Garmin Fenix 5 Multisport GPS Watch

Garmin’s Fenix 5, then, is the undeniable champion of multi-sport trackers. Not least because it can track almost every discipline that’s out there. It also manages to be tough without looking ungainly, and carries a real sense of premium build quality that’s not undermined by a shoddy interface. Those physical buttons actually add to the experience, especially during exercise, while strong Bluetooth and battery performance polish things into a complete tracking package that’s also comfortable on smartwatch duty. For most people, it’s also probably overkill. Overkill that you’ll pay £500 for. Unless you’re an Ironman, wearing the Fenix 5 means knowing you’ll never truly test its full feature set.

Garmin’s fenix 5 is a fantastic watch for the outdoorsy person. It’s data heavy and offers arguably the widest range of data fields on the market. It’s accurate, it’s tough and it looks great! I am partial to the look of a big watch, but the majority of people aren’t, so the fenix 5’s smaller size is likely to please. The screen is sharp in all light conditions and the range of built in sensors is fantastic In line with what I’ve found elsewhere, the optical HR sensor wasn’t as accurate as a chest strap, but it’s good enough to recognise trends. I do however wish Garmin would go back to the rounded clasp because it’s considerably more comfortable.

The Garmin fenix 5 is not a cheap GPS watch, but for outdoor adventurers who need or want to capture everything they do, this $599 device could be worth the investment. It provides detailed stats on a multitude of activities, has an accurate heart rate monitor, doesn't weigh your wrist down too much and lasts a long time on a charge.

The Garmin Fenix 5X has an enormous number of features, a long-lasting battery and an attractive albeit heavy build. It's expensive, but for serious outdoor enthusiasts it's hard to beat.

The Garmin Fenix 5S is the Fenix 5 in an arguably better designed package. You'll still have support for a range of sports, from running to cycling to golf, and an impressive amount of granularity for the pros. There are some gripes, namely around the Connect app experience, and the optical heart rate sensor isn't quite hitting chest-strap level just yet. But it's an impressive package overall, and a Garmin watch you probably won't want to take off once your workout is done.