Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar Watch, Black with Slate Gray Band

After conducting loads of research on Garmin watches and other models (by the way I wanted a watch mainly for Golf as well as other activities) this came top of the list and must say I’m very impressed and more than happy with the Garmin 6X Pro Solar (bought in winter so the Solar part is still yet to be tested).For the golfers out there. Yardages to the front centre and rear of the green have up until now been quite accurate (I say quite because I personally use a laser range finder for accurate distances).Battery life (important) is exceptionally good.21 days of you’re not using the GPS. A typical round of golf I would say it drains 4-5 days life out of it but you can easily get 2 rounds with the possibility of 3. (Depends on the total yardage of the course ... MoreAfter conducting loads of research on Garmin watches and other models (by the way I wanted a watch mainly for Golf as well as other activities) this came top of the list and must say I’m very impressed and more than happy with the Garmin 6X Pro Solar (bought in winter so the Solar part is still yet to be tested).For the golfers out there. Yardages to the front centre and rear of the green have up until now been quite accurate (I say quite because I personally use a laser range finder for accurate distances).Battery life (important) is exceptionally good.21 days of you’re not using the GPS. A typical round of golf I would say it drains 4-5 days life out of it but you can easily get 2 rounds with the possibility of 3. (Depends on the total yardage of the course played, oh and obviously the route you take !!). And when compared to other watches (Golf) you only get 1 round out of some. Which let’s be honest; Not very good !!For the money you will not and Connor go wrong with this model.This is only my personal opinion, but I Simply don’t see the point in opting for the 7X model (although I understand the GPS is more accurate) unless of course money is no object and you do like the most up to date model.You will not go wrong with this all rounder.Hope this review has helped othersPaul

An amazing watch when on sale

I had a Garmin Forerunner 645 W/ music for about 1 year before buying this watch and I wanted something with more battery and better GPS. The Fnix 6 has not disappointed with an awesome battery life that is holding up well to my often 1-2 recorded activities a day. And the GPS connects quickly and I have never lost connection during my trips in the mountains alpine skiing to the woods XC skiing. I will say that this is a HEAVY watch and it took me a few days to get used to the weight but now it is just part of my wrist. Also my biggest annoyance with it is how my sleeves from jackets and clothing catch on it when I am trying to move them over the watch which is due to its rather large thickness. Though overall I love this watch and I am so happy with my purchase, ... MoreI had a Garmin Forerunner 645 W/ music for about 1 year before buying this watch and I wanted something with more battery and better GPS. The Fnix 6 has not disappointed with an awesome battery life that is holding up well to my often 1-2 recorded activities a day. And the GPS connects quickly and I have never lost connection during my trips in the mountains alpine skiing to the woods XC skiing. I will say that this is a HEAVY watch and it took me a few days to get used to the weight but now it is just part of my wrist. Also my biggest annoyance with it is how my sleeves from jackets and clothing catch on it when I am trying to move them over the watch which is due to its rather large thickness. Though overall I love this watch and I am so happy with my purchase, BUT I would not buy this watch at full price. I have been hunting for one on sale or used and it was really worth the wait. I just couldnt justify spending $550 minimum on something that told me things I dont NEED to know, but I do love all the data it gives me :). And speaking of data this watch has so many different metrics and activities which can be overwhelming at first but after some use it is easy to navigate. With all fitness watches take all the metrics with a grain of salt but they do seem pretty accurate when I cross-reference them. Definitely try the watch on before buying! I have rather small wrists and the watch is the width of my wrist! Doesnt bother me at all but something to keep in mind. Finally I recommended a screen protector and even a bezel protector if you climb! My first day of ownership I scratched the bezel and one of the top screws by accidentally scraping it against a climbing wall, just cosmetic damage but if you are particular then a $7 case will go a long way. Also one of the photos is my Forerunner 645 next to the fnix, and as you can see the fnix is significantly bigger and I would say double the weight. The last photo is also my fnix with the case on it, something I always put on if I climb with my watch on.

Great spec but lacking software support

great sport watch as expected from Garmin. Hardware specification is great with all the sensors you need for sports and fitness tracking, but software support is quite lacking. I run daily, go swim and gym regularly, basketball and also rowing. It is ok for running only. Frustrating as one would assume the fenix series would offer the best. A few examples for instance:- does not automatically track activities (except for running)- does not link manual added activities with heart rates and fitness data even these are recorded but fenix fails to detect it- there are indeed many sports mode but common sports are missing, such as basketball (need to add widget but no good in tracking)- strength workout mode is practically useless, and require manual edit each time- ... Moregreat sport watch as expected from Garmin. Hardware specification is great with all the sensors you need for sports and fitness tracking, but software support is quite lacking. I run daily, go swim and gym regularly, basketball and also rowing. It is ok for running only. Frustrating as one would assume the fenix series would offer the best. A few examples for instance:- does not automatically track activities (except for running)- does not link manual added activities with heart rates and fitness data even these are recorded but fenix fails to detect it- there are indeed many sports mode but common sports are missing, such as basketball (need to add widget but no good in tracking)- strength workout mode is practically useless, and require manual edit each time- it does not support unicode and could not display other asian language, with no way to update. Although support or manual suggest software update but actually not available (user aupport would not reply) it is frustrating to have notification of sms, email and also music title you cannot read.- There are other brands that actualy do these all better. I rate it 2 stars as it is actually great for running with GPS tracking.

Nice Watch

Love my new watch!I thought the silicon band would be uncomfortable and because it was white would look gross very quickly. I have had my watch for a month now and the band has been easy to clean, doesn't scuff and because I am one of those unfortunate individuates that have very sensitive skin, I have had to clean the watch daily... so I guess I have no idea how easily dirt shows but its easy to clean and has no scuffs so far. The other thing I do to help is put moisturizer on my writs every time I get the chance and before I go to bed. Cleaning the watch wasn't enough for me.Skin sensitivity aside, some things I wish that could be better:1. The move indicator is not 'buzzy' enough, to easy to ignore. This is what really dissipation me the most on this watch, ... MoreLove my new watch!I thought the silicon band would be uncomfortable and because it was white would look gross very quickly. I have had my watch for a month now and the band has been easy to clean, doesn't scuff and because I am one of those unfortunate individuates that have very sensitive skin, I have had to clean the watch daily... so I guess I have no idea how easily dirt shows but its easy to clean and has no scuffs so far. The other thing I do to help is put moisturizer on my writs every time I get the chance and before I go to bed. Cleaning the watch wasn't enough for me.Skin sensitivity aside, some things I wish that could be better:1. The move indicator is not 'buzzy' enough, to easy to ignore. This is what really dissipation me the most on this watch, I have had other garmins that were better. I switched to fitBit after a software update bricked my device, as FitBit is known to do, and came back to Garmin because I remembered liking the move notification better.Issues that are software related and probably apply to many of garmin's products:1. Sleep mode can't be turned on or off, it is supposed to automatically detect when your sleeping. The softer ware also has a 'sleep' power mode that automatically kicks in at a certain time but the sleep detection seams to work better if you happen to go to bed when you told the software when you were going to bed. So if you decide to take an afternoon nap the watch might not record it.2. Separate power modes: You can't choose different power modes unless your in an 'activity' that allows you to choose your mode. So if your night time power save mode turns off blueTooth, and altimeter but your running low on power during the day and want to save battery by turning off all the gadgets besides BlueTooth, then good luck.3. IQ: activity detection- I have only had this pick up activity once in the whole time I have owned it, and its super sad as I used to own a VivioSmart that could tell if I was biking or jogging and it would automatically start recording those activities. It wasn't perfect but was so much better then the current software. This was part of the reason I got this watch. I have started biking many times and not had the IQ software pick up the activity so that is the reason for the rating.Overall I like the watch and am glad I bought it but it isn't really worth the full price IMO.

Outstanding

This watch has been awesome. It has been through many miles of walking and jogging. I've taken it through a couple of Tough Mudder and a couple of Spartan races. It has taken a beating and has been subjected to extreme temperatures and conditions. It's even showered with me to help get it cleaned after being in the mud. The battery with my settings usually lasts 3-5 days and that's with pretty significant use. It still looks and functions great after over 2.5 years of nearly daily use. I also use the Garmin Coach (Coach Jeff) to get ready for races so that was an unexpected free benefit that was a pleasant surprise. It gives me smartphone notifications during the day so I stay in touch with important events, even during meetings. My day job isn't a normal desk gig ... MoreThis watch has been awesome. It has been through many miles of walking and jogging. I've taken it through a couple of Tough Mudder and a couple of Spartan races. It has taken a beating and has been subjected to extreme temperatures and conditions. It's even showered with me to help get it cleaned after being in the mud. The battery with my settings usually lasts 3-5 days and that's with pretty significant use. It still looks and functions great after over 2.5 years of nearly daily use. I also use the Garmin Coach (Coach Jeff) to get ready for races so that was an unexpected free benefit that was a pleasant surprise. It gives me smartphone notifications during the day so I stay in touch with important events, even during meetings. My day job isn't a normal desk gig so it's seen a fair share of abuse there as well. I post a photo of wearing the watch during a race and of the small scratches through tons of abuse (considered character by me). I find I use the sleep tracker and the thing tracks my illnesses with amazing accuracy as well. The Reddit community is awesome as well. If you are looking for a no-nonsense machine to help you with training metrics, this may be a good option to consider. I'm happy with my purchase.

Review Title

Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Titanium Sapphire. Great watch, at a very good price (for me it was £431: £479 with another 10% off). Much cheaper than elsewhere. Everything smooth. Only thing awry was I specified for watch to arrive the following Monday, and it arrived early on Saturday (that was Royal Mail's fault, not FCW). I was in, so no problem :-)! Watch was brand new, in packaging and a very heavy and padded plush box. Had just over 50% charge when I received it, charged it up to 100%, and 4 days later (and 7 activities with 8.5h of GPS, and much playing about with features) and it still has 43% charge. Much longer than my Garmin Vivoactive3 (which will now be my backup). Lack of touchscreen kinda threw me initially, but got used to not having it very quickly. I got this ... MoreGarmin Fenix 6 Pro Titanium Sapphire. Great watch, at a very good price (for me it was £431: £479 with another 10% off). Much cheaper than elsewhere. Everything smooth. Only thing awry was I specified for watch to arrive the following Monday, and it arrived early on Saturday (that was Royal Mail's fault, not FCW). I was in, so no problem :-)! Watch was brand new, in packaging and a very heavy and padded plush box. Had just over 50% charge when I received it, charged it up to 100%, and 4 days later (and 7 activities with 8.5h of GPS, and much playing about with features) and it still has 43% charge. Much longer than my Garmin Vivoactive3 (which will now be my backup). Lack of touchscreen kinda threw me initially, but got used to not having it very quickly. I got this as all-day epic MTB rides would exceed capability/battery of Vivoactive3, but this Fenix6 watch should be able to handle tracking all day MTB-rides no problem. And looks so so nice! Very happy!

Screen is VERY dull outside of bright light

Just picked this up to replace my dead Samsung Gear S3 Frontier and the first thing i noticed was how dim the screen is on the Garmin. Before you jump on this saying it is meant to be used outside in bright light, yes I did realize that! However the way the screen is represented on both the Best Buy AND Garmin webpages you would think, from the photos, that it would be super bright and have vibrant colours. This is not the case and it is disappointing for a wearable at this price. I would have been supremely disappointed had I bought the full on Solar/Sapphire model for over 1,000.00. Lots of metrics on this, plenty of exercise types on board and mega long battery life (guess that's what you get for a dim screen) but navigation through the OS using 5 buttons and no ... MoreJust picked this up to replace my dead Samsung Gear S3 Frontier and the first thing i noticed was how dim the screen is on the Garmin. Before you jump on this saying it is meant to be used outside in bright light, yes I did realize that! However the way the screen is represented on both the Best Buy AND Garmin webpages you would think, from the photos, that it would be super bright and have vibrant colours. This is not the case and it is disappointing for a wearable at this price. I would have been supremely disappointed had I bought the full on Solar/Sapphire model for over 1,000.00. Lots of metrics on this, plenty of exercise types on board and mega long battery life (guess that's what you get for a dim screen) but navigation through the OS using 5 buttons and no touch screen seems very clunky and archaic. I think this one is going back. If Garmin made a more reasonably bright screen with touch capabilities they would have an absolute undefeatable monster of a smart/fitness watch. For now it's just a Squanch in Gazorpazorp clothing!

Ultimate sport watch

I bought this watch to upgrade from my vivoactive 3. After spending hours (even made a spreadsheet!) comparing features and prices of other Garmin watches I decided to go with this.Firstly, it is an expensive watch for what most people need and I would recommend taking a look at all the features before deciding if you want all the bells and whistles. For example, the Forerunner 935 or even the fēnix 5 have nearly everything this watch does for half the price.I am not an athlete or even a fitness madman. In the summer, I am rather active going on four runs a week ranging from 3-10km and occasional hikes. In the winter, I usually go snowshoeing two to three times a week. Again, not a super fitness guru.So why did I buy this one? Three reasons: data, maps and ... MoreI bought this watch to upgrade from my vivoactive 3. After spending hours (even made a spreadsheet!) comparing features and prices of other Garmin watches I decided to go with this.Firstly, it is an expensive watch for what most people need and I would recommend taking a look at all the features before deciding if you want all the bells and whistles. For example, the Forerunner 935 or even the fēnix 5 have nearly everything this watch does for half the price.I am not an athlete or even a fitness madman. In the summer, I am rather active going on four runs a week ranging from 3-10km and occasional hikes. In the winter, I usually go snowshoeing two to three times a week. Again, not a super fitness guru.So why did I buy this one? Three reasons: data, maps and size. This watch collects lots of data (along with my Garmin HRM-Pro) to help monitor and improve your fitness. I am a data geek so I go crazy for all of this stuff.Next, the maps. This watch includes topographic maps for hiking, ski resorts and - one of my favourite features - turn-by-turn guidance on courses to keep from getting lost (or having to stop and check which way to go). True, other Garmin watches include some of these features, which brings me to my next point: size.The fēnix 6 Pro is roughly twice the weight of my vivoactive 3. This is a noticeable difference but I have not found this to be a problem either while running or sleeping. I was worried about the size going from 41mm to 47mm but it's a perfect size for me. The fēnix 5X would have been too heavy and too big compared to the trimmed down fēnix 6. I could have settled on a Forerunner but the fēnix 6 edges out on features.I like how you can customize and view the Widgets, which offers a glance/live view rather than having to dig-down for further information. The extra screen size also helps with the data screen in the activities. You can include up to six which helps me focus on the most important data on one screen. The maps are so helpful while running, keeping me on course (which can be made on Garmin Connect and imported) so I can focus on my performance. There are lots of other features - too many to name here - which I have enjoyed.I'm still missing the touchscreen of the vivoactive 3 but overall I prefer the setup on the fēnix 6. With the touchscreen, there were a few times during a run I would accidentally press the screen and either advance to the next stage or end the run altogether. This is annoying after all the effort of doing a run. I do not have this problem with the fēnix 6. The UI does take some getting used to but once you practice with it then it all becomes second nature.Battery life is good and extremely adjustable, allowing you to turn off specific features to improve performance. I generally have most things on which means I get about 7 days before recharging. However, as I sync up my watch regularly I usually charge it quite often so I am not fussed. I am more interested to see how it performs on long hikes as the Expedition mode advertises nearly a month of battery life.Lastly, the build quality is solid and as I work at a ski resort over the winter and hikes in the summer it suits my outdoors lifestyle. I'll see how it holds up over the winter but I do not expect (touch wood!) and major problems as it is very durable and well built.So should you buy this? If you want to get the most out of a Garmin sports watch, then absolutely. However, if you are a recreational user who just wants basic fitness stats then go take a look at the vivoactive 4 or one of the Forerunner models and save some cash.I am extremely happy with this purchase and this watch keeps me motivated to improve my fitness every day!

Very Pleased!

I have owned several smart watches and historically, have been a hardcore Fitbit connoisseur. However, when my most recent Fitbit died (it was only 6 weeks old), I decided it was time to start researching all of the available brands. The Apple’s newest release (Series 7) seemed like great choice, as it is very compatible with my iPhone - I went so far as to go into a box store to purchase it but they were only taking back orders. While there, I took a closer look at the Garmin lineup and I am so very glad I did!If you’re used to a smart watch with a touch screen, you’re in for a bit of a learning curve, as the commands / applications on the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro rely on physically pushing the buttons. Having said this, spending some time familiarizing yourself with ... MoreI have owned several smart watches and historically, have been a hardcore Fitbit connoisseur. However, when my most recent Fitbit died (it was only 6 weeks old), I decided it was time to start researching all of the available brands. The Apple’s newest release (Series 7) seemed like great choice, as it is very compatible with my iPhone - I went so far as to go into a box store to purchase it but they were only taking back orders. While there, I took a closer look at the Garmin lineup and I am so very glad I did!If you’re used to a smart watch with a touch screen, you’re in for a bit of a learning curve, as the commands / applications on the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro rely on physically pushing the buttons. Having said this, spending some time familiarizing yourself with the features pays dividends.The applications on the Garmin are far more detailed and thorough than any other smart watch I’ve used. One of my favorite features is the ability to set the watch face to a fancy analog screen (like an old school watch) and then when necessary, within a few seconds, I can switch to a digital clock face containing everything from my heart rate, the weather / temperature, gps and so many other features.All the other features of a smart watch are included in the Fenix 6 as well: text, call and email notifications, as well as calendar reminders and pop ups for things such app updates, etc.The Fenix 6 pro is a bit bigger and heavier than other watches I’ve owned but the larger screen makes viewing all of the details so much easier at a glance.I am still experimenting with all of the applications but I’ve installed and run just about all of them throughout each day and the battery life is very impressive - I’m averaging about a 7-8 days between charging.To summarize, I am very pleased with my Garmin smart watch. Even on sale, it was more money than other smart watches I was looking at and was a bit of a gamble for me but it truly paid off and I’m so glad invested in the Fenix 6 Pro.

Well worth it now

Great watch. Has more features than you could possibly need. I bought it to replace my Garmin S60 golf watch, and to give me some fitness tracking options. It certainly does that. I contemplated the fenix 7, but the extra outlay couldn't be justified. I would prefer the touch screen which my S60 had and the fenix 7 has, but asides from that and the extended battery life there's no reason to spend an extra 300 for me. The fenix 6 has a huge feature list and works really well. I love it. 1 star deduction possibly unfair but it is for the missing touch screen which was available to Garmin as my S60 was older. They obviously held it back as an upgrade to tempt people to get the 7.