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Garmin posted record Q3 revenue with a lift from Fenix 9, yet the shares fell 7% during the analyst call. Dearer memory chips will squeeze margins next year, and the CEO’s comments point to price rises in 2027. The call also described who buys Fenix 9: mostly existing owners trading up. Newcomers now arrive through the $199.99 CIRQA, and the same band explains why Connect+, the paid tier owners disliked in 2025, is now beating Garmin’s internal forecasts.
Hyrox has joined World Triathlon on the road to the Olympics. For runners choosing a coaching app, Coopah costs less than Runna and adds human coaches, and most runners weighing Runna against Strava only need one of them. We also looked at whether Coros uses unbranded social media accounts to promote its watches and knock Garmin on Reddit.
Watch battery percentages are guesses, says Richard Nicholson of Overlord Labs, who answers the charging questions athletes argue about most. On the science side, the science behind why concentrated nitrate shots make cyclists 2-3% faster over a time trial (it’s not just vasodilation), and Garmin Running Power gets a refreshed deep dive.
Elsewhere: a per-head scorecard built from Olympic medals, Ironman titles, clubs and race numbers settles which country loves triathlon most, with the USA, Britain and Germany all in contention.
Garmin Black Friday 2026 deals – expect bigger discounts
Last year the Fenix 8 fell 25%, the Forerunner 970 only 13%. Fenix 9 has pushed far more models into last-generation pricing, and the CEO says retailers want strong promotions, so I’d bet on up to 10 points more off.
Garmin Connect+ subscriptions are growing. Why? A: CIRQA
The paid tier owners hated in 2025 is now beating internal forecasts, says the CEO, and a screenless band that relies on it is the reason. He never said what the forecasts were.
Garmin price rises could be on the way in 2027
Dearer memory chips will squeeze margins next year, and the CEO has told analysts that charging more is one of his tools. Loyal Fenix upgraders look likeliest to pay.
Garmin Q3 financials – 3 dark clouds hit share price
Record revenue and a Fenix 9 boost could not stop a 7% fall during the analyst call. Memory chips are draining cash and will squeeze 2027 margins, while Fitness growth slowed to 16%.
Squadrats arrives on Garmin – but Tiloscope does it free
Tile hunters can now see owned and missing squares on the wrist or the bars without pulling out a phone. The official data field needs a £29.99 Pro subscription, while the no-cost rival also suits older watches.
Coopah vs Runna – Coopah costs less and has human coaches
Pick the app with movable sessions and a weekly report if your weeks are unpredictable, or the one with exact interval paces on your watch if you want to get faster. A year is £79.99 against £99.99.
Runna vs Strava – most runners only need one
Pick the coaching app for a race plan built session by session, and the social tracker for records, segments and clubs. The two have shared an owner since 2025, and a combined yearly bundle costs £119.99 or $149.99.
Fenix 9 Pro auto transition in a race – handy, not accurate
Both watches overran the official T1 by more than 40 seconds at Eton Dorney, and Apple Watch Ultra 3’s near-perfect T2 was luck. Neither can sense the timing mats, so leg splits drift while your overall time stays right.
Which country loves triathlon most? USA vs GB vs DE vs the rest
Who tops a per-head scorecard built from Olympic medals, Ironman titles, clubs and racing numbers? Britain dominates age-group racing, and Australia comes second overall.
The Gear I use
All the sports watches, bike computers, sensors and supplements I use for my training.
Garmin Running Power – A Guide and the key science
Its watts read about 30 per cent above Stryd’s because the watch counts mechanical work, and the wind input comes from a forecast. Two studies, the supported watches and where to find the numbers are all covered.
Watch battery percentages are guesses, says chip CEO
Richard Nicholson of Overlord Labs answers the questions athletes argue about most. Charging to full before a race is fine; leaving a warm device at 100% for a week is what ages the cell.
Coros: Do watch brands interfere in rival subreddits?
I suspected Coros was using unbranded accounts to push its watches and knock Garmin on Reddit. I checked 119,150 comments. No street team appeared, and what I found instead surprised me.
Hyrox joins World Triathlon on the road to the Olympics
This is a monumental change for the sport and for sports tech. Federations get a new product to sell, gym members get a shorter race they can finish, and Amazfit is already building the wrist tech.
Your first Garmin probably won’t be a watch
Fenix 9 sells mostly to owners trading up, says the CEO. Newcomers arrive through a $199.99 screenless band, and the company may have spent years chasing them with the wrong product.
Beetroot juice for athletes – the evidence
Concentrated nitrate shots make cyclists 2-3% faster over a time trial and extend time to exhaustion by up to 16%. Here is how it works inside the muscle, and why blood pressure pills cannot copy it.
WHOOP bought an Apple Watch strength app
Motra counts gym reps from wrist motion across 470 exercises. LinkedIn profiles of its staff point to a sale, though neither company has announced one, and paying subscribers have heard nothing.
QUICK READ: Strava training data now works inside Gemini
Strava subscribers in the US can now connect their account to Google Gemini and ask about pace, races, streaks and how the weather affected a run. The link is read-only.
The Deep Dive Podcast
Listen to one of our recent discussions on the Deep Dive podcast – Hyrox Joins World Triathlon: The Road to the Olympics (ft. AI Insights)
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Previous edition: Deep Dive Digest #28
Last Updated on 31 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.
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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
