Long story short, I tried another long ultra and I again failed. No regrets here, it is part of the learning curve. I sorted out one big problem, felt into another one. This is a sport where we gotto really manage everything, otherwise we will be really out of control. There are already the elements of nature what play with us all the way through 20+ hours as we are exposed, so we must control at least the rest: effort, hydration, nutrition, heat and cold management, chaffing, weight including body and equipment, sleep and external help.
I was able test the Spartan in this occasion in the mountains of the Mercantour National Park and unfortunately it did not hold up to the expectations. I charged it from zero to max during a 7h period from a wall charger, still I had only 15h34min of battery life, in airplane mode, with no HR or other BTS devices, no vibration, not tones, no backlight and no touching the tactile screen and no using of the buttons. I was looking forward to get out like 26 to 30hours from it.
Why did I feel cheated ? In all Garmin devices, the indicated battery life is a kind of a MAX possible battery outcome, with multiple training sessions, multiple GPS launches. However, with one single or two training sessions, I was able to get out more from the devices, than was indicated on many occasions !
- FR220 - 11:48min - Val d'Isere
- Fenix - 11h + 12h - GR20
- Epix 12h + 13h - Calanques
- EDGE 800 20h - Cycling on the Cote
- 920xt - Cycling and running / training 26h23min
I am really measuring now, how it will hold up to daily training and how many hours of it I can get ! I am not sure that the watch is capable of providing the 26hours of battery life in any situations. We will need to get some firmware updates or data changes on the website, as to date the watch can handle only 15 to 16hours of GPS activity in 1sec recording rate.
Also, as my watch turned off, I lost all my data. Nothing got recorded !!! Frustrating it is ! I hope to see corrections in the next update.
Update recommendations:
Also, as my watch turned off, I lost all my data. Nothing got recorded !!! Frustrating it is ! I hope to see corrections in the next update.
Update recommendations:
- Activity Tracking on / off (steps)
- Glonass on / off
- Autolaps on / off (it uses battery too)
- Backlight completely on / off
- Autosave when turning off due to lack of battery
- Possibility to delete navigation tracks (GPX files) on the watch itself
- Possibility to delete one or all training files on the watch
