27 in Fitness Trackers
Garmin - fēnix® 5X
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Reddit Reviews:
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Based on 1 year's data from Mar 17, 2026 How it works
Liked most:
6
0
"Also the physical button presses while doing activities is just more guaranteed."
"I like physical buttons on my Fenix personally over a tiny little touch screen - that also has to be backlit and wastes battery."
"tactile buttons"
22
4
"But both fenix and forerunners trully have real running metrics. ... Thus the reasoning behind running tolerance as it would guide me to increase mileage in a safe manner."
"But both fenix and forerunners trully have real running metrics. ... I cant believe the venu 4 does not even have daily suggestions based on pac and only has them based on heart rate. A big no no for a runner targetting an specific distance and time."
"I finally feel like I’m looking at real and varied data. ... AW data feels like the kids’ version, compared to Connect data. ... I could certainly come up with a ton (both for cycling and for running, especially with running dynamics). ... Garmin is just clearly a more serious platform."
36
1
"They’re also pretty bullet proof ... taken multiple hits while mountain biking and it’s still going strong"
"had fenix 5x for many years, rock climbing, lifting, swimming, crossfit etc etc ... it will last a long time"
"I would not worry about a hit. The abuse it has taken in other settings is way worse than hit from an epee"
33
1
"16 days battery life on my fenix. ... The other aspect I really appreciate about my fenix is the battery life. 16 days or so. With everything I have to change these days (laptops, mice, keyboards, headphones, watches, phones), I appreciate not having to worry about it too often."
"Battery life is super important to me. I do ultras so having 24+ hours of gps is necessary."
"My 43mm Fenix with Dual gps, Garmin live track, always on screen still had juice for up to 20-25 hours of running."
10
1
"Full watch-based navigation and mapping features—found particularly on the Forerunner 970 and Fenix series—include offline maps, turn-by-turn navigation, and visual guidance. ... For everyday runs on familiar routes, they matter less, but for trail running or hiking where orientation is crucial, they’re invaluable. ... Maps offer extra value for safety, route planning, and are also popular among cyclists and those exploring new routes"
"I love the topo maps"
"Trail running so I can load the route onto my garmin and navigate without carrying phone for 50km"
Disliked most:
4
12
"Garmin’s notification integration with iOS is dogshit."
"many workout functions require a working internet connection via Bluetooth to the phone to operate. ... None of the complex metrics are done on the watch. Not. Even. Close. ... Garmin Connect often requires an active internet connection. It really annoyed me when I owned my Fenix. ... Garmin Connect often requires an active internet connection for many features. I discovered this when I owned one. It pissed me off."
"Garmins are very behind gw in the smart features department. ... many things which one expect as granted (because they here like 10 years) still must be rechecked."
1
5
"The discrepancy is much higher for HR than running dynamics. ... I think it is straight up irresponsible to rely on wrist-based HR is you’re using HR as a part of training"
"HR inaccurate at times and often delayed (which sucked during interval workouts)"
"Both Garmin and Samsung watch can't handle those exercises and are wildly off."
1
5
"I'm very disappointed in my Fenix for gym (and it sounds like the same fault applies to all garmins) because of the logging of reps. ... When I do a workout it will assume I used the weights I specified, but then it seems to either auto-log reps, which is a disaster for things that don't involve hand movements, and require me to correct them, or assume I did zero and require me to enter the whole lot. ... If I'm doing 60 sets I honestly don't have the patience to manually enter the rep number, so I use a phone ap instead. ... The thing that really annoys me though is that it would be so easy for Garmin to make a tiny programing change and start with the assumption that you hit your target."
"strength training profile is bonked"
"Gym exercise is best tracked with my phone."
1
5
"Sleep tracking algorithm is shit on Garmin compared to AW."
"Sleep tracking on this $1k thing is really disappointing. Way worse than Apple Watch. ... But how Garmin sleep tracking is SOOOO bad is beyond me"
"Sleep tracking doesn’t tell you anything you don’t know, it’s just too inaccurate."
1
14
"watch is big, heavy etc and few times damaged my wrist also"
"It feels double the weight of my 965 and bulkier as well"
"it is heavier and chunkier ... my wife would never wear a fenix/epix due to the size."
Juice0188 1.0I snaked an edit in on you, sorry about that. They're good, but they're the main reason why I recommended going smaller and lighter. I had an old generation fenix, the largest model, and it was impossible to sleep in. A few years ago I got a lightweight instinct and I can wear it a lot easier.
nofun1770 1.0I’ve had the Garmin Tactix Delta, Fénix 5x, 6 pro solar, 6x, 7x, and 8. I still go back and use my AU2 for a week from time to time. lol
0ut_0f_Bounds 0.4Yeah I got my Fenix 5X for ridiculously cheap, and it's been great. It even came bundled with 3 Tempe wireless thermometers that have turned out to be pretty useful.
I was a Suunto guy for years, but after my last one got smashed I switched to Garmin, mostly because the Fenix 5 pairs with my Inreach and everything syncs up.
adorablefuzzykitten 0.4I like my old Garmin Fenix 5X
alexisnothere 0.4I wear a Whoop band day to day and put on my good ol fenix 5x with a hr band when I’m out running
BlastTyrantKM 0.4I had a fenix 5X. I got it primarily for the maps and I thought it would eliminate the need for constantly stopping to check my location and path on my phone. I do a lot of off-trail backcountry hiking, so topo maps is how I navigate and find a spot to set up camp. That kind of navigation and route planning is next to impossible on a watch. I was so looking forward to using it, but I quickly found out there was no practical way to make it work
Personally, I found maps on a watch mostly useless. I've had a Garmin Fenix 5x and I currently have an Amazfit T-Rex 3. The screen is too small to see any real details. I had to constantly zoom in to see any details that were near, then zoom back out so I could see just a little bit further ahead. Eventually, I fully gave up with the watch maps. It's MUCH easier to just use your phone for map navigation. Plus here's something to consider...if you have a fast charging power bank, a phone will charge *MUCH* faster than a watch. Not to mention, this time of year your watch is probably covered by at least one sleeve and maybe the cuff of a glove, too. Which makes it much more cumbersome to use for anything, let alone navigation Edit: I'm not saying you can't navigate with it. You can. But it's not "just glance at my watch to see where I'm going". It's not that. You have to stop and fiddle with it, and fiddle with it, and fiddle with it
boston11runner 0.4I purchased the fenix 8 (47 mm) this week, upgrading from a fenix 5 (51 mm). The fenix 8 is remarkably light, with a gorgeous AMOLED display. I’m loving the touchscreen and the incredibly long battery life. My fenix 5 lasted a solid eight years—and could probably go longer—but it’s now down to about a five-day charge. I can’t imagine using an Apple Watch and having to charge it every day. I’d say go with the 47 mm and save a few dollars.
BrofessorX 0.4I tried a Garmin fenix 5x I think it was, I absolutely hated that it wasn't touchscreen, who the hell wants to navigate a smartwatch with side buttons. And im a simple watch user that only uses it to see incoming texts and pedometer step tracking. I know some are touchscreen and some aren't so just be prepared for that.
chief_keefer 0.4I was active duty 37F at Bragg. I mainly wore a G-SHOCK DW5600BB-1 (worked in a SCIF) and a garmin fenix 5x.
Chvprice 0.4Upgraded from the fenix 5x last year. Never looked back. Battery life is insanely good and it's health and fitness stats are fantastic. It's basically the same as the Fenix 8 but without the speakers and dive capability. I've been super happy.