Fenix 6 Pro Solar Edition

Garmin Fenix 6x Pro Solar Review: Set Up And Usability

• Convoluted, but useful, set up
• Menus require some learning to use effectively

Setting up the Garmin Fenix 6X Pro Solar relies on Garmin Connect, a smartphone or tablet app that’s incredibly well-stocked with features. However, setup can be a little on the tricky side – once you’ve established the connection by selecting the watch from the list, you’ll be asked a fair few questions about your daily habits and connectivity preferences.

Once in, you’re treated to reams of data about your activity during the day, as well as options to set up workouts, add credit or debit cards for payment on the go or connect to Wi-Fi for music syncing.

Like being OK with the heft of the Garmin Fenix 6X Pro Solar, you’ll have to want a watch that lets you do a huge amount, but are on board with needing some time investment to learn where everything is.

As mentioned above, working your way through the watch is something you’ll need to learn – things like setting your favorite workouts, adding a navigation course or monitoring your daily stress levels are all a couple of clicks away from a certain menu or mode.

But if you’re prepared to invest the time to study the locations of all these, you’ll get a lot back from the Fenix, such are the features on board.

Garmin Fenix 6x Pro Solar Review: Activity Tracking And Precision

In other good news, the Garmin provides powerful activity tracking, easily picking up and monitoring heart rate, and getting a GPS fix within a few yards of the door when heading out on a run. The wrist-based heart rate monitoring isnât by any stretch new, but Garmin have certainly ironed out some of the inconsistencies of older models – this never misses a beat. In-run tracking is neatly accomplished, making HR zone training simplicity itself, and the large screen pays dividends here, easily referred to while on the move.

Garmin Fenix 6X Pro Solar can display six different data fields during an activity, which can be selected from the menu – data includes HR, pace, cadence and lap timings. The PacePro feature from the other Fenix 6 models is particularly impressive, setting your target pace across hilly or difficult terrain, something competitive hill runners or OMM botherers will be rightly interested in.

Introduction: Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar

I have been testing out the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar watch for the past few months, and have grown to appreciate the huge stack of features that come along with this highly intuitive smartwatch. This watch will take your daily watch and elevate it to the next level.

Garmin is a world-renowned company known for its innovative technology in smartwatches catered to athletes of any skill level.

The Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar watch is the latest innovation in the top-end Fenix series, introducing a self-charging solar feature.

But does it work as well as youd expect?

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Is The Garmin Fenix 6 Worth Buying

The Garmin Fenix 6 is absolutely worth buying if you dont mind settling for slightly older tech. The Fenix 7 line boasts upgraded battery life and solar charging, plus new training features. However, many of the devices best features can be found on both lines, and Garmin continues to support the Fenix 6 series. That being said, if a touchscreen is a priority, youll want to spring for the newer Fenix 7 series.

For most people, the best bet will be the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro . There are much better alternatives to the base version without Wi-Fi, but anything from the Fenix 6 Pro and up is a worthwhile investment.

The base model lacks onboard storage and music, so we recommend the Pro models and up.

Its an all-around excellent device that serves equally well as a and a . Its fitness tracking is truly all-encompassing, with features to please everyone from hikers to marathon runners and everything in between.

In fact, unless you cant afford the Fenix 7 series, the main reason not to get this watch is that it may be overkill for your needs. For example, if youre primarily a runner, you can probably get away with a much cheaper from the Garmin Forerunner lineup.

Battery Life And Solar Charging

Alex Evans / Immediate Media

True to Garmins claims, when used as a smartwatch with constant heart rate monitoring and nighttime-only pulse Ox2 tracking, the Fenix 6 Pro Solar would last on average 14 days between charges.

Battery depletion would be between five and eight per cent in any 24-hour period, with the majority of that happening at night when the pulse Ox2 tracker was enabled.

In my experience of using the watch in Scotland, the solar-charging function couldnt charge the watchs battery. Instead, it slowed down the speed at which the battery drained to between three and seven per cent in any 24-hour period, even when worn without actively trying to increase its battery life. The longest time I went between charges was 16 days, once again true to Garmins claims.

People living in sunnier climates might experience longer times between charges, however.

When used as the primary GPS activity tracker, the battery would last around seven days. A two-hour activity usually drained between three and 10 per cent of the batterys charge, whether it was connected to an external heart rate monitor or not.

This makes the Fenix 6 Pro Solars scope truly mighty, and only the most dogmatic exercisers will need to charge it twice a week.

Its battery life is massively commendable and extends the Fenixs usability into the realms of consolidating smartwatch and dedicated cycle computer into one.

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The Heart Rate Monitor Is Unreliable

Just like the Forerunner 945, the heart rate monitor inside the Fenix 6 is too unreliable to be useful. Wrist-based heart rate trackers are suspect to begin with, and they become even more so when the watch doesnt make a great seal with the users skin . Even when I cinched the Fenix 6 strap so tight that it pinched me, my heart rate readings were still way off, so I eventually stopped even checking them. For what its worth, my larger-wristed husband thought his readings seemed more accurate.

If you care about having accurate heart rate data, simply purchase a chest strap heart rate monitor, sync it to your watch and app, and know that what youre seeing is much closer to reality than anything youll get from a wrist strap.

Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar

6011-867

Select size to see whats available near you.

Rocksolid guarantee

An integrated solar panel lets you enjoy a little off-grid power. The do-everything Fenix line blends smartwatch function with advanced training tools and a backcountry GPS. Every 6 model has a big screen, efficient GPS, and an Elevate heart rate monitor for advanced fitness metrics to daily calorie consumption. The free Connect app pairs your phone to your watch. Download training plans, review activities, receive texts, social media alerts and emails, track the weather and more. The Pro Solar can play music and podcasts, and comes loaded with maps.

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Garmin Fenix 6x Pro Solar Review: Fenix 6x Pro Solar Vs Fenix 6 Pro

The Garmin Fenix 6x Pro Solar builds on many of the features of the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro, delivering on some levels a downright bewildering array of sensors, and related algorithmic calculations.

As both the 6x Pro solar and the 6 Pro units are âProâ designated, you get maps, music and WiFi, with which the vanilla 6 series is not graced, as well as the wide range of coaching features, wrist heart rate and companion phone app.

The 6X Pro solar swaps out the steel case of the 6 Pro in favour of titanium, a move that shaves a few grams, but most obviously boosts battery life with a solar array hidden within the Garmin Power Glass.

However, weight is where things get very tricky indeed, as in theory, the titanium Fenix 6x Pro Solar is nearly the lightest option, but in reality, Garminâs vast range of variations make this a convoluted business.

The Garmin 6 comes in three screen sizes, 42, 47 and 51mm, and can be further complicated by adding âproâ , sapphire glass, and solar – not all of these combinations are available together, and not all in the lighter titanium. So a 42mm 6S Pro with or without sapphire weighs in at 61g for a Steel body, the 47mm 6 Pro racks in at 83g Steel and 72g Titanium, and the 51mm 6X hits a whopping 93g for Steel. Finally, the 51mm Pro solar Titanium weighs 82g – the second lightest in the flagship range, but with the largest 51mm case – which gives a display size of 1.40″ 280 x 280 pixels.

Getting Set Up With Fenix 6 Pro Solar Tracker

The setup process for the Fenix 6 was very similar to that of the Forerunner 945 . Having gone through the process recently and already familiarized myself with the Garmin Connect and Garmin Connect IQ apps, the Fenix 6 went even quicker. It was mostly a matter of pairing the partially charged watch with my app and getting the data fields the way I wanted them. The Fenix 6 definitely benefited from being second to test, but it goes to show that anyone with relatively recent Garmin experience will have no problem getting these watches up and running in a matter of minutes.

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Should You Buy The Garmin Fenix 6x Pro Solar

If you want one of the best fitness watches out there, with money no object, the Garmin Fenix 6X Pro Solar is an easy recommendation. It can track so many exercises that we felt guilty for never taking it snowboarding or hiking more often, and the health tracking features really do add insights into your day.

You can easily look at one of the cheaper watches in the Fenix 6 range if you don’t need the solar glass or onboard maps, but if you fancy an investment in your health, with a great companion app delivering regular and useful insights, then this is a great choice.

Garmin Fenix 6 Lineup Specs

The answer depends on your specific model and how you use it. Without GPS enabled, it can last for 12 or more days. However, enabling GPS will lower that to roughly 36 hours.

Yes, except for the base models. The Fenix 6 Pro, Sapphire, and Pro Solar models support , Amazon Music, Deezer, iHeartRadio, and local music uploads. You can read more about music services compatible with Garmin devices here.

In short, very durable. Although the Sapphire models are the most resistant, all models are tested to US military standards for thermal, shock, and water resistance.

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Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar Gps Smartwatch Performance

Alex Evans / Immediate Media

I tested the Fenix 6 Pro Solar over the course of nine months through late spring and summer, and into deep winter. Ive used it for kayaking, running, walking, mountain biking, ebiking and road riding to get a true sense of how the watch performs.

Ive worn it constantly day and night over that time period, and have used it alongside a Garmin Edge 830 bike computer.

My experiences below are written in the context of mountain biking and road riding, rather than any of the many other activities the watch is designed for. Most of my testing was done off-road on mountain bikes, however.

Garmin Fenix 6x Pro Solar Review: Verdict

The Garmin Fenix 6X Pro Solar is completely impossible to pigeonhole, but rather brilliant too. Garmin has managed to integrate and make sense of many of the random bits of data from earlier models, decluttering the interface so that you get to what you want faster and easier.

On the downside, the huge array of general wellness tools, from water-drinking reminders to sleep tracking and stress monitoring can feel a little gimmicky, and reminiscent of now-near-defunct fitness trackers.

Those gripes aside, the battery life here is market-leading, the coaching tools and sensors excellent, and the ability to pull on some Bluetooth headphones, hit go and start running in comfort is no small feat. What price fitness convenience?

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Fitness Heart Rate And Pulse Ox2 Tracking

Alex Evans / Immediate Media

All of the watch and smartphone apps algorithm-based fitness monitoring such as recovery time, Body Battery, sleep monitoring and performance metrics is only as good as the sensor data it receives.

Each of the fitness monitor features talks to the others to help you build a clear picture of how youre training and what type of condition or state your body is in. When theyre getting reliable data, theyre brilliant tools to use for the average fitness fanatic.

Each of the features provides genuine insight that is interesting, and at times, enlightening and directive, permitting you to tailor your riding to suit your bodys current needs.

As mentioned, though, the information each metric provides is only as good as the sensor data it has access to.

Alex Evans / Immediate Media

The wrist-based heart rate monitors reliability when used on a bike is variable. Factors such as strap tightness, skin colour, arm hair, blood flow through the wrist and vibrations all influence how accurate its readings are.

I struggled to get the wrist-based monitor to tally with the readings given by a chest-based heart rate monitor and stopped using the watchs in-built sensor if I wanted to reliably track activities. Garmin has an extensive support document detailing what can affect heart rate monitor accuracy.

Alex Evans / Immediate MediaAlex Evans / Immediate Media

Garmin Fenix 6x Pro Solar Review: Build Quality And Ergonomics

The build quality of the Garmin Fenix 6x Pro Solar is pretty high, with titanium back and bezel – replete with torx screws for that rugged look – the only real let-down is the face. Unlike the sapphire models, the Solar model is equipped with âpower glassâ, which apart from charging the watch with sunlight, feels rather like Gorilla glass in use. Garmin claims the glass is scratch-resistant, but less robust than a Sapphire glass when allâs said and done.

This is not a touchscreen watch, so youâll be needing all those five buttons, 007, but fortunately, they are labelled for those without a PHD in watch UI.

The âquickfitâ straps are a nice touch, removable with just the prod of a button, and although theyâre dive-watch broad, the stock silicone strap does keep the rear-mounted HR monitor snug and relatively error-free.

Overall itâs not a subtle look, but for a high-end sports watch packing this much tech, an overall size of 51 x 51 x 14.90 mm comes as little surprise.

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Garmin Fenix 6x Pro Solar Review: The Ultimate Outdoors Watch

A big multisport smartwatch with titanium for lightness and the kitchen sink of sensors and apps – is this the ultimate multisport watch?

The Garmin Fenix 6x Pro Solar adds solar-boost to the already potent feature-set of the 6x, and drops weight into the bargain. Price aside, this is a powerful contender.

• Does everything under the sun

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The Garmin Fenix 6x Pro Solar is the zenith of the kitchen sink approach to multisport watches. Following the trend of gradually intensivising functions, this 51mm watch not only tracks everyday fitness, provides coaching for targets such as marathons, and monitors fairly specific fitness indicators , but also offers a full-fat GPS/GLONASS navigational array, Wifi, Bluetooth and integration with playlists from Spotify, iHeartRadio, Deezer, or Amazon Prime Music.

Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar : The Long Battery Life

This Garmin features a standard nine-day battery life before the additional day and a half with solar charging.

However, that is running on full power if you were to keep your watch on the battery-saving mode, you could have a base battery life of up to 34 days and up to 59 days with solar charging.

The longer you use GPS, music, and other high usage features, the watch will drain in battery much quicker but will still give you several hours to several days of battery.

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Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar Drawbacks

After all of that goodness, is there anything actually wrong with this watch? From where I stand, not really. This is a review, though, so Ill try my best.

There are two things Id like to see in newer models. The first is just the evolution of more and more battery life. Having to charge my watch isnt a deal-breaker, but the less I have to do it the better.

Also, when it comes to responding to texts, Id like to be able to respond past that of just quick responses. There are several pre-loaded quick responses that one can reply with. But being able to say whatever I want would be awesome and add to the efficiency.

Other than that, this watch is killer.