Garmin Fenix 2, better than 910xt? (Page 3)

I've had similar tracking issues with the Fenix 2....I'm just about ready to do a replacement through Garmin support.

FEDEX came after I left work, so I am setting up the watch now. Battery was completely dead, so I will need to let it charge before heading to the pool for a late lunchtime swim. First thoughts are that it is a very nice looking watch and I am definitely a fan of the round face. I *think* I've configured it the way I want, but we will see. You have to use the Movescount website to configure the watch, which is both better and worse. It's better in that you do it on a large screen with the mouse, it's worse if I have it wrong as you can't change it while away from the computer. Like any other multifunction watch, it takes some learning regarding what buttons do what.

I can't make sense of my first swim. It appears to track distance very accurately, but the laps are all messed up. I should have just let it count all the laps. The first few are perfect, but then I got into my drills and it's a mess. Clearly I paused it or manually inserted laps incorrectly. I need to read the manual! Tomorrow I'm doing a brick workout, and Sunday OWS. Hopefully I can figure it out by Monday!

My swim coach was the lifeguard at the pool today, which didn't help. She smiled and handed me a workout.

I wish the manual did a better job of explaining the different modes available. For sure it worked fine when I was just swimming laps, but then it got very confused (or maybe I did) when I finished my warm up and started with kicking, pull, and speed drills.

I've had near perfect indoor swim performance from my Ambit2.  Even when i've missed the wall on a flip turn.  it maybe misses one lap out of 100.

Firstly- put it in Swim mode, hold down the 'next' button, >Swimming >Teach Swimming.  Swim a lap of each stroke and it will teach the watch your strokes.  (don't worry, if you've started the move, it will include those laps in your swimming total- so, it stays as part of your workout.  This definitely improves the accuracy.

The second tip:  Start the move- and then don't touch the start/stop or lap button for the rest of your swim.  you can switch screens or view variables (the bottom display), but there's no need to start/stop or indicate sets or laps.   the watch does all that for you.  

go to movescount and set up what you want to display.  Use the "interval" variables as your set info.  I've got the total workout distance fixed on the top display, then my interval (set) distance large and in the middle. (it never ceases to amaze me how often I think I've done 200 yards, when I've only done 150), and then on the bottom, I'll have rest time displayed.  (or interval pace, or interval duration... depending on my mood).  The middle display is big and clear, and that's the one that you'll want to use to see while you're swimming.  Generally after you come off the wall, and before you take your first stroke.

After you finish your 'set'.   it will take the Ambit about 5 seconds to figure out that you stopped swimming.  At which point it will tell you your set time/pace/rest time, etc from the time that you stopped.  It will subtract off the amount of time the watch took to figure out that you stopped- so don't worry about that.

The watch is great.  How movescount displays swim data... well, that pretty much sux.  You'd think it would give you all your set times, distances and paces- but instead it gives you a line for every lap, and a line for every rest, and I don't know what else.  it's a general mess.

Oh- for 'drills'.  Kicks and stuff that might not register if you're not moving your arm- hit the 'next' button > swimming > drill.  At which point you can manually put in the number of drill laps you did or are doing.  

Thanks a ton.You just saved me hours of figuring all that out.

I was also frustrated with the transition issue for Triathlon, but found out it just took a reset after updating to the new firmware, and voila! Just created a bike/transition/run multisport for tomorrow's brick workout.

Get any further chance to use your new watch over the weekend Brian?

I went to REI yesterday to check out the Ambit2 and the Fenix 2. Fit and finish seemed to be a bit better on the Ambit. However it does have a pre-curve to it's strap, so while it fit fine on my wrist, it did not fit my wife very well. 

They didn't have the Sapphire in stock so I will have to order, will probably do that today.

I didn't see it mentioned here, but another thing to consider with the Fenix 2 is that it won't work for a pool swim tri.  The only option for the swim in it's multisport mode is open water.

Well I just hit the button. Get that queasy feeling dropping a bunch of cash on a "not-completely-essential-but-i-really-want-it" item. Went for the Ambit2 Sapphire. Good deal at $450 with the REI sale this week. Should have it by Friday they say. Looking forward to trying it out on my 109 mile ride this Saturday.