Hey guys! As you know the Garmin 920xt is a very old model by now. We’ve got the 935 and the 945 which just got released this year. And even though I’ve used the 935 and Fenix 3 HR for quite a while, I’m still using the 920xt and heres why.
Firstly, It’s all I need actually. And its the cheapest watch with all the triathlon features I needed. There was a a period of time I upgraded to the 935 and it was amazing not having the need for a HR strap anymore. But I sold it for a little profit and went back to using the 920xt with the HR strap since the 920xt doesnt have an optical HR monitor.
Going back to the HR strap was not a big issue for me especially since its said the strap is more accurate than the wrist sensors. And even pros are still using the old school HR straps over the optical sensors.
Did I mention the price? In 2019, you can get the 920xt for less than $200 used. When it came out in 2015 it was over $550! It was the best watch at that time because it was the first watch with a colored screen and locks GPS super quick. So I’m enjoying all these benefits all for a heavily discounted price after waiting for so long.
I actually think the 920xt is better than the 935 in some areas. The 935 will automatically save your activity after 20mins of inactivity. But if youre having a coffee break and ride after that, you will end up with separate activities. That was quite annoying when I had the 935. I read on the forum you can only increase the standby time but it will still auto save if you dont start the workout again. So I pressed start and stop just to refresh the timer when I needed a longer break. The 920xt on the other hand, will not auto save your activity and you can take your time at the cafe and ride again.
Unfortunately, my Fenix 3 HR Sapphire died. It was a slow, painful death. It began by a small dead pixel and slowly that pixel turned into a line and after a few weeks, the whole screen was dead. Forums say I needed to dry it since water had went in. But it didnt work. Probably got a bad copy of the watch. But I’d used it for a good period of time.
That wasnt the first watch which died on me. I’ve had the 910xt which died too. Twice. Anyway the 920xt so far has held up well, including a crash. And although its scratched and probably not re-sellable, hopefully it will serve me for many more years to come.
It’s the perfect watch for me and I’m not in need for the latest craziest stuff. And from someone who has lost 2 910xts and a Fenix 3 HR, I told myself I’m not gonna spend over $300 bucks on a watch anymore. I’d wait for the 935 to come down below $300 and maybe then I’d consider.
So my reply to anyone asking for a budget starter watch for triathlon, I’d easily recommend the 920xt. It’s a steal right now and it will only get cheaper as new models come out.
Let me know watch you wear, is it a Garmin or another brand?
Aaroiseverything 