Contributors to this thread:
I am looking a Garmin watches. Guys that have them let me know your thoughts. I am currently looking at two, the Instinct 2x pro solar and one of the fenix 7s. Like the price point better of the instinct. The fenix line has a lot more features but at least twice the cost. What do you like/don't like about model you have.
Have looked at Apple but their battery life sucks.
I’m surprised you are willing to give up your Rolexes John…
—Jim
Hmmm....Casio....$22.00 at Walmart.
Jim I don't think I'd buy Rolex if I won the lottery. Also I was hoping I'd made it clear I was not looking for input from the "Casio" crowd.
I don't wear one, but my oldest son has the Instinct 2x that he actually replaced his Apple watch with and he loves it.
John, I wear the Fenix 6. It’s a great watch. Went to it from the Instinct. It’s better in every way, definitely twice as much better. I’d look at the Epix 2 though if you could find one on sale a bit. A few more options and you want a touch screen amoled display.
Brotsky - you're trying to get me to spend more money. Couple weeks ago I could have gotten the fenix 6 about 1/2 price at bass pro they are now out stock.
I have had the Forrunner 255 music for about year and a half two years now and like it, bit there are some issues.
I love having the abilitity to to listen to music while working out, without hauling my phone around.
Heart rate tracking while working out is great so I can train in certain zones.
Being able to add my own workouts on the app and download to my watch is great.
There are a ton of exercises you can add from swimming to hell golf and archery are on there.
I use it to track my strength workouts, but the accuracy is horrible. I only use it to time my workouts and watch my heart rate. The rest us useless as you can do leg curls and it doesn't count reps. On squats it counts some reps but not others.
The HRV seems inconsistent. I took a training pause for 5 days for vacation. Been back hitting the gym, rucking etc for the last two weeks and HRV has hardly moved. I just cant figure out why it does that.
If training inside on a treadmill the treadmill speed/distance is usually way off, even if you calibrate it etc. They say there is an item you need to buy to place on treadmill to make it more accurate. I wasn't going to spend more money. I just split the difference between the two.
I wish it had an option for rucking as I tend to do that more now.
Also if you don't change the settings and say you do a run then the next day or several later you do a trail run, it will mess with your VO2 max, so you need to adjust the settings.
Also when I use the walking setting inside on the treadmill it won't record, because it can't get a GPS setting.
If you use it alot to track your workouts, I sometimes use it 2 to 3 times a day. Battery can go fast, but overall is pretty good.
I like the watch for the price point and would definitely buy it again. I hate Apple. For my uses it has worked great. It was awesome using the coaching to help a non runner like me train for my first 10k last year.
I think there is a lot the watch can do, that I don't use it for, but I am not a tech guy and what I do use works great.
Had the same Instinct Solar for 3 years now. Crystal has been cracked for over a year. Still works fine and is still water proof. Pairs with my iPhone and does way more than I’ve figured out. When this one craps out, I’ll buy another one. If it craps out.
Instinct 2 is $100 off at bass pro now.
I should add, mine is not touch screen. I didn't want a touch screen as doing some reading they can be a pain.
My wife has one and sometimes she bumps it, doesn't realize it and it goes into some weird mode etc.
I should also mention Garmin has a connect app, you download. It has more apps, then you know what to do with, you can even change watch faces. With this app you can monitor your activity right on your phone too.
You can even share your location, so if your out on run etc family can see where you are, if you want them too.
If you want battery life, look at Coros. It's incredible.
All the instincts are on sale everywhere currently. Wish they do that with the fenix
Any thoughts on gps and mapping?
I haven't really used the GPS or mapping much as I use it pretty much in a city setting.
I do sometimes go back and look at my route though to make changes and see where some points I was faster/slower etc.
I've had a 920xt for what feels like ever now. More of a sports watch that daily/hiking watch, but it's been great. I do feel like the newer stuff has more software glitchiness, but overall, they make good products.
I recently went from the Fenix 3 to the Epix. I'm still learning what all the Epix can do but so far I really like it. Probably the two biggest advantages I see so far are much longer battery life and color screen is fantastic. Way easier for me to read in all light conditions.
I have a regular instinct and love it I have thought about upgrading to one with more options but just love the simplicity of instinct. Can't go wrong with either!
I have an Instinct. Have been wearing it for close to three years. It’s awesome. Charge it once a week for about 45 minutes and it’s good to go. Tried one of the higher end ones and realized I didn’t need all the metrics it tracked so I returned it and got the Instict.
Came home bass pro had which has been out of stock the fenix 6x pro solar back in stock for 499. So I ordered. Seems like a good compromise between the instinct 2 line and fenix 7 line on both features and cost. Had some gift cards as well that been in a draw for 2 years.
Next week will have two new watches. Treeman sending me a new Rolex.
I have an instinct and a epix 2 both great, of course the epix is better but it 4 times more cash, the charge lasts for 24 days with the heart rate monitor turned off
I’ve had my Instinct Solar since 2020 and it’s been great. Been through plenty of fires, hunts, etc and still works fine. The battery life is great if you keep notifications to a minimum. Don’t think it lasts the 25 days it shows at full charge, but it beats the hell out of having to charge an Apple Watch daily.
Old thread, but my Fenix 5x sapphire has been chugging along for years. One button doesn't work. Charging is finicky (always has been). gotta keep the charging ports clean. that is my one complaint. Glass is still perfect and a lot of the finish on the bezel is worn, but it keeps on chugging. Sucks for navigation, but can get you out of the woods in a pinch if you remember to set a waypoint. All that said, i'd buy another, but want solar this time. ALWAYS get the sapphire glass no matter what you do. Ive smacked the face with concrete blocks and not even a scratch (not on purpose of course) Would NEVER do an apple watch. Shitty battery life. I like that I can be in the woods for a week and not have to worry about charging (if I don't record my tracks). I use my iphone and OnX for the majority of the navigation load.
My wife got me one (Instinct), when I just wanted a "watch" to tell time. I fully admit I'm old school; with not liking all these all-in-one technologies. I want a watch to be a watch, a car to be a car, not a computer on wheels, etc. The idea of charging this every week or so annoys me (old watch batteries used to last for years). You know - get off my lawn! lol
Having said that - the heart rate monitor is a cool feature (not sure how accurate though).
Overall - the battery life is pretty good if you just use it in watch mode, but if you use GPS, or timers or stopwatches - the battery drains fairly quickly. Also GPS synch up is iffy unless you have a clear (tree cover free) line of sight.
Also annoying - when you do yard work and glove up, it can get sent into timer or some other weird mode. I have had random alarms go off in the tree stand - luckily never at a time that cost me any shots or scared game.
It's way overkill for what I want/need, so not sure how helpful my input is - I don't try to synch up with my workouts, or phone, or apps.
Good luck with your search.
Like the fenix so far. Still waiting on Rolex from Treeman
After 5 years or so, I just upgraded from the Fenix 5 to the Epix 2 (thanks to this thread). Absolutely love it. I used it for a 50 mile trail run last week with navigation on and it lasted over 17 hours before it died. Not bad. Love the color face and all the data it collects/provides. Definitely worth the $450 sale price!
I've worn a Fenix 7 for the last 2 years. Really like it and the data it provides. Never comes off my wrist except for a quick charge every 2 weeks.
I've wore the Instinct Solar for 2 years or more. I had a Fitbit before that. The FB was okay, not on the same level as the Garmin. I really like the Instinct, it has all the features that I need at this point and more. I wear mine all the time, great for in the woods (compass, altitude, distance traveled, keeps track of my walking/running miles as well. I checked out the Fenix 7, that is twice if not three times what my Instinct is. The Instinct is around $300, the Fenix is double that. As stated above, consider the features you need, there is quite a difference. BC
Any consensus on how good the HR monitor is?
My Garmin is pretty dam accurate. I have compared it to the HR monitor on the treadmill at my gym, my treadmill at home and my chest heart rate monitor on my treadmill at home.
Overall, I have found it is within 1 to 5 beats per min difference, which is pretty much no real difference.
Yeah, I don’t trust those on-board HRMs any farther than I can throw the whole treadmill… left-handed.
I have both watches and also run their biking computers and related HRM's. In road biking, as in other sports, keeping an eye on HR is important and I've found their equip to be surprisingly accurate.
For a more basic watch, the instinct works great. Great battery life, good options, notifications, etc. For more frills, etc and more cost the fenix is great and I wear it daily.
I did take the instinct on a spring grizz hunt in AK and it lasted the entire hunt w/o need for recharge. However, I used it the year before in AK to track my walking miles in Kodiak and it would only last about 2 days in that mode.
Big fan of garmin, and unless you need to medically monitor your heart rate, their equip is top-shelf.
Scott
Yea, I normally don't trust on board HRM, but when they show almost the same rate as a chest HRM and my Garmin when using all 3 at the sametime, I would say overall that's a pretty good indication of accuracy.
Sounds like calibration by triangulation ;)
But better than blind faith!
OK, totally new to these smart watches, so my question is do they need to pair with a smart phone or do they work as a standalone? I'm mainly interested in GPS function and heart rate monitor. Don't care about alerting and 'sharing'.
My pairs with smart phone as you need their app to set it up.
You can set the settings for how you like.
I don't share anything public, but I do set my alerts for when I am working out.
no need to pair. they are standalone but can be paired if you ever wish to do so.
Scott
We just got a new DISHWASHER that wants to be paired with my damn phone…. HeffDat
Gotta draw the line SOMEWHERE, eh??
