Reply With QuoteI have the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro which is really good. Depending on your wrist size you might go for the smaller 6S model. If your wrists are truly massive there is also the 6X but it is a full on dinner plate.Originally Posted by cfranklin
I have a Fenix 6S which does the job.
I have the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro which is really good. Depending on your wrist size you might go for the smaller 6S model. If your wrists are truly massive there is also the 6X but it is a full on dinner plate.
I’ve got a Fenix 6 Pro as well, which I wear for running and exercise - I even use it to direct Pilates routines so I don’t have to keep looking at a TV or iPad. The Spotify and Strava integration is great. I think they really are exceptional devices, although they don’t replace a watch for me.
And there is a solar charging version.
Starting this week, im going a bit Castro.
Moved my smart to my right wrist and going to wear a conventional on my left. Seems silly having so many and not wearing them anymore.
I’ve ended up in this exact situation, during lockdown my focus has been on fitness and not putting on weight, not which watch I’ve been wearing from my collection. So I’ve been wearing my Huawei GT2 and enjoying the stats I get from wearing in daily but I do miss ‘proper watches’
Having done some research I can’t believe the lack of fitness bands available without display or are minimalist. My ideal would be a non display bracelet that also monitors heart rate. The nearest I can find is the Fitbit Flex 2 but that has no HR monitor! Feels like there’s a gap in the market. So to the TZ knowledge base two questions
- Does anyone know of a non display bracelet type fitness band that I could wear on my right wrist without feeling like a two watch person!
- Does anyone cleverer than me understand how the non HR fitness bands like the Fitbit Flex 2 calculate calories? Is is calculation between steps taken vs height / weight? I am pretty sure that a non HR band would give less accurate stats.
Thanks in advance, sorry to hijack the thread!
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I wear a Garmin Fenix 3 for cycling instead of a normal watch which I swap back for a normal watch after. I also wear a Amazfit 5 band on my right wrist for the usual health stats.
I can't see a problem with wearing a smart watch instead of a normal watch, personal choice.
I use a flex on my other wrist, I dont use the calories bit too much but as long as you only use the flex you should ok as it may be out but you will see variations which you can react to
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I agree since lockdown I’ve worn a smart watch 99% of the time. I more meant when unlock comes and I start having more F2F meetings etc I’d prefer a ‘nicer’ watch but don’t want to loose my stats.....i did use to just wear a smart watch for training but the daily 10k steps target has become a thing for me as well as training
Thanks for the advice, I could try and Flex and my current smart watch to see the stats difference....
One is for the body, the other for the mind. One craves attention, the other does quiet enjoyment. One you own, the other you’re just renting. One thinks it’s your new master, the other is capable of a dependable, long-term relationship. Only one is a quality of life enhancement.
That’s smart v mechanical, with quartz somewhere in-between.
Thanks for this! Will check it out!
Hi Folks
I am looking for a smart watch for reading tide times. I would require it to have sapphire glass, solar power, GPS, atomic timing, at least 5atm waterproofing, easily read in sunlight and not too bulky. The tide graph needs to be accurate and easily read. So far, I have narrowed it down to the Garmin Fenix, though I'm not sure which model. I'm new to smart watches so it will be a bit of a learning curve. It needs to be able to connect to my phone (Samsung S20) whilst being out of range of any internet signal. I assume it will connect via bluetooth and not require internet whilst being used.
Does anyone have any recommendations?
Cheers
Kaffe
Fitbit on left, GMT or Explorer on right. I like to monitor steps and RHR plus record rides and walks. My fibit also reminds me my phone is ringing when I leave it somewhere obscure round the house.
I would recommend anyone a Huawei GT 2. Brilliant smart watch but not as smart as some. You can't pay for stuff with it but I'm not bothered about that.
The market n point for me with this watch is the lovely screen, battery that lasts at least 2 weeks and loads of data it gives you.
Oh and shop around you can get it for under £100.
I've got a Garmin fenix 6 that I wear a fair bit these days for tracking runs and bike rides, but taking it off to charge is really annoys me, and is the main reason I'll always stick with mechanical watches. I've never had a mechanical watch sat gathering dust in the back of a drawer like I have with various smart watches.
I have a Fenix 6. I don’t use the Tides app or any of the Tides widgets, but I use the Garmin IQConnect smartphone software a lot and find it very good; simple to use, powerful and reliable.
I looked at the Garmin Tides app and it looks as though you need to have your phone connected to the Internet when you sync your watch, but that you get 7 days worth of tide data downloaded at that point for your current location. I assume that means you then don’t need access to the Internet for another 7 days. Obviously during that time your Garmin and phone will still sync via Bluetooth if you want but you won’t get any new tide data(if I read it right).
apps.garmin.com/en-GB/apps/8ef5a2ac-f87a-4001-bf47-439543ca4eea
Widgets and watchfaces from the IQConnect store can be a bit hit and miss but some are really good.
Well it's a yes for me - since buying this little beastie I haven't worn anything else. What I really like about it is that I can go to the pub sans wallet & mobile and still pay for my beer and make/receive phone calls. Most people don't know it's a smartwatch but many have complemented it as being a nice looking watch. Considering the number of times I've woken of a morning after a night of alcohol overindulgence to find I'm missing the odd fiver and/or my mobile I think this watch is going to save me money :)
Currently this is what I am wearing.
Right wrist. Man jewellery and Fitbit Charge 3 with HR, steps etc and (GPS from your phone if you want). We get points from our health insurance which give us free cinema tickets (ha ha ha!!).
on left wrist - watch of choice
Last edited by MartynJC (UK); 31st May 2021 at 20:52.
“ Ford... you're turning into a penguin. Stop it.” HHGTTG
Not got one and don't plan on owning one. There is also the fact that a lot of these will end up as e-waste once they become obsolete.
Pretty much the same for me - Fitbit Inspire 2 + silver bracelet on my right wrist, one of my proper watches on my left.Currently this is what I am wearing.
Right wrist. Man jewellery and Fitbit Charge 3 with HR, steps etc and (GPS from your phone if you want). We get points from our health insurance which give us free cinema tickets (ha ha ha!!).
on left wrist - watch of choice
No room (or desire) for a smartwatch.
Oh, and my enthusiasm for wearing watches has not been diminished during well over 12 months in lockdown - I wear one every day.
Simon
I go for a run most days, at random times depending on work load, so need a GPS watch with me, or on my arm
I need to be contactable in case of emergency (elderly parent)
I can't/won't carry my phone on a run, and prefer running with music so the Apple Watch does everything for me
It's my daily wearer now, and I'll swap at the weekends for something more 'WIS' like a G-Shock ;-)
I've been through this exact dilemma as well. I was wearing a Garmin all the time but realised that I really wanted to get back to 'real' watches and faced a decision. I am fully invested in to the Garmin ecosystem with years of metrics so there are other options but this is what I went with.
The route I took was mechanical on the left wrist, and a Garmin Vivosmart 4 on the right. It's the smallest strap I could find and I have turned off alerts and the screen only comes on when I double tap it. It's been a real breath of fresh air not having my wrist vibrating constantly with every notification.
I still wear my big Garmin for sports/gym/gardening duties but most of the time I'm now a 'double wrister' which might be the worst term I've come across.
If you're not heavily invested in the Garmin ecosystem another option for the strap would be Whoop (although it is a subscription service): https://www.whoop.com/
I’ve gone smart I’m afraid.
Had a Fenix 3 which I wore most of the time, then moved away from it for a while and only wore it while doing sporty stuff.
Then sold it and got a Vivoactive 4 which I wore until I got sick of not having a “real” watch.
Finally settled on a compromise and got a Tissot T-Touch Connect Solar and wear a Garmin vivosport on the other wrist (for HR, steps, walks, etc.).
The Tissot performs more than adequately for notifications and the like whilst also looking like a “real” watch from a “real” brand. As a bonus, the battery life is amazing (about 3-4 months between recharges - longer if I’m out in the sun a lot.
I’ve had it since Feb and not really wanted to go back to any of my other watches (although I’ll probably wear my UN if I ever get it fixed).
YMMV but I think it’s a good compromise.
Cheers,
Mark C
What make / model is that?Well it's a yes for me - since buying this little beastie I haven't worn anything else. What I really like about it is that I can go to the pub sans wallet & mobile and still pay for my beer and make/receive phone calls. Most people don't know it's a smartwatch but many have complemented it as being a nice looking watch. Considering the number of times I've woken of a morning after a night of alcohol overindulgence to find I'm missing the odd fiver and/or my mobile I think this watch is going to save me money :)
I like it having a stainless strap....
Mostly I think Smart watches are crap, and will prefer to use a Casio as the fallback gym type of thing.
However I was intrigued by them, so during the lockdown last year whilst I was bored I got a cheap Samsung one and created my own face which works quite nicely. Hardly used since though...!
I'll chip in with my experience.
I grew up with watches all through my childhood. Into adulthood I'm very much a watch enthusiast still at heart. My collection mainly consists of gshocks (I know I'm a heretic), my auto and quartz divers.
Any PT related stuff was almost always covered by a gshock for elapsed time.
As I've taken more and more interest in my PT, heart rate has become a central aspect of my training, especially low heart rate training.
It took me a long long time to be convince myself into investing in a smart watch of some type. And that's how I viewed it, an investment. So I chose a Garmin Forerunner 245, non music.
I keep the smart features off, don't want to be constantly looking at my wrist. But it gives me the information I need when I need it formatted in my way. I wear it for sleep monitoring and recovery stats.
Where it shines is keeping an eye on Calories spent so I can eat appropriately for fuelling the next session. And coupled with a heart rate monitor I can maintain that steady pace where needed.
It can become addictive. And you can start chasing numbers if you're that sort of person.
When I'm at work it goes in the locker and on comes the G. When I'm at home on goes an auto.
But it does leave me wondering why you'd ever need another watch? Especially as some of the marquees are more or less unattainable.
And in a complete contradiction to the above dare I say it, smart watches lack soul even when compared to a humble traditional digital watch let alone a three hander quartz.
I can see the appeal of having a full on smart watch, it's a convenience, a tool for daily life when you don't want to carry a TV screen sized phone.
And I get the issues around obsolescence and tech-waste, but most of the watches now last ages anyway so you'd get a fair bit of use out it and when the time comes just be responsible?
I would say try it if you don't get on they can moved on quickly.
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