Fenix 7 Pro damaged after canyoning

4986445 10 days ago

Hello,

2 weeks ago I did some light canyoning wearing my Fenix 7 Pro. It was a small canyon with little water, some waterfalls, almost no swimming, no jumping into pools. I did not press any buttons while the watch was under water.

So we finished the canyon, and followed a course in the watch back to the car. I saved the activity, and after a few seconds I noticed that the incident support had triggered, so I cancelled it. Some minutes later, the watch rebooted automatically several times. Next day it would not start.

Garmin replaced it with a recerfified unit in record time (3 days), but now I wonder whether the Fenix 7 Pro is really waterproof. I had previously swam with it several times, in swimming pools, so it seemed to be. But now I am not so sure.

Did you have any similar experiences? Any recommendations? The Fenix line is supposed to be used for outdoor activities, and it is supposed to be rough, but just a few splashes damaged it?

Thanks!

Carlos

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0 2529455 10 days ago

I've surfed and dived with mine. Never seen that issues before.

0 Vizi 10 days ago

Fenix 7 is not suitable for water usage due to bad quality. Many people had their buttons stop working, mostly it seems if they used watch for swimming (which the watch supports but obviously has some design or manufacturing error causing it often to break when used in water).

forums.garmin.com/.../fenix-7-start-stop-button-stopped-working

0 4986445 7 days ago in reply to 2529455

Thanks for the feedback, indeed I had swam with it for at least 5-10 times, and I did some other canyons with much more water than the one where I had the problem, with no issues, so I was confident. But now, we will see... In less than one month I am going to a bigger canyon in which the watch will be in water for at least three hours, with jumps and so on. I am not going to hold back using the watch for what it is theoretically intended.

I hope that it was a one-time occurrence.

0 4986445 7 days ago in reply to Vizi

I see, thanks, it is very disappointing that this happens with Garmin and a 600-euro watch which is rated 100 meter waterproof.

Amazing, I will keep using it as I want, and if that means having it replaced, so be it. And when the warranty runs out, I will change to another brand.

0 Wolfindal 7 days ago

Mostly what seems to be problem is salt water, quite probably salt build up to buttons.

I have done a lot of swimming in lakes, shower and even some sauna (covered f7 with my hand so it didn't turn hot) with my f7 and no problem.

It usually is water tight but that salt (or sweat) can set into buttons and make seal to leak.

So if you swim or dive in the sea, then f7 needs really good rinsing, personally I wouldn't use it in salt water sports IMHO.

0 Vizi 6 days ago in reply to Wolfindal

Not only salt water, many users had their watches fail in lakes and in pools.

0 druidh 6 days ago

Mine has been in the sea, rivers, lakes and pools and still works fine.

0 mcbit 6 days ago

F3, 5,6,7 & 8 all used for extensively swimming, scuba diving and surf ski paddling no special care afterwards and never a button issue. I wear a watch 24/7 and showering with it on is the only rinse it gets.

0 Gerard 5 days ago

My service said that fenix 7 has a problem with water protection from the very beginning. The very design of this model with an error. A lot of hours of fenix7 go to the service with a leak.

0 Vizi 4 days ago in reply to Gerard

Gerard said:
My service said that fenix 7 has a problem with water protection from the very beginning. The very design of this model with an error.

It has been clear to anyone following developments over the past two years. I've been pointing this out for a long time, yet consistently downvoted by gaijin and couple similar users who reject facts about issues on this forum.