Makes me think of my first "running watch" and it was a Timex that counted laps and time. That was it! LOL. How far I have come. This was like back in the 90s. I used that kind of a watch for a long time and then upgraded to a Polar Watch that did laps, timer, and of course heart rate. Then after that, I used a GPS watch (Garmin) and had several models over the years. Finally, to an Apple Watch S4 and then upgraded that to an Apple Watch Ultra.
Being totally objective here on AW vs Garmin...
- Thread starter zerozoneice
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Speed38
macrumors 6502
For those of you who have an Apple Watch and iPhone, look into the HeartWatch.app in the App Store. I can't believe it was only $5. I am a bit of an exercise freak and this app slices and dices your exercise data in dozens and dozens of different ways: daily bpm, sedentary bpm, sleep SpO2, Sleep HRV, Waking bpm, daily SpO2, ECG, etc., etc. Here is a screen shot of just one of the, literally hundreds of screen-loads of data available for viewing.
meetree
macrumors member
One area where my Apple Watch 4 is not so good is pool swimming (and open swimming, but that's another topic).
It's tracking weird HR data. I don't need it, but seeing something like 210 average HR for a 45-minute swim is strange. I tried to tighten my watch band like hell and keep it two to three thumbs from the wrist bone (carpal bones?) — the results were the same. Probably, the following AW models and Ultra are much better. And a sensor screen is not so good for multiple intervals (I didn't check how the Action button in Ultra works). But pool tracking (if saying about distance, strokes, etc.) is excellent.
So, I use Garmin (FR955) — very convenient because of the physical buttons and very readable display. Periodically, I check the distance when gliding after a turn.
But sometimes it drives me crazy. For example, I need to overtake a few swimmers on busy days. I slightly changed the stroke rate or slowed down for two to three seconds.
Garmin knows everything about my average speed, pool length, average speed, strokes per pool, etc. Let's say I use 35 strokes of freestyle per 50m pool. What is Garmins' "science" said? Yep, "you changed your speed — our congratulations; you have finished 50m in 10 strokes."
View attachment 2250031
There are two errors in this session — 1-2 and 5-6. It's 2x50m, but Garmin thinks 4x50m.
As a result, instead of 1200m, Garmin tracked 1300m and congratulated me with my new Personal Best.
This is not so frequent, but pretty common scenario. One out of five swims contains this issue. Yeah, I know how to fix this issue and use swimmingwatchtools.com for corrections.
But it's bizarre to see these errors in Garmin and I am considering purchasing AW9 (or UW2) to fix this.
It's tracking weird HR data. I don't need it, but seeing something like 210 average HR for a 45-minute swim is strange. I tried to tighten my watch band like hell and keep it two to three thumbs from the wrist bone (carpal bones?) — the results were the same. Probably, the following AW models and Ultra are much better. And a sensor screen is not so good for multiple intervals (I didn't check how the Action button in Ultra works). But pool tracking (if saying about distance, strokes, etc.) is excellent.
So, I use Garmin (FR955) — very convenient because of the physical buttons and very readable display. Periodically, I check the distance when gliding after a turn.
But sometimes it drives me crazy. For example, I need to overtake a few swimmers on busy days. I slightly changed the stroke rate or slowed down for two to three seconds.
Garmin knows everything about my average speed, pool length, average speed, strokes per pool, etc. Let's say I use 35 strokes of freestyle per 50m pool. What is Garmins' "science" said? Yep, "you changed your speed — our congratulations; you have finished 50m in 10 strokes."
View attachment 2250031
There are two errors in this session — 1-2 and 5-6. It's 2x50m, but Garmin thinks 4x50m.
As a result, instead of 1200m, Garmin tracked 1300m and congratulated me with my new Personal Best.
This is not so frequent, but pretty common scenario. One out of five swims contains this issue. Yeah, I know how to fix this issue and use swimmingwatchtools.com for corrections.
But it's bizarre to see these errors in Garmin and I am considering purchasing AW9 (or UW2) to fix this.
Last edited:
Do you rely on the optical sensor to track your HR? I find them highly unreliable for exercising. I always use the chest band type for tracking HR when doing strenuous activity. Polar HR chest straps are reputable.
meetree
macrumors member
I am unsure if a chest strap can work underwater (I am talking about the Apple Watch/Bluetooth; the Garmin Swim/Pro+ strap stores HR data offline and sends it afterward).
Last edited:
Polar OH1 is an optical sensor.
Polar H10 is not optical and good for swimming. It connects to the Watch via bluetooth. I use it and it's super reliable for running. I don't swim, but I don't doubt it would work well. See: https://support.polar.com/us-en/support/does_h10_measure_heart_rate_when_swimming
is the Garmin Swim/Pro+ strap a electrode type of heart rate monitoring like the Polar H10? See, if it's an electrode type of heart rate monitoring, that explains why it's more reliable what the Watch HR monitoring. Electrode for monitoring is typically superior to optical HR monitoring, and that's not just Apple Watch; it's generally.
The H10 can also store HR offline independent of the Watch, if that's what you want.
meetree
macrumors member
Yeah, it's perfect for all activities like running, but doesn't work for swimming if use solely Apple Watch:
You have to store HR data in the sensor and then download it on the phone, combine it with the workout, etc.
Last edited:
yeah I don’t know what that’s supposed to mean. The Polar H10 works fine with the Watch using either the native app or third party app. The H10 can be used again independent of the Watch if you so desire.
Apple warns that AW heart rate is not so reliable in water, although with my AW6 it displays some numbers that can make sense. Outside of water, the optical sensor of AW (at least 6+) on most tests I saw had a very close correlation with Polar H10 hearth rate strap. But I have some friend with AW4 that had some issue.
I own a Polar H10 strap too, but at the moment I just use it while cycling because I can’t display AW results on my (Garmin) cycling computer.
I own a Polar H10 strap too, but at the moment I just use it while cycling because I can’t display AW results on my (Garmin) cycling computer.
That’s true for ANY heart rate monitor that uses optical sensor. Even Garmin indicates this. See: https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=FiDFYSmt6wAsvsw5yd7DD7
In a sense, what might make one watch’s optical sensor work better for you than others has to do with how your wrist conforms around the sensor, so that’s a function of your wrist size and shape, and the watch’s size and shape.
The electrode chest strap is still most reliable. But, not everyone likes them. I have some friends who find it very uncomfortable wearing them but I’ve never had issues.
What I like about the Polar H10 is it can connect to two different Bluetooth devices at once. Or you can have the H10 store heart rate independent of your Watch
Last edited:
meetree
macrumors member
Bluetooth doesn't work underwater, and Apple Watch can't receive HR data from the chest strap. That's exactly what I meant.
So, if you use Polar H10 for swimming, it stores HR data in memory. The native AW Workout app tracks inaccurate HR from an optical sensor. As the next step, you have to run the Polar app on your phone, download data from H10, strip somehow HR from the native workout, and replace it with the Polar app' data.
But this combined workout with corrected HR will be available in the Polar Flow only. To replace the original workout you have to delete it and import from Flow with RunGap or similar. (I can be mistaken in details, don't have a Polar chest strap).
I don't think this is intuitive and easy. Way too many frictions.
That's why Garmin is my choice for swimming.
It's interesting to get some feedback from the swimmers who use Apple Watch.
Last edited:
I see. I do know some swimmers have used their Apple Watch's optical sensor successfully for swimming, DC Rainmaker being one of them. Hopefully you get feedback from swimmers.
That said, one isn't locked to using the native Workout app.
That made me laugh.Garmin's latest update for Fenix 7, Epix 2 and Enduro has a serious issue causing battery draining on some watches very fast. About 50% per day.
Now they are in the ballpark of an Apple Watch Ultra but without the software.
That said, I really just love the long battery life of the Ultra. I can use it to listen to podcasts multiple times a day independent of my iPhone, and still use the Ultra to record my morning run and afternoon walks without fear that it'll die. I can last the whole day and more.
I wish the battery life for ANY of the iPhone were that good too. Really need better battery life there...
100% agree. Even though I only have an AW7, together with a fast charger, I have no real pain about the battery life. More is always appreciated, but not really necessary. Started doing sleep tracking and putting the watch on my fast charger in the morning is no big deal. It is really charging very fast. Was on vacation and had only an old slow charger with me and this was really terribly slow.
And yes, my biggest issue is with the iPhone (13 Pro). Barely to manage to get through a day without charging. Annoying.
oh indeed! On an everyday basis for the way I move, my iPhone 12 Pro is adequate. BUT, when I'm travelling (touring, for example) taking pictures here and there, and using occasional GPS, battery life is simply not adequate.
PatrickNSF
macrumors 6502a
...but with all the training and recovery metrics 😁Garmin's latest update for Fenix 7, Epix 2 and Enduro has a serious issue causing battery draining on some watches very fast. About 50% per day.
Now they are in the ballpark of an Apple Watch Ultra but without the software.
My Forerunner 965 seems to have been spared...for now.
Indianwin2001
macrumors 6502
Just to be safe, I turned off auto update on my 965.
Garmin published updates for 955/965 yesterday. Would be a big joke if these updates bring the same issue as their updates for Fenix/Epix one week ago.
PatrickNSF
macrumors 6502a
Mine seems fine after updating, except my training readiness is still “poor” 😁
In my experience Garmin is usually pretty good about being transparent on these issues.
One advantage to keeping both a Garmin and an AW is that at least one of them is usually working properly at any given time 😂
Attachments
James.K.Polk
macrumors 6502a
I’m a competitive runner (2:21 marathon PR) and have to say, I genuinely think there’s a place for Garmin and Apple (and Coros). I own and rotate between the three brands (primarily my Pace 3 review device, and my Apple Watch Series 7, since it’s new to me), but as long as your runs still end up logged in the same place… I think any of them can get by. Of course I’d prefer to use a running-specific watch for a technical workout, but for an easy run, I don’t think the Series 7 (or any Apple Watch) will let you down.
Well. As the issue is not only related to APAC watches and there is no timeline for the fix given, I am not so confident.
Analysis of the bug should be easy as users report a steady drain of battery. And as this bug was already intensively reported in the beta phase of this firmware release one could ask what went wrong here. We often read here that the Garmin users have one big concern, and this is battery life. So every testing should include this topic.
What’s a running specific Watch you use for technical workouts?
I find the Apple Watch except for the Ultra lacking for technical workouts and it all has to do with just mainly one thing: the action button.
Touchscreen is close to useless for me during technical workouts. Can’t navigate accurately.
James.K.Polk
macrumors 6502a
Usually I use the 245 for running, except that I just got the Pace 3 in for testing. My wrists are far too small to handle an Ultra, unfortunately. And agreed, I turn off the touchscreen (on the Pace 3, and my 265S before it!).