Quantcast

Hey you, wanna buy a smart watch?

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,961
7,203
borcester rhymes
hmmm

yeah mine isn't SOLID GOLD but it is definitely geared toward the feminine set.

If you're looking for just HR and O2, do you have any interest in my old Garmin Vivosmart 4? It has pretty good HR, particularly when a workout is activated, and measures SPO2 overnight. It was absolute trash at tracking activities with connected GPS and the altimeter is broken (makes you feel good climbing 70 floors a day though). I don't want any money- yours to try. If you hate it, send it back or strap it to your cat or something. Now (black friday) is an awesome time to buy a device though, inspire 2s are $60, luxes are $100, other things cost prices

I will say that HR tracking when not in a workout is pretty gash on any device I've had so far. It's infuriating that my HR strap will say I'm doing 125bpm and my tracker (whether Garmin or Fitbit) will say I'm at 60BPM. Once I activate a workout mode they all track pretty well, but it would be nice to see it pick up the change in my heartrate by itself.
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
7,879
7,246
I hadn't looked at Garmin for a long time, didn't even know they did O2.
I will still get the Withings because of the FDA approval and the up to month long battery life.
I don't track rides, seeing how slow I am is sad.
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
7,879
7,246
I said I wouldn't buy another smart watch but it seems the French got FDA clearance on the oxygen sensor and all I want a smart watch for is pulse and oxy.
I have to get an ultrasound on my heart soon because of shitty hearts on my family, my brother had open heart surgery a few months ago.
The Withings is shit, for sleep it does an 02 check every half hour and pulse every 10 minutes, that's pretty useless for sleep disorders.
I thought it must have been to save battery but the watch is still showing 100% charge.

I'll return it as it's not really fit for purpose.
 

maxyedor

<b>TOOL PRO</b>
Oct 20, 2005
5,496
3,141
In the bathroom, fighting a battle
Anyone interested in a 10 months old Fenix 5 that has only been used for bike rides? :brows:
How much you looking to get for that thing? Which 5?

My poor Fenix 3 really wants to retire, still debating another smart watch or grabbing a more basic strap like Halo or Whoop and actually wearing one of my stack of watches that currently just sit in a drawer
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,961
7,203
borcester rhymes
The Withings is shit, for sleep it does an 02 check every half hour and pulse every 10 minutes, that's pretty useless for sleep disorders.
I thought it must have been to save battery but the watch is still showing 100% charge.

I'll return it as it's not really fit for purpose.
Sorry to hear that. Can you change settings? My samsung would read every 10m but had an option for constant measurement.

The vivosmart would measure SPO2 constantly, but only for a certain amount of time, like an hour or so? It was weird. I'd sleep for 8 hours and have SPO2 for just a portion. Not sure how the fitbit measures it. I get a report with a single number each morning.
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
7,879
7,246
Sorry to hear that. Can you change settings? My samsung would read every 10m but had an option for constant measurement.

The vivosmart would measure SPO2 constantly, but only for a certain amount of time, like an hour or so? It was weird. I'd sleep for 8 hours and have SPO2 for just a portion. Not sure how the fitbit measures it. I get a report with a single number each morning.
I don't think so, a firmware update could make it a really useful watch but as it is at seems to favor battery life over all else. I have it set to Always On, but that still only means it is active when you are supposedly asleep or you do a manual test.
Finding hard data on sample rates seems really difficult, I emailed them but got a stupid generic reply assuming I was a stupid generic person that emailed before reading.
Maybe a Suunto Peak 9 would be a better option, but a few reviews suggest the oximeter function is a bit shit-

EDIT- I am going to return the watch out of spite now, tech help is torture. I basically left off at I am not mad I am just disappointed and will be returning the watch.
 
Last edited:

Full Trucker

Frikkin newb!!!
Feb 26, 2003
11,172
8,857
Exit, CO
Anyone interested in a 10 months old Fenix 5 that has only been used for bike rides? :brows:
How much you looking to get for that thing? Which 5?

My poor Fenix 3 really wants to retire, still debating another smart watch or grabbing a more basic strap like Halo or Whoop and actually wearing one of my stack of watches that currently just sit in a drawer
I am thinking hundo + shipping. It is the black Fenix 5, 47mm case.
@maxyedor did you end up buying this from @StiHacka ? If it's still available, I'm probably interested. I think I'd prefer the larger one (for route mapping while backcountry skiing) but for a Benji + shipping the regular size one wold do just fine. Lemme know.
 

maxyedor

<b>TOOL PRO</b>
Oct 20, 2005
5,496
3,141
In the bathroom, fighting a battle
@maxyedor did you end up buying this from @StiHacka ? If it's still available, I'm probably interested. I think I'd prefer the larger one (for route mapping while backcountry skiing) but for a Benji + shipping the regular size one wold do just fine. Lemme know.
Yep, wearing it right now.

Didn’t realize how normal sized the 47mm is, my Fenix 3 was Yuuuuuuge by comparison.

If you want a semi mostly kinda working Fenix 3 I’ll make you a deal :busted:
 

Full Trucker

Frikkin newb!!!
Feb 26, 2003
11,172
8,857
Exit, CO
Yep, wearing it right now.

Didn’t realize how normal sized the 47mm is, my Fenix 3 was Yuuuuuuge by comparison.

If you want a semi mostly kinda working Fenix 3 I’ll make you a deal :busted:
What kinda deal?

And what do you mean by "semi mostly kinda working" ? :D
 

Full Trucker

Frikkin newb!!!
Feb 26, 2003
11,172
8,857
Exit, CO
Won a gently used (ha!) Fenix 5X on eBay for $200 shipped, it'll be here later this week or this weekend. And maybe we'll actually have some snow I can go out and wander in the woods to check it out.
 

Full Trucker

Frikkin newb!!!
Feb 26, 2003
11,172
8,857
Exit, CO
Won a gently used (ha!) Fenix 5X on eBay for $200 shipped, it'll be here later this week or this weekend. And maybe we'll actually have some snow I can go out and wander in the woods to check it out.
Fenix 5X arrived yesterday with zero charge. Got enough of a charge in it to try it out on a ride, but didn't charge it long enough to last the whole ride. Anyways, I dig it so far. I found it useful to get notifications from my phone on the watch, since Teh Spousal Unit™ and I were playing mid-day hooky and rode for 3-1/2 hours it was nice to quickly glance at my watch when it buzzed to see if it was something I actually needed to pay attention to. At least once, it was. The map screen is neat, shows you where you are. Heart rate is a nice addition to metrics. GPS seems to be spot on, it was matching what my old Edge 510 was saying anyways. It is quite large, and I haven't worn anything on my wrists in years so it'll take some getting used to. Wore it last night to sleep, gonna try and track that as well. Anyways, probably still use the 510 on the bike for now, but the Fenix will be nice for everything else, or if I forget the 510 for some reason. I'm curious to see if I can get the HR data from the watch added to activities tracked by the 510 without running the GPS on the watch.
 

Full Trucker

Frikkin newb!!!
Feb 26, 2003
11,172
8,857
Exit, CO
not with the wrist based HR on the watch. you would need the chest strap, and that would sync directly with the 510.
Probably fine, I think the only time I'll care about HR on the bike is when I'm on the trainer. And I'm fairly certain (I'll need to check) that I can add/pair the fēnix to the Zwift app as a HR monitor. I should double check into that.
 

sunringlerider

Wood fluffer
Oct 30, 2006
4,380
8,100
Corn Fields of Indiana
Probably fine, I think the only time I'll care about HR on the bike is when I'm on the trainer. And I'm fairly certain (I'll need to check) that I can add/pair the fēnix to the Zwift app as a HR monitor. I should double check into that.
I was unable to do so with my old Fenix 3. Unsure on the newer version. What are you operating the zwift app with?
 

gonefirefightin

free wieners
Fenix 5X arrived yesterday with zero charge. Got enough of a charge in it to try it out on a ride, but didn't charge it long enough to last the whole ride. Anyways, I dig it so far. I found it useful to get notifications from my phone on the watch, since Teh Spousal Unit™ and I were playing mid-day hooky and rode for 3-1/2 hours it was nice to quickly glance at my watch when it buzzed to see if it was something I actually needed to pay attention to. At least once, it was. The map screen is neat, shows you where you are. Heart rate is a nice addition to metrics. GPS seems to be spot on, it was matching what my old Edge 510 was saying anyways. It is quite large, and I haven't worn anything on my wrists in years so it'll take some getting used to. Wore it last night to sleep, gonna try and track that as well. Anyways, probably still use the 510 on the bike for now, but the Fenix will be nice for everything else, or if I forget the 510 for some reason. I'm curious to see if I can get the HR data from the watch added to activities tracked by the 510 without running the GPS on the watch.
Are using it as a stand alone device or coupled with a computer or phone?
 

Full Trucker

Frikkin newb!!!
Feb 26, 2003
11,172
8,857
Exit, CO
I was unable to do so with my old Fenix 3. Unsure on the newer version. What are you operating the zwift app with?
Generally my old mid-2010 MacBook Pro, but occasionally my iPhone 8. We'll see.

Are using it as a stand alone device or coupled with a computer or phone?
Um... yes?

Non-snarky answer is that it'll just depend on the situation.

If I'm riding local trails where I have cell service, it's paired to my phone so I get text/email notifications and can glance quickly to see if it's something important for work. And generally speaking if I'm on the bike I'll use my Edge 510 for tracking, the watch is more of a watch/notifier sorta deal.

Not on the bike (skiing, hiking, kayaking, whatever) I'll use it as a GPS activity tracker, and if there's cell signal it'll pick up whatever notification come in through the phone. No cell service? Then no notifications. Phone dies? No notifications.

To upload, the watch can connect to WiFi (if that's configured) and upload to Garmin Connect on it's own, which then pushes to Strava. But more frequently I'll pair it with Garmin Connect on the phone and initiate a sync / upload that way.

For software/firmware updates I don't know if I need to connect to the MacBook and use the Garmin Express app for that, or if it'll download those sort of updates via the phone app.

While I'll usually view most rides, skis, hikes, etc. on my phone or laptop (Garmin Connect, Strava), I'll probably only look at the more general health and wellness stats on the phone itself. Things like steps, sleep/rest, HR over time, yadda yadda yadda.
 
Last edited:

Nick

My name is Nick
Sep 21, 2001
24,986
16,671
where the trails are
Fenix 5X arrived yesterday with zero charge. Got enough of a charge in it to try it out on a ride, but didn't charge it long enough to last the whole ride. Anyways, I dig it so far. I found it useful to get notifications from my phone on the watch, since Teh Spousal Unit™ and I were playing mid-day hooky and rode for 3-1/2 hours it was nice to quickly glance at my watch when it buzzed to see if it was something I actually needed to pay attention to. At least once, it was. The map screen is neat, shows you where you are. Heart rate is a nice addition to metrics. GPS seems to be spot on, it was matching what my old Edge 510 was saying anyways. It is quite large, and I haven't worn anything on my wrists in years so it'll take some getting used to. Wore it last night to sleep, gonna try and track that as well. Anyways, probably still use the 510 on the bike for now, but the Fenix will be nice for everything else, or if I forget the 510 for some reason. I'm curious to see if I can get the HR data from the watch added to activities tracked by the 510 without running the GPS on the watch.
when worn on my left wrist, sometime I'd push the 'stop' button against the top of my hand/glove when bending my wrist, while riding. if your 5x has a 'lock' feature you might want to use that as to not lose or corrupt recordings.
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
7,879
7,246
I did some reading on the Suunto 9 Peak and it sounds like the Oximeter feature is pretty rubbish so I'm going to give a Wellue O2 ring a whirl, I doubt it will be all that great but there's not much else like it-
1639288916935.png
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,961
7,203
borcester rhymes
And DC Rainman already has a review. Looks nice- I could even get down on the 42mm version....but that leads me to a question-
how many people like riding with a watch on their wrist? I couldn't stand it with my samsung watch, which was 63g. These garmins are pretty darn close. Doesn't it jiggle and bounce around? I was much happier with my head unit.
 

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
17,385
14,862
I stopped wearing my road ID as it annoyed me when riding. No way would I want a heavy watch.

I keep thinking about a whoop, but similarly don't want an annoyance on my wrist when riding.
 

Full Trucker

Frikkin newb!!!
Feb 26, 2003
11,172
8,857
Exit, CO
Hated wearing the Fenix 5X for the first few rides, now I guess I'm used to it. Kinda figured out the tightness it needs to be as well. YMMV.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,961
7,203
borcester rhymes
I stopped wearing my road ID as it annoyed me when riding. No way would I want a heavy watch.

I keep thinking about a whoop, but similarly don't want an annoyance on my wrist when riding.
So as much of a sensitive flower that I am, I had no issue with my vivosmart 4 on my wrist during mtb or road or runs. HATED my samsung watch, especially on mtb. I imagine a whoop would be more similar to the VVS4 than a watch. They also have bicep bands if that works for you. I've heard bad things about whoop even though I really wanted one.

I currently use an HR strap and head unit, and that is much less intrusive, imo
 

eric strt6

Resident Curmudgeon
Sep 8, 2001
24,537
15,384
directly above the center of the earth
so for my 65th the wife bought me a Fitbit Versa 3 that was in December. It turned into a brick last week. Called Fitbit support. I was on the line with them for 10 minutes. New Versa 3 will be here in 3 days. no charge to me, no receipt hassle. Here is hoping it lasts more than 6 months. I do like the no phone needed GPS feature.
 

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
17,385
14,862
I said I wouldn't buy another smart watch but it seems the French got FDA clearance on the oxygen sensor and all I want a smart watch for is pulse and oxy.
I have to get an ultrasound on my heart soon because of shitty hearts on my family, my brother had open heart surgery a few months ago.
The Withings is shit, for sleep it does an 02 check every half hour and pulse every 10 minutes, that's pretty useless for sleep disorders.
I thought it must have been to save battery but the watch is still showing 100% charge.

I'll return it as it's not really fit for purpose.
I did some reading on the Suunto 9 Peak and it sounds like the Oximeter feature is pretty rubbish so I'm going to give a Wellue O2 ring a whirl, I doubt it will be all that great but there's not much else like it-
View attachment 168710
What did you end up with?

After COVID broke my heart this past week and put me in hospital I want to wear something to continually monitor and alert me to possible issues. The Withings watch with ECG capture definitely has features that interest me but I don't want a watch, I just want a band. I also don't need GPS activity tracking, my Garmin Edge is for that.

Before my recent health scare I've long pondered a Whoop, but it doesn't seem to have the heart afib monitoring/alerting which I think I want.
 
Last edited:

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
7,879
7,246
What did you end up with?

After COVID broke my heart this past week and put me in hospital I want to wear something to continually monitor and alert me to possible issues. The Withings watch with ECG capture definitely has features that interest me but I don't want a watch, I just want a band. I also don't need GPS activity tracking, my Garmin Edge is for that.

Before my recent health scare I've long pondered a Whoop, but it doesn't seem to have the heart afib monitoring/alerting which I think I want.
Nothing, I decided that for me they were all a pointless waste of money.
If my sleep is shit I will put my Oximeter on at night just to make sure I am breathing enough.

The Withings may be better than when I bought it as a software update could have fixed it, but it sounded that marketing was more important than having a properly useful product. It doesn't have GPS which is part of the reason the battery life is so good.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,961
7,203
borcester rhymes
What did you end up with?

After COVID broke my heart this past week and put me in hospital I want to wear something to continually monitor and alert me to possible issues. The Withings watch with ECG capture definitely has features that interest me but I don't want a watch, I just want a band. I also don't need GPS activity tracking, my Garmin Edge is for that.

Before my recent health scare I've long pondered a Whoop, but it doesn't seem to have the heart afib monitoring/alerting which I think I want.
Yo...

So I took a look and it looks like there are only a few watches that offer ECG- the Samsung GW3/4, Apple Watch whatever, and Fitbit Sense and Charge 5.

It looks like they use spot checks rather than continuous monitoring, unless I am mistaken. It may be worth looking into if that's your major use for it.

I have plusses and minuses in my mind for all of these watches. I loved my samsung until they started inserting ads everywhere, and I hated wearing a 46mm stainless steel watch to bed or while riding. They also killed the watch for me by locking it to samsung watches only in the GW3 and 4 generations.The apple watch's battery won't last overnight otherwise I would have one. I have no idea why they made something that can track sleep but doesn't last long enough to do so. I have no experience with the fitbit sense, but I am currently using a Fitbit luxe to track sleep and recovery. I really like how small it is and how useful it is as well. Time will tell if it lasts, but if you're looking for ecg in a small form factor, the charge 5 may not be a bad way to go. I wear my luxe on my right wrist and my real watch on my left, and I leave the fitbit on for rides, swimming, everything.

I'm not sure when I last updated this post, but I used the galaxy watch for about 3 years, a vivosmart 4 for 1 year (before it died) and now the luxe for a little less than a year.