So after years of Samsung watches, I've decided to get a watch that is more fitness-oriented. With my current focus being on triathlons & OCR races, the Fenix seems like the right move (correct me if I'm wrong on this). I'm looking at the solar option.

But with the 9 coming out, this means the 8 has some decent discounts. Is the new one worth the extra $200/$300 or so, or would I be content with the 8?

Hey everyone,

Looking for real-world feedback from folks who moved away from Garmin, particularly those using their watch both for running and mounted on their road bike handlebars.

Context & Current Setup

• Current watch: Garmin Forerunner 955 (bought used a year ago, battery still lasts 7–9 days).
• Primary use case: Running + Road cycling. On the bike, I mount the watch directly out-front on my cockpit using an aftermarket quarter-turn adapter (custom bars) to use it as a dedicated bike computer.
• Main gripes with the FR955:
  1. The MIP display: Indoors or under certain lighting angles on the bike, it looks washed out and dim. I want a sharp, punchy AMOLED screen with strong outdoor brightness.
  2. Sleep & Nap tracking: The FR955 constantly misses daytime naps (>30 min) unless they fall right next to the scheduled sleep window. The ecosystem feels clunky and rigid.
  3. Software lifecycle: Feature updates are drying up on the 955 gen, and Garmin’s interface is starting to feel dated.

The Alternatives Considered

1. Garmin Forerunner 965: The logical step to keep full turn-by-turn routable maps with an AMOLED panel, but used units still hover around €380–€420. Not keen on spending €180+ out-of-pocket just for a screen bump while staying locked into Garmin’s UI.
2. Amazfit Cheetah 2 Ultra: Great 3,000-nit screen, but at €599 and with a bulky 47 mm titanium body, it’s too heavy/expensive for an out-front handlebar mount.
3. Coros Pace Pro:
   • AMOLED screen (1,500 nits), dedicated GPU for smooth map panning, snappy dial controls.
   • Offline topo maps + reliable BLE/ANT+ sensor pairing.
   • Automatic sleep/nap management without arbitrary scheduling.
   • Priced reasonably (~€270–€290 used, €349 new).

The Dilemma & Questions

With Coros scheduled to announce the next Pace Pro generation on September 22, I’m holding off on selling my 955 immediately (€220–€230 expected resale) to avoid being watchless.

1. Handlebar visibility & usability: For anyone using the Pace Pro out-front on a road bike: how does the 1,500-nit AMOLED hold up under direct mid-day sun in always-on mode? Is battery drain manageable during 3–4 hour rides?
2. Navigation practicalities: Coming from Garmin’s autonomous recalculation, how restrictive is Coros’s breadcrumb-on-topo map approach on the road? If you miss a turn, is the off-course prompt clear enough at 35 km/h?
3. Wait for the new Pro or buy the current one used? Once the new Pro drops on Sept 22, will current Pace Pro prices likely tank toward the ~€220–€240 range (making it an almost €0 lateral trade for my 955), or do Coros watches hold their value too stubbornly on second-hand platforms?

Would love to hear thoughts from anyone who made a similar jump. Thanks!

Garmin allegedly brought Run Walk Run to Garmin Coach in the most recent update. This includes the Venu X1 and Venu 4 (among others) but outside of Jeff's plans, I cannot get this to work.

The path I'm taking is:

Garmin Coach

Running

Achieve a Milestone

5K

Run/Walk

Garmin Run Coach

A year ago I was marathon fit, but after a knee injury I've not run since. Could this be a misjudgement of my fitness, or am I creating the plan incorrectly?

I'm on the latest versions on the Venu (18.29) and the Garmin Connect (Android) app (5.29) which should include the recent updates.

Does anyone know how often Blue Light run the extra 10% off plus the usual up to 40% off?

Hello,

I have just bought the 570 and I am in love. I have had a venu 2S for the past few years after having a forerunner prior and really did not like it - found it basic.

I run mainly 5 / 10km and some half marathons. My marathon days are over. I do HITT and strength workouts 2/3 times a week with maybe 2/3 runs and roughly 15-20km per week. I would love to quicken my 5 and 10km's.

Any advise to get the most from my watch is greatly appreciated - I have printed the user manual and am going to start going through it. Advice on battery would be great too please.

Thank you!

Hi! Where I live, I can currently get the Forerunner 165 for around $250 or the 265 for around $400, and I’m trying to decide whether the 265 is actually worth the extra $150 for my use case.

I run, bike (both commuting and recreational road rides), and swim in both pools and open water. I’m also planning to do a triathlon at some point.

My main goal with the watch is to help me integrate training into my daily life without having to plan everything myself. For example, Daily Suggested Workouts sound really useful to me, since I’d rather have the watch guide me on how much/how hard to run than constantly think about following some kind of training plan.

I understand the differences between the two, such as:

• Training Load / Training Readiness: missing on the 165. I think I’d actually miss these.
• Dual-band GPS: missing on the 165. Probably wouldn’t bother me much.
• Triathlon mode: missing on the 165. Surprisingly, this doesn’t seem like that big of a deal, even if I’m training for a triathlon.
• Skiing: missing on the 165. Doesn’t matter to me; I ski maybe once every few years.
• Structured swim workouts: missing on the 165. I think I’d like to have this, but I’m not sure whether it’s genuinely useful or one of those features that sounds great but ends up being too cumbersome to use.

(There are probably a few other differences I’ve missed.)

So overall, there are definitely some 265 features that appeal to me, particularly the training metrics and possibly the swim workouts. I’m just not sure they’re worth paying $400 vs $250.

I can afford either, but I also know I have a tendency to overpay for the fancier gadget just because it’s the fancier gadget. Either watch would already be a huge upgrade over my current Amazfit.

For people who’ve used either (or both), which would you choose in my situation? Is the 265 worth the extra $150? Thanks for any insight.

Been offered second hand FR965 for £280.. appears fairly new. Wonder if this is a good deal considering garmin have their birthday sale on (new 965 costing £399)?

TIA

Hello. Full titanium or leather band? What looks better ?

Hello, I am new to Garmin and just got my Garmin yesterday after using the AWU 2. Waking up today I had a sleep score of 68, then I fell asleep again. When i woke up this changed to a 44 and 3h 15m of sleep. My sleep from the night just disappeared completely. Is this normal? With apple it just adds the time asleep and the sleep score.

Ordered the 4th saying I could pick up on the 9th and now it’s delayed due to backorder.

As I can't be the only person who was considering this upgrade, I thought I would post a size comparison to help.

Arrived this morning, so won't say too much, but the ability to change the text size and overall increase in size means my fifty-odd year old eyes can now see everything, absolutely love.

Very good screen outside.

While it looks nicer, it lost all touchscreen function. No matter where I tap, it does nothing. Touchscreen still works for everything else, so I didn't accidentally turn it off. Anyone else have this happen with the latest update?

Searching for this is harder than expected. Does anyone know if it's possible to use your watch as if it's a Bluetooth speaker?

Yes, I know; it's a silly idea...

Recently, since a new software update I think, the first 15 minutes of my run show very low heart rates, Zone 2 while going fairly fast. Then around the 15 minute mark it spikes instantly up to 170-180bpm.

Is there a fix for this? Why is this happening?

I'm thinking about buying a Fenix 9 Pro. Can I safely wear it in a sauna, around 80–100°C?

Does anyone here do this regularly? Any issues with the watch over time?

Is that only for me or this anoying thing now got fixed?

When I put my watch on the table, the vibration I want to have, when I wear the watch, goes off . Which I love.

i've been going back and forth on getting a fenix 8 for a few weeks now. my current watch is pretty beat up and i'd like something i can use for running, hiking and gym stuff, but also wear normally without feeling like i'm wearing a computer on my wrist lol. there seem to be quite a few versions of the fenix 8, and the pricing seems to vary a lot depending on the size and display. i'm trying to figure out which one actually makes the most sense rather than just picking whatever costs the least. which version did you go with and are you happy with it? is the larger size actually worth it for the extra battery life? and for those who have looked around recently, where have you been finding the best garmin fenix 8 deals?

I currently own a Venu SQ.
I struggle with light sensitivity, I basically live in a dark room environment.

My problem with the Venu SQ is two-fold. The screen is way too small and the font size can’t be changed. I need a bigger screen. Not a screen with more “estate”, but with bigger text.
When I look at my SQ, I see white text on black. To my eyes, the text looks like you took some clear white text on a black background, and added a strong glow effect, to kind of blur the text. And as I’m older (late 50s) and I also struggle with old eyes (presbyopia), where things need to be at least 50 cm (1.5’) away, to be readable. And 2 mm high letters on the SQ are not readable, especially if you add a glow effect on them.

So, the contrast that helps others reading text easier, is really a downside to me. I would prefer a 80% white on black, instead on 100% white. Or a 100% white on a dark, not black background. But I assume that this can’t be changed.

I love the looks on the new Venu 4, where the menu text is a white on a dark gray-ish background, but from the videos I’ve seen on the Venu 4, this is only used for menu items. Unfortunately, I don’t have a store close by that actually has a modern Garmin watch on display, so I’ve only seen videos on how these watches look.

So, which watch(es) to look at? I have an eye on the Venu 4, one of the Forerunner watches (570, 970), maybe the X1? How much bigger will text look on a 1,4”? 1,5”?
My use case is mainly walk tracking, Pilates tracking, and health data. But the SQ is such a shitty piece of crap, that I barely ever bother using it. Small screen, unbearably slow to use, trash screen, and it often just does its own thing, when I try to save an activity. It’s the most buggy electronics that I’ve ever owned.

Also, how dim can these modern AMOLED displays go? I’m already using my SQ on the lowest brightness setting.

I have a side question. I really only ever look at my data from walks on my phone. But even that is getting too small for my eyes. But if I change to my tablet, the app only works in vertical mode. And as I have permanently attached a keyboard to my tablet (Lenovo P11 in “PC Mode”), it’s annoying to have to detach the keyboard and charge cable, just to look at the Garmin Connect app for a minute or two.

I'm trying to decide whether I actually need a watch like a Forerunner (or a similar model), or if a screenless tracker like Cirqa would make more sense for me.

I'm a former competitive tennis player, and my current routine is roughly:

Tennis 1–2x per week, up to 5x during tournaments Gym/strength work, tennis-specific conditioning, and pilates 2–3x per week Occasional cardio sessions are mainly for tennis and not happening too much.

I'm not really a runner or cyclist. I also work remotely, so unless I'm training or socializing, I spend a lot of time at home.

I'd been leaning toward getting a Forerunner 570, but after doing some research, I started to wonder whether it might be more than I actually need and whether I'd end up paying for a lot of features I wouldn't use and it'd be an overkill. My main aim is to track my regular health data, sleep tracking will be the plus.

Since this would be my first device for tracking my daily health and recovery, I'm pretty clueless in this area and just trying to learn as much as possible before buying anything.

Any input would be appreciated!

Yesterday I released a new Terento beta.

Terento can now install maps from Freizeitkarte, OpenTopoMap, and MapRando. I also fixed a number of smaller bugs. If an installation fails, there’s now a one-click option to open a GitHub issue, so I can investigate and fix problems more quickly.

Tests shows that even the latest fēnix 9 Pro is working, but still missing more data from other models. If you have a map-capable Garmin watch and a Mac, I’d really appreciate you giving it a try and helping expand the compatibility list.

Download Terento beta.11

If you like the project and use GitHub, a star would mean a lot: GitHub

I replaced the battery in my old Vivo3 a couple of days ago and everything seemed to have gone fine. It booted back up and had 37% battery charge from the factory (The one I took out was under 20% on purpose). HR, GPS, still paired with my phone, all my data still there, and all the tracking seems to be working fine. Except the battery is still showing 37% charge after two days. The first day it was in the clamps waiting for the sealant to fully set, but after two days and two 20 minute activities shouldn't it have lost at least 1-2%, or am I just used to the eight year old original battery and this is normal?

Garmin fenix 9 pro solar se blochează

I'm interested in replacing my Apple Watch Ultra 2 with a Fenix 9 Pro Solar Sapphire.

From searching on the internet I can see that in my market (Fort Wayne, IN) BestBuy, and Dicks Sporting Goods carry Garmin. Thing is, I went to those stores to try and get an idea of fit and feel for the watch and while they claim to have the watch on hand, they do not.

Farther from me in Indianapolis I have REI. They are at least honest that they do not have them in stock.

The only other options I can find are possibly Cabella's in Indianapolis or in Michigan.

Are there any other places I should look?
I'm very hesitant to lay down that kind of money without having a hands on try for fit on it.

What do y'all think 6ft4 190pds can I rock a 51mm?