The ability to accurately track swims used to require a dedicated swimming watch, or a more advanced and more expensive multi-sport watch. Recently, a free Connect IQ app called Pool Swim made it possible to track pool workouts with a Garmin , , or — all mid-level running watches that lack built-in swim tracking features. In case you're not familiar, Garmin has an app ecosystem called Connect IQ, which enables you to download specific apps to suit your needs.
For example, an app called Workout Builder enables you to wirelessly send custom, structured workouts that you create in your SportTracks calendar to your Garmin watch. If you want to start tracking swimming workouts, Pool Swim is the answer. You can only use it with the Forerunner , , and because they have access to Connect IQ many older Garmin watches don't have access , and they lack native swim tracking capabilities.
Pool Swim is impressively versatile. After you launch it, if you hold the Up button on your watch for three seconds, you enter a Settings mode. Here you can adjust the length of the pool, turn on Autolap, and customize the data screens that are displayed when you're working out.
However, this app doesn't have access to all of the features of your watch. For example, it cannot display the Distance and Speed fields. These always remain at 0, even when you analyze your data afterward in Garmin Connect. This is a limitation Garmin imposes on Connect IQ apps. The good news is that if you bring your Pool Swim workouts into SportTracks , this data is displayed and is fully available for analysis. Another interesting feature of Pool Swim is that it utilizes heart rate data, which isn't common in swim tracking.
If you use the Garmin , the app uses the built-in heart rate monitor on the watch. In a way, apps like Pool Swim are one of the best reasons to use Garmin devices. This is by far the best and most detailed review I have found. I have been contemplating getting a GPS enabled heart monitor, and I think this review may just have helped make my mind up. Unfortunately there is no method to replace it supported. You can ring Garmin support and I think they have some program, but it may cost as much as a new watch.
I just got a new wheelset today with the cycle ops powertap hub and I was hoping to use the to connect with it but looks like I cannot. Is there really no way tweaks to the unit that it would show the power meter readings? The first unit to do so was the FRXT for triathlon.
The cheapest option out there today is the Garmin Edge Everything seems fine except no sound. As a long time reader I found this to be a sad panda moment.
Sorry to ask, I am sure it is above somewhere but i cannot find it, how long will a go between charging, whilst being used. Anyone having same issue and found a fix? Not sure is it sweat went in through the speaker at the back of the watch and corroded the circuit board? I have a and am doing a physical agility test for Search and Rescue this Saturday. Do you know if you can set the watch to do intervals and still be able to see the total time and pace while the interval is running?
I enjoyed reading your review. I have had my FR for four years and it was great until a month ago. When i try to set the intervals, it just sends out this long beep. Nothing has worked. Do you have any suggestions? Great reviews! My is getting well used and the battery life was decreasing rapidly. It was mentioned briefly in a previous post but I thought I would pass along the link to a great instructional video on replacing the battery with a IPOD Mini battery.
It took about 30 minutes with basic soldering skills to put the new battery in. The IPOD mini battery is slightly larger in size and almost twice the capacity so, although I have not fully tested it yet, the battery life should be greater than it was when new! I think I will pass it down to my 10 year old and order a xt for me. My question: I almost bought a new at REI, but decided to do more research.
For some reason, I like the overall look and everything about the and have been checking eBay for a good deal on a used one. Would you recommend I continue to focus on a used , a or possibly something else. TIA for any input you can give. Are there any alternate watch bands? Keep up the good work! It is funny indeed. And this review feels so short as well.
I have a and just purchased a Fenix 2 but will continue to use the for several things. After all it is a very good watch and is still in perfect conditions. Is that correct? I hope you remain active as I have learned so much thanks to your generosity and knowledge. Please keep up the great work. Hmm, very odd. Tons of posts since then. You can see all posts here: link to dcrainmaker.
Sorry, I just discovered how huge your site really is. Very Impressive. Sorry to have wasted your time with a newbe comment. Very new to the sport and this wonderful blog, as will be reflected in my question: If the FR is discontinued and thus not supported by Garmin?
I do not require GPS data but if I need that to gain access to use of superior software, so be it. I was thinking about the FR70 with foot pod. Your thoughts? All my recent recommendations are here: link to dcrainmaker. Just got a new road bike and looking to upgrade my current GPS watch selection. Big bonus for not requiring charging. Lastly I have a Garmin Swim for tracking indoor swims. I love the simple sync and no charging required. It is now and I would like to have a watch which will work with cadence sensor and feature live tracking so my family can track me on my rides.
I track distance, time, speed or pace and sometimes heart rate for hikes, runs, bike rides, cross country skiing, kayaking. I have an iPhone 4S and wife also has an iPhone. Does anyone have any suggestions? Is there a sucessor with live tracking? Hi DCrainmaker: Thanks for your review of the Forerunner I have owned mine for five years and love it.
But, one major failing is that there seems to be no way to annotate a workout. For instance, whether I was doing a run with a particular pair of shoes. Or whether I was purposefully going slowly on a particular day. Or whether I was running alone or with a partner. Such notes are very helpful when trying to look at historic data.
To be able to include only certain runs say all with shoe pair A to compare to those runs with shoe pair B. Or, should I upgrade to a new device to get that capability in the software? Or, is there an after market software that can do this? Thanks much! I am wondering about waterproofness. I need to use this for a canoe sport.
I outrigger canoe so it will get splashed on but not immersed unless I flip the canoe in the river. Thanks for the insight Bren. The FR is waterproofed to IPX7, which means it can go 30 minutes at 1-meter deep non-swimming though, due to the whacking of the water. Since You have been long time user of , maybe You heard or experienced Youself about problems with side buttons the rubber ones. I tried with something harder than my fingers and ended up pushing in the rubber pieces all the way inside, which later resulted in having to remove them.
Not to achieve anything like full functional watch again forgetting waterproofing of course , but at least being able to control the watch at minimum level. I got new device, but its a shame that fully capable is not being used just because of two small pieces of rubber. Any ideas? Usually folks there have tried some pretty creative things…. Purely based on gps accuracy, would you still advice this watch in ?
I can buy it in the UK but it costs more than the XT. But I read a lot of positive user experiences, even people using this watch for 5 years!
I would need to import the data into Rubitrack. Please react. I use it for pace, HR, distance, time. Nothing special. Do you think the has any extra features that are with the higher price? It depends on whether you want custom workouts you had that on your FR , or if you want Bluetooth Smart uploading via your phone on the FR as well. Then the ability to upload results to my computer and review heart rate performance throughout each run. Can the connect to a HRM and footpod at the same time while gps is switched on.
I cant get my to pair with a Micoach footpod, the watch freezes every time and I have to restart the watch. The works perfectly with the footpod accessory setting set to off though. Try hard resetting the FR and see if that sorts things out. I am fairly new to running. I bought a in for a breast cancer walk and have used it off and on since.
Is there such a thing? The chest strap aggravates my skin even when layered. I may be asking a lot! I have read your review on the forerunner15 and the tom-tom multisport cardio and mio.
I think those are your best bets, with a slight edge to the TomTom for being HR-strap-less, whereas the FR15 gets it for daily activity monitoring. I appreciate your reviews. I recently purchased a FR on ebay. Am I missuing something or is it not possible to turn GPS off? Do you have to use the foot pod accessory for treadmill use? Thank you! I did find where to turn GPS off. One more probably silly question. I do kick-boxing and other cross training several times a week.
I cannot find a display option for calories on the Thanks for your time! You will have to remove small plastic post that the watch has to position the original battery but then the Ipod Mini battery fits easily. Even better, the Ipod mini battery has nearly twice the capacity of the original Garmin battery. For a dollar or so in parts you can fit the new battery without soldering and in future replace the battery with a simple unplug the old, plug in the new….
Clamp, tape or hold the halves under some pressure until the silicone cures. The most difficult part is stripping the tiny wires and then attaching the 2 crimps. A 2nd person with tweezers helps to hold things until the crimps are er….
Can anyone help. I had to revert to firmware version 2. Thanks in anticipation. I loved my Forerunner so much that when it dies I searched high and low for a replacement, however the data field that I loved so much was average speed, however this new one does not have it.
I have made sure that it has the latest software…. Thanks for your excellent reviews. Time and distance is accurate on the device and Connect but no map data at all.
It seems like this problem happens only once for every activities with no apparent pattern. Any ideas or suggestions? I know I could upgrade to a newer model but the does everything I need it to except this problem! Hi Scott. Im a long time user too — since and when I put my data onto strava some was missing the gps data, just had totals.
I suspect it was overwritten but am not sure, perhaps using the 1 second data used too much memory. Gord ps …afaiaa.. Hi Gord, thanks for your response. As recently as yesterday, I recorded an activity that had no map when i synced to GarminConnect.
So anyway, I did a hard-reset on my and set everything back up again. It does sound like it ran out of memory and maybe just stops recording.? Ive been thinking about an upgrade — this is my 6th , and always wanted temperature, but the Fenix seems to have too many problems…You can pick up XT very cheaply if you look around.
After doing the hard-reset yesterday, I logged a run successfully today. So, hopefully all will be good now. Thanks for your responses. But there is an option of keeping the stored data for 3 different time periods.
I am still using my with my bike. I like it and would prefer not to have to buy a new garmin edge of some sort. But I have a problem with downloading a route i made in garmin connect to the watch. And then i read that it is not supported any more to download to garmin forerunner Amazing detailed reviews! I have a hrm from the forerunner I mean! Is his compatible with the ?
What is current watch closest to the now discontinued Forerunner The transparent information, the links and how-to-use instructions are great! Thanks for you incredibly detailed reviews. Does this have a speed source setting, like some other garmin watches? Good morning, like many others below I picked up his watch second hand the whole thing was together in the box still — I feel so lucky!
This post was a welcome tutorial — thank you! I may have some silly questions but I thought you might be the closest to being a person to have an answer. Is this possible? Once you reveal your photos with family and friends, you need to make certain they search wonderful. This information will give you tips about tips on how to consider far better looking pictures, and make an impression on everyone with the photography skills.
When you are stressed by different allergic reaction in your home, try putting a dehumidifier or two within the frequent regions of your living area. Lowering the humidness by no less than one half can really reduce possible mildew expansion, and mildew is proven to be a huge contributor to allergies. Great review and clearly still relevant. One major point to make new owners aware of. It seems the latest MacOsX is no longer compatible so if you want to upload data you will probably have to do this via Windows no issues with Win This may end up being sorted between Garmin and Apple but if not, a potential big disappointment for Mac owners.
Shelved the watch for a couple years before I realized it worked with Windows. Took me 12 years to realize that but better later than ever! Takes a bit longer than my Vivoactive 1 to get satellites, but I just leave it outside for a few minutes before my run. Problem solved! I regret to inform you, that by any measurable standard — the trees on the east coast are wimpy in comparison to west coast trees. I swim, bike and run. Then, I come here and write about my adventures.
Most of the time. You'll support the site, and get ad-free DCR! Plus, you'll be more awesome. Click above for all the details. Oh, and you can sign-up for the newsletter here! Wanna save some cash and support the site? Use Backcountry. Alternatively, for everything else on the planet, simply buy your goods from Amazon via the link below and I get a tiny bit back as an Amazon Associate.
No cost to you, easy as pie! Want to compare the features of each product, down to the nitty-gritty? No problem, the product comparison data is constantly updated with new products and new features added to old products! Wanna create comparison chart graphs just like I do for GPS, heart rate, power meters and more? No problem, here's the platform I use - you can too! Think my written reviews are deep?
You should check out my videos. I take things to a whole new level of interactive depth! Smart Trainers Buyers Guide: Looking at a smart trainer this winter? I cover all the units to buy and avoid for the indoor training season. The good, the bad, and the ugly. I have built an extensive list of my most frequently asked questions. Below are the most popular. You probably stumbled upon here looking for a review of a sports gadget.
Some reviews are over 60 pages long when printed out, with hundreds of photos! I aim to leave no stone unturned.
Looking for the equipment I use day to day? Enjoy, and thanks for stopping by! I travel a fair bit, both for work and for fun. Many readers stumble into my website in search of information on the latest and greatest sports tech products. So here is the most up to date list of products I like and fit the bill for me and my training needs best! DC Rainmaker swim, bike, run, and general gear list.
But wait, are you a female and feel like these things might not apply to you? Login Become a Member. Search for:. Skip to content. Huge sports tech deals have begun! On the bike…. This is a swim I did in Honolulu , using Sports Tracks to display the route. It also can do a bunch of nifty reporting and allow you to export out your workouts as well.
Share 8. Share 1. You can click here to Subscribe without commenting Your name: E-mail:. Add a picture. December 1, at pm December 4, at pm Thanks Reply. December 9, at pm How do you do a soft reset of the satellites?
December 19, at pm December 22, at pm December 26, at pm January 6, at am January 6, at pm Cheers, Robs Reply. January 18, at pm January 23, at am January 30, at pm February 17, at am February 18, at pm Hi there, Thanks for your reviews on the TGT and February 26, at pm Hi Smogdownunder- Thankas!
Noel E. February 28, at pm March 1, at am Dear DC — Thanks for your website. Thanks, Rainmaker warrenri hotmail. Hope this helps! Best Running Shoes for Women. March 2, at am March 13, at am Pls advice Reply. March 18, at am March 21, at am Hi Rainmaker You have mentioned that the the is very useful in tris with in the multisport mode.
Mike - CO. March 28, at am March 29, at pm March 30, at am Joe Reply. April 10, at pm April 25, at pm I have a couple of questions for you, both concerning footpods. Thanks for all the great info. Edward Reply. April 30, at pm May 3, at pm Can you run in the rain with the Garmin ? May 7, at am Through your blog, you have encouraged a lot of people.
May 7, at pm May 9, at pm May 27, at am June 13, at pm Hope this is of use to anyone having the same problem Reply. Matt S. June 18, at pm June 28, at am June 29, at pm Great Blog Reply. July 4, at am Team Familia. July 6, at am July 12, at pm July 13, at pm How exactly do you geotag the photos with the garmin watch?
CW in Dallas. July 21, at pm August 6, at pm Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. You can click here to Subscribe without commenting. Thanks — that was fantastic. Now I can! Using on your wrist for a triathlon would be great if you could get HR and lap times including the swim.
Weird though — the watch says 0. Rainmaker — your blog is fantastic. I regularly read your adventures and look forward to each new post. Am I correct in that interpretation? Are there any limits to doing this? HRM strap lifespan, etc…. This is so helpful. Thanks so much! Thanks for the tips… just one question… have you used the Heart Rate Monitor… if so, any advise on that? However, when I have swam with my Garmin and the HRM is on under the wetsuit the data gathered is fairly slim.
I think the combination of the water and the wetsuit breaks down the signal. You can also try wearing the HRM backwards under your wetsuit — so the electrodes read on your back instead of your chest. Having the transmitter closer to the watch, rather than on the other side of your body, might help. DC Rainmaker—great post. I came to the same basic set-up on my own but your post helped me avoid some mistake, like bad placement.
Also answered my question on whether the heart rate monitor can be submerged. Great blog, went swimming with my new xt this morning, and it told me Id done 5km in 39mins!!
Will try again with it on my head tommorow rather than on my wrist. Thanks for the advice. Good luck! Once again, kudos on the excellent job reviewing.
Your blog has helped me make the tough decision of buying my first training GPS that much more simple. And the helpful tips to maximize the use of my Garmin for multi-sport is invaluable. I wonder what we did before the internet? Please refer to page 53 of the manual. It also comes with a HR monitor that can be swam with. However, the HR readings in water may not be accurate. Any comments? It would not report where you have been, but would help you get where you wanted to go. How long would you recommend swimming with it when you have it in a Ziploc bag?
My swims would be about 1 hr to 1. Would that make a difference? BTW, your reviews are amazing! I have a slight problem I have followed all your advise about the forerunner in the water but all it did was time it. I had no heart rate or distance covered. I was outdoors and swam in the sea to a distance of 1. Can you help! Thank you for sharing to us. I would like to join your blog anyway so please continue sharing with us.
Really great post, Thank you for sharing This knowledge. Excellently written article, if only all bloggers offered the same level of content as you, the internet would be a much better place. Please keep it up! Is est vere interesting, tristique eget nulla ipsum.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet quaeris ultra victum et tuos contulit vester iste stipes. Sed facilisis mi in amicabiliter networks dedi! I finally get to try this out on Sunday. Have my but have never used the multi-sport thing or for swimming.
Thanks — I have only used my Garmin for running so far — enrolled for a Triathlon sprint in nov — thought it would be good to track swimming now — I need a 3 months training plan for a sprint — where to get it??? Thanks — lke a lot the way you write! Were do you usually have the watch during a race?
Since I have the quick release kit its quite bulky, is it a good idea to have it under the wetsuit? Will it fit? Drawbacks on time? Hello, and thanks for the article. If it does work while swimming, would it still work inside a waterproof case such as one from aquapac?
It works just fine, my comment was mostly aimed at the map aspect. Whats your take on it? On the FR, his is pretty rough. See my comments in this post about it and the history of it straight from the horses mouth! Hi Please check this workout: link to connect. I think the distance is definitely not accurate… obviously because of the jaggedness of the course….
I called support and they said that the is not waterproof at all. This really surprised me. Have you heard anything else like this? I have found very useful your tips. I am also a triathlete and I would also like to find useful my Garmin on this sport.
I have just purchased the Forerunner unit, with a heart rate monitor. I have always used polar units that worked perfectly underwater displaying heartrate information, but unfortunately, this feature did not work with my Garmin , as it gets disabled as soon as the unit goes underwater..
Is it supposed to happen or there is something I must check? Thanks a lot! So for swimming, no luck there. Hello, very useful tips! But before I place my Forerunner 10 under my swim cap, I would like to get your thoughts on whether this is actually safe, radiation wise?
But if they do, how much is a safe number? If you make too much sudden movements in the extreme, dive , water pressure will increase exponentially during that brief moment of time. Do not swim with devices like the I have been testing this technique with my Forerunner and it works like a charm.
Check this training I did this morning:. I will participate on a sprint tri on a couple of weeks, Finally I will be able to track the whole event!! Thank you for writing this article. Although a few years old, your solution may get me out of having to buy the I have the Garmin swim and the and have finally started getting more involved in the open water.
I do have one request. If I survive my upcoming olympic, open water swims will be part of my future: Option 1 — Keep the Garmin Swim, , and buy the xt. Option 3 — Sell the Garmin Swim, , and buckle down and buy the The absolute most accurate method is still the swimcap, so if accuracy is key, then swimcap method is ideal.
One question though — do you suggest taking the strap off by removing the pins so it is just the unit itself that goes under the swim cap?
The reason is that it actually makes it easier to fall out of your swim cap than if the strap is there. This way, the straps can act as a bit of an additional chunk of grip to hold everything under your swim cap straps. I was in the process of buying a purely for the swimming discipline but reading posts on the garmin forum about issues with this watch then I may hold off buying it and even consider a garmin swim purely for counting laps in the pool although I believe there are issues with this as well.
Remember that company support forums are ONLY ever used by people who have issues. I was just put off with some of the problems in the garmin forums, but you are right in the sense nobody shouts hey this product works really well on these forums.
Do Garmin watches give off the same radio frequencies as cell phones? I have the Fenix 2 and already tried to use it 2 times while open water swimming. Do you think there is any difference between thickness of caps? Are some GPS signal repellent? Would you also place the watch at the some position of you would do breast strokes? I am an early beginner.
My swim was 2k in about 45min. I may have done this mistake to enable the autopause function which I will try to disable next. Considering that the new GPS watches, like XT, support now open water swimming, I am curious if you still race with your watch under the swim cap, in order to get more accurate data. If you use a XT under the swim cap, do you keep the strap on?
Also, do you secure the watch with a string? Very old post but very informative. I have recently become more of a swimmer than a runner massive injury and was working on trying to use my XT in open water.. Going to try it out in the pool this afternoon. Yes…the pool is outdoors. Hopefully it will work a charm. Anyone any experience of this as the straps are quite stiff? Do you usually wear 2 caps for this method? I find that with the xt under my swimcap, whether with the strap attached, or just the unit itself taken off the QR, i can never find the buttons!
The QR bike attachments 1.
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