Week in Review–June 21st, 2020

The Week in Review is a collection of both all the goodness I’ve written during the past week around the internet, as well as a small pile of links I found interesting – generally endurance sports related. I’ve often wondered what to do with all of the coolness that people write, and while I share a lot of it on Twitter and Facebook, this is a better forum for sending it on to y’all. Most times these different streams don’t overlap, so be on the lookout at all these places for good stuff!

So with that, let’s get into the action!

Sports Tech Deals of Note:

A new slate of sports tech deals began over the last few days. These are typical deals that Garmin does *every* single year, usually starting about a month out from Father’s Day. Suunto also often jumps in the fray (and others too). Note that most of the Garmin deals end on/around fathers day (June 21st – today).

	Product	Sale Price	Amazon	Other site	Sale Notes
	Apple Watch Ultra 3 - $100 off!	$699	Amazon		This is the first time we've seen the Apple Watch Ultra 3 on sale, and given it's $100 off, that tends to be the typical sale price for the holidays/Black Friday for the current/just-released version.
	Garmin Bounce LTE Kids Tracker - $30 off	$119	Amazon		This is the activity tracker that both of our oldest daughters have used for years (age 8 & 9), as well as most of their friends now. They/we all like it. Check out my full in-depth review for all my thoughts. That said, the new Bounce 2 came out two months ago, and while my review isn't out yet, it's a far better product. But, quite a bit more too. The TLDR on that review will be that it's the best kids smartwatch/tracker to date (for both parents and kids), but obviously will cost you $100 more.
	Garmin Edge 540 - $100 off	$249	Amazon	REI	⚡At $249, it's pretty much impossible to beat this deal in terms of bike computers. There's no competitive option that beats it on features/battery/etc at this price, or frankly anywhere near it. Sure, it doesn't have a touchscreen, but it's not as bad as it used to be (I did a stint on it this winter for a week or so, and was fine).
	Garmin Edge 840 - $100 off	$349	Amazon	REI	This is Garmin's main mid-range cycling GPS, it's what my wife uses and she's perfectly happy with it.
	Garmin Edge 840 Solar - $150 off	$399	Amazon	REI	⚡ This is the lowest price we've seen on the Edge 840.
	Garmin Enduro 3: $100 off $899	$749	Amazon	REI	This is the lowest price we've seen on this to date. The Enduro 3 is simply the Fenix 8 with a MIP/Solar display (but without the scuba or voice calling features). It gets all the Fenix 8 features and updates otherwise.
	Garmin Epix Pro (42mm) - $300-$400 off!	$449	Amazon		⚡⚡⚡ This is a fantastic deal. By far the lowest price we've seen this! The Epix Pro has a flashlight which the regular Epix lacks, plus the newer Garmin Elevate Gen5 optical HR sensor with ECG support.
	Garmin Epix Pro (47mm) - $300-$400 off!	$499	Amazon		⚡⚡⚡ This is a fantastic deal. By far the lowest price we've seen this! The Epix Pro has a flashlight which the regular Epix lacks, plus the newer Garmin Elevate Gen5 optical HR sensor with ECG support. Note: Availability on this deal fluctuates, just keep checking back, I'm sure it'll pop back again (it always does).
	Garmin Fenix 7 Pro (MIP) - 31% off $799+	$449+	Amazon		⚡ If you wanted the battery life of a Fenix MIP series without the cost of a Fenix 8, this is basically your best deal. Plus, unlike the base Fenix 7 series, the Pro series includes the flashlight and Gen5 HR sensor with ECG.
	Garmin Fenix 7S Pro Solar Sapphire (MIP) - 31% off	$449	Amazon		⚡ If you wanted the battery life of a Fenix MIP series without the cost of a Fenix 8, this is basically your best deal. Plus, unlike the base Fenix 7 series, the Pro series includes the flashlight and Gen5 HR sensor with ECG.
	Garmin Fenix 8 Pro (yes, Pro) - $100 off!	$1,099	Amazon		⚡ This is very unexpected, and is an Amazon-specific deal, not a Garmin-supported one. Thus, I expect it won't last more than minutes/hours. Grab it while you can!
	Garmin Fenix 8 Series - $250 Off! $999-$1,199	$749	Amazon	REI	⚡ The Fenix 8 keeps getting all the new software features of the Fenix 8 Pro that was launched two months ago. Setting aside that Fenix 8 Pro which gained LTE & Satellite Messaging, this is otherwise the most capable sports watch on the market.
	Garmin Fenix E - $250 off!	$499	Amazon		As a general rule, the Fenix E is the watch that literally nobody is buying, and makes no sense at higher prices. The hardware is simply the Epix Gen 2 with Fenix stamped on it. That watch is going for $400, though I expect we'll see it down to $300 over Black Friday. However, one *KEY* difference with the Fenix E, is that it includes all of the software features of the newer Fenix 8, whereas the Epix Gen 2 doesn't get all the new software features. Otherwise, save your $200.
	Garmin Forerunner 165 (Base) - $50 off $249/$299	$199	Amazon	REI
	Garmin Forerunner 165 Music - $50 off!	$249	Amazon	REI
	Garmin Forerunner 255/255S Music - $150 off! $349/$399	$249	Amazon
	Garmin Forerunner 265 Series - $150 off! $449	$299	Amazon		⚡ This is (by far) the lowest price on the Forerunner 265, which was recently replaced by the Forerunner 570 (but at nearly twice this price). What's fascinating about this sale price, is it's well beyond the usual sale prices for Garmin for this product. This pricing is 100% an Kansas-themed 'Hello!' to COROS and their just released COROS Pace 4 at $249.
	Garmin Forerunner 55 - $50 off $199	$149	Amazon		The Foreurnner 55 is a great option if you simply don't want to spend a ton, but still want a super-capable runners watch (and general activity/sleep tracking watch). I've heard a lot of you get it for teenagers that run, as a great/inexpensive way to track their runs, and still be a good everyday watch.
	Garmin Forerunner 965 - $150 off $599	$449	Amazon		This is the lowest price to date on the Forerunner 965, which is logical given the Forerunner 970 came out this past spring (which essentialy adds a flashlight and some other running metrics/features).
	Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED - $100 off! $399/$449/$499	$399	Amazon	REI	The Instinct 3 series came out earlier this year, with both an AMOLED and Solar variants. The big upgrade over the previous editions is the inclusion of the flashlight in all sizes, and a massive ugprade of sports features.
	Garmin Instinct 3 SOLAR - $100 off	$299	Amazon	REI	The Instinct 3 series came out earlier this year, and the Solar edition in particular has 'unlimited' battery life in certain scenarios. The big upgrade over the previous editions is the inclusion of the flashlight in all sizes, and a massive ugprade of sports features.
	Garmin Lily 2 - 20% off $249	$199	Amazon		The leather version is also on sale as well.
	Garmin Tactix 8 AMOLED - $250 off!	$1,049	Amazon	REI	This gets all the same updates as the Fenix 8 Pro, from a software standpoint.
	Garmin Tactix 8 SOLAR - $250 off!	$1,149	Amazon	REI	This gets all the same updates as the Fenix 8 Pro, from a software standpoint.
	Garmin Varia RCT715 Camera Radar - $50 off	$349	Amazon	REI
	Garmin Varia RVR315 Radar - $50 off	$99	Amazon	REI	This is Garmin's radar without the light, so it's a bit smaller as a result. Same radar tech though, and compatible with Garmin/COROS/Hammerhead/Wahoo bike computers.
	Garmin Varia Radar (RTL515) - $50 off	$149	Amazon	REI	This is Garmin's standalone radar+taillight option, and $149 is pretty much the standard sale-price. Even despite all the new radars out there, this remains the most accurate option on the market. Now, only if Garmin would just re-release it with USB-C. C'Mon Garmin...maybe next year?
	Garmin Varia Vue Front Light/Camera - $50	$499	Amazon	REI	This is the first time this product has been on sale, since launching last spring. I'd argue it could have used a $100 off sale...but hey...they don't consult me.
	Garmin Venu 3 - $100 off! $449	$349	Amazon		The Venu 4 came out in September, though with a massive price jump.
	Garmin Venu X1 - $200 off!	$599	Amazon	REI	⚡ This is the lowest price we've seen on the newest product in the entire Garmin Holiday 2025 sale lineup. This is basically a blend of a Forerunner 970, Venu 4, and Fenix 8...but super thin. It's argueably one of the best deals here at $599, though, Garmin is still clearly trying to figure out the right pricing to drive purchases.
	Garmin Vivoactive 5 - $100 off! $299	$199	Amazon
	Garmin Vivoactive 6 - $50 off! $299	$249	Amazon		⚡ This is the first time we've seen the Vivoactive 6 on sale, which is essentially a Venu 4, but without the voice/calling/ECG features (and a few other tidbits). It's probably one of the best deals in Garmin's lineup (sale or otherwise).
	Garmin inReach 2 Mini Satellite Communicator (2-way) - $150 off	$249	Amazon	REI	⚡ This is the lowest price we've ever seen for this. This is my defacto satellite communicator when out of coverage area, and I've used it on a number of major treks over the past two years when well outside of cellular service, both in a 24x7 tracking mode for friends and family, but also there in case of emergency. Would strongly recommend for anyone doing anything in the wilderness.
	Garmin inReach Messenger Plus - $100 off!	$349	Amazon	REI	This came out last fall, and is the second time this has been discounted, but now to the lowest price to date. The key difference with the new Plus model is that it adds the ability to send photos and voice messenges via satellite. I've used it a bit, and it's pretty cool because it makes it a lot faster to just say something rather than type it out, but the $499 price seemed excessive. $399 makes it slightly more palatable.
	Tacx NEO 2T Smart Trainer - $200-$300 off $1,399	$899	Amazon	REI	This is the go-to sales price for the NEO 2T, though has become more frequent over the past year. It's still an incredible trainer, and is the top-end non-moving trainer from Garmin/Tacx.
	Tacx NEO 3M - 25% off! $1,999	$1,499	Amazon	Competitive Cyclist	⚡ This is the lowest price we've seen to date on the Tacx NEO 3M, and finally takes it down to a semi-logical price (compared to it's competitors). This is a good buy, and obviously, given it's only a year old, I definitely don't expectany sort of new version of this anytime soon (the last NEO series unit was about 5 years between versions).

DCRAINMAKER.COM Posts in the Past Week:

Here’s all the goodness that ended up on the main page this past week:

Sunday: Week in Review–June 14th, 2020
Monday: How to Load Zwift or TrainerRoad on a Peloton Bike: A Geek’s Guide
Tuesday: Garmin Edge 1030 Plus In-Depth Review
Tuesday: Garmin Edge 130 Plus In-Depth Review
Friday: Hammerhead Refreshes Karoo User Interface ahead of Karoo 2

YouTube Videos This Past Week:

Here’s what hit the tubes over on the You of Tube, definitely don’t forget to subscribe there to get notified of videos the second they hit!

Stuff I Found Interesting Around The Interwebs:

Here’s a not-so-small smattering of all the random things that I stumbled on while doing my civic duty to find the end of the Internet (and in this case, some of these are from the past few weeks to clear out the backlog):

1) The Impact of Civil Rights Legislation on Triathlon: A good look back at the details of how shifting the laws and paradigms around women participating in sport has dramatically increased participation numbers there, and how that could potentially be applied in other areas to increase diversity.

2) The story of Ahmaud Arbery – Death, Running, and Racism: No matter where you live, you should read it. (via Leah Flickinger)

2) UCI outlines ‘Team Bubble’ Strategy for return to racing: While well-meaning towards getting athletes back in racing, I continue to be somewhat astounded at the UCI’s determination to try and salvage this season. Especially in a sport that (perhaps more than any other I can think of) tries to pull 20-25 athletes/staff/etc that form a team with 19-22 teams in a race, to locales from previously around the globe to then travel across hundreds or thousands of kilometers of open roads as part of competition.

3) Run/Bike Power Ratio vs Run Economy: A simple tweet of data. Worthy of discussion no doubt.

4) Garmin Fitness Engineering Development Manager Job Posting: For many years, from time to time I post interesting sports tech job positions in the Week in Review when companies reach out. This position is within Garmin’s Fitness teams, and is focused on partnerships. A similar position (well, an exact person of this exact position) on this team was mostly single-handedly responsible for landing on the Spotify, Amazon Music, and other streaming music partnerships on Garmin wearables. The hiring manager says they’re looking for some kick-ass people to join that team on a high-performance position. Roughly. [And again, seriously, if you’re a sports tech company that has unique positions, happy to include them from time to time.]

5) Tomorrow we’ll find out what’s in store for Apple Watch: Each June as part of WWDC, Apple announces what’s coming to the next version of Apple Watch OS. While that doesn’t tell us every feature that’ll be on the Apple Watch Series 6 (or whatever it ends up being called), it will generally cover the majority of them. And most of the features announced at WWDC tend to be backported to existing units. The festivities kick off at 10AM US Pacific Time. But swing back here for all the details as the event closes up.

6) Running FulGaz on the LEOMO Type-S Head Unit: Hmm, maybe I’ll give it a whirl!

7) Bicycle Sunday’s Extended! Cool little tidbit for New Yorkers in that the long-standing tradition of closing down 13 miles of highway for cyclists each Sunday is being extended this year to July and August. Thanks to DCR reader Yonah for sending this in!

Sports Tech Device Firmware Updates This Week:

Each week I quickly highlight some of the new firmware, app, software, and website service updates that I see go out. If you’re a sports technology company and release an update – shoot me a quick note (just one-liners are perfect, or Tweet it at me is even better) and I’ll make mention of it here. If I don’t know about it, I won’t be able to post about it. Sound good?  Oh – and if you want to get a head start on things, this page is a great resource for watching Garmin and a few other firmware updates.

Garmin Edge 1030 Plus Firmware Update: Basically a baseline firmware update for the Edge 1030 Plus launch.

Garmin Edge 130 Plus Firmware Update: Same baseline firmware launch

Garmin Fenix 6 Series & MARQ BETA Firmware Update: Minor improvements, some golf stuffs. Carries through other recent beta additions.

Garmin Fenix 5 Plus Series Firmware Update BETA: Randomly increments build version, I guess.

Garmin Instinct Firmware Update: Two minor bug fixes.

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Thanks for reading!