Erratic Instant Pace and Customer Service Response!

Apparently, thats the way it is!

Been dealing with this erratic pace since i got my Fenix 5 Sapphire in March 20. On May 1, I started communications with support regarding this very irritating issue and after more than 15 emails back and forth on which they confirmed the erratic behavior they are now telling me, after 5 weeks of trying every combination of sensors, settings, and firmwares without success, that this is the behavior i can expect from a $700 gps watch. Nice one!

So, if you guys have any hope of getting your pace performance corrected, forget it! Per support feedback, this is standard GPS behavior. Nevermind my previous 735XT performed flawlessly in the same routes i now deal with the F5.

Bologna!

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0 mcalista over 8 years ago

It is standard GPS behavior. What is not standard is the poor smoothing algorithm to fill in some of the GPS blanks, especially when other sensor information (cadence, elevation, compass and heart rate) suggest nothing has changed in terms of pace - and that IS something that is within Garmin's control.

0 Former Member over 8 years ago

So what would be a solution here? Foot pod?

0 --Fred-- over 8 years ago

It is standard GPS behavior. What is not standard is the poor smoothing algorithm to fill in some of the GPS blanks, especially when other sensor information (cadence, elevation, compass and heart rate) suggest nothing has changed in terms of pace - and that IS something that is within Garmin's control.

I fully agree. It's disappointing to see my pace slowly drop when GPS coverage is temporarily gone (e.g. wet foliage, tunnels, ...) and get a 'turbo boost' when GPS is found again even though the F5 has all above mentioned metrics available to make a really good estimate.
This is where the expensive watches with more onboard sensors could really make a difference.

0 Former Member over 8 years ago

Instant pace comparison Fenix 5 and Forereunner 735XT

Hello,
yesterday I was running with my new Fenix 5 for the first time. I was very disappointed about the displayed instant pace. I used my "old" Forerunner 735XT in parallel, and its values were very accurate. The Fenix displayed values up to 30% slower or faster than the correct value. But at the end of each 500m-lap, both watches showed very similar lap pace. And after the run, both tracks shown in the Connect app map were correct with only minimal faults.
So I think the problem is not the quality of the GPS signal, but the calculation of the pace in critical conditions. Or simply a firmware bug.
The Fenix displayed the instant pace correct, when there was all around free sight to the sky. But only some trees on one side of the track were enough to produce incorrect pace values.