Category: Watch Reviews

Are you an outdoorsy and active person? Do you like to run, bike, hike and swim? Are you someone who’s concerned with maintaining and improving health? Are you an athlete, or do you want people to think you’re more athletic?

Heck, even if you’ve never done yoga but wear the pants to walk around Target and eat popcorn while shopping, you might benefit from a smartwatch. Smartwatches have increased in popularity in recent years, and they’re not just for nerds anymore. Long gone are the days when the digital watch’s biggest feature was a wrist calculator. 

But which smartwatch is the right one for you? There are many options out there, including headliners like Apple and Samsung. However, kidding aside, if you really are serious about fitness and tracking your runs, bikes, climbs, and swims (and making sure you find your way home from your off-the-beaten-path adventures), you might consider a Garmin and especially the Fenix 7.

If you’re unfamiliar with Garmin watches, you might know the name as a satellite GSP provider from back in the day, an important feature they continue with their watch lines. In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into the world of the Garmin Fenix 7. We’ll examine the various versions of this watch that are available to compare and contrast.

We’ll also consider the standout features, performance, smartphone/app connection, and real-world applications of this smartwatch, exploring all it has to offer. Wearable tech is where it’s at these days, and Garmin is a leader in that space. Is the Garmin Fenix 7 right for you? Let’s find out!

History of Garmin Watches

Founded by a group of engineers, Garmin’s humble beginnings were in Lenexa, Kansas. They would grow to become a leader in handheld GPS navigation, initially for pilots, boaters, and outdoor enthusiasts, eventually moving into automobile navigation and wearables for the broader public.

Today Garmin is a multi-billion dollar public company headquartered in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. In the early 2000s, Garmin introduced its first wearable product, the Forerunner 101, which became the first fitness-centric GPS watch.

The product grew in popularity among athletes and runners for its accuracy and reliability in tracking, timing, and pacing workouts. This was Garmin’s first step in bringing their GPS expertise to a wearable product, and it would open the doors to more product lines. 

Garmin has managed to stand out among competitors like Fitbit, Apple, and Activity Tracker in the wearable fitness space. Of course, the Garmin Fenix 7 is their flagship smartwatch, but there are other notable collections to consider from them, including:

Forerunner Series: This aforementioned series is what started it all for Garmin in watches. They have specific models made especially for runners and those athletes needing to track workouts and train. They’re far less expensive, in contrast to the Fenix 7 and some of Garmin’s other collections, like the MARQ collection.

But if you don’t need all the features of the Fenix and you’re primarily a runner, this is an excellent model to consider. 

Venu Series: These are some of the most stylish smartwatches Garmin offers, with their eye-catching AMOLED displays. Perfect for those looking for health and lifestyle features from their watch without sacrificing their fashion sense. The AMOLED displays a big, bright, and high resolution. Even higher resolution than the Fenix. They even have a similar style to the Apple watch in the shape of the case and the digital “analog” display of watch hands and markers, which one would find on more traditional timepieces. 

Approach Series: These are targeted at golfers who want to improve their game with shot tracking features, golf course mapping, and analysis. These also include the AMOLED displays, which are great for displaying golf course maps and helping golfers do things like measure distances, keep track of strokes, and even provide animations and analysis of one’s game to help one improve. Of course, like the Forerunner, this smartwatch is very specific in what it offers and doesn’t have the versatility of the Fenix. 

Instinct Series: This collection is primarily focused on meeting the needs and providing valuable tools to runners and athletes. The smartwatch offers sports apps for everything from American football to soccer. It also includes some of the primary health-tracking tools to keep one in shape and aware of potential heart issues. It further provides a solar-powered option to keep the watch changed indefinitely. It doesn’t offer the full multisport options of the Fenix, nor does it have the versatility in style and color combinations, but it offers all the basics at a lower price point than the Fenix. 

Garmin has come a long way since Kansas, literally and figuratively, and they’re one to seriously consider in the wearable smartwatch game.

Garmin Fenix 7: In-Depth Review

The Fenix 7 is Garmin’s flagship smartwatch, and its sheer volume of features alone is impressive. If you’re an active person, you’re going to find this smartwatch to be incredibly useful whether you’re a runner, golfer, traveler, or you’re health conscious, as there are useful tools for all the major outdoorsy sports, health tracking, and other practical life uses.  

Design

The smartwatch offers a sleek design with a steel bezel, a black resin case, and a black strap. There are other bands that can be purchased and easily switched out, including bands of leather, fabric, and metal. The bright, beautiful color screen display comes in different size options to display turn-by-turn directions on the road and off the road. The watch is perfect for outdoor use and everyday wear.

Build Quality & Durability

This timepiece is made to withstand practically everything nature and an active lifestyle can throw at it. The bezel is made of stainless steel and the case of a fiber-reinforced polymer (resin) with a steel caseback. The strap is made of silicone with a steel tang buckle. The watch is water resistant to 100 meters. The case measures 47mm x 47mm x 14.5mm. 

Display

The color display is 1.3”, which offers enough screen real estate to appreciate maps and practical intel, allowing for far more than a simple time-telling function. This is a touchscreen that is pretty responsive even when wet or with gloves on. However, the touchscreen can also be disabled for times when you don’t want to accidentally activate something, like when one is sleeping, for example. 

Smartwatch Features

The timepiece includes the following features: time/date, GSP time sync, automatic daylight, alarm, timer, stopwatch, sunrise/sunset times, heart rate, abnormal heart rate alerts, respiration rate, pulse/ox, fitness age, body energy monitor, stress monitor, relaxation breathing timer, breathwork, sleep score and insights, hydration, women’s/men’s health, jet lag adviser, GPS, compass, thermometer and accelerometer, weather, music among many others. 

It’s also a smartwatch, which means it connects with your smartphone and app. The time can be adjusted from the smartphone app, as well. 

Sports & Activity Features

This watch has the ability to track miles run or biked, floors climbed, calories burned, and distance traveled. It also offers training features like pacing, cardio/strength/yoga/pilates workouts. There are even muscle maps displayed and on-screen workout animations. Basically, this watch can act like a digital trainer. 

Health & Wellness Tracking

This smartwatch comes with sensors that can measure heart rate, including resting and your heart’s activity, as one goes about their daily routine. It will also measure blood oxygen levels. If you wear the watch overnight, it can track your sleep patterns. The Fenix will not only track these things and store the data in the app but will provide feedback and analysis to help one improve their health scores.

GPS & Navigation

Of course, Garmin has always been known for its excellent GPS navigation, but now one has the power of that on their wrist. The Fenix can help one on the road when traveling by car and not only give turn-by-turn directions but alert one about food and coffee spots, rest stops, gas stations, etc. These GPS functions are not only useful when traveling by car but also walking in the city or off the beaten path. Further, one can even download golf course maps and other useful maps and intel for an active life, like hiking and mountain climbing maps. 

Battery Life

This smartwatch only needs to be charged every 18 days, with normal daily use. In battery save mode or GPS-only mode, it can last for up to 57 days. When operating all satellite functions while listening to music, it can last for up to 10 hours—plenty of time for all your outdoor adventures and exercise routines. 

The Garmin Fenix 7 is designed to help one get better at just about everything in their daily and weekly routine. Whether one is trying to improve their health, fitness training, listen to music, get text messages on the go, or explore our world with confidence that you can always find your way back on the paved roads and the unpaved ones. 

Garmin Fenix 7 Models Comparison

The Garmin Fenix 7 comes in different sizes, including 42mm, 47mm, and 51mm. There are various versions of the Fenix 7 besides the Standard. They include: Solar, Sapphire Solar, Pro/Solar, and Pro/Sapphire Solar. 

Price

The Standard is priced at $649.99 for the 42mm and 47mm and $899.99 for the 51mm. The Standard only comes in one size, 47mm, and one configuration, a silver bezel and a graphite band color. It also comes with 16GB of storage. There are also the 7S and 7X editions of the Standard that come in different sizes and color combinations. 

The Solar is priced at $699.99 for the 42mm and 47mm and $799.99 for the 51mm. To clarify, the basic Solar only comes in one size, 47mm, and one configuration, which is a slate gray bezel and a black band. There are others, like the 7S Solar Edition, that is 42mm and comes with a rose gold bezel and light sand band, among other configurations. 

The Sapphire Solar is $100 more in each size category (42/47mm and 51mm). The Sapphire Solar comes in 42mm and two configurations, either a carbon gray titanium bezel with a black bland or a dark bronze titanium bezel and shale gray band. Other editions with 47mm and 51mm cases have different titanium bezels and strap color options. 

The Pro Solar and Sapphire Solar are the same price. The difference is that the Pro Solar has a slate gray stainless steel bezel and a black band, in contrast to the Sapphire Solar, which has a titanium bezel. The other difference is in screen protection, the Pro Solar is glass, and the Sapphire Solar is, as the name implies, sapphire crystal. Both come in at $899.99.

The Pro Sapphire Solar starts at $899.99 and goes up to $999.99. The Pro Sapphire Solar, at the lowest price, offers a 42mm case with a titanium bezel in carbon gray with a black band or a soft gold bezel with a light sand band. 

At $899.99, it can be had with a 47mm case with a carbon gray titanium bezel and black band or a titanium fog gray bezel and ember orange band. At $999.99, it can be had in a 51mm case with either a carbon gray titanium bezel and black band or a fog gray bezel with the ember orange band. Of course, all the versions of the Pro Sapphire Solar include solar, titanium bezels, and sapphire screens.  

Features

As the names imply, Solar is a solar-powered watch. This is convenient if one wants the freedom to be untethered. 

The Sapphire model has a sapphire crystal protecting the dial, which is superior to the Standard’s gorilla glass, against scratches and cracks. 

The Pro Solar will last 37 days on a single charge. The watch offers a built-in flashlight. Of course, the Pro/Sapphire Solar offers that plus sapphire crystal. 

Style

The Standard, as previously explored, offers a steel bezel, black resin case, and a black silicone strap with a tang buckle or it can be had with a white silicone strap. 

The Solar comes in all black with red accents or a rose gold-tone bezel with a light gray silicone strap. 

Sapphire Solar can be had with a titanium bezel in all black or brown with a medium gray strap. 

Pro Solar looks like the Standard. 

Pro Sapphire Solar comes in all black (or what Garmin calls carbon gray) with a steel or titanium bezel or a silver-colored bezel with a light gray strap. 

Should You Buy A Garmin Fenix 7? 

Some people favor an analog or hybrid timepiece. If that’s you, Garmin has some hybrids to offer. But, if you’re looking for traditional, analog watches with automatic movements, Garmin can’t help you, and the Fenix 7, specifically, won’t be the right watch for you. However, if you’re looking for a smartwatch and are active, outdoorsy, health-conscious, and reasonably tech-savvy, the Fenix 7 should be on your list of smartwatches to consider. 

There are other great smartwatches out there. If you’re committed to the Apple or Android ecosystems, you might want to find a smartwatch designed to work with all those products. There are also brands like Fitbit, Suunto, and Polar, but the Garmin 7 is pretty unique.

Garmin Fenix 7 Alternatives

The Garmin Fenix 7 is a great all-rounder, but there are a few competitors to consider. Coros Vertix 2 is a solid choice with double the standard storage of the Fenix 7 for the same price. However, it does require a larger wrist. 

The Polar Vantage V2 is Polar’s top smartwatch. The Vantage V2 offers fewer features than the Fenix 7 but still offers many of the basic must-have features of the Garmin for half the price. Some feel the Fenix 7 is overkill, and a more budget-friendly option might be a great alternative. 

The Garmin Instinct 2 Solar is another budget-friendlier option if one wants to stay with the Garmin brand and can sacrifice some of the bells and whistles.

However, staying with Garmin, let’s dive deeper into some of their alternative models. 

Garmin Vivoactive 4

The Vivoactive 4 comes in two case sizes, 40mm and 45mm. It also comes in four color options: A steel bezel with a medium gray band with a tang buckle. Note this is the only one that comes in 45mm, and that’s the only size option for this color; all the other colors are 40mm. The second color is a rose gold tone steel bezel with a pink strap.

The third is a rose gold tone steel bezel with a white strap. The fourth is a steel bezel with a light gray strap. This model has a stainless steel bezel and a polymer (resin) case. The face of the watch is protected by gorilla glass and is water resistant up to 50 meters.

This model weighs 50.5 grams. The straps are all made of silicone, and all of them offer a quick-release system that calls the bands to be easily switched out for other colors and styles. In smartwatch mode, the battery will last for about 8 days. It offers 18 hours of GPS usable and about 6 hours of GPS and music usage. 

While this model doesn’t offer quite the exhaustive list of features the Fenix 7 does, it has all the basics and then some. Regardless of size and color selection, this model is priced at $329.99

Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2)

The Epix Pro is another top-of-the-line multisport watch from Garmin. If you want the Pro version, it only comes in one size, 47mm. Some of the alternative Epix versions come in 42mm and 51mm. It comes in slate gray with a black band. The bezel material is stainless steel, and the case is a resin. 

It’s protected by gorilla glass and is water resistant to 100 meters. It has a 1.3” diameter color screen and 32GB of storage. Like the Fenix, it has a touchscreen, which can be disabled. It also comes with many of the same features offered by the Fenix 7, but where it really stands out from the Fenix 7 is with its AMOLED screen, which is brighter and higher resolution. 

The battery life can last 16 days (21 in power save mode). The Epix is fairly similar in specs to the Fenix in all other battery categories. Overall, it’s a nice-looking, sleek watch, but it doesn’t offer the various style and color combinations that the Fenix does. 

Price: $899.99

Garmin MARQ Athlete (Gen 2)

Billed as a modern tool watch, the MARQ Athlete Gen 2 is impressive. In a head-to-head comparison with the Fenix 7, both models offer many of the same features. The MARQ Athlete is more of a “hybrid” smartwatch.

It offers an analog-looking display option (though it’s an entirely digital dial) with watch hands, indices, and registers, which might make it a bit more versatile in that it can be dressed up. The smartwatch is all black, from the bezel and case to the silicone strap. The watch bezel and case are made of grade 5 titanium.

That’s one of the biggest areas where the MARQ Athlete is superior to the Fenix. Grade 5 titanium is light but quite rugged and designed to take a beating. Therefore, this timepiece is likely to last considerably longer than the Fenix. It’s also fitted with an AMOLED screen, like the Epix Pro, for a higher resolution. 

The display is 1.2mm in diameter and is protected by a domed sapphire crystal. The timepiece is water-resistant to 100 meters and comes with 32GB of storage. The battery life is similar to the Fenix but slightly stronger. 

The Fenix and the MARQ Athlete offer many of the same features. The real differences are in the quality of the build materials, the screen, and the price. The Fenix also has more ways to customize it, with different case and screen sizes, colors, solar options, etc. The Fenix simply has more ways to customize and therefore raise or lower the price, in contrast to the MARQ Athlete. 

Price: $1,900.00

Closing Thoughts

If you’re in the market for a smartwatch, there are a lot of options out there. In fact, a lot are less expensive than the Garmin Fenix 7. The titanium Apple watch Ultra (Apple’s top-of-the-line) is roughly as expensive as the Standard Fenix and about half the price of a Garmin model like the MARQ Athlete. 

There are other smartwatches that can count steps and miles and even check one’s heart rate. Some think the Fenix smartwatch is overkill in all its features, and for most people, that might be true. 

Where Garmin really stands out and specifically the Fenix 7, is for those who need a true multisport smartwatch with off-the-beaten-path GPS guidance and tracking. If you’re someone that doesn’t just run but also cycle, hike, and swim, plus you like to golf on the weekends, then it’s hard to beat the Fenix 7. 

Garmin watches are great for athletes, active individuals, and people that want to keep track of their daily activities or some aspects of their health, which a particular Garmin watch provides. 

Their watches can also be styled casually or in corporate outfits, and they could also be worn for rigorous activities like workouts, hiking, or even during fieldwork. Picking the best Garmin watch could be overwhelming because of the many options. 

This is a peep into Garmin watches to give you a view of their 15 best men’s timepieces.

About Garmin Watches

Garmin is known as a brand that produces some of the best GPS watches worldwide, but they’ve added loads of features that make them fit for almost any sporting activity. 

Almost everyone I know that’s deep into fitness or sport owns a Garmin, and this is because their watches feature functions that are needed in nearly all fitness and sports activities. They have functions like a built-in fitness GPS, timer, Surfline camera, heart rate checker, music storage, and lots of other great features and functions. 

One aspect of Garmin I’ve recently fallen in love with is the community they have created. Millions of people use Garmin watches, and the company connects them all through the Garmin app, allowing users to share their fitness activities, compete, and create routines with other users.

The company was founded by Gary Buell and Min Kao in 1989, and their first design was a GPS receiver. They became a well-known brand for the best GPS systems and partnered with the US Army on different projects. 

Garmin started designing GPS watches for fitness and sport in the early 2000s, and runners, cyclists, and many other athletes found them very useful, and they became well known. Garmin has become one of the most popular sports watch brands, and their watches are known for their durability, accuracy, and functionality.

What to Look For in Garmin Watches for Men?

If all Garmin watches come with top-notch features, you may be wondering what to look for when trying to get one. These are a few things:

Training Modes

Different athletes use Garmin watches for various sports and fitness activities, and they also come with different training modes like cycling, swimming, running, diving, and many others. 

Some of their watches have multisport features that help you track different activities in a workout, a strength feature that counts your reps, sets, and weight lifted during a strength training workout, and a Garmin coach feature that provides you with an expert to train you on any sport or fitness activity. So you want to pick a Garmin watch that suits your purpose to get the best out of your timepiece. 

Health Monitoring 

Garmin watches feature a variety of functions that monitor health status, which include a sleep tracking feature that helps you monitor different stages of your sleep to aid better sleep and a heart rate monitor that tracks your heart rate to see the movement throughout the day. 

They have a body battery that monitors the increase and decrease of your energy level during activities and a respiratory rate to track how many breaths you take per minute. 

Some more advanced ones come with blood oxygen monitors, a menstrual cycle tracker, and a body composition monitor to estimate your bone, body fat, and muscle mass. They also have a VO2 max that measures your aerobic fitness. The company constantly improves its health monitoring features as they release newer models, so you can always expect more great health features from Garmin.

Battery Life

Very few brands can compete with Garmin regarding the battery life of their watches. Depending on your watch’s features and the mode it is on, some Garmin watches can last as long as 20 days, and when using multiple features at the same time, they can last up to a day without requiring a charge. 

Factors like the use of GPS, brightness, heart rate monitor, and the number of features turned on can determine how long your Garmin watch will last after being fully charged. So whether you need a piece that can last for weeks before requiring charge or one that lasts days or hours, Garmin has got you!

Price of the Watch

The type and number of features on a Garmin watch would determine how much it will cost. Watches that cost $100-$200 come with basic health and fitness tracking functions and might also have a GPS function. The Garmin timepieces that cost around $500 have more functions like the VO2 max, music storage, the Garmin Payment system, and more advanced features than the cheaper ones. 

The higher level Garmin watches, which professional athletes mostly use, can cost up to $1000 and more, and that’s because of how sophisticated these watches are; they come with all the features of the cheaper ones and more advanced functions like weather forecasting, maps, navigation, solar charging, color displays, and built-in LTE. These advanced ones are designed with more rigid materials to withstand all conditions.

The Best Garmin Watches for Men

Taking into account all the aforementioned aspects, here’s a list of the 15 best Garmin watches for men you can buy today:

1. Garmin Forerunner 55

If I were looking at getting a running watch on a tight budget, I would go for a Forerunner 55. For $200, it offers features you can’t find on any watch around that price range. It comes with a built-in GPS, heart rate monitor, and different workout profiles. 

It also comes with the Pacepro technology that helps you plan your run according to your goal, and it also has a feature that enables you to plan your workouts to meet your fitness goals. The Forerunner 55 has a sleep tracker, body battery tracker, respiratory tracker, and a woman’s tracker to monitor the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, exercise, and education. 

It has a watch size of 42x42x11.6mm and a display size of 26.3mm. In smartwatch mode, the Forerunner 55 can last up to 2 weeks, while in GPS, it can last for 20 hours. The low weight of the Forerunner 55 makes it very comfortable for running. So, if you’re looking for an affordable watch packed with great features for your runs, you should grab the Garmin Forerunner 55.

2. Garmin Vivoactive 4

The Vivoactive 4 is a stylish sports watch with great smartwatch and fitness features. It comes with the VO2 max feature and a preloaded sports app that makes you track your progress across various sports and activities. It also has GPS, a heart rate monitor, and a sleep tracker. 

Its smart features include music storage, Garmin Payment, and it can also be connected to control your home smart devices. It even has a Pulse OX sensor for monitoring your blood oxygen levels, a hydration tracker, and an on-screen workout display that shows you how to perform various exercises correctly. 

It comes in a 40mm and 45mm case that’s made of fiber-reinforced polymer with a stainless steel bezel, and it has various colors that you can choose from. It can last up to 8 days in smartwatch mode and 6 hours in GPS mode. It has a water resistance of 50 meters and is currently sold for $330. The Vivoactive 4 is a timepiece for stylish, active individuals.

3. Garmin Venu 2

The Venu 2 is often praised for its unique design and its versatility. It is a value-packed timepiece, and the bright AMOLED light on the screen stands out. It has a long battery life that can last up to 12 days in the battery save mode, 11 days in the smartwatch mode, 8 hours with GPS and music, and 22 hours with only GPS. 

The watch comes with an advanced sleep monitoring feature that scores your sleep and gives you tips on how you can sleep better. The Garmin Venu 2 also has a safety feature that detects when you’re in danger or, if an accident occurs, the Venu 2 notifies your emergency contacts of your location. If you like looking stylish while working out or engaging in sports, this watch is for you. This timepiece offers great value at $400 for the 40mm model and $500 for the 45mm model.

4. Garmin Forerunner 265

The Garmin Forerunner 265 is an advanced model of the Forerunner 55, as it features functions for serious runners and professionals in activities like marathons, triathlons, and other long-distance races. 

Aside from having the functions of the model 55, it also features an AMOLED display, a race adaptive training feature that prepares you for your next race, HRV status that gives you steady updates on your general health status, and a training readiness feature that predicts when you should train based on how much rest you take, sleep quality and intensity of your previous workout.

It has a 32.5mm display size, and it comes in 42mm and 46mm models. It can last up to 13 days in the smartwatch mode and 20 hours in the GPS mode. If you are a runner that wants a device packed with features to help monitor your progress, you should get this watch, and it currently sells for $500.

5. Garmin Legacy Hero First Avenger

If there’s a watch that can make you feel like a superhero, it has to be the Garmin Legacy Hero First Avenger, and not just because of the name; it comes with top-notch features that will make you feel like one. The First Avenger timepiece is a special edition inspired by Captain America’s suit and shield.

It features a stainless steel case that measures 42mm with a blue, red, and white bezel. Aside from the other basic functions of Garmin watches, the First Avenger also features character-themed details, badges that can be earned by completing fitness activities, and high-quality materials mostly used for designing military watches. It is a functional and sturdy timepiece for people that fancy superhero characters, and it sells for $400.

6. Garmin Instinct Crossover Solar

The Garmin Instinct Crossover Solar is a watch that’s great for long outdoor activities because of its solar features, and it also features great smartwatch functions. 

The analog hand is its distinctive feature, and I love how it works, not just for telling time. The hands indicate the battery life and also track some other activities. It features a navigation compass and various sports modes.

This timepiece is available in 42mm, 45mm, and the tactical edition also measures 45mm. It has a recovery time and traceback feature that helps you locate where you started your journey. The crossover Solar watch offers good quality and value and just $500. 

7. Garmin Forerunner 745

The size of the Garmin Forerunner 745 differentiates it from the previous Forerunner watches as it is lighter, making it more suitable for runners, cyclists, and swimmers. It comes with a barometer that can track your altitude and elevation during your run, and it also has a feature that can give you feedback on your form during swimming. 

Some other added features include a Race predictor, cycling power, running dynamics, and a feature used to create more courses for your run. The Garmin Forerunner 745 is another great pick for professional athletes, and it is sold for $500.

8. Garmin Approach S70

I never knew golfing required more than just swinging the stick until I gave it a try and couldn’t even swing properly. I got to learn that it takes serious attention to detail to be able to play well, and making use of a watch like the Approach 270 makes it a lot easier. It is an advanced golfing watch that can track all your activities on and off the course. 

It features more than 43,000 course views of various golf courses worldwide, making it easy to know your exact location on the course and distances to layups and hazards. It has an enhanced plays-like distance feature that helps you track shot distance and yardage adjustment for changes in elevation and environmental conditions. 

It has a Green Contour Data feature that shows the direction of slopes so you can sink the putt accurately. Whether you are a professional or amateur golfer, the Garmin Approach S70 would help you become a better player, and it is currently sold for $700.

9. Garmin Forerunner 965

This watch is built with materials and features for very long-distance racers and fitness enthusiasts in general, as it is packed with advanced features for training. It features triathlon and multisport profiles that help you switch between different sports and races with a click. It also features a full-color mapping that provides you with a color indication map to help you track your run. 

Another added feature to this Forerunner is the Race Adaptive Training plan feature that helps you prepare for any race by building a plan after examining your activities. It’s a great watch for runners, and it offers good quality at $600. 

10. Garmin Quatix 7 Sapphire Edition

This timepiece is built to withstand the harshest marine conditions, so if you’re a sailor or constantly travel on water, this watch is for you. The Quatix 7 Sapphire Edition has an autopilot control feature that helps you connect the boat to the watch and directs it without you being at the helm.

It has a stream data feature that gives you information about the functionality of the different parts of your boat. It has an alert feature to notify you about tides and a Multi Continent Map feature. It also comes with built-in sports Apps and profiles for various sports and activities. The Quatix 7 Sapphire Edition comes in 47mm and 51mm models, and it currently sells for $900.

11. Garmin Fenix 7 Pro Sapphire Solar Edition

The long battery life, the solar feature, and LED flashlight make this watch a great companion for long outdoor activities like ultramarathons that require you to run at night too. It is a U.S. military-tested watch, so the durability is of the highest standard. 

It has an endurance score feature that measures your endurance levels during different activities and a Hill score feature that monitors your progress when you run uphill. It also has a readiness feature that evaluates you and gives a morning report of your daily training status. This watch currently sells for $900.

12. Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2) Sapphire Edition

This timepiece has similar features to the Fenix 7 Pro, with just a little difference in the look and some of its functions. It features a Surfline camera, a golf course map for over 43,000 courses, an Up Ahead feature to locate checkpoints during a race, and a visual race predictor to determine the pace suitable for different levels of your race. It also has a battery capacity that can last up to 16 days in smartwatch mode and up to 21 days in battery-saver mode. The Epix Pro (Gen 2) is sold for $1,000.

13. Garmin Enduro 2

I’m yet to see a sports watch with a battery life that beats the Enduro 2; It can last up to 150 hours in GPS mode with the solar charge feature, which makes it a great watch for ultramarathon runners and other long-distance athletes. It is designed with tough materials that are light and comfortable on the wrist. 

It has a grade-adjusted pace feature that guides you through your race to avoid burning out and built-in sports Apps to monitor your progress in different sports and activities. It also has a heat and altitude acclimation feature that helps you monitor your body’s reaction to different weather conditions. If you’re looking for a watch with lasting battery life and durability, you should get an Enduro 2 timepiece, which is sold for $1,100. 

14. Garmin Tactix 7 Pro Edition

Tactical features like night vision, jump starter, and stealth mode make this watch a great companion on the field. It has a flashlight that can be switched to green or white and a night vision mode compatible with night vision goggles. It has a hunt activity feature that monitors the movement of your prey during a hunt. 

It also features a kill switch that can erase the watch’s memory with a click. It can last up to 37 days without charging on the smartwatch mode. The Tactix 7 Pro timepiece is a great option for military officers and people that do a lot of fieldwork. It currently sells for $1,300.

15. Garmin MARQ Adventurer (Gen 2)

I love sturdy watches, and I can easily tell when I see one that can take a serious beating. The MARQ Adventurer is a great timepiece for adventures in the wild, and it also has some smartwatch features that allow you to track your progress across various activities.

Its features include various maps, round-trip routing that helps you select the best routes to any destination, and a jet lag adviser that helps you plan your activities to prevent fatigue. This timepiece also has a stock tracker that monitors 50 of your most viewed stocks, and it also has various sports Apps. If you love outdoor activities or generally have an active lifestyle, the MARQ Adventurer would be a good choice for you, and it currently sells for $2,100.

Conclusion

Regarding smartwatches that offer some of the best value you can find, Garmin watches are well-recognized. Their timepieces have some of the best features, from GPS trackers to advanced training features. They also have some of the most sturdy timepieces.

If you’re looking at buying a fitness tracker that will help you monitor your daily movements or track your progress in workouts or various sporting activities, Garmin has some of the best offers with watches that tick the durability, versatility, feature-rich, and functionality boxes.

Garmin is one of the leading players in the global smartwatch and fitness wearable market. It holds a significant market share and currently competes with major brands like Apple, Fitbit, Samsung, and others.

Marked by accolades such as inventing the world’s first running smartwatch, the Swiss-domiciled company is known for its continuous innovation in the wearable technology space. The brand introduced features like GPS tracking, advanced running dynamics, golf course mapping, and other fitness-centric metrics into its watches.

Despite other brands offering excellent sports watches with unique features, Garmin products set the standard for accuracy, durability, functionality, and style.

Garmin is currently the official running watch sponsor of Under Armour’s Mission Run professional running teams. This is why we present the best 10 Garmin running watches that can provide valuable data, motivation, and convenience for runners and fitness enthusiasts.

About Garmin Running Watches

The Garmin watch brand was established in 1989 by Gary Burrell and Dr. Min Kao in Lenexa, Kansas, United States, under the name ProNav. This name was later changed to “Garmin,” a combination of the founders’ first names. 

Garmin’s initial focus was developing handheld GPS devices primarily for aviation and marine navigation. Just two years after its founding, the GPS 100, a panel-mounted GPS receiver, was launched.

Pilots, sailors, and outdoor enthusiasts used these panel-mounted GPS receivers to determine their precise location, plan routes, and navigate with greater accuracy.

In the early 2000s, as GPS technology became more accessible and miniaturized, Garmin expanded its product offerings to include GPS-enabled fitness devices. 

By this time, the brand was manufacturing about 50 distinct models and quickly sold approximately three million GPS devices.

The world’s first running smartwatch, the Forerunner 201 (along with the models 101 and 301), was introduced in 2003 and marked the company’s entry into the fitness wearables market. This running watch provided basic tracking features for runners and laid the foundation for Garmin’s successful line of running and multisport watches.

With a focus on continuous innovation and technology development, Garmin gradually expanded its range of fitness watches, offering more advanced features, such as heart rate monitoring, GPS tracking for various sports, advanced training metrics, and integration with smartphones for smartwatch functionalities.

In 2010, the company was legally incorporated in Schaffhausen, Switzerland.

Popular models of Garmin running watches include the Garmin Forerunner, Fenix, Instinct, and the more budget-friendly Garmin Vivoactive series.

In 2019, the brand’s CEO, Clifton A. Pemble, announced the release of the MARQ series, a collection of luxury tool watches forged from Garmin’s long-standing heritage.

Today, Garmin is a global leader in GPS technology and offers a diverse range of products, including multisport watches, cycling computers, marine GPS units, aviation devices, automotive navigation systems, and outdoor handheld GPS devices.

The company’s commitment to accuracy, reliability, and user-centric design has made it a well-respected and widely recognized brand in the wearable technology and GPS markets.

What To Look For in Running Watches?

Running watches are wearable time-telling devices designed to assist runners and athletes in tracking their activities, performance, and health metrics. 

If you’re hoping to accomplish specific fitness goals like running a marathon, improving your 5K time, or achieving other milestones, a running watch can significantly help you optimize your workout.

To be worthy of the name, here are some features to look out for before buying a running watch.

1. Training Data

Training data in running watches refers to the various types of information and metrics that the timepiece collects and presents to you (the user) during and after workouts. 

This data is intended to help you monitor your performance, track progress, and make informed decisions to improve your training and achieve your fitness goals.

Most running watches have associated apps or online platforms where you can store and analyze your workout data over time, helping you track progress and identify areas for improvement.

So look out for watches with incorporated apps or platforms where you can examine your workout data, track trends, and review past performances. 

2. GPS & Navigation

GPS (Global Positioning System) is a network of satellites orbiting the Earth. GPS-enabled running watches can receive signals from multiple satellites and use triangulation to determine your precise location. By tracking changes in your position over time, the watch can calculate your speed, distance traveled, and other metrics.

It is important to get a running watch with this feature because you can get a visual representation of your route on a map. You would find this particularly useful when exploring new areas or planning routes for specific distances, as it allows you to follow preloaded routes or set waypoints to guide you during your run.

Some GPS-enabled running watches even go further to incorporate altimeters that track changes in elevation during your run. This is great for trail runners and those interested in monitoring their vertical gain and loss.

3. Health Monitoring

A watch with various sensors and features that monitor the user’s physical activities and overall well-being should be a must, not an option. One thing that can make a massive difference to your general fitness progress is having a wearable device designed to help you track and monitor various health metrics.

Consider watches that can continuously monitor your heart rate, providing real-time data during workouts and rest periods. The timing device may use a reliable and accurate method like an optical sensor or work together with external heart rate straps. 

Some running timepieces can also track the number of steps taken throughout the day and combine data from heart rate, steps, and other factors to estimate the number of calories burned during activities. These features can help you maintain an active lifestyle beyond your running sessions.

4. Durability

A running watch should be able to endure a fair amount of wear and tear, so choose one that is durable and backed by a good warranty. Research the brand’s reputation and read user reviews to gauge the watch’s real-world performance, robustness, longevity, and reliability.

5. Connectivity and Data Syncing

Nothing quenches the flames of a workout faster than groping for your phone every time a text or call comes in. To keep your endorphins flowing continuously, you need a watch that can connect to your smartphone seamlessly. 

Wireless connectivity enables your running watch to communicate with other devices, such as smartphones, computers, and even fitness-tracking platforms. Ensure that the watch is compatible with your smartphone’s operating system (iOS/Android) and that it works well with the apps you intend to use before purchasing it.

6. Battery Life

Consider how long the watch’s battery lasts in various modes (e.g., GPS tracking, regular use). A good running watch should last through your longest runs and possibly multiple days.

10 Best Garmin Running Watches

With that being said, here’s a list of the 10 best Garmin running watches you can get today:

Garmin Forerunner 55

The Garmin Forerunner 55 was released as an upgrade to the Forerunner 45 and is a sleek, discreet, functional, and accurate watch that also feels high-end. It is presented in a 42mm case with a thickness of 11.6mm. The case has five buttons around the circumference and is worn on a sporty silicone band.

Apart from telling the time accurately, the accurate GPS tracking indicator monitors your pace, distance, and routes while running or walking. A built-in heart rate monitor also helps you gauge your performance and fitness level.

The Forerunner 55 is equipped with various useful activity-tracking features to monitor steps, calories burned, and sleep patterns, helping you stay on top of your fitness goals and overall health. 

It currently retails for $200 and comes in three colorways: Aqua, Black, and White.

Garmin Venu 2 Plus

With a highly versatile breathtaking contemporary design, the Venu 2 Plus is one of Garmin’s best all-around smartwatches that competes favorably with Apple, Galaxy, and Pixel watches.

As an upgraded version of its predecessor, the Garmin Venu 2, the watch comes packed with unbeatable features. If you want a super-cool, super-trendy, and terrific running watch with longer battery life than most, the Venu 2 Plus comes highly recommended.

With a battery life that lasts up to 9 days, a microphone that allows you to answer incoming calls from your wrist, and a bright, circular AMOLED display, this watch is amazing. The all-purpose smartwatch comes in a 43mm case with a high-resolution display and is compatible with both iOS and Android.

Basic features found in the Garmin Venu series, such as built-in GPS, sleep tracking, heart rate monitoring, and a variety of activity modes to help users track and analyze their workouts are still present. 

But now, the speaker can be used to play back music from third-party apps. The most popular reference is the cream-gold stainless steel case equipped with an ivory band. It retails for $500 MSRP.

Garmin Instinct Crossover Solar

The Instinct Crossover Solar is a rugged GPS multisport smartwatch known for its long battery life, extended by solar charging capabilities.

The watch is built to meet U.S. military standard 810G for thermal, shock, and water resistance. It is well-built, strongly made, long-lasting, and features a fiber-reinforced 45mm polymer case. The digital display is chemically strengthened, making it resistant to damage from the elements.

The watch utilizes Power Glass™ solar charging lens to harness the sun’s energy, extending the battery life up to 28 days (25 hours GPS). It features an altimeter for altitude tracking, a barometer for weather forecasting, and a 3-axis compass for navigation.

The Crossover Solar comes with all the usual Garmin stuff, including multiple sports and activity tracking modes, such as running, cycling, swimming, hiking, and more. It retails for $450 and can monitor heart rate, stress levels, sleep patterns, and other health metrics.

Garmin Forerunner 265

Priced at $450, the Forerunner® 265 is extremely popular among trail runners and outdoor enthusiasts thanks to its top-notch GPS accuracy and comprehensive running features.

With a touch screen and AMOLED always on display, you can now access a variety of training features, including customizable workouts, interval training, and training status evaluations to optimize your fitness routines.

The watch is ultralight at only 47 grams, and the diameter of the case is 41mm while the thickness is 12.9mm. In addition to the amazing specs that the majority of Garmin running watches come with, the Forerunner 265 is equipped with the Incident Detection feature. 

This is a key accessory that enables the timepiece to detect a hard fall and send out an SOS alert to your emergency contacts.

Garmin Instinct 2X

The Garmin Instinct model is a lineup of rugged GPS outdoor smartwatches designed to provide essential outdoor features in a durable, reliable, and attractive package. Built to military standards (MIL-STD-810G) for thermal, shock, and water resistance, the 2X adventure smartwatch is big, sturdy, and solid.

The watch is an upgraded version of the Instinct 2S and Instinct 2 and comes in a large 50mm polymer case.

With advanced training features and a built-in flashlight to keep you going when it gets dark, this ultratough watch is not for the faint-hearted.

It is solar-powered and comes with a multi-band GNSS, health/wellness monitoring sensors, and ABC sensors. Everything about the bold design screams action and adventure.

With a 100-meter water-resistant rating, you can safely swim in pools, lakes, or the ocean without worrying about damaging the watch. You can get it for $450.

Garmin Forerunner 965

Released in March 2023, the Forerunner 965 is pretty much the fancier version of the Forerunner 265 which we looked at earlier. Though still functionally identical to the Forerunner 265, this watch is sharper, more fashionable, classy, and trendy.

The case size is large at 47.2mm, but thanks to that, the OLED display has all the space it needs to fit a lot of information on-screen. It doesn’t do anything significantly better than its other siblings (the Forerunner 265 and 265S) apart from having a better battery life and sleek features.

The battery of the 965 is about three days longer than the 265, as it can last up to 10 days of wearing around the clock before needing to be charged. Another improvement here is that it is clearer, brighter, wider, and thicker and has a great combo of touchscreen and buttons.

The watch is well-protected against accidental spills and exposure to water during everyday activities like washing your hands, doing dishes, or cleaning. It retails for $600.

Garmin Fenix 7X Pro

Designed for larger wrists, the Fenix 7X Pro is a top adventure watch with a 51mm fiber-reinforced polymer case. Despite the advanced features, the 7X Pro boasts an impressive battery life of more than a month with the Power Sapphire™ solar charging lens1. 

The running watch features a scratch-resistant sapphire solar-charged display, over 30 sport profiles, a responsive touchscreen, traditional buttons, and health and training data. Another amazing feature worth noting is the hill score and endurance score metrics, which measures your ability to run uphill and sustain prolonged efforts, respectively.

The watch is super functional and has a built-in LED light at the top edge with variable light intensities. Let’s not forget the rugged design, advanced navigation capabilities, and health-oriented features, like sleep monitoring, stress tracking, and even pulse oximeters to measure blood oxygen levels. It retails for $1,000

Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2)

Priced at $900, the Epix Pro (Gen 2) provides detailed metrics and data analysis for activities like running, cycling, swimming, and more. The Pro-standard edition has a case that measures 47mm across, but you can get the watch in a smaller 42mm case or a larger 51mm size.

All the cases are crafted from fiber-reinforced polymer, with a titanium bezel and a stainless steel case back. We have already established that anytime Garmin adds a ‘Pro’ or ‘Gen 2’ branding to an existing product line, it doesn’t mean it is a major upgrade or new product series.

This holds for the Gen 2 of the Epix Pro. The basic software features in all the Epix units are to be expected, including Hill Score, Endurance Score, the new shaded relief maps, detailed health features, and so on.

Like the 7X Pro, it comes equipped with a built-in led flashlight and can last up to 16 days (in smartwatch mode) after a full charge.

Garmin Enduro 2

Whether you’re trying to navigate a mountain range in a blizzard or dashing out on a trail run, the Enduro 2 is up to the challenge. Heavy-duty and highly functional, this watch is the ultimate running watch designed to remain unscathed through the toughest and harshest environments on the planet.

With a large dimension of 51 x 51 x 15.6 mm, the sophisticated sports watch is not wearable for most people, but the good thing is that visibility is amazing. Despite being packed with so many features, the Enduro 2 is designed to not be too cumbersome on your wrist. 

The large 1.4” solar-charged display ensures you get up to 34 days of battery life, while the responsive touchscreen and button controls offer you quick access to desired selections and functions. Worth noting are the ClimbPro and PACE PRO™ features that offer you real-time information on your climbs,  elevation gain, pace, gradient, and distance. It retails for $1,100.

Garmin Vivoactive 4

Lastly, the Vivoactive 4. An absolute must-have for every serious ultra-athlete looking for a sleek and functional running watch to unlock their best performance.

At $330, this timepiece delivers a solid value proposition at a fairly affordable price. If you want the best of the best at your fingertips, the Vivoactive 4 is a great example of what might ensure your mission’s success despite the terrain.

It features a 45.1 x 45.1 x 12.8 mm fiber-reinforced polymer case with a stainless steel bezel and silicone strap. Apart from being essential for runners, the watch is like a first aid kit or any other survival tool. It offers health and wellness features like stress tracking, women’s health, hydration, and respiration tracking.

The battery lasts up to 8 days on a single charge, and the watch is equipped with various sports and activity tracking features to help you train for your next 5K, 10K, or half-marathon.

Garmin Forerunner 165 

The cheapest dedicated running watch with a beautiful AMOLED touchscreen. The Garmin Forerunner 165 is light and compact, making it easy to wear and hardly noticeable as you run throughout the day. The smartwatch’s battery life lasts up to 11 days, and the GPS mode lasts up to 19 hours. 

The display size is 1.2 inches, making it slightly smaller than the 265, but there’s still more than enough room to display your running statistics. 

The 165 has a much lighter build than other variants, as it is made with lighter materials. This comes with its fair share of benefits. The 165 is comfortable and compact, making it easy to wear 24/7 for any activities you wish to accomplish. 

The Forerunner 165 costs $250

Conclusion

Garmin has put significant effort into developing watches with various training features tailored for runners. Runners can trust that a watch from the brand will assist them in reaching their goals, provide accurate data, and improve their overall performance.

I’m not a diver; in fact, the only times I go close to water are when I’m in the shower or when I hang out with friends and family by the pool or at the beach. But for some reason, I fell in love with dive watches after purchasing my first dive watch years ago. It was my favorite for a long time until I discovered Garmin dive watches, and it was love at first sight, ocean-deep possibilities that the dive watch market offers. Aside from being built for all types of diving, I like how they can be styled casually and on or as corporate wear too. 

But today’s subject is a little bit different. There’s a market of watches actually made for divers within the divers watch industry rather than having the style and one or two key features for them. It’s where among a big pool of brands, Garmin dive watches belong as well. If you are looking to buy a Garmin Dive watch, whether for freediving, recreational or technical diving, I will let you in on some tips to get the most out of Garmin dive watches. Let’s dive in!

About Garmin Dive Watches

For more than a decade, Garmin has been making dive watches, and with every new model, it just gets better. Their timepieces are feature-rich and simple to use. And because of how they’re designed like smart watches, they can be used like your regular dive timepiece for rigorous activities like working out, biking, or going on a hike.

The company was founded by Min Kai and Gary Buell in 1989 in Lenexa, Kansas. The company’s first design was a GPS receiver for boats which they succeeded at. Garmin also got a contract to build a GPS for U.S. military vehicles in 1991, and by 1999 they had scaled the company to worth more than $100 million. 

They entered the watch industry in 2003 with the Forerunner series, designed for cyclists and runners; it featured a GPS tracker and some fitness metrics. The company has since then included various GPS systems in its product line, including fitness trackers, smartwatches, and even car navigation systems.

What Are Garmin Dive Watches Used For?

Garmin combines Dive watches/computers and a smartwatch to provide divers with many interesting features to make diving easier and safer. These are some of the purposes they serve:

Dive Modes

Their watches have different dive modes that make tracking various types of dive possible. They have modes for gauge dives, apnea dives, multiple gas dives, and closed circuit rebreather dives. 

Each of these dives has individual features, so you must pick the one that best fits your purpose. For instance, the gauge dive has features that track your dive time and depth, while the single gas dive tracks your dive time, ascending and descending rate, depth, and no-deco time. 

Dive Logs 

Garmin watches have a feature that stores the record of all your dives, which includes tracking your progress on each dive. It keeps a record of your depth, dive time, no-deco time, and ascending and descending rate. It can also create a log of everything you see during your dives, including fish, bones, other divers, and many other things found in the sea.

Health Monitoring

The Garmin dive watch monitors different aspects of your health. It records your heart rate during dives and throughout the day to see when and how your heart rate increases or decreases. It has a sleep-tracking feature that monitors deep sleep, REM sleep, and light sleep. 

They come with a VO2 max that tracks your aerobic fitness, and it helps record your progress and fitness goals. It has a body battery feature that tracks your energy levels and a stress tracker that records your daily activities and how your body reacts to them. Some advanced Garmin dive watches have Pulse Ox that measures blood oxygen saturation.

Pressure and Remaining Air Information 

Pairing your Garmin Dive watch with a Descent D1 transmitter will display your remaining air information and pressure on the watch. You will get updates about gas consumption, air time left, and tank pressure. 

All of these are calculated based on the type of dive being performed, the pressure of the tank, the type of gas used, and the diver’s breathing rate. This feature helps you stay safe by providing information to help you plan your dive accurately.

Navigation & Compass

Garmin dive watches have a navigation and compass feature that helps you move in the right direction underwater. Their built-in GPS lets you know your location and dive progress on a map. Some of them have a back-to-start feature that helps you locate where you started the dive from. 

They have a compass feature that allows you to determine where you are heading, and it can be very helpful in areas of the water that don’t have good GPS reception. Some more recent ones have Turn-by-turn navigation that helps with voice instructions and visual guides for you to follow to get to your location.

Best Garmin Dive Watches

The Garmin Descent Series has some of the best Dive watches I have ever seen, and it’s also loved by divers worldwide because its features are great for both amateur and professional divers. Some of their best dive watches include:

The Garmin Descent G1

The Garmin Descent G1 is a combination of a dive watch and a smartwatch, and this blend is the total package for divers at every level. On the dive part, it aids single and multiple gas dives, apnea, gauge, and closed-circuit rebreather modes. It also has a barometer and a compass to track your ascent and descent rates and dive progress. 

The Descent G1 has great smartwatch features that make it fit for people who live an active life or want to track their daily activities. It has a built-in heart monitor, activity, and GPS trackers, and it also alerts you of notifications from your smartphone if you connect it. 

This dive watch also has a different battery life span for all modes. It can last up to 25 hours when it’s in dive mode. When it’s in smartwatch mode, it can work for about 21 days. 

It also comes with an added solar feature that charges the watch anytime it’s placed or worn under the sun. So whether you are a diver or you live an active lifestyle, the Descent G1 is the perfect watch for you.

Garmin Descent MK2 

The MK2 is the most recent dive watch of the Descent series, and aside from having all the features of the G1 model, it comes with other fascinating ones. It has multi-gas diving that supports 10 gasses, and its air integration feature tracks your air supply and notifies you when it is time to surface. 

The MK2 has a Surfline camera that records your activities in water, which you can use to see your progress in your dive or surf. It also comes with more smartwatch features like music storage and Garmin Pay which can be used to buy things online. The Descent MK2 can last up to 100 hours in dive mode and 16 days in smartwatch mode.

Garmin Descent MK2s & MK2i

The Garmin Descent MK2s & MK2i are different iterations of the MK2. The MK2i comes with an air integration aid, which can connect to your tank through a wireless transmitter, and you can monitor the air supply, tank pressure, and dive time on the watch. When it comes to the MK2s, it’s basically a smaller version of the MK2, catered to divers with smaller wrists. The MK2i is built with a titanium back and bezel, while the MK2s have a stainless steel bezel and back plates. 

Should You Get a Garmin Dive Watch?

I find the combination of the smartwatch and dive features in the Garmin Dive spectacular, as they offer loads of features for both diving and casual wear. Garmin dive watches are generally for divers, whether professionals or amateurs, who want to monitor every aspect of their diving sessions and also want to take note of their progress. 

They are also for very active individuals who want to monitor certain aspects of their lives, especially their movements and some general health information the watch provides.

Although Garmin watches are a lot more expensive than the average traditional mechanical dive watch, they are much more advantageous in terms of features, durability, accuracy, quality, and even aesthetics. 

Alternatives to Garmin Dive Watches

Garmin watches are cool; to most people, they are the total package. However, you might not want a Garmin. You might prefer a more basic dive timepiece, so this is a list for you of some alternatives to Garmin dive watches. 

Seiko Prospex “Samurai” SRPF03

The Prospex Samurai is built to take some severe beating. Aside from being more affordable than a Garmin, it is also known for its unique design and functionality. The Seiko 4R35 automatic movement powers it with a 41-hour power reserve and up to 200 meters of water resistance. 

It features a 44mm case made of stainless steel and LumiBrite hour markers and hand that can be useful during deep sea diving. It also has a screw-down case back and crowns to prevent water from entering. The Samurai SRPF03 is a decent alternative to Garmin dive watches if you just want a simple mechanical dive watch.

Doxa Sub 300T Professional (ref. 840.10.351.10)

This dive watch was built to work under intense underwater conditions. Its stainless steel case features an orange dial and bezel that shines underwater. It is powered by the venerable ETA 2824-2 movement with a 38-hour power reserve. 

The Sub 300T has a water resistance of 300 meters and a unidirectional bezel. It features a helium escape valve that extracts surplus helium from the case during decompression. It is another functional and sturdy watch that’s a great pick for a diving timepiece.

Omega Seamaster Diver 300M (ref.210.30.42.20.01.001)

When you talk about luxurious dive watches, the Diver 300M should be at the top of that list. Celebrities like John Hamm, Prince William, and Daniel Craig have been spotted rocking this timepiece. Its classy design and the high-quality materials used in the construction set it apart from other dive watches.

It features a 42mm stainless steel case with a black ceramic bezel and dials. It also features a helium escape valve and a water resistance of 300 meters. It is powered by the OMEGA Master Chronometer Caliber 8800, which is resistant to magnetic fields of up to 1.5 Tesla. If you’re looking for a dive watch that is also a luxury timepiece, the OMEGA Seamaster Diver 300M is a good choice.

Conclusion

Garmin watches are great for a safe and enjoyable diving experience. I will also recommend them for people tracking their movements and other health information Garmin dive watches provide. However, if you want a dive timepiece with less sophistication, features, or price, there are many other options across various brands.

These cutting-edge timepieces blend eye-catching design with unrivaled technicality, providing golfers with a digital, caddy-like experience right on their wrists, whether you’re a seasoned pro or just teeing off your golfing journey.

From the sleek and stylish to the rugged and sporty, each watch on this list boasts countless features tailored to your unique needs. Expect precise GPS tracking, swing analysis, hazard mapping, and even smart notifications to keep you connected on and off the green.

We’ll delve into tech specs and pricing aspects to help you make a hole-in-one investment. So, gear up and join me on this tech-driven tour as we tee off to explore the ten best Garmin golf watches!

Tee Time – About Garmin Golf Watches

Fore! Calling all golf aficionados – Garmin golf watches are here to revolutionize your swing! These digital innovations are more than just stylish accessories; they’re a modern golfer’s best-kept secret for unlocking peak performance on the green.

So, what sets Garmin apart in the golf watch arena? Perhaps it’s their winning combination of cutting-edge technology and meticulous design. Maybe it’s their precise GPS tracking, swing analysis, and hazard mapping.

Garmin’s smart notifications feature keeps you in the loop without missing a beat, even during the most intense matches, so you’ll stay connected without losing focus. Gone are the days of guesswork and guesstimates. Garmin golf watches bring virtually complete accuracy to the tee. So, grab your clubs and prepare to experience golf like never before.

Finding a Hole In One – What To Look For In Golf Watches

Teeing off on the green has never been more high-tech, and golf watches have fast become the caddies of the future for discerning players. Let me offer some brief guidance to up your game.

Course Coverage

Like a well-prepared golfer, your watch should have an impressive knowledge of the terrain. Look for a golf watch that offers extensive course coverage, preloaded with thousands of golf courses worldwide. You never know when you might find yourself on a new course.

GPS Accuracy

In golf, precision is the name of the game. The best sports smartwatches provide pinpoint GPS accuracy, offering detailed yardages to the front, back, and middle of the green. Bonus points for watches that account for hazards and doglegs!

Battery Life

The last thing you want is your watch dying on you mid-game, so a solid battery life that can endure multiple rounds on the course is crucial. Remember, you’ll likely be using other features like GPS all through play, so a reliable battery is a must for uninterrupted golfing.

Top 10 Best Garmin Golf Watches

With that said, let’s have a look at which are the best Garmin golf watches for all golf aficionados:

1. Garmin Approach S62

The Approach S62 has a rechargeable battery that provides an impressive 14 days in smartwatch mode and 20 hours in GPS mode – keeping you in play both on and off the course.

Bigger and bolder, the 1.3-inch color touchscreen display is 17% larger than its predecessor, Approach S60, and you can personalize it endlessly on Garmin’s web store. Navigate the green like a pro with PlaysLike Distance and Green View, which lets you visualize each green’s shape. Handy.

Stay ahead of the game with PinPointer, providing directional assistance on blind shots and Hazard View, quickly highlighting critical distances to avoid obstacles. And, with over 41,000 preloaded CourseView maps, your global golfing adventure knows no bounds.

At 47mm, the case sits boldly on any wrist but remains surprisingly unobtrusive when worn, and at $499, it’s a great throughroad between affordability and functionality.

2. Garmin Approach S70

Garmin’s Approach S70 is a top contender in the world of golf watches, thanks in part to its dazzling 1.4-inch AMOLED touch display. With access to over 43,000 (yeah, that many) full-color CourseView maps, it brings the world’s finest golf courses to your wrist, ensuring you’re always a step ahead, no matter where you’re playing. The new and improved Virtual Caddie provides club recommendations based on wind, elevation, swing data, and more. 

You’ll never second-guess your club choice again. Immerse yourself in the details with the Green Contour Data, revealing the slope direction of select greens, enabling you to strategize your approach and sink the perfect putt.

While you’re not conquering the course, take advantage of the sports apps, offering preloaded activity profiles for strength, HIIT, yoga, running, and more. This timekeeping marvel also keeps a keen eye on your health and fitness, featuring wrist-based heart rate monitoring, stress tracking, and HRV status insights. This is truly an all-bases-covered watch, and you can get it for just $699.

3. Garmin MARQ Golfer (Gen 2)

The MARQ Golfer (Gen 2) is purpose-built for, let’s say, more devoted connoisseurs of the game.

As with the S70, this model has a 1.4″ AMOLED touchscreen display featuring traditional button controls, all encased in a 46mm Grade-5 titanium case for unrivaled durability. Sporting a tritone green jacquard-weave nylon strap, this watch is design-forward, which certainly means something to some of us.

Powered by a rechargeable lithium battery, revel in the freedom of up to 16 days of use (6 days in always-on mode). All of this power enables you to make use of the Virtual Caddie, PlaysLike Distance feature, and Green View without interruption. 

Furthermore, optimize your energy levels with Body Battery energy monitoring, and check your body’s oxygen saturation day or night with the Pulse Ox sensor. Enjoy animated workouts, adaptive training plans with Garmin Coach, and use PacePro technology to master your runs with grade-adjusted guidance.

The Garmin MARQ Golfer (Gen 2) is more than just a golf watch – it’s a digital do-it-all for fitness fiends and green-goers of all persuasions, and it can be yours for $2,300.

4. Garmin Approach S12

With an astounding 30 hours of battery life in GPS mode, the Approach S12 is the perfect wrist companion for long-driving, full-time golf addicts. The new round watch design boasts a high-resolution screen, effortlessly readable even on the sunniest days, guaranteeing a good view of over 42,000 preloaded CourseView maps from around the globe. 

Wireless updates for your favorite courses ensure you stay on top of your game, as does the advanced green-mapping functionality of the Approach S12. Avoid hazards and doglegs with ease, as the course maps meticulously detail their locations, no matter where you stand.

Rendered in full black with a 43.7mm case, the S12 sells for a meager $199, making it an entirely approachable timepiece that is neither stylistically nor compositionally offensive.

5. Garmin Approach S42

With up to 10 days in smartwatch mode and 15 hours in GPS mode, the Approach S42 offers a fitting amount of power for the part-time golfer to really get under the skin of any course. Its 1.2″ color touchscreen display, complemented by a sleek metal bezel, ensures elegance without compromising on weight.

There are over 42,000 CourseView maps preloaded on your watch, allowing you to stay in tune with your game as AutoShot game tracking effortlessly records shot distances. Enhance your tracking capabilities further with the optional Approach CT10 club tracking sensors if you’re really after complete data representation on the green.

Pair your Approach S42 with the Garmin Golf app for strokes gained analysis, leaderboards, tournaments, and in-depth data insights into your game.

Given that life doesn’t stop, even when you’re mid-put, it’s important that the S42 enables you to stay connected with smart notifications, receiving emails, texts, and alerts right on your wrist when paired with a compatible smartphone.

As with other entries on the list, the S42 offers health and fitness tracking, and given its sporty, bright design with a white rubber strap and silver case, it also grants its wearer a stylish representation of a tool watch for just $299.

6. Garmin Fenix 7S Pro Solar

As its name may suggest, the Fenix 7S Pro Solar is one of Garmin’s highest-performing outdoor watches, thanks in no small part to its fantastic battery life, fortified by solar charging – 14 days in smartwatch mode with just 3 hours of direct sunlight (50,000 lux) per day, and an incredible 46 hours in GPS mode in fair solar conditions. 

The Fenix 7S is certainly built for the outdoorsman who golfs rather than the golfer who occasionally hikes. It can do uniquely cool things, such as combining training data from your athletic pursuits to provide deeper insight into your overall fitness and tracking your running progress more accurately over time, based on your VO2 max and training history. If you’re serious about sports beyond your swing, only a few timepieces can compete with this Garmin.

Resilient and athletic, the S7 Pro has got a 42mm fiber-reinforced polymer case with a steel bezel and rear cover, all of which grant it stellar shock, thermal, and water resistance. It’s built to be used, rough, and ready, and will serve you more than dutifully on both rugged hikes and mowed greens. And all that for just $799.

7. Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2) Sapphire Edition

The Epic Pro 2’s second-generation model is a serious bit of gear built for fitness-minded, fresh-air addicts. Mindful of the fact that, much like the Fenix 7S Pro, this is overtly an ‘outdoorsman’ offering, first and foremost, the Epix Pro does offer 43,000 preloaded maps of courses around the world, so if you’re a hobbyist golfer who travels to play, this degree of insight might be just enough for you. 

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that there’s an astonishing 31-day battery life in smartwatch mode (or up to 58 hours in GPS mode), which is, quite frankly, bonkers. This makes sense when you understand how much the Epix Pro’s battery needs to power; a built-in LED flashlight, a red strobe safety light, full fitness tracking, outdoor mapping, stress tracking, a surf camera, and ski maps, along with so much more.

Built to withstand the elements, the Epix Pro is sturdy and relatively unassuming, despite its brilliant 1.4″ scratch-resistant sapphire AMOLED touchscreen display and 51mm fiber-reinforced polymer case with a titanium bezel and rear cover. Despite its size and heft, after a few minutes on the wrist, you’ll forget all about this watch, I swear. 

And although it may not provide the in-depth analytical power that previous entries on this list can, it’s got more detailed golf maps than you can shake a wedge at. You can get the Epix Pro (Gen 2) Sapphire Edition for $1,099.

8. Garmin Fenix 7X Pro Sapphire Solar Edition

Garmin’s Fenix 7X Pro Sapphire Solar Edition is a multi-sport GPS watch that is equal parts lifestyle assistant, health tracker, sports coach, and timekeeper. It’s got a 51mm case not dissimilar to that of the Epic Pro, with all of the screen do-dads and button bits that $899 will buy you, plus solar charging. That last bit gets you up to 89 hours on GPS mode.

For the sportsman in you, there’s an abundance of capability in the 7X Pro, from surf camera tracking to ski slope grading and extensive home workout training help. Not to mention the multi-dimensional running performance functions. 

If you jog to the golf course (or from it), this is your dream watch. The same could very easily be said for swimmers, climbers, mountain bikers, and hikers too. 

The jet lag adviser, respiration tracking, hydration tracking, and ‘body battery’ monitoring are but a few of the health monitoring features present on the Garmin (usual suspects included). There’s not much to miss with this on your wrist.

9. Garmin Epix (Gen 2) Standard Edition

How is the Epix Standard different from the Epix Pro, I hear you ask. Well, first of all, it’s got a steel bezel instead of a titanium one, and it’s 4mm smaller, but at 47mm is still a sizable watch. 

While it doesn’t offer quite the spread in terms of sports functionality, the Standard edition caters to the average person’s fitness needs just fine, with HIIT workouts, stamina readings, and recovery suggestions, among other functions. 

If you have an outdoor bent, the extensive satellite coverage grants precise positioning to navigate the world with unwavering confidence, thanks to TopoActive mapping options on the Epix.

There’s a very ergonomic blend of button controls and touchscreen interfacing on this watch as well, granting seamless access to selections and map features (courses included). I’d say if you don’t need to spend $1099 on an Epix Pro, the $799 that this model will cost you is well worth it. 

10. Garmin Fenix 7 Standard Edition

The Fenix 7 Standard is the Ford Fiesta of the Garmin multi-sport watch range. It’s accessible in more ways than one, being uncomplicated, inexpensive ($649), and visually modest. With much the same functionality as the Epix, minus a few more specialized functions and some battery life, the Fenix 7 is about as reliable and as capable as 90% of the people on this planet would ever need a watch of its kind to be.

The juice is good for 18 days in smartwatch mode, an impressive 57 hours in GPS mode, and an astonishing 57 days in battery-saver mode, making this an excellent watch for long stretches away from the world and, indeed, for traveling. It’s got a 47 mm case, complemented by a 1.3-inch display, which is plenty even when you’re on the move.

Empower your athletic pursuits with preloaded sports apps catering to trail running, swimming, biking, and more, along with advanced metrics like running dynamics, VO2 max, and trail running adjustment. Your home workout plan will be served just fine by the Fenix 7 as well, don’t worry. Interestingly enough, this standard version still has ski and surf features, which is pretty impressive for a watch in this price bracket.

I personally think if you’re on the fence about any of the watches on this list, the Fenix 7 is probably the one you should go for. It’s a great upper-entry-level watch to get you into the swing of things, and if you’re just after golf maps on the go while still requiring the host of lifestyle functions that you’d expect of a smartwatch, this one will never disappoint.

Nothing But Aces

One thing is certain: whether you’re a golf enthusiast or a sports aficionado, Garmin has raised the bar and elevated the game for watches. So, make your choice, and get into it with one of these tech-pioneering and boundary-pushing timepieces. 

With Garmin golf watches, you can achieve so much more with so much less, both on and off the green. The added bonus is, of course, that you’ll likely never have to hire a caddy again.