The Garmin fēnix 7 — Sun Version ($800) is our favourite in our Best possible GPS Working Watches information.
It brings the entirety we liked concerning the Garmin fēnix 6 — you’ll want to learn our Garmin fēnix 6 evaluate — whilst upgrading the battery existence and including some helpful options together with a flashlight and a touchscreen.
Garmin has six major watch collection with a couple of choices below every however for our cash, as ultrarunners, the Garmin fēnix 7 — Sun Version assessments all the containers for common efficiency, reliability, options, and design and is the only watch that balances the most productive generation with probably the most aggressive value.
An possibility just like the Garmin epix can have awesome show functions, however in large part the similar characteristic set for a pair hundred greenbacks additional. That isn’t to indicate the Garmin fēnix 7 — Sun Version is reasonable — it’s now not — many runners will in finding decrease priced and nonetheless prime acting GPS watches from Suunto, Coros, and others, however in case you are in the hunt for an entire bundle that can raise you via working and numerous different actions, that is the only to spend money on.
Store the Garmin fēnix 7 — Sun Version
The watch face, bezel, and strap of the Garmin fēnix 7 – Sun Version. All pictures: iRunFar/Craig Randall
Garmin fēnix 7 — Sun Version Notable Updates
In comparison to its predecessor, the Garmin fēnix 6, the Garmin fēnix 7 — Sun Version has added just about two days extra battery efficiency with as much as 57 hours the usage of GPS most effective and 40 hours the usage of all satellite tv for pc methods. Using its sun charging, you’ll be expecting nearly 73 hours of use in commonplace GPS mode. Coros watches be offering merely the most productive battery efficiency, however they compromise in lots of different spaces, like navigation and third-party connectivity, and on occasion with identical costs.
This watch has confirmed itself to the iRunFar staff in a large number of races, specifically 100 milers. The massive battery, which is made even more potent with the addition of sun charging, is enough for almost all folks. In contrast to watches from Suunto, as an example, you gained’t be capable to use the fēnix 7 — Sun Version whilst it’s charging however at hand indicators let you draw out the battery continual by way of switching to a power-saving mode — which makes use of extra fundamental GPS monitoring and non-essential options will probably be became off — must you end up pushing the battery to the edge. It’s vital to notice that during “expedition” GPS mode the watch must last as long as 40 days — and 74 days with sun.
The addition of a touchscreen is the only highest replace within the fēnix 7 — Sun Version. The fēnix 6 was once elegance main for its navigation purposes. With all the identical preloaded, offline-enabled mapping functions as its predecessor, the up to date model method you’ll scroll the display screen together with your fingertip fairly than the usage of a mix of a couple of buttons to “zoom-in, zoom-out” and “side-to-side” purposes of the former model.
This can be a main improve as a result of whether or not you might be following a course in the course of the mountains or a brand new manner via a town and simply need to get your bearings simply, a easy swipe is helping you pinpoint your location and vacation spot.
The overall main replace is the addition of a flashlight, which is available in 3 configurations: cast white, strobing white, and cast pink. The flashlight is situated at the display screen. This can be a subtly at hand characteristic that you simply’ll in finding helpful for illuminating path indicators, or lighting fixtures your manner round a tent in a miles much less disruptive approach than a headlamp or telephone flashlight.
The entrance of the Garmin fēnix 7 – Sun Version, appearing the tune library.
Garmin fēnix 7 — Sun Version Fabrics
The Garmin fēnix 7 — Sun Version makes use of a stainless-steel bezel and Garmin’s trademark Energy Glass display screen. For the reason that watch has been upgraded to the touch screen-capable, the enjoy of the usage of the glass has been beautiful, from the sturdiness to the readability — it does a really perfect task of covering fingerprints.
The “get started” and “prevent” job button is remoted with a textured steel encased in a pink rectangle for visibility.
The fast-release silicone straps are really easy to take away; in reality, you’ll take away the straps and simply toss the watch in a pocket in the event you’d like to move wrist-free for job monitoring.
The again of the Garmin fēnix 7 — Sun Version.
Garmin fēnix 7 — Sun Version GPS Efficiency and Connectivity
The Garmin Attach app is remarkably speedy. It may well ship job information from the Garmin fēnix 7 — Sun Version to third-party apps like Strava in seconds. Even Suunto’s latest watch, the Suunto Vertical, takes a number of mins to do the similar. Shifting routes may be blazing speedy. No different conventional GPS watch we’ve examined can get right of entry to Wi-Fi to switch data and information. The mixing between your house Wi-Fi and the Garmin Attach app method you’ll synchronize tune and podcasts by way of Spotify in mins. When blended with its large battery existence, this watch is as with reference to a phone-replacer as you’ll in finding.
Connecting the fēnix 7 — Sun Version to the Garmin Attach app could be very easy. The app can sync a couple of watch at a time, which assists in keeping your information instantly. The app itself is focused in large part round health tracking, reminiscent of pedometer, energy, girls’s well being, breathing charge, rigidity, and leisure reminders. Nevertheless it’s additionally the catalyst for designing routes or uploading GPX routes that you wish to have to run. Sending the document to the instrument occurs with a unmarried contact.
The fēnix 7 — Sun Version provides multiband satellite tv for pc community make stronger (GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo.) The watch comes to a decision which satellite tv for pc to make use of in response to your positioning in extremely limited spaces, like forests or towns, or in transparent stipulations in unobstructed zones. The watch is ready to a default atmosphere known as AutoSelect mode, this means that the watch will make a decision which machine to make use of by itself, conserving battery and the integrity of your GPS monitor concurrently.
Navigation may well be probably the most spectacular characteristic of the fēnix 7 — Sun Version, however the only I take advantage of probably the most every day is Spotify. It lets you obtain offline Spotify playlists so you’ll pass working with out your telephone and now have get right of entry to on your tune. On the other hand, you do want a pair of wi-fi headphones and taking note of tune is a big battery drain; it may possibly deal with most effective about 10 hours of continuing play earlier than the watch pivots to an excessive battery-saving mode or simply outright stops tune playback solely.
The creator trying out the Garmin fēnix 7 – Sun Version within the mountains.
Garmin fēnix 7 — Sun Version General Impressions
The Garmin fēnix 6 Professional was once my first time the usage of a Garmin and I used to be in point of fact floored after years of the usage of Suunto’s watches. It had such a lot of cutting edge and will’t-live-without options that experience carried over to the Garmin Fēnix 7 — Sun Version that I now generally tend to pass judgement on all different watches I check by way of a few of these identical standards, particularly if the costs are identical.
There’s a much less palpable “wow” issue to me now with the fēnix 7 — Sun Version, it’s simply the brand new torchbearer for the way a GPS working watch must be. That mentioned, it isn’t all best; too steadily the watch suffers from some buggy faults like when an job is transferred to the app it will display the elevation acquire off by way of masses of 1000’s of toes; Spotify playback steadily doesn’t reply to its instructions impulsively; and the charging wire has transform very insecure — it detaches very simply from the port. Onerous resets and device updates most effective on occasion toughen those insects. However with some critical generation and a huge ecosystem of apps and connectivity, I will see previous a few of these defects. The watch, pound for pound, continues to be the most productive throughout GPS stay up for ultrarunning we’ve used, and that’s why we’ve ranked it primary in our Best possible GPS Working Watches information.
Store the Garmin fēnix 7 — Sun Version
Name for Feedback
- Have you ever used this newest type from Garmin? What are your ideas?
- Do you suppose there’s any other GPS watch that may compete with it for ultrarunning?
[Editor’s Note: If you’re affiliated (i.e., an employee, ambassador, etc.) with a brand, please share your relation in each of your comments on this article. Thanks!]
Our Favourite GPS Working Watches
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A profile view of the Garmin fēnix 7 — Sun Version.
