Cyclists with a "Running" Problem

[SwissVan]

11 hours ago, ChrisF said:

As I spend more time outside with Park Walks my Garmin VivoActive4 battery is struggling to keep up.

 

PS - It most certainly is delivering the "GPS hours" as advertised, I am simply using that up too quickly ... struggling to get two full days between charges.

 

Would love to know which watches the runners use.  Ideally still in the Garmin eco-system.

 

When looking at the Garmin Instinct series ...

. The 50mm version seems to have a LOT more battery time than the 45mm

. Wondering how the "solar" versions work in real life .... does it actually assist in a longer battery life ?

. Where do they "hide" the solar panel ?

. Thus far most sites just show the "battery time in smart mode" ... any idea of the "battery time in GPS mode" ?  (I will continue to search and update this line when I get this information)

. Should add I am not fussed about storing music on the watch.  Interesting how "some features" are kept for the more $$$ models ...

 

 

 

 

As a side note ....

. From the VivoActive 4/5 to the Venu 3 is a nice jump in "smart functions"

. Going from the VivoActive 4/5 to the Instinct 3 no extra "smart functions", but a step up in sports functions.

 

Thankfully I am not pushing the boundaries on the smart functions.

 

4-5 hrs gps time on this garmin vivo thing?

Thats swak, my polar with 32% battery life at the moment shows 9hrs battery life if I select a sport in gps mode.

Ok so its still quite new, but I’ll take the garmin bashing opportunity no matter how small with both hands….. 😗 

[ChrisF]

Just now, SwissVan said:

 

4-5 hrs gps time on this garmin vivo thing?

Thats swak, my polar with 32% battery life at the moment shows 9hrs battery life if I select a sport in gps mode.

Ok so its still quite new, but I’ll take the garmin bashing opportunity no matter how small with both hands….. 😗 

 

Hiehie ...

 

In fairness, gotta come up for my brand, the VivoActive is one of the entry level models.  Nice smart watch functionality.

 

Small size .... thus the crappy battery capacity.  All the watches with better battery time is thicker and about double the weight.

 

Actually a nice day to day watch.

[PhilipV]

1 hour ago, ChrisF said:

 

Hiehie ...

 

In fairness, gotta come up for my brand, the VivoActive is one of the entry level models.  Nice smart watch functionality.

 

Small size .... thus the crappy battery capacity.  All the watches with better battery time is thicker and about double the weight.

 

Actually a nice day to day watch.

I got 7.5 hrs out of my vivoactive4 last year at a race. 
I think I put it on smart battery mode. Wasn’t moving fast enough to care about highest accuracy. 

[ChrisF]

16 hours ago, PhilipV said:

I got 7.5 hrs out of my vivoactive4 last year at a race. 
I think I put it on smart battery mode. Wasn’t moving fast enough to care about highest accuracy. 

 

This is certainly VERY sound advise .... maar hoe help dit om my bankbestuurder te oorreed .... 

 

2:15 walk this morning at Devonbosch ... almost half a battery .... okay, more like 30% ... 

[gerriemtb]

32 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

 

This is certainly VERY sound advise .... maar hoe help dit om my bankbestuurder te oorreed .... 

 

2:15 walk this morning at Devonbosch ... almost half a battery .... okay, more like 30% ... 

Oom Chris, koop nou net die nuwe horlosie, oom het heel duidelik klaar besluit 😂

[ChrisF]

1 minute ago, gerriemtb said:

Oom Chris, koop nou net die nuwe horlosie, oom het heel duidelik klaar besluit 😂

 

Te veel opsies ...

[gerriemtb]

Just now, ChrisF said:

 

Te veel opsies ...

Inderdaad!

Analysis paralysis is a real thing.

[ChrisF]

Just now, gerriemtb said:

Inderdaad!

Analysis paralysis is a real thing.

 

Exactly where I am now.

 

Time for a spreadsheet .... 

[gerriemtb]

Just now, ChrisF said:

 

Exactly where I am now.

 

Time for a spreadsheet .... 

🙈🙈🙈

[ChrisF]

On 3/21/2025 at 1:12 PM, gerriemtb said:

Inderdaad!

Analysis paralysis is a real thing.

 

Soooo ....

 

The step up from the VivoActive 4 to 5 is actually significant.  Many more features added than I can ever hope to use.  Battery life increased, especially when using full GPS.  (just dont add music, non issue for me).  Sadly the screen is smaller, but software now allow large font options (jaaaa, dont always want to grab the glasses to read notifications ...).

 

Any Hubber using the "large font" option ?  How do you find this ?

 

Next up the Forerunner 165 .... wag, hou vas, kyk weer .... at first glance most of the specs are similar between the VivoActive5 and the Forerunner 165 !!  Cant spot differences, at least not looking at those that I use.

EDIT ... Digging deeper ...

. No altimitor on the VA5.  Did get used to it on the VA4 ....

. VA5 use 2 bottons and touch screen ... FR165 uses 5 buttons and touch screen.  Buttons might be handy in the rain.

. FR165 digs deeper into running options. While the VA5 has various other sports options ...

Interesting how they tweak the programming for different target markets.

 

 

 

EDIT - Up to this point the watches dont support Multi sport, ie Triathlon.  The step up to the next set of watches goes beyond just Triathlon, adding a LOT of training metrics !!  Well worth exploring if this is your cup of tea.

DC Rainmaker has a nice video of the 165 vs the 265 .... more than 100 extra functions !!

 

Forerunner 255 -  @shaper

WOW !! this unit bats way above its price range !!!!

Sadly less and less shops stocking this .... Not sure why.  IS the 265 replacing it ?  Will do more homework on this.

EDIT - Garmin SA out of stock, seems last units are being sold by NavWorld. Lots of questions online if this unit is being phased out ....

 

 

Venu 3 ... Have been watching this one for some time.

Good battery time

Biggest screen size

Gen 5 heart rate monitor .... uhmmm .... only three watches use this Gen 5 sensor, with its fair share of complaints of low rested readings.  The Instinct series launched two years later went back to the Gen 4 heart rate monitor (to the best of what I can find on google...)  Not sure I want to gamble on this .... Certainly will do more research on this topic.

 

 

Upper end of my budget ...

Forerunner 265 is disappointing after the 255 ..... at first glance the battery life is a significant drop.

EDIT - Garmin and various sites give wildly different battery times .... 

The host of extra functions may well explain the dip in battery time ...

 

Instinct 3 

Amoled vs Solar .... 

- Solar has very small screens

- Amoled has a very good screen size when looking at the 50mm model, very good battery times, couple of nice extra functions.

 

 

Fair to say that most of the current sports watches offer WAY more functions than any normal human can ever hope to use.

 

 

EDIT - update time ....

. Battery time ... tricky one ... music, all bets are off.  Functionally, the more functions, the more the battery drain.  To make it even more interesting, different watches have different GPS functionality, and this has a significant impact on the battery life.  The good news is that if you ever want to do some ultra event it is a quick click to go "down" to GPS only to drastically extend the battery life.  Latest test by DC Rainmaker suggest that the Garmin units are still incredibly accurate on the "GPS only" setting. even more so than many of the other brands.

. Smart vs Sport ... lines are blurring ... but Garmin is most deliberate in its programming to keep both markets live.  Their typical sports watches now have more smart functions than I need.

. The five button layout of the Forerunner series can be handy to overcome the touch screen issues in wet conditions.  For me this certainly will help in the pool.

. Maps .... Personally I prefer to keep my eyes on the trails.  But DC Rainmaker makes a good point about how far Garmin is behind the opposition on this one .....

. Instinct ... I am not liking the look of the screen on the solar version.  That weird cut out in the top right ... For some reason the amoled version copies that look on most of their layouts.   No, a watch face is round 😛  But it has that handy flash light ....

. VivoActive 5 ... dropping the barometric altimeter ??  Elevation is so part and parcel of our activities ....

. Venu 3 vs Frontrunner 265 ... same price point ... more sports functionality and the 5 buttons makes the FR 265 a very good looking option.

 

 

O-well, with any luck this maze of thoughts might help the next Hubber navigate this search quicker.  

Edited Sunday at 10:59 AM by ChrisF

[IceCreamMan]

My vote would be instinct 3…good looking watch and it has a flashlight. 
 

yeah, most folks discount the flashlight u til you have it then you realise how lekker it is to have. Also acts as my back up for night runs in the evening the headtorch fails. 

[ChrisF]

3 hours ago, IceCreamMan said:

My vote would be instinct 3…good looking watch and it has a flashlight. 
 

yeah, most folks discount the flashlight u til you have it then you realise how lekker it is to have. Also acts as my back up for night runs in the evening the headtorch fails. 

 

Did you go for the Amoled or Solar version.

 

Would love some first hand feedback from somebody that have used both.

[Jackes]

On 3/22/2025 at 7:31 PM, ChrisF said:

 

Would love some first hand feedback from somebody that have used both.

For reference I have had a forerunner 230, fenix 3 and now a fenix 7X.

 

My wife had a forerunner 45, then upgraded to the 255s.  This was replaced by Garmin under warranty at 23 months old, last month.   They only had 255 left (so they must still have in stock?)   After my fenix upgrades I will always advise bigger watches rather than smaller.  My wife was sceptical, but now loves the bigger 255.   Also a fantastic watch! 

I have lots of exposure to the instinct 1 and 2 solars, you will not go wrong if the style floats your boat.  In fact, if I had to upgrade tomorrow, it will be the Instinct 3, or even the 2.  (Since I simply cannot afford the new fenix without Momentum discounts) The Instincts are very tough.

I doubt you will need the solar, so if you are looking for a saving you can without a doubt go for the one without solar and even the 2, but the solar does work well.  My one friend with the Instinct 1 Solar, works outside almost the whole day, and most of the time sees indefinite battery life on his.

 

PS:  Flashlight is an amazing feature.  I don't care for amoled, but that is just me.

PPS: I actually only went and watched the review of the instinct amoled now, must admit, it is VERY nice in the Instinct range, as my only gripe with the model is that circle right top.   It does get expensive though.

https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2025/01/garmin-instinct-3-in-depth-review-amoled-solar.html

Edited 15 hours ago by Jackes