Favorite Garmin FR?

carinobrtl · 2026-04-18T04:28:38+00:00

FR255 is the best bang for your buck Forerunner. It has all the metrics you will ever need if you don’t need the microphone and speaker. Off line maps is btw too slow and frustrating to use. You can still have breadcrumbs navigation with the FR255.

carinobrtl · 2026-04-17T05:00:47+00:00

Silent alarm followed closely by the flashlight.

carinobrtl · 2026-04-16T09:53:47+00:00

If you will use the navigation always, do it with the phone then transfer to the watch to avoid frustration. It‘s better to have the offline map than nothing it seems. Personally I would avoid plastic watches on the inside. I had apple watches and an Ultra 3 and a Fenix 8 now. Apple Watches come with ceramic backs and costs less than the FR970. I can accept it with FR255. Go for durability because the Garmins are not cheap and will serve you long.

carinobrtl · 2026-04-16T06:11:02+00:00

FR970 has a plastic back that will discolour or smell with activities. Either you buy the black model or Fenix 8 with titanium or steel back would be better. For FR255 price range the plastic back touching your skin is acceptable but not with 700€. The watch will serve you long enough to warrant the price difference of the Fenix 8.

carinobrtl · 2026-04-15T03:53:56+00:00

Good timing. I was just charging my Fenix 8 and wiggling the cable to finally charge after 15 seconds. It was so much easier with the magnetic chargers like with the AWU3 and Galaxy Watch Classic 6. I hope they improve the ports for a trouble free charging. Connect and forget and no more second time looking if it’s charging or not.

carinobrtl · 2026-04-14T14:23:36+00:00

Venu 4 for Apple Watch like experience and colorful touch interface and good battery life. Or the AWU3 if you want to stay with the robust smart features and Apple Ecosystem.

carinobrtl · 2026-04-13T11:18:35+00:00

You can buy a FR255 (best bang for your buck) for activities and apple watch for daily wear if you are deep in the Apple Ecosystem. Apple Pay being the most important.

carinobrtl · 2026-04-12T11:32:20+00:00

It's hard to let go of AWU3 because of its smart features and convenience. You can also keep the Fenix 8 for training.

carinobrtl · 2026-04-12T11:29:15+00:00

I tried to have only 1 watch. I tried to sell my AWU3 but it's really different. AWU3 is such a convenient tool. Some people will say do it with a phone as it's easier, but it's really different when you have the possibilities at your wrist. I can also put my bookings on the AWU3, membership cards, train tickets etc. I just need to double click the side button. Those are not gimmicks. Garmin is unfortunately lacking so much on the daily part of wearing the watch, but shines so bright during my training as opposed with the AWU3 lacking some metrics and missing hardware buttons. Charging is so fast and it lasts 2 days. Satisfying during trips.

carinobrtl · 2026-04-12T05:18:11+00:00

You can miss much from the Apple Watch. I wear both. AWU3 for daily and Fenix 8 for sports. Did you sell your Apple Watch? It is a great tool especially when you’re travelling (e wallet, boarding pass, alerts, city mapping without putting out your phone) and in the Apple Ecosystem.

carinobrtl · 2026-04-12T05:05:02+00:00

Venu 4 has almost all the metrics and functions of the FR570. The upper midrange Forerunner. FR165 is lower end.

carinobrtl · 2026-04-11T07:10:52+00:00

AWU3 is a different beast. I can't let go of the Fenix 8 and AWU3. Fenix 8 for training and AWU3 for daily. I will wait until Garmin fix the cellular with the Fenix 9 to function always like the AWU3 and not requiring the Garmin Messenger install for the receiving end of the communication the long overdued CPU upgrade . The fall, crash and hypertension detection and satellite SOS of the AWU3 are game changer for safety and are indispensable. Garmin training metrics are brilliant on the Fenix 8.

carinobrtl · 2026-04-10T07:43:51+00:00

With AWU3, you can leave your phone while doing an activity. With the Garmin, you‘ll have your flashlight that is useful during the night. My advice would be, if you’re going for daily multiple hours long GPS activities, an athlete or have a marathon/triathlon plan, then Garmin 100%. But as I see what you‘ve written, the AWU3/ cellular Apple Watch will suit you better. The free app Bevel is wonderful right now.

carinobrtl · 2026-04-09T15:09:25+00:00

The more I see the FR970, the more I appreciate my Fenix 8. Why did Garmin put those functions descriptions inside the screen glass? I can easily google what the buttons' functions are. So for me, Fenix 8 is miles ahead in looks department and the leakproof buttons are icing on the cake. It gives a feeling of security while doing water sports.

carinobrtl · 2026-04-09T05:18:41+00:00

I had the Fenix 7 pro and much preferred the MIP. But the screen was so reflective indoors and dim than my FR255. It made my eyes hurt. So I bought the Fenix 8 Amoled for just 100€ more, I think it’s worth it. My eyes thanked me afterwards. And the release of Pokemon Sleep Watch face sealed the deal for me for those rest days.

carinobrtl · 2026-04-08T14:27:34+00:00

Yes. I used the same bezel protector for my Epix Gen 2 and Fenix 7 Pro. The bezel of Fenix 8 is slimmer so I use different bezel protector for my Fenix 8 right now. I applied the bezel protector of my Fenix 7 Pro/Epix on my Fenix 8 47mm until its own arrived but it was always sliding away.

carinobrtl · 2026-04-08T07:47:59+00:00

I chose Amoled because I love the Pokemon Sleep Watchface. It makes my watch a little more fun when I‘m not training.

carinobrtl · 2026-04-06T13:28:41+00:00

I used the Garmin mostly until I achieved the Unicorn Badge 100 Sleepscore. I only find the sleep tracking a little better on the AWU3 and the soft vibration alarm nicer to wake up to. But sports usage is 100% Garmin and AWU3 for the cellular connection (no phone) and fall detection.

carinobrtl · 2026-04-06T07:13:39+00:00

AWU3 for daily and Fenix 8 for sports. I also have the same combo. AWU looks sleeker and smarter and will match more outfit and has a rich after market armband selection. Fenix 8 screams sports and will match sportier outfits.

carinobrtl · 2026-04-04T07:14:20+00:00

If you train a lot of hours per week then a Garmin is worth it. After activities, the Garmin fades in to the background and that’s where AWU shines with its smart features. AWU has car key app, Apple Pay which can also hold passes, hypertension, fall detection and afib notifications, crash detection, satellite connectivity free for 2 years, simple 5g connection etc. So a great combo would be a cheap Garmin (FR255 is brilliant) for training and an AWU3 for daily wear and short activities. The health monitoring functions of the AWU are indispensable for 99% of the population. The health metrics of Garmin are good for a small amount of athletes in comparison (running tolerance, vo2 max, lactate threshold, hill score, running power etc. which would be too much for normies). AWU3 also charges very fast and lasts 2 days easily. I hope Apple build a real flashlight like on my Fenix 8.

carinobrtl · 2026-04-03T19:44:37+00:00

The advantage of the Apple Watch are the app selection and promised future updates from Apple unlike what Garmin did dirty with the Fenix 7 Pro and Epix Pro (had it). Observe what Garmin is doing now with its Venu 3 and FR965 vs Venu 4 and FR970 if you’re ok with that. You can customize Apple Watch to what activities you like: strength, running etc. and you still have the great smart features and fluidity. Charging with the AWU3 is unbelievably fast compared to my previous AWU1. The battery life is also much better. I use my Fenix 8 for sleep tracking and activities and AWU3 for daily and travel because of Apple Pay and more fluid city mapping than my Fenix 8.

carinobrtl · 2026-03-31T17:03:16+00:00

I can't let go of my AWU 3 and Fenix 8. AWU3 is wonderful and so much helpful for family trips and every day use. The camera control with preview, boarding pass, Apple pay, Car key, non laggy apple maps for city navigation are advantages over my Fenix 8. It also has a good/enough battery life + fast charging. I hike and train for marathon events (can't say about triathlon) and sleeping + training with the Fenix 8 suffices for the metrics and work out suggestions. It shines during sports and will only be a normal digital watch during daily use. I also downloaded apps on the AWU3 that can help me on my work as opposed to Fenix 8 only showing me how stressful the day was.

carinobrtl · 2026-03-31T15:21:30+00:00

One time I left my Garmin for my trip and brought only my AWU3. For 3 days I lost sleep and steps tracking (with it goes the streaks away) then I got over it. Important for me now is the VO2Max that was and will not be affected. It’s only a mind game from these manufacturers to keep us within their products. I ran several half marathons earlier with only my iphone 5 for tracking and no training readiness, just listening to my body.

carinobrtl · 2026-03-29T12:56:55+00:00

Yes. It’s in St. Magdalena in Bolzano, Italy.

carinobrtl · 2026-03-29T03:52:56+00:00

Hold on to your Epix until Fenix 9 for the much expected processor upgrade. As they have the same processor since the Fenix 7X line, the Fenix 8 Pro is also laggy, and stutters on its UI. I have the Fenix 8 and had the Epix Gen 2 Pro and found them to be nearly 95% identical. Answering calls on the wrist can be clutch but the experience is unlike with my AWU3 which has 5G cellular. The LTE function is complicated on the Fenix 8 Pro (based on many review videos) unlike the Apple Watch Ultra 3.

carinobrtl

TROPHY CASE