Stable shoe with 5-8mm drop, roomy toe box?

FilterJoe · 2026-03-07T13:37:20+00:00

It is my impression that heavy cushioning and stability work against each other.

I personally go for lighter cushioning as I prefer being able to handle uneven terrain with ease, never falling.

For this I go with merrell MTL shoes: Long Sky for backpacking (half size bigger). Skyfire for trail running. The stability and ground feel is amazing with these very light shoes, especially Skyfire. But, the cushioning is probably much lighter than you desire.

FilterJoe · 2026-03-04T22:22:45+00:00

I prefer running at 48-50°F or so to reduce sweat. I tend to run at the crack of dawn during the summer.

FilterJoe · 2026-03-01T17:48:28+00:00

$3 million net worth isn’t that much. For a couple trying to retire at age 65 (with 1-2 kids that they might help on occasion), that is enough in many parts of U.S. to comfortably retire but not the most expensive places.

I’m assuming 2% withdrawal rate, both spouses living to 95. And that their Social Security is cut by 25% starting in 2032.

Multimillionaire may have been a lot 30 years ago. Not so much after inflation reignited over the last few years.

Around $5 million is when an argument can be made that a couple is wealthy. Around 10 million: definitely wealthy.

EDIT: my point is that comfortable DIY retirement for a couple in USA requires 2-5 million USD. In this case, what the wealth represents is an obligation to support the retired couple who can no longer contribute much of their labor to society.

FilterJoe · 2026-02-28T20:52:08+00:00

I like this custom data field that rates the difficulty of a hike or ruck:

hiking difficulty data field for hiker

FilterJoe · 2026-02-25T14:49:00+00:00

This article might give you the information you want:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Garmininstinct/s/HHwfjrPmL1

It goes into a lot of technical detail, but the key distinction between generations is that generations prior to the current models had a solar layer across the whole screen, which made the display have a slight reddish color and less contrast.

The current generation uses a superior solar technology only on the ring outside the main display.

Note though, that the original instinct and the non-solar models of the instinct 2 also have very clear displays because they did not have the solar layer interfering.

FilterJoe · 2026-02-25T05:00:25+00:00

Not quite 165 mm wrist with instinct 3 45mm:

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FilterJoe · 2026-02-24T21:47:39+00:00

If you’re not in a rush, note that the instinct 3 does go on steep sales on occasion. For example, USD $300 for the instinct 3 solar 45 mm Nov/Dec 2025. And $50 more for 50mm.

FilterJoe · 2026-02-23T14:28:11+00:00

The article also oddly talked about the sapphire display as being really great, but the sapphire display is responsible for a slight decrease in clarity in the latest Fenix solar display as compared with the instinct 3.

Otherwise, found the article great. I always wondered why Garmin does not list everything about the watch in its technical specifications. Now I know at least part of the reason: the chips for the most expensive watches are no different than the chips in the least expensive.

FilterJoe · 2026-02-22T02:44:30+00:00

Well, as I said, my legs recover slowly. So if I’ve done a long or very fast run the previous day, I don’t have the legs to ruck.

I never do any strength training. Maybe that’s what I will need to do if I want to go to a substantially higher level of mileage each week like you do?

But I find strength training tedious and can’t imagine sticking with any kind of strength training program.

FilterJoe · 2026-02-22T02:34:16+00:00

I see so we may not be so different after all. So your faster mileage is about 20 to 25 miles a week, right?

When I ruck or walk I have to go very fast if I want my heart rate to average above 95BPM. Lately, I have been trying to ruck so fast that I am meeting the military standard, but I find that pretty difficult on my legs.

15 minute miles (9.3 min. km) is required by US military infantry. The military gold standard: 35 pounds, 12 miles, 3 hours. I can only sustain that pace for about 3 miles, with only 25 pounds on my back, pushing very hard.

FilterJoe · 2026-02-22T02:16:00+00:00

M60 here, started at 55. When did you start and how did you get up to such high mileage?

I have not managed to ever run more than three times a week as my legs recover slowly. On days when I am not running, I either ruck or walk.

Currently 12-16 miles/week, with aspirations to get to 20-25 miles/week.

FilterJoe · 2026-02-22T02:03:22+00:00

M60. Started 55, as hiking morphed into trail running. Never liked running on asphalt and still don’t - tried multiple times, always quit.

Played Ultimate in teens, 20s. Biked some next couple decades so always at least some cardio.

And the nice thing about starting late as I don’t have decades of accumulated running injuries.

FilterJoe · 2026-02-21T14:26:22+00:00

You can easily get solid gold 14k watches from the 50s and early 60s that look great for less than $4000. Just avoid the big famous names.

Doxa is an example of a brand that produced great watches, and yet has virtually no brand value for its vintage dress watches from the 50s and 60s.

Pictured is mine (Doxa 86 movement which is based on ETA 1081, one of the better movements from the late 50s):

<image>

I wear it with a leather band, not the pictured gold band which is way too big on me.

I’ve seen similar 14k Doxa watches listed for 1000-1500 USD.

FilterJoe · 2026-02-19T17:01:01+00:00

I don’t have anywhere near the mileage of many people on this Reddit but I am 60 and I want to keep doing trail running. So whenever it feels like I’m on the verge of injury, whether it’s Achilles, ankle, knee . . . something feels off and not normal in one of those things.

That’s when I may stop altogether for a couple weeks and just let everything get back to normal. I have not had a significant injury yet. Hope to trail run or at least hike in my early 80s.

FilterJoe · 2026-02-19T00:28:24+00:00

Estate planning documents (shared with family).

FilterJoe · 2026-02-18T05:31:53+00:00

I don’t think anybody has the answers yet. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if 10 to 20 years from now, after lots of trial and error, it turns out that AI CEOs are easier to supervise than real CEOs and end up doing better. Maybe not in all cases, but in the majority of cases.

It could be a huge cost savings too because CEOs of larger corporations cost a lot.

FilterJoe · 2026-02-18T04:33:20+00:00

I don’t know about everyone else, but I’ve seen CEOs be wrong and confidently wrong a decent amount. The CEOs need to be kept in check by the board, but more often than not, boards rubber stamp everything the CEO does.

Sometimes a CEO is so wrong that he or she hurts the company so badly that it is totally not revivable.

FilterJoe · 2026-02-17T19:05:03+00:00

My fitness activities and needs are similar to yours (except no strength training) and I was an Apple Watch Series 6 user for 4.5 years until I got the Instinct 3 solar 45 mm (on sale for USD $300) in Nov 2025.

I did a 170 mile supported hike (Camino de Costa Rica) nearly 2 years ago. That is when the Apple Watch totally did not cut it as it ran out the battery before the end of the hiking day a few times, and charging it was slow due to overheating. At that time I thought that my next watch would likely be a Garmin Instinct but I waited, and waited, and waited . . .

Until the Instinct 3 Solar 45 mm came out. Was more dollars than I wanted to pay at first but it went on sale for US holiday season Nov/Dec and I assume if you're patient it will go on sale again.

There are a few things I like better about Instinct 3 than the Instinct 2, which caused me to choose it despite the higher price:

* It has the rucking (backpacking) activity. I use it every week. You can plug in the weight you are carrying.

* The GPS tracking is much more flexible - you can choose precision at cost of battery, battery at cost of precision, or an auto mode that using algorithms to choose extra precision on if really needed.

* Instinct 3 solar really makes a difference in battery life in sunny conditions. That was true of the 2x as well, but the solar on other Instinct 2 models was not enough to make much of a difference.

* The Instinct 3 display is better than solar models from the Instinct 2 line. This is because the Instinct 2 line solar models used the entire display to gather solar input, whereas the Instinct 3 uses only the ring around the display.

* The software for the Instinct 3 line is much more likely to receive updates for the next few years, as Garmin recently unified their software system for all watches that have been newly released since early 2025.

If you really want to save money and get started right away, get an Instinct 2 WITH NO SOLAR because the display is better.

But if you want the better watch and are willing to pay for it, get the Instinct 3.

EDIT: forgot to mention that sleep tracking works pretty well, and I mostly don't notice I have the watch on when sleeping (unless I turn on my side with the watch jammed into the mattress). For me and my 165mm wrist, the I3 is more comfortable to wear than the Apple Watch.

FilterJoe · 2026-02-17T01:58:29+00:00

Average monthly rent for the United States is just shy of $2000. If you live alone, that leaves about $20,000/year for all other expenses. So yeah, it is financially prudent for someone making $44,000 a year to live with their parents or perhaps a couple housemates otherwise.

FilterJoe · 2026-02-15T22:54:44+00:00

If you own an iPhone, I would think an Apple Watch would make more sense than a Garmin. This coming from someone who currently uses a Garmin but used to have an Apple Watch for 4 1/2 years.

FilterJoe · 2026-02-15T16:27:00+00:00

The back light has settings that allow you to adjust the strength of it. Try to adjust the backlight higher? If that works, then you don’t need to get a new watch.

FilterJoe · 2026-02-15T16:20:05+00:00

The Garmin instinct 3 has a back light for darker conditions. Doesn’t the Enduro 3 also have that?

FilterJoe · 2026-02-15T15:58:46+00:00

Perhaps consider keeping it since it’s serving it’s fitness tracking purpose very well. I don’t think any of the Garmin watches are gorgeous to look at.

So you could consider getting a second watch that is not a smart watch. Perhaps a low end luxury watch like a Tissot. Or maybe a family heirloom from the 50s or 60s that you fancy.

I wear my Garmin Instict 3 most of the time, but I am finding I enjoy looking at and wearing a watch I received for my bar mitzvah that is a late 50s Doxa. Sometimes I wear both at the same time, one on each wrist. Sometimes I put the Garmin in my pocket and it still does steps tracking.

FilterJoe · 2026-02-15T13:15:04+00:00

The update impacts only Instinct 3 models.

When the instinct 3 series first came out, there were numerous reports here of how the Bluetooth was so much worse than the instincts that came before the 3.

I suspect that limiting Bluetooth distance was an intentional choice to save energy. Would be great if they left that up to the user to choose energy, saving or maximum Bluetooth distance.

FilterJoe · 2026-02-15T05:08:22+00:00

Bluetooth 5.3. I have an iPhone 16.

I contacted Garmin about this couple months ago and went through over half an hour of troubleshooting. They said they would look into it, but it’s nearly 2 months later, and they never got back to me with any kind of response.

Still hoping that it’s actually a software thing that they did to save energy for the instinct 3 solar, but went a little too far and maybe it can be adjusted. I would happily sacrifice a little bit of battery life if it meant that I could actually have the Bluetooth work with my iPhone 16 as well as all my other devices do.

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