If you follow sports tech, your inbox fills up fast. Most of what lands is minor patches dressed up as news. This cuts through all that with one weekly post covering every feature addition across the major brands, nothing else. Trivial bug fixes are excluded. Subscribe via RSS at the5krunner.com.
Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED / Instinct 3 Solar / Instinct E — v15.13 Beta — 12 July 2026
the5krunner insight: This is a small release that is only relevant if you shoot with a Xero rangefinder.
Beta 15.13 reached the Instinct 3 range on 12 July. The one new capability is Xero range sensor data feeding the Applied Ballistics app on the Tactical editions of the AMOLED and Solar models. The rest of the changelog covers Garmin Pay, treadmill calibration, DogTrack and watch face fixes.
- Xero range sensor data now feeds the Applied Ballistics app (Instinct 3 AMOLED and Instinct 3 Solar, Tactical editions only)
Full release notes: Instinct 3 series
Garmin Forerunner 970 / Forerunner 570 / Venu X1 / vivoactive 6 / Venu 4 — v18.14 Beta — 15 July 2026
the5krunner insight: This is a modest update, and its one new feature reaches a single model.
Public beta 18.14 went to twenty per cent of enrolled users on 15 July across the Forerunner 970, Forerunner 570, Venu X1, vivoactive 6 and Venu 4. Automatic detection of cycling FTP appears as a setting on the Venu 4 alone. Button tones now default to off while headphones are connected, and the touch lock registers fewer false unlocks. The remainder of the changelog is fixes, weighted towards music playback and alarm volume behaviour.
- Automatic detection of cycling FTP available as a setting (Venu 4 only)
- Button tones default to off while headphones are connected
- Fewer false unlocks when using the touch lock
Find your model’s release notes: Forerunner 970 · Forerunner 570 · Venu X1 · vivoactive 6 · Venu 4
No updates this week
Checked and nothing to report for the week ending 18 July 2026: Amazfit, COROS, Suunto, Polar, Wahoo (source unavailable this week), Hammerhead, Samsung and Huawei either had no release in the window or released stability and bug fix updates only.
Previous edition: #6 Deep Dive Feature Files: Week Ending 11 July 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Garmin Venu 4 detect cycling FTP automatically?
Yes. The beta adds a setting that enables automatic detection of cycling FTP. No other watch in this release receives it.
What is new in the latest Garmin Forerunner 970 firmware update?
The beta brings no new features to the Forerunner 970. Button tones now default to off while headphones are connected, and the touch lock registers fewer false unlocks. Everything else is a fix.
What is new in the latest Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED firmware update?
The Applied Ballistics app can now use range data from a Xero range sensor. This applies to the Tactical editions of the Instinct 3 AMOLED and Instinct 3 Solar only.
Does the Garmin Venu X1 still play button tones when headphones are connected?
No. Button tones now default to off whenever headphones are connected, so button presses no longer interrupt audio.
Last Updated on 2 October 2026 by tfk the5krunner
Small things I always use
- Garmin 90-degree charging adapter: Charges your Garmin from any USB-C cable. Essential when travelling. I use one.
- Body Glide: The blue anti-chafe stick swimmers and runners carry. I use it.
- Speedo earplugs: Fewer ear infections and no cold-water dizziness. I use them.
- Dryrobe Advance: My winter changing robe for open-water swims. I use one. A cheaper option is the AONYIYI changing robe.
- Maurten: Race fuel that stays easy on the stomach. I use them.
- Beet It Sport nitrate shots: Beetroot shots I take in the days before a race. I use them.
- Garmin charging puck: The quickest way to top up before a session. I use one.
- Injinji: Toe socks that stop rubbing, so you run more. I use them.
- Ultimate toe protectors: Stop black toenails on long runs. They work. I use them.
- Compressport R2 v2 calf sleeves: My calf sleeves of choice. I use them.
- Cellucor C4: My pre-workout before hard sessions.
- TPU tubes: Schwalbe Aerothan, Tubolito and Pirelli SmarTube. Light, tiny spares. I use all three.
- G8 insoles: Adjustable insoles that are good. I use them.
- Cycplus Cube: A 97g electric pump that gets a road tyre rideable in two minutes. I carry one. 5% off with code THE5KRUNNER.
Watches and sensors
- Polar H10: My daily driver for waking HRV.
- Polar Verity Sense: My backup arm-worn HR sensor.
- Nomad bedside charger: Charges my iPhone and Apple Watch overnight. I use it, and many of their bands.
- Train.Red: The best muscle oxygen sensor I’ve used.
- Tymewear: Accurate heart rate and reliable ventilatory zones. I use it to pace endurance rides over an hour.
- Garmin Forerunner 970: A pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
- Apple Watch Ultra 4: My daily smartwatch. No phone needed on rides.
- Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: I’ve just bought one.
On the bike
- Continental GP5000 for everyday riding, and Aero 111 on the front for special occasions.
- Helmets: Specialized S-Works Evade 3 for road riding, and Rudy Project Wing for TT-style races. I use both.
- Ravemen FR300: A front light that mounts under your Garmin or Wahoo. I use one.
- Wahoo TRACKR Radar: I use it on one bike and Varia on the other. They perform the same.
- Garmin Varia RTL515: Radar that warns you of cars from behind. I use this model.
- Wahoo ELEMNT Roam 3: The bike computer that’s easy to use. I use mine on most rides.
- Favero Assioma Pro RS2: Accurate power pedals that swap easily between bikes. I use this model.
Home and indoor training
- NPE Runn: Makes my basic treadmill smart, sending more accurate speed and distance to my watch and Zwift. I use it.
- Google Wifi: Keeps Zwift connected in my pain cave. I use it.
- Apple TV 4K: Zwift on the big screen. I use two.
- Google Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd gen): My video doorbell, running in both Google Home and Apple Home. I use it.
Health, recovery and sleep
- FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus: Shows how my blood sugar responds to diet.
- hDrop: Measures my sweat loss in summer and indoors.
- Fourth Frontier Zone: Checks my heart under load in hard sessions.
- Oura Ring 5: My partner’s recovery tracker of choice.
- Eight Sleep: A cooling mattress cover my partner and I use nightly.
Reader-Powered Content
This content is not sponsored. It’s mostly me behind the labour of love, which is this site, and I appreciate everyone who supports it.
Support the site: Follow (free, fewer ads) · Subscribe (paid, ad-free) · Buy Me A Coffee
Written by real people, with AI assistance. Fact-checked and verified for originality. See the Editorial Policy. FTC: Affiliate Disclosure — some links pay commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors. See the gear tfk uses. ID
