Garmin Vivoactive3: Thoughts
This isn't a formal review, because I'm sure it's missing all sorts of stuff. It's just some thoughts about the watch, how I use it, the data I get from it, and a few other things. (Also, it probably is a little disjointed because it was written in bits and pieces at work and on the train)
Ease of Setup
Box came with instructions, but mostly I just opened the app and did whatever seemed to make sense. I think. It didn't seem that hard to do the initial setup and get it up and running.
Customizability
I liked how easy it was to download things from the ConnectIQ store.
The first watch face I downloaded was World Face, which I deleted because it didn't have Israel (which is what I would have used), then a butterfly face that looked better on the computer than it did on the watch, and then the Countdown face recommended by Keels. Finally settled on using Face It to make custom watch faces. Started with Yankee Stadium, then made an Epcot (which wasn't very good), then made the Going to WDW one I currently use after booking that trip. Plan to change it daily on the trip (maybe).- Spent a little bit of time setting up all the data fields the way I wanted them for running and reorganizing my widgets (which I have not redone since my factory reset). I also downloaded a water logging widget, which I need to be better about using.
Daily Use
My original plan was to only get notifications during activity because my bluetooth is off most of the time anyway. I actually have the notifications on more often than I thought I would (although still not all the time). I like getting most of the notifications. I like that I can reply to text messages from the watch (although if it's a longer or more customized response, I have to take out the phone). But it gives me every single notification on my phone, even the ones that my phone doesn't make noise for, which can be annoying (especially because my phone thinks I care about Tigers games). And I don't like that it uses the same icon for every app except Garmin connect. I wish there was a way to know what the notification was from the icon.- It's significantly bigger than my old watch, but actually more comfortable. I used to take my watch off as soon as I got to work. This stays on almost all day.- The goal notifications are a little annoying sometimes. I should probably turn them off.
Running
Lots of thoughts about running. I'm still working out the kinks, but mostly, it does what I want it to do. It was easy to set up the data fields the way I wanted them. Easy to start. Not so easy to pause if I try to do it during an alert, so I have to wait for the alert to go away. But mostly it's fine. I've even gotten used to the vibrating (but I miss my warning beeps).
Let's talk about setting up workouts. I still haven't gotten that exactly where I want it. I'm pretty sure I can just use laps instead of miles for my warm up/cool down, which means I can use my regularly set up intervals (I'm testing this on Sunday, but I think it will work), but I have yet to figure out how to do repeats for anything other than # of repeats. So if I want to do warm up/cool down for 1 mi each with 60/30 intervals and 2 mi in the middle with 120/30 intervals I have to either calculate how many repeats that will be (and hope I'm right) or do 3 separate workouts. (And apparently when you say that in certain contexts people get *****y at you like they know exactly how you should do things and it doesn't matter that what they're saying doesn't fit the data you want to collect or how you want to do your runs. People are the worst. Especially on Facebook. (actually ... facebook is not even the worst in my office building. That's tumblr. But this happened on facebook))
I like the heart rate data. I dont know how to use it properly, but I think that when I do, it'll be a better barometer of effort than pace. In terms of GPS accuracy ... I haven't used it at the same as another device, so I don't know for sure, but it seems like the distances are fairly close to what I was getting from my other Garmin. So I'd say it's sufficiently accurate for my needs.
Barre3
I like that I can use it for exercises other than running! I use it during my barre3 classes and I love it. I have it set to a 3-data field screen, with the workout time, time of day, and heart rate (which is what's in the middle). It's perfect - I look down at heart rate all the time- I just wish it had barre or pilates as an actual option. It just thinks I'm doing a cleverly renamed yoga.
Sleep
I've only slept with it on a few times. The data seems to be somewhat similar to what I'm getting from my Fitbit. I like that it divides it up into REM, light sleep, deep sleep, and awake. My Fitbit doesnt do that (it just does asleep and awake/restless, and since I'm a restless sleeper, the numbers are ugly)
Issues I've Encoutered
- It doesn't always connect to Bluetooth automatically. I don't know if this is a phone thing or a watch thing, but sometimes I have to open the app to connect to bluetooth, and sometimes even with the app open and the bluetooth on the phone can't find the watch. It's a little annoying/
- This is probably a me thing, but I have issues removing it from the charger. I'm never sure if I properly ejected it.
- I was having issues with notifications that I couldn't debug, so I did a factory reset. It's been fine since, but it made me realize exactly how much I customized the watch in that first week.
So ... those are some of my thoughts on the Vivoactive 3. Overall, I like it. It's not perfect, but it's good, and I'm glad I got it.
