Garmin 010-01733-00 Fenix 5X Sapphire - Slate Gray with Black Band

Ive owned about a half a dozen fitness trackers, my last one being the Garmin Fenix 3hr. I recently purchased the Fenix 5X and it is loaded with more sensors and capabilities than I would ever use, but theyre nice to have just in case; I like options. Heart rate sensor is probably the best Ive used, GPS tracking is about average, but what puts this device over the top are the TOPO maps built into the watch, its awesome. Fortunately for me my F3hr came with a titanium band that actually fits the F5X, its easier to take off and on and change wrist if needed, plus its very light. The watchface options are a little thin right now, but that will change with time, since the F5X has just been released. Ive been looking for the perfect smart/fitness tracker watch to replace my 30 year old Jules Jergenson everyday watch and I think I found it. Of course with technology advancing as fast as it is, the F5X might be obsolete in just a few years and probably wont last as long as my JJ watch, lol. Garmin has finally released a nice fitness watch that actually is worth the investment and it looks like it will be durable and flexible enough to last several years and still be useful. If you can swing the price, I say go for it.

The watch itself exceeds all of my expectations. Everything was going great. Updating my software and realize the maps are for Europe preinstalled when I was expecting topographic maps of America. I contacted OE USA and they gave the following options: 1) they would create a return label and send a replacement watch with the appropriate maps. (I really liked the watch and didnt want to have to wait a couple more days to have the watch again.) 2. They would let me return the watch for a full refund or 3) I would purchase the maps from Garmin ($99.99) and they would refund the price of the maps. I went with the third option and I am loving the watch. Primarily for fitness and multi sport users. I can see some people getting this watch just for the looks also but at $700, you should use the watch the way it was designed to (out in the wild) and use all the bells and whistles on this thing. The watch is unbelievably light. When I saw the watch, my initial thought was, Holy crap thats a gorgeous watch, but this thing is totally going to be heavy.......hey this isnt too bad.... If you have the money and are looking for a very technical watch that will last you MULTIPLE DAYS on a single charge, just do it. Its worth it.

Overall, it is an excellent Garmin Watch. With ANT compatible, with SRAM AXS, probably the real reason I was willing to buy this. Otherwise, I would stay with the other cheaper option of the GPS Garmin Watch. A bit on a heavier side... not that I notice/mind the weight when wearing, just worrying a hard drop on the ground when I am removing the watch. Pro • Fast GPS Signal pickup/connection when starting • Excellent battery life as it claims • A lot of customization views • ANT Compatible with SRAM AXS (Biggest Reason I bought this, and now I am even thinking about PowerMeter ☹️...) Con • Still lack of Current Time/Clock view when in Tracking/GPS Mode • Heartrate is on diff screen when not in tracking/GPS mode (you have to press a button or 2 to view your heartrate • No Heartrate in View as option when in Tracking/GPS Mode • maybe too big/bulky/heavy to wear while sleeping.

1 year and a half later: I originally gave it a 4 stars now, I dropped it to 3 stars. I decided to do an update after having it for a while. I wore the Fenix 5 almost everyday as I used to cycle to work but after about 9 months in it became a bit bothersome to have to charge it every 4-5 days or so. I used the GPS about 4-5 hours a week. I would turnoff all the connection to save battery. Now, I stopped wearing it on a daily basis and only wear it when I actually wanted to record my performance when doing sports. Charging it has been a problem because one of the 4 pins at the back got corrosion on it and I have problem charging it. It happened after 4 months. And what I had to do was to wipe it with alcohol whenever it has trouble connecting. It is weird because only one of the pin is affected ( dont know why) but I am pretty disappointed that a $400+ watch that is advertised to be very rugged that you can take anywhere is having this simple dumb design mistake that making the whole unit, however powerful and rugged it is, pretty useless when it cant even be charged. I wore other smart fitness watches like from Polar, Fitbit and even really cheap Amazfit, and this is never a problem for all of the other smart fitness watches I owned. I searched online and I am not the only one, many people have similar problems across the Garmin line. I hope Garmin can FIX this and even provide free return or repair over this issue. Its just stupid. I never took my Fenix 5 to the sea or whatever, and it just got corroded. Its just frustrating so thats why I gave it one less star. I wanted it to be my daily watch but it just couldnt cut it. I regret making the purchase. Garmin needs to FIX this problem, SERIOUSLY. Previous Review: got it on sale for Christmas. It s a solid watch and does what it should. However, after 3 months or so the battery started draining much faster than before. During the first 2 weeks, it could last a week on a full charge as said. Then it went downhill to about 3-5 days using the GPS for about 3 hours. Remember to turn the Bluetooth off to save battery life. It is a bit heavy. It is well made, I am a rough person and knocked it around a bit but the thick bezel protected the glass. Good watch. My only complain is theres no GPS and HR monitoring for pool swimming even though it can do both under water.

This incredible new watch from Garmin allows you to leave your phone in your pocket, or even at home. It has the functionality of the Apple & Moto Watches, but also much, much more! Lets start with the least important feature (to me), its attractiveness and comfort. Someone confused mine with a Bell & Ross (think fancy watch). It is substantial in feeling, but still light weight and unobtrusive when you play sports. The band is waterproof, and you can easily find your fit since there are narrowly spaced notches. As for functionality, it has everything you would want in a watch to track your activities. It will track your running (road, trail, track or treadmill), hiking, climbing (of course it tracks your altitude), swimming, cycling, downhill skiing, cross country skiing, rowing (indoor or outdoor), golf, and even stand up paddle boarding! Are there any other sports one would like to track their activity level??? Just leave your bulky, distracting phone at home! Also, it seamlessly connects to your smartphone and provides weather, alerts (messages, important emails, or any other alerts you set), controls your music, and can even find your phone. All those above so you dont have to pick up your phone during that meeting, movie, or any other event that requires all (ok, nothing requires all, most!) of your attention! You can even check what time it is without putting your phone in your hands and giving yourself the temptation to open it and its many treasures inside. Imagine, interacting with friends, business associates, family members as if you are giving them your fullest attention ... little do they know, about your tricky little friend, the Garmin Fenix 5x!

What can this watch not do?! I bought it as a gift for my husband (who was appalled at the expense, to be honest) for our major anniversary. He has taken to working out again and I wanted to support that with a superb heart rate device that also had a rowing and running option. When I saw the GPS feature I knew it would make a superb option for those emergency situations...I also was looking for a HR device that had a metal band since the silicone ones give him a rash. Add on the tough sapphire option and I was sold. Yes, its BIG. I tried like hell to understand the different options of Garmins but it was just ridiculous. Could I put the metal band on a less expensive model? Dunno. Does this fancy one come in a smaller case? Dunno. So I defaulted for the option that had all the features and the band and called it a day. He LOVES it. Loves the data it kicks out, loves the battery length, loves the band options. And, if sent to Hurricane Harvey, will love the GPS option to aid in getting around an unknown area without a lot of street signs left. Is the watch worth the price? If it wasnt for the anniv date pending I would have waited a year to see if the price dropped. Is the warranty really brief for such an expensive item? Hell, yes. Ridiculously so. That is my only negative. Will I try to get an add-on warranty if I can? Yep. This is NOT the item for someone who just goofs around with working out and heart rate info. Any manufacturer will meet that intro-level need. But if you are looking for detailed data as well as SHTF compass. alt. gps data this is the one.

Ive had several tracker before upgrading to this beast. Before the Fenix 5x I had 2 fitbit heart rate wrist bands. They only last 1 year each, because of the constant use and wear&tear. This watch has been through 7 Spartan Races, banged against walls/rocks, taken through mud, water, ocean water, and than some. It tracks everything perfectly, especially running anywhere. If your a runner on any time of terrain I recommend this item the accuracy and data provided isnt matched by competitors. Multiple screens to choose from and different data to display is awesome. There are so many activity tracking apps to choose from it would take me forever to write about them. My favorite thing about this watch is the durability and the accuracy of the data. The only negative is lack of music, but I can live without music on my wrist and in my phone. Product update: It has been 2 years since I purchased this watch. The watch still has done amazing job of tracking my data. It has maybe few nicks on the side of it, but it’s been through a lot of races and work outside. The battery is still holding a charge. I use the fitness tracker a lot more now. I would recommend updating your personal fitness information to get more accurate information.