vívomove® Trend

Garmin vivomove trend or sport had both awesome watches

I have a vivomove trend and it doesn't have ant+ but I wore my chest strap and while the activity didn't sync the HR to my workout, it did pop up in my HR data. It's super weird, and idk if I just have to wait longer, but I'm also frustrated that I can't connect the devices made by the same company anymore (downgraded the watch recently).

I can’t afford the Fenix 8 and can’t do with the Amoled touch screen and poor running metrics of the Venu models. So I got the Forerunner 255s. It is not as classy as I would like even with more fashionable full cover screen protectors so I just found a customer return vivomove trend at a steep discount. It’ll do for sports in a pinch if I don’t have my forerunner but will be a lot nicer for day to day wear. So anyway that was my solution to the same problem, but I did use the 255 as my only watch for almost 2 years.

I like text and call notification (does not have to answer calls but short text replies even preloaded list I love) alrams and timers ---> all watches pretty much offer this, as long as you are on android (apple locks it down to apple watch onl) - so you should have no issues on this. I do NOT run or jog so GPS type Garmin stuff does not help me. If Garmins still has something to offer I'm OK, but most research I've done there indicates it's for runners mostly. ---> actually not correct. They do a variety of types of watches. They have a health and style section - that is all the venu and vivo (vivosmart, vivoactive, vivomove hybrid); they have their sport watches - which are heavily run, swim & cycle focussed in the forerunner series but even that is changing as they are getting more general features; they have their golf range in the approach series (but don't really see the point as most of their other models include these golf features); they have their outdoor range (general all rounders that pretty much offer everything but heavier focus on outdoor activity and lifestyle) - instinct series and the top end fenix series ( these models have a variety of variants which include dive watches (descent), aviation (D series), shooting (tactix) and luxuary (Marq) - and there are some other niche models. The main thing to remember with garmins is that for most of them the smarts are pretty much the same (though newer models are now including mic & speaker), and the health is pretty much the same (newer models tend to include ECG and baseline temp monitoring) - where they differ is really with fitness and training features. They also tend to be highly customizable so if you don't want to see the fitness/training features you can normally hide them on the watch/app/web. Would suggest looking Gamin Vivoactive 5 or 6; maybe a vivomove sport or trend if you want the classic mechanical look; and if you want a mic & speaker maybe the venu 3. I am suggesting garmin as its the closest to matching what fitbit premium offers in regards to sleep tracking. Would also suggest looking at something like the amazfit active 2 or bip 6. Gives good amount of detail but personally find their sleep scores a bit suspect and think the recovery they give off the back is too high. If you want a watch that looks quite stylish then a huawei gt series is worth a look. But don't think much of their sleep tracking. Haven't tested the new GT5 or Fit 4 so maybe its got better but would be unusual based on their track record. Level of detail isn't great though. You could also do samsung fit 3 or similar - but again a little bit dubious about the quality of the sleep data but gives a good level of detail.

A lot depends on what you want out of it - but would also say that I think you probably aren't female based on your profile (but could be wrong) in which case would drop the Lily 2 variants (if want a hybrid then the instinct crossover is much more masculine and offers a lot more than the lily or could look at the vivomove series). Would also scratch the vivosmart as old and missing loads of features the others currently offer -and would say the same about the FR55. Would probably also drop out the inspire 3 due to its more basic nature (more a health/fitness tracker than smartwatch - technically so is the charge 6 but does offer more along smarwatch lines than tracker lines so fine to consider it more of smartwatch than tracker). And again would skip the FR945lte (as old, plus lte only usable for live track functionality - if you want lte for garmin then fenix 8 pro is the only garmin option --- none for fitbit unless you have an android phone and then get the pixel watch 3 or 4 lte versions). Do you want to make take/calls - then fitbit sense / vera; and garmin venu 3 / 4 / x1; fenix 8 series (and its variants) and FR570 and FR970 Do you want nfc pay - fitbit uses google wallet / garmin uses garmin pay and isn't as well supported as google wallet - but check on garmin pay support site to confirm what banks/financial services support it in your country (in most there is usually 1 digital financial service that is quick, easy and free to set up and use i.e. Curve/Revolt in most of Europe if you normal bank isn't supported. Do you want offline music as only the garmin's offer - fitbit doesn't. Do you want offline maps - Venu x1, fenix 7 (not worth it unless significantly cheaper than F7P - note that the epix 2 is the amoled version of the fenix 7), fenix 7 pro (not worth it unless significantly cheaper than F8), F8 variants; FR970 (and its prior gen FR965 (amoled) or FR955 (mip).). Fitbit health to match garmin health include fitbit premium sub for 2-3 years - then compare cost of products. If you want detailed fitness and training metrics and analytics then garmin - especially the F7 / F8 / FR265 /955/965/570/970. Venu / vivoactive are more health and lifestyle watches, and while they don't have the same level of training features, metrics and analytics than the Fenix/Forerunner/Instinct series offer - they do offer way more in this regards than fitbit does - so if that is important then would say venu/vivoactive over fitbit.

the best watch is the one that best meets your needs and is a price you can afford. Also note that apple watches are locked to iPhone and cannot work with android; and similarly wear os (pixel, samsung, oneplus, ticwatch etc) are locked to android and cannot work with iPhone. Should also look at garmin, coros, polar, suunto, amazfit, huawei and fitbit - will all work with either android or iPhone. Best option might be to talk about what you want out of a smartwatch from a) smarts, b) health, c) tracking fitness - talk about what types of activity and level of data; d) any of useful info - i.e. battery life, torch, offline maps, scuba diving, tracking golf, shootiing, hunting, track flight hours, climbing (indoor or outdoor), high speed/pressure sports like surfing, kite boarding etc etc. These days you name it and their is likely an option that will cover what you want - its just the cost where you may have to compromise.

I think you need to understand HRV - to take a HRV recording you have to be inactive as being active impacts your HRV, hence while it will only show stress during the day for inactive periods - if being exercising it will only show it a certain period post activity as that impacts HRV too, so has to wait for your ANS to recover from the activity before it can start to show it again. If any watch is showing you HRV during active periods its giving you garbage as they don't understand how your ANS is impacted by activity. All day stress is really only useful in terms of looking at your daily average as a trend - there are too many factors that can otherwise impact it. If you want more info about the stress metric and HRV would suggest starting with Firstbeats white paper on the stress metric (considering they are the first ones to introduce that metric). Re the HR - were you actively tracking an exercise session or just looking at the HR widget - if just looking at the widget track an activity as in 24/7 mode its running at reduced power for HR, when tracking an activity it pushes up to full power mode.

actually technically the apple watch doesn't measure HRV continuously - it only measures it every 2 to 5 hours and it will take the readings more frequently when you are sedentary or in specific conditions like when you are sleeping, or when AFIB mode is active (this can increase the HRV tracking feature to every hour or so). But the during the day readings are of very limited value - its the variation to the trend over time that is way more important. The really important HRV readings are those that are done during your sleep period as there are less factors that can influence the readings. This is a line worth reading - it is potentially biased as his showing why his software is better - but the underlying concepts are valid. And while it has been updated , as its a couple of years old now and hence why the original data didn't include apple watch cause at that time their HRV was absolutely useless, and since then all of the brands have also improved their HRV reporting etc (garmin's for example is now continuous during the night) - it doesn't change the underlying message / principle. Taking readings during the day is of very very limited use.

As you say you understand how HRV and ANS work then you should understand why there are gaps in Garmin's Stress readings and shouldn't be surprised by them, but as you stated you were surprised, it made me assume that haven't fully researched the subject / grasped how HRV and ANS work. PS - can't remember if I stated already that for garmin you can get a direct HRV reading at any point by running the 2 min health snapshot - this will show your the HRV value on the watch - but can't display on the watch face (at least not with standard watch faces). Can pull up at any time via the health snapshot app or the health snapshot widget. But coolest thing is the ability to see a list of them in connect web - the individual reports are all pdf, but the web shows a list of them and you can also see a list of main attributes (customizable) so can your RMSSD for each recording so pretty easy to spot a trend from this if performing them regularly at a specific time. \[Within the PDF file it also includes a SDRR value\].

I am fully aware you can pull HRV during a workout (mine is set to) and know the reason - but that is very different to pulling during 24/7 where far more factors are at play than there would be during a workout. Also its a bit painful to use that activity HRV data as while its logged in the fit file the garmin connect app/web doesn't currently show that data, which of course means you have to use a 3rd party app - and currently I can't be bothered to mess around with multiple apps. And yes most garmins running the elevate 4 or 5 HR Sensor still offer the HRV during workout (for main activities). Note that if the watch offers the performance condition data metric, which can set on data screen and get alerts for it - and while its not a purely HRV related - it does include HRV along with pace and HR to provide a real time assessment of your deviation to your baseline VO2max. And while I know this is more than just HRV I feel that to a degree its sort of incorporating what HRV logging does i.e .how your body is adapting to the training load of that session. Worth noting that all of the 4 fitness brands - garmin, coros, polar and suunto all only do HRV as overnight not during day (Suunto does offer resources which is sort of like garmin's body battery and also sort of does take stress (based off hrv) into account) - for the same reason - too many drivers could be impacting it; Coros does offer a manual record too like Garmin does. Also when you think about it the purpose of Apples all day HRV is around recovery - the other brands provide a host of other metrics that do a similar think i.e. Garmin's recovery metric; training status, and training readiness --- basically providing that data is an easier to use , simplified format (and all include HRV as part of the data that is used to determine their values).

HRV logging - its on in case I ever need it /want it - if you don't log it you can't go back and get it. Yes needs chest strap as optical HR generally isn't accurate enough to get an accurate R-R interval detection. Apps - garmin connect app store only shows the apps that are available for you watch. What I loved about the connect iq web version is you could see all the apps and then send a message to a dev to extend to your model as generally they didn't always update for new models. However since they have stupidly closed the web version of the store its now much harder to find those apps (use web search now). Alpha HRV wouldn't help you anyway as it also requires a chest strap in particular the polar h9 / H10 or garmin hrm pro. They tend to only recommend these straps as these have been validated by platforms that do HRV during an activity and thus are known to provide accurate r-r intervals. Performance Condition: [https://www8.garmin.com/manuals/webhelp/GUID-2CF5620C-E585-4E0A-9CC3-9565533EEE4D/EN-US/GUID-7556D1C8-1685-43B9-A091-D43D2F719F1F.html](https://www8.garmin.com/manuals/webhelp/GUID-2CF5620C-E585-4E0A-9CC3-9565533EEE4D/EN-US/GUID-7556D1C8-1685-43B9-A091-D43D2F719F1F.html) V4 does have it has a metric, so you could pull it in as a data field on your tracking screens on the watch. But that is about as good as its going to get unless you go chest strap. Always find its a compromise finding right watch - and as already stated don't really know of any watch that does what you want - as stated tech's not really there yet to set it up the way you want. Samsung features require latest samsung phone (though its normally possible to sideload onto other android phones but can be slightly challenging) - also they have heavy region locks so would also need to know that its not locked in your country/regioni cause if it is then there is no joy - can't do what you can with garmin where ccan spoof to unlock feature and once unlocked will work anywhere (i.e. ECG).

I love my Garmin Vivomove Trend! I've had it for a year and a half and it is working great. It's a hybrid watch, so it has an analog face. There's a digital screen for accessing the menu that is behind the watch face (it activates by tapping) so it only looks "smart" when you want it to. It has robust fitness tracking, and message notification. It has sleep tracking, but I don't use that feature so I can't vouch for that accuracy. It takes a 20mm watch band, so there are plenty of cheaper, non- Garmin, bands you can switch out as needed (I use the rubbery Garmin one for exercise, and I bought several fabric and metal ones to match my street clothes). It lasts four or five days on a charge, and will still go another day as a plain watch when the battery is too low to track everything else.

My wife just got the Vivomove Trend. It’s a very nice looking watch! Has the essential running stats.

Garmin vivomove trend. The body battery feature on the app helps alot.