GPS Accuracy

This must be the link of your friend's run https://www.strava.com/activities/920311061 ?
F5X doesn't look too bad, different pace but same distance so you maybe you stopped your watch after you stopped running ?

Sorry, should have posted the link to his activity as well (also comes up on the strava page as we ran together);
I did stop the watch immediately after I finished running, yes.

Another compare 920xt vs Fenix 5

http://umap.openstreetmap.fr/de/map/unbenannte-karte_137208#14/51.9867/8.2298

Here is another comparison between my Fenix 5 (red) and my 920xt (blue).

There are parts where the one is better and parts where the other is better, BUT: overall the Fenix measured 230m shorter (which is 1% and acceptable) if there wasn't the extrem scattering in pace of the Fenix.
The 920xt pace was acceptable smooth, but the Fenix was totally useless :(

Here are the pace charts corresponding to the tracks posted in my last comment.

Fenix 5:


920xt:


disgusting :(

Here are the pace charts corresponding to the tracks posted in my last comment.

Fenix 5:


920xt:


disgusting :(

Ugh, yeah... That's what I noticed as well.

Perhaps it's a smoothing thing, I'll go for a short run tomorrow (with both my F5 and the 735xt this time) and see if reporting on avg pace and all is influenced by this. I don't use instant pace as gps isn't suitable for that, but still... So far the actual sporting stuff is pretty disappointing.

I don't use instant pace either (unless I connect my Footpod).

But if you use tools like Sporttracks or TrainigPeaks or anything else delivering statistics how much time you spend in severel pace zones, then this messed up chart leads to a completely useless evaluation of the run. This is the 7th garmin watch I own (first of the Fenix series) and I have never seen such a bad gps performance for instant data.

But if you use tools like Sporttracks or TrainigPeaks or anything else delivering statistics how much time you spend in severel pace zones, then this messed up chart leads to a completely useless evaluation of the run.

I always have to use a dampening/averaging in my Sporttracks setting for all of my gps watches.

I agree that the unaveraged values are a lot more noisier than of my 910xt. But with default averaging you won't see any difference. Instant pace was not usable also from the very beginning (FR305,e.g.) You always had to use lap pace.

But in general you are right. Garmin should have implemented a certain averaging by default. Othervise the instant pace is of no use (as it always was).Thats why Garmin reduced the accuracy of the instant pace by implementing the discrete values in 5sec/km steps, imho. They should have worked more on their filtering routines... :rolleyes:

First time garmin user

UPDATE on 30 MARCH 2017: I just replaced the watch. The GPS accuracy has improved drastically! It was indeed a problem with the watch. I thought I was going mad...LOL

Hi,
I'm a first time garmin user. I just got the Fenix 5 yesterday and immediately took it our for a run. I wanted to test out the watch capabilities. Please note that I go running in an area that has high rise buildings.

Anyhow, I waited for the GPS lock before starting my run. But the GPS accuracy is abysmal. It has me running over buildings and over lakes. I'm not talking a couple of meters, I'm talking about 100 or more meters off. It has me running the 1 km in under a minutes. The 5k in under 20 minutes! I'm a lot slower...I barely run, I jog instead.

I have ran this distance many times before using several devices, like iphone, samsumng phone, gear fit 2 watch. But never has the GPS been off by that much.

I'm attaching one picture for you. I have marked the areas with the biggest discrepancy

1 & 2: The watch just decided to go off route for a good 500 meters each route. I definitely didn't run those tracks
3: The watch has me running in a circle, which I definitely did not do

Today, I changed the readings from Smart to 1 second and did a couple of walks. It got me walking a distance of 1 km in 1.7 km. So still not accurate.

What steps should I take to ensure that I can get more accurate GPS readings. I understand that it will not be perfect. But the way it is right now, it's completely unusable. The distance is showing 7km when I know it's not more than 5km. I'm trying to maintain a pace. But sometime I'm running at 7 min/km and suddenly it goes up to 15 min/km.

Any guidance will help. I don't want to go through the hassle of replacing the watch if the GPS issue is because of other reasons.

Thanks!

Cheers

Have you tried turning on GPS + GONASS in the GPS settings? might get more accuracy in built up areas?

I paced at parkrun on Saturday, and my pace on the watch was up and down long a yoyo. one second 7min next 10min. I know I run at a constant 7:10 pace usually for this course. I think the firmware needs a little updating and I seriously hope it is not the hardware after investing so much money.