265 might be good. Or a Vivoactive if you want a sleeker look. I run and do weights as well and find the 165 is sufficient! It can only do so much with weights (guessing the actual exercise you're doing, rep counting, etc). I usually go back into my saved workout afterward and edit any info that was wrong.can only ask so much from a watch but it's nice to have the rest timer and general log of the workout.

How do you access your data older than 1 year? I've had my Garmin Vivoactive for 1.5y and I cannot see back more than a year on their app or website. It's infuriating.

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.

Garmin. I've had a vivoactive for 3/4 years and it does more than enough to support my training. When the vivoactive dies I'll upgrade to a more sports focussed one but its more than enough as is.

People have to stop comparing these. These are for two different people. I would never wear an Apple Watch based on battery life alone. I specifically got the Garmin for a wrist based gps and mapping tool to track and orient myself. You buy an Apple Watch to use smart features and be connected to your phone. Garmin has never been in that market. It’s a whole company based on gps systems for outdoor activities . You buy an Apple Watch to have Apple ecosystem. you can’t use half the feature of the fenix on an iPhone bc they only want you to use their watch… Garmin are all specifically made for their audience even down the the model . Apple watches are just to keep you plugged into your phone and have no bearing on actual outdoor activities despite calling it ultra. The Millitary has been orienteering with Garmin wrist based gps systems forever. You’d never catch an Apple Watch on patrol in Afghanistan. 😂