Garmin fenix 6 Solar, Solar-powered Multisport GPS Watch
Garmin fenix 6 Solar, Solar-powered Multisport GPS Watch, Advanced Training Features and Data, Silver with Black Band
PERFORMANCE DESIGNBuilt with premium performance materials, for outstanding quality.
” data-position=”triggerHorizontal” />BEST TRAINING AND PERFORMANCENew sports apps integrated like Surf, Indoor Climb and enhanced MTB, Back and Cross Country Skiing plus adding a Performance Widget for training status, load and recovery time.
” data-position=”triggerHorizontal” />
THE FĒNIX SERIES – From Garmin
 FĒNIX 6 SOLAR |  FĒNIX 6 |  FĒNIX 5 PLUS |  FĒNIX 5S PLUS | |
| Garmin Pay | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Solar Charging | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
| Pulse Ox Sensor | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ |
| Mapping function | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ |
| Display Size | 1.3 inches, 33.02 mm diameter | 1.3 inches, 33.02 mm diameter | 1.2 inches, 30.4 mm diameter | 1.2 inches, 30.4 mm diameter |
| GPS mode battery | up to 40hrs | up to 36hrs | up to 18hrs | up to 11hrs |
| Dimensions: | 14 x 0.5 x 3.47 cm; 85 Grams |
| Model: | 010-02410-00 |
| Batteries Included: | 1 Lithium Polymer batteries required. (included) |
| Manufacture: | Garmin |
| Dimensions: | 14 x 0.5 x 3.47 cm; 85 Grams |
After 3 years of recovering from illness I bought this to help motivate me back into a more active lifestyle. Having owned a basic running watch years ago. Garmin 410 I am amazed at the variety of functions this watch has. So far used it for Gym workouts. Swimming, cycling and walking. Simple to use and set up out of the box. Highly recommended this for multisports enthusiasts it’s an absolute Gem
Does everything I need for running, cycling, sleep tracking, swimming, triathlon etc
Upgraded from a FitBitt and this is incomparable. I’m really happy with my purchase its made getting fit a lot easier and I am now adicated to reading the stats and being able to map my progress each day.
Wife is really happy with this watch. Amazing battery life and perfect for everything she needs to track her fitness. No issues at all.
Only issue I would say is that the app doesn’t let you customize your metrics such as kg for weights and miles for bike – km for running etc… Would be super useful as someone from England to be able to do this.
Fantastic watch, with brilliant features.
Sadly I had to return mine as because it’s the X model it’s just so big. And I’m not a small chap.
Went for the 6 pro solar instead which I find a lot more comfortable
Now to the downsides – its not perfect. I actually find the battery lasts slightly less than my old 5s did. Which is a shame as I tend to do a lot of distance events which require battery for 10+ hours with GPS and this watch can ‘just’ about make it. I can’t say I’ve noticed the gps being any better than before, even though it supposed to be more accurate.
I’m glad I upgraded but am a little disappointed with the same battery life as before.
I suffer from arterial flutter and so though it would be handy to have a contestant rate measure. Having had several catheter ablations (burning out nerves in the heart) I can not longer feel what my heart is doing, so I had to purchase a quite expensive blood pressure monitor that can also detect AF. Of course this is a big piece of kit and not really mobile.
So far the heart rate reading measured against my blood pressure monitor are spot on accurate. The sleep measurement also seems quite accurate as checking it after waking and feeling like I could have done with another few hours it des say poor rated sleep and alternatively when waking up feeling like I slept for days, it says I had a good sleep. It provides measurements for the time you were light or heavy sleeping, the time you were in REM and time you were awake.
The alarms are neat and have thus far woken me up at the required time. I do not use it for exercise as my choice of fitness workout is Inline and roller skating. An activity not covered by Garmin and so far I have not found an app or widget that is really correctly designed for skating.
The battery life is outstanding. As mentioned I have the health sensors on full time as well as the GPS trackers and blue tooth connected to my watch providing notification’s and several other bits of info and I get a couple of days over the indicated14 days from a full charge (. Out of the two days that have thus far been sunny the solar face over an hour and a half of constant exposure to the sun gave me back around 2% of battery). So whilst I do not think it would be possible to run this on solar alone, when summer arrives I expect to get at least another week out of a charge. Also if I chose to run it in battery saver mode, turning off all the sensors and GPS, it indicates that it will give me nearly a month on a full charge. Eat that Apple, you I’watch users.
Brilliant watch. Smart features are a bit flaky and not a touch screen. Garmin pay is very limited and awful unless you have a card from a middle earth bank. Fitness features are outstanding. I did consider returning it. Still hanging on with it and hoping I’ll get used to it.
Later update: 1. You have to have the app open on yr fone in order to get notifications and 2. I cannot get outlook to sync never mind display notifications. I’m still inside the 30 day periodand I’m really tempted to return this watch.
Update 3 month in. I love it it’s great.
Well, well, well, what a change.
I took this device mainly because of swimming, however on every step I was pleasantly surprised.
Used it once for running and showed up pretty accurate. Bicycle use was great as well.
Swimming was a bit touch and go.
It gets pretty easily confused sometimes by a stop mid lane and adds one length.
Sleep tracking works mostly ok. Couple of times I found that ten minutes or so it hasn’t switched off my sleep cycle.
However the battery is terrible! About four to five days with all the functions running 24/7
Generally quite happy with i
Great watch for the purpose I bought it, I love stats and that is what I get.
I am not convinced the heart rate monitor is accurate mind you, but data fields are perfect for my requirements.
Overall I’m still pleased (esp with battery life – around 15 – 20 days per charge.)
Moved up from 235. I know it was big but was not expecting it to be this big – and heavy. It is also hard and probably
impossible to fasten down if you have a slimmer wrist. I will likely stick with the 235 for races and use this for long runs and exploring.
I am very happy with the watch in general. However, it took me a while to get used to the lack of touchscreen.
PROS: I did a few scuba dives with it (-20m) and it worked fine.
Battery lasts a lot. I can track at least 10h worth of activity with no issues
Contactless payments
Ant+ support – I can connect it to my power meter
Supports lots of sports
Sleep monitoring
Charges fast
CONS: I also wanted to use the maps function to navigate on the rides but I found that difficult.
Garmin pay is limited to a few banks
It takes a while to get used to some of the functions but once you get the gist of it it’s really a great watch.
My initial impressions: the Fenix 6 Pro is chunky, and sits taller than a fitbit – initially I was wary, but it sits very comfortably and looks well – it just took a few days to get used to it. Now I would find it weird to go back. Likewise physical buttons were a change from touch screen – but these work in all weather, rain, or with running or cycling gloves on – they just work. The lack of touch screen means a clear always-on display, with a light button for use at night. If you are running, holding it to view it will auto light it for you.
There are so many options and features on this watch that initially it seems too much – likewise the many options for data fields when running etc. But you just search for what you need up front, then over time keep learning and customising it, and it can give you whatever views and data you want.
The tracking on exercise is superb, with good recommendations, and planning for rest times or variations. Likewise HR monitoring, sleep tracking, stress, and the Garmin “body battery” concept.
Battery life is incredible. If I just used it as a watch, I could get 12 days+ off a charge, although it’s more like a week with a few long runs/cycles, and I also sync podcasts to it and play straight from my watch while I run. I can leave my phone if needs be without issue.
The always-on screen works, and while I did not opt for a top line model with Sapphire screen shielding, the regular one has taken knocks without any visible marking. While locking my bike, I dragged the glass hard along a sharp metal edge on the fork of the bike, and thought I had ****ed it, but there;s only a very faint ghost line that I have to tilt and look for to see it. The glass is very scratch resistant.
It’s not a cheap watch – I bought mine on Black Friday – but it’s really impressed me and a yea ron I’m still very happy with it. Rock solid construction, best in class battery with an always on screen, a wide range of different fitness tracking options with far more depth than casual trackers like Fitbit. I highly recommend it for someone looking to take their fitness tracking to the next level.
The device itself is amazing, battery life is around a couple of weeks and you have the ability to tailor your battery mode to requirements i.e turn off various battery hungry features for example to extend life if needed. In contrast my older Apple watch needed charging every day!
Activity tracking is as good as ever with the 6 Pro, running and swimming are my main interests, I use a different device for cycling. Step counting on my older 3 was a little erratic it wouldn’t for example always record steps if you were pushing a bike but would record steps occasionally when changing gear in the car. The 6 by contrast seems to be able to overcome these issues and “seems” more accurate.
The display is bright and clear, at first I was not sure about the new interface however after a few days I have come to love it. Watch faces can be installed as per other Garmin devices so you can have the face you want with the features you want. The device connects to your phone so you can get notifications, you can even apparently setup Garmin Pay should you want to make small purchases with it, not actually something I need.
I haven’t used the navigation feature yet either but have looked at the maps and like the ability to view popularity overlays. I don’t play music on it but understand you can use Spotify or another music provider to save carrying a portable player although expect this would drain your battery quicker. The device has Wifi so you can upload your music easily.
Overall I’m really pleased with my Garmin Fenix 6 Pro and would recommend it to anyone who wants a watch that encompasses pretty much everything, is highly customiseable and with a battery that last a week or two between charges.
I am 5″4 size 6-8 and have the Fenix 6 Pro and it fits my wrist so well, doesnt move about and doesnt weigh much, in case any other ladies were interested in the difference. The battery life is better than the Fenix 6S which was designed for women, not sure why they didn’t get the same battery life across the models but compared to my Apple watch which sometimes didn’t last a whole day before dying this is amazing! I can even go away to a festival for a weekend and not have to worry about having my watch charger with me.
LONG LIVE GARMIN WATCHES…well Fenix anyway 😉
This review is for the 6 not the 6x.
Great watch, loads of features, rugged build. Too much to list here but if you’re into sport or anything where you might want GPS without lugging a bigger device, this is great.
It’s a little bulky, part of its charm, but it takes some getting used to to wear at night and sometimes I take it off. My previous vivoactive 3 never caused me any bother. But the upside is several weeks battery life even when doing a few activities a week.
I’d read reviews saying the 6x was then to go for as it has a bigger screen and can have more fields. My eyesight at 48 isn’t great so I hold the watch at arms length to view while running. Even so the 6 is fine, I just have less fields shown at once so they’re bigger. The 6x just looked ridiculous on my male relatively skinny wrist. The 6x also has longer battery, but I get 3 weeks on the 6 – how much are can you need unless you’re an extreme athlete/adventurer!
The display is lower res than something like an Apple Watch, but who cares. My wife’s Apple Watch needs charging every night, and wouldn’t last even one long cycle ride. It does have cooler watch faces and looks so crisp, but as a sports/adventure watch, the Fenix really hits the mark.And I’m an Apple guy for several decades. But I have a Fenix and an Edge on my bike.
Absolutely love it.
There is a new model coming out imminently though, which is a bit annoying as you know your device wont be supported for long even though you’re only just bought it – Garmin do update the Fenix brand quite well, but never with new features so bear that in mind……
I wanted a forerunner 945 but there was no reduction for black friday. The finix 6 was reduced considerably & has the same feature set so the decision was made. Overall it has surpassed expectations. I was not sure about wearing a monitor all the time, but this has changed my mind.
Physically it is much nicer in person than in pictures. I wanted the 945 as i thought the fenix would be too big but its nicely proportioned. Its not in any way heavy, sits well on my wrist, and does not get in the way.
It looks good, kind of like a refined G-Shock.
Ive cycled, ran and done some strength workouts with it and its comfortable for all, although care is needed during strength workouts not to forget about it and bump it aginst kettlebells/barbells/dumbbells etc. It feels like it would take abuse but i still dont want to test it.
GPS is fantastically accurate, it tracks the road perfectly on the bike and during a run.
Heart rate monitoring seems accurate. ive been comparing it to my Samsung health heart tracker and it usually matches perfectly, it is inaccurate however if the strap is too tight, but its easy to find the right point, as its exactly where the watch feels comfortable.
I’ve worn it for sleep and have not found it awkward or annoying at all. I cannot comment on its sleep accuracy, but the amount of deep sleep/rem time it registers does coincide with when i wake up refreshed and rested vs groggy.
Battery life is excellent. Out of the box it had just under 50% and after 8 days it was at 18%, at which point i charged it just because i was heading out for a cycle. in that time it had two cycles and a run using the GPS.
The “MOVE!” notifications are great, and made me realize that I dont move much from one end of the day to the other when working, so now i get up every hour for a quick stroll and stretch.
It does notifications well too, letting me know if the phone is ringing, if i have a meeting or if i got a message. I expected nothing in this area as i read it was poor as a smart watch, but it does everything that i need and more.
Nothing is perfect, and the biggest negative is its tracking of strength workouts. the rep counter is poor, and its a bit of a chore overall to create workouts & then use the watch correctly while doing workouts, often while gassed and not in the best shape for concentration. Ive found it best to enter workouts in via the app, track the rounds with the watch as im working out and correct the reps and times afterwards. not ideal but it suffices and allows me to keep all workouts in garmin connect.
I would dock only half a star for this, but unfortunately thats not possible on Amazon.
Will give an update after a few months to notify future potential buyers if everything is still living up to expectations.
Update after 7 months:
Still a fantastic piece of kit, one of the very very few items that has lived up to expectations.
Cons Garmin Pay not as good as Apple pay, size and price.
Ok, I’m an apple fan boy and love my Apple watch, however I also run 25 miles a week and cycle about 30 miles a week and I have to say the Garmin is amazing..
The battery life is said to be 21 days, well like anything use it hard and you wont get 21 days but you will get over a week using it daily which compared to an Apple watch that im used to charging daily is a massive improvement.
I like to do a different run each Sunday and the maps are just well “Amazing”, “outstanding”, I use strava heatmaps to pick popular routes and plan them myself or more often than not I just copy somebodies’ else route from Strava and hit the download GPX file, I upload this into the watch using Garmin connect on my PC.
The Garmin pay is not in the same league as Apple pay and only works with a handful of banks in the UK so this is disappointing, however I got myself a Revolut pre-paid card that cost me 5 and I do have to pre load it with some funds but this works fine and overcomes that issue on not working with Uk banks. I guess buying a coffee with you phone when out for a run its worth this slight hassle, But Garmin pay not being as good as Apple pay is my only gripe with the watch.
Everything else is better than Apple. You are paying for top of the range with this item and it’s a good allrounders watch, its great for skiing, cycling, swimming and running. well almost any sport really. However, if you don’t go on the beaten track and don’t need the mapping you can save money with a cheaper version. However even if you only use the map function a couple of times a year its great to have.
Its big, this I got the larger 51mm version and it wont suit small wrists and without meaning to seem sexist I think its more a Man size watch, not everybody will like the size but I have poor eyesight and the larger screen is great for me.
So amazing watch, 100% recommend with Garmin pay being my only gripe, well and the price. Its expensive.. last years model the Fenix 5x pro is 100 cheaper and can pick up used on other marketplaces from 300 so only real decision for me was go new or save 200 and get a Fenix 5x pro. Not sure that the 6x was worth the extra 200 over the 5x model but due to my more eye sight and loved the larger screen.
Beware if looking at cheaper models that not all garmin Fenix models have maps and it’s the mapping that is the jewel in the crown for me. Really easy to follow all running routes, easy to plan routes.
For cycling the Fenix is not as good as top of the range cycle computers, something like a Wahoo bolt computers tell you about strava segments so this Fexnix wont replace at decent cycle computer but will do most Mid-level cycling features.
As others have said Heart rate monitor not as good as chest strap but Ill be honest its pretty close and for daily use it works fine. It’s the best on a watch ive ever seen and much better than an apple watch.
For me I could just use strava on my iwatch or iphone, both have music and did I really need a garmin watch? No I could have mad do with my iphone and my iwatch, but honeslty I don’t regret buying it the battery life and the maps are class leading. The test message notifications are really good, the music is really good. If money is no object or your thinking do I get the new iwatch model or a Garmin Fenix.. Go for the Fenix. It will take you a couple of weeks to get used to it but once you do you wont look back.
The garmin watchs are NOT touch screen and this is one of the biggest differences to an iwatch. I found the buttons fiddly and I didn’t like it at first, I had to learn what each button did. I even had to read the instruction manual which is not something you ever need to do with a iwatch. Even after owning it for 3 months I asked another garmin user how to record lap times on a track and sure enough simple click of a button but if you don’t know which button to press.. So it does so much its worth reading the instructions to get the most out of this watch.
Also its not a stand along watch for me, I have to sync to my PC once a week to load running routes, it uploads to strava daily via Bluetooth to my phone do you don’t need to sync do your PC but if you are looking to make routes and programme running routes you will need a PC or laptop at home.
Garmin connect links to mapmyride and mayuprun and strava as well as many other running apps.
So first up it does what I wanted, its expensive but it does all that I needed, used successfully as a bike computer (using the additional bike mount), syncs with speed cadence and polar H10 heart monitor. Also used to record daily exercise in the gym and on the treadmill using the H10 HRM. I would recommend the watch but also list here the things i found out that i would have liked to know before i made the purchase.
The bluetooth from the watch for listening to music etc will not work with all headphones – do your research. Works with my Sony WH-1000XM3 but they arent my usual choice when exercising. Did not work with my Soundpeats TruEngine SE. Have bought another pair (MPOW M30 Uprated) to try which have dual earpiece BT receivers to see if that helps.
The charging cable is proprietry and you need to take the watch off to charge.
The sleep tracking (one of the reasons i bought it….is horrendous. I am back to using my phone to track sleep and updating manually into the app.
The phone will not connect to my work WiFi network (only network i have access to) which needs a password and user name so I have to tether via my phone or laptop and this has caused issues with syncing spotify playlists or podcasts.
Updating music or podcasts via a tethered spotify connection is a pain – i still carry my phone when walking….its just the easier option right now until i can try with a direct wifi connection. 4 attempts to upload a 90 min podcast, no success. Shorter podcasts worked and spotify playlists worked but took around 15 minuts to upload a 100 track playlist.
The Garmin apps for tracking meditation or yoga arent very flexible so I just track the basic metrics.
Overall the watch is helping me with tracking water intake, daily step and exercise etc, the web app then helps by being able to trend for the month and increase your awareness of areas to improve.
It looks amazing and despite being a little bit heavy, the rubber strap held it comfortably in position and I barely noticed it on my wrist.
The GPS accuracy was spot on, as was the HR and ox sensors but as I have discovered with other Garmin watches, the altimeter was not so accurate, putting me at -100ft below sea level when I was up a mountain and could see the sea 450ft below.
I am told there are different settings to correct this but for a 500+ watch, this should be a straight out of the box working feature IMO.
The battery life was impressive, compared with my old Garmin Instinct, I could get a week of use, including 10+hrs of GPS tracking and still have more than 20% left.
If you’re thinking of buying this as a fitness watch and this is at the top end of your budget, I would recommend choosing something lighter and with less features and saving the rest of your money for something that will make your sport more enjoyable.
This watch is for an extreme minimalist outdoorsman who wants the luxury of GPS, music, fitness tracking (and a wallet, where you can use Garmin pay) without having to carry a phone.
For those who think it might be too big on your wrist like I thought (I’m 5’7 and weigh approx. 175) and am used to watches that are about 42mm by 12-13mm…so the Fenix 6 coming it at circa. 47mm, I thought would be a bit much. But I was pleasantly surprised that it doesn’t look too chunky and the added display size and battery duration is 100% worth it.
Some reviews speak about the HRM not being accurate…to be honest, I found that if you don’t put it in a particular activity mode, it is not going to monitor your HR accurately – I tested this by cycling with a chest HRM strap on and whilst I was at 160+ on the chest strap the Fenix wasn’t going above 100 bpm whilst not in a particular activity mode. However, once you switch it into cycling or indoor cycling, the HRM was much more accurate and was often 1 or 2 beats within range of the chest strap – this might have to do with battery saving when you are not in an activity mode, but I’m not sure. That being said…I’m happy with the accuracy and can’t complain as I plan to set it to the activity I plan to workout on when using it anyway. So far I have also done runs with it and the activity monitoring was bang on. (please remember to update the software as well when you get your watch, as it could have been sat in the warehouse for a while…)
As expected, I love how it gives you all the metrics you may wish to track/use..VO2, cadences, elevation, recommended recovery times, Loads, pace, speed, heart rate, aerobic training effect, hydration, respiration etc…and that’s just a few from running.
There’s a lot more you can do using the Garmin app on your phone and I haven’t tested it all out yet, but look forward to in the future.
Finally, the build quality is excellent and is all out of metal…including the buttons, which feel great and have good feedback when you press them. It also looks great.
For anyone getting the non-sapphire crystal like I did, I’d recommend you get a screen protector (I got the ones by VGUARD) as well as a dust plug for the charging port (got KIMILAR) just to add some extra durability to your watch.
100% recommend and if you get one, enjoy it!
My husband purchased this for me as an anniversary gift and it’s overall really fantastic!
My favourite things:
1) I have managed to download free GPX maps of of all my planned long runs, including the ultra trail. This watch allows you to also do the course in reverse to mix things up! I am doing more trail & fell runs now and don’t need to keep a physical map for navigation.
2) The battery life is 9days!! Ok this is a lot lower with GPS on but still covers my 4hr to 10hr races. It’s such a relief to know your watch isn’t going to die on you half-way through a race and you can revel in the data afterwards.
3) The 6S Pro is a lot smaller on my wrist than my current Polar watch. I can’t tell I’m even wearing it on runs it’s so comfortable.
4) I love the fact you can customise the watch face. It’s a small detail but I have: battery, full date, time and hr visible.
5) Great watch if your clumsy…this is one tough but if kit! I’ve only had it a couple of weeks but have already dropped it on tiled flooring glass down AND tripped up on very rough terrain during a run But no damage done- not even a scratch!
There are so many things to like but those are my top ones.
Things that could be improved:
1) Ok so many have reviewed that the HR is inaccurate. I can confirm this. I wore both my hr watches at the same time and the farming is 10bpm higher than Polar. Polar have great reliability one of the best and most accurate on the market. Therefore, I am inclined to take Polar reading as more accurate. Consequently, I have purchased a chest hr monitor to gain more accuracy. Haven’t tried this yet so unable to comment.
2) Pricey! Come on Garmin reduce the price so mere mortals can enjoy your amazing products! (I can’t believe my husband actually got this for me. He’s just the best ever.)
3) Garmin Pay does NOT work! NatWest and First Direct have NOT yet agreed to use this method of payment, so I currently am unable to use. I even tried a credit card and they have also refused. I can only conclude this has something to do with the lack of security offered whilst using the payment system.
4) Charge port has exposed pins for charging cable connection. I really hope this does not corrode with sweat (!)
I had this problem with two previous Polar models which I washed every time (and dried) after use but this failed to prevent damage. Polar did kindly replace my watch free of charge very quickly no quibble, and clearly learned a lesson, as all newer models were sealed.
All in all, it’s an amazing watch and if it stays problem free it will certainly be the best I’ve had.
+ Strong battery life, even for the 6s. It lasts around 4 days while using GPS for shorter runs (>10 km) and checking stuff every now and then. I aim to use it for a 24 hour walk in Wales and can be confident it will last with navigation.
+ GPS and music without carrying my phone, cheaper wearOS devices would need the phone with one all the time
+ Advanced running and fitness stats, including a decent Garmin Coach program. Great for race planning and preparation.
+ Very light weight compared to other watches, esp. compared with the Fenix 6 Pro
+ The body battery, sleep analysis and pulse oxygen measurements are very useful for general physiology
Cons:
– 300 GBP more expensive than other watches that can navigate, pace runs and play music
– no control for music on the phone, only for tracks directly on the watch
– Street navigation more cumbersome than Google Maps (Nevertheless, Sendpoints is a great help in putting in new locations from the phone)
– The weather app is not the most accurate data provider, way overestimates probability of rain
– The strap is quite thin and the watch small. Great for running but a sophisticated urbanist with bigger forearms than mine might find this watch too small and unaesthetic