Third Party Bands

No the buckle uses a regular 22mm pin.
Another difference is the color of the buckle which is a little darker than the original.

The quick fit mechanism looks ok and study but i would definitely not wear it in the open water. :P

That buckle sure seems to be quite a bit bigger, or is that perspective?

I also just received mine and while it's great for the price, it definitely isn't the same. The main differences are:
- The clip mechanism is a little bit thinner and narrower, and it screws down with little phillips head fasteners rather than torx screws.
- The triangle on the buckle is an isosceles rather than an equilateral (picky, i know)
- The buckle secures with a push pin rather than a torx rod. This is probably my biggest concern.

Overall it's decent for the price, and perfectly sufficient for casual/occasional use. I probably won't be using it for many activities though, and definitely not for an ocean swim!

I would say these differences are to get around patents, the triangle is a Garmin trademark, and so as not to get sued by them, the duplicate bands have to make it a bit different, as well as the use of the phillips screws, rather than torx..

That buckle sure seems to be quite a bit bigger, or is that perspective?

No thats just the prespective. Its actually a tiny bit smaller.


One wierd thing i noticed on the triangle on the buckle is that it had some discoloration like it was dirty or something. I cleaned it with a cloth and paint came out as if it was painted with a black marker to cover a bad paintjob. :D

No thats just the prespective. Its actually a tiny bit smaller.


One wierd thing i noticed on the triangle on the buckle is that it had some discoloration like it was dirty or something. I cleaned it with a cloth and paint came out as if it was painted with a black marker to cover a bad paintjob. :D

Mine should come within the next day or so, they're (I ordered 2) out of customs, and left a California station a couple days ago..
I got mine from a vendor on AliBaba (AliExpress)

Bought it

So I bought two bands from Aliexpress. One White and a Black.
They look ok, also quality of the siliconeband seems fine. Time will tell how it stands daily usage, sweat, water and sunlight...

However be aware that the material at the quickfit parts is somehow not as rigid as the genuine Garmin.
The same for the part with the clasp that also has no screws and the rod through the band is much thinner here then on the genuine strap!

I can accept theese band as a option for matching clothing, but never would use it for activities where I need solid performance.
As someone already wrote: Would never wear it for a swim! :eek:

So I bought two bands from Aliexpress. One White and a Black.
They look ok, also quality of the silicone band seems fine. Time will tell how it stands daily usage, sweat, water and sunlight...

However be aware that the material at the quickfit parts is somehow not as rigid as the genuine Garmin.
The same for the part with the clasp that also has no screws and the rod through the band is much thinner here then on the genuine strap!

I can accept theese band as a option for matching clothing, but never would use it for activities where I need solid performance.
As someone already wrote: Would never wear it for a swim! :eek:

Pexer,

Have you considered swapping the cheep buckle for the Garmin oem buckle? I did this with my F3 when I trusted the silicone but not the buckles.

Pexer,

Have you considered swapping the cheep buckle for the Garmin oem buckle? I did this with my F3 when I trusted the silicone but not the buckles.

Well, thanks for input, but no :)
There are no visible screws in cheap one.... (like the torx ones in the Garmin)
Also it would solve the buckle, but the quickfit mechanism still seems weak....
It's even more obvious in your edited picture :)

Overall I wouldn't trust this band...

Thanks for the feedback.

I hadn't realized that there were torx screws to secure the buckle, that probably explains why it's so thick and dug badly into my wrist.

Based on the feedback I'm not convinced these are really worth it versus the dead cheap F3 straps that are wider and look nicer I think : https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?372093-Third-party-straps-for-the-Fenix-5&p=962015#post962015 and https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?372458-F5-with-bands-from-F3-)&p=977577#post977577

So yes, no QF but it's a two minute job (at worst) so...

Hi,

my 2 bands (white and blue) arrived today. For me the quality is fine compared to the price. The buckle might be a little bit more robust on the Garmin bands but the quick fit mechanism seems to be ok. Compared to the price Garmin is calling (6x) it is a great alternative for people needing them as replacement to match cloths colors.

Bye