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Which Garmin Wearable Should I Buy?

Which Garmin Wearable Should I Buy?
June 10, 2020

Which Garmin Wearable Should I Buy?

Tracking outdoor activities is incredibly fun and rewarding. You already knew you worked hard—you could feel the burn. But how cool is it to know you also climbed 2,100 feet of elevation, your max heart rate was 183, max ambient air temperature was 84º, your average cadence was 37 strides per minute and the total distance was 8.1 miles?

Sweet, right?

That’s what GoWild™ does with its Garmin integration. GoWild members can use any Garmin wearable smartwatch to track adventures, and import their activities into GoWild. Within the platform, which is built specifically for outdoor enthusiasts, members can share digital stories, showcasing mileage, biometric data, elevation change and photos captured, all on an interactive timeline. 

The question becomes, which device is right for you? There are many options for various budgets. Fear not, Wild One. We have advice and are here to help. 

Our Recommended Garmin Devices 

Garmin fēnix® 6

OK, so here’s the thing: Our team loves the fēnix line. It’s what most GoWild team members use. For starters, it’s incredibly tough, rugged, and yet stylish. The interchangeable bands (common among Garmin products) are a huge win. Even with heavy winter gloves on, you can still control it with the oversized buttons. And the Sapphire Crystal lens has proven to be nearly indestructible for us. The fēnix devices start at $450. 

Features We Love 

  • This device has mapping built in, and it can even sync with your Garmin Xero to help you find your arrows. (Seriously!)
  • The upgraded Pro Solar Edition is incredible. You can take a trip and leave the cord at home. Solar charging lets you get up to 24 days of battery life. Say whaaat?
  • The durability of the fēnix is second to none. We’ve hunted, fished, swam, done hardcore DIY projects, ran ToughMudder races, and much more in these devices and they keep on ticking with nearly no noticeable wear. 

Battery Life

Rechargable. Smartwatch mode goes up to 14 days. GPS can do up to 36 hours. The device features a Max Battery GPS mode, which gets 72 hours. The Expedition GPS Activity can log 28 days. And the Battery Saver mode logs an insane 48 days. 

Water Resistance 

Can handle up to 100 meters of depth. Yep, bring on the rain, sleet, snow, ice, swimming, diving, or whatever else you got, life. 

Garmin vivoactive

Garmin Vívoactive® 4

This is one of the best overall Garmin investments you can make. The vívoactive line is built tough with Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3, and it’s also slick enough that you can wear it to work, church or a night on the town. This device typically runs $350.

Features We Love 

  • Easy-to-follow, animated workout routines are pre-loaded on the watch and built-in sports apps help you stay fit. You can also track custom activities (hunting, fishing, etc.).
  • Built-in incident tracking lets you send your live location to contacts. 
  • Intuitive touch screen integration, with all of the features you’d expect of a modern smart watch (and crazy good battery life to boot). 

Battery Life

Rechargable. Lasts up to 8 days in smartwatch mode and up to 18 hours in GPS mode without music. 

Water Resistance 

Can handle up to 50 meters of depth. 

 

Garmin Forerunner 245

Garmin Forerunner® 245

The Forerunner has additional functionality for runners, but don’t be fooled—this device is ideal for outdoor enthusiasts. As with the vívoactive, you get the durable Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3 and host of fitness apps. The 245 is typically $300, although certainly additions may cause variances. All of that said, it’s a great deal. 

Features We Love 

  • The design is minimal—sleek and light—but tough, making it ideal for outdoor activities.
  • The incident detection for runners is really cool. It will notify designated contacts if it believes you’ve had an incident and you can do it if you get lost, too. 

Battery Life

Rechargable. Smartwatch mode can go for 7 days, GPS mode can run up to 24 hours.

Water Resistance 

Can handle up to 50 meters of depth, so bring on the rain, sleet, snow, ice, swimming, diving, or whatever else you got, life. 

Garmin Vívofit® 4

If you’re more interested in a simple-yet-trustworthy fitness tracker at a good price, the Garmin vívofit® 4 is the perfect option for you. Track your steps, sleep, calories, and distance, set goals, and even swim in this device. Prices start around $80. 

Features We Love 

  • Incredibly long battery life means no hassling with chargers. Just go, be active, worry free. 
  • Try the toe-to-toe feature to challenge the whole family to a step competition! The family that’s active together, is healthy together! 

Battery Life

Replaceable battery expected to last up to 1 year. 

Water Resistance 

This device is rated well for swimming and showers. 

 

 

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