# HRM/ Tri watch advice



## richie244 (22 Feb 2017)

My HRM is playing up so looks like I might have an excuse to spend a few ££. 

I am a great believer in buy cheep buy twice although my Garmin forerunner has lasted years its no use for swimming and limited for cycling. 

As with anything people who have experience actually using these items are better than "researchers" who are usually paid to advertise the great features. 

I have come down to 3 all Garmin as reading the reviews others at the same price don't seem to keep up. I am getting heavily into triathlon now so want a Multi sport watch ( worthy of note:- I don't play Golf.) 

Garmin 920xt- seems to do everything I want and a good price. Aesthetically its a training only watch which is fine and has good reviews. 

Garmin Fenix 3- Is about the price of a 920 I am guessing because the 5 is coming out. I am unclear as to why I would chose this over the 920 other than aesthetics. 

Garmin Fenix 5 - when it arrives but over twice the price than the 920 so hard to justify and Im not sure how much of an upgrade it will be over a Fenix 3.


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## ianrauk (22 Feb 2017)

DC Rainmaker reviews the 3 watches you listed. Google for his review website.


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## screenman (22 Feb 2017)

I do not know about the watches you list, but my Garmin swim is a piece of kit I would replace straight away if I lost it.


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## marzjennings (22 Feb 2017)

I have had a Garmin 910XT for years and it's a great piece of kit. So much so I can't justify getting the 920, yet. I bought it for doing Tri's, but mostly mountain bike these days and it's taken a beating with no problems. Haven't need a bike computer for years. The ANT+ is handy too for linking up to power meters at the gym.


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## Stephenite (22 Feb 2017)

Just to make things more complicated there is also the 735XT. 

I'm also in the market for a new multisports watch. I bought a used 910XT about 2 and a half years ago, and it's been brilliant. But the on/off button is starting to be a bit dicky so i'm looking for an upgrade. Being a tightwad I'm looking again at buying secondhand. There's good value to be had at the moment, i believe, if you are looking at a 920XT or a Fenix 3.


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## steve292 (22 Feb 2017)

I've got a Fenix 3, which i use for running , swimming and cycling. I've had it since Crimbo and apart from being a tad bulky its been faultless


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## steve292 (22 Feb 2017)

screenman said:


> I do not know about the watches you list, but my Garmin swim is a piece of kit I would replace straight away if I lost it.


I had one and it was a great bit of kit, but I open water swim in the warmer months so I sold it to help fund the fenix.


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## Tin Pot (23 Feb 2017)

Apple watch


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## richie244 (23 Feb 2017)

Stephenite said:


> Just to make things more complicated there is also the 735XT. .



I looked at these new and for the price difference between it and the 920 at £240 I discounted them. Mainly due to the sensor reviews. 



Tin Pot said:


> Apple watch



No I am an apple fan don't get me wrong iPod Mac books you name it but I haven't heard very good reviews on these as sports watches.


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## User33236 (23 Feb 2017)

Both myself and Mrs SG have the 920XT as do a of fellow club members. Its a great bit of kit and, so far, I've had none of the usual software glitches that seem to plague Garmin devices of all kinds. 

Only reason I'd consider changing it would be for better asthetics but that would only occur if my times of wearing it changed significantly.


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## Stephenite (23 Feb 2017)

I've been umming and ahhing over which to buy, 920 or F3, for weeks now. I think it comes down to: if you want a tri watch then the 920 is the best piece of kit available; if you're not dead serious about triathlon, and also want to wear a sportswatch all day, then get the Fenix 3.

Ideally, get a 920 _and_ a Fenix 5.


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## richie244 (23 Feb 2017)

Stephenite said:


> I've been umming and ahhing over which to buy, 920 or F3, for weeks now. I think it comes down to: if you want a tri watch then the 920 is the best piece of kit available; if you're not dead serious about triathlon, and also want to wear a sportswatch all day, then get the Fenix 3.
> 
> Ideally, get a 920 _and_ a Fenix 5.


Ha ha that's a great idea. I am partial to a nice watch so I probably won't wear it in the day very much. 

That was my concern I guess is that the look of the 920 to me is it is designed as a tool kind of like a Land Rover defender, to do a job, where as the fenix seems like a range rover sport it looks nice performs well but in you heart you know it's not as good when it gets really rough.


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## Stephenite (23 Feb 2017)

I think you've summed it up quite nicely there @richie244 . 

I like the analogy. I used to drive offroad as part of the job. The Landy Defender was the best vehicle to transport yourself, and stuff, to difficult locations. You didn't mind it getting scratched and battered because it was a tool. Here in Norway Polar products are, justifiably, popular. Maybe the Polar V800 is like a Toyota Landcruiser. A worthy adversary.

They all connect to Strava.


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## steve292 (23 Feb 2017)

richie244 said:


> Ha ha that's a great idea. I am partial to a nice watch so I probably won't wear it in the day very much.
> 
> That was my concern I guess is that the look of the 920 to me is it is designed as a tool kind of like a Land Rover defender, to do a job, where as the fenix seems like a range rover sport it looks nice performs well but in you heart you know it's not as good when it gets really rough.



If you read the DC Rainmaker reviews, and comparisons the Fenix 3 and the XT920 are the best tri watches by far. The only thing the fenix was marked down for was the twist kit to get it mounted to a bike, which you can now get.

To me it comes down to what you want it to look like, and if you want to use it as an everyday watch.


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## steve292 (23 Feb 2017)

Stephenite said:


> I've been umming and ahhing over which to buy, 920 or F3, for weeks now. I think it comes down to: if you want a tri watch then the 920 is the best piece of kit available; if you're not dead serious about triathlon, and also want to wear a sportswatch all day, then get the Fenix 3.
> 
> Ideally, get a 920 _and_ a Fenix 5.



I may have missed something but the fenix does all the 920 does, and is a better day watch IMHO


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## richie244 (24 Feb 2017)

steve292 said:


> I may have missed something but the fenix does all the 920 does, and is a better day watch IMHO



Isn't that what Stephanie said? I think the size of the Fenix is a bit off putting but more so the price difference of £240 for the 920 to £340 for the Fenix HR Personally I wouldn't wear either as a day watch.


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## Stephenite (24 Feb 2017)

steve292 said:


> I may have missed something but the fenix does all the 920 does, and is a better day watch IMHO


A couple of (small) things come to mind immediately. The 920 has a quick release kit allowing you to unclip it from your wrist and clip it on the bike, and vice versa. The 920 is slimmer and 21g lighter.


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## steve292 (25 Feb 2017)

the quick release is now available for the fenix.
I suppose, like everything else, it all boils down to personal preference in the end
.


Stephenite said:


> A couple of (small) things come to mind immediately. The 920 has a quick release kit allowing you to unclip it from your wrist and clip it on the bike, and vice versa. The 920 is slimmer and 21g lighter.


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## Stephenite (4 Mar 2017)

For what it's worth I've bought a 2nd hand Fenix 3 for a smidge under 200 of your british pfundten (living in norway (nexitland) i have to pay over the odds). It's a bit bulky - is my first impression - I wouldn't call it a daywatch, imo.


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## richie244 (6 Mar 2017)

Still torn they have put the price up on the 920XT now so they are virtually the same price. Im hoping the intro of the Fenix 5 drops the prices if I can wait that long. Im just struggling to spend this much on a watch that could be a big chunk to a new bike.


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## huwsparky (12 Sep 2017)

richie244 said:


> Still torn they have put the price up on the 920XT now so they are virtually the same price. Im hoping the intro of the Fenix 5 drops the prices if I can wait that long. Im just struggling to spend this much on a watch that could be a big chunk to a new bike.


What did you end up going for? I upgraded from a 910XT to a F3. Don't really see the point of the F5 over the F3 as it doesn't really offer anything useful (for Tri anyway).

The two watches I considered were the 735XT and F3. Discounted the 735XT ultimately as a mate had one and said it ran out of battery half way through his run leg on Ironman.


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