Garmin watch thread.

Calvin27

Calvin27

Eats Squid
EDITED - Might be useful to make this a Garmin watch thread.


My old garmin watch is dying a slow death and struggling to keep charge now. Otherwise it still works and is surprisingly good condition. Time to upgrade.

So far looking at
- Epix Pro 2 for $950
- Fenix 7 Pro solar sapphire $999
- Fenix Pro solar $950
- Garmin epix 2 sapphire $788 (but in white!)

Basically the epix has a higher res screen and AMOLED, not sure if I need sapphire, my current watch is a 245 and that;s just normal gorilla glass and it's been through a lot and seems scratch free (but having said that it's a much smaller screen). Almost tempted to cheap out, but the white is a real gamble given the crap my watches go through (I got transmission oil on my current watch lol). Also do I do sapphire or nah?

Perfect watch would be enduro (the 2 can be had for about $900) but the 51mm dial is just to big for my baby hands. The long life of that watch is perfect for bike packing but I just can't hack that big of a screen.

Thoughts, suggestions?

Alterntive is cheap out and go for 955 solar for $600.
 
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I wouldn't let sapphire be a deciding factor. My Fenix 6S only has Gorilla glass, and I run a tempered glass protector on it. I end up damaging one a couple times a year and just replace them cheap as chips.

Solar is nice to have but not a must. If on a multi day packing event just set it to smart recording and/or put the watch on a charger whenever you're stopped for breaks; it can charge whilst in the middle of recording.

I want the Epix Pro 2 just for the amoled screen... it's that good.

I wouldn't get white personally for the same reasons you describe. I currently run a velcro strap on mine which is a lot more comfortable on sweaty mucky rides and gym sessions. If you like the enduro then maybe a fenix or epix with velcro will get you the same look:


1742277079843.png
 
I've got the Epix 2 saphire, and had a 945 which I passed on to my wife.

Both have been great. The battery life on the Epix 2 is very good as it automatically turns the screen off/on. The AMOLED is very nice to look at too, but it's substantially heavier than the 945.

Sent from my 24069PC21G using Tapatalk
 
A new round of watches will land soon -

Forerunner 175, 275 and 975.
 
Been running an Epix Gen 2 with the sapphire screen for the last 18 months. I'm usually pretty hard on watch faces being a diesel mechanic. But while the aluminum framing has plenty of scratches, the glass still looks perfect after all this time.

I also run a velcro band. Can get that perfect tension and just feels nicer than the factory rubber strap on skin.
 
steve jobs' pancreas said:
I will take the MARQ Adventurer 2 in Damascus Steel please

View attachment 415830

I wonder if I can trade my Fenix 3 ?
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Love it, but I can't spend $2k on a watch that is software based. For that kind of money stretch for a timeless mecahnical automatic watch, probably a grand seiko of some sorts - real stealthy.

Also, is there a limit on how big watches are getting, it's getting pretty wild, I'm holding out for a 60mm watch minimum.
 
Calvin27 said:
Love it, but I can't spend $2k on a watch that is software based. For that kind of money stretch for a timeless mecahnical automatic watch, probably a grand seiko of some sorts - real stealthy.

Also, is there a limit on how big watches are getting, it's getting pretty wild, I'm holding out for a 60mm watch minimum.
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Tend to agree. The manufacturing cost of the top end fitness watches must be even smaller fraction of the retail cost, compared to mechanical timepieces. For both types the bang for buck seems to be around the $500-$1000 range.
 
Calvin27 said:
Love it, but I can't spend $2k on a watch that is software based. For that kind of money stretch for a timeless mecahnical automatic watch, probably a grand seiko of some sorts - real stealthy.

Also, is there a limit on how big watches are getting, it's getting pretty wild, I'm holding out for a 60mm watch minimum.
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I'd love a Grand Seiko. My dress up watch is a Seiko SKX007 with a nice stainless bracelet. I know its a dive watch, but it still looks timeless and still gets a few comments every now and again. Something about those old automatic mechanical watches that scratches a bit of an itch.
 
If you are not set on Garmin , I would 100% recommend Suunto ... I have had many over the years and they are a really decent bit of kit. ( in fact all of my older ones still work ! )
I just picked up the new Suunto Race - Full amoled touch screen, sapphire glass, great battery life .. simple and 100% usable app, free download of maps ( just load what you need and add more when you travel )
At $750 it puts Garmin spec for spec offerings to shame. (* yes I was considering a new Garmin Fenix 8 as well as a few of the ones you listed above.. )
The Race won out dollar for dollar easily.
For smaller wrists there is also the Race S .
 
slider_phil said:
I'd love a Grand Seiko. My dress up watch is a Seiko SKX007 with a nice stainless bracelet. I know its a dive watch, but it still looks timeless and still gets a few comments every now and again. Something about those old automatic mechanical watches that scratches a bit of an itch.
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Love a SKX. With a strap change they work great for anything from casual to formal, to actually diving.

Just picked up a Series 5 GMT and it's my new favorite all rounder.
 
Calvin27 said:
'm a clean watch sort of guy. SLGA 19 is where it's at for me, but flap it's like paying double so you don't have to look at a front power dial and have a clean face, seem off. Also $15k bike will put a bigger smile on my face than a watch so there's that.
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Yes, I do find this thread amusing. Elsewhere in the forum "bikes are too expensive". lol
 
Stredda said:
Yes, I do find this thread amusing. Elsewhere in the forum "bikes are too expensive". lol
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I think part of it is, as an engineer, I appreciate the effort it takes to design and build a tiny mechanical watch. Meanwhile in the bike industry, 'let's add another 2mm, make it completely incompatible with everything else and say it's 15% stiffer, but more compliant also.
 
Can the garmin watch send a message to your contacts if your out on a ride and stop moving like being knocked out relaying your GPS postion. This bloke had a garmin computer said his garmin bike computer can do that ??
 
bigdamo said:
Can the garmin watch send a message to your contacts if your out on a ride and stop moving like being knocked out relaying your GPS postion. This bloke had a garmin computer said his garmin bike computer can do that ??
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www.androidpolice.com

How an accident forever changed my relationship with my Garmin watch

I had previously set up my Garmin Incident Detection tool, so my Garmin automatically texted my emergency contacts to alert them
www.androidpolice.com www.androidpolice.com

Looks like it's only via your phone (Garmin Connect). If you want that in a standalone watch then it's the Apple Watch Ultra but that would also mean a separate mobile plan (fucking stupid).
 
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