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The Garmin 935 is part of the Fenix 5 range of Garmin's running/outdoor watches, which is their highest end watches. It has huge functionality, lacking only the full color preloaded maps of the [[Garmin Fenix 5X]], but uses cheaper materials than the rest of the Fenix 5 range so it's a little cheaper (and lighter).

The only problem with the 935 (other than price) is its mediocre GPS accuracy, though this can be easily remediated by combining it with the [[Stryd]]. I would recommend the 935 over the Fenix 5 range unless you need the mapping of the 5X or really want the Fenix looks. I'd also recommend checking out the older [[Garmin Fenix 3]] that has most of the functionality of the 935, or the [[Garmin Epix]] that has most of the functionality of the 5X. (Note some images are taken on the Fenix 5X.)

=Which Version?=

The is actually a variant of the Fenix 5 range. It's closest to the Fenix 5, but the 935 has a plastic body, only comes with a glass screen not Sapphire and includes Wi-Fi. It's also a lot cheaper and a lot lighter, but not as stylish. I would recommend getting the cheaper 935, unless you need the full color maps you get with the [[Garmin Fenix 5X| Fenix 5X]]. With the release of the 935/Fenix 5 range the price of the earlier [[Garmin Fenix 3]] has dropped, and you get the vast majority of the functionality of the 935. If you're considering the Fenix 5X for its mapping capability, then check out the much cheaper [[Garmin Epix]].

| With Sapphire

| With Sapphire

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If you go for one of the Fenix 5 models there are a lot more choices, including wristband type, sapphire glass, color choices.

You can either sync the 935 using a USB cable to a computer, over Bluetooth to the smart phone app, or over WiFi. You have to use the USB cable for firmware upgrades and obviously, you have to use the cable for charging. My testing showed the 935 recharged from empty in 100 minutes (~260mAh), reaching 50% capacity in 40 minutes. I have a lot of watches, and a lot of charging cables, but the 935/Fenix 5X is one of the nicest I've come across. The simple fact of not having to worry about which way round the connector goes makes a huge difference, and it locks in with a nice positive click. Unfortunately, Garmin decided to put the charging port on the back of the watch, so you can't run while the watch is charging and have it on your wrist normally. You can put the watch and charger in a backpack, as it will keep recording while it's charging, but that approach rather defeats the object of having a watch while you're running. (See [[Charge On The Run]] for more details.)

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File:Garmin 935-2.jpg|The charging cable goes into the back of the watch, preventing it being worn whilst charging, so you can't [[Charge On The Run]].

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* '''Steps'''. The step counting in the Garmin 935 is comparable to other devices. When you're walking or running its pretty accurate, but there are other situations where it's a genuinely ambiguous as to whether you are taking steps or not, such as preparing food in the kitchen. I found that the Garmin 935 recorded a very similar number of daily steps as other Garmin devices I wore on the other wrist, which gives me some confidence in their consistency at least.

* '''Floors Climbed'''. The Garmin 935, along with a number of other recent Garmin watches, use the barometric altimeter to determine when you're going up or down steps. This is a rather nice idea, but the accuracy seems to be rather poor. I find the Garmin 935 will report a different number of steps ascended to descended, even though I've never used an elevator on those days. There's also a significant discrepancy between Garmin watches worn concurrently.

* '''Sleep'''. The estimation of sleep can be a little flaky on occasions, but overall it seems to do a reasonable job. It's hard to verify the estimation of sleep, other than checking if the bedtime and rising time seem reasonable. I'm not convinced by the Garmin estimate of how much deep and light sleep you are getting, and I tend to ignore that information as suspect. I have noticed that changing time zone can really mess up the sleep calculation, but hopefully Garmin will resolve this at some point.

* '''Resting Heart Rate'''. It uses two methods of detecting resting heart rate. If you wear the watch overnight with the OHRM enabled, it will be the lowest heart rate it sees while you're asleep. If not, then it will be the lowest one minute average it sees during the day. The value it records seems a little higher than I would expect, and I've seen some discrepancies when I'm wearing the 935 and the Fenix 5X concurrently. I keep an eye on the reported resting heart rate, as this is a potential red flag for [[Overtraining]] or other health problems, but I'd only be concerned if I see a consistent rise over several days.

Garmin claims the 935 battery will last 24 hours in normal GPS mode, which matches my testing result of 24.5 hours under optimal conditions. That's tough to achieve in the real world, as you have to avoid using the map (breadcrumb) display, backlight, or changing the display too often. This makes the 935 a great candidate for shorter races (50 miles/100k). But if you hope to be still moving during the [[Second Dawn]], then there are probably better options. You can charge the 935 on the run, but the position of the charging cable means you can't wear the watch while you're doing so (unlike the [[Garmin Fenix 3]].) See [[Best Running Watch#Watches for Ultrarunning| Watches for Ultrarunning]] for more details.

=Training Advice (Firstbeat)=

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File:Fenix 5X 06.png|I've found the Firstbeat estimate of VO2max is generally pretty good for me, though it's no substitute for a true test. Changes in this VO2max estimate are used by other Firstbeat training metrics.

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===Heart Rate Variability Recording===

==Stryd, Footpods & Cadence==

The Garmin 935 has first-rate support for the [[Stryd]] Footpod (see above), and also supports the standard [[Footpod]]'s. A standard Footpod will give better Cadence accuracy than the built-in accelerometer but to the Garmin 935 does a remarkably good job, and it's generally within a few steps per minute. The Garmin 935 also features a metronome to help improve your cadence, another really nice feature.

=GPS Accuracy=

I've tested the [[GPS Accuracy]] of the 935 and I've found it matches the Fenix 5X. there have been some discussions that perhaps the metal bezel of the Fenix 5X would either improve or degrade the GPS performance, or that there might be some packaging difference with the antenna, but my results show no difference in GPS accuracy. For detailed analysis of GPS accuracy, I'd recommend checking out the [[Garmin Fenix 5X| Garmin Fenix 5X review]]. (For those with a statistical background, the test comparison of the Fenix 5X and the 935 and p value of about 0.75.)