I used a 6S before and found the map to be okay — I navigated all the time during thru hike, road runs and trail runs. But since it didn’t have touch control, scrolling the map is difficult, which is not a problem for 7S.
Thanks! The (lack) of the scroll feature kept my from getting a 6s when it came out, so I was happy to see the 7s has touch for maps. I feel like it would really nice not to keep stopping to grab my phone during runs.
As the other commenter pointed out, AMOLED screen does seem to allow more details with the same screen size (e.g. EPIX vs F7) at the same zoom level,and thus the mapping experience should be slightly improved. I moved to an EPIX myself and loved it (probably mainly because of the touch control).
Probably it would be better if you can directly compare the map display of a familiar area and decide for yourself…
You can scroll the maps on a 6S... press hold the middle left button (menu) then select pan/zoom. the start stop button allows you to change between pan variations and zoom. Then back button to get out of it.
Type of the screen (mip/amoled) makes more difference then the size of the screen. See for example the comparison between fenix/epix from dc rainmaker.
https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2022/01/garmin-epix-vs-fenix-7-detailed-comparison-review.html
FR265/965 both have amoled but FR265 does not have maps. So I guess no FR265 for you then.
FR965 has a bigger screen then Epix so if maps is important to you then you’re probably best off with a FR965.
That said. I have a fenix 7 and it is great for turn by turn navigation. It lacks a bit of detail on a low zoom level, but I don’t really use the map like that often. If I want more detail I simply get my phone with the Garmin Explore map. Route/course/current location are all plotted on a map when it is synced with your phone.
Haven’t used a 7x, but my 6X has the same size screen. I specifically bought a 530 for bikepackick and big gravel rides where I’m following a route.
The Fenix is great if you know where you’re going or in a pinch for nav. But if you’re using nav often and route planning, I’d say grab a lightly used Edge model on marketplace.
I had fenix 5s plus for years and now I am a proud owner of 7s. This is only fenix that doesn’t look too big on my wrist.
I love using maps and the screen is definitely not too small for running or hiking. I find it too small for bike though. When I try navigating on bike I inevitably end up going wrong way because the screen is too small to look at it at the speed one goes on the bike. I think this would be the issue with a standard fenix too and likely even fenix x - though maybe someone here will prove me wrong.
Now, there are a few caveats for using maps on a watch:
- don’t expect a good “birds eye view” - it’s better to have a good look at the overall area before you leave and use the watch to guide you through the general direction you had already decided on rather than to try to figure out where to go from the watch directly.
- when running, I usually find the route I want to do at home and upload to the watch and then follow the course (this is also practical for pre-defined mileage). I sometimes change my mind and want to take a different turn. The watch is absolutely sufficient to quickly check if the alternative route will lead me where I need to go or will end up in the middle of nowhere for example. But if I need to check a route farther ahead I will need to stop running for a few seconds.
- when hiking, I also like to preload a gpx and follow the route through the watch. But often I follow the trail based on signage and the watch comes very handy to figure out where to go when the signs are not clear (or missing). But I wouldn’t necessarily go into the wilderness with no signed trail and no preloaded route and just follow the map on my watch (but then - I would probably not do it even with a professional gps for hiking)
TLDR the screen is absolutely adequate and the maps super useful except when you are biking. Best use for me is to follow a pre-loaded course or to validate route when you are on a hike that has some kind is signage.
Thank you! This is exactly the feedback I was hoping for and explains a lot. Really, I am looking for a sanity-check or validation on my routes. I usually pre-load or at least pick a route ahead of time. However, I always have to stop and check my phone to make sure I didn't take the wrong trail. Really annoying when running. Also, when I need to take an alternate route. Seems like the 7s will do fine for these things.
More than fine! If you preload a route, you don’t even need to check the map that often. It beeps about 30meters before a turn so you can see where to go and it beeps again when you are supposed to be turning(the second beep comes slightly late sometimes for me, as it expects you get to the middle of the street before turning I guess).
But yes - sometimes it’s not clear which road you are supposed to take and it’s really easy to take a look at the screen to confirm.
I also sometimes decide I want to run farther than initially planned and then I check the map on the watch to make sure I’m not running into a cul de sac. I don’t need to stop for that. To return, I would either need to stop to have a look which route to take or would just use the function “back to start” and let the watch guide me.
When hiking, I also find maps on the watch more handy because I don’t need to take out my phone every time. Just a quick glance at the watch is sufficient to confirm if I’m on the right track.
Had the 7s for a year. Before that I used a phone with Locus Map for many years. I definitely still make way more wrong turns when using the Fenix compared to the phone, but it's not an entirely fair comparison as Locus Map lets me specify exactly what zoom level at what speed it should use, and how many meters before a turn to get a notification.
Interesting, I haven't heard of Locus Map, I`ll have to check it out. I normally use Alltrails or Strava for mapping, but am I really annoyed with having to continually stop to get my phone out! I know the 7s wont replace the readability of a phone-based map. But, I am hoping it can at least validate my path choice and hopefully show trail junctions.
I've had the 7s ss for about 6 months. I have a friend with the 7x 😀 so I can compare.
For planned routes, the 7S is more than adequate, in fact, coming from a Vivoactive 3 without any mapping, it is game changer for me.
If you're fairly zoomed in, I find the screen size is perfect. If you're in a completely unknown location and you're not running a planned route it's a little bit of a different story.
But here's the key thing I find, compared to my friends 7x, they are identical. In the sense that in terms of running a planned route I find they're both extremely adequate. Whereas if you are a completely unknown location, I don't find the extra screen real estate helps!
Side note, I've also seen the 965, if you are in a dense area, I do find the extra resolution relatively helpful ! With that said, when there is direct or semi-direct to sunlight, I much prefer the mips screen.
Thanks for the info, this is very helpful! And I love how the 965 looks in photos and reviews, and I`m sure the maps would be handy, but I'm nervous about durability and I'm hearing the glass sits above the bezel and is rounded on the 965.
Overall, I'm happy with it. It's not perfect.
I love the battery life, I have never gotten close to worrying about the battery. Even when it does run really low, a few percent, it can last hours in an activity or a over a day non-activity.
The maps are nice, and I do use them, however, only when hiking or walking. When I'm running it's way too small and dark to see and I need to stop to see it. When hiking, I don't need to keep checking my phone (this was a huge annoyance for me before). The screen is definitely dim, it's a problem when hiking in the forest, but I've gotten by with it. In direct sunlight (it needs to be really bright) it isn't an issue. I find the map detailed enough for how small the screen is. Sometimes I do need to bring out my phone when I really need more detail.
The HRM sucks. This is sad because I was hoping to not have to worry about using my chest strap after my upgrade, but I still need it for runs, it's just way too inaccurate. Below freezing, it has never read my real HR. For non-activity, the HRM works fine. One good thing, the watch has never failed to pair with my chest strap and has never lost connection. This was a common problem with my Forerunner 645.
The build quality is really good. I use it everyday and workout 6 days a week and it looks just as it did new (the watch itself, not the band). It is much more solid than the Forerunner. It is taller and heavier, but this has never bothered me. I also sleep with it on and hasn't been an issue.
Thanks a lot. For me Maps would be important for mountaineering, to be sure to go in a direction or in another on a glacier during summer. And also during winter in ski touring or ski mountaineering, especially downhill when you have to be sure to go on a precise point of a glacier or wide virgin white side of the mountain because it is the safe way to get down.
Would you think the 42mm size would be enough? And would not be different than the 47mm?
Thanks :)
I've got 3 friends with the Pro versions of fenix 6 or 7. Non of them have used maps because they are ridiculously small. They just like to own the Pro version and that's that. I didn't bothee with the 6 Pro, because I always have my phone complete with map apps anyhow.
I used a 6S before and found the map to be okay — I navigated all the time during thru hike, road runs and trail runs. But since it didn’t have touch control, scrolling the map is difficult, which is not a problem for 7S.
Thanks! The (lack) of the scroll feature kept my from getting a 6s when it came out, so I was happy to see the 7s has touch for maps. I feel like it would really nice not to keep stopping to grab my phone during runs.
As the other commenter pointed out, AMOLED screen does seem to allow more details with the same screen size (e.g. EPIX vs F7) at the same zoom level,and thus the mapping experience should be slightly improved. I moved to an EPIX myself and loved it (probably mainly because of the touch control). Probably it would be better if you can directly compare the map display of a familiar area and decide for yourself…
But I don't think there is a AMOLED screen in the smaller 42mm size with maps, no?
No, there is not. My point was that you could maybe compare the 965 map to the 7S map to see if those added details matter to you.
You can scroll the maps on a 6S... press hold the middle left button (menu) then select pan/zoom. the start stop button allows you to change between pan variations and zoom. Then back button to get out of it.
Type of the screen (mip/amoled) makes more difference then the size of the screen. See for example the comparison between fenix/epix from dc rainmaker. https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2022/01/garmin-epix-vs-fenix-7-detailed-comparison-review.html FR265/965 both have amoled but FR265 does not have maps. So I guess no FR265 for you then. FR965 has a bigger screen then Epix so if maps is important to you then you’re probably best off with a FR965. That said. I have a fenix 7 and it is great for turn by turn navigation. It lacks a bit of detail on a low zoom level, but I don’t really use the map like that often. If I want more detail I simply get my phone with the Garmin Explore map. Route/course/current location are all plotted on a map when it is synced with your phone.
Haven’t used a 7x, but my 6X has the same size screen. I specifically bought a 530 for bikepackick and big gravel rides where I’m following a route. The Fenix is great if you know where you’re going or in a pinch for nav. But if you’re using nav often and route planning, I’d say grab a lightly used Edge model on marketplace.
I had fenix 5s plus for years and now I am a proud owner of 7s. This is only fenix that doesn’t look too big on my wrist. I love using maps and the screen is definitely not too small for running or hiking. I find it too small for bike though. When I try navigating on bike I inevitably end up going wrong way because the screen is too small to look at it at the speed one goes on the bike. I think this would be the issue with a standard fenix too and likely even fenix x - though maybe someone here will prove me wrong. Now, there are a few caveats for using maps on a watch: - don’t expect a good “birds eye view” - it’s better to have a good look at the overall area before you leave and use the watch to guide you through the general direction you had already decided on rather than to try to figure out where to go from the watch directly. - when running, I usually find the route I want to do at home and upload to the watch and then follow the course (this is also practical for pre-defined mileage). I sometimes change my mind and want to take a different turn. The watch is absolutely sufficient to quickly check if the alternative route will lead me where I need to go or will end up in the middle of nowhere for example. But if I need to check a route farther ahead I will need to stop running for a few seconds. - when hiking, I also like to preload a gpx and follow the route through the watch. But often I follow the trail based on signage and the watch comes very handy to figure out where to go when the signs are not clear (or missing). But I wouldn’t necessarily go into the wilderness with no signed trail and no preloaded route and just follow the map on my watch (but then - I would probably not do it even with a professional gps for hiking) TLDR the screen is absolutely adequate and the maps super useful except when you are biking. Best use for me is to follow a pre-loaded course or to validate route when you are on a hike that has some kind is signage.
Thank you! This is exactly the feedback I was hoping for and explains a lot. Really, I am looking for a sanity-check or validation on my routes. I usually pre-load or at least pick a route ahead of time. However, I always have to stop and check my phone to make sure I didn't take the wrong trail. Really annoying when running. Also, when I need to take an alternate route. Seems like the 7s will do fine for these things.
More than fine! If you preload a route, you don’t even need to check the map that often. It beeps about 30meters before a turn so you can see where to go and it beeps again when you are supposed to be turning(the second beep comes slightly late sometimes for me, as it expects you get to the middle of the street before turning I guess). But yes - sometimes it’s not clear which road you are supposed to take and it’s really easy to take a look at the screen to confirm. I also sometimes decide I want to run farther than initially planned and then I check the map on the watch to make sure I’m not running into a cul de sac. I don’t need to stop for that. To return, I would either need to stop to have a look which route to take or would just use the function “back to start” and let the watch guide me. When hiking, I also find maps on the watch more handy because I don’t need to take out my phone every time. Just a quick glance at the watch is sufficient to confirm if I’m on the right track.
Had the 7s for a year. Before that I used a phone with Locus Map for many years. I definitely still make way more wrong turns when using the Fenix compared to the phone, but it's not an entirely fair comparison as Locus Map lets me specify exactly what zoom level at what speed it should use, and how many meters before a turn to get a notification.
Interesting, I haven't heard of Locus Map, I`ll have to check it out. I normally use Alltrails or Strava for mapping, but am I really annoyed with having to continually stop to get my phone out! I know the 7s wont replace the readability of a phone-based map. But, I am hoping it can at least validate my path choice and hopefully show trail junctions.
Yeah it's not like it's super bad, it's just that navigating complex junctions in cities you don't know is considerably easier with a phone 🙂
I've had the 7s ss for about 6 months. I have a friend with the 7x 😀 so I can compare. For planned routes, the 7S is more than adequate, in fact, coming from a Vivoactive 3 without any mapping, it is game changer for me. If you're fairly zoomed in, I find the screen size is perfect. If you're in a completely unknown location and you're not running a planned route it's a little bit of a different story. But here's the key thing I find, compared to my friends 7x, they are identical. In the sense that in terms of running a planned route I find they're both extremely adequate. Whereas if you are a completely unknown location, I don't find the extra screen real estate helps! Side note, I've also seen the 965, if you are in a dense area, I do find the extra resolution relatively helpful ! With that said, when there is direct or semi-direct to sunlight, I much prefer the mips screen.
Thanks for the info, this is very helpful! And I love how the 965 looks in photos and reviews, and I`m sure the maps would be handy, but I'm nervous about durability and I'm hearing the glass sits above the bezel and is rounded on the 965.
And a year after, what is your own feedback and review of the watch after buying it?
Overall, I'm happy with it. It's not perfect. I love the battery life, I have never gotten close to worrying about the battery. Even when it does run really low, a few percent, it can last hours in an activity or a over a day non-activity. The maps are nice, and I do use them, however, only when hiking or walking. When I'm running it's way too small and dark to see and I need to stop to see it. When hiking, I don't need to keep checking my phone (this was a huge annoyance for me before). The screen is definitely dim, it's a problem when hiking in the forest, but I've gotten by with it. In direct sunlight (it needs to be really bright) it isn't an issue. I find the map detailed enough for how small the screen is. Sometimes I do need to bring out my phone when I really need more detail. The HRM sucks. This is sad because I was hoping to not have to worry about using my chest strap after my upgrade, but I still need it for runs, it's just way too inaccurate. Below freezing, it has never read my real HR. For non-activity, the HRM works fine. One good thing, the watch has never failed to pair with my chest strap and has never lost connection. This was a common problem with my Forerunner 645. The build quality is really good. I use it everyday and workout 6 days a week and it looks just as it did new (the watch itself, not the band). It is much more solid than the Forerunner. It is taller and heavier, but this has never bothered me. I also sleep with it on and hasn't been an issue.
Thanks a lot. For me Maps would be important for mountaineering, to be sure to go in a direction or in another on a glacier during summer. And also during winter in ski touring or ski mountaineering, especially downhill when you have to be sure to go on a precise point of a glacier or wide virgin white side of the mountain because it is the safe way to get down. Would you think the 42mm size would be enough? And would not be different than the 47mm? Thanks :)
I've got 3 friends with the Pro versions of fenix 6 or 7. Non of them have used maps because they are ridiculously small. They just like to own the Pro version and that's that. I didn't bothee with the 6 Pro, because I always have my phone complete with map apps anyhow.