All, I was hiking and used the Navigation feature to get back to my starting point. I noticed some oddities such as the distance remaining in the data fields was quite different than the distance remaining in the navigation screens and guides. This brings me to some questions that Garmin's manual doesn't answer.
Whats the difference here: Hike Settings > Routing > Activity > Direct Routing vs. Hiking
Hike Settings > Routing > Courses > Use Map vs Follow Course
This was copied from the Support Center: Selected fenix 5X>Routing>Routing Settings
Routing Settings
You can change the routing settings to customize the way the device calculates routes for each activity.
Hold MENU, select Settings > Activities & Apps, select an activity, select the activity settings, and select Routing.
Activity
Sets an activity for routing. The device calculates routes optimized for the type of activity you are doing. (For example, there are three types of cycling and three types of walking. Direct Routing gives you a straight line to your destination, the other options have predetermined avoidance and calculation methods).
Courses
Sets how the device creates courses. Use the Follow Course option to create a basic course(or follow a created course that has been loaded to the watch). Use the Use Map option to calculate a course using routable maps, and recalculate the route if you stray from the course. (Follow Course is great if you use loaded courses, Use Map is for selecting a direction or destination).
Calculation Method
Sets the calculation method to minimize the time, distance, or ascent in routes.
Avoidances
Sets the road or transportation types to avoid in routes. (These can be changed, even if the activity has default values. Park roads and bike trails may be considered Narrow Trails in the mapping).
Type
Sets the behavior of the pointer that appears during direct routing. (Not available for all activities)
I think it's still a lot of details around these options that need to be clarified. One thing I don't understand is if I choose Follow course, does it matter what I set the Activity type then (for instance Direct routing or Hiking)?
There is a bug for all you hikers: when you use the navigation option while hiking and add a data field for Distance Remaining, it will NOT match the Distance Remaining shown by the Navigation guide. So basically while I scroll screens I'll see Distance Remanining on two screens but they don't match. I have contacted Garmin but not sure what the status is.
This was copied from the Support Center: Selected fenix 5X>Routing>Routing Settings
Routing Settings
You can change the routing settings to customize the way the device calculates routes for each activity.
Hold MENU, select Settings > Activities & Apps, select an activity, select the activity settings, and select Routing.
Activity
Sets an activity for routing. The device calculates routes optimized for the type of activity you are doing. (For example, there are three types of cycling and three types of walking. Direct Routing gives you a straight line to your destination, the other options have predetermined avoidance and calculation methods).
Courses
Sets how the device creates courses. Use the Follow Course option to create a basic course(or follow a created course that has been loaded to the watch). Use the Use Map option to calculate a course using routable maps, and recalculate the route if you stray from the course. (Follow Course is great if you use loaded courses, Use Map is for selecting a direction or destination).
Calculation Method
Sets the calculation method to minimize the time, distance, or ascent in routes.
Avoidances
Sets the road or transportation types to avoid in routes. (These can be changed, even if the activity has default values. Park roads and bike trails may be considered Narrow Trails in the mapping).
Type
Sets the behavior of the pointer that appears during direct routing. (Not available for all activities)
Thanks for that however,
1. Currently when you set "follow course" you do not get tbt prompts, this needs to be fixed.
2. If I load a course and then tell the watch to DO COURSE, why do I also need to tell it again to FOLLOW COURSE. To me the FOLLOW COURSE is not needed. If I load and select DO COURSE, that watch should do the course period.
If you set Follow the course, you don`t receive tbt warnings even you put these warnings in the course uploaded to the watch? I mean, I regularly prepare the FIT file also including the tbt warnings (www.gpsies.com ->TCX export -> TCXtoFIT converter -> FIT file to watch). Are these prepared tbt warnings enabled after setting Follow the course?
Do you think, this is just a bug, that will be, hopefully, solved in the future firmware update? Because, in case you set to Follow the course option, the tbt instructions included into the course file should be enabled. For me this is a question that will decide, in my case, between f5 and f5x. Btw, do somebody know, if the tbt warnings are working on f5 in the way like on f3?
I just finished a hike with firmware 8.0, and I had purposely changed a few of the 'via points' from simple 'shaping points' (do not alert) to nav points or 'alert on arrival' points. And, it did not work. they did not alert, no indication, no turn-by-turn, nothing. I wish I was posting with a solution, but thought it might help a little to add some confirmation. This kind of stinks. So, if I'm doing a multi-day backpacking trip, what's the best way to have it navigate me to the next campsite, rather than always just referencing the ultimate ending point (several days away)?
