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Avoid pressing the keys under water.

The user manual states is clearly, but I can't believe a so high end watch has this important flaw, moreover being a multisport watch that includes swimming activities.
Old 10€ cheap Casio watch has no issues on this situation while I got my Fenix 3 replaced because of lap button failure after 14 months of use (including swimming pool)

Is it safe to press the buttons while still wet but above water surface? woudn't the water just leak the same as the button is still wet? Is it that complex/expensive to design a watch with watertight buttons that could be pressed while at 0,5m deep?

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HopB over 6 years ago +1

It would be very interesting to know the statistics on the 935s and Fenix 5's (all types) for failures of all types. I was swimming with my nephew over Christmas. We both used 935s and mine then had a…

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0 pistapoci over 6 years ago

I also had some older and much cheaper watches (1 Seiko, 1 Casio and 1 i forgot) that withstood a great deal of underwater abuse without breaking a sweat. I owned the Casio when I was a kid and I'm pretty sure I used it in the pool, in the sea water, rubbed it in the wet sand so many times and pushed those buttons like there was no tomorrow :-D I lost it somewhere years later, full of scratches but still working like a charm.
I can understand that keeping water outside must be hard, and I agree that capillary action's a b*tch, but come on, Garmin!..

0 HopB over 6 years ago

As pistapoci says: cheaper devices don't have the problem and a $500 device intended for swimming should allow buttons to be pushed underwater.

I received a new 935 and I really love the device. I'm avoiding pressing the buttons in the pool at all (which is rather inconvenient).

0 JSRUNNER_ over 6 years ago

HopB - I've used Garmin swim, 920, 935 and now Fenix 5+ I swim 3 or 4 times a week in pool in the winter and in lake, river or salt water in the summer.Whilst in a pool I regularly push buttons whilst underwater and have never had a problem. Generally when I push the button I am near the suface (maybe 1 foot deep max). Obviously as you go deeper the pressure increases rapidly and therefore the stress on the seals. I am aware of Garmin's advice and the reasons for it but from experience I choose to ignore it. The Timex Ironman (much cheaper I know) also forbids you to push buttons underwater as do many other watches designed for watersports and again I know many people who regularly disregard this advice without issue.

Andy275 as regards showering and dunking in the bath - again I have done this with a succession of Garmins without a problem and I think the risks of temperature and submersion are probably outwieghed by the removal of salts and other gunk that may serve to corrode contacts or block holes for barometer etc

0 JasonCollins over 6 years ago

This is a strange old thread?

Why would you need to push buttons underwater? there are no underwater activities on The F5.
I also train in pool, lakes and sea and have never had the need to push a button underwater. The buttons operate functions that either start or stop and activity or provide a split or something else not connected with that activity.
All stuff you do when you are stationary (at the surface)

As for this watch costing X amount of money and should being able to push buttons underwater...Rolex Daytona, has screw down pushers so that the pushers cannot be operated under water £10,000 and up. Many, many other luxury watches with chronograph functions instruct you not to press the buttons underwater ie. Breitling, Patek etc.

Diving watches/computers obviously need this function and I would be amazed to find one without it, but activity tracking watches....come on!