I got this as a gift after my Apple Watch died and I was really excited about the 11 day battery life that was advertised but soon realized that only happens if you basically never track anything on your watch. I’ve only gotten at most 3 days on a single charge. Also, the watch band has apparently given me a rash and looking up reviews on Reddit it appears to be a common experience. So I have to spend more money to buy a different band. That’s a bummer. Hope once I get my new band and my rash is gone, I’d be able to start loving it.

I bought garmin just 20 days ago and still new to watch. Few things I need and still not able to figure out is how to set watch fact which has quick way to record my activity. I am not sure how to make few activities which I keep repeating to keep only those at the top.

I recently switched from an Apple Watch to the Garmin Vivoactive 5, primarily because I was frustrated with the short battery life of the Apple Watch. After using the Vivoactive 5 for a few weeks, I can confidently say the switch has been worth it — though not without a bit of a learning curve. What I love: Battery Life: This is hands down the biggest win. I can go several days without charging, even with regular activity tracking, sleep monitoring, and notifications turned on. It’s incredibly freeing not having to top it up every night. Sleep Tracking & Coaching: Garmin's sleep tracking is far more detailed and helpful than what I had before. The sleep coaching feature gives useful insights and suggestions that feel actionable instead of just data for data’s sake. Customization & Watch Faces: There’s a great selection of watch faces, and I appreciate how customizable the watch is overall. It feels like it can be truly tailored to your preferences and lifestyle. The trade-off: Steeper Learning Curve: With all the features and data Garmin offers, there’s definitely a learning curve. The interface and menu system aren’t always intuitive, and I’m still discovering new functions weeks later. If you're coming from a more simplified system like Apple’s, expect a bit of an adjustment period. Final Thoughts: If you're someone who prioritizes battery life, in-depth health tracking, and customization, the Garmin Vivoactive 5 is a strong contender. It’s not quite as plug-and-play as the Apple Watch, but once you get the hang of it, the benefits are absolutely worth it.

My first Vivoactive 5 was great! Unfortunately I broke the screen and Garmin offered me a discounted replacement if I sent the old one back. The replacement one is complete garbage and won’t stay connected to my phone. I think it may have been a refurbished watch with existing issues.

These watches have been great. GPS feature is very reliable and battery life remains excellent. I have put this on watch through a decent amount of abuse and have not had any issues. The body battery metric takes some getting used to, but has become a very helpful metric to follow. Sleep tracking is excellent.

I bought the Vivoactive 5 about a month ago because my Vivoactive 3 died. The reason I purchased this model was for the stair counter. I spent many hours looking for the activity on the watch and googled it several times. Finally found on a Garmin owner forum that it is no longer on the watch and Garmin did not remove it from the list on the website. Needless to say, I was very disappointed. Other than the stair counter, I really like the new watch.

The battery is going down at a rate that suggests it won’t last 2 days let alone 11. Also it didn’t come with a charger. Nothing in the box even though it states there should be one. Waiting to hear from customer service. I will update if it’s a positive experience.

Not really happy with this watch. A and B keys are erratic in their responses. Lack of a manual with diagrams biggest downer. Web site gives insufficient instructions. Way too many options and each option often has further options. Can't get the activities to perform the way I want. sometimes I spend 10 minutes just trying to get back to the main screen

This tracker does what I want to to do. One exception is the sleep tracker. It is too sensitive to movement! If I am not conscience of being awake...why does it say I am awake? I normally am sound asleep with in 10 minutes of lying down. I am asleep about 9:30 every night and wake up about 5 or 5:30. Once or twice a month (like last night) I was asleep about 9:35pm, woke up at 5:30am, my watch said I went to sleep at 12:31am, was awake for 1 hr 6 min. For a 3 hr 53 min of sleep. This is depressing! I am an active 78 year old and will not be tired today because I had a good nights sleep which the watch did not record properly.

Recently purchased this Garmin Smart Watch and the Keeper stretched to the E point that the watch strap is not properly secured, and presents a serious safety issue. The purpose of a watch band keeper is to secure the excess length of the watch strap, preventing it from catching on objects, snagging, or wearing down quickly. The current Keeper is a Complete FAIL ...and I hope Garmin Support will respond properly with free replacement Keepers when I have time to call.