A published in the American Chemical Society鈥檚 Environmental Science and Technology Letters is raising concerns about the pervasive presence of 鈥渇orever chemicals鈥� 鈥� also known as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) 鈥� in something many triathletes have on their bodies 24/7: watch bands.

These synthetic chemicals, notorious for their persistence in the environment and human body, are now being found in common consumer products, with fitness tracker and smartwatch wristbands being the latest addition.

鈥淭hese PFAS are pretty nasty chemicals as a class,鈥� says Graham Peaslee, professor emeritus at the University of Notre Dame and corresponding author on the study. 鈥淎ll of them that we found are toxic, a couple of them are bioaccumulative, and all of them are persistent.鈥�

This group of chemicals, which comprise more than 14,000 individual compounds, is particularly resistant to heat, water, and oil, so they鈥檝e been used in products like stain-resistant fabrics, food packaging, cosmetics, firefighting foams, and non-stick cookware. But it鈥檚 been well-established that PFAS are linked to serious health issues including multiple types of cancer, suppression of the immune system, thyroid disease, decreased fertility, and liver and kidney damage.

Forever Chemicals in Watch Bands Study Overview

For the study, researchers analyzed 22 watch bands, from a mix of brands and price points, for the presence of PFAS. The bands, which included brands like Apple and Fitbit, were all purchased from Amazon or Best Buy, or were donated. Of the bands, 15 of them had the presence of these 鈥渇orever chemicals,鈥� and all were in very high concentrations. The researchers found one particular compound, PFHxA, in abundance 鈥� many times higher than what has been found in recent studies of cosmetics, food packaging, and school uniforms.

PFHxA being found in such extremely high concentrations is bad news for people who wear these watch bands for 12-plus hours per day. It gives the chemical significant opportunity to transfer through the skin. In addition, with athletes wearing these bands during exercise means additional sweat contact and open skin pores. And showed that PFHxA can be dermally absorbed, especially in the presence of sweat.

鈥淚f you wear these daily, over long periods each day,鈥� Peaslee says, 鈥渢hen you undoubtedly are getting some exposure.鈥�

Should You Replace Your Watch Band?

Before you burn your watch band, rest assured that PFAS are already in your bloodstream 鈥� they are in the blood of 100% of people in North America, says Peaslee, 鈥渢hanks to our pervasive use of it from the 1950s onward.鈥� Whether or not you use consumer products with PFAS directly, once they鈥檙e discarded into landfills, they break down and make it into our drinking water, our irrigation water, and then into us.

鈥淚鈥檓 not too worried about the exposure, in terms of, we鈥檙e exposed day and night to everything else,鈥� Peaslee says. 鈥淭his is one more, but the next time you buy one, you really want to read carefully.鈥�

While the study鈥檚 authors didn鈥檛 disclose specifically how each brand tested, they did provide information to help you determine whether your current watch band likely has PFAS.

First, seek out the materials in your own multisport or GPS watch band, if they鈥檙e listed (sellers are not required to publish materials, but some do). If any publish that they鈥檙e made with fluoroelastomers, fluorine, or the abbreviations FKM, FEK, FEKK, and FEKM, steer clear 鈥� they very likely have PFAS. For Garmin wearers, the company has been working to (PFOA and PFOS) from their products, including watch bands, though that doesn鈥檛 mean all Garmin watch bands are currently 100% PFAS free.

If your watch is made of other materials, such as silicone, nylon, or leather, 鈥渢hose are presumably not PFAS treated,鈥� Peaslee says 鈥� you should be safe to continue wearing and using them without risking exposure.

What to Look For in a New (PFAS-Free) Smartwatch Band

If you鈥檙e not sure what your watch is made of or you鈥檙e not confident it鈥檚 free of PFAS, Peaslee recommends being proactive. 鈥淚t鈥檚 well worth trying to replace them as soon as you can,鈥� he says.

And especially since it won鈥檛 be an expensive swap: The researchers found a correlation between the presence of PFAS and the price of the watch band. It was only the medium-priced ($15-$30) and expensive watch bands ($30+) that contained the chemicals 鈥� the bands less than $15 were unlikely to contain a fluoroelastomer, which the researchers presumed was due to the increased cost to manufacture using PFAS. You can also search for bands made from the materials silicone and nylon.

And hopefully, in not too long, we鈥檒l see more and more 鈥淧FAS free鈥� or 鈥渇luorine free鈥� labels on watch bands. Europe actually proposed a ban on PFHxA, Peaslee says, and 鈥淚 think there鈥檒l be more transparency in the future.鈥�

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In early December, a Canadian trail runner named Tina Lewis was two months into her extended trip to India when she ran into legal trouble due to her backcountry GPS communication device.

On December 6, Lewis, 51, arrived at Dabolim International Airport in the state of Goa, to fly to the nearby city of Kochi. She was traveling with a Garmin inReach Mini, a popular GPS and satellite messaging device often used by backpackers and climbers.

鈥淚t had been an amazing trip, the trip of a lifetime,鈥� Lewis told 国产吃瓜黑料.

But when Lewis removed her InReach from her carry-on bag and placed it onto a scanning tray, she said a security officer approached her and asked her questions about the device. Lewis said armed guards then removed her from the line.

Lewis missed her flight. For the next four hours she was detained and interrogated about the InReach. Although her eventual fine was just $11, Lewis said she spent more than $2,000 to pay legal fees and bail.

鈥淭hey treated me like a frickin鈥� fugitive,鈥� she said.

国产吃瓜黑料 reached out to India’s Central Industrial Security Force public relations office, as well as the Goa airport division, but neither agency provided comment. 翱耻迟蝉颈诲别听also reached out to the Indian embassy in Washington D.C. but did not receive a comment.

Lewis had unknowingly violated an Indian law that requires individuals to obtain a license before owning or using a personal satellite communication device. Lewis spent the next six days attempting to get her passport back from authorities. She had to appear in court on three consecutive days, and she eventually hired lawyers to avoid jail time.

India鈥檚 laws prohibiting individuals from owning satellite devices : Unless registered and licensed by the government, satellite communicators are illegal. The Garmin website lists India as one of 14 countries that may 鈥渞egulate or prohibit the use or possession of a satellite communicator鈥� or are otherwise embargoed by the United States. The other nations on the list are Afghanistan, Ukrainian Crimea, Cuba, Georgia, Iran, North Korea, Myanmar, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, Vietnam, China, and Russia.

But the roots of the law are tied to an obscure rule from India鈥檚 past. The ban on satellite communication originated with the Indian Telegraph Act of 1885 and the Wireless Telegraphy Act of 1933. According to , an international medical and security evacuation service, these older laws were reinforced after the Mumbai terror attacks of 2008, when an Islamist militia used satellite communicators to coordinate bombings and shootings that killed nearly 200 people.

Lewis argues that the GPS device was an integral part of her travel kit. She spent much of her vacation traveling alone, and the device provided an added layer of safety. 鈥淚 was just using the device to stay in touch with my family, to let them know where I was,鈥� she said. Before her arrest, she had used her inReach twice, both when in regions with little to no cell reception.

Lewis with the running website iRunFar, and she wrote about the ordeal on social media. She said that other travelers reached out to her online鈥攎any of those who contacted her were unaware of India鈥檚 ban on personal satellite devices, she said.

She isn鈥檛 the only traveler to run afoul of the law. On December 9, just three days after Lewis鈥� arrest, a with a Garmin was detained at another Goa state airport. The following day, an American named with a satellite phone in Dehradun. A month prior, at Chennai airport for the same reason.

A competitive trail runner and experienced climber, Lewis said she has previously traveled solo to West Africa, Cuba, Nepal, and China. She said it never occurred to her to leave her inReach behind. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 just so ingrained in my lifestyle to always have it,鈥� she said. 鈥淗iking technical terrain, scrambling, rock climbing, mountaineering. I always bring a Garmin, especially when traveling alone.鈥�

After publishing her story online, Lewis said some commenters scolded her for not researching the laws before traveling.

“I brought my Garmin to every other country I鈥檝e been to,” she said. “I didn鈥檛 think to research that, when our phones and our watches all have GPS now.鈥�

Direct satellite communication features are increasingly standard in modern smartphones. The newest versions of Apple鈥檚 iPhones have satellite communication capabilities. iPhones allow users to send messages to emergency services, share location, and stay in touch with emergency contacts, all while off the grid, with no cellular or Wi-Fi coverage, via satellite connection.

Lewis called the law 鈥渞idiculous.鈥�

鈥淚t needs to be challenged, and they need to update it,鈥� she said.

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Go ahead: Take a ride through a new city, embark on a multiday bikepacking trip, or get closer to nature on a rural backroad adventure. With the , you can immerse yourself in new and surprising adventures without worrying about your next turn. The latest updates to Hammerhead鈥檚 powerful navigation tool have unlocked exciting possibilities with industry-leading features, connectivity, visualizations, and enhanced customizations. To learn all about the Karoo鈥檚 innovative functions, we talked to the riders who know the tool like few others: Grayson Pollock and Amanda Nauman. Pollock is an avid cyclist and software product manager at Hammerhead, and Nauman is a gravel athlete and one of the founders of Mammoth Tuff, a gravel event in Mammoth Lakes, California. Here鈥檚 what they have to say.

Going the Distance

国产吃瓜黑料: What do you look for in a navigation tool?

Amanda Nauman: It鈥檚 important to have a device that can seamlessly guide me through remote, off-road terrain. As I鈥檓 exploring new areas around Mammoth or finding ways to improve Mammoth Tuff routes, safe navigation is my top priority. That鈥檚 why I use the Karoo. A clear, easy-to-read map display helps me quickly identify turns and route deviations. Additionally, I value the way the Karoo stays ahead of the curve, continuously updating its software and hardware to offer the latest features and improved performance. This ensures I have access to the most accurate and up-to-date maps and navigation capabilities, no matter where my route-scouting adventures take me.

What improvements has Hammerhead released to support long-distance rides and bikepacking expeditions?

Grayson Pollock: In Hammerhead鈥檚 latest software release, new enhancements to Battery Save Mode ensure long-distance and adventure riders get the most out of the Karoo. Plus, our superior maps and navigation features make the Karoo an easy choice for any paved or off-road adventure. Now, riders can take more control over their chosen device settings, lowering the dreaded battery anxiety that often accompanies a long ride.

To avoid charging my Karoo during a recent three-day bikepacking trip, I used Battery Save Mode and thoroughly enjoyed the peace of mind it provided. In addition to our vast planning and on-device routing capabilities, we鈥檝e added more highly requested functionality improvements, including battery support for longer routes, improved live tracking through our new and updated companion apps, the ability to disable rerouting, breadcrumb and reverse-breadcrumb route options, complimentary map updates twice a year, and much more.

Unlocking Exploration

How does the Karoo enhance your rides?

Nauman: The Karoo significantly enhances my rides by providing essential information and navigation tools. Its clear map display allows me to easily follow planned routes, even in remote areas. Those routes are also easy to plan because of Hammerhead鈥檚 integration with third-party apps like MapMyRide, ensuring I have a seamless transition from planning to riding. The CLIMBER feature offers valuable insights into upcoming climbs, helping me pace myself or avoid a climb altogether when exploring new roads. Finally, the Karoo’s automatic rerouting capabilities are invaluable when unexpected obstacles arise, ensuring I can adapt my route and continue my ride without stress. By providing timely information and flexible navigation options, ultimately the Karoo empowers me to explore new territories with confidence and efficiency.

What sets the Karoo apart from other navigation tools?

Pollock: The mapping and navigation experience is the foundation of Hammerhead鈥檚 identity鈥攚e don鈥檛 plan on changing that. By talking with riders, we鈥檝e found a common theme around what draws them to us: trust and confidence. Riders know that whether they are building a route on the Hammerhead dashboard, importing a route from a third party, rerouting when they get off track, or searching for nearby points of interest, the Karoo will work as intended.

Additionally, our profile-based and multiple and options allow riders to customize their experience to match their preferred riding style and bike choice. Cycling-specific map themes on the Karoo, combined with our intuitive Turn-by-Turn and CLIMBER drawers, communicate what鈥檚 ahead so riders can live in the moment.

Planning for 国产吃瓜黑料

Where are you most excited to use your Karoo in the coming year?

Nauman: Mammoth Tuff will be part of the UCI Gravel World Series in 2025, so we have our work cut out for us refining our tried-and-true event routes. There鈥檚 a trove of Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management roads around Mammoth Lakes that we plan to piece together in different ways, and I鈥檓 looking forward to exploring new corners of these remote areas. The Karoo is so reliable鈥擨鈥檓 never worried about getting lost, and that鈥檚 the best feeling to have when you鈥檙e ready for a new adventure!

, a subsidiary of SRAM, is a cycling technology company with a mission to inspire and empower all people to unlock their athletic potential through cycling.

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A month ago, one of the runners I coach contacted me in a panic. We鈥檒l call him 鈥淎dam.鈥� He鈥檚 training for a sub-three-hour marathon and is, consequently, pouring himself into his training.

So far, everything in his preparation has been going to plan. He鈥檚 healthy. His workout times are solid. He鈥檚 hitting overall mileage levels that are challenging but manageable. Adam has also been feeling good for most of his training, so he鈥檚 right where I鈥檇 like him to be.

But Adam was panicking over his cadence. Last week, he ran two of his easy runs with an average cadence of 169 steps per minute. Usually, his cadence lands at around 170 to 171 steps per minute.

Was Adam right to panic over his cadence slipping ever so slightly? Was this a sign of excessive fatigue? Would this trend keep progressing over time?

Having this immediate, ongoing access to so many metrics about your running is both a blessing and a curse. In this case, Adam had nothing to worry about, but let鈥檚 discover why.

Drawbacks to Data

Now that runners have such unprecedented access to robust training and bodily data, it can be tempting to pore over every detail to determine what can be optimized to ensure great performances, fewer injuries, and longevity in the sport. But therein lies the risk. Humans are not robots, and our data is often messy, which can cause us to interpret temporary changes as permanent.

Adam鈥檚 cadence, for example, might have been affected by his sleep, overall fatigue, shoe choice, the terrain he was running on, or a number of other variables. Let鈥檚 also consider that, at such a low variability from his 鈥渘ormal鈥� cadence, there could have also simply been a measurement error. GPS cadence accuracy isn鈥檛 100 percent accurate, anyway.

Alas, his cadence improved the following week, and we stopped paying attention to this metric. But that didn鈥檛 stop him from anxiously stressing out over it, likely spiking his cortisol levels unnecessarily and compromising recovery.

RELATED: The Best Sports Watches 2023

In this case, access to data led to perfectionism, which has no place in running. Because we鈥檙e not robots, our progress is rarely linear. We experience setbacks, plateaus, and minor blips in our training as our ability to recover varies over time and life stressors come and go.

If we attempted to increase our mileage with unwavering linearity, run perfect workout splits, have the correct cadence at every moment during a run, or negative split every long run, we would usually fail.

Measuring the performance of our bodies serves as a constant reminder that our biological systems do not behave as neatly as we鈥檇 like them to.

Data Makes us Perform (for Others)

The other major problem with the data our smartwatches provide is that they often cause us to train performatively. Instead of training appropriately and strategically, many will train in a way that will look impressive on platforms like Strava.

This happened to me just yesterday. Instead of running an easy five miles, I relied more on pace so that I would have a nice round number to show off on Strava. While my body wanted to run five miles at an easy effort, in about 38:45, I sped up over the last two miles so that the clock was an even 38:00 when I finished.

Almost any runner with a smartwatch has dabbled in this data overload, pouring over charts and graphs to find the signal in the Eras Tour-level noise. But ultimately, that result is meaningless in the grand scheme of things.

Besides the physical disadvantage of running easy runs too fast, there鈥檚 also a psychological component to this problem: it makes us feel like we鈥檙e not training well. Our runs feel inadequate, especially when we fall into the comparison trap on social platforms.

Do Smartwatches Impede Long-Term Development?

There鈥檚 also another major problem with relying too heavily on your smartwatch: it may hamper your long-term development of interpreting your body鈥檚 communication signals.

This plays out in two different scenarios. The first and most common is pacing ability. GPS watches are now more accurate than ever at displaying your current running pace. That helps us fine-tune our effort during workouts, races, and long efforts. The problem is that we now must rely on a watch to fine-tune our paces. It鈥檚 becoming more and more difficult to intuitively understand how fast you鈥檙e running and how to adjust your pace in real-time.

RELATED: One Runner Followed His Watch鈥檚 AI Training Plans for a Month. Here鈥檚 What Happened.听

Certain GPS watches also provide runners with fitness and recovery scores, alongside specific suggestions on what workouts to run and how much recovery to take. This sounds great in theory, but over time it can erode a runner鈥檚 subjective judgment on their fatigue level and injury risk. Instead of listening to their body, they listen to their watch鈥攊nformed by proprietary algorithms鈥攁nd, therefore, are less able to learn what their body is trying to tell them.

This may keep you healthier in the short-term, but at the expense of better knowing your body over the long-term.

Three Smart Tips for Smartwatches

Despite this encroaching overreliance on our GPS gadget鈥檚 feedback, smartwatches can, of course, be incredible training tools. We now have the power to peer into the minute details of our physiology and performance to better guide our training. While misinterpreting or overanalyzing metrics is common, we can use these tools more effectively if we better understand them and our bodies.

1. Focus more on objective metrics than subjective metrics. The distance, pace, and overall time of your run is more important than an algorithmic 鈥渟core鈥� that tells you how many hours are needed until you鈥檙e ready for your next training session. It鈥檚 much more difficult to get those objective metrics wrong (and watch technology means these values are more accurate than ever).
2. Focus on trends over time rather than specific moments in time. Training is rarely linear, so don鈥檛 be upset if your cadence decreases temporarily, your heart rate variability is low one day, or your pace isn鈥檛 鈥渘ormal鈥� on a random Tuesday. Like Adam鈥檚 cadence discussed earlier, some 鈥減roblems鈥� are not actually problems at all; they鈥檙e simply reflections of the fact that you are a biological system, and variability is always going to exist.
3. Remember that subjective markers are estimates. Things like recovery scores, training readiness, or estimated finish times are simply guides and best guesses, rather than firm realities. Your watch does not know you better than you know you.

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They say good design is invisible. That鈥檚 especially true in the pared-down world of cycling. The best gear fades into the background because it鈥檚 only there to help the ride take center stage. That pure efficiency is harder to accomplish on a GPS device, which听 must provide complex information, but that鈥檚 often burdened by complex prompts. So, when Hammerhead designed , it took inspiration from a device that鈥檚 already solved that problem, one that鈥檚 likely lurking in your pocket right now: the ubiquitous smartphone.听

And when a technology brand tries to pack that experience into a small, durable, bike-specific device, it raises some questions. Fortunately, has answers. The philosophy professor, adventure cyclist, and Karoo 2 user can simplify the cerebral to frame all that Hammerhead (a subsidiary of SRAM) has accomplished.

鈥淲hen you interact with a touch device, any kind of lag plays an outsized role in your experience,鈥� Cruz explains. 鈥淏ut the Karoo 2 is fast. It鈥檚 fast like your phone is fast鈥攊t makes a huge difference when, on this very bright color screen, you run your thumb over it and it moves like you鈥檙e pushing a physical object.鈥� The Karoo 2鈥檚 functions can still be accessed with its physical buttons, but the touchscreen is designed to work even when wet. Bringing that familiar phone-like sensation to your handlebar helps get you in and out of your tasks while keeping you present.

You鈥檒l also notice that speed and ease of use in customizing the sleek head unit鈥檚 screens. Of course, you can choose what metrics you want in your data fields, plus whether you鈥檙e gathering info from , power meter, your e-bike battery, or none of the above. But you can also have multiple profiles on one device, each with its own unique collection of features tailored to a particular bike or riding style. 鈥淚 have a few of these,鈥� Cruz explains. 鈥淥nes for training rides, bikepacking trips, or leisure rides. One just for bikes without power meters.鈥澨� For example, the CLIMBER feature lays out every upcoming climb, giving you its distance, elevation, and gradient breakdown. You don鈥檛 even need to be on a preloaded route for it to work. But maybe you鈥檙e not in the mood for that, anyway. 鈥淲hen I go on a training ride, I have the CLIMBER feature on,鈥� says Cruz. 鈥淏ut on a bikepacking ride? I don鈥檛 want to know.鈥�

Whatever the bike or the goal, what you do want to know is where you鈥檙e going. So, the Karoo 2 ( for the limited-time Summer Sale price of $259) comes with free access to Hammerhead鈥檚 global maps, complete with points of interest like campsites, cafes, and public restrooms. Combined with its smartphone-like interface, that makes it uniquely easy to plan routes natively on the device. It opens the door to impromptu adventures when you don’t have to even reach into your pocket to set a course or modify a plan. 鈥淥n a bikepacking trip in Japan, we popped out of the [bullet-train] station on our return to Tokyo,鈥� remembers Cruz. “Our friend Shuntaro had recommended a noodle place that we had to visit. We put it into our Hammerheads (we had rented a pocket Wi-Fi device), and off we went. Perfect ending to a great trip.” Alternatively, Hammerhead integrates directly with mapping services like Ride With GPS, Komoot, and Strava. The companion app forwards phone notifications to the device, but it鈥檚 not a route-creation gatekeeper. Make a route with any major planner linked to your profile, and it鈥檒l download to the device automatically over Wi-Fi.

A wireless connection is how the Karoo 2 gets its regular software updates. Like, very regular. 鈥�Hammerhead will workshop good ideas that come from their customers and if it鈥檚 persuasive, that thing will be on your head unit in a matter of weeks,鈥� Cruz explains. 鈥淎nd it鈥檚 seamless; one day, I start up the machine, there鈥檚 an update available, I touch the button, and four minutes later, I have whatever new functionality they鈥檝e built into it.鈥�

That rapidly evolving software plus the advanced hardware are why the Karoo 2 is so intuitive. As Cruz puts it, 鈥淕ood product design in this space gets out of the way when you want it to, but is a resource when you need the resource.鈥� In other words, until you need it, it鈥檚 invisible.

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is a cycling technology company with a mission to inspire and empower all people to unlock their athletic potential through cycling.

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In our new monthly column, in partnership with Strava, we鈥檒l take a deep dive into interesting data points that reveal the more human side of sport.听

The Boston Marathon is fast. How fast? A new look at more than 100,000 Strava uploads reveals that the field at the Boston Marathon is significantly faster than the New York City Marathon, and that runners train differently once they secure that Boston qualifier (BQ).

This year, 53 percent of the runners in the Boston field uploaded their data to Strava, for around 16,000 uploads. (Strava or it didn鈥檛 happen, right?)

With the help of analysts from Strava, we dug听into the data from the and New York City marathons to see how the two compared. To compete at the Boston Marathon, the majority of runners (with the exception of 5,000-7,000 runners who qualify via fundraising) must hit a qualifying standard, a benchmark that just over 10 percent of all marathoners reach. That means many of the athletes lining up in Hopkinton have run at least one marathon previously (with the exception of the charity bibs) to qualify, and have finessed their pacing over time.

Roughly 55 percent of runners at Boston finished in 3:30 or faster, compared to just 20 percent of the field at NYC. Almost three-quarters of Boston runners (73 percent) paced for a sub-four-hour finish, compared with just 42 percent of runners at NYC. Also, 47 percent of runners at Boston BQ鈥檇, re-earning their spot on the start line in 2024, compared with just 7 percent of runners in NYC.

Boston Runners Are More Experienced

But why are runners at Boston so much faster? The course is notoriously hilly and not exactly PR friendly. When you look at the percentage of the field that achieves a negative split time, meaning they run the second half of the race faster than the first, the importance of experience emerges in the data.

At this year鈥檚 Boston Marathon, Strava data showed that 13 percent of finishers ended up negative splitting the course, up from less than 10 percent in 2022. Negative splitting Boston, with its punishing downhills on the front half and grindy gradients on the back half is no small feat, and a negative split is often the gold standard for a well-executed marathon.

The Berlin Marathon, a notoriously fast course (and home to Eliud Kipchoge鈥檚 2022 world record run of 2:01:09) with a net downhill, saw just 16 percent of the field negative split in 2022. In addition, 11 percent of the fields at London and Chicago鈥攕till relatively fast, PR-friendly courses鈥攏egative split, and just 10 percent of Tokyo negative split as well. The heat and humidity at NYC tore the field apart, with only 3 percent of the NYC field negative splitting.

This tells us that Boston runners, relative to the difficulty of the course, are superior pacers, likely because of the experience required to qualify for the race.

Boston Runners Train More

For most runners, Boston is not their first rodeo. Not only do they tend to race smarter, but their training looks different, too. The median peak week for Boston runners was a 53-mile week and 7:31 of total training time. Compare that with a 37-mile median peak week and 5:49 for London Runners, 39 miles and 6:19 hours for NYC runners (note: we use medians to control for outliers and erroneous data).

This isn鈥檛 revelatory鈥攄ue to stringent qualifying standards, Boston skews fast, and we generally see that faster runners tend to train more鈥攂eing a more experienced runner tends to mean you have built capacity for higher training volume, and that higher volume and longer experience tends to make you faster. But, we can control for this in the data by comparing runners of different pace groups across marathon majors. When we do this, Boston runners still train more.

When you compare the relative finish times across all marathon majors, Boston runners trained for more hours per week (8:10) and ran more frequently for a median of five times a week for all finishers under 3:30, dropping to four runs a week for 3:30-4:00 finishers, and three times a week for 4-plus hour finishers. One standout data point is that runners who ran a sub-three hour marathon at any marathon major had a median five times a week run frequency. Regardless of pace, runners toeing the line at Boston have a higher run frequency across their entire training cycle than other marathon majors. Basically, the faster the athlete was, the higher their run frequency tended to be.

For another comparison, we looked at the training runners did for the Manchester Marathon (which takes place the day before Patriots鈥� Day and is the second-largest marathon in the UK after London). Looking at the 16-week build-up for Boston, compared with Manchester runners, Boston athletes logged more volume, completing an average of five and a half hours each week running, compared to four hours for Manchester competitors (this excludes an assumed two-week taper before race day). Over half (56 percent) of runners at Boston hit at least 50 miles in a week in their training build-up, compared to just 20 percent of Manchester runners. Almost 80 percent of Boston runners hit a 40-plus-mile week, compared to 42 percent of Manchester runners.

One reason Boston runners racked up more volume is due to logging longer long runs. About 74 percent of Boston participants had completed at least one 20-mile run in training, compared to 62 percent of Manchester runners. Also, 93 percent of Boston runners notched at least a 16-mile run in their marathon build, compared with 87 percent of Manchester runners.

Boston Runners Don鈥檛 Necessarily Run Longer, But They Hit the Hills

Lastly, the median long run didn鈥檛 vary much across marathon majors, even while weekly volume varied across races. Most runners logged a median longest run of between 17 to 20 miles. That makes sense with the standardized distance, but one major difference between the training approaches of Boston runners and other majors was this: hills.

To get ready for the notorious Newton Hills, Boston runners who ran between 3:00-3:30 logged a median of 1,047 feet of gain per week, compared with just 725听 median feet per week logged by athletes training for flatter courses like Berlin, 732 for Tokyo, or 739 for Chicago. 2:30-sub 3:00 finishers notched a median of over 1,300 per week in training. Now those are some hill repeats!

The post The Boston Marathon Is Fast. Training Data Shows Why.听 appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

I get asked a lot of questions when people find out that I write about outdoor gear for a living. Do I have any free gear I can give them? (Sure). Have I heard of overlanding? (Once or twice). Why don鈥檛 outdoor companies make ski pants and mountain bike shorts that actually fit women well? (I don鈥檛 know.) But the number one question I get from friends and strangers alike? Which GPS watches do I like better, Garmin or Suunto?

It’s a difficult question to answer, and the truth is that both Suunto and Garmin make really, really good smart watches with GPS capabilities. Both companies make models that outperform the Apple Watch for outdoor use, in my opinion. I stress 鈥渙pinion鈥� here, because which watch is better comes down to the person wearing it and what they want to do with it.

But to leave it at that鈥攁 matter of opinion鈥攚ould be a cop out. So I got top-of-the-line models from each company, Garmin鈥檚 Fenix 7X Sapphire Solar ($999) and Suunto鈥檚 9 Peak Pro ($549) in an effort to determine, once and for all, which brand makes a better adventure watch.

How I Tested

I wore the Garmin Fenix for three months straight, using it daily to train for a big gravel cycling race. Then I switched to the Suunto for a couple of months, using it daily in the gym, on runs, biking trips, and a backcountry ski trip in Colorado. Each watch accompanied me on various explorations of national parks and forests. I鈥檝e worn them day and night, tracking my sleep, activities, calories burned, steps鈥攅verything. Still unable to pick a favorite, I wore both watches at the same time for the past three weeks in an attempt to objectively determine which watch is the most accurate, comfortable, and feature rich. Needless to say, I鈥檝e gotten some weird looks on group rides.

Similarities

Both the Garmin Fenix 7x Sapphire Solar and Suunto 9 Peak Pro are solid smart watches that sync seamlessly with my iPhone, delivering messages and allowing me to control music and podcasts from my wrist. They each offer real-time and accurate GPS capabilities, plus fitness tracking, from heart rate monitoring to calories burned. They also have sleep tracking and ridiculously long battery life, even in full-on GPS mode. Both touchscreens are responsive and feature locking screens when you鈥檙e in exercise mode, so you have to use the buttons (Garmin has five, Suunto three) to scroll through screens and features when you鈥檙e working out. (After using an Apple Watch, I find the locking screen and actual buttons really helpful, because I sweat a lot and wet fingers and touch screens don鈥檛 mix.) Both watches are waterproof up to 100 meters.

The Garmin Fenix 7X Sapphire Solar is huge, with a 55 millimeter face. It’s so big that people comment on its size. (There are 42 and 47-millimeter options available for those that want less of a behemoth). It also looks like an adventure piece, something akin to a diver鈥檚 watch. By comparison, the Suunto 9 Peak Pro is downright demure, with a 鈥渘ormal鈥� size watch face (43 millimeters) and understated black band and bezel, though you can choose different casings and bands, like the flashier titanium casing with a tan band ($699). The Garmin weighs 89 grams; the Suunto weighs 64 grams.

Battery Life

Charging a watch every night means it鈥檚 useless if you want to wear it on a multi-day adventure, not to mention that it makes it difficult to track sleep metrics. Suunto claims the Peak Pro 9 has a 21-day battery life in regular smart watch mode and can run for 40 hours in continuous GPS mode. Garmin claims the Fenix 7x Sapphire Solar can run for 28 days in regular mode and 89 hours in GPS mode. In the field, I never felt limited by the battery life of either watch. In fact, when I wore both at the same time for nine days, the Suunto kept up with the much larger Garmin. After all that off-and-on GPS use, including a couple of multi-hour gravel bike rides, the Suunto had 29 percent battery life left while the Garmin had 37 percent left. Honestly, both battery life claims might be slightly inflated, but neither watch fell short of my needs. And both watches charge very quickly: Suunto from empty to full in an hour, while the Garmin charges completely in two hours.

The Fenix 7x Sapphire Solar features solar charging glass that Garmin claims extends the battery life of the watch by 33 hours under optimal conditions. For three days during the two-watch trial, I was riding bikes in the very sunny desert, which likely accounts for the extra battery savings. But is that solar capability necessary?听I live in the tree-covered Southern Appalachians where direct sun is hard to come by, so I wouldn鈥檛 get much out of the Fenix鈥檚 solar capabilities in the long run. A good question to ask yourself would be: What are you doing that you need to add a few hours of juice to the already impressive battery life of the Suunto or less expensive non-solar Garmin?

Advantage: Garmin, but not by much鈥攁nd you鈥檒l pay for it

GPS and Navigation

This is one category where there really is noticeable separation between the two watches. The GPS capabilities are similar, as both use multiple global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) to track your location. Each watch is a hell of a lot more accurate than, say, tracking a ride on Strava on your phone. When I wore both at the same time, the total distance and elevation gains of my rides and runs were nearly identical. You can also upload routes to both devices, and your watch will give you turn-by-turn directions.

But the navigation features are far superior on the Garmin Fenix 7x, which features preloaded TopoActive maps, so you can follow your track through a detailed, colored topographic map鈥攁nd the 55-millimeter version is large enough that you can actually navigate using the watch. The 9 Peak Pro has a map screen that shows your track, but there鈥檚 no elevation detail so you don鈥檛 know where you are in relation to the landscape. And the topo maps on the Fenix 7X came in handy multiple times while in the backcountry. I actually used the map during an off-trail hike in Joshua Tree National Park to make sure I wasn鈥檛 going too far off course while trying to find a cave. I never found the cave, but I found my way back to the car largely thanks to my watch.

Advantage: Garmin

Fitness Tracking

The Suunto has presets for 95 different sports, so chances are, whatever activity you鈥檙e trying to record, you can find it and track it on the 9 Peak Pro. There鈥檚 even paragliding and something called 鈥渕ermaiding.鈥� I don鈥檛 know what that is, but I鈥檇 love to know how many calories a mermaid burns in an hour.

The Garmin isn鈥檛 as user-friendly for gym-based or city-based athletes because it has limited pre-loaded sports modes, leaning heavily on adventure sports like kayaking and backcountry skiing, but not basic sports like cycling or running. You can add just about any activity you want (breathwork is an option; so is horseback riding), but they don鈥檛 come preloaded鈥擨 had to go into the settings to add 鈥渞unning鈥� and 鈥渃ycling.鈥�

After a typical gym workout, the Garmin gives me a summary of the effort with my max heart rate, average heart rate, and calories burned. Then it shows me how much time I spent in each heart rate zone, gives me my training status, and tells me how many hours before I should work out again depending on that training status. After a typical gym workout, the Suunto tells me how long I worked out, my average heart rate, then shows me the max heart rate, calories burned and recovery time. Both watches work seamlessly with Strava, with activities uploading automatically (you have to connect the watches to Strava first).

The data you see on each watch during a workout or GPS-based activity is highly customizable on both units. I had to consult the user鈥檚 manual to figure it out for both watches, but you can dial each watch in to prioritize the metrics you鈥檙e most interested in viewing while you鈥檙e in the midst of a workout.听 For instance, you can see your heart rate, distance, speed, and duration of the exercise on the main screen of the Garmin, then use the buttons to scroll through the screens to access other data like lap distance, top speed, and time of day. In this respect, both watches are similar, but because the Garmin鈥檚 watch face is so large, it鈥檚 easier to read those numbers on the fly compared to the Suunto. This fact has eliminated my need for a bike computer when I鈥檓 wearing the Garmin.

In my opinion, the most important data of it all is the heart rate info, because that鈥檚 the number that tells me how hard I worked during the effort. Chest-based heart rate monitors are still considered the most accurate way to measure your beats per minute, but wrist-based tech keeps getting better. A 2021 in Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport听showed Garmin Fenix鈥檚 heart rate monitor and blood oxygen monitor to be accurate and 鈥渁 viable method to monitor blood ox and heart rate under most ambient environmental conditions.鈥� Suunto claims its heart rate monitor is accurate within five percent of the chest-based monitors roughly 90 percent of the time. I use heart rate data to gauge how much effort I put into each workout, so I don鈥檛 need it to be super accurate. I鈥檓 not worried about heart murmurs or an underlying medical condition; I just want to know if I earned an IPA or not. While wearing both watches at the same time, I noticed that the heart rates were usually within 5 to 10 beats of each other. They were both consistent without any weird spikes or super long delays in the readings.

Advantage: Suunto鈥攊t鈥檚 well-suited for both gym- and outdoor-based activities largely thanks to a wider array of preloaded options

Sleep Tracking

Some people think it鈥檚 weird to wear a watch while you sleep, but I like to know why I’m so tired in the morning using actual biometric data.听Suunto鈥檚 sleep tracking tells you how much deep sleep you get, your average heart rate, how often you were awake, and gives you an overall sleep quality score. It also tells you the average amount of sleep you鈥檝e gotten in the last seven days.

Garmin goes a little deeper into the data, giving you all of the same metrics as the Suunto, but includes a bar graph that charts the time of your deep sleep, light sleep, and awake periods throughout the night鈥攜ou know exactly when you鈥檙e getting your best sleep. Like the Suunto, it charts your sleep for a seven-day period, giving you an overall sleep score, and shows you which night you got the best sleep. In theory, you can use that info to recreate optimal sleep routines.

Advantage: Garmin

Comfort and Ease of Use

As much as I like the look of the Garmin, the large size does cause some problems. It鈥檚 constantly getting caught in the sleeves of shirts and jackets, and I鈥檝e lost count of the number of times I鈥檝e bumped it on doorways, tables, and chairs. (Both watches are built to take a beating though, each using Sapphire glass, which is a chemically-engineered crystal that鈥檚 really hard to scratch. I’ve experienced no dents or dings on either.) You can, of course, get a smaller size with the same performance, though you will lose some battery life; the 47 millimeter Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar claims 57 hours in GPS mode without factoring in the solar bonus. In contrast, the Suunto is lighter and feels less obtrusive to wear.

I also find the three-button system of the Suunto more intuitive than Garmin鈥檚 five-button system. Sometimes, I find myself randomly pushing buttons on the Garmin trying to get it to do the thing I want.

Advantage: Suunto

Winner: Garmin Fenix 7X Sapphire Solar

A couple of Garmin鈥檚 features take it over the edge for me, personally, and I鈥檓 not talking about the solar-charging capabilities. The solar boost probably doesn鈥檛 help me out enough to justify the extra cost. But the larger face of Garmin鈥檚 Fenix 7x makes it much easier to read the data on the fly, and I found the pre-loaded maps incredibly useful in multiple situations. Put it all together, and I think it鈥檚 a more useful watch for tracking adventures. If you want a capable, rugged GPS watch that can do all of the things, this is the watch for you. One other random thing I love about the Garmin Fenix 7x Sapphire Solar: there鈥檚 a built-in LED flashlight on the casing of the watch. It鈥檚 bright enough to light your way out of your tent for a midnight bathroom break, or to help you find your dawn patrol socks without waking your partner. It’s also worth noting that the Fenix 7X is available without solar capabilities for $300 less.

That said, the Suunto 9 Peak Pro is a badass watch. It鈥檚 super capable and is probably more than enough watch for most people鈥檚 daily lives and weekend adventures. If you just want a fitness tracker with solid GPS capabilities and aren鈥檛 worried about having every little extra feature, the Suunto 9 Peak Pro might be the smarter choice based on $450 price difference alone.

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In a world where everyone has a smartphone, a host of navigation apps to choose from, and a growing array of phone-based SOS/SAR options, do standalone Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS Devices) still have a place in backcountry navigation? We decided to take this debate into the woods to find out. While snowshoeing the Frankenstein Cliff to Arethusa Falls loop in Crawford Notch and bushwhacking through Echo Lake State Park in New Hampshire鈥檚 White Mountains, we tested two of Garmin鈥檚 newest releases, the GPSMAP 67i ($600) and the eTrex SE ($150).

The GPSMAP 67i features a huge improvement in battery life and navigation upgrades that include multiple-GNSS for more consistent satellite connection than GPS alone (think 100+ satellites vs. 24), and multi-band signal reception to enhance the accuracy of those connections. It鈥檚 also compatible with Garmin鈥檚 Outdoor Maps+ and is designed for serious outdoors person who want a robust device that packs a lot of features while keeping you on course, connected, and safe. Garmin claims it will run for up to 180 hours in GPS mode (no inReach, no other GNSS) and up to 840 hours in Expedition mode (no inReach, GPS only, fewer track points, low-power mode activated). After six days of navigation and messaging we had about 20 percent battery life remaining (the unit was turned off after each use). Considering that our tests included multiple-GNSS mode, the flashlight, inReach functions and other features, Garmin鈥檚 claim of 180 hours in GPS seems accurate. One note: testers wished they could actually see听 the remaining battery percentage, rather than a dwindling green bar.

鈥淲ith all its navigation resources enabled, this unit is an absolute bloodhound,鈥� said one user who navigated an off-trail route skirting the bases of the 700 to 800 foot tall granite slabs of Cathedral and White Horse Ledges, which often mess with tracking devices. Using only GPS at the start delivered some sporadic off-route tracking results, but with settings adjusted to multi-GNSS and multi-band for the return trip, he reported 鈥渢his thing followed the route like it was on rails.鈥�

The eTrex SE is Garmin鈥檚 update to the meat-and-potatoes eTrex 10, a popular unit among outdoorists that want a reliable, easy-to-use device without the bells and whistles. The SE鈥檚 battery life leapfrogs the previous version by a factor of 5X, and, using two AA batteries, it provides up to 168 hours in one-second GPS tracking mode and up to 1,800 hours in expedition mode. Our test unit still showed 50 percent听 battery after five days of testing in a variety of modes (turning it off after each use). Garmin shared the multi-GNSS wealth with this device as well, but didn鈥檛 import the 67i鈥檚 multi-band technology. Even so, on a hike up Hedgehog Mountain in Albany, New Hampshire while several inches of snow clung to the pine canopy, testers reported reception was remarkably consistent and delivered accurate tracking data. Using the handheld unit solo to navigate works fine, but testers still preferred using the Explore app with its topo map content to plan and track progress. The added accuracy is exciting news for the geocaching community as well: users just pair their registered device with the Garmin Explore app to record their cache searches. For a unit that sits in the entry-level price range, this is a great buy.

As far as the overall argument for carrying a separate GNSS gadget, our review crew said the most obvious advantage was having backup鈥攔elying on one device can lead to problems. If that phone dies or breaks, your communication, navigation, and lifeline go with it. Battery life was also a big factor in this analysis, with these newly launched handhelds looking for a recharge only weekly, or even monthly. They鈥檙e also rugged implements manufactured to military specs, which means that when they鈥檙e dropped, used in a storm, or taken for an unexpected swim, they have a much higher chance of survival.

But it was in our testing area near Mt. Washington where the argument was pushed over the edge. With a 鈥榝eels-like鈥� temperature of six degrees, we were able to keep our gloves on as we changed courses and settings, sent messages, and toggled every single button. Try that with a cell phone. Consensus: these standalone GNSS units still have a firm place in the backcountry navigation world.

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What if you could receive email updates from 国产吃瓜黑料 Run that were tailored specifically for you, using inputs from your GPS watch, using your daily workouts and training runs? If you record runs with a Garmin, Suunto, Coros, or Polar GPS watch, look no further.Imagine you are a 32-year-old runner, eat mainly plant-based, and are training for your first marathon this fall. Last week you logged 35 miles, 90% on roads in Seattle, Washington. Receiving email newsletters about running your best 100K or making steak fajitas might not be very useful to you, right?

What if, instead, your emails included the perfect recovery recipe of seared garlic tofu on a bed of coconut basmati rice. Or fifteen must-do training tips to clobber your first marathon. These all sound far more specific to your personal goals, location, and lifestyle.

Look, no one has time for irrelevant email updates. So leave Spam City and join Run Intel, an exclusive new pilot initiative by 国产吃瓜黑料 Run, and our sister brands Trail Runner and Women鈥檚 Running. Help us develop a nuanced understanding of your interests so that we can cut to the chase and design email updates specifically for you.

Getting started is simple: You share training data from your GPS watch. We take it from there.

Run Intel is the future.
.听

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More Details:

• Who is this Intel for? Dedicated runners who are data-driven and who use their GPS watches (Suunto, Garmin, Coros, Polar) to regularly track training and progress-to-goal.
• If you have an Apple Watch, Fitbit, Oura Ring, or other wearables, hang tight! After this beta round, we plan to make these compatible, too. Let us know if you have a specific device you鈥檇 like us to make sure and include in future development.
• Run Intel beta testers will join our Data Exchange Program through DashLX, our technology partner who processes all your wearables data. DashLX allows you to connect your devices and import data that helps us understand your lived experience. .
• After signing up for Run Intel with 国产吃瓜黑料 Run, within a few weeks you will start receiving a custom-built newsletter, rather than our normal weekly newsletter. The content fed into your update will be specifically matched to you based on the GPS watch data you鈥檙e sharing with us.
• These email updates will look distinct from regular 国产吃瓜黑料 emails. You鈥檒l know the difference right away when you open the email.
• You鈥檒l only receive Run Intel if your data offers a confident match to appropriate content. This may not happen every single week. Less is more!
• Feedback is encouraged. This is a pilot project for us to be more specific in our email updates, informed by data from you, and taking out guesswork on who you are and what you need. Look for a survey at the footer of each Intel and let us know how well these emails match your profile. This is an exciting new technology, and we鈥檙e committed to making it better and better.

Ready to join Run Intel?
.

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For most of my life, I didn鈥檛 consider myself a watch person. Sure, I appreciated being able to control my AirPods with my Apple Watch, but it never hooked me because the battery was鈥攁nd still is鈥攖oo small to power big adventures. I tested several older Garmin and Suunto watches years ago, but they ended up in the closet because I found the software clunky and nearly impossible to navigate.

Then, about two years ago, I started wearing the Fenix 6 Pro Solar, which finally converted me. The Fenix 6 Pro does so many things well听that I started relying on it regularly and felt naked without it on my wrist.

Fast forward to today, and after months of testing the 6鈥檚 new big brother鈥攖he ($900)鈥攎y watch bond is rock solid. The 7X Solar is now an essential tool that motivates me to move daily and gives me peace of mind in the backcountry, and I don鈥檛 have to worry about it getting damaged or the battery running out.

Fenix 7X Solar: Likes

I鈥檓 not an Insta-famous adventurer so I originally felt like the 7X might be overkill鈥攐r that I would look like a poser with the watch on鈥攂ut have quickly realized the watch is for anyone who can put it to good use.

Tracking

I use it daily to track my exercise and am impressed with how many options I get. Take cycling as an example: I normally choose the standard bike ride feature, but if I want to get really specific I can also ask the watch to track stats for indoor, gravel, and cyclocross rides, as well as commuting and touring. For runners, it 听tracks everything from treadmill workouts to ultras. It also tracks kiteboarding, snowshoeing,听 bouldering, yoga, and pickleball (yes, pickleball). The watch will give you plenty of sleep data, too.

When tracking, the GPS connects quickly and is incredibly accurate. I recently went on two big backcountry ski tours in the Elk Range outside Aspen, Colorado and was able to look back at my tracks on a satellite map and see exactly where I skied. Those data points included the tiny little pullouts in a big, steep chute where I stationed myself to stay out of a possible avalanche path while the other people in my party took turns skiing the line.

One feature I鈥檝e never had to use (thankfully) but still enable when out in the backcountry is called TracBack, which leaves a digital breadcrumb trail as I move through the mountains. The watch can then use the map and compass features to guide me back along that path to my car if I get turned around or lost. It鈥檚 an important insurance policy and one that makes me feel a lot more comfortable tackling new terrain.

Flashlight

I called it gimmicky in my first look at the 7X, but the watch鈥檚 built-in flashlight is wildly useful (the flashlight only comes on the 7X, not the regular 7). To create this feature, Garmin included three LEDs鈥攖wo white and one red鈥攖hat sit at 12:00 between the bezel and watch strap. Two quick taps of the upper left button turn on the flashlight, and you can then control the intensity or switch from white to red light. The flashlight is just ten lumens but I鈥檝e already used it to do everything from finding dog poop听to navigating dark sidewalks. If needed, the light would be just bright enough to get me down a trail if I forgot my headlamp. Runners can also create a de facto blinking light by programming the watch lights to flash white as your wrist moves forward and red as your wrist flies back.

Durability

I鈥檓 not especially rough on my gear, but I鈥檝e banged the watch around plenty while skiing and doing yard work and it鈥檚 no worse for the wear. I鈥檝e yet to drop it on a tile floor, but I鈥檓 sure it would be just fine. My screen will eventually get a little scratched, which doesn鈥檛 bother me. If that鈥檚 something you worry about, you can upgrade to the most expensive sapphire version (an additional $100)鈥攊t comes with a screen that鈥檚 significantly more scratch resistant.

Battery Life

Many other watches out there feature some or many of the same features I鈥檝e mentioned above, but the 7X is unique because it features all of them, does all of them well, and has a battery and charging system that keeps them running nearly forever. Garmin says the longer battery life is thanks to a more efficient GPS chip, a bigger battery, and a larger solar panel underneath the watch face (compared to the 6 Pro Solar). According to their stats, if I鈥檓 wearing the watch and it鈥檚 gathering a steady dose of sunlight (around three hours per day), it will give me up to 122 hours of GPS. If I鈥檓 not using GPS but using other features, and it鈥檚 in the sun for a couple hours each day, it can go around five weeks without a charge.

I haven鈥檛 tried to run the GPS for over 100 hours straight, but I have worked hard to test the battery. I last charged my 7X over two weeks ago and have since used the GPS to track those two different seven-hour ski tours in Aspen as well as three, 30-mile gravel rides, and a handful of neighborhood runs. The flashlight has been on for at least 15 minutes at full power, and I wear the watch every day to track my steps, get notifications, listen to music, and the watch currently says I still have six full days of use.

Fenix 7X Solar: Dislikes

Size

The Fenix 7X Solar is a big watch鈥攊t only comes in a 51-millimeter size (the 7 also comes in more modest 42- and 47-millimeter sizes but they don鈥檛 come with the flashlight). At six feet and 180 pounds, I鈥檓 a medium-sized guy, and the 51-millimeter case sits on my wrist just fine and doesn鈥檛 look out of place. The only time it gets in the way is when I鈥檓 typing in a non-ergonomic way and my wrist is tilted too far back on the keyboard. Smaller people might find the large size unruly or unattractive.

Screen

The 7 series also has a touchscreen, but I wasn鈥檛 that impressed with it. After using the 6 Pro Solar for years I was used to the buttons and haven鈥檛 found the touchscreen navigation to be that much easier. Garmin鈥檚 screen is definitely not as nice as the one on an Apple Watch, so scrolling and choosing features takes a little more intentionality and a harder touch, which pushes me right back to the buttons.

The screen on the 7X isn鈥檛 anything to rave about. I can read it in the direct sunlight and never have to work to understand the information. People who want a nicer screen should look at the Garmin Epix 2 that comes with a brighter and higher-res touchscreen OLED.

Software

Garmin鈥檚 menus have improved over the years, but I鈥檓 still not a huge fan. I was able to find my way around the 7X after a week, but it definitely took some intentionality and little Googling to make everything work the way I wanted. I鈥檓 sure there are features on the 7X I鈥檝e never dug up partly because I don鈥檛 need them and because they鈥檙e buried too deep.

There鈥檚 a robust map feature on the 7X and you can download topo maps for every continent. I have not used any maps on the 7X, however, because trying to follow a map on a watch screen drives me crazy. I much prefer to use my phone and any number of mapping apps, including (which 国产吃瓜黑料. owns). My phone battery听will not last as long as the 7X but I鈥檓 happy to bring an extra battery charger on longer slogs just so I have more screen real estate.

Price

And finally, there鈥檚 the price. I told my friend who likes expensive bikes that I was wearing a $900 watch and he about shit himself. At nearly $1,000, the 7X听might carry more of a vanity price tag than a utility one. But the more you wear the thing, the more you understand how nice it is to have such a robust tool on your wrist. Many of us are willing to spend $800 on a new iPhone and I鈥檓 guessing the 7X will be relevant for at least another five to 10 years鈥攎uch longer than your phone will last.

Bottom Line: I’ll Wear Fenix 7X Every Day

Not everyone can afford a $900 watch. But if you play outside and are used to paying for quality skis, bikes, shoes, tents, etc., then you鈥檒l understand that the 7X is an investment that will pay dividends in performance. Being able to get yourself out of a pickle in the backcountry and track everything you do all while never really having to worry about the battery will make $900 seem like a reasonable price tag to some. This assurance, and ease of use, made the 7X an indispensable part of my everyday carry.听It鈥檚 why the watch will stay on my wrist for a long time to come.

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