Garmin, please improve HR zone warning during interval training

I recently switched from a Polar M400 to a Fenix 5 Plus.
Unfortunately, regarding the functionality during interval training (running), this was a step back.

Why?
The M400 would tell me if my HR was too high or too low using two different alarms: One to push you, one to slow you down. It is intuitively distinguishable, which alarm means what.

On the Fenix 5 Plus, however, first, both alarms are the same.
This means, I have to check the watch, if I am too high or too low (sometimes, it is not straightforward what is the case). The problem is that after the alarm, the watch shows for some seconds a screen that is just showing the current HR I have, but not if too low or too high.
So I have to wait until the screen is going back to the screen with the indicator to be sure that I should speed up or slow down.
On the M400, this is directly clear, after hearing the alarm, I don't even need to look at the watch.

I checked in the options, if this can be fixed/ if the alarms are customiseable, but I couldn't find anything.
Does anyone knows, how to do that?

I'm a bit baffled that a watch costing almost 5 times the price is doing a worse job for a function I consider key for the do-it-all top-of-the-line model.

@Garmin could you add two different/customiseable alarms for interval training?
Thank you.

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0 TrippyZ over 6 years ago

I am pretty sure that this is already shown on screen if it is too high or low by the use of colour. If I remember correctly Red is too high and blue is too cold.

0 JanH over 6 years ago

Thanks, I'll check the next time.
IMHO it should definitely be indicated with "too high" or "too low" or something similar. Only with the colors is a bit indirect.

Anyhow, I prefer very much to understand directly via the sound, without the need to look at the watch.

0 AllanOlesen67 over 6 years ago

I'm sure you can find respective app or data field with the desired functionality in Connect IQ store. Below I add link the first app I clicked after quick search. Seems to have what you are looking for.

That is a rather limited solution, because I am pretty sure it will not work with structured workouts from Garmin Connect.

I fully agree with the OP. This has always annoyed me with my F3 and F5X+ when I run structured workouts. I get alarms telling me that I am too high in heart rate or pace, similarly sounding alarms telling me that I am too low. I even get similarly sounding alarms telling me that I am back on target!

I can't imagine how anyone at Garmin thought that this would be a good idea.

0 Browner40 over 6 years ago

They are three completely different sounds though. If too low, the sound is kind of a depressed low series of tones. If too high, it is a fast high pitched series of tones. And when you get back in the zone it is a single beep. The colors are also far more intuitive than having to read a message in my mind. I can just do a quick glance and see if it is too hot, too cold, or back in zone just by seeing if it is orange, blue, or black without reading anything.

0 JanH over 6 years ago

They are three completely different sounds though. If too low, the sound is kind of a depressed low series of tones. If too high, it is a fast high pitched series of tones. And when you get back in the zone it is a single beep. The colors are also far more intuitive than having to read a message in my mind. I can just do a quick glance and see if it is too hot, too cold, or back in zone just by seeing if it is orange, blue, or black without reading anything.

Yes, getting back in the zone is one single beep.
I didn't notice a difference between the other two though, will check carefully next time, but anyhow, I personally didn't have issues distinguishing the Polar M400 ones. Interesting, that for some people the colors work well... for me they are not intuitive at all. A simple additional "too high" or "too low" or even just "high" and "low" in the screen would help.

0 JanH over 6 years ago

I'm sure you can find respective app or data field with the desired functionality in Connect IQ store. Below I add link the first app I clicked after quick search. Seems to have what you are looking for.

I am setting up my workouts with the Garmin Connect app, I guess with the 3rd party app, I'd need to set them up there? Also, Garmin's training plans will not use this 3rd party app, right? So it seems not a solution (for me).
Thank you anyway for the suggestion.

0 JanH over 6 years ago

They are three completely different sounds though. If too low, the sound is kind of a depressed low series of tones. If too high, it is a fast high pitched series of tones. And when you get back in the zone it is a single beep. The colors are also far more intuitive than having to read a message in my mind. I can just do a quick glance and see if it is too hot, too cold, or back in zone just by seeing if it is orange, blue, or black without reading anything.

Hm. I just went running and regarding the colors, I see the same: orange=too high, blue=too low. Not very intuitive, but once known that's ok.

For the sound, however, I disagree with you. Paying attention, I could not notice a different between the two sounds. Both are "getting down" or "getting lower". It might be, that they are slightly different (I didn't record them), but for sure they are not easy to distinguish.

I don't know, maybe we have different devices? I have the Fenix 5 Plus Sapphire (v7.10, but it was the same on 6.00).

So please, Garmin, change the sounds. Check the ones of Polar M400 - they are distinct and nice.

0 AllanOlesen67 over 6 years ago

They are three completely different sounds though.

Ok. I must admit that:
1. I first noticed this on my F3 and perhaps haven't paid much attention to differences on the F5X+.
2. My hearing is not the best, and I am probably going more by the vibration alerts than the sound alerts.

Sorry for posting wrong information.