On Walkabout Gear Review: Garmin Fenix GPS Watch

Basic Information

• What: Fenix GPS Watch
• Manufacturer: Garmin
• Cost: $299.99
• Where Made: Taiwan
• More Information: Amazon.com

Review

I like to own products for a while before I write a review in order to really get a feel for the durability and the long term use of the product.  That has been the case with my Garmin Fenix GPS watch.  I bought this watch just over a year ago to replace using my iPhone as a GPS.  I soured on using the iPhone as a GPS because of the extra battery power I had to usually bring along with me.  Additionally in the backcountry I would usually lose the GPS signal.  However, I did not want to replace using my iPhone with a bulky GPS unit that would just add more weight to my bag.  So when I read about the release of the Garmin Fenix GPS watch I jumped at the opportunity to purchase one though I wondered how reliable a GPS it would be?  Would I just be getting something that was less reliable than my iPhone?  I bought my Fenix from REI with the thinking that if this watch is junk I could just return it.  It is safe to say now since I have owned the Fenix for over a year that it is not junk and is one of the best gear products I have purchased.

Over the past year I have used the GPS capabilities in the watch heavily as I climbed sixteen 14-thousand foot peaks last year among other hikes.  The Fenix provided the GPS functions I needed which included distance, elevation, and simple mapping.   Considering the small size of the receiver I was concerned that I would have poor reception and thus poor performance by the Fenix.  The receiver for the Fenix I found to be surprisingly quite good despite its size.  It can take a few minutes sometimes to track enough satellites, but once it does the Fenix works great.  For example I found the distance given by the Fenix to be very accurate.  The altimeter when climbing 14-thousand foot peaks I have found fluctuates between 100-200 feet of inaccuracy.  At lower elevations the altimeter is quite accurate, but when scaling big mountains it gets less accurate for whatever reason.  The inaccuracy though is not a big deal on these big mountains.  The map function on Fenix is very basic with just bread crumb lines.  GPS enthusiasts may scoff at such a simple map, but for my purposes it is all I need.  If I was trying to stay on a poorly defined trail that I ascended this map is good enough for me.  The map also has a waypoint function as well.  I can put in waypoints and the Fenix’s compass will lead me to each of the waypoints.  All these main features of the Fenix I use regularly and they work well.

Besides being a GPS the Fenix also works well as my regular wristwatch.  It is not bulky enough to where it would look odd to wear as a wristwatch.  I like how the numbers on the watch are nice and big and it has standard watch features such as an alarm, timer, and stopwatch.  Once again these are all features I use regularly.  I especially like the fact that the alarm can either be a standard noise alarm or a vibrating alarm.  I like the vibrating alarm because I can set the watch to remind me to do something at work without disturbing other people with a noise alarm.

Besides being a great GPS and wristwatch, I have also found the Fenix to be quite durable.  I wear this watch every day and have taken it hiking, climbing, backpacking, and swimming.  It has a few small scratches on it but overall it still looks great and I have never had any malfunctions with it.  Really the only thing I am not impressed with is the USB-Charging Cable that appears flimsy and does not always clip on easily to the Fenix.  This is not a big deal though, but is really the only negative thing I have to say about the Fenix.

As far as mapping the Fenix saves its tracks in all the popular file formats.  I like GPX files since I hike so much, so that is the profile I keep the Fenix in.  The Fenix has different profiles for runners and cyclists as well.  Garmin has its own mapping program called Basecamp which is what I use to create all the topographic maps I have posted on this site.

However, the maps provided with Basecamp are not very good and thus additional money will have to be spent to purchase better maps for the software.  So it cost me another $99 at REI to purchase a Garmin DVD with Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona maps for Basecamp.  The fact that maps for Basecamp are so expensive is a major negative though users of the Fenix could decide to use another mapping programming.

Conclusion

Like I said earlier in this posting, the Garmin Fenix is one of the best gear purchases I have ever made.  It provides all the GPS functions I need plus I can wear it as my every day wristwatch.  It has also been very reliable and durable.  It is hard to believe how far GPS technology has come and I can only imagine how much more advanced these GPS watches will become in the next few years judging by how well Garmin did with this early GPS watch model.