Posts for this topic...
-
Post your comments.... Sign In to Post
-
Lionel A. Tuesday 09 Jun 2026 16:20:27
Hello all,
Here is a copy of a post I just wrote on Garmin users forum.
It looks like the latest software killed the ETA/ETE feature while using Plotaroute's route timer.
I really enjoyed this feature and have used it on many mountain raced to pace myself.
Clearly an issue on Garmin's side but maybe someone will find a workaround...
BR/
Lionel
---------------------------------------------------------------I have a Fenix 8 that I use for long distance trail races.
Before that, I was using a Fenix 7, and a Fenix 7 pro.
I have used a kind of "hidden" feature, for years : the possibility to time-set a GPS track, and use it to "pace" my races.
This feature worked perfectly, with a few specifics to be aware of :
- use a track generator software or site which offers this function (I use Plotaroute, quite simple and efficient)
- download the track as .fit file and store it directly on the /NewFiles folder of the watch, without using Garmin Connect (which would corrupt the file and remove the timestamps in the course points).
This feature was a very clever and efficient way of displaying your ETA at the next aid station during mountain trail races, and keep an accurate estimate of how fast or slow you were compared to your predictive pacing, by comparing your actual time, and the predicted time at the nearest course point. And of course, considering the ascent and descent pace, which was really what this feature was all about. Pace pro seemed like an interesting alternative but it is clearly not intended for ultra trails and mountain races.Garmin's way of calculating ETA / ETE does not use the time stamps in course points : it seems to use a mix between average and instant or rolling pace, and remaining distance.
It does not take elevation in the calculation so it is usually quite irrelevant unless you run on mostly flat tracks.
Since version 22.34 and the so called "Navigation improvements", this feature is gone. Now, even when navigating FIT files with timed course points, the ETA data fields seems to use Garmin's calculation whatever process you use. You can see it when starting the activity and loading the FIT track : before, it used to display the estimated time to next waypoint (and would adjust it later, based on your progress). Now it just tries to calculate it with current pace, which is obviously all over the place since you're not even running yet.
To me this was really one of the most useful feature of this watch, (along with the possibility to disable bluetooth and wifi during sleep mode, which Garmin also killed - but that's another story).
I would be curious if anyone else also used this feature, or maybe found a workaround to keep using timed FIT files for navigation ?
I would also like to hear some feedback from Garmin on why they decided to remove this feature. It was a bit complex to use, that I can agree - but it certainly was one of the most powerful ultra trail profile functions. Really feels like the Fenix is losing its premium outdoor DNA.
- 1
