Garmin watch

[-CJ-]

If you are ditching the Apple, you will miss the smartwatch features like I did, BUT it will be made up for in the Golf features and running features. The Hiking features are also amazing if you get the Fenix version with the maps.

I went for the 6s Pro, because I wanted it to fit under dress shirts and it being lighter.

Any questions on the Fenix, I have had it since December, I can answer.

 

[BigMac]

I do a lot of backpacking, hiking, and some running. I’ve been using just an Apple Watch for the last few years and started looking at options for golf and decided on the S62, but now I’m thinking the Fenix might be more what I’m looking for…just don’t know if I’d use the extra features to justify the $150 price difference.

The Fenix will be more what you're looking for as far as the other options besides golf. I have the Garmin ForeRunner 935, which is basically the Fenix 5 in a polymer case, and am very satisfied with it. I wore an Apple Watch for a year before I got the FR935 and I don't miss the connectivity features of the AW - at least not enough to switch back. The Garmin has enough of the "smart watch" features to meet my needs. Battery life on the Garmin is much better, it has a native golf app which works well so I don't have to resort to third-party apps on my watch, and the FR935 works well for a multitude of other sports besides golf. I get 14-15 days of battery life out of the Garmin if I don't play golf or other GPS activities - but I play golf 3-4 times a week, so I end up charging it about once a week. I also strongly prefer the hard buttons on the Garmin as opposed to the touch screen on the Apple Watch.

The golf features on the 935 are slightly limited compared to a golf-specific watch like the S62, but it offers plenty enough for me. If I was buying another watch right now, I'd buy either the Garmin FR945 or Fenix 6 before the S62, and any of the above before an Apple Watch. And that's coming from somebody who's a huge Apple fan and owns a ton of their products.

Garmin cripples a few of the fitness capabilities on the S62 (compared to the Fenix or ForeRunner line) because they don't want to give the whole farm away on any one product - if they had their way they'd prefer you buy a Fenix for working out/activity tracking and an S62 just for golf. I recently seriously considered buying the S62, but when I discovered that it didn't have a few of the features I like in the Fenix/ForeRunner line, I decided to pass on it.

 

[More Gooder]

Went and looked at some Fenix watches…seemed massive on my dainty wrist. Ended up deciding on a Skycaddie LX5, a guy at work won one and is selling it NIB unopened for $125…I figured $125 was a heck of a deal considering the LX5 comes with 3 years of service.

 

[More Gooder]

Didn’t care much for the look of the LX5…REI just happened to have a sale on the Fenix 6 Pro so I ended up snagging it, don’t like the golf features as much as the LX5 or S62 but everything else about the Fenix 6 Pro is so awesome. Heading out west for a couple weeks in June so I feel like the Fenix was meant to be.

 

[JonD]

Wife just gifted me another smartwatch. I'm sure it'll become my daily watch once it gets here, but I'm definitely torn. The S60 and S62 have been my daily watch pretty much throughout COVID. They're solid options if you're not into square smartwatches and you're a golfer. The S62 battery is so awesome that I think I've become a bit spoiled. Last week I charged it on Monday night, then played 45 holes over the course of the week. Put it back on the charger Sunday just because but could have easily made it the whole week. A bit more basic than an Apple or Android watch, but without using GPS the thing lasts forever.

 

[SHIFTY]

Shoutout to Garmin. The touchscreen on my S62 stopped working mid round.
I chatted with Garmin support. Couldn't get it working no matter what we tried.
And he lets me know I'm over a year past my warranty. But then says "we'll do a one time replacement ".
So I get to send my watch back to Garmin, and they're sending me a new S62!
Love companies like this.