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My other half has a vivoactive watch and loves it, she has a issue in that since becoming pregnant she seems to get a rash where the strap sits. She seems to think its the latex in the material?
Anyone have any recommendations for replacement straps?
You can get allsorts of alternatives, even metal link straps, on amazon.
Yup, this ^. It's just a normal 24mm (iirc, best to measure just in case) watch strap required
Might be worth talking to garmin about it, they are normally really helpful.
As above, it's a standard watch strap fitting, so any strap of the right size will fit.
The standard rubbery strap gave me a rash, I think just the sweat not being able to escape from under it. I switched to one of the proper Garmin fabric straps, bit more pricey but an easy swap. You can get cheaper fabric straps on Amazon or Ebay easy enough.
I bought one of the silicone straps on Amazon. It is softer, doesn’t irritate my skin and because it’s a bit stretchier is a better fit on my wrist. I doubt there’s any latex in the Garmin strap, it will be a synthetic polymer.
I have a vivoactive 3. My wrist does get some red marks if I leave it on for a few days... Switching wrists every couple of days and cleaning the strap helps to reduce this.
I still need a new strap though as mines falling apart 🤦. Might have a look on Amazon!
Yup I get that in hot weather as does everyone else I know who owns one. I bought an alternative one from eBay, but it was rubbish. Now I just take it off now and then, seems to help.
yep, I have a vivoactive 4 and after a few months I got Eczema on the inside of my wrist, took weeks to go. Never had a problem with a watch strap before.
Bought one of these to replace the OEM garmin strap, worked a treat for me, no rash, really comfortable to wear all day long and the strap is as secure as the original. I'd even go as far to say it's a better strap than the original.
Vivoactive 3 is 19.9mm (just measured the one on my wrist).
Bought a webbing strap from t'internet and no problems since, but it does need a wash now as it has got a bit sweaty!. I had the same problem with my Vivosmart as well.
Do you folks wash the thing? Exercising will build up a lot of dead skin cells, sweat etc, and keep the thing damp in behind, perfect breeding ground for fungal infections etc.
I wear my instinct in the shower, and wash all around the back with soap, dry it off when I come out, and don't have any bother. Never had any issues with VA original one, VA3 and VA4 either.
I take mine off in the shower, wash my wrist and the watch and put it back on again
vivoactive 4 is 22mm (well, mine is). Guessing the 4S may be smaller
My Mrs also had this but with the forerunner 935, check the heart rate sensor isn't cracked. She wore mine and had no issues with skin irritation but as soon as she put hers on again, it came back within hours so it wasnt the strap causing it but the broken sensor. We even swapped the strap, cleaned it thoroughly with alcohol spray etc
Garmin have just replaced hers today with a new one. Although its quite a common issue apparently, skin irritation.
Do you folks wash the thing? Exercising will build up a lot of dead skin cells, sweat etc, and keep the thing damp in behind, perfect breeding ground for fungal infections etc.
I wear my instinct in the shower, and wash all around the back with soap, dry it off when I come out, and don’t have any bother. Never had any issues with VA original one, VA3 and VA4 either.
This basically, mine gets an accumulation of salt from sweat, dead skin etc etc and it needs a good wash/scrape off every few days in the shower. I tend to not wear mine at weekends/days off to give my wrist a rest too.
Just bought a new strap for my Forerunner 245 on amazon as the strap keeper broke on my original one and it's lovely and smooth, only £9 too:
I have a new leather strap for Mrs B,s Vivo active
Be VERY careful when you remove the strap.
There are 4 tiny inserts in the lugs that the spring bar fits into. They are held in by friction and are a non replaceable part.
I mean super tiny and easily lost.
I’m now waiting on 1/16 sellock pins to make a fix.
i replaced mine with a cheap leather one of amazon. It fell apart after a year, Amazon replaced FOC.
I didnt know about the lugs Brads - am amazed i didn't lose them!
I replaced mine with a stretchy webbing one from Amazon, it doesn’t have a catch but a sliding buckle to adjust the size. Very comfy for a small wrist as a normal strap is all buckle. 2 for a tenner in various colours on Amazon. Irritation from a silicon strap seems to be a common problem.