I have been using this for about a month now. The heart rate seems to be accurate. I also like other functions such the sleep monitor, daily report, gps tracking, and swim lap counter. I do have an issue with the swim lap counter not recording when using the kick board without arm stroke activity. It does not record laps with this activity. Is there a setting for this? I am not sure.

This does everything I need to track running and other types of workouts, as well as tracking overall health/activity. Battery life is pretty good, but not the 11 days claimed. I get 5-6 days out of a charge.Worth the price, and a great option if you don't need all the crap the Apple Watch has.

I bought the VivoActive 5 about a month ago after wearing a VivoActive 3 for several years. The brighter, sharper display is amazing. I also like the much longer battery life. I don’t use for cycling since I have a Garmin bike computer. I will use for kayaking but the local lakes have about a foot of ice at the moment. For us northerners, it would be nice to have a snow shoveling activity but I suppose I could use hike. I use the “Glance” watch face which shows all the numbers I am interested in.

I have had watch for 2 weeks and love it. Replaced an apple watch that couldn't make it through the day without charging. Holds a charge for 10 days, great tracking of fitness, sleep, steps, etc. Gives feedback on workouts. Can also share with family/friends and challenge each other.

This is my 3rd Garmin smart watch! I started with the Vivosmart, then upgraded to the Vivoactive 4S dust gold. After 4 years of loving my Vivoactive 4S, I decided to further upgrade to the Vivoactive 5 metallic orchid. Talk about a real upgrade! Appearance wise, I love the color of the watch and the face size. Watch features are a game changer! Huge step up from the Vivoactive 4s and more like the Fenix 7, that my husband wears. The vibratant colors and details of each item on display is easy for anyone to read. I love seeing and understanding what is draining my body battery or how I slept. All of these details help in overall wellness. I am over the moon happy with my Vivoactive 5.

I bought this to replace my Fitbit. I wanted the activities and apps. I felt the compass would be handy. Sleep tracking inferior to my Fitbit. Told it was due to my pacemaker. I wish the compass was an actual app. It's stalled on me several times. I like the low profile. the fitness tracking is very good. I've used Garmin many years for fishing and hunting and was excited to try this watch out. It's a keeper. I wish the sleep tracking and compass were more reliable.

After a disappointing experience with the Tactical Instinct Solar x2. I decided to get rid of it for the following reasons. It was terrible. Inaccurate, Black & White screen, too many buts required to setup and operate. Way over priced!! I choose this model 5 Vivo Active for several reasons. 1. Past models 3 and 4 were very good watches and Garmin stood behind them. 2. Color screen I can see. 3. Easy to operate and setup 4. Features, multiple watch faces, and increased activity’s. 5. Accurate information distance and mileage, steps etc. 6. Cost is not bad unlike the Instinct 7. Durability and fast response downloading. My only complaints it is not text comparable with my I Phone like the new model VA6. No storage or ability to respond to text. The bezel is smaller than the VA4 I would prefer a larger watch face.

I was an avid Fitbit fan, but after the Google takeover of the company, the products went downhill. After yet another Fitbit having battery issues and then not working at all, I decided to look elsewhere. I did a lot of research on alternate options out there and found Garmin to have the best reviews, options and capabilities. I will admit it was hard to pick just 1 Garmin, there were so many options and price points. After using the comparison tool I narrowed it down to 3 and ultimately chose the Vivoactive 5. I bought one for myself and one for my husband to replace both of our Fitbit Sense 2 - we have been amazed since the first use! Excellent battery life, so many features and tools we are still exploring. The app is fantastic, I found the long-lost challenges option that Fitbit had done away with and so many more useful activities. I feel more encouraged than ever to get my steps and activity in and trust that the data is accurate. I cannot recommend the Vivoactive 5 enough - I will be gifting to a few family members as well this year as it is that amazing! Thank you Garmin!

I got this watch to replace my Vivoactive 3 Music. Almost the same watch but with beautiful display, more activity options, and I've noticed the GPS takes a lot less time to locate before a run. Music downloads faster. Touchscreen works great, even in the pool. Overall very happy because I loved the 3 Music and wanted something similar.

I really do love the Garmin- this is my fourth Garmin. Unfortunately, the rechargeable battery and the special charging plug make for a problem. I'm never in the same place as the proprietary charger when it dies, so I walk around with a dead device on my wrist a fair anoint of time. Please - if this is supposed to be a seriously helpful tracker, put the long-lasting nicad back in the next round. Throwing away a tiny batt twice a year is better than having a device that works part time.