[Closed] What (garmin) smartwatch?

Expect you'll need to look at a fenix.

I've got a forerunner 45s and it does all of the above. I've not yet tried the smart functions on it though. Didnt really want them.

I bought a Fenix 5 pro sapphire from the official Garmin refurbished shop about 6 months ago. Came in a half RRP so about the same as the Forerunner but with far more functionality. I loves it. I lasts ages on a charge (over a week if not tracking) I wear it 24/7, and despite its size I really don't notice it. It seems to seamlessly do all those smart things you want it to do like upload to strava, notify you of texts/whats app stuff, etc, links to BT earbuds, lets you pay contactless even without phone on your person, it even has maps on it! And I forgot to take it off during the cave rescue last weekend so it spent over 20 hours underground in water & mud and being dragged across rocks and gravel. After a rinse off outside you could barely tell it was not still new. I am a convert.

Instinct solar is pretty robust, fenix if ye want a bit more bells n whistles.

Fenix comes with a load of training metrics which I find really useful. But isn’t for everyone.

Same as the OP, I can get 40% off Garmin gear through work. Apart from the watches looking cool I'm not sure what they do or why I'd want one.

Can you use them with Trailforks for navigation or just looking up the best trails in a strange place?

Instinct was my first thought. The functions you want are on pretty much every watch they do so pick the one you like and the price you prefer.
Fenix are great watches but have loads of functions that many won’t use.

I picked up a cheap, 2nd hand fenix 3 to try it out and it's been remarkably good. Lots of features that I didn't really think I'd want that actually turn out to be ok. The navigation is a bit basic, but still useful. This has been improved on later models so I am considering an upgrade.

As above - I've just bought a 2nd hand Fenix 3 (£40 on eBay) to so what it will do for me and how much I'll use it. If it's useful I'll invest in an upgrade.

I've got a garmin instinct solar which I really like. I didn't want to spend the money on a fenix and wanted new (also work in solar PV so that's a bonus). The battery life is amazing for a smart watch, I use either it to track rides where I don't need navigation like trail centres but I think it does have breadcrumb trail capability. I've also used it for running and it's great for that too.

Garmin 945, all the features of the Fenix but slightly smaller and weighs less. Will do everything you've mentioned in your post.

945 for the pro, fenix for the show!
I've got the 945😛

Whatever you get, get a screen protector.

Whatever you get, get a screen protector.

or get the sapphire glass...

DrP

Whatever you get if you get the 945, get a screen protector.

Fixed.

The fenix is ruggedised and can be had with sapphire glass

I got a instinct solar - great battery life and great watch. Also cheaper than a fenix. Looks like a gshock.

I’ve got a garmin instinct solar which I really like. I didn’t want to spend the money on a fenix and wanted new (also work in solar PV so that’s a bonus). The battery life is amazing for a smart watch, I use either it to track rides where I don’t need navigation like trail centres but I think it does have breadcrumb trail capability. I’ve also used it for running and it’s great for that too.

Also got an instinct solar, which I like. The breadcrumb navigation is waff though - I loaded a ~60 mile loop into it, which took ages to load (even shorter loops do). It told me it wouldn't display it all (well, ok), but then it didn't record half my ride. I don't mind the inability to do long rides as much as I mind the fact it then missed out a load of my riding.

afaik all the instinct solars are the same as each other hardware-wise, but they have slightly different software. I got the surf one (as I surf), but OP if you don't need the parachute mode, save your cash and get the non-tactical one

or get the sapphire glass

How tough is the sapphire glass? I'm not sure I would trust it? A few years ago I came down hard off my bike and smashed/scraped my watch face against a rock. Thought I'd wrecked it (735 at the time). Phoned Garmin to get the bad news of replacement cost and then remembered that I fitted a screen protector when I first got it. Peeled it off and no scratches at all - amazed I was!

not sure about the other watches but i got the fenix 6 pro when discounted on amazon and paid in 5 0% installments. Amazing watch, more features than you can use, yes trailforks works, and komoot. has music, maps, garmin pay, heart rate, pulse ox. im still finding stuff 6 months later. Also despite it being a big watch, it doesnt feel it. Great battery as well. If you get a good discount, well worth it.

+1 for the 945, I’m over 2 years in with mine, used it for every sport imaginable, track sleep, HR, recovery, use it for the recommended workouts, even navigated a 250 mile trail ride on it this year, great bit of kit.

I have the instinct solar, does everything I need and very similar styling/ruggedness as a G-Shock.

I've had a 935 for a few years so a 945 would probably be my obvious choice. Dcrainmaker will give you all the information you could possibly need and more.

If you want proper navigation, music and garmin pay then fenix pro
Otherwise instinct

The Forerunner 945 has all of that with less weight and less £, I’d say it’s less durable but 2 years in mine’s still fine.

Instinct gets my vote. Went for the non solar version and never run out of battery so far (half a year of ownership). Might be different if you're an ultra runner or ride 24hr races however. I use the timers and stop watch all the time on it. It's not convenient to use the timers while tracking activity (not even sure you can tbh). If I wanted navigation I'd rather use my old Edge 510 bread crumb trail due to bigger screen and easier to look at while riding. HR tracking isn't as good as a chest strap. Solar version might have a better sensor IIRC.

I use the timers and stop watch all the time on it. It’s not convenient to use the timers while tracking activity (not even sure you can tbh)

If you set the timer/stopwatch/alarm as a shortcut key these still work during activities, I use a long press of the start/stop key for alarms, and a long press of the back key for countdown timers.

^^^ thank you!

Got an Instinct and a Fenix 5 Sapphire.

Instict if its really muddy as its more rugged and plastic bezel doesnt mark like the metal anodized Fenix. Display is crystal clear but you cannot download Apps if that bothers you.

Fenix 5 sapphire is heavier, screen a little more dull, can customise with apps and download data fields etc. A physically smarter every day watch, can have music, garmin pay etc.

Battery on instinct easily lasts 2 weeks in watch only mode. Fenix a couple days less. Instinct seems to re charge much quicker (full in an hour)

Have to say the HR monitoring of the Instinct (non solar) is quite unreliable. Just been out for a run, at slow pace 10 ~ 12 min mile, and HR was apparently 170 toward the end, at which point I decided to stop and get a quick manual count. Around 125 which felt like a much better match for how much effort I was putting in and my body's response. Also, any physical exercise which goes from low intensity to high intensity quickly and for short periods of time, but enough to get the HR into the 160's, the Instinct will more often read 135. I thought it just needed longer to 'catch up' but now having gone for a slow paced run of 45 minutes, I'm starting to think it just makes it up!

How tough is the sapphire glass? I’m not sure I would trust it?

It's pretty indestructible IME.

The heart rate on the instinct solar seems pretty reliable when I've compared it to the Wahoo Tickr heart rate strap I use with Zwift, both seem to track each other fairly closely.

When using the Instinct for running or MTB the heart rate reading seems more reliable if I tighten the strap one or two more notches than I usually have it on for everyday wear.

can customise with apps and download data fields etc

Before I got one I'd have said I didn't care about this. Having set up some custom data fields and got a much clearer and more informative display (especially for aging eyes) I'd now say this is an essential feature.

I'd agree with the comments about the HR Monitor on the Instinct.

I have a V4, Instinct and Fenix 6 Pro (long story!). The V4 and Fenix share the same later generation HR sensor and seem much better in accuracy as compared to the Instinct.

Fenix 6 with the sapphire is tough, but Instinct is properly tough, it's my go-to when working as my work environment seems to destroy watches.

Following the thread with interest, with my birthday (and black Friday)coming up Mrs asbrooks said she'd get me a watch.

Until last week I'd had no interest in having one, I record my rides using my phone. A friend showed me his old forerunner 235 which uses to record his runs and rides and other activities to log them in strava.
As the phone's battery starts to age I'm only just about getting 4 hours ride out of it and worry that if I need the actual phone in an emergency I'll be stuck.

I like the size of the forerunner, but it may be too big and attract the odd bump.

In people's experience if you bought it to record the activity and HR, what other features can you not do without in hindsight?

One of the best features on my Fenix is the phone finder. Put your phone down somewhere and forgot where? Just press the button and the phone starts calling you. Great here as we have no phone signal so can't just phone it up!

EDIT: not really the best feature, but I find myself using it a lot at my age 🙂

The forerunner has an 's' version that is a bit smaller. The wife has a 45s which is pretty small.

I've got a older fenix 3 so additional features I like are custom fields. It's nice to have everything on one screen in a layout of my choosing, I can also have slightly thicker fonts than standard which is handy for my aging eyes. I also like being able to preprogram workouts with custom timers/distance. The navigation is pretty basic (it's better on newer models) but loading up a gpx and following the line works ok.

Hmmm, there's a lot of at may age going on here. As with me, my eyesight and memory are not what it used to be.

MrsReady has a less than a year old Forerunner 45s, and the battery life is appalling. Approx 4hours tops I reckon?

^ Sounds like it's faulty Ready, I'd get in contact with retailer/garmin.

After much research just ordered a Garmin Fenix Pro in the Blacks black friday sale - cheers for all the advice folks

Could bring myself to stump up the cash for the saphire when the standard was so heavily discounted

Excellent choice! I've had mine a couple of weeks now and really like it. I got a glass screen protector which went on really easily and is invisible. In effect it's an upgrade to "Sapphire" for £3.

The other bit of advice is the Garmin maps are rubbish - poor detail and no contour lines. I got the Talkytoaster maps for £11 which are very good and make the mapping worthwhile. I'm not the most technologically competent but it was a really easy installation process.

Have fun!

SportPursuit has the Fenix 5S sapphire for £300 in the sale.

Fro anyone else looking, the Instinct is currently down to £119 on Amazon in the sales.

What kind of battery life are people getting out of Instinct Solars with the GPS turned off?

Amazon also have the fenix 6 for £280 as part of black friday sales.

Could I ask about fenix (or other music smart watch) experiences?

Is it usable for "other" non musical audio too?
Would it be easy to listen to podcasts, audio books or other audio, on day something like a longish hike?

I'm not really up to date with things like Spotify or Amazon music yet so not sure how easy putting this sort of stuff on it would be. Would it involve cables, or Bluetooth/wireless transfer from phone?

Would you not have your phone with you? So could you listen from that rather than the watch?

I've not put any music on my Fenix but I can control Spotify on my phone using the watch.

What kind of battery life are people getting out of Instinct Solars with the GPS turned off?

If I'm not sport tracking but am outdoors at some point in the day, my watch nets out approx zero battery use. Indoors I recon its probably got 3-4 weeks if you're not tracking

Thanks @5lab
So you'd say that using it as a watch and HR monitor outdoors it stays on pretty much as a regular solar G-Shock?

I haven't used a gshock, but it basically lasts forever

Would you not have your phone with you? So could you listen from that rather than the watch?

I guess I'm asking about the times that I wouldn't be carrying a phone.
They do advertise it's onboard music storage fairly strongly, so hopefully it's worth using.
Thinking about it, probably more likely to be running than hiking (very rarely hike without, very rarely run with a phone) but that could still be a good 2-3 hours so would be useful if I knew I could take podcasts etc.

Could I ask about fenix (or other music smart watch) experiences?

Is it usable for “other” non musical audio too?
Would it be easy to listen to podcasts, audio books or other audio, on day something like a longish hike?

I’m not really up to date with things like Spotify or Amazon music yet so not sure how easy putting this sort of stuff on it would be. Would it involve cables, or Bluetooth/wireless transfer from phone?

I have the Garmin Vivoactive 3 music. I assume the music function is the same as on all Garmin watches. Links with Spotify, you have to have a spotify subscription (rather than a free account). You download to the watch (via wi-fi or bluetooth) from your recently played list of music or podcasts. You can then listen to the downloaded items without needing your phone. You can't just plug in a cable and copy music \ podcast files to the watch as you'd do with a mp3 player \ some phones.

@loum, I load podcasts from spotify onto my fenix 5 plus and while I take my phone with me, it sits in a bag and i don't use it. The watch has to be paired to your phone, and obviuosly you need a spotify acct. but once it's downloaded you can control it from the watch, with a pair of paired Bluetooth earbuds, you're good to go.

From playing around in the menus, it certainly seems like you can navigate through your library/subscribed podcasts in Spotify on the watch and choose what to download to the watch itself, rather than using the phone to control the app on a phone.

If you want to add local music files then it's done through Garmin Express with the watch connected to a PC via usb.

Thanks nickc and bails, that sounds good.
I've got an older suunto Spartan that does the sports side of things nicely but isn't holding charge like it used to do so might need replacing/upgrading soon.
Have never really liked carrying the phone running, and the newer Garmin's ability to do audio looks tempting for long slow run training.

With my Fenix 6 Pro, I just copy music across from my laptop with file manager and it plays it like an MP3 player.

There folders for music, podcasts and audio books. It all works as you would expect it too.