Just purchased a new Fenix 3, moving over from my Suunto Ambit 2. Works pretty well (bike and Swim paces are right on) but the run pace (not avg pace, not lap pace, but pre set pace) is way way off. My lap splits at 1 mile are accurate but while running and I look down at the watch and the pace is no where near what I am running. I have been running for 20 years and I know roughly where I am at, cruising at 8 min miles it says 9:10. At 7:30 with wide open horizon and it says 8:15 ish.
I have down loaded 3sec smooth, 5 sec smooth, all seemed wonky. I ended up using Lap Pace, which resembled close to reality. I have run straight aways, sped up slowed down…all still experience Pace way way off.
Has anyone experienced this or run? Next up I am going to borrow an ambit and take it for a run/ride (might be smoother) to show how far off it is.
My run pace always seem to be about on par. I’m sure you’ll get a bit of fluctuation since it’s basically figuring it out on what you were just running at. I have noticed though that it is pretty wonky in the very beginning of the run. For the first few minutes I just watch my avg pace which seems to be close to what I’m running. After that I can follow the “instant” pace.
I would think erratic readings on instant pace but a good avg pace would point to inconsistencies in satellite signal. Are you running under tree cover? Accuracy with this is something I’ve seen often on the garmin forums from trail runners.
Not sure quite how much time exactly you’ve had, but one thing to be aware of is that the Fenix3 (like most of Garmin’s newer wearables) have this concept of GPS soak, or basically, time to fully download additional satellite data. It takes about 15-20 mins. You’ll generally see increased accuracy after that point, which in turn could help your pace accuracy (since pace accuracy is a function of GPS accuracy).
The easiest way to get this is to simply plop the watch outside for 20-25 minutes with the GPS set to on, and just let it do its thing.
Not sure quite how much time exactly you’ve had, but one thing to be aware of is that the Fenix3 (like most of Garmin’s newer wearables) have this concept of GPS soak, or basically, time to fully download additional satellite data. It takes about 15-20 mins. You’ll generally see increased accuracy after that point, which in turn could help your pace accuracy (since pace accuracy is a function of GPS accuracy).
The easiest way to get this is to simply plop the watch outside for 20-25 minutes with the GPS set to on, and just let it do its thing.
I too have experienced a lot of bugs latley. Its quick enough to aquire satellites when i go out for a run, but for the last month or two I regularly have the fenix3 drift faaaar out from where Im running at least once during the first 15 min of my run. Usually it happens on kilometer 2 or 3 of my run - the fenix will think that im suddenly running at 1:30/pr k (which I’m pretty confident I’m not…), and gradually settle back into correct pace. Afterwards, the map from my run usually shows the fenix has tracked me wandering a couple 100 meters out from the road and back again (effectivley adding 2-3-4-500m to all my runs). The odd thing, though, is that the pace seems accurat both before and after these “spikes” or what I should call them.
Could this also be due to the satallite “soak”? Is this new from some new patch? Cause I had the fenix problem-free from about feb - nov 2015. Problems set in after an update at the end of last year.
One of the things I’ve come to realize (now that I’m running a bit with such devices) is how poorly GPS and foot pods function at times. When running with power, you have better (near-instantaneous) objective feedback feedback re. your external effort. Whether that really matters in the big scheme of things is another question (I would argue that it varies with the circumstances), but it is a difference.
I’d suggest looking around the Garmin user forums - this is a pretty well-documented issue with Fenix3. I ended up returning mine because the GPS was essentially useless for pace, and the run tracks, while not all that important to me, were also inaccurate. There are lots of people who have no issues but also lots who experience the same issues you are.
I’ve ditched my Fenix 3 for running events. I was doing a half a couple months ago and it showed I was running at 5:30 pace for 2 miles. I lost confidence in that watch for races. I went back to my 920XT it’s been solid.
So bummed out about all of this. I was waiting for the fenix 3 with the wrist based heart rate monitoring that was just announced. But wrist based HR seem very inaccurate for high level exercise (based on reviews of fit bit surge and other products), and now the GPS is apparently shite on the fenix 3. I guess I go back to using mapmyrun for distances and run with my timex watch. Much cheaper even if not as cool as a snazzy gizmo.
So bummed out about all of this. I was waiting for the fenix 3 with the wrist based heart rate monitoring that was just announced. But wrist based HR seem very inaccurate for high level exercise (based on reviews of fit bit surge and other products), and now the GPS is apparently shite on the fenix 3. I guess I go back to using mapmyrun for distances and run with my timex watch. Much cheaper even if not as cool as a snazzy gizmo.
While it’s too early to know on the Fenix3 HR, don’t lump the Surge or really any other optical product into the same category. Every single device unfortunately needs to be evaluated independently. The Fitbit products don’t have great sensors in there for sport purposes, more for 24x7 HR tracking.
I thought it was all the same tech. Do you have any experience with Garmins other wrist based HRs? Any reason to think Garmin will be better. I understand Fitbit is an acitvity tracker usually, but the surge is being marketed as an athletic watch. I must admit to being new on the research for all of this as I just became interested in something in the category. Perhaps I just wait another year and let Garmin figure out the bugs.
I’ve been experiencing the exact same issue. IIRC mine also started a couple months ago. What you describe with the pace drifting far faster than my actual for a brief time during the first 15 minutes of the run as well as the track going off my actual course for a brief time are exactly what I’m seeing. So I finally got around to calling Garmin the other day. This was their reply:
“So I have determined that the GPS/Pace issues you are running into are a hardware issue and well need to exchange the device. There was a batch that had some problems with the GPS, we have fixed the issue and now just need to replace the device. If you can reply with your address I would be happy to set the order up for you.”
You may want to give them a ring. FWIW I purchased mine in March 2015.
According to fellrnr.com, none of the current crop of GPS watches have sufficiently accurate GPS to provide usable current pace figures, not even the Ambit 3’s or the Polar V800, which has the most accurate GPS according to his exhaustive tests. From the V800 test:
'*Without the ability to display current *Pace From A Footpod while getting all other data from GPS, the V800 has a poor display of current pace. Even with the outstanding GPS accuracy, the current pace can be a long way out. (This is mostly due to the nature of GPS accuracy errors compared with Footpod errors.)"
He does write in his 920xt review:
“Knowing how fast you’re running can be a nice to know, or it can be vital for your training or race performance. Because of the nature of GPS, watches that rely on GPS signal alone tend to have serious problems with current pace. Thankfully, Garmin has added support for the display of current Pace From A Footpod while getting all other data from GPS.”
The Fenix 3 also has this capability. I believe there is an active thread here now discussing this.
A calibrated footpod is the way to go if instant pace is important to you. Fortunately this is an option now for the fenix3 and 920XT.
I find with my regular run routes that there are predictable sections (generally with more tree cover) where the GPS pace will be off. I tried several watches and it isn’t just a Garmin issue.
A calibrated footpod is the way to go if instant pace is important to you. Fortunately this is an option now for the fenix3 and 920XT.
I find with my regular run routes that there are predictable sections (generally with more tree cover) where the GPS pace will be off. I tried several watches and it isn’t just a Garmin issue.
I’ve been experiencing the exact same issue. IIRC mine also started a couple months ago. What you describe with the pace drifting far faster than my actual for a brief time during the first 15 minutes of the run as well as the track going off my actual course for a brief time are exactly what I’m seeing. So I finally got around to calling Garmin the other day. This was their reply:
“So I have determined that the GPS/Pace issues you are running into are a hardware issue and well need to exchange the device. There was a batch that had some problems with the GPS, we have fixed the issue and now just need to replace the device. If you can reply with your address I would be happy to set the order up for you.”
You may want to give them a ring. FWIW I purchased mine in March 2015.
Thanks! And what a coincidence… I also purchased mine in the same period. I´ll give them a call.
Just took out an Ambit 3, Fenix 3 and iphone 6 with a GPS program, on my bike (hoping for more consistent pacing). Straight away with no visual obstructions, everyone played nicely-ish. But the Fenix 3 was the first to go when a tree (just one) came along and I noticed more occasional ‘blips’ with the Fenix where it would say something way off… Not a smoking gun with my new Fenix but I am learning a lot more here then I want to.
Appreciate the foot pod comments, ugh as that seems to take me back to my old sunnto from 5+ years ago. Seems crazy at $500 to need a pod.
I am also noticing for the weather widget to work, I have to have opened the mobile app on my phone recently. Over night I wont get weather in the morning unless I re open the mobile app on my iphone.
Anyone having this same experience?
Seems pretty useless in having to keep re connecting the mobile app to your watch if the idea is your watch takes over for needing you phone in providing data…like whats the weather now as I change for a run?