I'm running a timed 24hr race on the 8th with my fenix 5X. Doesn't matter how slow I run it'll still take 24hrs. :D If the fenix 5X charges as fast as my fenix 3 and Epix did it shouldn't be too much bother to just hold it in my hand while it charges. Of course, it'd be more convenient to be able to wear it. I'm halfway tempted to design and 3D print my own fenix 3-style charging cradle and hack a Garmin charging cable up to work through it.
I'm running a timed 24hr race on the 8th with my fenix 5X. Doesn't matter how slow I run it'll still take 24hrs. :D If the fenix 5X charges as fast as my fenix 3 and Epix did it shouldn't be too much bother to just hold it in my hand while it charges. Of course, it'd be more convenient to be able to wear it. I'm halfway tempted to design and 3D print my own fenix 3-style charging cradle and hack a Garmin charging cable up to work through it.
Well I made some assumptions about what I'll find when I cut the factory cable open, but here's a design that I think will work. At the very least it proves that Garmin or someone else could bring such a thing to market. I have another cable on order and when it comes in I'll cut it up and fit it into the cradle.
While I do like the new charger cable - I do NOT like the price for spares!! Nor the colour.
Garmin - if you are going to deliver a cable that LOOKS like a normal USB cable in Black - I know they will get lost and then I'll have to buy a new one... But paying $25 ($30 on Amazon) for a new 1' cable is extortion.... At least make it some odd colour like Garmin Blue so it is easy to spot. :) (please)
While I do like the new charger cable - I do NOT like the price for spares!! Nor the colour.
Garmin - if you are going to deliver a cable that LOOKS like a normal USB cable in Black - I know they will get lost and then I'll have to buy a new one... But paying $25 ($30 on Amazon) for a new 1' cable is extortion.... At least make it some odd colour like Garmin Blue so it is easy to spot. :) (please)
I'm waiting for our friends in China to reverse engineer the cable and give us some knock offs, ideally what I'd really like is a "dongle" that's regular micro USB on one side, and garmin on the other, so we don't even need to carry a special cable. I love these for other applications (lightening for Apple, mini USB, etc).
They did for the F3; I had an aftermarket "chineesium" charger clip that had no cable on it; it was tiny and had a MicroUSB socket on it and thus was perfect for hikes and such where every ounce is one you have to carry (and size matters too.)
I suspect there will be one in a few months for the Fenix 5 series products; the three sizes means three of them though, which will reduce potential demand (which could be trouble for release of them.) That's also a potential solution for a bike mount since you can drill a hole in it and make a mount out of it (while possibly losing the charging capability depending on how the wiring routes in it) should you have a desire for that -- and a lot of people do.
I guess Garmin changed the charger in order to be able to use the HR monitor. However, the cradle of the Fenix 3 was great for ultras since it allowed you to keep using it on your wrist while you were running.
I'm waiting for our friends in China to reverse engineer the cable and give us some knock offs, ideally what I'd really like is a "dongle" that's regular micro USB on one side, and garmin on the other, so we don't even need to carry a special cable. I love these for other applications (lightening for Apple, mini USB, etc).
Ooo, the dongle would be great. Even better, and this is only because I dislike mini/micro USB, make it USB-C. It's bigger, yes, but it also doesn't take any thought since it's reversible.
Well I made some assumptions about what I'll find when I cut the factory cable open, but here's a design that I think will work. At the very least it proves that Garmin or someone else could bring such a thing to market. I have another cable on order and when it comes in I'll cut it up and fit it into the cradle.
Sorry for bringing this up again :) Was there anything done in the meantime? I searched a lot but did not find any 3rd party solution :(
