Which Fitness watch brand ?

[solo_wing]

Saw a member talking about Coros watch on one of the thread.
Let's just discuss fitness related watch only and not smartwatch that are more inclined towards just smartwatch rather fitness.

I Have decent experience with some Garmin models .

So let's discuss what makes you choose one of these brands


I will start with Garmin Instinct.
The most simple fitness watch in the market in my opinion.
It is straight to the point fitness watch.
Amazing built quality( glass not sapphire though) but nothing a face protector cannot handle.
I have done many treks with it and with Garmin connect . It was always smooth to see your activity data, map .

Now coming to Garmin Enduro...now this watch is baap of battery.
Two hour of gps activity with backlight 50% and 15sec has only seen going down by 4% or so.

I have worn this watch day, night and while sleeping and only have had to charge it about close to a month.

Big screen makes display data nice and font big enough to see easily.

Garmin app is very well done.
All data is easily understand lable with explanation plus it really gives you info on how you can improve , set goals , even do free coach.

Plus user made watchface is easy to install but they do drain a battery but faster.

I will add more later..

Let's hear from other folks.

 

[chetan99]

Was recently looking to get a Garmin for running, but the new Garmin running OLED models are too expensive and the other one is Forerunner 55, which is two years old now so I was afraid of it getting replaced soon after I buy it. But whatever budget watch they launch will be my next one, as I realised using smartwatches that I don't care about most of the smart features, only real benefit is the health stuff which these dedicated watches do better.

 

[solo_wing]

Was recently looking to get a Garmin for running, but the new Garmin running OLED models are too expensive and the other one is Forerunner 55, which is two years old now so I was afraid of it getting replaced soon after I buy it. But whatever budget watch they launch will be my next one, as I realised using smartwatches that I don't care about most of the smart features, only real benefit is the health stuff which these dedicated watches do better.

Try to get it from USA if you can...you might get a good deal.

Price in India is crazy high for Garmin watches.

Also Garmin is facing stiff competition from Chinese and they are brining new affordable models now for everyone.

I have not used Coros but have heard good things about it( except for app privacy being an issue for me).

I will advice you to go for Garmin on personal experiences basis that it really does great job at getting you do better with good analysis on your daily workout .

I was initially skeptical about the brand. before that, I had been using a Suunto Ambit 3 Sport for the past 8 years which served me well. I initially used this only for cycling and running along with a Skagen for work. Now this replaced my Skagen and it is now my daily jewel. The build quality is robust and the battery life is amazing. Yes I agree, My friend uses a Garmin Fenix which we bought at the same time and he always says that he should he should have listened to me and bought Coros.

Suunto got left behind because of slow and sluggish watch and App too.
Otherwise they were making some great watches earlier until they failed to bring regular updates on new activities like Garmin , but now I believe they are trying to make a come back. They Launched Suunto Race and that is quite good as per reviewers.

I dont think your friend should regret buying Garmin specially if it is not just about money. If it is about money than I can understand his point of view. I absolutely love Garmin App. Everything works so smoothly. Exporting, Importing GPX. files. Plus nowdays many Apps are showing support for Garmin and Apple Watches.

I believe Coros is doing a decent job with their App too but Garmin is more efficient.

but Again like I said in my early post....These Chinese can offer everything for less than half the price to what US/European brands and best part is it works too . So cant blame people going for these watch.

IF someone asks me today ....I want a good fitness watch for as cheap as possible with all expensive features(Maps, music storage etc) even I will recommend him/her Coros ,( if they okay with sharing their entire details on their phone with this company)

 

[envira]

I was the one who posted about Coros Apex 2 pro watch. Previously I used Suunto Ambit 3 Sport for about 8 years.
My primary usage was for my cycling and running activities. Occasionally, I have used the watches for hiking. I was not interested in a smartwatch as I found the interface more clumsy and not catering to the original purpose of Sports activities.

Suunto Ambit 3:
The main issue was that the battery backup with GPS usage was hardly 11-14 hours. I have used the watch for daily rides and during BRM (Brevet De Mondeaux) which is an event for long-distance cycling. Although the juice was enough for daily rides for long-distance rides it was awful. But luckily unlike the Garmin, it can be charged by connecting a power bank to the device during the activity. The watch was also bigger for my hand and appeared very bulky. The fonts were clear, during the day as well as during the night.

The app interface was less refined and initially, I had to use my PC using desktop software (Suuntolink). Later on, the app was developed for Android which made the activity integration into Strava (a social app/website for fitness activities) seamless. GPS connectivity was fast, as well as the sensors (HRM - Heart rate Monitor - provided in the box). I was really satisfied with its performance.

Coros Apex 2 Pro:
I bought the watch 2 years ago, actually sourced it from the US as the prices here were damn high (more than double - got it for 249$ vs 50k in India). Initially, I used the watch for Cycling, which extended to hiking running, and even walking. These days I stopped wearing my Skagen as I find this more comfortable and practical. The dial fit my hand precisely and appeared less bulky than my previous watch. The fonts were readable well during the day and night. The navigation was by a rotating crown and 2 buttons on top and bottom of the crown. The crown was bigger and easier to navigate. The silicone strap is non-allergic and is lighter than the Suunto.

The app interface is much more refined considering its generation. The integration into Strava is seamless much like Suunto but here it is even better. GPS data was much more accurate, with hardly an error. Even in the remotest of areas and cloudy areas, the GPS signal reception was much much better. The HR monitoring was by optical sensor which also measures Spo2.
The best part of this watch is the Battery. I continuously used it for more than 10 days for 2-4 hour activities and still, the battery dropped about 50-60%. The device usually lasts for 50-55 days without a charge, upon daily use without GPS.

Overall I can say Coros has done an excellent job in bringing the watches at a decent price. My friend who bought a Garmin Fenix 6x always envies that I got a similar performing watch at less than half the price of his. I am very much satisfied with the watch and I would recommend Coros if anyone wants to invest in a decent watch for fitness activities.

 

[solo_wing]

Your above post is going to be very helpful for people looking for good fitness watch.

Coros pace 3 was recently launched too and I almost got it .
A great watch for the price and it is been getting some fine reviews.

Garmin has also becoming competitive now. Previously they were pricing their watch as if - Rolex.
But they too have launched some new models with decent prices . Still higher than Coros models though but it is getting closer now ...About 1.5-2 times the price of Coros.

my Garmin Enduro consumes about 1.5% battery for every 1 hr of GPS( GPS+ Glonass) with every second recording and accuracy is very good almost perfect. Even though it is not multiband it locks on to GPS very fast within 10 seconds max.
I think it is due to bigger antenna inbuilt.

I love the big screen (51mm) face and big font with 6-7 Data field all easily readible) and best part is even if battery is less than 10% I know can easily take it along with me for one or even two days with some gps usage.

I wanted a Maps watch too and might get one soon.


Can you please confirm if Coros watch will not activate if you dont accept their privacy terms and condition? I just wanted to know this because in future I might get a Coros for maps.