VO2max Petition

That is funny.... All the "compelling" arguments on this thread explain why VO2max is an artificial and unnecessary metric.

I totally agree about the need to include VO2max.

Yes, other product lines have it, but from visual/attractiveness perspective they are ugly and too heavy.

If Instinct had VO2max, it would be a perfect watch.

I would use this as I hike and cycle with the Instinct.

Rick11 had some great points:

1. Instinct will NEVER eat Fenix market. The newer Fenix has a colour screen, all smartwatch gadgets (smart payments, apps ecc...) and maps with streets. It has a dozen running metrics and can be paired with the Garmin Running Dynamic Pod to get advanced information about the way you run. Moreover, the style is completely different. As for the Fenix 5, it will be discontinued soon.

2. VO2Max CAN be added via firmware update, and first beat licence is not a major problem. Garmin has already introduced VO2Max via firmware update after 9 months from the introduction of the Forerunner 35.

3. Every Garmin watch available on buy.garmin.com with wrist heart rate sensor has VO2Max, the only exception being the Instinct.

Those three points are often listed as the counter-arguments against Instinct and VO2 max. 

Garmin has several devices that support VO2 Max and SPO2. Buy one.

That's a piss poor argument, this thread was created because people believe that the Garmin Instinct watch would be a good candidate for VO2max. C'mon 82nd, do better than that.

Lancet_Jade said:

That's a piss poor argument, this thread was created because people believe that the Garmin Instinct watch would be a good candidate for VO2max

To what end?  It goes without saying that anyone believes their watch would be "a good candidate" for any free additional feature.  Every forum in the Fenix, Forerunner and Vivo series watches has threads about wanting features another device has and theirs doesn't. Is adding VO2 Max to the Instinct a big deal?  Not for you because you want it. Where does it stop?  We got this, so why can't I have that? They added this to that device, how about ours?  So, how is it a piss poor argument that a consumer should buy a product with the features they need or desire as opposed to please add it now because I think it would be a great addition?  Let me comment on Rick11's points.

1.  This makes no sense at all. The Instinct was designed to be a rugged outdoor recreational device with extended navigational features and maps. This is why you selected it over other devices. If this didn't matter to you and VO2 Max did, you would have bought a different device. If both features mattered, you would have bought a more expensive device such as a Fenix.  So, adding VO2 Max to the Instinct would definitely cut into sales for the Fenix. 

2.  We don't know if it would be a "problem". Garmin has to come to a monetary agreement with Firstbeat. We don't know if Firstbeat would want more money to license their features across more devices. Garmin may not be willing to pay more. Saying it wouldn't be a problem is speculation and not based on known facts.

3.  This isn't entirely true. The 645, 245 and VA3 doesn't support VO2 Max for cycling.  The Fenix line doesn't have the heat acclimatization feature the newer 945 has that affects running VO2 Max. So, all Garmin devices with oHRM are not equal, and the Instinct isn't the only device left out when it comes to VO2 Max features. 

If it is expensive to add VO2max, then I understand the motivation from Garmin. I just do not see how this can be an expensive feature to add. The formula of Vo2max as function of heart rate and velocity is freely available. Some here say Garmin has paid Firstbeat to use 'their' calculation. Fine, but that is a strange thing to do, since anyone can freely find the formulas. If yo u want to calculate it, you can simple get an account on runalyze, and calculate VO2 max there using the instinct data. Since that is possible, I do not understand why Garmin connect does not have this calculation built in.

6277729 said:

If it is expensive to add VO2max, then I understand the motivation from Garmin. I just do not see how this can be an expensive feature to add. The formula of Vo2max as function of heart rate and velocity is freely available. Some here say Garmin has paid Firstbeat to use 'their' calculation.

It's not a "some here say" thing.  Garmin in fact licensed FirstBeat for VO2 Max calculations.  I don't know why they chose them or how much they paid.  Can you answer this?  Maybe it's not so simple as you say it is?  You say "anyone can freely find the formulas."  Funny you use the word "formula" as plural.  That suggest; as most of us already know, there are many formulas to calculate VO2 Max.  All with different results.  Did you ever consider that Garmin licenses FirstBeat's calculation because they may feel it's the most accurate and maybe that's why they don't have this "calculation built in"?  If the formula used for VO2 Max was "standard", then Garmin wouldn't needlessly spend money licensing from a second party.