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More secure watch band pins / springbars (lost both original ones in 12h, F6 Pro)?

KrapfenKringel
over 5 years ago

I use an elastic watch band, the downside is that this band can hold onto the spring mechanism and compress the watchband-pin so it opens.

I used this watch band for a half a year and it never happened, but it happend twice in one day now, first while carrying some stuff where I had to push my hand inside a sort of tube and it opened the lower pin.

Then later in the night it opened up the top pin while pulling my hand away from under the pillow. My first thought was, ok the non original replacement pin sucks (the lower one was lost during the accident earlier), but it was the other one that opened up, the remaining original Garmin one.

So what alternatives are there? A pin that needs more force or even a tool to move the spring, a pin that is smooth and give no attack points for a elastic band to hold on and pull it open (Garmin one is really easy to grip).

Has Garmin used these pins before? Its odd that both failed within 12h, maybe the springs lost tension somehow, did Garmin do tests? I noticed my old F5 has fixed pins.

Edit / Conclusion: 
- quick fit bands are probably fine
- elastic bands (like Nick Mankeys) can catch them-self in the grooves meant to release the spring-bars and pop them out if stretched in an unlucky angle
- replacement spring bars arrived, they show the same tension as the old one I got left, so I guess it was just bad luck having them pop out in such a narrow time-frame suddenly

- the F6 uses a very uncommon large pivot diameter (that's the term for the end of the bar that fits into the watch), so there aren't probably any alternatives to use
- on diving watches it seems to be common to replace spring-bars every 6 month (again quick-fit user should be fine as the quick-fit mechanism covers/protects the spring-bar releases)
- Garmin customer support has replacements to send out, but not all support employees know about this and my say "not we can't help", try again with a different one

- for elastic bands you might want to check if you could fit a tube over the spring-bar or use nail-polish to glue them semi-permanent and smooth out the grooves a bit with it

  • 0 over 5 years ago in reply to KrapfenKringel
    KrapfenKringel said:
    Well yours got the thicker material, I only got 0,3mm to work with, if I grind that I only sharpen it more. :D

    Well, mine are 0.33mm, so not that much thicker.  Besides, all you would have to do is chamfer the outer edge.  Even if you don't, should not be a big deal.

  • 0 over 4 years ago

    I just lost two pins with a Mankey strap - fortunately I could find them again.

    (The strap is awsome)

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to fjelsten

    No, didn't find the right tool to shorten them.

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to KrapfenKringel

    You cannot just use a hacksaw or some pliers? I will probably try somme gaffer tape

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to fjelsten

    Maybe but It would not be a good clean job, I'm ok with the nail polish solution at the moment.

  • 0 over 4 years ago

    I've just lost my Fenix 5 while windsurfing on the North Sea in the Netherlands. I experienced the Garmin Quickfit strap (Silicone one) came off in several occasions while in and around the house.  I believe it is the spring in the strap itself and if there is a bit of side pressure on the watch while putting on your coat, it sometimes just opened. I  have replaced the strap with a new one (original from Garmin), but given the fact i now lost it during windsurfing, it definitely did not work.

    Before the fenix 5 i owned a fenix 3, where the straps where locked with screws. In my opinion this is a much more reliable connect, especially for a watch where for the housing is advertised as military grade. Ì really think this 'new'quickfit is a weak spot on the watch, it does not fit a ruggedised product.

    All in all i'm an intensive user and big fan of garmin products (I own an Edge, Fenix 3, Fenix 5, and even an early running watch), but i believe on the fix 5 and 6 this 'quick connect' is a design flaw.

    I'm looking now to replace my lost fenix 5 with a forerunner 945, where i believe they still use old fashioned screws. All in of course frustrated with the financial setback on this:-(

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to BartLoffeld
    BartLoffeld said:
    All in all i'm an intensive user and big fan of garmin products (I own an Edge, Fenix 3, Fenix 5, and even an early running watch), but i believe on the fix 5 and 6 this 'quick connect' is a design flaw.

    I agree.  Whenever I see "Quick Connect" I understand it to mean "Quick Disconnect."

    Garmin has a lot invested in the strap connect system so I can understand their reluctance to give those up, but at least they could go back to the screwed in bars like on the fenix 3 and get rid of the spring bars on the fenix 6.

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to gaijin
    gaijin said:
    go back to the screwed in bars like on the fenix 3 and get rid of the spring bars on the fenix 6.

    Why? Obviously I can only speak from my experience but I've never had any issues with the spring pins even in the days before the Quick-Fit straps. Certainly not experiencing any issues now.

    The problem that started this thread relates to 3rd party straps causing an issue with the spring pins; something that others using the same strap have experienced too. That's hardly Garmin's fault.

    BartLoffeld said:
    I believe it is the spring in the strap itself and if there is a bit of side pressure on the watch while putting on your coat, it sometimes just opened.

    This appears to relate to a perceived defect in the strap fitting, not the spring bar. Isn't it just as possible that somehow the strap wasn't fitted correctly? The only time I've had any issues with a strap was when I bought a 3rd party strap from Amazon for my 920XT - nearly lost the watch in the sea when the fitting on the strap started releasing; nothing to do with the spring bar. Only ever used Garmin straps since.

    I might have a preference for the more solid feeling that comes from securing a bar with screws but I don't feel the watch to be any less secure having the spring pins.

    I do a lot of open water swimming using the Quick-Fit straps without giving a second thought to the security or other wise of the fitting of the strap to the watch, or the spring pin. Never have done, since swimming open water going back to the 310XT. That might change if I ever experienced any problems of course...

    And for completeness, the conclusion from the OP:

    KrapfenKringel said:
    Edit / Conclusion: 
    - quick fit bands are probably fine
    - elastic bands (like Nick Mankeys) can catch them-self in the grooves meant to release the spring-bars and pop them out if stretched in an unlucky angle
    - replacement spring bars arrived, they show the same tension as the old one I got left, so I guess it was just bad luck having them pop out in such a narrow time-frame suddenly
  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to Dr Phil
    Dr Phil said:
    This appears to relate to a perceived defect in the strap fitting, not the spring bar. Isn't it just as possible that somehow the strap wasn't fitted correctly? The only time I've had any issues with a strap was when I bought a 3rd party strap from Amazon for my 920XT - nearly lost the watch in the sea when the fitting on the strap started releasing; nothing to do with the spring bar. Only ever used Garmin straps since.

    Hi Philips, in my case the issue was indeed with the quickfit strap. The strap was brand new, and original from Garmin (no 3rd party). With the previous (Garmin) quickfit strap i had similar problems, hence i replaced it. And to answer your question: yes, it was properly connected.

    I've seen similar feedback on quickfit straps on product reviews unfortunately.

    While it might be less of a problem when the watch comes off while running or cycling, for any open water sports there is simply no room for error, as you loose the watch in the water.  

    Given this experience i will definitely no longer use quick-fit for that type of activity, not would i recommend it to others. 

    For the springbars - in my case this was indeed not the root cause, will check this thoroughly though before buying a new one to be used for water sports. I do believe in general screws are simply the safest.