Garmin Fenix 7x Pro: 8 Months Later

My follow up after using the Garmin Fenix 7X Pro after 8 months.
Connect with me: / kane_does_outdoors
#backpacking #hiking #wildcamping #ultralightbackpacking #gear #fastpacking

[@gregorypuryear387]

Just because someone has a different opinion about something it doesn’t meant that it’s wrong. If we all had the same opinion that would make the world even stranger than it already is. I love to hear different takes on everything. It helps me in the end to make a better decision on a product. Love the video.

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

I think most people get that. It's just an opinion at the end of the day. I can also understand that some people will take it personally if they really like a product and shelled out their hard earned money, it can come off as an attack . I'm trying to be more mindful of both (or more) sides to any story.

[@martymorissette]

Amazing insight as always! Loved this detailed overview!! Cheers brother!

[@austinslater4773]

I appreciate you giving your honest review!

[@661larry]

I went from the 6X to the 8 amoled and was on the fence and between those 2 the 8 was light years better imo and surprisingly didn’t regret it lol

[@BuckRogers_]

I respect this review.. it’s easy to just agree with every other reviewer, but after giving it a second go there are still things you don’t like. For people like me that want the whole spectrum to help make a decision, I want the honest good and bad. Proper. 👍🏼

[@leonpatrick5606]

The best watch for hiking I've found is the Garmin fenix 7x pro sapphire solar, but the SUUNTO TRAVERSE ALPHA STEALTH is another good one, too. The gps on both are as good as you'll get on a watch. Awesome video mate, thank you

[@VampireRhino]

Garmin fenix and their ecosystem is amazing 🎉it’s one of few things I would buy asap if they broke. Garmin helps me on daily life to better at sports and know when I need more time to recover.

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

I get it, the more I use the watch the more I appreciate some of the main features. I would like it if they fixed a few of the kinks before adding another "activity" though.

[@VampireRhino]

@KaneDoesOutdoors that's true. I use it mainly for running and swimming and as my daily health tracker/ watch which helps also not to spent too much time on my phone. Don't use other activities too often but I can't say bad word about all the metrics and what is more garmin help center and customer support is superb 👌

[@Vincent13997]

I commented on the last video also. If you never leave cell service then by all means use your phone. When I hike I take both my Ultra 2 and Fenix 6x Sapphire. The Ultra 2 I take instead of my phone and the Fenix I use for navigation. When I lose cell service, and I will, the Ultra 2 is useless and won’t update the map course unless I pre-download the map for the area I’m in. The Fenix has offline maps and it doesn’t matter if I have cell service or not, the map will update as I move.

[@vpnconsult]

I never thought i couldn't live without my garmin.

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

The more I use it the more I get it✌️

[@Sozialkompetenz]

I remember your answer quite well. With opinions it’s interesting, they seem to change at times.

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

Yes, I hope everyone has the right to change their opinion(s). In this case I've changed my opinion on certain aspects of the watch. I've also learned that despite some of the shortcomings that still stand, it's an very useful tool for me.

[@craigrobertson6082]

Keep it up, mate. Everyone has an opinion on gear, you have legit time in with your gear.

[@Adventures4vida]

I have the EPIX gen 2, I love the style of the watch, I love the battery life, I love having it when im doing activities. But during the work week, my AWU is just a better watch. If I had to pick only one it would be the garmin though. The battery life, is the main reason. Plus the mapping is better on garmin for backcountry use. Thanks for the video!

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

Sounds like a good system!

[@ez2BEryan]

Unbelievable timing. I found your channel recently because of that initial review video and was hoping you’d do a follow up. I was looking into buying a Fenix 7x Pro SS and in all my research you are one of the few KZbinrs that don’t just read off the tech specs. Appreciate you talking about realistic expectations and your experience actually using it as a navigation aid. I liked the hand up accountability you took being willing to admit some of your first criticisms might have been off. Nothing wrong with wanting more from the industry leaders like Garmin though. We should be getting more for the price we’re paying! Great vid overall 🤘🏼

[@davidstaunton2386]

Your channel is brilliant - so much info and you have a great philosophy 👍🏻🙏🏻

[@Anza_34832]

You're absolutely welcome to voice your opinion and criticisms! And don't expect that everyone will agree. You're also absolutely fine changing your opinion. Always be transparent and viewers are guaranteed ✅

[@semo7566]

I agree with you on everything including use case, and i love my fenix 7 despite some drawbacks. Others may hate it despite its pluses

[@andycjohnston]

Thanks for the great video! I have recently got my first GSP watch. It's at the super budget end, a Trex-2. The map only shows the trail line, and an arrow. Plus the line you've walked when recording. (but I got it second hand for AUD & 200) I thought it would be pretty bad. But because there's just two lines, but it's very easy to see in the daylight, and I'm just using a to confirm that I'm heading in the right direction...so that's awesome. Plus there's an alert if I go 20m away from the trail line! That's saved me on more than one wrong turn! I'm the same where I check Gaia if I'm really in doubt. And the same that I'm saving a TON of phone battery life per day. Would I love the full topo map on the watch? Sure, probably. Would it add much more than the my current most basic setup. Probably not. Too review. Appreciate the honest straight forward approach.

[@cheapskatehiker]

Im on a budget too, so I grabbed first topo map watch i could get my hands on kijiji in the area here. Ended up being a suunto 7. Not great! Horrible battery life. But i needed those topo maps darn it haha. And price was right. I Was looking at trex 2 and now that trex 3 is out, curious what ppl think of it.

[@andycjohnston]

​@@cheapskatehiker- oh man! This is like the next step up in watches!! I didn't know they had upgraded....its a pity that can't just firmware upgrade my TR2!! Definitely going to look at this one...I'm super jelly of the toppo!

[@cheapskatehiker]

@@andycjohnston yeah according to specs its basically like a high end garmin for half the price. It just wasnt yet available in canada when i was looking.

[@cheapskatehiker]

O I should add, just looked at t rex 3 again, it may not have full maps on it, says you have to download offline maps. My suunto allows me to download an area of 30x30 km at a time, but thats it. I think it might be a similar deal, just fyi. Garmin has all of north america on it.

[@wtfiamdead]

I use the Garmin Explore app (not Connect) for offline routing with my Instinct 2. I assume it would be the same with the Fenix. No internet needed. It automatically syncs via bluetooth only.

[@CorinChellberg]

I think I did this while hiking, I guess a question is whether Gaia can sync through Explore or only Connect

[@wtfiamdead]

@CorinChellberg Gaia won't technically sync with either, but you can export just as easily from Gaia to Explore. Your watch data will sync automatically with both Connect and Explore, but pre-uploaded courses will not sync BETWEEN Connect and Explore. You you have to pick your app to export a planned course. Explore is the right choice if you want to go offline. GPS tracks from a recorded activity will appear in both apps.

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

Tried the updated explore app on a route yesterday and yes, works while offline.

[@MrJoker74]

Regarding the brightness of the watch screen, have you set the backlight brightness to 100%? I think the default is around 20%, at least on Fenix 6 Pro Solar.

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

yep set at 100%

[@piotrwydmuch9413]

Awesome video :) I have a Garmin Descent MK3i (which is a diving version of Fenix/Epix roughly) and it has a beautiful Amoled screen. I use it for daily walks in the forest, hiking in the mountains and using the map and it's incredible. Battery life is crazy long. When it's fully charged it shows 27days of battery. I previously had a Fenix and now comparing the new Amoled screen that i have i couldn't go back to MIP display in Fenix. Don't be afraid of Amoled, they are amazing and battery life is great too. And so much more pleasurable to use in my opinion. Consider an Epix 2 Pro Sapphire 51mm, or new Fenix 8 (with Amoled).

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

Ya, the specs for the fenix 8 with amoled are comparable to MIP in terms of battery life.

[@ampmmbe1590]

I agree with all your points.

[@craigmuncaster8604]

Bring a small portable charger; many to choose from (pick carefully) and use your phone. Honestly, the better tech you’re packing around anyway - with or without your watch.

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

I've been using one from nitecore this year, way more compact and lighter than the one I had from anker at 2X the capacity (10K vs 5K) at 155g.

[@Swamp_Lad]

Agree with your map comments, would really love this to still have more intuitive controls. 😅 I still find myself pulling out my iPhone many times as you can quickly zoom in and out when it is not raining and align your viewing direction with a landmark on the aerial view

[@Swamp_Lad]

But batterylife is king and when it is cold that IPhone will die 😂 and even though I mostly follow existing routes markers sometimes disappear, are hard to find or dark and fog make orientation temporarily tricky

[@user-no2ei6dp2q]

@@Swamp_Lad don’t let your phone get cold then😮

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

I keep my phone in my pocket and never had an issue down to -40C. Stays warm.

[@Swamp_Lad]

@@user-no2ei6dp2q had issues with that when the battery was old. 😆 but then I still have the watch or battery pack.

[@theflobro96]

I have put my map on my garmin to constant north. So only the little arrow (you on the map) turns intead of the whole map. For me it's easier to look at the map and it isn't as jumpy with refreshing every time you move.

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

I'll try that out.

[@marcinw4660]

excellent summary

[@cheapskatehiker]

Hey Kane nice to see a follow up! What measure do you take to reduce power consumption of the watch while you are out? Do you run the phone normally or put it on airplane mode, lower brightness, is HR sensor off?

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

I don't, it's on full gps all satellites. Gets right on 40 hrs of tracking. I typically have a 10K mAh bank with me for longer trips for my camera so boosting up my watch at night isn't an issue.

[@cheapskatehiker]

@KaneDoesOutdoors wow, yeah that is pretty good battery performance then for sure.

[@rashadmohammed9025]

Thanks for the GAIA tip, this is awesome

[@apleparulo3958]

How useful/ necessary are maps? I have Garmin instinct 2x which doesn't have maps but has just about everything else plus 30+ day battery life, plus, it's half the price.

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

It depends on what you're doing. If you mostly stick to well marked and maintained trails it might not be necessary. Most of my routes have some off trail navigation so a map is essential. You can only plan so much out in advance and things change quickly once you're there in person and on top of a 5 m cliff band. But yes, you get most of the features at a much lower price with the instinct 2.

[@apleparulo3958]

@KaneDoesOutdoors I was thinking a watch with a GPS, compass, and altimeter with a paper map along side would work but is sounds like for what you do, you find extra value in also having a map on the watch.

[@bigmaxcc]

🤨🤔 last time you mentioned the “garmin watch was slow not as fast n /smooth as a Apple Watch” I guess you sort of changed your mind, cool whatever suits you best I’m still going strong on my enduro 2 built like a tank 😎👍

[@Ajajambo]

This is a properly honest review. I retired my Epix Gen2 for the exact same reason: laggy map rendering, and I simply don't like the UI and app. I am now using the AW Ultra 2 and couldn't be happier.

[@mutant0177]

I would really love if people do their homework fast before bitching around. And comparing watches they need to charge every single day with those for outdoor use and complain that the refresh rate is too low... omg.

[@ObservingBeauty]

Appreciated

[@Farnhamification]

Garmin’s software has always been infuriating, so as a new user I’m not surprised you found it jarring. How Garmin doesn’t work better with common GIS file types (e.g. shp) is still baffling. I found your initial video to be very revealing, especially regarding the screen lag. In truth, Garmin is the leader and innovator of consumer technologies that are about to become defunct. Once the phone companies catch up with smart watch battery life, the game will be over. Apple is already developing satellite sms. Garmin already has specific inReach devices for that purpose, but still haven’t implemented it in their watches. 😅

[@janzedrickfabila4839]

You recon can you recommend it?

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

It's definitely changed my outdoor navigation system. It's too bad the fenix 8 is so pricey. The amoled screen looks great. I wish the screen on the 7x was easier to see. But overall it is the benchmark product.

[@airgreek]

Enduro 3 FTW

[@liliakilmer9773]

I have 2 Garmin watches: Fenix 7S Pro sapphire solar and Garmin Venu 3. I prefer the Fenix for all my outdoor workouts and hikes, i love the MIP display because the S version has shorter battery life so i see no reason to waste any on Amoled. I also like the Venu 3 when i spend more time indoors, the display is gorgeous and with the Venu 3 i get 2 weeks of battery life because the 45 mm size works on my small wrists. Why Garmin had to make the medium Fenix a 47 mm, ill never know but it's too big for me so 7S it is. As for the Fenix 8: NO THANKS. Garmin released it full of bugs, literally using their paying customers as beta testers. Not cool. Also, an amoled for an outdoor adventure watch??? And they don't have an 8 solar in small so I'm sticking with my Fenix 7S Pro SS.

[@RumbleBack-iz3tl]

Get a Suunto Race. Great Screen. Great Battery life. 1/3 of the price. Best value for the money. That's what I did

[@jamesmc0716]

You touched on what other people seem to overlook - the MIP display isn’t great to read unless in direct sunlight and this also effects following a map on the watch too. AMOLED are just better overall to read in any weather condition especially dark/rainy days where the MIP display starts to show its weakness. I remember back in August on my Coros Vertix 2S it was a grey day and it was absolutely raining so bad I was on a run following the map on the watch and I actually took a couple wrong turns and had to backtrack all because in those conditions the display was very difficult to read. After that situation, I saw the weakness of an MIP display and bought at Fenix 8 AMOLED and I was blown away by how clear it was to read and how much better the maps were now they could be fully colourised. Battery life? I’m getting almost 4 weeks! With a GPS activity almost every day. I’d never go back to a MIP display now.

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

Good insight

[@williamkterrell]

As a long time user of Garmin, I am getting rid of my Epix Gen 2. My Fenix 3 was so much better. All the metrics on the watch today are terrible. Of course Garmin notes theses are ESTIMATES. This tells me that i cannot depend on the information coming from Garmin. My apple watch is a better heart rate tracker. My time is to valuable to be a tester for Garmin, especially when I pay hundreds of dollars for it.

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

I think they are fairly reliable for hr but I do have a friend that compared a chest strap to the wrist and they were quite different.

[@mutant0177]

Good bye

[@nathancragg6202]

Just because their lawyers have them put those words in there has very little to do with actual accuracy

[@leocmen]

Dude, I have a 7x, and hate it the level of visibility of the screen, is awful people say it is sapphire solar, compromising the experience my 6x with gorilla glass was a charm, and I regret buying the 7x bottom line : moved to Epix gen 2 pro AMOLED, and I will never come back to MIP + Saphire/Solar

[@user-yv8kd2jo2x]

It's because the screen has a solar panel across it which reduces visibility slightly. They stopped that in the fenix 8 and enduro 3

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

good to know!

[@The_only_Higgsinspace]

Enduro 3. It’s the best one this time. I have Fenix 8 and the voice and phone integration isn’t worth it. Also not a diver. YMMV

[@arulashokkumarsingh6725]

But fenix 8 looks so much better. I decided to buy enduro 3 but changed my mind just becoz fenix 8 looks better.

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

amoled?

[@playnationtoday]

I often don’t have a specific route or destination when I hike or ski so pre-programming the a route doesn’t generally work for me. I definitely use my watch for tracking my progress during the day which gives me feedback for a turnaround point to get back to the car before dark. I use my phone with onx mostly. Sometimes I’ll throw a backup powerbank in my pack depending on what my day looks like to keep the phone going.

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

Having the GPS watch means I'm nowhere near needing to charge my phone every day. On plane mode I easily get three days, and have pushed it to 5 on a trip pre-watch.

[@antrena490]

Glad I saw this. I'm going to take my chances with the Pixel 3 and Wikiloc. I really wanted a Garmin but the new generation of smart watches have the horsepower to support rich user experience. Now the app devs just need to enhance the apps. Thanks 👍🏽

[@davidalderson7761]

garmin - I still think they are in the 1970's its the 21st century why are they still in the old days. never buy one other than my walking around town watch swim in the pool and count my steps and that's all I would have one for. far too much of there stuff is not integrated for wifi and the app and the whole eco system is old. but they don't care and the customers are un willing to look elsewhere.