Hiking with Garmin Enduro 3 | Maps & Navigation Review

[@ervinslens]

Outstanding and professional review man! So nicely executed and elaborated 🔥🔥

[@ActiveIdeas]

Comments like these make my day ❤️ Cheers man!!

[@imveryrich13]

I picked up the Enduro 3 on release and I will say the UI has been improving week by week with all the updates they frequently keep releasing. The battery life is incredible, but honestly chip set does feel outdated already. They need do need to update that in order to just make the watch feel more modern. I do love the watch though, and it has fully replaced my Apple Watch Ultra, although at times I do miss it.

[@ActiveIdeas]

Thanks for your honest feedback mate ❤️ You’re right, to be fair to Garmin the updates have been prompt & fairly effective! I suspect the bugs will be mostly ironed out within a month or two. I’m the same as you, I feel like the battery life is so good that we can afford a faster (probably more power hungry) chipset. Plus I don’t think Garmin’s argument of “more power hungry chipsets” stands its ground. I feel like all the excessive loading, freezes and glitches we’re getting must be draining the battery more so than a slightly more capable chip. Ahh I bet, I just watched a review of the Apple Watch Ultra.. having that with LTE setup must be pretty dreamy 🔥

[@jonasigebjork7641]

Good as always! This conclude that I won't change my Suunto Vertical for the Enduro 3. I'll will miss to much from Suunto, and it seems like Garmin have alot of bugs. I'll will wait for a new Suunto Vertical replacement that offers good battery life and flashlight

[@ActiveIdeas]

Cheers Jonas! Yeah, the Suunto Vertical still stands its ground firm and strong! Fingers crossed Suunto bring us a flashlight for the next version.. if they can bring that and offline course creation Garmin will have a hard time justifying their pricing 🙈

[@esmeraldas6804]

Thanks for the awesome videos! Keep it up! Always look forward to them.

[@ActiveIdeas]

Means the world! Will do 🔥

[@dumeac]

Hi, 17:54 the map perimeter and half screen split are also on Enduro 2:). We did not lose it. Or you was speaking about something else? Activity => Data screen => go to Map=> Edit=> Layout. The only thing we don't have is the course re-routing on circuit generated course. :) By the way, nice video!

[@ActiveIdeas]

Yes, split screen & map perimeter are on enduro 2 & they are on Fenix 7.. but unfortunately they are not on the Fenix 8 or enduro 3… there’s no way to add or change the navigational layout on these new watches. Awh thanks mate, super appreciate it!

[@dumeac]

@@ActiveIdeas I am sure they will be added on F8 and E3. Maybe that's part of the new software updates. Maybe it will look different.

[@ActiveIdeas]

@dumeac I feel like if they were going to be on the F8 & E3 then the feature would already be on it.. I think they’ve just subtly removed this feature unfortunately 🙈

[@anthonyrampino7734]

Which watch do you prefer for maps and navigation. Im still trying to decide on amoled fenix 8, solar mip fenix 8 or the enduro 3. I know the enduro is cheaper but in for a penny in for a pound at this point. Also, do you think the buttons on the fenix are more durable than the o-rings? At these prices I plan on using the watch for a long time. 😊

[@ActiveIdeas]

The maps on the amoled screen definitely are juicy! Only issue is, I think the 51mm amoled is too heavy.. I tried their smaller 43mm watch and it only gave me 4 days battery life 😅😬 So as much as i prefer the amoled maps.: I much prefer the battery performance of the MIP. The enduro is an undeniably great deal right now.. having 99.9% of the features of a Fenix 8 (minus the speaker and mic, both of which aren’t amazing) you’re getting a fantastic deal. In terms of button durability..: I have no idea. The mechanical buttons of the enduro 3 FEEL much better though.. there’s a proper click to them rather than being spongy with haptic feedback. All the best Ant! 🔥

[@anthonyrampino7734]

@@ActiveIdeas thanks for the advice my friend, much appreciated!

[@tiago6197]

Where is the climb pro and elevation profile? Is a miss on enduro and Fênix 8? And no more bip on Fênix 8,only an inaudible sound in lap pace or countdown before next step on a workout

[@ActiveIdeas]

It’s still here but now it’s in a separate “navigation screen” it’s no longer on the “data screen” which I think is super confusing. Personally I prefer the older way where it’s all just in one place 🤣 Would be cool if Garmin give us the option to add this back, it also looks like we’re missing perimeter map mode and the big directional arrow 😬

[@tiago6197]

@@ActiveIdeas when I commented I didn't realize wow do you get to that menu. I rewind a couple of times and then I tried on my Fênix 8. Don't understand this move 🤷 in the Fênix 7,955 and my old 745 I was able to see all the climbs even before start the activity.

[@ActiveIdeas]

I agree with you Tiago! This new software is confusing… the old ways of doing navigation on Garmin made so much more sense 🤣 Hopefully they change it back or give us more options to customise this 🙈

[@reineroberhaus]

You like this watch ? can you recommend it.

[@ActiveIdeas]

The watch is excellent! Garmin have shown a commitment to fix many of the software issues on the Fenix 8 & Enduro.. give this a few more weeks (or maybe a few months) and it will be one of the best and most reliable watches you can use for hiking 🔥 I’ll also add that the the Enduro 3 is a much better deal than the Fenix 8.. definitely get this one if you’re in the fence ❤️

[@reineroberhaus]

@@ActiveIdeasso I will order Uhr watch tonite 💪🏼

[@ActiveIdeas]

You’re going to love it 👊🏽

[@quagliottovincent]

Hi! So I've been watching a lot of reviews of the F8 and E3... They seem to be ok watches with some software glitches. Do you think the hardware (cpu) is good enough to get rid of these glitches? Will playing in the maps be silky smooth or will there still be lag?

[@ActiveIdeas]

@quagliottovincent just giving it to you straight here.. due to hardware limitations, like you’ve mentioned, the mapping experience is never going to be what most of us would consider “silky smooth”. There are some advantages of slower hardware such as (less power demand) increased battery. But I think in 2024.. we need slightly quicker watches. As for the bugs… hopefully most of them will be fixed or addressed within the very near future. It’s definitely a tough decision but I heard Garmin added a “Fenix 8 Pro MicroLed” to Garmin connect a few weeks back (since removed). Signifying a complete hardware upgrade potentially coming soon (2025). Thoughts?

[@JanSuchomel]

So you cannot put text field over the map any more? That is pretty big fail.

[@ActiveIdeas]

A massive fail which I’ve not seen any other reviewer mention! For people who used navigation a lot in the older watches (me being one of these people) they’ve removed loads of features and navigational customisation. You’re forced to use their new system of doing things which I think most users still find pretty confusing compared to how things used to be. Thanks for the comment Jan ❤️

[@ActiveIdeas]

For the juicy stuff 💦 Skip to 13:30 😏

[@neotokyo385]

🥵

[@ActiveIdeas]

@@neotokyo385😈😈

[@5Komma5]

Don't buy the watch yet if you do back country hiking. You can not load your own maps (OSM) and the Garmin maps will not create routes on any hiking trail I have tried (Black Forest Germany). I bought the Enduro 3 to replace my GPSMAP 66sr but I have to fall back on it whenever I change from the route I previously planed in Base Camp. Even "back to start" will not work as it can not create the route if I am on a hiking trail in the middle of the woods. You can not rely on it! I don't know how Garmin was testing this thing. It is an outdoor sports watch and it can not do turn alerts for routes and routing completely fails if you are not near a city. Wait till next year then check the forums if you are interested in the watch. Right now you should not support this buggy POS.

[@ActiveIdeas]

Thanks for your detailed input dude! Sorry to hear you had such a tough time with it 😬

[@JanSuchomel]

Just create the route on your phone and upload to watch, no? Routing in the watch is not user friendly at all.

[@ActiveIdeas]

This is my approach ❤️

[@010MACS]

Long comment coming sorry - in summary includes some thoughts vertical vs enduro 3 😅 A perspective that might be helpful (or not haha) is coming from a 6X, I’ve really enjoyed the Enduro 3 so far. I think I have been lucky as not really seen the UI bugs, but maybe I will soon. The touch screen, flashlight, and improved accuracy are my favourite upgrades vs the 6X, plus it’s comfier and generally lighter. Day 1 Dragons Back (overall failed to reach my goal of finishing, but had a great day 1 minus an injury taking me out 😢) - used this and the suunto vertical in tandem. Mapping was pretty even on both of them - I did use the “next fork” quite extensively on the Garmin whereas the way point distance countdown on the suunto was brilliant. The climb pro feature on the enduro 3 was elite - having not used it before, I came to rely on it actually knowing I had x hundred meters ascent but in particular the descent. Suunto showed a similar alert but I found the Garmin implementation easier to follow. Accuracy seems the same for both. I get very similar ascent/descent and overall distance each time. Sat IQ vs “best” accuracy. In summary, both pretty much bang on for day to day use. I’m not bothered about the micro analysis that you get on certain channels, but appreciate some are! I really, really like the suunto vertical. But the standby life of the enduro 3 is way better, in my experience. I haven’t been wearing the suunto every day but it is down to 20% (last charged on 20th September) and the enduro 3 has been on my wrist every day and is at 38% (last charged 21st September). I’m building back into training so only about 5hrs per week on them so far, but I use both when training. The suunto app is far better than Garmin. But day to day, I’m enjoying the ease of use better on the enduro. Palming the screen to get back home is much easier than the suunto (if that feature is there please teach me 😂). Interestingly since switching to the nylon strap you use for the suunto, my vertical and enduro are exactly the same weight - 63g, but the enduro is better balanced - now we are nitpicking 😂 I am likely going to sell one, and leaning to the vertical to go at the moment. I would miss it for sure. Interestingly the heart rate on the vertical has been pretty much the same as the enduro in every session I have done - not sure if that means the vertical heart rate is not as bad as people made out, or the enduro is worse and no one is saying! Literally a few bps difference between average and maximum - so it’s great. Power reading much higher on Garmin vs suunto, usually 100W+. No idea which is better 🤷 but overall I am loving the enduro that little bit more and for £760 I think it’s a great price.

[@ActiveIdeas]

I absolutely LOVE this breakdown! You bring up some really great points and insights. Super sorry to hear about not meeting your goal of finishing the Dragons Back! I’ve been lucky enough not to DNF a big race yet but I know that when I inevitably do, I’m going to find it tough. Do you reckon you’ll head back in 2025 or 2026 to finish off the deeds? Really cool to hear that you experienced extremely similar gps & HR accuracy on both 🔥 I havent had the time yet to test the battery life differences but seems like you’re getting quite a bit more on Enduro.. having 18% more on the enduro probably equates to like a whole extra week of use 🙈🤣 All the best mate! And good luck with training and bouncing back ❤️

[@010MACS]

@@ActiveIdeas thanks mate! Happy to help with specifics if you have any questions since I know you’ll be busy enough with other tests! Already signed up for 2025 💪 can’t leave it at “injury”, didn’t get a chance to properly test my training. So hoping for better running next time 😃

[@ActiveIdeas]

@010MACS I love this!! I’m going to try get into UTMB over Christmas and if I can’t… dragons back 2025 is calling me 😍