Garmin - Fenix 6X Pro

Fenix 6X Pro. Bought a used one in good condition from FB marketplace a few months ago and super happy I did. Switched from the Coros Apex.

Waste is subjective. Ive got a Fenix 6X pro that I picked up at a thrift shop. It was caked in mud and they weren't sure if it would work .. but the thing is a tank. It took me a couple days with fine picks and alcohol to get it clean but it's been working for two years now with no end in sight. I play a full contact sport and do a lot of trail cardio. Previously I'd killed a couple fitbits and a Samsung falling and had a couple much loved devices get discontinued and their servers taken offline I'm not sure I'd want to pay full price for a Fenix but if mine dies next year I'm going to be pretty tempted to buy a 7 second hand. I have a lot of confidence in its ability to do what I need it to do in a way cheaper devices haven't been able to

I tried using both and ended up swapping fully to Apple. You mention maps - having used the Fenix range for maps on hiking, camping and climbing - including solo where it really matters - I find Apple smashes the Fenix. The maps are more usable, quicker to respond, clearer and much easier to use. I hardly ever used my Fenix for mapping because it was a poor experience, compared to onboard maps on my AWU2. I had a Fenix 6x pro, a chest strap, foot pod, tempe, scales, edge 830, speed sensor and cadence sensor. Yet it’s all been sold when I started to use Apple, because the Garmin stuff felt dated, clunky and unreliable. The maps were more of a “wow, maps on your wrist” kind of feature. They were too slow and uneasy to make them usable however. And the lack of Garmin working happily with anything other than the dated ANT hardware made Garmin very isolated whether at the gym, using scales or blood pressure devices at home or using connected training kit at the gym - Apple works with it all. And even Garmin pay, if you’re on the UK, is useless. Very few banks support it. Whereas Apple Pay is accepted by all. Pairing my Apple Watch up with Footpath and Bevel (new update is amazing) has blown Garmin out the water. It’s a much better fitness and outdoor watch than some other brand users give it credit for. Which is probably why it’s the best selling fitness watch brand in the world. Garmin isn’t a bad brand, but it’s failed to innovate and progress over the last 5 or 6 years. Their hardware is decent, their software and apps are poor. The user interface is dated and they still fail to produce a decent fitness watch with modern smart features. At present Garmin caters for those who want a fitness watch and aren’t bothered about smart features. Apple caters for those who want a fitness watch with smart features. So it’s good that there’s a choice for both types of people. Just like I don’t buy a tractor, because I don’t need one. But my SUV would be a nightmare for a farmer who didn’t care about all the features and extras my SUV has. Go with the brand of your choice and whatever suits your needs. We’re all different.

The charger on the Garmin was one of those nightmare features. Had many times where I woke to a dead or low powered Fenix because someone had sneezed several houses down the road and my connection to the charger had moved slightly, stopping my Fenix from charging. Not sure who designed this charger, but it was the worse design ever. Made worse by the fact that the charging point on the back of the Fenix slowly worsened over time with sweat from workouts. I had to buy a rubber stopper to cover it. Very annoying design flaw.

I own a Fenix 6X Pro. I like the cheapness, battery life and no touchscreen. If I had to buy another watch today I would get an Enduro 2 most likely. Run 30 - 40 miles per week.

I’m actually going the other way: Fenix 6X Pro Solar to Apple Watch Ultra 3. I’ve always disliked the Garmin connect app interface, it’s just gross to navigate and use. There’s been a ton of bugs I’ve experienced with my 6X both on the watch itself and with the connection to the Garmin Connect app. In general the software experience with Garmin feels clunky and buggy. Most people don’t care I suppose since it (usually) works for just tracking workouts. The new Fenix line is way overpriced in my opinion, where the AWU is looking much more appealing. For the same price as a Fenix 8, I’m rocking an Oura Ring 4 for sleep tracking and AW Ultra 3 for everything else. It is far nicer to track your sleep with an unobtrusive ring rather than a bulky and uncomfortable sports watch (whether Garmin or Apple Watch). The AW also has satellite and cellular, which is even more expensive with the Fenix 8 Pro. It’s a goodbye to Garmin for me. I’ll keep my Fenix 6X if I ever need to do a super long gps recording, still works.

As the title says, after about 2.5 years with the Fenix 6x pro (51mm) I'm switching from my Garmin (looking for something a little more modern and AMOLED), I am thinking of moving over to a competitor. I mainly use my 6x pro for weight training, running, and other cardio. I also enjoy tracking my sleep and getting a body battery score daily. I used to run a lot when I first got the watch, but now my activities are more even between weights and cardio. I may getting back into running, and try and do some half marathons and 1 marathon (similar to what I did in 2023). But my watch is on my wrist 24/7. I have been researching the **Race S** quite a bit recently. Sounds like at the price points they are at, they are quite an appealing proposition. Other watches I have been looking at are the **Coros Pace Pro** (not a fan of the all plastic body) and the **Amazefit T Rex 3**, which seems to have made quite a splash recently. Seemingly, nothing even comes close to the latter at the moment in terms value for money, and sheer number of features, but I hear many features that exist are half baked. As someone who is just trying to stay healthy (lose more weight and keep/gain some muscle) in his late 40s, I am not looking for the priciest piece of kit out there. In other words, I do not want 1000$ Garmin. Also, while the Apple Watch U2 sounds great, I know coming from the Fenix 6x pro and its insane battery life, I would get immediately frustrated by the 1-2 life on the AW2. I have seen a ton of video reviews on these products including the Race S, but I also wanted some inputs from fellow Redditors about these specific pieces: 1) My biggest concern is HR accuracy. This is the one thing that makes me hesitate about the Race S. I am trying to do a lot of Zone 2 cardio both in the gym and on weekend runs, and I think this is a key metric for me. I run in a suburban setting and don't need to have maps on board, but nice to have. 2) How decent is sleep tracking? 3) I am assuming that no watch really does a good job at strength training tracking, so I am not too fussed about it, and use an app to track reps/sets etc. However, again, a good measure of HR would probably be good here to estimate calories burned. 4) Is the 'resources' metric useful as a measure of daily energy? I'm a little weary about the Race S, as I have a 7 inch (177.8 mm) wrist and this may be on the smaller side? Thanks in advance for your time and inputs!

Garmin Fenix 6X Pro does not require you to hit a lap button when you are done. It will auto pause.

Sounds like you don't need the best and newest to get all the features you need here. Most of the watches you're being recommended will be perfect for you, yes. But any older Fenix/Tactix will work for you too. In fact, I'm still using my Fenix 6x Solar, does literally everything you outlined here besides the stealth mode, jump master, etc. A Tactix 7 or event Tactix Delta will achieve all you need. Just a side note, best battery = MIP display. Don't think you can get a stealth mode (night vision) with an MIP display, that's reserved for the amoled versions. Good luck on your search!

I have the Fenix 6x Pro and it’s still a great watch and much cheaper than the new 8s.

I changed from a Fenix 6X Pro to Forerunner 965. It’s far lighter and that makes a huge difference for me, particularly as I sleep with it.  If you want a big watch, Fenix, if you want the same features but lighter, Forerunner 9 series.  There are some v minor differences between them but based on what you’ve said you’ll have everything you need from both.