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* The Epix supports both GLONASS and WASS, but I have not gathered sufficient data to know if they will help accuracy (initial testing suggests not.)
* The Epix is not unattractive in a rather plastic way, but it's nowhere near as elegant and stylish as the [[Polar V800]].
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{{DISPLAYTITLE:Garmin Epix Review}}
[[File:GarminEpix.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The {{Garmin Epix}}, showing a topo map.]]
The Garmin Epix is was released as the [[Best Running Watch| top of Garmin's GPS watch line]], though it's been superseded by the [[Garmin Fenix 5X]]. The Epix has nearly all of the functionality of the [[Garmin 920XT]]Fenix 5X, plus support for but now costs far less. It's full color maps. Having a good map display is great for both urban and wilderness runners when they're in unfamiliar surroundings. The Epix includes [[Connect IQ]] that allows it run applications, much like a smartphone. The Epix has the best level of [[Stryd]] support, which is the only way of getting really accurate distance and pace information. Its clear display, real buttons, touchscreen, map display and rich functionality make it one of the best watches if you combine it with a [[Stryd]] footpod, and you can afford it. One caveat is that Garmin seems to be forgetting about the Epix, with few fewer firmware updatesthan other devices, though they did issue one in Feb 2017. On the other hand, the price of the Epix has dropped dramatically, making it a rather more attractive option. For a simple evaluation of a GPS watch, I look at how well it can answer some basic questions:
* '''How far did I run?''' This is the most basic question, and sadly, the Epix has rather poor [[GPS Accuracy]], and while firmware updates might improve this slightly, I doubt it will get close to the accuracy of the [[Polar V800]]. It looks like activating WAAS might improve accuracy, it's still not great. The good news is that the Epix had outstanding support for the [[Stryd]] footpod which allows you to get extremely accurate pace and distance while retaining all GPS navigation features.
* '''How fast am I running?''' Knowing how fast you're running can be a nice to know, or it can be vital for your training or race performance. Because of the nature of GPS, watches that rely on GPS signal alone tend to have serious problems with current pace. Thankfully, the Epix will support the [[Stryd]] footpod.
** '''Compass'''. A magnetic compass can help you orient yourself or the map. Without a magnetic compass you have to be moving for the GPS to give you a sense of direction.
* '''What's my cadence? '''[[Cadence]]''' '''is one of the most critical and often overlooked aspects of running. If you get your Cadence right, many other things naturally fall into place. Not only does the Epix get [[Cadence]] from a [[Footpod]], it will also get it from the Garmin Run Heart Rate monitor. There is also support for Cadence from the internal accelerometer, though I find that's not as accurate. The Cadence alerts are especially useful for keeping you on track.
For ultramarathon running the battery life of the Epix makes it a strong candidate, especially with the mapping functionality. If you hope to be still moving during the [[Second Dawn]], you'll need to can [[Charge On The Run]]. See [[Best Running Watch#Watches for Ultrarunning| Watches for Ultrarunningcharge it while running]] for more detailsas detailed below.
{{BuyAmazon|AZID=B00S776RW8|AZN=Garmin Epix}}
=GPS Accuracy=
The [[GPS Accuracy]] for the Epix is poor at best; while it's not the worst I've seen, it's close to the bottom of the pile. Determining if it's acceptable for your running will depend on your usage.
* The Epix can give a reasonable estimate of how far you've run but the errors can add up. The amount of error depends on your route; in straight lines the Epix is okay, though even then it's worse than most other devices. However, on a twisty course it is out by around 0.75 mile on a 20 mile run. That's enough to mess up your marathon training. This translates to errors on your average pace! I'd highly recommend you use the Epix with the [[Stryd]] footpod.
* GPS watches are not accurate enough to give you a useful display of your current pace. However, the Epix has great support for the [[Stryd]] footpod, something I'd highly recommend.
If you want better [[GPS Accuracy]] than the Epix, then the [[Polar V800]] is by far the best I've tested, though the [[Suunto Ambit3]] is close and a better all-round running watch. For more details on GPS accuracy, see the section "GPS Accuracy Analysis" below.
=Garmin Epix Pros=
* A minor win for the Epix is it's charging cable; it's the only device where I've found the cable clips into the watch easily and reliably.
=Garmin Epix Cons=
The Epix has no major flaws, and these cones are really more quibbles than anything else.* The lack Epix is not unattractive in a rather plastic way, but it's nowhere near as elegant and stylish as the [[Polar V800]]. In a strange way, I think the looks of firmware updates for the Epix is epics have proved to be one of its bigger problems. While I think it's better looking than the biggest problem [[Garmin 920XT]], I think it's trying to look more stylish and less functional, which gives it facesan air of "tried but failed" in the stylistic department. This lack Garmin might have done better to package it so that it looks like it's intended to be plastic, rather than aiming to mimic the looks of support is extremely disappointingthe Fenix range.
* The Epix includes an internal accelerometer to give you an idea of pace and distance while running on a treadmill without a footpod, but I found the accuracy was rather poor. I have yet to come across a watch that can reasonably estimate your pace from the movement of your wrist, nor does it seem likely that this functionality is practical.
* You need to have the new HRM for the some of the features. The Epix will display Heart Rate and calculate [[Firstbeat| Training Effect]] with the older Garmin HRM, but not Ground Contact Time or Vertical Oscillation.
=Comparisons=
Here are some of the watches that our competitors for the Epix:
''Main article: [[Charge On The Run]]''
The Epix's standard battery life is not enough for longer ultramarathons; most runners in a 100-mile race will need a little longer at least. One option is to reduce the GPS polling interval, which bumps the battery life up to 50-hours, but you could also [[Charge On The Run| consider charging the Epix during your run]]. The Epix has about a 350 500 mAh (milliamp-hour) battery based on my measurements, so it doesn't take much to recharge it. In fact, the problem is generally finding a battery pack that's small enough, as batteries tend to be heavy. My two preferred options are below, the Anker and the PulsePak.
{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Charge On The Run - Batteries (3).jpg|none|thumb|200px|A close up of the PulsePak battery.]]
|}
The Anker is much bigger (3.75"/9.5cm) and heavier (2.9oz/82g), though it's shape makes it easy to carry in your hand and it will slip into the pockets of Race Ready shorts. It holds 3,350 mAh, which is way more than you need, recharging the Epix more than six times over ten times. It's reasonably priced at <jfs id="B005X1Y7I2" noreferb="true"/>. The PulsePak is far smaller (2"/5cm), lighter (0.5oz/15g), and cheaper at <jfs id="B00WBIK25C" noreferb="true"/>. It only holds 500 mAh, but that's enough for a full charge, and it's small enough to carry a couple. The obvious approach is to use the charging dock and cable that came with the Epix, holding a battery pack in your hand, which is shown below. I'm not a fan of this approach as the battery occupies your hand and the cable is rather long. You can tuck the battery in a pocket, but then the cable really annoys me. (Putting the watch and battery in a pack or pocket seems to defeat the object of having a watch if you can't see it.) The Garmin Epix has its charging port on the side, and the cable just clips in. You can see the standard cable below, along with an aftermarket adapter. (The yellow cable tie is just a marker so that I can find where the watch is plugged in when I've got lots of them on charge at the same time.)
[[File:Charge On The Run Epix (1).jpg|center|thumb|300px|The standard charging cable that comes with the Garmin Epix.]]
As with most other watches, you can wrap the long cable around your arm and hold the battery in your hand, though this is a little cumbersome.
