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Running/Swimming watches

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 Mike_Gannon 29 Apr 2022

Hi,

I'm toying with the idea of getting a Garmin watch for tracking my swim and run progress.

I use Strava on my phone for running/walking which has proved sufficient and the swimtag watches at the local pool. But as I get more serious about training thought the watch may prove useful for other information. Sleep tracking, effort, recovery information etc.

Does anyone have the Garmin forunner 935 or 945, or any feedback on how valuable/comfortable they find the sports watches.

 girlymonkey 29 Apr 2022
In reply to Mike_Gannon:

I have some sort of basic Garmin forerunner. It works fine for running, cycling etc. However, when I swim (almost always outdoors) it really struggles with getting and keeping a GPS signal. The tracking shows all sorts of weirdness. I just stick my phone in my tow float and record swims on that, but don't know what you would do in the pool.

 JamButty 29 Apr 2022
In reply to Mike_Gannon:

I've got a 735 and love it,  after being sceptical.  I think its now become the 745,  and these are more basic versions of the 9 series.

Generally it tracks my swims ok,  both in a pool and OW,  its a bit variable at times,  and doesn't like breast stroke,  but I think most have that issue.

I think more expensive ones also have the barometric altimeters,  which are more accurate than mine which does it off the GPS but is still pretty good.

 kathrync 29 Apr 2022
In reply to girlymonkey:

> However, when I swim (almost always outdoors) it really struggles with getting and keeping a GPS signal. The tracking shows all sorts of weirdness. I just stick my phone in my tow float and record swims on that, but don't know what you would do in the pool.

Yes, I don't think GPS signal transmits very well underwater, so when you are swimming the signal is lost everytime your arm goes under the water, and there is limited time to re-connect when your arm is out of the water. Some of the newer/higher end Garmins have some funky technology which does a better job for open water swimming (dual band GPS and some caching technology, I think) and are much better than older models, but the tracks are still usually worse than for running/cycling etc.

Indoor swimming is actually simpler, if you choose a watch that has a pool swim function. Of course, you don't get a GPS signal at all in an indoor pool. These work by having a motion detecter that is trained for swimming - effectively, they can tell when you are swimming smoothly, when you stop, and when you turn. You tell the watch how long your pool is, and it just counts lengths, adds them up for you, and provides splits.  My slightly older Fenix 5 works very well for this as long as I make a nice definitive kick off the wall at the end of the pool (doesn't have to be a tumble-turn). I don't know off-hand if either of the Forerunner models you mention have this functionality.

DC Rainmaker is a great source for in-depth reviews of sports watches and fitness tracking devices: https://www.dcrainmaker.com/

Post edited at 12:26
 Dave B 29 Apr 2022
In reply to Mike_Gannon:

I have a fenix 6 Pro now. And am selling my fenix 6 basic. If you swim ow in a fairly regular fashion using FC it works OK. Breaststroke struggles. Pool swim often loses 25m or 50m over a session of about 2000m.

I'm basically happy, and am not considering a fenix 7.

The 935 is a lot lighter so that helps the wrist HR, but it's swim tracking ow didn't seem that good for my training partner. The 945 may be better. 

 LastBoyScout 29 Apr 2022
In reply to girlymonkey:

> I have some sort of basic Garmin forerunner. It works fine for running, cycling etc. However, when I swim (almost always outdoors) it really struggles with getting and keeping a GPS signal. The tracking shows all sorts of weirdness. I just stick my phone in my tow float and record swims on that, but don't know what you would do in the pool.

I've seen comments that to get around this, people have been known to either tuck them inside a swim cap or on the back of your goggles strap - the obvious downside being that you can't easily read them mid-swim.

 LastBoyScout 29 Apr 2022
In reply to Mike_Gannon:

I mostly use a Timex Ironman Triathlon watch for indoor swimming - has a 100 lap counter and I just flick the lap button on the turn of every 4th or 8th length, depending on how far I was swimming. I used to have spreadsheets of data on this, but don't bother any more.

I also liked it because the stiff-ish strap didn't drag in the water - it's got a flat battery at the moment, so using my Garmin Forerunner 25 (on indoor mode) and the end of the strap is annoyingly floppy. Top tip - a short bit of bicycle inner tube solves most strap issues.

 LastBoyScout 29 Apr 2022
In reply to JamButty:

> I think more expensive ones also have the barometric altimeters,  which are more accurate than mine which does it off the GPS but is still pretty good.

GPS altitude is notoriously bad - I've had height variation of +/- 400m on a flat running track on a Timex watch.

 Toby Dunn 30 Apr 2022
In reply to Mike_Gannon:

I have a Forerunner 45, used for running,  cycling etc, although not swimming.  It does the job pretty well,  the GPS picks up quickly,  and I've not had any problems with it really.  Wrist reading HR monitors are always slow to pick up any rapid change and not the most accurate,  but I think are a reasonable ballpark figure. Its durable,  having been abused for about 18 months and nothing has gone wrong in that time.  Battery life is ok but not amazing.  If used for a long activity or several in one day,  needs a charge every night.  If just used as a watch I'd say it would last 4 to 5 days without a charge.  

 Dave B 30 Apr 2022
In reply to Toby Dunn:

That's about what my son gets with his 45, and my wife gets with her 245. I get about 7 days of I'm exercising for about 45-90 minutes a day with a f6


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