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 — Fenix 8 / Fenix 8 Solar / Enduro 3 / Fenix E / Tactix 8 / Quatix 8 / D2 Mach 2 — v23.39 — 24 September 2026
the5krunner insight: Worth installing for the “OK Garmin” wake word alone, though the rest of this package already reached Fenix 8, Fenix E and Tactix 8 two weeks ago.
Voice control graduates to stable status here and reaches the wider Fenix 8 family for the first time, including Fenix 8 Solar, Enduro 3, Fenix E, Tactix 8, Quatix 8 and D2 Mach 2. The feature list is the same Q3 package covered in the last two issues: a suggested quick workout for running and an XC Ski Indoor activity are the other additions worth knowing about.
- Voice command enabled with the “OK Garmin” wake word
- Suggested quick workout added for running
- XC Ski Indoor activity added
- Flashlight shortcut cycles through on, off and strobe modes during an activity
- Volume control now carries context
- Dive computer settings sharing in the Garmin Share app
- Xero range and sensor data supported in the Applied Ballistics app
Full release notes: Fenix 8 series
Garmin — Fenix 8 Pro / Fenix 8 Pro MicroLED / Quatix 8 Pro / D2 Mach 2 Pro — v23.38 beta — 22 September 2026
the5krunner insight: Only relevant if you run beta firmware on a Pro model, since the stable build two days later carries the identical changelog to the rest of the range.
Fenix 8 Pro, Fenix 8 Pro MicroLED, Quatix 8 Pro and D2 Mach 2 Pro pick up the same voice control and workout additions through the beta channel, ahead of a stable release for these Pro variants.
- Voice command enabled with the “OK Garmin” wake word
- Suggested quick workout added for running
- XC Ski Indoor activity added
- Flashlight shortcut cycles through on, off and strobe modes during an activity
- Volume control now carries context
- Dive computer settings sharing in the Garmin Share app
- Xero range and sensor data supported in the Applied Ballistics app
Full release notes: Fenix 8 Pro series beta
Wahoo — ELEMNT ACE / ELEMNT BOLT v3 / ELEMNT ROAM v3 — build 302685 — 22 September 2026
the5krunner insight: A small release, but the redesigned home screen is a genuine quality-of-life improvement for setting up a ride.
The home page on ELEMNT ACE, ELEMNT BOLT v3 and ELEMNT ROAM v3 has been rebuilt around a single screen. You can load a route, pick a workout, and set up your data pages and profiles from that one place, before rolling out or mid-ride. It is the only change in this release.
- Home page redesigned to load a route, pick a workout, and customize data pages and profiles from a single screen
Find your model’s release notes: ELEMNT ACE · ELEMNT BOLT v3 · ELEMNT ROAM v3
No updates this week
Checked and nothing to report for the week ending 26 September 2026: Amazfit, COROS, Suunto, Polar, Hammerhead, Samsung and Huawei either had no release in the window or released stability and bug fix updates only. Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 6 and Galaxy Watch 6 Classic One UI 9 Watch Beta 2, issued on 23 September, was Always-On Display and app stability fixes plus the September security patch, with no new features. Suunto’s Race, Race S, Vertical 2 and 9 Peak Pro release note pages show nothing newer than August. Hammerhead’s Karoo build on 17 September was bug fixes only and falls just outside this window.
Previous edition: #13 Deep Dive Feature Files: Week Ending 19 September 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Garmin Fenix 8 have “OK Garmin” voice commands now?
Yes. The latest firmware enables voice commands using the “OK Garmin” wake word on Fenix 8. The same update reaches Fenix 8 Solar, Enduro 3, Fenix E, Tactix 8, Quatix 8 and D2 Mach 2, with the Pro models picking it up through the beta channel.
What is new in the latest Garmin Fenix 8 firmware update?
The main addition is voice control, enabled with the “OK Garmin” wake word. The release also adds a suggested quick workout for running, an XC Ski Indoor activity, dive computer settings sharing in the Garmin Share app, and an improved flashlight shortcut that cycles through on, off and strobe modes.
Does the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro get the same firmware update as the standard Fenix 8?
The feature set is identical, but Fenix 8 Pro and Fenix 8 Pro MicroLED receive it through the beta channel rather than as a stable release. Quatix 8 Pro and D2 Mach 2 Pro are on the same beta build.
Does the Wahoo ELEMNT ACE have a redesigned home screen?
Yes. The latest firmware gives ELEMNT ACE a redesigned home page where you can load a route, pick a workout, and set up your data pages and profiles from one screen. ELEMNT BOLT v3 and ELEMNT ROAM v3 get the same redesign.
What is new in the latest Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM firmware update?
The home page has been replaced with a single screen for loading routes, choosing workouts and customizing data pages and profiles, so you can set up a ride before rolling out or adjust it mid-ride. It is the only change in this release.
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.
- Ravemen FR1000: The light and the computer mount in one unit, so nothing else goes on the bars. Better than mine.
- Ravemen FR1500SE: 1,500 lumens hanging under your Garmin, for proper night rides.
- Ravemen FR1100SE: 1,100 lumens under your Garmin, and up to 46 hours on slow flash.
- Ravemen FR500: A brighter FR300 with the same mount.
- 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.
- Kineon MOVE+: Red and infrared light for sore knees, Achilles and other joints after hard training. I use it.
- Oura Ring 5: My partner’s recovery tracker of choice.
- Eight Sleep: A cooling mattress cover my partner and I use nightly.
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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
