I’ve been using my brand new Fenix 5x Plus watch while on holiday. My main sport is running but I have competed in Ironman and SwimRun races and need a watch that can deal with both running and swimming effectively. I previously used a Fenix 3 very happily. The 5x plus is disastrous when it comes to open water swimming. No matter whether I use GPS on its own or with GLONASS or Galileo, the track bears no resemblance to the actual swim. Generally it records less than half of the distance. I have tried waiting for five minutes before starting to swim but that makes no difference either. I swim a normal front crawl stroke and I’m swimming in clear salt water with gorgeous blue skies above me. Considering I’m using Garmin’s most expensive watch, I’m very disappointed. Support suggests I attach the watch to a float or put it under my swim cap, both of which are either laughable or offensive depending on my mood. Is anybody else having similar issues?
DerDembo latest software updates to 935 and 5+ seem to have fixed the OWS accuracy issues if you look at some of the other threads on here - as far as I can see they are sw problem not antenna based otherwise you would expect GPS issues on most activities not just OW swimming
From anecdotal observations it appears to me that the Fenix series (metal body) always had a slightly harder time picking up signals than the Forerunner series on all activity types but that is, as mentioned, anecdotal. As somebody who used single channel GPS receivers in the 90s and who once was foolish enough as a PhD student to attempt picking up the signal via "first principles" (i.e. very expensive HF lab equipment, a network analyzer and lots of homemade antennae) and who failed miserably I still think getting any fix during a swim is pure magic.
This is crazy that I have purchased a watch that is 4 times more expensive then my 920xt and the open water swim GPS is basically useless. I race triathlons and also some open water swim events and have not had one time since purchase it has worked properly. I have used and tried each setting with no change. My 920xt I used for 3 years had absolutely no issues. Garmin needs to create a fix for this.
The 935 generally records a reasonable open water track with acceptable accuracy. I don't believe it to have the OWS issues attributed to the Fenix 5 series. Certainly, the 935 is generally producing cleaner tracks than the 5+, but the distance accuracy is pretty close - allowing for 'wobbles' in the sighting lol!
Is there any fix for that OWS on Fenix 5 plus? can pick up GPS on most activities but it took extra time for OWS mode, sometime ok sometime forever, it must be the software issue on OWS mode....I am a busy triathlete and that’s the tool I relied on everyday, I have no time to deal with Garmin, hope they release a software upgrade to fix it!
I am a bit sceptical that this can be fixed by software: The metal bodies of the Fenix style models simply reduce the field of view in a way that makes finding a lock and solution during the second or so the watch is above water a lucky shot at best. I guess the Forerunner plastic brethren have it a bit easier in that regard.
I think of it in weight terms: metal will always be heavier.
Anyone have anything new on this ?? I just upgraded to the 5X Plus from the 3HR (which was great) and am already regretting the upgrade due to the Open water swim!!
already regretting the upgrade due to the Open water swim!!
Have you swam with it in the open water yet? My experience with the 5+ has been mixed, even when swimming in the same patch of water. However, when it does work, it works well. I am on the latest beta software currently and up in the Southern hemisphere, which is why I've been swimming with it for the past 4 months.
I have just started swimming in UK OW with 5+ (as I acquired the watch in UK Winter :) ) which I would expect to have similar performance to the 5X+ - my first experience is slightly mixed - waited for GPS Lock. Started swim activity ( I have GPS + Glileo on) - looking at track afterwards the GPS track does not start for about 50M after my true start point and then tracks straight over the top of an Island on the lake. After rounding the first buoy about 200M out the track seems to improve to an acceptable (but far from perfect track). I'm on 6:62 Beta. Hopefully more data this weekend when I can get in the water again.
