How to fit a Garmin watch replacement strap
Sometimes you encounter a problem with a favourite bit of tech that’s not a technical issue at all. This happened when the watch strap on my Garmin Forerunner 620 finally gave up the ghost.? Luckily, a replacement strap is easily found and fitted.
As past readers will know, there has been some major cajoling of my Garmin Forerunner 620. It’s come back from the brink on a few occasions now.
Really the issue of the busted strap has been months in the making.
Sport and fitness watches bravely have to deal with people’s sweaty arms and wrists. Over time, depending on the material, this can lead to a gradual break-up of the strap. This is seen in the main pic above. A fraying watch strap can also itch the arm if left to disintegrate for too long.
Handily there are some replacement straps for the Garmin Forerunner 620 on the market. Similar straps exist for other versions of the watch too.
In the 620’s case you can buy black or white/orange. As I didn’t want to mix and match, I opted for a straight white/orange replacement strap.
Fitting the watch replacement strap
Before you start, check all the parts are available. There should be two Allen keys, two bolts and two screws. Plus, of course, a brand new shiny replacement watch strap.
Generally if something goes wrong with a watch, you take it to the maker. But where’s the fun in that?! Good old fashioned ‘winging it’ is often underrated. As a guy, manuals tend to take a back seat as we attempt to show we know best anyway. (Before admitting defeat and hunting out some instructions).
Fortunately for a DIY amateur, the fitting is not a massively fiddly, annoying process.
First up, you’ll need to remove the old broken strap. Grabbing an Allen key in each hand, undo the screw one end while holding the other end firmly. After this tandem use of Allen keys, wiggle the strap and eventually the screw will drop out. You may need to tap it to get the bolt out too.
Completing the job
So the old strap is now off. The buckle part of my watch is actually fine, but I replaced them both, just by repeating the above.
Next, grab hold of the new strap. Fix it in place and get those two Allen keys (above) back into action. Slide the bolt in and pop a screw on the end of an Allen key. Then again, hold with one key and turn with the other. Tighten and repeat with the other part of the watch strap replacement.
Job done.?On the face of it, ?15 for a replacement strap might seem excessive.
However, if you were to break down the individual parts of the watch itself, it’s not too bad. Also, if it’s only a Garmin watch strap you’re after, then at least the device itself is still going strong. That’s obviously a bigger outlay should you need to replace this.