New VivoActive 4 User - What works well for you?

Personally, biking, walking, and running have been standard and good.

Strength training is an absolute mess though due to a limited number of exercises available (with no option to custom insert), clunky manual entry, etc. Swimming has also caused me trouble (not recording all distances when arms aren't used). The breath work and yoga exercises have also been fun and novel.

I have been using a vivoactive 4s for about 2 years now.  It works well.  My major complaints are battery life much less than advertised and the heart rate measurement is not accurate (at least for me).  I often use a different HR sensor when doing activities where I want accurate HR measurements.  

I’m going on my 2nd year with a Vivoactive 4. It is, hands down, my favorite Garmin watch. I started off with a Forerunner 25, upgraded to a Forerunner 230, then FR235, then a Venu Sq. I tried an Instinct out for a couple days prior to purchasing the VA4. The Instinct just didn’t work out for me as the sensor package didn’t seem to track as well as other Garmins I had used. 

First off, I like the large screen format. I tried the Venu Sq and it just didn’t work for my old eyes. Some of the other models have a large screen as well.

The second thing I like about the VA4 is the MIP screen. The AMOLED screens are nice, colorful and bright, but this drains batteries faster, especially if you set them to stay on all the time. The VA4 and other MIP format screens are designed to stay on without the drain. I can get away with charging my VA4 once every 5-7 days, which works just fine for me. I’ve yet to experience any issues with charging or battery life.

The wrist based HRM/Sensor package works as advertised, but when it comes to working out, I prefer using a chest strap HRM. I feel they are more accurate. I’ve had no issues with the sleep/stress/body battery tracking. I have no issues using the Garmin Connect app with my VA4. All the data syncs smoothly.

I’ve never had a problem with the GPS tracking my walks or any other outdoor activity where distance is a factor. However, bear in mind that I walk on a  treadmill during the winter months. I’ll have to see if any recent updates have created issues with this in the next couple of weeks when things thaw out. I have little interest in water sports so I cannot speak to those. 

I do not use the VA4 to track my strength training when it comes to reps and sets. I track these manually. My primary strength tools are kettlebells and wearing a watch while holding/exercising with a heavy kettlebell does not work for me. For kettlebell training, I hang the VA4 on a nearby hook in my basement gym and the HRM strap transmits to the watch without issue. I can monitor my HR in the middle of a set without issue. Another plus for the larger screen format and the MIP display. My former Venu SQ had to be awakened, which was a PITA to me. I do use the Garmin Connect web portal to edit and track these workouts.

Lastly, some folks report rashes under the watch band with extended wear. I wear my VA4 with the original silicon watch band 24 hours a day and have yet to experience this UNLESS I have submerged it in water and neglected to dry it off afterwards. I do take it off when I shower. I think the answer to minimizing the rash issue is to rinse/dry the wrist and the watch once you’re out of the water.

IMO, the VA4 is for people who are not seriously competitive athletes, but want to track their fitness efforts/health stats. If I were still running as I did in my 30s, I’d likely have a 9 or 7 hundred series Forerunner. If I were a multi-sport competitor, I would go with a Fenix or other higher end watch. As I’m now closing in on 70, the VA4 suits me just fine. I’ve yet to see it fail to work as advertised.

I've owned and used Garmin trackers for several years, now.  I currently use a VA 4S, and I use the strength training functions, which, I will agree, are not the strength of Garmin devices :-).  That said, if you persist and look at the various options when you're putting a workout together, you can usually find approximately the strength move you want, and you can move rest periods and recovery and workout steps around without enormous difficulty.  I would say it needs work but is usable now.  I noticed a few months ago that there are (many) more strength exercises available in the pulldown menu, now, than a couple years ago.  (I don't always do new custom workouts, and I do notice Garmin Express isn't the best about moving workouts to the device.  If you have not tried Strength in a while I would suggest giving it another chance.