New Garmin User

T1DCarnivoreRunner

Hello all!

I'm not new to Garmin product, but new to Garmin's activity trackers... I've used Garmin hiking GPS and auto navigation products for years.

Currently I'm using a Fitbit Surge, previously had used Fitbit One. Now I have the Garmin Fenix 3 HR ordered. I expect it to arrive and to have time to get it registered, setup, and synced before this time next week.

The only concern I had was indoor tracking. I'm used to the Fitbit tracking steps, stairs, and HR for indoor activity. I'm aware the stairs and the HRM work in similar ways, but what about "steps" (distance). While I know Garmin doesn't do steps and works on GPS, there is of course no GPS connection while I'm inside.

I'm trying to decide if I should keep wearing my Fitbit for normal daily (inside) "activity" and limit the Garmin for outdoor activity. The Garmin has an accelerometer for indoors, right? Does anyone have insight as to how accurate Garmin is?

NorthCascades

Your F3 will count your steps if you allow it to. That's probably turned on by default but play around in the menus and set things up to your liking.

I believe when you walk and run outside, the watch will use GPS to set your stride length at different cadence points. And then use that to guess distance based on steps, either when you're indoors with GPS turned off, or when you walk or run through a tunnel outdoors during a GPS activity but lose the satellites. ("Wrist Dead Reckoning.")

T1DCarnivoreRunner

OK, Thanks... didn't realize it was capable of step counting too. I've used Fitbit long enough that I have figured out stride length. In my Fitbit account, I could enter stride length manually. If possible in Garmin too, I'll enter there.

So then it doesn't sound like I really need to keep using the Fitbit for indoor activity either... could just wear the Garmin all the time just like I've been doing with Fitbit.

NorthCascades

Did you get the bundle with the HRM-Run chest strap, or the watch alone?

If it's possible to set stride length manually, I don't know how to do it. Likely there isn't a setting. It changes constantly depending what you're walking over. The accelerometer counts steps, and I've read that the distance measurement takes account of your cadence, it doesn't assume every step you take is the same length. Could be wrong.

Here are some hikes I've done with the chest strap. Have a look at them. Specifically, scroll down below the map and look at the stride length chart.

Lewis Lake
PCT Harts Pass toward Grasshopper Pass
Bathtub Lakes
Foss River

I have no idea how accurate the distance measurement is from step count alone. Never checked. Background walking distance has never been that important to me. I've counted steps off a few times and the watch has been perfect. For example carrying groceries home, having a bag in my hand doesn't affect it. The watch doesn't wrack up big step counts when I'm driving or cycling.

T1DCarnivoreRunner

I know each step is different... Fitbit supposedly looks at intensity of steps to figure out stride length for each stride, but you can manually enter an average for walking and running. It defaults to a stride length based on height / gender otherwise. When I measured mine, I got on a treadmill with no elevation set and walked a specific distance and used Fitbit steps for that time, then calculated average stride length. Did the same thing for running. The variability for each step on different terrain is still pretty close to what maps and such make me expect.

The version I got is the Fenix 3 HR - not with a chest strap, but with wrist-based HRM. This is a feature I've been using for almost 2 years now with the Surge. I find it is pretty accurate when compared to manually taking HR at my neck, though Fitbit struggles on some occasions to feel a pulse at all when running. I have to slide it around on my wrist to get a reading sometimes... a big distraction while running. If I find that the same thing happens with the Fenix 3 HR and it really bothers me, I assume I can just buy the chest strap and connect it anyway, right?

NorthCascades

Yeah, if you choose to, you can pair it with a chest strap HRM, and plenty of other sensors too. I've got the same watch as you (with the oHRM), but I've got it paired to two chest straps. In the winter I like to ski (cross country); I wear the watch over my jacket so a chest strap is nice then. But the wrist one works pretty well for most people for most situations.

I thought the watch was pretty intuitive and the learning curve was easy. Here are a couple things that were NOT obvious though:

1. If you record indoor, non-GPS exercise, you need to go into your settings in Garmin Connect (web, not app) and set your default time zone. Otherwise they'll default to GMT.
2. Training Effect and Recovery Advisor are usually in the right ballpark, but they both take about a week to get to know you. They won't make sense for that first week. But then they'll become useful. (These work better with a chest strap though.)
3. Connect IQ watch faces drain the battery a lot faster than the built in ones.
4. Connect IQ stuff comes in different levels of quality. Some watch faces and data fields will crash the watch.
5. It can give you turn-by-turn directions on the bike, like "Go left on Spruce Street in 250 yards." It's slightly cumbersome (plan route in Ride With GPS, export as TCX, use Garmin Training Center to load onto your watch) but it works.
6. The watch does a mediocre job measuring distance in the woods (with GPS). If you plan to reach a camp or trail junction or whatever after X miles, you'll be frustrated. Better to create some waypoints and use the map page to get an idea where you are along the way.

T1DCarnivoreRunner

Thank you for those tips.

NorthCascades

Also these links can be useful for troubleshooting: Fenix 3 forum, Fenix 3 HR forum.

A lot of people with the F3HR read the F3 forum. Both watches share most of the same internals and software. You probably have a better chance of finding an answer to anything that isn't specific to the oHRM in the F3 forum than in the F3HR one.

Whenever Garmin updates the watch software, there will be a thread about it on those forums. I try to read the thread (or at least the first page or two) about an update before I apply it, in case it introduces a bug I can't live with.

T1DCarnivoreRunner

I got the device and set it up, but I don't see the calorie adjustment on MFP yet. Do I need to disconnect Fitbit first?

T1DCarnivoreRunner

Got it figured out. I just had to select which device MFP uses, so got that switched now.

Paul_Czech

I use the Garmin Footpod and it works perfectly