I’m worried my Fenix 6X won’t track as properly as the 955 during a 100 mile race. Funny part is that I’ll never run a 100 mile race…but I’m still worried 😂
The 6x GPS tracks aren’t terrible but these newer watches are certainly a step up. Good news is that during a 100 miler your tracks don’t really need to be perfect 😂 all that really matters is that your watch says “100” at the finish. 99.7 would trigger me!
@@orangbaik99not at 100%. The software is less "polished" on the 955. The Fenix line has the power management and (on some versions) a sapphire screen, that the 955 don't have.
Congrats! The 955 performed expertly during my 100 miler at Yeti 100 washington. My one hiccup was with LiveTrack. It ended exactly at 24 hours, when I was at mile 92.
Dave, I have completed a few half marathons last year, and I am looking to run a full as soon as I heal from an injury. Thanks for your videos and hard work sir. I also want to start running 50ks....stay positive and injury free sir.
having just purchased a 955 as my first garmin, this video has helped so much in reducing battery and customising the workout screens! thank you so much!
I just used the 955 solar during western states 100! it performed well, but I ran the basic GPS mode, without GLONASS or Multiband. I did get poor GPS signal in some of the canyons and wish I ran GLONASS also but the battery was at 55% when I finished in 23:30. It also read 102.2 so 2 extra miles during the GPS connection issues
Well done, crazy achievement. Found the Garmin stamina bit interesting. I'd categorize stamina running out as having no power left above your easy pace rather than a lack of ability to carry on.
I suppose that would make sense. However, I was "running" right up until around the 10 hour mark at a pretty consistent pace. Where stamina showed it die off after 6 hours.
@@ChaseTheSummit I think we're making slightly different points. You can still run at an easy pace after your 'stamina' is fully depleted. It's everything faster than that the gauge is saying you cannot do from the point you've got to zero. The stamina gauge is probably a more useful tool for intervals and racing over the more regular distances than for ultras where it seems to create debate.
.4 miles difference is an excellent result! It might even be spot on but how would you know if you have been running exactly on the path where the 100miles were measured. Impossible task. I think that the Stamina feature will become more accurate/practical on ultra running when there is an easy method to input energy & water intake during ultra long activity.
Down the rabbit hole of looking for a long lasting battery and accurate tracking watch to monitor distance during ultras. This definitely makes the short list, cheers mate 👍
Just changed from AWS6 to the 955 for readiness stats. Strength training and bike/swim HIIT in my fifties, training in the morning, I quickly need to know if I am ready to train and how hard, and also what to do about it. And the 955 stats have been gold even this first week.
I have the 955 Solar and had one issue on a 15 km run. The watch entirely restarted after 4 km. Since the activity was still running I didn't care a lot. But as the activity was finished the recorded track was just the 4 km. Pace was also faulty. Since then I've never had this issue again. Really love this watch!
I agree the HRV is sweet. I have a good hrv trend for the past couple of weeks. Crashed my bike yesterday with some good injuries. My hrv last night was about 50ms less than baseline.
Great video man I'm really impressed and enjoying my 955 . The workout tracking capabilities motivate me to press on with my training and workouts lol. I also like the stat review feature in the watch. I haven't did a ultra marathon run yet but I'm decent on a good 5 miler on a good day ✌🏿
Thanks for a great video. I love my 955 and used it for a full IM where it worked flawlessly. I love the additional recovery metrics incl hrv and sleep quality that creates focus and attention for me.
Are you curently use in ultra running? I am considering to buy It instead Fenix just because I don’t want anorher bulky watch. But I am think if about It because of the battery life
Congratulations on your 100 miler 👍🏼! Regarding the Stamina metrics, just as with Body Battery, as long as a watch hasn't read our personal lowest HRV it cannot predict how low it could potentially go and hence that one's metabolism is still able to perform exercise at that low level. Seems like you are able to keep on running with your system already in recovery metabolism due to the several previous hours of exertion. A watch would assume that at this HRV you can't perform anymore because normal human beings (i.e. non-ultra runners = 99.99% of population) don't train to be able to do this. If your watch learned from this then perhaps for your next long run (with this watch) the Stamina metrics will be better adjusted, as with the 'Performance Condition' metric. Cheers
So it seems like the 955 could make it 46.5 hours with your settings, especially the solar version. Also, if you use a clock screen use the one called Time of Day. It has no seconds and might offer more battery savings if you leave it on that screen while running.
The screen on the 955 is much more readable than the fenix 7 lineup. Maybe the new pro version is an improvement, but saphire and/or solar probably impacts the readability/natural brightness. I returned the fenix 7 solar I was comparing the 955 to. Fenix has a fancier high end look, but I’m happy with the simple light weight 955. I’ll consider the fenix 8 or 9 when they come out if they are as readable as the 955.
On the solar one the battery is really good, i am actually impressed. The battery (with all the gps active and a heart rate monitor ) decreases really slow. Sometimes, with good sun light, it doesn't decrease at all.
Love my GFR955, got the non solar version as the screen looks better imo - can't fault it so far, simply the best bang for buck running watch you can buy at the moment.
@@ChaseTheSummit How is the instant pace with the 955? I am always frustrated when I go for a run with my Fenix 6x Pro and the pace jumps up and down while I am running on an consistent pace. Is the instant pace on the 955 more accurate?
Hey, I think it's worth to mention about disabling: - seconds on the watch face (it helps a bit, generally the simpler and original watch face the better), - sounds and vibe (vibrations especially), - data recording frequency (smart consumes less energy). What about races in the EU mountains? Any plans for that? ;)
Thanks for sharing some tips! I plan on traveling more in the future. I'd love to see more of the world but unfortunately it's a bit expensive right now to get around!
@@ChaseTheSummit unfortunately everything went up. If (one day) you would like to try yourself in a bit different environment then I can recommend you mountains in Croatia (but be aware of the heat), Romania (similar to Croatia but not that hot), Poland (weather can surprise, but it's ok and you can find plenty of challenging races there). And after the run try some local (not the stuff for tourists...) and traditional food and %%. Your recovery time will be shorter. ;) Enjoy the day!
Love seeing the accuracy of GPS only mode. I’ve been using multi band on the trails here on my fenix 7 but I may experiment the same route twice: once with multiband and once with GPS only and see how different they are.
Hello Dave, fantastic video, amazing achievement! I consider buying FR955 and probably it will be my next sport smartwach from Garmin. I like your reviews. Greetings from PL :)
Thank you for the video. very useful insights. I am planning to upgrade from my 5 years old Vivoactive 3 watch to newer garmin watch. My vivoactive has served me very well over the last 5 years. But I see a lot of improvements in the garmin watches. I am double minded between the Venu 2 plus and Forerunner 955. I may get the Solar version Forerunner 955 which should last me another 5 years or so hopefully.
This has solidified my decision on this watch! After watching tons of videos on different watch brands, their apps and communities and their features I chose a Garmin. Then I had to decide which one... so many options lol. Coming from a Fitbit I wasn’t aware of all the options. This one and the 255 were my choices but I want to do more hiking/outdoor activities that would require more mapping and I love the amount of data the 955 gives. It’s like a personal trainer built in! Thanks for the video and rest well you did awesome I can’t imagine such a long distance and I aspire to do that one day! Thanks for the screen protector tip also, do you think it’ll have a big impact if I get the solar one to have a screen protector on it?
@@ChaseTheSummit is the version in the video the solar one? If not I may not even use the solar one since you got such great range/charge. Thanks for the reply!
Thanks so much for your videos (also the one comparing with Fenix 7). I still cant decide betweeen FR955 and Fenix 7 - here in Germany both watches are now available for the same price. I definitely like the look of the Fenix better but I do quite some running and I am wondering about the weight difference. I would assume you get used to the heavier weight but would be interested in what you think about this point as an extreme endurance runner (my runs are usually between 10-15 k). Anyway, thanks a lot for your work on YT! Greetings from Munich where I hope to test the stamina feature soon on the Octoberfest ;-)
The Fenix 7 is much heavier. The 955 disappears on my wrist - those 20g make a difference. Fenix 7 Base and solar also only have 16gb, 955 has 32gb and all maps preloaded. F7 does NOT have Multi-Band. Buttons feel nice on the F7. Returned my F7 after 2 days and bought the 955 at Sport Schuster. Greetings from Munich as well ;)
@@driventomadness117 Thank you! Eventually I came to the same conclusion after visiting the Garmin sotre. The Fenix 7 is too heavy for me. I will get the FR955. See you at the Isar😀
Stamina will increase the more long distance events you do. Mine was showing 30km distance left, until I ran a 48km trail race, next time I ran it was 63km.
The stamina graph may be inaccurate because the watch is probably still learning you. It took approximately 3 months for my new Fenix 7 to learn my specific body and now it shows the remaining stamina distance and the remaining time pretty accurate.
I’ve been wearing the 955 for a couple of months and a Fenix 7 / Epix before that. I think it’s “learned” I just think a 25 hour activity may not be the ideal use case for it 😂
@@ChaseTheSummit I have just checked and during my last 42K + 2000 meters vert run the stamina dropped from 100% to 41% after 6.5 hours of running. Yes, I agree that you still can run much longer after it drops to 1%. And by the way I use the stamina distance and time remaining instead of the percentage.
OMG, The bezel gap is as big as Pacific Ocean. This watch is one step back in terms of design due to that huge black border around the screen. You can have a clear view of it on 7:34.
That's mainly because this is the non-solar version. The body is the same between solar and non-solar unfortunately. On the solar model the bezel is filled in with a photovoltaic cell to gather sunlight power!
@@ChaseTheSummit No no no, i don't accept that. Just watched your video, Fenix 7 vs Fenix 6 uploaded on 18.02.2022 to be sure. First of all, newer models has larger (thicker) solar ring than previous ones; which is good for more solar power. However, on the non-solar Fenix 6, they had filled the solar gap with the screen itself, not with black ring. But on the newer models (FR 255, 955, Fenix 7) they just cut the corner and filled this area with black which leads a decrease in real screen size as a consequence. - Solar Fenix 6 series has thinner solar ring comparing to Fenix 7. - The gap on non-solar Fenix 6 was filled with the screen itself. - On Fenix 7, FR 955, FR 255; the solar gap was not filled with the screen itself, they just put a black ring on that area. As a result, the real screen size of 2022 non-solar Garmin models are smaller than the previous ones. Their screens look like entry level Forerunner 55 and they seem so ugly. I've sold my Venu 2 Plus just to upgrade for the new HRV status but this screen quality disappointed me.
The screen on the Fenix 6 is the same size regardless of solar vs non-solar (47mm model has a 1.3" display on both models) it's sort of an optical illusion they play with the bezel. The non-solar model gets a tick-mark indicator around the circumference to fill the gap. You're right that the Fenix 7 has a larger solar ring but the case size and screen size is identical to Fenix 6. They accomplished this by thinning out the metal portion of the bezel and instead filling in the area with glass/black bezel which does look a little worse to the eye but ultimately it's the same physical dimensions and screen/body ratio as the Fenix 6.
@@ChaseTheSummit I disagree with you. I can prove it with visuals if you tell me how to show/send you. Fenix 6 Non-Solar release date: 2019 Fenix 6 Solar release date: 2020 You might think that what is that got to do with the release date ? They used different, seperate templet on Fenix 6 series because the release dates are different. But the newer models (Fenix 7, FR 955) were sold at the same time with their solar options. I guess that Garmin just cut the corner and used the same templet (mould or what it is) and filled the photovoltaic cell gaps with the black border. As a result, 47 mm Non-Solar Fenix 6 has larger display than 47 mm Non-Solar Fenix 7 ! Physically they're both 47 mm yes but useable screen size is not the same due to the larger black borders.
After running 4Km extra from running off course, and charging my forerunner 235 two times during a 50K I bought a 955 solar the next week. Wish I had it for that 50K, but I wasn't weak enough to pull the trigger back then. Coming from a 235 it is a lot of bells and whistles and stuff to get used to. Even if maps/navigation is a big reason I bought it I haven't tested it out yet, and don't really know how to use it properly.
Any ideas on if a chest strap would improve or reduce battery life. Having the external sensor monitoring heart rate instead of the Watch would save some battery, but is that negated by the energy used for the Bluetooth connection?
Great review Dave. I’ve just pulled the trigger on the FR955 non solar as an upgrade from my FR935 [which I love]. Mapping is one reason but also the newer features. Did you use a RD pod (clippy thing to your shorts) paired with it on your Ultra ? Defo getting glass protector screens as I do on all my glass stuff!
Nice review. Is "Body Battery" helping you during recovery at all? I'm wondering if Training Readiness really provides added value of Body Battery since Body Battery is supposed to use HRV, Stress etc anyway
Yes! I use body battery a lot and it's a great tool for seeing how refreshed you are on a daily basis. I only mentioned the HRV in this video because I found it particularly interesting from recovery this time around.
@@ChaseTheSummit -Thanks for the reply! I guess I'm just confused as to what is different about Body Battery vs Training Readiness? They seem to be for used for similar purposes and are calculated from similar data
@@yogiyoda just tried, touch enabled, no moving the map on the map screen during the activity. You only can one see what the watch shows, no moving or zooming the view, prety useless in my last mountain runs. To get directions when a course is loaded, there is a screen with direction arrows, this is more usefull than the locked map screen.
one remark - the backlight, you should have put it off completely for everything. Why? Through the day - no need and at night, when you have headlight, it overrides the backlight of the watch anyway and with headlamp you see all details on the watch pretty well. plus yet switching off the vibrations.
By switching off the Gesture the backlight wasn’t turning on throughout the day unless I pushed a button which was pretty rare. I like having the backlight in situations so I left it on rather than needing to dive through the menus during the activity. I also like having vibrations for mile markers but you might not. The changes I’ve made were for my preference. Thanks for watching!
Hi Chase, thanks a lot for the video.. I also own a 955 and I have a question: what do you mean with “Turning off and on the navigation when you need?” I usually have navigation set up as a data field page on my activity. Do you access navigation in on other way? thanks a lot
Well done! I'm trying to decide between the 255 and the 955. Do you think the touch-screen is an advantage to consider in the 955 or it doesn't make much difference in everyday usage? Thanks!
The ultra run activity seems cool but I didn’t want to mess with starting/stopping at every aid station which is really the only difference with that activity.
@@ChaseTheSummit I think the other difference is that it also uses UltraTrac setting on the GPS. Your GPS track might have been a little more accurate if you'd turned on per-second logging rather than the default smart recording. The impact on battery life might be negligible, depending on how expensive writing to the watch's memory is. Even so 0.4% difference over 100 miles could easily happen if you stray just a little from the measured route. You did say you got lost a few times.
For me the 955 is still the perfect option. I will wait a couple of days, if Apple finally releases a smartwatch with good battery life (I guess not lol), else I will buy this watch. It would be nice to have a smaller version like the 265s. Im not a fan of Amoled Screens in sportswatches. The 955 offers (besides some special sports profiles, diving capibility, mic and speaker) the same as a fenix 7/8 for 1/3 or even 1/4 of the price. It also doesnt hurt me when a 300 dollar watch gets scratched a bit, while scratches o a 1000 dollar fenix 8 would be bad. Its a shame garmin still doesnt include saphire displays by default. Im currently using a Scanwatch 2 from Withings. Its a nice looking watch (and has a saphire display). But it lacks GPS, mapping etc. and cant even show a pace. Its basically useless without a phone and I hate running with my phone. The 955 offers bluetooth with spotify, maps, GPS and all the data I need. Thanks for the Video.
I got mine 955 like 3 weeks ago and I'm super happy with it. I am fan of MIP and only better watch I could buy is Enduro 3 but at my current running distances it would be overkill. FR 955 can be now found at discounted prices so no brainer to get it. It has everything. It's amazing device. Elevate 4 & 5 are not prefect that's why I'm sometimes use HRM pro+ but multiband GPS is must have for pace based training and this watch have it. Super happy. And if I want 955 will last Ultra in GPS mode... no brainer lol.
@@jakejoyride Actually Amazfit just launched a new Watch, the T-Rex 3. In many points its comparable to the Fénix 8, at 1/3 or 1/4 of the Price. I dont know if the Watch it too big for my wirst, but I ordered it to See If its worth it.
Climb Pro is great if your following a course. In this situation I wasn't following a course. It's also preference, some people may want to know that there's 150 more climbs remaining lol!
Bought this watch after watching your previous videos, so far so great absolutely love it! I was concerned about screen as well so got the screen protector from playbetter hopefully it works. Any draw backs as to why garmin wouldn’t offer sapphire as an option? I’m not climbing rocks but daily wear and tear on glass is a concern.
Sapphire is held for the Fenix line only unfortunately. It’s extremely scratch resistant compared to Gorilla Glass. GG isn’t bad though as long as you know it’s not bullet proof!
About stamina 1% 19h it’s because the algorithm learn and compare your actual run to previous one (similar one). Obviously if it’s your first 100 miles you can’t get a correct data. I get similar stat on my first ultra (brand new fenix 7) and the next one was pretty accurate on the same distance ! Anyway for my mental health I don’t use Stamina during races anymore
@@ChaseTheSummit i meant first 100 with this watch, don’t know if Garmin connect can change stamina on secondary watch/new watch. I understood that stamina was develop for interval workout anyway… Thanks for all your great review and vlog, watching you from France !
@@ChaseTheSummit oh amazing. So with the new update still no double tapping to zoom on the map? And press and hold on the map to get more details like the F7?
I like your videos. They are stand-offish and seem really objective. As if G-company did not pay you enough. I'm joking of course. One more time respect! Especially for what you can do with your 1% stamina ;) It looks like you don't need other 99%. Greetings!
@@ChaseTheSummit I think those stuck in garmins ecosystem took the time to learn it once it became a new feature on garmin watches. It's sad really that other brands aren't given a fair shake. The only time they are talked about favorably is when they cost less .
@@TheSlickpt in my opinion, that's more of an indictment on companies like Coros and Polar than on Garmin or the people buying the products. Garmin has figured out a way to make products that are viewed as the "gold standard" in multisport watches whereas Polar is more of an afterthought. The way that Polar and Coros can catch up is if they make an equally strong product (similar or more features with equal or better accuracy) and undercut Garmin's price. If people are spending $500 on a watch, they want the best product in that range that fits their needs. Polar and Coros are not viewed as the best. As a Garmin consumer who would love other intriguing options for less, I am rooting for them
Loved the video. The band you have shared in the description seems to be wrong 20mm. I believe 955 uses 22mm. Could you please share correct one you are showing in the video? Keep it up with honest videos from local MASS fan!
Thanks for sharing. Did you find any bug issue ? I bought the 255 and I discovered some minor bugs that seems to be "usual" (other users have reported them on garmin forum) like screen errors. In my case when I use sprint training the main screen sometimes don`t show the remining time and pace. Hope Garmin can fix it with an update.
Wow, kudos! Amazing run! Would the actual distance not be 100.33 miles (as per GPX file). In which case, the watch was only 0.04 miles off (watch recorded 100.37 miles as per Garmin Connect). Also, highly doubt any race organiser will be brave enough these days to run a 100 mile race on a course that is exactly 100 miles.
You long distance runners are an inspiration to us 3 to 6 mile runners 🔥❤️
I’m worried my Fenix 6X won’t track as properly as the 955 during a 100 mile race. Funny part is that I’ll never run a 100 mile race…but I’m still worried 😂
The 6x GPS tracks aren’t terrible but these newer watches are certainly a step up. Good news is that during a 100 miler your tracks don’t really need to be perfect 😂 all that really matters is that your watch says “100” at the finish. 99.7 would trigger me!
@@ChaseTheSummit 99.7 would be brutal. I wouldn't stop running...
:)
@@ChaseTheSummit is 955 on par with fenix 7?
@@orangbaik99not at 100%. The software is less "polished" on the 955. The Fenix line has the power management and (on some versions) a sapphire screen, that the 955 don't have.
Congrats! The 955 performed expertly during my 100 miler at Yeti 100 washington. My one hiccup was with LiveTrack. It ended exactly at 24 hours, when I was at mile 92.
Girlfriend got a lot of worried texts from people watching from afar
Oh interesting! I didn't think there was a time limit on live track!
@@ChaseTheSummit I’ve messaged garmin. Looks like they are looking at it. Seems pretty arbitrary so hopeful it can be addressed
Do you use normal GPS or Ultratrack mode?
Dave, I have completed a few half marathons last year, and I am looking to run a full as soon as I heal from an injury. Thanks for your videos and hard work sir. I also want to start running 50ks....stay positive and injury free sir.
having just purchased a 955 as my first garmin, this video has helped so much in reducing battery and customising the workout screens! thank you so much!
Great video, I got my 955 after I watched your review like a month ago, and I am really happy with it, thank you so much.
I just used the 955 solar during western states 100! it performed well, but I ran the basic GPS mode, without GLONASS or Multiband. I did get poor GPS signal in some of the canyons and wish I ran GLONASS also but the battery was at 55% when I finished in 23:30. It also read 102.2 so 2 extra miles during the GPS connection issues
Congrats on your finish!
You can use the SatIQ setting : it would stick with GPS-only when it's easy to locate you, and switch to multi-band when you're in a deep canyon 😉
@@highseastrader4190 That feature was added with a firmware update that came out after my race... would have been perfect
Did you have wrist based heart rate on? Running a 100 in a week with my 955 Solar and would love to have heart rate monitored the whole time.
Well done, crazy achievement. Found the Garmin stamina bit interesting. I'd categorize stamina running out as having no power left above your easy pace rather than a lack of ability to carry on.
I suppose that would make sense. However, I was "running" right up until around the 10 hour mark at a pretty consistent pace. Where stamina showed it die off after 6 hours.
@@ChaseTheSummit I think we're making slightly different points. You can still run at an easy pace after your 'stamina' is fully depleted. It's everything faster than that the gauge is saying you cannot do from the point you've got to zero. The stamina gauge is probably a more useful tool for intervals and racing over the more regular distances than for ultras where it seems to create debate.
.4 miles difference is an excellent result!
It might even be spot on but how would you know if you have been running exactly on the path where the 100miles were measured. Impossible task.
I think that the Stamina feature will become more accurate/practical on ultra running when there is an easy method to input energy & water intake during ultra long activity.
Down the rabbit hole of looking for a long lasting battery and accurate tracking watch to monitor distance during ultras. This definitely makes the short list, cheers mate 👍
Just changed from AWS6 to the 955 for readiness stats. Strength training and bike/swim HIIT in my fifties, training in the morning, I quickly need to know if I am ready to train and how hard, and also what to do about it. And the 955 stats have been gold even this first week.
I have the 955 Solar and had one issue on a 15 km run. The watch entirely restarted after 4 km. Since the activity was still running I didn't care a lot. But as the activity was finished the recorded track was just the 4 km. Pace was also faulty.
Since then I've never had this issue again. Really love this watch!
Oh no! Sorry to hear that. Mines been rock solid so far.
I agree the HRV is sweet. I have a good hrv trend for the past couple of weeks. Crashed my bike yesterday with some good injuries. My hrv last night was about 50ms less than baseline.
Crazy distance. Well done! Enjoying my FR955 so far. Thanks for the review.
How's it holding up? ✌️😁
@@adriant.7457 i sold 955 and have 965 since they were released. No regrets.
Bought my 955 solar a week ago and love it looking to run my first 100 next year thanks for the info !
Awesome summary all around. Such a great case study
Thanks Hunter!
I'm a AML survivor. I appreciate your review. Love this watch. Mine is on the way.
Great video man I'm really impressed and enjoying my 955 . The workout tracking capabilities motivate me to press on with my training and workouts lol. I also like the stat review feature in the watch. I haven't did a ultra marathon run yet but I'm decent on a good 5 miler on a good day ✌🏿
Honestly this is one of the best videos I have ever watched!!!
Thanks so much man
Thanks for a great video. I love my 955 and used it for a full IM where it worked flawlessly. I love the additional recovery metrics incl hrv and sleep quality that creates focus and attention for me.
Just got the 955 and found your video super enlightening and helpful. I'm also using it for ultra marathons and my weekly training.
Are you curently use in ultra running? I am considering to buy It instead Fenix just because I don’t want anorher bulky watch. But I am think if about It because of the battery life
Congratulations on your 100 miler 👍🏼! Regarding the Stamina metrics, just as with Body Battery, as long as a watch hasn't read our personal lowest HRV it cannot predict how low it could potentially go and hence that one's metabolism is still able to perform exercise at that low level. Seems like you are able to keep on running with your system already in recovery metabolism due to the several previous hours of exertion. A watch would assume that at this HRV you can't perform anymore because normal human beings (i.e. non-ultra runners = 99.99% of population) don't train to be able to do this. If your watch learned from this then perhaps for your next long run (with this watch) the Stamina metrics will be better adjusted, as with the 'Performance Condition' metric. Cheers
Good insight! I think you're correct. I'll have to run another 100 miler to test the theory (stay tuned!)
@@ChaseTheSummit Did you end up running another 100 miler, and if so did the stamina level go down to 1% after the first few hours?
The footage of you loading the Vermont 100 map shows the course as 100.33 miles, so the watch tracking it as 100.37 miles is pretty damn accurate.
Thanks buddy, I have been looking to update my watch and this has helped.
So it seems like the 955 could make it 46.5 hours with your settings, especially the solar version.
Also, if you use a clock screen use the one called Time of Day. It has no seconds and might offer more battery savings if you leave it on that screen while running.
The screen on the 955 is much more readable than the fenix 7 lineup. Maybe the new pro version is an improvement, but saphire and/or solar probably impacts the readability/natural brightness. I returned the fenix 7 solar I was comparing the 955 to. Fenix has a fancier high end look, but I’m happy with the simple light weight 955. I’ll consider the fenix 8 or 9 when they come out if they are as readable as the 955.
What an athlete congratulations💪
Thank you for this video. I have a Fenix 7 solar, am thinking of buying the 955 so this video will help I like how light this is
I really thought i am crazy as I bought an epix gen 2 while having an FR945. Good to know i have company 😌😁
@@Nksmusings haha yep, I know it sounds crazy and stupid
Man I'm at work and just saw this, will savor it for tomorrow's workout
As usual, great video, Dave. Congrats!!!
Thanks!
On the solar one the battery is really good, i am actually impressed. The battery (with all the gps active and a heart rate monitor
) decreases really slow. Sometimes, with good sun light, it doesn't decrease at all.
It's impressive for sure!
That's a good piece of a video! Lots of useful points within - I appreciate your work here on YT!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I was so hoping that you'd make this very video. 🙌🏻
Thanks Matt!
Thanks for sharing your experience. It was really useful for me.
Love my GFR955, got the non solar version as the screen looks better imo - can't fault it so far, simply the best bang for buck running watch you can buy at the moment.
It’s a good one!
I would have guessed you'd gone with Fenix 7x for your 100. I love my 955 and my 7x.
I was torn but settled on the 955 because I like the extra recovery features (coming to Fenix 7 soon!)
@@ChaseTheSummit your logic is sound. I'm still calculating how to run 100 miles though 😂.
I was waiting for this video after listening to your podcast. Great stuff, mate. 👍🏼
Hope you enjoyed it! Thanks for following the podcast!
@@ChaseTheSummit How is the instant pace with the 955?
I am always frustrated when I go for a run with my Fenix 6x Pro and the pace jumps up and down while I am running on an consistent pace. Is the instant pace on the 955 more accurate?
Hey, I think it's worth to mention about disabling:
- seconds on the watch face (it helps a bit, generally the simpler and original watch face the better),
- sounds and vibe (vibrations especially),
- data recording frequency (smart consumes less energy).
What about races in the EU mountains? Any plans for that? ;)
Thanks for sharing some tips! I plan on traveling more in the future. I'd love to see more of the world but unfortunately it's a bit expensive right now to get around!
@@ChaseTheSummit unfortunately everything went up. If (one day) you would like to try yourself in a bit different environment then I can recommend you mountains in Croatia (but be aware of the heat), Romania (similar to Croatia but not that hot), Poland (weather can surprise, but it's ok and you can find plenty of challenging races there). And after the run try some local (not the stuff for tourists...) and traditional food and %%. Your recovery time will be shorter. ;) Enjoy the day!
Love seeing the accuracy of GPS only mode. I’ve been using multi band on the trails here on my fenix 7 but I may experiment the same route twice: once with multiband and once with GPS only and see how different they are.
How did it go? 😊
@@jturansky I haven’t been out to the trails a second time yet… I’ve been pretty busy moving this month! Planning on it soon though
Hello Dave, fantastic video, amazing achievement! I consider buying FR955 and probably it will be my next sport smartwach from Garmin. I like your reviews. Greetings from PL :)
Thank you for the video. very useful insights. I am planning to upgrade from my 5 years old Vivoactive 3 watch to newer garmin watch. My vivoactive has served me very well over the last 5 years. But I see a lot of improvements in the garmin watches. I am double minded between the Venu 2 plus and Forerunner 955. I may get the Solar version Forerunner 955 which should last me another 5 years or so hopefully.
Thank you
Cannot wait to grab a 955. And kudos for the ultra!! Unreal
Nice! and Thanks!
I would love to see 955 with Sapphire glass. Thanks
100 miles! Everyone that watch this should definitely give you "like" for your great effort.
Thank you 😊
Great race🙂👌🏾. I will run a half marathon tomorrow. I‘m really looking forward to it🙂.
This has solidified my decision on this watch! After watching tons of videos on different watch brands, their apps and communities and their features I chose a Garmin. Then I had to decide which one... so many options lol. Coming from a Fitbit I wasn’t aware of all the options. This one and the 255 were my choices but I want to do more hiking/outdoor activities that would require more mapping and I love the amount of data the 955 gives. It’s like a personal trainer built in! Thanks for the video and rest well you did awesome I can’t imagine such a long distance and I aspire to do that one day! Thanks for the screen protector tip also, do you think it’ll have a big impact if I get the solar one to have a screen protector on it?
With Solar Garmin says not to do it but in my experience I haven’t seen a negative impact so your mileage may vary! Thanks for watching!
@@ChaseTheSummit is the version in the video the solar one? If not I may not even use the solar one since you got such great range/charge. Thanks for the reply!
Thanks so much for your videos (also the one comparing with Fenix 7).
I still cant decide betweeen FR955 and Fenix 7 - here in Germany both watches are now available for the same price. I definitely like the look of the Fenix better but I do quite some running and I am wondering about the weight difference. I would assume you get used to the heavier weight but would be interested in what you think about this point as an extreme endurance runner (my runs are usually between 10-15 k).
Anyway, thanks a lot for your work on YT!
Greetings from Munich where I hope to test the stamina feature soon on the Octoberfest ;-)
The Fenix 7 is much heavier. The 955 disappears on my wrist - those 20g make a difference. Fenix 7 Base and solar also only have 16gb, 955 has 32gb and all maps preloaded. F7 does NOT have Multi-Band. Buttons feel nice on the F7. Returned my F7 after 2 days and bought the 955 at Sport Schuster. Greetings from Munich as well ;)
@@driventomadness117 Thank you! Eventually I came to the same conclusion after visiting the Garmin sotre. The Fenix 7 is too heavy for me. I will get the FR955. See you at the Isar😀
Stamina will increase the more long distance events you do. Mine was showing 30km distance left, until I ran a 48km trail race, next time I ran it was 63km.
The stamina graph may be inaccurate because the watch is probably still learning you. It took approximately 3 months for my new Fenix 7 to learn my specific body and now it shows the remaining stamina distance and the remaining time pretty accurate.
I’ve been wearing the 955 for a couple of months and a Fenix 7 / Epix before that. I think it’s “learned” I just think a 25 hour activity may not be the ideal use case for it 😂
@@ChaseTheSummit I have just checked and during my last 42K + 2000 meters vert run the stamina dropped from 100% to 41% after 6.5 hours of running. Yes, I agree that you still can run much longer after it drops to 1%. And by the way I use the stamina distance and time remaining instead of the percentage.
Great video!
Greetings from Mexico 🇲🇽
OMG, The bezel gap is as big as Pacific Ocean. This watch is one step back in terms of design due to that huge black border around the screen. You can have a clear view of it on 7:34.
That's mainly because this is the non-solar version. The body is the same between solar and non-solar unfortunately. On the solar model the bezel is filled in with a photovoltaic cell to gather sunlight power!
@@ChaseTheSummit No no no, i don't accept that. Just watched your video, Fenix 7 vs Fenix 6 uploaded on 18.02.2022 to be sure. First of all, newer models has larger (thicker) solar ring than previous ones; which is good for more solar power.
However, on the non-solar Fenix 6, they had filled the solar gap with the screen itself, not with black ring. But on the newer models (FR 255, 955, Fenix 7) they just cut the corner and filled this area with black which leads a decrease in real screen size as a consequence.
- Solar Fenix 6 series has thinner solar ring comparing to Fenix 7.
- The gap on non-solar Fenix 6 was filled with the screen itself.
- On Fenix 7, FR 955, FR 255; the solar gap was not filled with the screen itself, they just put a black ring on that area.
As a result, the real screen size of 2022 non-solar Garmin models are smaller than the previous ones. Their screens look like entry level Forerunner 55 and they seem so ugly. I've sold my Venu 2 Plus just to upgrade for the new HRV status but this screen quality disappointed me.
The screen on the Fenix 6 is the same size regardless of solar vs non-solar (47mm model has a 1.3" display on both models) it's sort of an optical illusion they play with the bezel. The non-solar model gets a tick-mark indicator around the circumference to fill the gap. You're right that the Fenix 7 has a larger solar ring but the case size and screen size is identical to Fenix 6. They accomplished this by thinning out the metal portion of the bezel and instead filling in the area with glass/black bezel which does look a little worse to the eye but ultimately it's the same physical dimensions and screen/body ratio as the Fenix 6.
@@ChaseTheSummit I disagree with you. I can prove it with visuals if you tell me how to show/send you.
Fenix 6 Non-Solar release date: 2019
Fenix 6 Solar release date: 2020
You might think that what is that got to do with the release date ? They used different, seperate templet on Fenix 6 series because the release dates are different.
But the newer models (Fenix 7, FR 955) were sold at the same time with their solar options. I guess that Garmin just cut the corner and used the same templet (mould or what it is) and filled the photovoltaic cell gaps with the black border.
As a result, 47 mm Non-Solar Fenix 6 has larger display than 47 mm Non-Solar Fenix 7 ! Physically they're both 47 mm yes but useable screen size is not the same due to the larger black borders.
Fascinating. Thanks
after this review I ordered it at play better. thank you
Hope you enjoy it!
After running 4Km extra from running off course, and charging my forerunner 235 two times during a 50K I bought a 955 solar the next week. Wish I had it for that 50K, but I wasn't weak enough to pull the trigger back then. Coming from a 235 it is a lot of bells and whistles and stuff to get used to. Even if maps/navigation is a big reason I bought it I haven't tested it out yet, and don't really know how to use it properly.
Thanks for all the info
Glad it was helpful!
Great video as usual
The HRV stuff is in the alpha firmware for the Fenix 6 too
Yep! And Instinct 2!
i updated my data pages on my 255. thanks!!!
Hope it's helpful!
Came here for the stamina chart and was not disappointed :)
I definitely getting this watch once I get my refund back fory Suunto 7. Thank you again for doing this video
You got the same band I have for my Epix 2. Nice band, works well.
this is the first time i posted a comment on your video 👍
🎉
Any ideas on if a chest strap would improve or reduce battery life. Having the external sensor monitoring heart rate instead of the Watch would save some battery, but is that negated by the energy used for the Bluetooth connection?
Great review Dave. I’ve just pulled the trigger on the FR955 non solar as an upgrade from my FR935 [which I love]. Mapping is one reason but also the newer features. Did you use a RD pod (clippy thing to your shorts) paired with it on your Ultra ? Defo getting glass protector screens as I do on all my glass stuff!
Nice review. Is "Body Battery" helping you during recovery at all? I'm wondering if Training Readiness really provides added value of Body Battery since Body Battery is supposed to use HRV, Stress etc anyway
Yes! I use body battery a lot and it's a great tool for seeing how refreshed you are on a daily basis. I only mentioned the HRV in this video because I found it particularly interesting from recovery this time around.
@@ChaseTheSummit -Thanks for the reply! I guess I'm just confused as to what is different about Body Battery vs Training Readiness? They seem to be for used for similar purposes and are calculated from similar data
@@yogiyoda just tried, touch enabled, no moving the map on the map screen during the activity. You only can one see what the watch shows, no moving or zooming the view, prety useless in my last mountain runs.
To get directions when a course is loaded, there is a screen with direction arrows, this is more usefull than the locked map screen.
Sorry wrong comment reply!
@@tonitoni415 -Ha ha, no prob. Did you know you can delete comments instead of posting a second comment saying you are sorry?
one remark - the backlight, you should have put it off completely for everything. Why? Through the day - no need and at night, when you have headlight, it overrides the backlight of the watch anyway and with headlamp you see all details on the watch pretty well. plus yet switching off the vibrations.
By switching off the Gesture the backlight wasn’t turning on throughout the day unless I pushed a button which was pretty rare. I like having the backlight in situations so I left it on rather than needing to dive through the menus during the activity. I also like having vibrations for mile markers but you might not. The changes I’ve made were for my preference. Thanks for watching!
Watch is so lite you may not even notice it's on
Hi Chase, thanks a lot for the video.. I also own a 955 and I have a question: what do you mean with “Turning off and on the navigation when you need?” I usually have navigation set up as a data field page on my activity. Do you access navigation in on other way? thanks a lot
Well done! I'm trying to decide between the 255 and the 955. Do you think the touch-screen is an advantage to consider in the 955 or it doesn't make much difference in everyday usage? Thanks!
Personally I like using the buttons more! But the touch screen is nice on occasion. It really depends on what you prefer.
Me to 255 or 955 🤔
What is your recommendation for fast halfmarathoner? Is it make sense to use Multi Band on hm race or some fast full marathon?
Amusing to see the stamina graph. Can you explain why you used the Trail Run activity rather than the Ultra Run one?
The ultra run activity seems cool but I didn’t want to mess with starting/stopping at every aid station which is really the only difference with that activity.
@@ChaseTheSummit I think the other difference is that it also uses UltraTrac setting on the GPS. Your GPS track might have been a little more accurate if you'd turned on per-second logging rather than the default smart recording. The impact on battery life might be negligible, depending on how expensive writing to the watch's memory is. Even so 0.4% difference over 100 miles could easily happen if you stray just a little from the measured route. You did say you got lost a few times.
Congrats on the 100mi, excellent video up to DCRainmaker standards in my book. Subbed!
For me the 955 is still the perfect option. I will wait a couple of days, if Apple finally releases a smartwatch with good battery life (I guess not lol), else I will buy this watch. It would be nice to have a smaller version like the 265s. Im not a fan of Amoled Screens in sportswatches. The 955 offers (besides some special sports profiles, diving capibility, mic and speaker) the same as a fenix 7/8 for 1/3 or even 1/4 of the price. It also doesnt hurt me when a 300 dollar watch gets scratched a bit, while scratches o a 1000 dollar fenix 8 would be bad. Its a shame garmin still doesnt include saphire displays by default. Im currently using a Scanwatch 2 from Withings. Its a nice looking watch (and has a saphire display). But it lacks GPS, mapping etc. and cant even show a pace. Its basically useless without a phone and I hate running with my phone. The 955 offers bluetooth with spotify, maps, GPS and all the data I need. Thanks for the Video.
I got mine 955 like 3 weeks ago and I'm super happy with it. I am fan of MIP and only better watch I could buy is Enduro 3 but at my current running distances it would be overkill. FR 955 can be now found at discounted prices so no brainer to get it. It has everything. It's amazing device. Elevate 4 & 5 are not prefect that's why I'm sometimes use HRM pro+ but multiband GPS is must have for pace based training and this watch have it. Super happy. And if I want 955 will last Ultra in GPS mode... no brainer lol.
@@jakejoyride Actually Amazfit just launched a new Watch, the T-Rex 3. In many points its comparable to the Fénix 8, at 1/3 or 1/4 of the Price. I dont know if the Watch it too big for my wirst, but I ordered it to See If its worth it.
I would definitely add ClimbPro as screen of data field, customised with HR data at the bottom.
Climb Pro is great if your following a course. In this situation I wasn't following a course. It's also preference, some people may want to know that there's 150 more climbs remaining lol!
@@ChaseTheSummit some users said there is a bug in navigation and following course. so sad.
Bought this watch after watching your previous videos, so far so great absolutely love it! I was concerned about screen as well so got the screen protector from playbetter hopefully it works. Any draw backs as to why garmin wouldn’t offer sapphire as an option? I’m not climbing rocks but daily wear and tear on glass is a concern.
Sapphire is held for the Fenix line only unfortunately. It’s extremely scratch resistant compared to Gorilla Glass. GG isn’t bad though as long as you know it’s not bullet proof!
GG is lighter and less chance to break compare to sapphire :) Try to be positive even though I want sapphire option on 955 as well. Lol
About stamina 1% 19h it’s because the algorithm learn and compare your actual run to previous one (similar one). Obviously if it’s your first 100 miles you can’t get a correct data.
I get similar stat on my first ultra (brand new fenix 7) and the next one was pretty accurate on the same distance !
Anyway for my mental health I don’t use Stamina during races anymore
Interesting. This isn't my first 100 miler but the furthest I've run with the 955 in one activity previously was 50 miles which might explain it.
@@ChaseTheSummit i meant first 100 with this watch, don’t know if Garmin connect can change stamina on secondary watch/new watch.
I understood that stamina was develop for interval workout anyway…
Thanks for all your great review and vlog, watching you from France !
You're a hero, sir. Big respect! 🙌
What's your opinion on this FR955 for gym/HIT?
Super useful video!!
Glad it was helpful!
When Play better sells the returned watches and when they will start selling returns 955s?
Amazing man. I've been waiting for this video :) mine will arrive today. Quick question. Are you on the latest version? I think is 11.12 right?
Mines currently on 12.12. It updated itself a couple of days ago.
@@ChaseTheSummit oh amazing. So with the new update still no double tapping to zoom on the map? And press and hold on the map to get more details like the F7?
Great review Dave. Did you use a HR monitor on the race or just off your wrist?
Just the optical sensor which is really good on the 955 (and most of the newer models)
@@ChaseTheSummit thank you 👍
My Garmin history FR405 to FR735 to FR955 👌🏻
I like your videos. They are stand-offish and seem really objective. As if G-company did not pay you enough. I'm joking of course. One more time respect! Especially for what you can do with your 1% stamina ;)
It looks like you don't need other 99%.
Greetings!
I find it interesting how no one really cared About hrv until garmin reinvented it .Polar has been utilizing hrv for ages.
Garmin certainly didn't invent it lol but it's showcased a lot more now on various devices and it seems like more people seem to understand it now.
@@ChaseTheSummit I think those stuck in garmins ecosystem took the time to learn it once it became a new feature on garmin watches. It's sad really that other brands aren't given a fair shake. The only time they are talked about favorably is when they cost less .
@@TheSlickpt in my opinion, that's more of an indictment on companies like Coros and Polar than on Garmin or the people buying the products. Garmin has figured out a way to make products that are viewed as the "gold standard" in multisport watches whereas Polar is more of an afterthought.
The way that Polar and Coros can catch up is if they make an equally strong product (similar or more features with equal or better accuracy) and undercut Garmin's price.
If people are spending $500 on a watch, they want the best product in that range that fits their needs.
Polar and Coros are not viewed as the best.
As a Garmin consumer who would love other intriguing options for less, I am rooting for them
Loved the video. The band you have shared in the description seems to be wrong 20mm. I believe 955 uses 22mm. Could you please share correct one you are showing in the video? Keep it up with honest videos from local MASS fan!
Oh weird, I must have linked the wrong one! It's the same Ancool band just 22mm.
Did you put a screen protector on your forerunner 955? I purchased the forerunner 955 solar today. And I’m considering putting a screen protector.
I haven't but I would suggest it if scratches bother you. Gorilla Glass is durable but not scratch proof.
Do you have the battery saving options on all of the time or just for the long runs
I found stamina good for small efforts but yeah I haven't done ultras yet
Hi Dave. Did you use the PacePro feature during this race? If so, could you please share your experience with it.
Great video!
Thanks!
Really nice Video👍
Thanks for sharing. Did you find any bug issue ? I bought the 255 and I discovered some minor bugs that seems to be "usual" (other users have reported them on garmin forum) like screen errors. In my case when I use sprint training the main screen sometimes don`t show the remining time and pace. Hope Garmin can fix it with an update.
I haven't noticed that. Thanks for sharing.
In GPS mode, walking around the lake shows I walked across the water. In GPS+Galileo, the tracking is perfect. This is no my Vivoactive 4.
Wow, kudos! Amazing run! Would the actual distance not be 100.33 miles (as per GPX file). In which case, the watch was only 0.04 miles off (watch recorded 100.37 miles as per Garmin Connect). Also, highly doubt any race organiser will be brave enough these days to run a 100 mile race on a course that is exactly 100 miles.
Main difference with apple watch series 7? Planned on switching to garmin
Hello, how do you load a course during the run? And also can you unload it during the run so you don't stop the activity and start again? Thank you!
What would your top 3 watch picks for ultra marathons be, looking for a new one and love your videos
Right now? I'd say Garmin Fenix 7X, COROS Vertix 2, and Forerunner 955 would be my top picks for ultras.
The distance measured by the watch likely was totally accurate. The extra .4 miles you ran is likely attributable to you not running the tangents.
Yeah probably. I suppose I’ll never know unless I measure the course lol. This race is 32 years old and started as a horse back race.
Hey Dave, do you run, or did you run, a screen protector on this watch? If not, how did it hold up?
I always keep screen protectors on the forerunners simply because Gorilla Glass tends to scratch eventually.
@ thank you!