Triathlon training... should I get a Fenix 6...

This is almost impossible to answer.  Individuals are just that.  Individual.  Everyone will have a different opinion.

Some triathlon training is HRM based.  Fenix 6 has issues at the moment on that, so if you are primarily HRM based training, you'll have to be patient on waiting for fix.

PulseOx reading on any wrist based device is pretty new to the industry.  its evolving.  expectations should be aligned with that.  Many are not satisfied so far.  Maybe firmware update improve it. Or maybe we need better tech sensors to make the next jump.

Some triathlon training is less biometric based, and cookie/cutter plans.  For this you need to tracks reps, interval, distances, as well as multi-sport support.  The fenix does pretty well in this.  A 1000 posts could follow to say there are inaccuracies in all  those measures, and its not a false. but variability in metrics is unique to the individual.

The Fenix 6 series is ALOT of watch. It does ..alot..  its roots are in wilderness, hiking, rugged.  As it evolves it gets into <gack> golf.
For many, unless they have money to burn, the watch might just be too much.  Unless you can find multiple uses for all that functionality.

Generally speaking the Forerunner 9xx series is arguably more popular for multisport folks.  

best of luck. in deciding

I am a triathlete (road triathlons but the training is similar) and I am happy with my Fenix 6X. Like jetguat said though, a lot of it is individual. While I don't use the hiking or wilderness features I do use many of the other features and find them useful. I agree that the 945 is marketed as more of a multisport watch but the Fenix 6 series supports essentially the same features (at least when it comes to multisport) with a different external case. Part of the reason I chose the Fenix 6 (and the Fenix 5 before that) is that I prefer the design since I wear it as my everyday watch. While this is purely anecdotal in my triathlon club I see way more Fenix series watches than any other, including the 9xx series.

Whether it will do more than your Fitbit is hard to say since I'm not very familiar with Fitbit. I know that Garmin's multisport mode makes racing and training triathlon easier to track so that's something I would want in any device I use for this.

Thank you for the replies.... I am pretty sure I will go for it... one last read of everything then I will buy...

As the others have said, it makes a great triathlon watch with the exception of some heart rate issues at the moment which will hopefully get fixed soon.

I came from the 935 which was a great triathlon watch.  I decided on the Fenix 6 series over the 945 because I wear mine 24/7 and wanted something that looks a little better for work.  I also like that the Fenix 6 series has a smaller bezel around the screen than the 945.

Just remember that the vast majority of happy owners will never come or post here. The posts you read are the ones who have / think they have something wrong and want to sound off.

Take what you read here with a pinch of salt.

For what it’s worth. I’m a triathlete as well (since sep 2019 ;-)) and just switched from AW (series 3) to the Fenix 6 (no pro, no saffire, just the basic version). The 945 is a smaller watch, and whether you like the looks or not is a personal preference. I personally like the looks of the Fenix, but I also have pretty darn big wrists. Although I have no experience with the 945, I think it will be less noticeable during running and biking (and maybe even swimming) due to it’s lower weight and smaller footprint (or should it be: wristprint). Compared to the basic Fenix (same price) the 945 has Wifi, music and maps. If you care about that, you”ll need to update to the pro or saffire, which will cost more.

What I like most about the Fenix, compared to the AW, is the multi-sports activities and the guided workouts. The guided workouts are just awesome. You choose a plan (or create one yourself), and it just syncs to the watch. Once you start your workout, the watch will guide you during the training. It will automatically switch views, if needed. No button presses required. Just awesome.

I have no issues with the HR on the Fenix. Overall the readings look very similar to my AW.

Although you can’t really compare the AW to the Fenix, the AW is not the best watch for multi-sports. The Fenix comes pretty close. The data shown in the Connect app is extensive. If it will help you improve, I can’t tell. But they have some slick features built-in.

If the Fenix will help you to improve compared to the Fitbit, I can’t answer because I have no experience at all with the Fitbit.

jetguat said:

The Fenix 6 series is ALOT of watch. It does ..alot..  its roots are in wilderness, hiking, rugged.  As it evolves it gets into <gack> golf.

This gave me a good laugh when I read it  It's true though, it's primarily a rugged outdoor adventure watch, that they added golf and yoga (etc.) features to. I think sometimes people think it's the other way around - I see a lot of people here who have probably never hiked a day in their lives complaining about hydration tracking widgets and troubles using Spotify, and I wonder why on earth they picked this watch instead of something more appropriate (and affordable) for their needs. It's like taking crampons and an ice axe to the local ice skating rink - sure, it works, but maybe ice skates would be a better choice of gear. Conversely, I probably wouldn't take ice skates to Mt Everest. It's all about picking the right gear for your needs, and for some reason a lot of people seem to have a lot of trouble picking the right watch for their needs.

I prefer the 945 for triathlons as it is lighter and you can get a quick release kit for it. Other than that it comes down to personal preference and whether you want the extra heft and other extras on the F6. Both watches are feature laden. Oxygen sensors are of little use unless you are regularly in a place where you need to be concerned about your blood oxygen levels ie at altitude. 

Thank you everyone for the input... as it was Christmas... I treated myself to the Fenix 6 Pro with a couple of extra Garmin senors... I am waiting on the order to be processed... 

i have just started mixed paced runs... which are hard to do with the FitBit lots of looking at the watch and doing calculations on the go... from what I understand I can set this up Fenix and it will help guide me...

noted about the Oxygen... I am interested in the over night values... I had to wear a mask at night, very bad apnea... in July after getting fit and losing weight, I no longer need it... but would like to get a bit of data to monitor it for myself as a guide...