Looking for a watch!

Anyone have some recs for gps watches? I’m getting into triathlons, but would also like one that suits big mountain days. The main features I want are gps of course, an altimeter, and a swimming mode. Thanks!

I've been happy with my Garmin Fenix 5 & 6 (both of which I purchased used because MSRP is insulting). I haven't use the tri mode yet, but I have used it for all of the various elements (swim, bike, run) and it works great. The hike mode works well in the mountains too.

Lesson learned from me, they have 3 sizes, basically Small, Medium, Large (which I believe is S, "nothing", and X so Fenix 5s Fenix 5 Fenix 5x), The X is huge (I'm 6', 185lbs and the watch face was uncomfortably large on my wrist, and would cause issues with hot spots while biking and skiing/hiking with poles. 

A triathlon pretty much maxes out at 12-14 hours. Mountains can be a few days in the continental US.

You don’t need any directions on a Tri, the routes are marked. In the mountains, you might need a map. Also, in the mountains it might be nice to send a message even without service.

Finally, in the mountains, you’ll probably have sleeves on, rendering the watch a pain.

I’ve personally got skinny bird arms, so a watch with all those features is super clunky.

I raced Tri’s before all this tech existed. I had a magnet speedometer on the bike. If I were to do it again, I’d get the most basic Garmin Forerunner that has 15ish hours of GPS running on battery.

I’d get a separate gizmo for mountains. Something that could be clipped to a pack or put in a pocket. A map/in reach type of thing. It probably exists.

I bet if you got a $1200 Fenix, you won’t be very happy with it in either discipline.

I've got a coros pace 2 that I've used for navigation, you can upload GPX files, but it can't display a map, just a path and your position relative to it. the altimeter and heart rate monitor seem accurate enough, and it's still waterproof even though I forgot to take it off once for a roof crack boulder and there's a big crack down the middle of the face. If you're constantly using navigation the battery is good for maybe 20 hours of hiking total? Besides hiking I only wear it 2-3x a week for runs, and only if I'm training for something, though I have used it on a handful of bike rides and kayak days. No experience with swim mode. You can get a used one for around $100. 

Downsides: after 5 years, the charger needs to be held at a specific angle for it to charge, but it's not too too finicky. I keep the cable in my car and put the watch on the shifter knob and that works. 

highaltitudeflatulentexpulsion wrote:

A triathlon pretty much maxes out at 12-14 hours. Mountains can be a few days in the continental US.

You don’t need any directions on a Tri, the routes are marked. In the mountains, you might need a map. Also, in the mountains it might be nice to send a message even without service.

Finally, in the mountains, you’ll probably have sleeves on, rendering the watch a pain.

I’ve personally got skinny bird arms, so a watch with all those features is super clunky.

I raced Tri’s before all this tech existed. I had a magnet speedometer on the bike. If I were to do it again, I’d get the most basic Garmin Forerunner that has 15ish hours of GPS running on battery.

I’d get a separate gizmo for mountains. Something that could be clipped to a pack or put in a pocket. A map/in reach type of thing. It probably exists.

I bet if you got a $1200 Fenix, you won’t be very happy with it in either discipline.

All good info, thanks a ton. I should’ve added that in addition to tris, I’m also interested in doing things like the Teton picnic, which of course isn’t the usual marked triathlon. I’ll take a look at the forerunners. 

E F wrote:

All good info, thanks a ton. I should’ve added that in addition to tris, I’m also interested in doing things like the Teton picnic, which of course isn’t the usual marked triathlon. I’ll take a look at the forerunners. 

Garmin is a baller marketing company. They’ve managed to convince us all that we want a pedometer, hrm, full bike computer, handheld gps, music player, and satellite SOS all on the wrist. Even though the basic running watch is all we’ll use 99 percent of the time.

George M wrote:

I've got a coros pace 2 that I've used for navigation, you can upload GPX files, but it can't display a map, just a path and your position relative to it. the altimeter and heart rate monitor seem accurate enough, and it's still waterproof even though I forgot to take it off once for a roof crack boulder and there's a big crack down the middle of the face. If you're constantly using navigation the battery is good for maybe 20 hours of hiking total? Besides hiking I only wear it 2-3x a week for runs, and only if I'm training for something, though I have used it on a handful of bike rides and kayak days. No experience with swim mode. You can get a used one for around $100. 

Downsides: after 5 years, the charger needs to be held at a specific angle for it to charge, but it's not too too finicky. I keep the cable in my car and put the watch on the shifter knob and that works. 

The coros is hot trash for swimming. Even when you input the length of the pool it still can’t keep track accurately. 

I have a Suunto 9 peak that I love, though I think the newer Vertical has solar charging and shows real maps instead of just a track. The Peak does turn by turn directions for me when I’m running or biking, I download maps from Alltrails or make them in caltopo, then send them over to the watch.  I’m not a swimmer, so no idea how well it works there. It seemed more accurate for finding caches than my phone, when I’ve used it for that. Oh, and it’s a reasonable size instead of wearing a 5lb weight on your wrist. The size was what attracted me in the first place. 

I have a Fenix 6.  Now quite old, but great for what I need.

The Forerunner is running based; the Instinct is hiking based.  The Fenix does both, but is bulkier.  I like having maps on my wrist - but it definitely burns through battery, and even more so on a watch that's now a few years old.

Within the forerunner range, you get the triathalon features at the higher end of the range (the 9x5, where the x is the generation).

For your triathalon I'll presume you need enough battery life in one charge to see you from start to finish.  For big mountain days you can extend tracking life by using power settings to (e.g.) track less often or less accurately.  You can also get some of the garmins with solar charging that helps them eke out more ours in the sun.

There really are too many options without narrowing it down a bit more

- do you want maps or not

- do you want rugged or not

- do you want to buy new product, unused last gen on sale, or used

- what's your budget?

A new Fenix 8 Sapphire runs a bit under £900.  A new Forerunner 970 (newly released) is a smidge over £600.  Instinct 3 (also fairly new) is a smidge under £400.  All of those seem typical sales prices at the moment, not msrp.

The non garmin stuff is also very good, I just don't know it as well.

I have a Fenix 5 that I've used extensively for 5 years.  Cycling, climbing, skiing, hiking, paddling, everything.

Pros: phone stays in pocket.  Live track means my spouse knows where to look for my body.  See incoming texts.  Get notifications from my calendar.  Durable enough. Battery while not as strong as when new is still good enough.  Helps with navigation (see below).

Navigation is rudimentary.  You can upload waypoints and routes ahead of time, but no basemaps (too small to see anyway).  You can easily see your pace, see upcoming turns on a bike, head towards a known waypoint hiking/climbing/paddling.  If you are a navigation nerd, you will love it. if you struggle with maps it's not going to help you.

Cons: a gazillion features you'll never use.  Slightly clunky interface.  Battery will last a day with GPS, so for multi day you have to charge, or just use it as needed.  Charging cable is proprietary (this should be illegal for all devices).

Uses: climbing: find a new crag (waypoint previously downloaded).  Also, in Red Rock, I mark the best approaches, so I can repeat them.  Calculate pace back to car.  Watch barometer for incoming storm. Skiing: my family has a minimum number of runs before French fries, so this thing settles disputes.  Comes with a big ass strap that goes over your jacket if you want that.  Biking: HRM (I also use chest strap).  Navigate road and MTN bike routes (see above).  In a race I'm better able to manage my effort, and my training is also more productive.  The companion app interfaces with Zwift, Strava, you name it.  So I can see my data where it makes sense for me.  Above all, these apps are a motivator for me.

Necessary?  No.  Perfect?  No.  But it's more fun than 100 lattes, which is about the same cost.

When I kill this one I'll get a solar one.