



As you may know, I’m now the proud owner of a Garmin Fenix 3 watch. It took a while to get it as it was stuck at the delivery depot for weeks and the two companies that were involved in delivering it (UK Mail and Cooper Carriers) didn’t seem able to communicate with each other, so my messages to them didn’t get through. I’ve now got it though and Cotswold Outdoor who I bought it from were really good when they heard about the issues I’d experienced with the delivery.

Anyway, now that I’ve got it and I’m getting to grips with it I thought I’d write a blog post about my preferred set-up. It might help some people out and it’s a useful document for me should I ever need to reset the watch to factory default settings as it will allow me to remember how I like things set up. There’s just so many different settings and screens that you can customise and I know from experience with my Forerunner 910XT that restoring it to the way you want it can take ages after a factory reboot, so at least this might help.

Watch Faces

There are loads of different watch faces available for the Fenix 3 from the Garmin IQ site. At the moment I’m using one called ‘White with Bars’ as it has a nice clear display of the time, clearly shows the day and date and also displays battery percentage, steps, calories and distance on the main screen, as well as the move alert bars. Since first writing this post I have pretty much settled on the Actiface watch face as it has a huge array of features and at a glance data. This includes the time and date,, the distance covered today and calories used, The number of steps I’ve taken and a bar to show my progress towards my goal, a move meter, a battery indicator and a graph showing the distance and calorie burn for the past 7 days as well as the maximums for that period. It has various settings that you can change and has some energy saver features so as to only show seconds when activated and to also show the battery percentage and steps percentage when activated. It gets updated quite regularly as well so it keeps getting new features such as icons for reaching your steps goal for 3 consecutive days and a new sunrise and sunset icon and time too.

Of course, Watch Faces are a very personal thing and you may change them based on your mood, so I also have these installed.

Settings

Apps

This is where it gets complicated as each activity type on the Garmin Fenix 3 is now called an ‘app’ and each type has it’s own profile, settings and datascreens. As well as the built in ‘apps’ such as swimming, biking and running, you can create your own and of course download apps from Connect IQ.

I currently have the following ‘apps’ arranged in the following order:

I’ll probably add specific apps for Mountain Biking and of course Windsurfing too, but I have yet to do so [Edit: Windsurfing has now been added and is included in the lists.] [The new apps from the Fenix 3 v6.50 firmware update have also been added]

Note: The v6.50 Firmware also added a new Heart Rate Gauge data screen, which looks nice so I’ve added it to many of the apps, but it isn’t really something that I’m that likely to use very often.

As I said, each of these apps has a huge array of settings and this is what you need to reconfigure after a factory reset to get things working the way you prefer them. So, without further ado, here’s the way I have things set up, prepare for a huge list of settings.

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Pool Swim

I mainly use the rest screen here as I can’t look at my watch whilst actually swimming, so I don’t have many screens set up.

Pool Swim Data Screens

Rest Screen: On

Rest Screen

Layout: 4 Fields

Field 1: Rest Timer

Field 2: Interval Time

Field 3: Int. Pace

Field 4: Repeat On

Screen 1

Layout: 3 Fields

Field 1: Elapsed Time

Field 2: Distance

Field 3:Time of Day

Pool Swim Settings

Stroke Detect : On

Power Save: Normal

Background Colour: White

Accent Colour: Light Blue

Open Water Swim

I like to keep things uncluttered whilst Open Water Swimming as it can be difficult to see smaller numbers through misted up goggles, so usually just time and distance, a second screen with averages and a 3rd screen so that I know a bit about my surroundings.

Open Water Data Screens

Screen 1 (Time and Distance)

Layout: 2 Fields

Field 1: Timer

Field 2: Distance

Screen 2 (Averages)

Layout: 2 Fields

Field 1: Avg. Pace

Field 2: Avg. Stroke Rate

Screen 3 (Ambient)

Layout: 3 Fields

Field 1: Temperature

Field 2: Time of Day

Field 3: Sunset

Open Water Settings

Auto Lap: 100yd

GPS: On

Power Save: Normal

Background Colour: White

Accent Colour: Blue

Aquajog

Really simple this one.

Aquajog Data Screens

Screen 1 (Basics)

Layout: 2 Fields

Field 1: Timer

Field 2: Lap Time

Aquajog Settings

Metronome: Off

Auto Lap: Manual only

Auto Pause: Off

GPS: Off

Power Save: Normal

Background Colour: White

Accent Colour: Yellow

Bike

Bike Data Screens

Screen 1 (Basics)

Layout: 4 Fields

Field 1: Heart Rate

Field 2: Timer

Field 3: Distance

Field 4: Avg Speed.

Screen 2 (Interval)

Layout: 3 Fields

Field 1: Lap Distance

Field 2: Lap Time

Field 3: Lap Speed

Screen 4 (Ascent – Climb Screen)

Layout: 4 Fields

Field 1: Vertical Speed

Field 2: Elevation

Field 3: Max. Elevation

Field 4: Grade

Screen 4 (Ambient)

Layout: 3 Fields

Field 1: Temperature

Field 2: Time of Day

Field 3: Sunset

Bike Settings

Auto Lap: 5.00 mile

Auto Pause: When stopped

Auto Climb: 549m/hr

3D Speed: On

3D Distance: On

Auto Scroll: Off

GPS: On

Power Save: Normal

Background Colour: White

Accent Colour: Green

Heart Rate Gauge Data Screen: Off

Bike (Intervals)

This new profile is exactly the same as the ‘Bike’ profile above, except for the fact that it has Auto-lap set to ‘Manual Only’. This allows me to do intervals sessions and hill reps on my bike where I simply press the lap button myself at the start and end of each interval. I also have the Heart Rate Gauge Screen on.

Indoor Bike

Quite a few screens here as I use Virtual Power Relay from TrainerRoad.

Indoor Bike Data Screens

Screen 1 (Basics)

Layout: 4 Fields

Field 1: Heart Rate

Field 2: Timer

Field 3: Distance

Field 4: Avg Speed.

Screen 2 (Power and Cadence)

Layout: 4 Fields

Field 1: Power

Field 2: Cadence

Field 3: Avg. power

Field 4: Avg. Cadence

Screen 3 (Intensity)

Layout: 3 Fields

Field 1: Intensity Factor

Field 2: TSS

Field 3: NP

Screen 4 (Ambient)

Layout: 3 Fields

Field 1: Temperature

Field 2: Time of Day

Field 3: Sunset

Indoor Bike Settings

Auto Lap: 5.00 mile

Auto Pause: Off

Auto Climb: Off

3D Speed: Off

3D Distance: Off

Auto Scroll: Off

GPS: Off

Power Save: Normal

Background Colour: White

Accent Colour: Light Green

Heart Rate Gauge Data Screen: Off

Run

Lots of screens here as some runs are interval runs, some are just plain runs, other times I might be doing hill reps. Plus there’s info from the Run Dynamics sensors, and a climb screen.

Run Data Screens

Screen 1 (Basics)

Layout: 4 Fields

Field 1: Timer

Field 2: HR

Field 3: Distance

Field 4: Avg Pace.

Screen 2 (Interval)

Layout: 4 Fields

Field 1: Lap Time

Field 2: Lap HR

Field 3: Lap Distance

Field 4: Lap Pace

Screen 3 (Run Dynamics)

Layout: 4 Fields

Field 1: Vert Osc.

Field 2: Cadence

Field 3: Avg. Cadence

Field 4: GCT

Screen 4

Layout: 2 Fields

Field 1: Pace

Field 2: Calories

Screen 5 (Ascent)

Layout: 3 Fields

Field 1: Elevation

Field 2: Total Ascent

Field 3: Max. Elevation

Screen 6 (Ambient)

Layout: 3 Fields

Field 1: Temperature

Field 2: Time of Day

Field 3: Sunset

Screen 7 (Climb Screen)

Layout: 3 Fields

Field 1: Vertical Speed

Field 2: Elevation

Field 3: Grade

Run Settings

Metronome: Off (Although I might use this now and then)

Auto Lap: 1.00 mile

Auto Pause: Off

Auto Climb: 549m/hr

3D Speed: On

3D Distance: On

Auto Scroll: Off

GPS: On

Power Save: Normal

Background Colour: White

Accent Colour: Red

Heart Rate Gauge Data Screen: Off

Run (Intervals)

This new profile is exactly the same as the ‘Run’ profile above, except for the fact that it has Auto-lap set to ‘Manual Only’. This allows me to do intervals sessions, hill reps and fartlek runs where simply press the lap button myself at the start and end of each interval. I also have the Heart Rate Gauge data screen on.

Weights / Gym

Weights Data Screens

Screen 1 (Basics)

Layout: 4 Fields

Field 1: Timer

Field 2: HR

Field 3: Avg. Heart Rate

Field 4: Avg Pace

Screen 2 (Lap)

Layout: 3 Fields

Field 1: Lap Time

Field 2: lap HR

Field 3: Timer

Screen 3 (Workout)

Layout: 2 Fields

Field 1: Calories

Field 2: Training Effect

Screen 4 (Ambient)

Layout: 3 Fields

Field 1: Temperature

Field 2: Time of Day

Field 3: Sunset

Weights Settings

Metronome: Off

Auto Lap: Manual only

Auto Pause: Off

Auto Climb: Off

3D Speed: Off

3D Distance: Off

Auto Scroll: Off

GPS: Off

Power Save: Normal

Background Colour: White

Accent Colour: Pink

Heart Rate Gauge Data Screen: Off

Hike

This is still a work in progress, but it’s something I can play with whilst actually walking one day.

Hike Data Screens

I haven’t really set this up yet as I’m sure I’ll want things such as Max elevation, Total Ascent and various navigation fields too. I’ll add to this once I’ve been walking a few times with it. [EDIT: I’ve now updated these a bit, but have yet to try it so these may change, at the moment I have the data screens set as follows:]

Screen 1 (Basics)

Layout: 4 Fields

Field 1: Average Pace

Field 2: Timer

Field 3: Distance

Field 4: Heading

Screen 2 (Elevation)

Layout: 4 Fields

Field 1: Total Ascent

Field 2: Elevation

Field 3: Max. Elevation

Field 4: Grade

Screen 3 (Ambient)

Layout: 4 Fields

Field 1: Barometric Pressure

Field 2: Temperature

Field 3: Time of Day

Field 4: Sunset

Hike Settings

Metronome: Off

Auto Lap: 1 mile

Auto Pause: Off

Auto Climb: Off

3D Speed: On

3D Distance: On

Auto Scroll: Off

GPS: On

Power Save: Normal

Background Colour: White

Accent Colour: Orange

Heart Rate Gauge Data Screen: Off

Triathlon

This is a built in multisport activity on the Garmin Fenix 3 so doesn’t have settings the same as the apps above. Instead you just enter the profiles from the apps above into it so that it creates a multi-sport activity. Then, when you press the start button on the Fenix 3 you start the first activity and screens from the selected ‘app’ are displayed. You then press the lap button when transitioning from one activity to the next and the screens and settings change accordingly I have mine set up as:

Profile 1: Open Water Swim

Profile 2: Bike

Profile 3: Run

Triathlon Settings

Transitions: On

Alerts: Allow

Auto Lap: Do Not Allow

Auto Pause: Do Not Allow

3D Speed: On

3D Distance: On

Auto Scroll: Allow

Power Save: Normal

Heart Rate Gauge Data Screen: Off

Windsurfing

Not much time to look at data whilst windsurfing, so one screen with my current nautical speed, another with max and average speed.

Data Screens

Screen 1 (Current Speed)

Layout: 1 Field

Field 1: Nautical Speed

Screen 2 (Stats)

Layout: 4 Fields

Field 1: Avg. Speed

Field 2: Timer

Field 3: Distance

Field 4: Maximum Speed

Screen 3 (Ambient)

Field 1: Temperature

Field 2: Time of Day

Field 3: Sunset

Windsurfing Settings

Auto Lap: 1 mile

Auto Pause: Off

Auto Climb: Off

3D Speed: Off

3d: Distance: Off

Auto Scroll: Off

GPS: On

Power Save: Normal

Accent Colour: Pink

Heart Rate Gauge Data Screen: Off

Paddle

This is a new v6.50 built in app that I’ve yet to play with so I haven’t changed anything from the default settings.

Row

This is a new v6.50 built in app that I’ve yet to play with so I haven’t changed anything from the default settings.

Row Indoor

This is a new v6.50 built in app that I’ve yet to play with so I haven’t changed anything from the default settings.

SUP

This is a new v6.50 built in app that I haven’t tried out yet but I’m quite looking forward to as I used to just use the Open Water swim app for Stand-Up Paddleboard sessions or the Surf app for SUP surf sessions. The Open Water Swim app worked fine for it but it wouldn’t record my stroke rate. The new SUP app introduced with the v6.50 firmware update added support for stroke rate metrics.

Data Screens

Screen 1 (General)

Layout: 4 fields

Field 1: Timer

Field 2: Distance

Field 3: Stroke Rate

Field 4: Pace

Screen 2 (Stroke Date)

Layout: 4 Fields

Field 1: Strokes

Field 2: Distance per Stroke

Field 3: Average Stroke Rate

Field 4: Average Pace

Screen 3 (Heart Rate)

Field 1: Heart Rate

Field 2: Heart Rate Zone

Field 3: Average Heart Rate

Screen 4 (Metrics & Time)

Field 1: Calories

Field 2: Time of Day

Field 3: Sunset

Windsurfing Settings

Auto Lap: 1 mile

Auto Pause: Off

Auto Climb: Off

3D Speed: Off

3d: Distance: Off

Auto Scroll: Off

GPS: On

Power Save: Normal

Accent Colour: Pink

Heart Rate Gauge Data Screen: Off

Stress Score

A new feature of the Fenix 3 v6.50 update is the Stress Score app, there aren’t any settings for this as it’s a built in app that is used to monitor your levels of fatigue and readiness to train / compete. It works based on your Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and consists of a 3 minute monitoring regime. You just start it and relax and at the end of the three minutes it gives you a stress score from 1-100, with 1 being less stressed, or more ready to perform. It’s a nice feature if you can be bothered to put a heart rate monitor on and 3 minutes to spare each morning, but will probably be even nicer with the new Fenix 3 HR with it’s built in optical heart rate monitor. There’s not much else to say about the Stress Score App, but I have it installed and do use it from time to time.

Other Activity Profiles / Apps

The other apps on my Garmin Fenix 3, HRV, Surf Tracker and Skywatch are downloaded from Connect IQ and their settings are built in. You can add extra data screens to the surf tracker, but I haven’t needed to do so. Although maybe an ‘ambient screen’ with the time of day, temperature and sunset times might be useful whilst surfing.

Widgets

There are various widgets that can be displayed on the Garmin Fenix 3, most of the ones I have are built in, but I have added a Sunrise / Sunset widget and a calendar widget. You can change the order of these as you wish.

VIRB: Hide (I don’t have a Virb camera)

Wellness: Show

Notifications: Show

Weather: Show

Temperature: Show

Music Controls: Show

Calendar: Show

Calendar Widget: Show

Compass: Hide [ v6.50 update as now replaced by ABC widget ]

] Barometer:Hide [ v6.50 update as now replaced by ABC widget ]

] Altimeter:Hide [ v6.50 update as now replaced by ABC widget ]

] Sunrise/Sunset: Show

Steps: Show [ New in v6.50 ]

] ABC: Show [ New in v6.50 ]

] My Day: Show [ New in v6.50 ]

] Golf: Hide

Last Run: Show [ New in v6.50 ]

] Last Ride: Show [ New in v6.50 ]

] Last Swim: Show [ New in v6.50 ]

] Last Sport: Show [ New in v6.50 ]

] Calories: Show [ New in v6.50 ]

Sensors

This is where you connect you ANT+ Sensors to your Garmin Fenix 3, and control the settings of those sensors. I have the following sensors:

Compass

Altimeter

Barometer

Heart Rate Strap

Heart Rate Strap 2

Heart Rate – Run Strap

Speed/Cadence Sensor

Power Meter

Foot pod

Compass

Compass Settings

Display: Letters/Deg

North Ref: True

Mode: Auto

Altimeter Settings

Auto Cal. Once

Barometer Settings:

Plot: 48 Hour

Storm Alert: On

Rate: 5mb / 3hr

Speed / Cadence Sensor Settings

Wheel Size: Auto

Foot Pod Settings

Cal. Factor: 100.o

That’s it for my apps and sensors. Next there are connectivity settings. I don’t have a compatible Bluetooth Device yet, so there are no settings available to me here.

Wi-Fi Settings

My Garmin Fenix 3 is connected to my Wi-Fi network and the only setting here is:

Auto Upload: On

Activity Tracking Settings

Status: On

Move Alert: On

Navigation Settings

Map: On

Guide: On

There are also data screens within the navigation settings, but I’ve yet to configure these to my preferences.

System

And now onto the system settings

User Profile

These are fairly self explanatory and for me are:

Gender: Male

Birth Year: 1970

Height: 170cm

Weight: 68kg

Wrist: Left

Heart Rate Zones: Defaut

Power Zones: Based on %FTP

Hot Keys

This is a new feature of firmware 3.20 that allows you to set hot key functions to holding the start button or holding the back button. I’ve yet to set them up, but connect to Wi-Fi would be a nice option for one of them, if that were available. Sadly it isn’t [Edit: v6.50 firmware has added support for more hot keys] and the options you have are:

Save Location

Timer

Stopwatch

Bluetooth

Dual Grid [ new v6.50 ]

MOB (Man over Board) [ new v6.50 ]

I’ve now got mine set up so that holding the Start Button powers isn’t configured as a hot key so that it still turns off the unit. Holding the back button is set up to go to the Bluetooth settings screen so that I can easily instigate a sync without navigating through the settings menus should I want to.

And now for the miscellaneous system settings

Language: English

Time: 24 hour

Backlight Mode: Keys / Alerts

Backlight Timeout: 15 seconds

Backlight Brightness: 60%

Alerts

Sounds – Key Tones: Off

Sounds – Alert Tones: On

Vibration: On

Units

I use a real mishmash of units here, some imperial, some metric I don’t know why, it’s just that my brain works better with some rather than others!

Distance: Miles

Pace/Speed: Miles

Elevation: Meters

Weight: Kg

Height: Centimeters

Temperature: Celsius

Pressure: Millbars

Vertical Speed: meters/hr

GPS Settings

Glonass: On

Pos. Format: hdddºmm.mmm

Datum: WGS84

Spheroid: WGS84 (Whatever that means!)

Miscellaneous Settings

Pace/Speed Preferences

Running: Show Pace

Cycling: Show Speed

Other: Show Speed

Start of the Week: Monday

Data Recording: Smart

USB Mode: Mass Storage

Phew, I think that’s the lot, time to get out and actually use it rather than fiddling with the settings!

NOTE: As mentioned in the comments below, once you have your Fenix 3 set up just the way you want it, it’s probably a good idea to make a Fenix 3 backup so that you could restore it should you need to perform a master reset or anything else at some stage in the future.

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