Anyone buying Garmin Fenix 6

[tcador]

I use RunGap to move workouts from one system to the other, but lately most of my running workouts (even easy ones) are with the Garmin.

Same here, it works well and the two I sync are also Strava and garmin. I like it as the way I have it setup I can run with either my AW (rare, but occurs at time) or with garmin and it always syncs the same, with no extra steps to both Strava and garmin.

I did pay for RunGap and long-term it seems like it’s going to be more expensive than it’s worth, so I’ll likely look for a replacement at some point.

 

[James.K.Polk]

Same here, it works well and the two I sync are also Strava and garmin. I like it as the way I have it setup I can run with either my AW (rare, but occurs at time) or with garmin and it always syncs the same, with no extra steps to both Strava and garmin.

I did pay for RunGap and long-term it seems like it’s going to be more expensive than it’s worth, so I’ll likely look for a replacement at some point.

I don’t own a Fenix anymore (previously had both a 5S and 245M but cleared out to make room for Series 5) but with that move I decided just to break with Strava. There’s definitely some narcissism in posting a huge run and raking in the kudos but, overall, I didn’t use it for much more than a training log, and I can do that much more readily in other ways.

A friend and I made a deal that we’d try to qualify for Team USA for the world 50K championships, and I have absolutely no idea how to do that, so I may be back eventually, but for now I’m appreciating the simplicity of running with Workouts.app.

 

[Fthree]

I don’t own a Fenix anymore (previously had both a 5S and 245M but cleared out to make room for Series 5) but with that move I decided just to break with Strava. There’s definitely some narcissism in posting a huge run and raking in the kudos but, overall, I didn’t use it for much more than a training log, and I can do that much more readily in other ways.

A friend and I made a deal that we’d try to qualify for Team USA for the world 50K championships, and I have absolutely no idea how to do that, so I may be back eventually, but for now I’m appreciating the simplicity of running with Workouts.app.

good luck! Your post is great I think I need to reevaluate all my "needs" for running and physical activity. I may be a bit too interested in tech....

 

[Pseudo-Fed]

Impressed with first F6X run! I'm a casual/fitness runner, so no great distances or paces, but I like to track my stats when I'm out to lose a few pounds and run more. I also use RunGap to get data to Strava, RunKeeper and to Garmin if tracking on the AW.

Did 2.5 miles yesterday on a common neighborhood route. Not a challenging environment in the Fort Worth area, but the GPS track was very precise and the distance was exact for a measured distance. The F6X was also simultaneously connected to my Stryd, Scosche Rhythm 24 for HR, Garmin Tempe, and Plantronics BackBeat Fit for music. No dropouts of any sensors or accessories sometimes experienced on other Garmin units.

I put music on my Garmin for the first time. With my earlier Garmins I also ran with my cellular AW4, but did not this time. I did miss knowing I couldn't call for help if needed, but otherwise didn't miss the AW. The additional data field space on the new F6X was appreciated.

I'm also enjoying the Pulse Ox data as well as respirations, especially while tracking sleep.
The F6X also has a phenomenal connection range to my iPhone XS Max. With the phone in a back bedroom, when I arrived home to the end of my driveway, the F6X connected, about 50 feet and several walls away. And after a 22 minute run with all those things connected, the Garmin dropped 2% battery!

I'll probably wear my SS AW4 or SBSS AW5 during the week and the Garmin on weekends and for activities.

 

[TTTedP]

I put music on my Garmin for the first time.

Which music service do you use? Wondering if there is a way for Apple Music users to get songs on a Garmin watch.

 

[Pseudo-Fed]

Which music service do you use? Wondering if there is a way for Apple Music users to get songs on a Garmin watch.

Apple Music-no. Not without removing DRM from the songs. iTunes playlists--yes, as long as you've "purchased" the songs and they are DRM free. I added an iTunes running playlist and thought "cool". Went for a run and realized half of the songs weren't there since they were Apple Music subscription songs. Revised my playlist to all songs I own. May have to run with my AW on the other wrist again.....sigh.

 

[deeddawg]

Unfortunately, outdoors is another matter. The AW always-on display for workouts is nearly unusable for running, while the Fenix (or any current Garmin) is easily visible and readable.

Guess that's a subjective thing? I only find the AOD a bit challenging when in full direct sun with a smeared display angled away so it's picking up glare (and I'm wearing sunglasses). A slight shift to cut the angle or put the watch in the shade of my body and I find the AOD easy enough to read. This is while running at lunchtime in the southeast US.

Of course a wrist-flick and the display goes to normal making AOD moot anyway.

@Fthree I weaned myself off the myriad Garmin data a year or so ago and haven't missed it. I'm not a competitive runner; I don't do successive marathons. I'm just a middle of the pack grand-masters runner who likes to know roughly how far and how fast I went.

FWIW I grabbed my old FR235 for a comparison with my S5 and its AOD. S5 is on medium brightness. FR235 is with backlight off and backlight on.



Edit - yes the FR235 has a screen protector on

 

[jdechko]

Gave my Series 3 Apple watch to my wife, and currently looking for a good deal on a 935. I'd love a Fenix 6, but it's a bit out of my price range at the moment.

 

[TTTedP]

I weaned myself off the myriad Garmin data a year or so ago and haven't missed it.

Curious about people's use cases. What did you end up using as your data repository?

I am trialing a Wahoo Bolt / AW5 combo to potentially replace my FR935 / Edge 530 set up. There is no good way to Wahoo <> Garmin. I am really liking the simplicity of the Bolt but I dont want to lose all my historical ride data. I upload everything to Strava so I am thinking that will be a good 3rd party data repository for anything coming from AW and Wahoo.
[automerge]1570480802[/automerge]

Gave my Series 3 Apple watch to my wife, and currently looking for a good deal on a 935. I'd love a Fenix 6, but it's a bit out of my price range at the moment.

If I end up listing my 935 I'll let you know. It'll go on Swappa.

 

[deeddawg]

Curious about people's use cases. What did you end up using as your data repository?

I use the RunGap app on my phone to upload the Apple Workout app workout data to Garmin Connect and to Strava. Requires the paid "swag bag" at $8/yr.

GC is still my primary go-look-at-runs site. Cadence data is a little weird on import, but the other stuff seems fine. Plus, I've kept my Forerunner 235 in case I should hit my head and suddenly think a third full marathon sounds like a good idea, so I may as well stick with GC.

Strava is my "backup" data repository site. I rarely ever use it and don't pay anything.

I also have Garmin connected to RunningAhead.com which is a classic I've used for many years, I like the tool there for building my own training plan and exporting it as an ical calendar -- if I'm building up to a race and want to plan out stuff like tempo days, easy days, etc. I can easily build the plan and drop it out to my phone for an easy glance.

BTW - RunGap also allows exporting the workouts to Dropbox or to iDrive in various formats, which is a way to preserve your independence long term.

 

[PatrickNSF]

Curious about people's use cases. What did you end up using as your data repository?

I still use Garmin as my main running log, even if I do a workout with the AW. Like others have mentioned, I use RunGap to export AW workouts to Garmin, and Garmin workouts to the Heath app on my phone. I also keep a copy of everything on Strava but just for the social aspect.

This year I've also been exporting data to Runalyze but I haven't spent much time analyzing it. The VO2 Max runs closer to Apple's than Garmin's, and the calculations for "marathon shape," "fatigue," and "training strain" look interesting.

What's nice about RunGap is that you can export to multiple destinations from either your Garmin or the AW in one step.

 

[TTTedP]

I still use Garmin as my main running log, even if I do a workout with the AW. Like others have mentioned, I use RunGap to export AW workouts to Garmin, and Garmin workouts to the Heath app on my phone. I also keep a copy of everything on Strava but just for the social aspect.

This year I've also been exporting data to Runalyze but I haven't spent much time analyzing it. The VO2 Max runs closer to Apple's than Garmin's, and the calculations for "marathon shape," "fatigue," and "training strain" look interesting.

What's nice about RunGap is that you can export to multiple destinations from either your Garmin or the AW in one step.

thanks. I have RunGap and seems to be great.

Slightly off topic but only source missing in RunGap is Wahoo. Wahoo seems to be one directional (to Strava only). Maybe Wahoo > Strava > GC (if I really wanted it there).

Still having a hard time with the idea of letting the 935 go, simply for it's best in class GPS performance, but I kinda want to try something new.

 

[deeddawg]

Slightly off topic but only source missing in RunGap is Wahoo. Wahoo seems to be one directional (to Strava only). Maybe Wahoo > Strava > GC (if I really wanted it there).

Be worth it to ask the RunGap developer about the possibility. It seems to talk to a bunch of stuff.

 

[PatrickNSF]

Still having a hard time with the idea of letting the 935 go, simply for it's best in class GPS performance, but I kinda want to try something new.

I'd hold onto it, at least if you're doing any speed work, intervals or racing. The always-on screen for Workouts really isn't all that great outdoors, and it's not available for third-party apps. As long as you're fine switching back and forth you can have the best of both worlds with just a bit of importing/exporting after the fact.

 

[James.K.Polk]

Curious about people's use cases. What did you end up using as your data repository?

I am trialing a Wahoo Bolt / AW5 combo to potentially replace my FR935 / Edge 530 set up. There is no good way to Wahoo <> Garmin. I am really liking the simplicity of the Bolt but I dont want to lose all my historical ride data. I upload everything to Strava so I am thinking that will be a good 3rd party data repository for anything coming from AW and Wahoo.
[automerge]1570480802[/automerge]

If I end up listing my 935 I'll let you know. It'll go on Swappa.

Gave my Series 3 Apple watch to my wife, and currently looking for a good deal on a 935. I'd love a Fenix 6, but it's a bit out of my price range at the moment.

There are a few 935s (last I checked) for sale on reddit's /r/therunningrack.

 

[Monkswhiskers]

Guess that's a subjective thing? I only find the AOD a bit challenging when in full direct sun with a smeared display angled away so it's picking up glare (and I'm wearing sunglasses). A slight shift to cut the angle or put the watch in the shade of my body and I find the AOD easy enough to read. This is while running at lunchtime in the southeast US.

Of course a wrist-flick and the display goes to normal making AOD moot anyway.

@Fthree I weaned myself off the myriad Garmin data a year or so ago and haven't missed it. I'm not a competitive runner; I don't do successive marathons. I'm just a middle of the pack grand-masters runner who likes to know roughly how far and how fast I went.

FWIW I grabbed my old FR235 for a comparison with my S5 and its AOD. S5 is on medium brightness. FR235 is with backlight off and backlight on.

View attachment 867461 View attachment 867462

Edit - yes the FR235 has a screen protector on

Looks like AOD wins at night but I bet sapphire in the day would be a struggle to read. My AW4 is fine for running but AOD for swimming is something that would be good for me but I might wait for series 6 before upgrading.
Interesting about the Garmin data, I am always thinking I'm missing that so am tempted to get a 245 or similar but I'm trying to strip unnecessary things from my life currently and can't handle 2 watches in my life. What I would like is an onboard fatigue level/recovery indicator on my AW. Was using Elite HRV with a chest strap for a while which gave me an indicator as to how to approach the day, it was quite effective.

 

[CrzyP]

I use the RunGap app on my phone to upload the Apple Workout app workout data to Garmin Connect and to Strava. Requires the paid "swag bag" at $8/yr.

GC is still my primary go-look-at-runs site. Cadence data is a little weird on import, but the other stuff seems fine. Plus, I've kept my Forerunner 235 in case I should hit my head and suddenly think a third full marathon sounds like a good idea, so I may as well stick with GC.

I do this too but with the HealthFit app (one-time purchase). I have to manually import .fit files to Garmin, which is slightly inconvenient but I don’t need a subscription. Garmin updates my Strava and Nike Run data, which is nice. I haven’t used my Fenix 3HR since purchasing my S4 in July.

 

[deeddawg]

I do this too but with the HealthFit app (one-time purchase). I have to manually import .fit files to Garmin, which is slightly inconvenient but I don’t need a subscription. Garmin updates my Strava and Nike Run data, which is nice. I haven’t used my Fenix 3HR since purchasing my S4 in July.

I'll have a look at HealthFit, but gotta be honest that $8/yr is worth the convenience IMHO. (and for clarification, that $8/yr doesn't auto-renew and there's a $3/qtr option for someone just wanting to try out the upgrade)

FWIW - Used to be that Garmin->Strava direct feed always set the activity to be public rather than private, regardless of setting. That was years ago though so perhaps it's different now. It was why I used to use tapiriik.com to do the Garmin to Strava copy.

 

[deeddawg]

Interesting about the Garmin data, I am always thinking I'm missing that so am tempted to get a 245 or similar but I'm trying to strip unnecessary things from my life currently and can't handle 2 watches in my life. What I would like is an onboard fatigue level/recovery indicator on my AW. Was using Elite HRV with a chest strap for a while which gave me an indicator as to how to approach the day, it was quite effective.

I quite understand the slimming down of unnecessary stuff. Used to be I had a garmin footpod on one shoe, a garmin tempe sensor on the other, plus chest strap for HR, then an ipod nano & wired headphones. Getting ready for a run could be quite a production, LOL.

Now I have my watch and my wireless headphones. It's been a slow progression to get here from there, I guess I just started looking at what was data and what was information.

Data can be fun, but if it's not actionable why do I need it? Found I just didn't really need the instant pace as much as I thought I needed. Temperature was fun but also unnecessary. The HRM-RUN chest strap provided some neat stats on vertical oscillation... but nothing I ever found actionable so why? Chest strap HRM of course is more accurate the optical HRM, but wearing both over a period of time I found no more than a 1-2 bpm difference when I'd look at watches and never anything sufficiently different in post-run summary stats to give me any reason to keep using a chest strap. I've simply never been at an athletic level where that sort of data would make any difference.

Everyone has different needs of course, and Garmin does sports / running watches very well. Just sharing my point of view as food for thought for others.

As to an onboard fatigue level / recovery indicator -- I'm not aware of anything directly, but do realize the Apple Watch measures HRV - you can find it in the Health app on your phone. It apparently does it automatically, but you can trigger an HRV reading by using the Breathe app. See https://www.imore.com/how-measure-heart-rate-variability-hrv-your-apple-watch

 

[jdechko]

There are a few 935s (last I checked) for sale on reddit's /r/therunningrack.

Thanks. I'll check it out.

 

[kave]

I have been a Garmin user for many years. I also can’t believe how they still can be un busines. My Fenix 2 where replaced three times but never worked properly. My Fenix 3 have been fine for what it does. Logging bicycling, swimming, tenperatures with built in sensor or the Ant sensor. It’s a nice party trick to tell everyone the temperature in the water when bathing for example. I have had the AW since series 0. I still can’t believe they still don’t have native SUP paddling support built in which my Fenix 3 has. As others stated, when you are serious about training, the aw is not for them. The Garmin can be setup for laps, alarms for pulse etc etc. Also, logging using apples health app/activity is so bad for anyone but the layman needing to loose a few kg. Saying that, I use my Series 3 AW almost all the time. It is used fr notifications in meetings, camera remote, casual training, measuring HRV. I have my Fenix 3 waiting for when I need a proper training/wildlife tool.

 

[jdechko]

Trying to decide between two watches. I need some buying advice.

Fenix 5 (Not Plus) for $210 - Online purchase (also has an extended warranty)
Forerunner 935 for $25 - reddit
Forerunner 935 for $300 - local

Primary use is Triathlon/Training and Hiking (I use map/compass/phone gps for nav)

It's my understanding, after reading DCR's review, that the biggest difference is weight/case material. So I should just save the $$ and get the F5, right?

 

[Monkswhiskers]

Trying to decide between two watches. I need some buying advice.

Fenix 5 (Not Plus) for $210 - Online purchase (also has an extended warranty)
Forerunner 935 for $25 - reddit
Forerunner 935 for $300 - local

Primary use is Triathlon/Training and Hiking (I use map/compass/phone gps for nav)

It's my understanding, after reading DCR's review, that the biggest difference is weight/case material. So I should just save the $$ and get the F5, right?

If you are bothered about gps accuracy I think the 935 is much better. Also the extra weight of the F5 might impact on hr accuracy(wrist) . If those don’t matter then the build quality is much better with the F5.

 

[PatrickNSF]

Trying to decide between two watches. I need some buying advice.

Fenix 5 (Not Plus) for $210 - Online purchase (also has an extended warranty)
Forerunner 935 for $25 - reddit
Forerunner 935 for $300 - local

Primary use is Triathlon/Training and Hiking (I use map/compass/phone gps for nav)

It's my understanding, after reading DCR's review, that the biggest difference is weight/case material. So I should just save the $$ and get the F5, right?

The F5 (non plus) was plagued with ANT+ and Bluetooth issues. If you can’t find a deal on the F5+, I’d opt for the 935 (but check the unit you’re buying to make sure all the buttons are working properly).

 

[jdechko]

The F5 (non plus) was plagued with ANT+ and Bluetooth issues. If you can’t find a deal on the F5+, I’d opt for the 935 (but check the unit you’re buying to make sure all the buttons are working properly).

Thanks. Sounds like the local one would be the way to go just to make sure.