Garmin Forerunner 935 or Fenix 5?
daj150
Posts: 815 Member
Trying to get some feedback. I am interested in both watches. Currently have a 920xt and love it. It's just that all of the new gear coming out won't work on it...and I need my tech! Anyway, I am a triathlete, starting to train for first IM and will be eventually training for KQ. Anyone have any good insights to one over the other? I have read reviews and DC's reviews, but that has only made my decision tougher.
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Fenix 5X. I'm very pleased with the upgrade from a Fenix 3 HR. It's not just the obvious stuff (maps), there are a thousand minor improvements to all aspects of the device that add up to a much better experience.
I've been using my F5X for a little more than three weeks now, so if you have any specific questions I'll do my best to answer them.0 -
I have the Fenix 5X also. For me it is having trouble keeping accurate heart rates while I run. So I am using my MIO fuze in conjunction with it. Mine might have some issues. I have heard on other forums that this might be the case so I am trying to follow up with Garmin right now and determine whether I should return it or not. Took the metal band off immediately, It cut into my wrist and didn't give a tight enough feel for exercise.0
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@NorthCascades Have you used turn-by-turn directions yet? How difficult is it with it being on your wrist? Since the 5X doesn't have a bike kit like 935...I am trying to figure out how useful the map functionality will really be if I need to pay attention to the road AND look at my wrist.0
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@NorthCascades Have you used turn-by-turn directions yet? How difficult is it with it being on your wrist? Since the 5X doesn't have a bike kit like 935...I am trying to figure out how useful the map functionality will really be if I need to pay attention to the road AND look at my wrist.
I've never used the watches, but I have a Garmin Edge that I use for turn-by-turn directions on my bike. I don't spend much time looking at the map while I'm riding. If I did, I would probably run into something. When it beeps to tell me a turn is coming up, I look down to see which direction. I would imagine it would be the same way with a watch. When a turn is coming up you might take a moment to look at it, but the rest of the time you would ignore it.0 -
I believe that under the 935 and F5 are essentially the same watch (under the hood) except for the mapping on the 5X. I have a F5s. It doesn't do the best job staying connected to my ANT+ HRM, but I'm otherwise pleased. I especially love the size and style. As a woman with tiny wrists, it's nice to have a full featured watch that isn't the size of my palm. There are some complaints about sloppy GPS (and corresponding pace issues) being reported on the Garmin forums. There's considerable speculation that the 935 will not have these issues because of the difference in watch materials (this may or may not be true).
The F5-even the relatively small 5S is not a lightweight watch. For biking, I don't notice it. For swimming, I might. For running, I would imagine that after 26.1 miles, I would regret not choosing something less hefty for that last .1. But-if you're planning to wear it 24/7/365 and need something classy-the F5 is great. The 935 is definitely a sports watch. Functionally (except the mapping), they are the same watch. I would wait until the 935 is in stores and go try them on and decide which one you would want on your wrist for the many hours of an IM.
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I'd go with which ever one Garmin gets the bugs worked out of first. I believe the Fenix has been on the market longer, so I'd probably lean towards that one.
But early adopting of garmin products always makes me twitchy.1 -
@NorthCascades Have you used turn-by-turn directions yet? How difficult is it with it being on your wrist? Since the 5X doesn't have a bike kit like 935...I am trying to figure out how useful the map functionality will really be if I need to pay attention to the road AND look at my wrist.
They have an adapter to hold any watches.. Link: http://a.co/j8nsu2P
(You strap your watch in like you would on your wrist - it's what I use with my 920XT).
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I'd go with which ever one Garmin gets the bugs worked out of first. I believe the Fenix has been on the market longer, so I'd probably lean towards that one.
But early adopting of garmin products always makes me twitchy.
Wise, and common.
I pre-ordered my Fenix 3 a few months before it was released, a little more than 2 years ago. It wasn't even ready for beta testing when mine arrived. Basic stuff was missing, like alarms.
The Fenix 5X has been incredibly polished and refined upon release. Which is to say it works as advertised, it'd be on par with any normal product release from most companies. For Garmin, it's top notch for stability on day one.0 -
NorthCascades wrote: »I'd go with which ever one Garmin gets the bugs worked out of first. I believe the Fenix has been on the market longer, so I'd probably lean towards that one.
But early adopting of garmin products always makes me twitchy.
Wise, and common.
I pre-ordered my Fenix 3 a few months before it was released, a little more than 2 years ago. It wasn't even ready for beta testing when mine arrived. Basic stuff was missing, like alarms.
The Fenix 5X has been incredibly polished and refined upon release. Which is to say it works as advertised, it'd be on par with any normal product release from most companies. For Garmin, it's top notch for stability on day one.
That's good to hear. I've been looking at them casually, but tend to be very gunshy with garmin products. My 920 is the only thing that's worked as advertised for any meaningful length of time... and I waited to get that until it had been on the market for a year or so.0 -
@ritzvin I used to have that adapter. However, for triathlon it's not convenient to use that mount at all. Hence why I use quick release bike kit for my 920 now. I agree that adapter will be great for utilizing the watch for rides where I want to use the GPS capabilities of the 5x. I guess I just want the best of all worlds and I can't seem to make that work right now, haha. I am definitely not concerned about the bulk of the 5x, as my 920 with the bike kit is rather bulky, and the only issue I have ever had is with long sleeve wetsuits, which I almost never need for any triathlon I do. I am not too concerned about bugs this time around since Garmin is building on existing models, so there aren't going to be crippling bugs like when Polar released the v800. At the same time, utilizing either 935 or 5x on the bike using a kit or mount means I need to use an HR strap. I have heard cycling HR for wrist-based is kind of wonky, so I guess that wouldn't be the end of the world using chest strap.0
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TimothyFish wrote: »@NorthCascades Have you used turn-by-turn directions yet? How difficult is it with it being on your wrist? Since the 5X doesn't have a bike kit like 935...I am trying to figure out how useful the map functionality will really be if I need to pay attention to the road AND look at my wrist.
I've never used the watches, but I have a Garmin Edge that I use for turn-by-turn directions on my bike. I don't spend much time looking at the map while I'm riding. If I did, I would probably run into something. When it beeps to tell me a turn is coming up, I look down to see which direction. I would imagine it would be the same way with a watch. When a turn is coming up you might take a moment to look at it, but the rest of the time you would ignore it.
Does anyone have the 5x and can tell me their experience with turn-by-turn functionality? I guess a beep would be good, but is it loud enough to hear if I am going in the low-mid 20 mph range?0 -
@NorthCascades Have you used turn-by-turn directions yet? How difficult is it with it being on your wrist? Since the 5X doesn't have a bike kit like 935...I am trying to figure out how useful the map functionality will really be if I need to pay attention to the road AND look at my wrist.
I used turn-by-turn with the F5X on this ride. (I hesitated to use it because it's a new Garmin and I was afraid there would be some devastating bug.)
I've been using turn-by-turn with my F3 for a couple years.
The watch vibrates on your wrist, and makes a noise if you let it (speaker is louder than F3), when you're approaching the turn. If you look at the watch it has an arrow pointing left or right or straight ahead, and the name of the street if it's in your course. Then it buzzes and chimes again at the turn to let you know you've made the right one.
This works whether you have maps in the watch or not. If you don't have maps in the watch, you have to build the course you want to follow on the PC, but I usually do that anyway.
Works pretty well in practice. I have an Edge 800 which has maps and a larger screen, mounts on the stem, but I don't use it anymore unless I'm doing intervals and want to see my power. Otherwise it's another device to charge and the Fenix is good enough for my needs.0 -
Does anyone have the 5x and can tell me their experience with turn-by-turn functionality? I guess a beep would be good, but is it loud enough to hear if I am going in the low-mid 20 mph range?
I was typing out a reply while you asked this. It vibrates on your wrist, which is pretty hard not to notice. Once a few seconds before the turn, again at the turn (as confirmation that you're making the right one.)
The F5X can build routes out at random, you tell it you want to run 5 miles or ride 50 (or any other number) and it'll generate one on the fly. I haven't used this feature on the F5X but have on an Edge 1000. Mostly what I do is plan the route ahead of time in Ride With GPS or Garmin Connect. Ride With GPS has traditionally been better about putting street names into the course (so it says "<- Main" instead of "<-") but Garmin Connect added that feature recently. I built the course above in Connect, and I didn't get street names, just arrows, which was enough in the middle of nowhere.0 -
... so I guess that wouldn't be the end of the world using chest strap.
A lot of the more advanced features (LTHR & FTP detection, recovery time, training status) work based on HRV, so wearing a chest strap gets you more than using the wHRM.
Plus the battery lasts longer, because it'll disable the wHRM if you're wearing a chest strap.0 -
Dang it. I was all set on the 935 to replace my 630 (and its annoying touch screen) and then I read this thread.
I think I would like the turn by turn because now I use an app called RunGo on my phone. It is 'temperamental'. Sometimes it gets completely lost (not good when you are also lost).
Now I am not sure which one to purchase. GRRRRRRRRR!0 -
NorthCascades wrote: »... so I guess that wouldn't be the end of the world using chest strap.
A lot of the more advanced features (LTHR & FTP detection, recovery time, training status) work based on HRV, so wearing a chest strap gets you more than using the wHRM.
Plus the battery lasts longer, because it'll disable the wHRM if you're wearing a chest strap.
If you're training for IM, I would recommend not using any OHR at all. They are ok for everyday life, and not horrible for steady state cardio, but extremely inconsistent for a lot of workouts - particularly anything with varying intensity, high intensity and/or flexed wrists.
In addition to all the stuff mentioned here-which are really the reasons you're going to spend $700 on a watch. Be a shame not to be able to use those features effectively.0 -
Does anyone have the 5x and can tell me their experience with turn-by-turn functionality? I guess a beep would be good, but is it loud enough to hear if I am going in the low-mid 20 mph range?I think I would like the turn by turn because now I use an app called RunGo on my phone. It is 'temperamental'. Sometimes it gets completely lost (not good when you are also lost).
Grain of salt with this post. I'm trying to be helpful. I don't have any photos of the F5X doing any kind of navigation, but I have a few of the Fenix 3 following routes, and most of this hasn't changed much.
This is from a ride I did last summer, over Loup Loup Pass. The watch is showing an elevation chart; the green is what I'd already done, the blue is what's to come, and that red arrow at 1:00 is pointing in the direction I need to go, which is straight ahead on the road. That red arrow is the "navigation bug" and can show up on most data pages to nudge you in the right direction.
The Fenix 5X has maps, but the Fenix 5 and 5S do not. The F5 has more battery life, and the F5S is smaller, so people have choices. Anyway, the F3 also didn't have maps, here's what it looks like to follow a course without maps:
Sorry that isn't easier to see. Where you've already been is black, where you have yet to go is blue. There's a north indicator, a "you are here" arrow, and a navigation bug. Another thing going on here, the course I had on the watch has a side trip to a lake, we skipped it on this hike, the watch was smart enough to understand and keep following the route.
We started that hike at around 4 am, and spent about an hour on the trail before the sun came up. It told me every time we walked off the end of a switchback, usually before we realized we'd lost the trail.
If you don't have maps, you can add waypoints to the watch to help you know where you are in relation to other things. This is even available when you're not navigating.
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Correct me if I'm wrong - the Fenix 3, I believe, could accept basemaps (they just weren't pre-loaded)(unless they removed that functionality between the Fenix 2 and Fenix 3). (not necessarily route-able maps, but you could load background maps). You cannot add them to the 920XT though.0
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Can't add base maps to the Fenix 3, either. When it was released there was a lot of talk about that feature being added (because it was there in the Fenix 2) but it never was.0
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I've read they are essentially the same watches under the hood. The Fenix 5 is double the weight of the 935, but lacks contemporary looks. I decided on the 935 for this reason after eyeing the Fenix 5X for a while.0
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I have read a bunch of forums and my decision still isn't easier. I came across dwMap, which is an amazing app for mapping. I got to try it out on my 920 this weekend and now I'm trying to decide if I even get the 935 or 5x. I also found out that there have been lots of reported GPS accuracy and signal issues with the 5x. These issues are not on the 935. I know Garmin is good about getting in fixes, so this is scaring me off yet. I definitely like the look of the 5x a lot, and I wear the quick release kit for my 920, so I am used to a bulky watch on my wrist. @jamszy I have read they are mostly the same internal hardware as well. I am definitely holding off until 935 is available before I decide.0
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GPS accuracy is better in the 5X than in the 3 or 3 HR.0
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I went to REI yesterday and the weight of the Fenix 5S was almost double that of my 235 and not any smaller. I'm thinking that would be noticeable at the end of a tiring long run....0
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From what I have found, with the Garmin 920xt with quick release kit, the thickness and weight are just under the 5x. So for me at least, the weight and bulkiness of the 5X wouldn't be much a change. And @NorthCascades the GPS is better for the 5x vs. 3 or 3 HR per reviews, but based on current complaints to Garmin, the 5x's GPS is not as accurate or quick as the 935.0
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@daj150
For thickness, see if you can try one on at a retail store. That's pretty subjective, and your own opinion is the one that matters (to you).
I've heard that the Forerunner line has better GPS reception than the Fenix line. The internet's theory is that the metal bezel in the Fenix isn't an ideal first-stage antenna, and the plastic Forerunner bodies aren't part of the antenna, it's all inside the watch, and works better. I haven't heard anything specific to the 935 but the 735 is better at this than the F3 or F3HR. I'd be surprised if the 935 wasn't better at this. I'm not thrilled, but it's good enough for my purposes.
Here's a long ride I did with the 5X, you can zoom in and see what you think: https://www.strava.com/activities/9339213680 -
Yeah, I am hoping a vendor will have one at the Broad Street Expo this weekend so I can try it on. In regards to the ride, it looks pretty smooth for the most...some spots look like it hopped off, but pretty decent. I am wondering how it does in city areas...I typically won't be anywhere as building-dense as NYC, but I plan on doing races in DC next year, as well as some in Philly this year, and they all run by some slightly congested tall building areas. My friend just got his 935 and is already going nuts about it and the GPS accuracy...and he just came from the 735, so I have no concerns about the 935. Guess this decision might come down to bulk and compromise, lol.0
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I got to hold both watches over the weekend at the expo for the Pittsburgh Marathon. OMG - The 5x is HUGE. And heavy. I mean noticeably heavy compared to my 630. And the 935 actually seemed lighter than my 630.
I really, really, really, want the maps but that thing is huge...
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Stronglifts is a good program and will make the watch seem less heavy.
Teasing.1 -
I'm really happy with the new power gauge. It should be there in the 935 too so this won't help anybody decide. But it's a welcome little feature that wasn't there in the older watches. They have a similar HR gauge but this is great for cyclists.
The icon covering zone 5 is the rear-view radar. Again it works with either watch, and with Edge units too.
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