 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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At $600 for a watch whose battery will probably last just a couple of years, feck no.
Still the "kermit the frog" guy in the video was funny. Maybe too much altitude, or helium?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| davidof wrote: |
| At $600 for a watch whose battery will probably last just a couple of years, feck no. |
The top model with solar charging costs around €1000 although it's 4/5 years before a battery change is needed.
The battery is cheapand although I've changed the battery on a sports watch before, once the watch was opened it was never waterproof again so died shortly after - after 5 years a battery and a new rubber ring to seal the watch face is probably required - not sure the rubber seal can be sourced.
| davidof wrote: |
| Still the "kermit the frog" guy in the video was funny. Maybe too much altitude, or helium? |
Probably too many red smarties as a kid.
The options are ….
1. Watch.
a) Sports watch with GPS tracking.
b) as above plus maps & navigation function.
2. iPhone with ext battery & navigation app(s).
3. Outdoor GPS.
4. Ipad with ext GPS receiver.
At the moment I have 1a, 2 & 3. The watch (Polar V800) needs a new strap and battery. The outdoor GPS is over 10 years old and map updates are expensive.
Impressed with the iPhone apps which cost around €25. Trying to work out the optimum solution.
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@DB, my brother found a Fenix 5S for about half price in Tiso's in Aberdeen and I am very jealous. The S because like me he has slim wrists and it's a better fit. Not Sapphire due additional cost.
He's been very pleased with it. I have a polar M430 upgraded with otherwise useless points but significantly better than my old M400 without the HRM chest strap. It's not nearly as pretty - and a bit bulky under dress shirts.
Whereas I could easily wear the Fenix anytime, anywhere, any place. 
If it was a no budget call - for my wrist the S Sapphire would be my choice.
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@DB, I won an Apple Watch earlier this year. I wouldn’t have bought one, but have been very impressed with it. Works well with strava, I like the ViewRanger watch app (topo maps on your wrist...), good fitness tracking stuff. Maybe worth considering?
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| DB wrote: |
The top model with solar charging costs around €1000 although it's 4/5 years before a battery change is needed.
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a work colleague just told me that.  He also changed the battery in another watch but had the watch died afterwards. I guess there are people who can do it a bit more professionally like the people who repair iphones.
There is an "anti GPS" movement now. People who disconnect totally when they are out ski touring or running. I generally turn my gps on, if I remember and actually manage to do it right, but have the gps in a backpack. I don't find the data that useful other than seeing where I went. I do find mapping useful on occasion and should use it a bit more (but then the phone or gps is in the rucksack) rather than getting lost. It could be a life saver and it seems bizarre to give up this extra margin of safety.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@davidof, my limited understanding is that once you open the seal, you need a new one as you can damage it in the opening process. I started replacing my very old Polar battery myself, but was pretty sure it was no longer waterproof. Only used for running and rarely in the rain...
Bro and I had a few test days when he was out on hols, just to get an idea of how much piste ski time we actually got in a (leisurely, with decent lunch) day (surprisingly little) and how energetic it was (not very).
I wouldn't bother tracking my skiing on a daily basis but I find for running, distance, pace and running economy estimates useful.
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| under a new name wrote: |
| @davidof, my limited understanding is that once you open the seal, you need a new one as you can damage it in the opening process. |
Yep that's my experience, as with winter tyres the rubber hardens in 5 years plus the seal can break off and stick to the watch in places. I believe the YouTube clip above shows the battery being changed on a new watch with a new seal. Once you break the seal on a 4 to 5 year old watch it's unlikely to be waterproof unless you clean the seal contact points and use a new seal.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| davidof wrote: |
a work colleague just told me that. He also changed the battery in another watch but had the watch died afterwards. I guess there are people who can do it a bit more professionally like the people who repair iphones.
There is an "anti GPS" movement now. People who disconnect totally when they are out ski touring or running. I generally turn my gps on, if I remember and actually manage to do it right, but have the gps in a backpack. I don't find the data that useful other than seeing where I went. I do find mapping useful on occasion and should use it a bit more (but then the phone or gps is in the rucksack) rather than getting lost. It could be a life saver and it seems bizarre to give up this extra margin of safety. |
I can sort of understand this. To be honest I use an outdoor GPS/Phone GPS app more because it's easier than getting a paper map out (a map is more of a pain when mountainbiking & ski touring than trekking esp. when windy). 20 years ago I was using a map and compass, if I got lost I'd take bearings from landmarks where possible, in bad vis I'd resort to calculating times on how far I had travelled based on distance and steepness. Now I have become lazy. It's all too easy these days to just switch on the electronics and find out where I am to the extent that my map reading skills have significantly diminished. Suppose I should download the map, turn off the GPS and get the compass out again only switching the GPS on in an emergency.
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Fri 30-08-19 13:00; edited 1 time in total
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| DB wrote: |
| It's all too easy these days to just switch on the electronics and find out where I am to the extent that my map reading skills have significantly diminished. Suppose I should download the map, turn off the GPS and get the compass out again only switching the GPS on in an emergency. |
Still why make life difficult?
Personally I try to never go out in bad weather. ok I would pound around the trails I know on a bike or shoes in the fog. Locally I probably know everything well enough to ski blindfold but it is never much fun.
The big, big advantage of a watch, at least for me, is that you are likely to have it with you and not leave it on the kitchen table.
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Wouldn't you know. I bought a Fenix 5 plus with a 25% discount from Garmin via those nice people who organise the Great North Run. Delivered Wednesday 28/8, first use last night and now I see this!
Pretty happy with it so I wont dig too deep into the reviews to see what I'm missing.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Inboard wrote: |
| @DB, I won an Apple Watch earlier this year. I wouldn’t have bought one, but have been very impressed with it. Works well with strava, I like the ViewRanger watch app (topo maps on your wrist...), good fitness tracking stuff. Maybe worth considering? |
I bought one and also use it for Strava and View Ranger, when hiking. It also works well with Ski Tracks and I funnel everything through Apple Health.
It also has a built in heart rate monitor and can do an ECG. It even makes/receives phone calls without needing to have the phone with you. It's about the same price as the Garmin but the battery lasts several days.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@bar shaker, it can, but it’s not great at heart rate nor ecg.... tech limits
I am not saying it’s not a lovely bit of kit!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@DB, hang on, you asked about the Fenix 6 then posted a video of the very old (now) F5plus vs the Apple Watch?
Step 1 in any decision like this is what features do you need, as apparently many of the 6 features are coming to the 945 (ski maps not confirmed either way)........
@under a new name, where have you read the AW ECG isn't good? I've seen very good reviews of it.
@bar shaker, apple watch battery lasting "several days", that's the best I've ever, ever heard! My wife has one and 36 hours is a good battery life for her.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| kitenski wrote: |
@DB, hang on, you asked about the Fenix 6 then posted a video of the very old (now) F5plus vs the Apple Watch?
Step 1 in any decision like this is what features do you need, as apparently many of the 6 features are coming to the 945 (ski maps not confirmed either way)......... |
Yes I know, wanted to show that the old F5 betters the Apple 4 in key areas (e.g. battery life) so for me the new F6 would probably be a better choice. If I were to replace my handheld outdoor GPS & Fitness watch with one piece of equipment then the Fenix 6 looks to be the best piece of equipment on the market at the moment. I don‘t need ski or golf maps the watch would be used for tracking fitness and navigating (mountain trekking, Klettersteig, ski tours/backcountry skiing, mountain bike routes etc). My iPhone with navigation app(s) & ext battery would be used as a navigation backup. Sometimes I do mult-day hut to hut trips.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@kitenski, I may be out of date ...
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Earlier this year I bought a Fenix 5X and it's a fantastic bit of kit. I bought the "x" which is the largest one to get the ability to see maps. It's very handy to be able to download a route to the watch for Scottish hillewalking. In poor weather and bad visibility it's loads more convenient for answering the inevitable "is this the summit" question. That's what I bought it for but it also excels as a fitness/training aid, with loads of really useful metrics on training intensity and fitness. I wear it pretty much all the time now and I've bought a smaller garmin for when I want it to fit under a dress shirt sleeve. I'm sure the 6 will be better but I can't really fault the 5 so if you see them being sold off cheap just get a 5.
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@Valkyrie, I agree and am lurking but don’t know whether to go 5, 5s or X it’s very confusing.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@DB, I have a 5X Plus. Comparing to my Garmin Edge 610 the navigation definitely seems to work better when in trees / valleys. Maybe it's the combination of GPS + GLONASS that does it. The EDGE really lost it as soon as I went into the forest, and for that reason I added the speed sensor to my bike. The watch seems to do much better.
Only slightly annoying thing is that the display of gradients does not work at all. Other than that, really happy.
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@DB, If you look at DCrainmaker's reviews, he often takes multiple GPS units out at the same time, and shows how close the tracks are to reality (or at least to the map, and as we all know, the map isn't reality) and to each other. GPS watches don't seem any less accurate than any other units.
I've got a Suunto Ambit 3 Peak which, until the Fenix 6, had the best battery life of any (up to 200 hrs) and I find does everything I need. GPS accuracy has been absolutely spot on when I've needed it.
That is, until I got my wife a Garmin Vivoactive 3 Music, which has given me gadget envy... Seems to have all the features she'd need from the Fenix (I looked at the Fenix 5s as an alternative) for a fraction of the price. Spotify on a watch is very cool...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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With the Fenix 5 or 6 is it possible to download navigation tracks (e.g. gpx) while on the go or can it only be done with a computer and manufacturers software?
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@DB, you can download to some software called Garmin explore or pre load routes into there and then sync to the watch. I’m not 100% sure if you could download a gpx on your phone ... if you have a sample one I can give it a try.
I’ve just used the 945 and maps for hiking and running around Northumberland and it was very useful and chirped under my wrist if I took a wrong turn. Also used it ad hoc to find and walk along paths.
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You know it makes sense.
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@DB, that was dead easy, opened the link on my iPhone, saved the GPX to Garmin Connect on the phone which then opened it and I saved it as a course and sent it to my 945.
By the time I’d typed this it was on my watch!! If this forum had an easy way to show you screenshots I would!!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@DB, I can email you some screenshots if that helps?
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Poster: A snowHead
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@kitenski,
Thanks, did you send it from the phone to the watch via Bluetooth?
If I understand correctly one of the new functions on the Fenix 6 allows you to find local routes without a phone.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@DB, almost, it got sent to Garmin Connect cloud then sync'd back overt bluetooth I believe, so you'd need the internet for that example, but you'd need the internet to get to the GPX in the first place!
Yes there is on watch routing, and you can also create routes on Garmin Connect mobile, which *I think* would then sync over bluetooth. There are things on my 945 and thus the 6 like Sight n GO, which I've not tried....
from my manual:
From the watch face, select > Navigate > Sight 'N Go.
Point the top of the watch at an object, and select .
Navigation information appears.
and then also (I've never done this either!)
Creating and Following a Course on Your Device
From the watch face, select > Navigate > Courses > Create New.
Enter a name for the course, and select .
Select Add Location.
Select an option.
If necessary, repeat steps 3 and 4.
Select Done > Do Course.
Navigation information appears.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@kitenski, Thats the video posted in the original post isnt it, see above?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Markymark29 wrote: |
| @kitenski, Thats the video posted in the original post isnt it, see above? |
the video wasn't released when the origional post was made! but yes, same one, apologies.
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@kitenski, how you finding the 945? Am I right to think you upgraded from the 935? I’ve had the 935 (shunned the Fenix 5) since Christmas following recommendations on here and absolutely love it for all activities except cycling where I use a Wahoo Bolt. I wear it daily and not noticed any degradation in the battery.
The F6 should be great for all mountain related activities assuming they have fixed the issues around signal dropout when worn under a jacket.
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@Ozboy, yes I had some issues with my 935 so managed to persuade Wiggle to let me return it for credit against the 945!
Biggest benefits for me have been the mapping and the music, which have all worked great so far..
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I ended up buying a replacement strap to keep my V800 polar watch going. Unfortunately the new strap has started to split (probably been sat on the shelf for years). I have an early version of the V800 and even if I could get hold of another strap it‘s likely to be old stock and split again.
So I‘m back to square one and the strap probably won‘t last much longer so I‘m pushed to replace it before losing it. Fenix 6s Pro plus chest strap for around €700 is what I‘m looking at to replace my old Garmin GPS and polar sports watch. Has anything else come on the market that I should consider? Is the small face of the Fenix big enough to navigate with?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@DB Ive been using an Apple Watch with this app for routing for walks and runs and it’s been very good. I ended up returning my 945 as it had the same issues I experienced with the 935 of cracks in the HRM underneath the watch. I must have strange sweat or something!!
http://www.workoutdoors.net/
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FAQ
