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203 Posts
Congrats on the Ambit 3! There is a lot to be said for "It just works" and as both a Garmin and Suunto owner, I can relate and echo the sentiment.
It is a real pity about the Fenix 3 "disaster" - if I can call it that! I bought a Suunto Ambit and Fenix in 2012, and when I recently started looking for an upgrade, it did not take long to realize the Fenix 3 (or 2 for that matter) was a complete no-go. Garmin's own forum is littered with so many unhappy customers it is tough to even consider it.
What is interesting in all this ---when I first purchased my Fenix, I don't recall it having any distance calculation or GPS accuracy issues like it does now. For many months, I wore both my Fenix and Ambit, and the hike totals / results were very similar. Then, after a few firmware upgrades, the Fenix GPS and distance calc accuracy seemed to get worse all at once. Odd.
I have seen some folks in some of the Fenix threads assert the same thing - that the issues started after a few firmware upgrades, but have never seen that verified or explored. I know some folks actually installed older firmware revs to see, but don't recall any definitive conclusions on the matter.
One thing for sure, these days I simply cannot rely on or do I trust the Fenix - I employ all the tips / tricks documented, but they work marginally and are not the silver bullets. I allow at least five minutes for satellite acquisition, have my interval set at 1 sec, do not use ultratrac, etc, etc. I stay away from the Autopause feature mainly because there is no AutoResume.... I don't always remember to restart the exercise. Plus - sometimes when I inadvertently slow down Autopause kicks in, and I did not realize... but still I get spotty results, and still observe the watch logging movement / distance when I am standing still.
I will say the recent Fenix performance has soured my trust in Garmin - I have owned both a 60CS and 60CSX GPS unit for years - and still think it one of the best handheld units ever made. But the handling / support of the Fenix has led my trust to wane in Garmin. I would definitely not buy a wrist worn GPS from them!! It is a real shame... their products look and wear so nice!
Anyway, I think I am getting off track..... or maybe not.
Again, congrats.... have my Ambit 3 Sapphire arriving on Wed.... I am excited to try it.
It is a real pity about the Fenix 3 "disaster" - if I can call it that! I bought a Suunto Ambit and Fenix in 2012, and when I recently started looking for an upgrade, it did not take long to realize the Fenix 3 (or 2 for that matter) was a complete no-go. Garmin's own forum is littered with so many unhappy customers it is tough to even consider it.
What is interesting in all this ---when I first purchased my Fenix, I don't recall it having any distance calculation or GPS accuracy issues like it does now. For many months, I wore both my Fenix and Ambit, and the hike totals / results were very similar. Then, after a few firmware upgrades, the Fenix GPS and distance calc accuracy seemed to get worse all at once. Odd.
I have seen some folks in some of the Fenix threads assert the same thing - that the issues started after a few firmware upgrades, but have never seen that verified or explored. I know some folks actually installed older firmware revs to see, but don't recall any definitive conclusions on the matter.
One thing for sure, these days I simply cannot rely on or do I trust the Fenix - I employ all the tips / tricks documented, but they work marginally and are not the silver bullets. I allow at least five minutes for satellite acquisition, have my interval set at 1 sec, do not use ultratrac, etc, etc. I stay away from the Autopause feature mainly because there is no AutoResume.... I don't always remember to restart the exercise. Plus - sometimes when I inadvertently slow down Autopause kicks in, and I did not realize... but still I get spotty results, and still observe the watch logging movement / distance when I am standing still.
I will say the recent Fenix performance has soured my trust in Garmin - I have owned both a 60CS and 60CSX GPS unit for years - and still think it one of the best handheld units ever made. But the handling / support of the Fenix has led my trust to wane in Garmin. I would definitely not buy a wrist worn GPS from them!! It is a real shame... their products look and wear so nice!
Anyway, I think I am getting off track..... or maybe not.
Again, congrats.... have my Ambit 3 Sapphire arriving on Wed.... I am excited to try it.
