Today, the number of people who take care of themselves and try to stick to a healthy way of life is raising dynamically. For this reason, the users of special devices that help be fit and prompt you what you should do during the day in order to keep a normal regime become more as well.
There were more than 35 hours spent on investigating the best watches for triathlon from the Garmin brand. Thus, you will learn more about devices that have quite big and successful history through the Garmin Triathlon review. And, there will be hints on what you should pay attention to while purchasing one of such devices, e.g. the ability to resist water and shock, the accuracy of showing the results. The last one must be the most important thing. Stay with WatchmakerNotes!
Best Garmin Smartwatches for Triathlon
Review | Name | Features |
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Fenix 6 Sapphire Editions View Details | Pulse Ox Stainless steel and titanium PacePro TOPO maps GPS, GLONASS, Galileo Compass Gyroscope Barometric altimeter VO2 max DLC coating |
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Vivoactive 3 Music View Details | Garmin Pay TrueUpMove IQ Bike Speed/Cadence sensor VO2 max AccuWeather Water resistance GPS, GLONASS, Galileo Big battery capacity |
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Forerunner 945 View Details | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo Garmin Pay VO2 max Pulse Ox Garmin Connect and preloaded maps Lightweight |
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Descent Mk1 View Details | GPS, GLONASS Diving analyzer Barometer, compass, altimeter Garmin Elevate Advanced adjustments for a particular type of sport DLC coating |
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Forerunner 735XT View Details | VO2 max GPS, GLONASS Advanced adjustments for running, swimming, and cycling |
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Tactix Charlie View Details | High-resolution display Day and night modes Preloaded TOPO maps DLC coating GPS, GLONASS |
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Fenix 5 View Details | GPS, GLONASS GPS TimeSync Garmin Elevate Garmin Connect UltraTrac |
Garmin Fenix 6 Sapphire Editions Review
The top version of smartwatches for those who go in for sports is Garmin Fenix 6 Sapphire. This is a combination of high-quality materials and technologies in one piece. Moreover, for more reliability, the device is covered with the DLC coating that adds more protection against irritating tiny scratches.
The display is 33 mm that is enough for seeing all the details it shows, even under the sunlight. The bezel is made of a combination of two types of metal: stainless steel and titanium.
The device has lots of useful and advanced features for different types of sports. However, the basic ones such as the ability to pay without a credit card, preloaded maps, the ability to measure the pulse, and VO2 max are also present here.
The battery capacity is decent enough to work for around 48 days without recharging it. However, adjusting the settings you want to work with may significantly cause lowering battery life. For example, switching to smartphone mode can consume more power, and the total life will be up to 14 days until the next charging.
This model is from the new range of smartwatches released in August 2019. For this reason, it’s quite difficult to say that it’s cheap enough. However, having this product will make your life much easier, and you don’t need to worry about swapping it with another device for more than a few years. Of course, it depends on your taste and wishes, but the quality allows you to enjoy it for a long time.
- The sensors work nicely and accurately
- The music function works perfectly without any issues of connecting to various devices
- The battery life is long
- The display is well seen
- The big screen
- The UI is quite fast
- The smartwatch is well-made
- There may be some connection issues with iPhone while using 13.0 software version
- USAA credit cards may not work
Garmin Vivoactive 3 Music Review
Another helper that is worth your money is Garmin Vivoactive 3 released in August 2017. Like the previous one, this model also has lots of useful features necessary for tracking the results of your sports and daily activities, such as payment, listening to music, etc. In addition, a potential user can customize the user interface, so its performance can be more comfortable.
The device comes with a 30.5 mm round display and a nylon band. There is an additional bezel on the display.
The battery life is long as well. Depending on what mode you choose for this device to work, the charge level can be lower or higher.
As for the price, it’s safe to say that the product is pretty affordable. Furthermore, checking sale propositions in different stores, you may have the best price for this device.
- The sensors are pretty accurate
- The battery capacity is large
- GPS tracking works nicely
- The size and weight are perfect
- It’s easy to set up
- It charges faster than its competitors
- There might be some software issues while deleting some music tracks through Mac
- There may be some issues with tracking the sleeping process
Garmin Forerunner 945 Review
One of the most demandable devices is Garmin Forerunner 945 released in April 2019. Its popularity is caused by having plenty of features designed for those whose life is related to sports. The additional features that are actively used in daily life are also present here, so it can even replace a smartphone for a while. Furthermore, thanks to Bluetooth, it is possible to listen to music through headphones.
The design is neutral and quite typical for Garmin smartwatches: a black nylon band with a 30.5 mm round display. It’s even safe to say that the device is suitable for men and women.
The battery life can withstand active usage for about 14 days. However, as usual, you should pay attention to the settings you apply to this device. The more sensors and programs are running, the faster the battery will get low.
The price for this device is pretty nice, taking into account the features it has. However, to be more precise, it’s in the medium range.
- The “Coach” program works nicely
- The long battery life
- The sleep tracking system is wonderful
- It supports lots of sports categories with corresponding apps for them
- The setup is intuitively easy
- There may appear some issues with clicking the buttons
- Pulse Ox may have some issues with measuring pulse during the day
Garmin Descent Mk1 Review
Comparing to the previous models, Garmin Descent Mk1 released in the fourth quarter of 2017 is not totally black. It does have some black details such as a band and a case, but a bezel on the 30.5 mm display has a silver finish. Because of this, such model may not be quite popular for women, but men will definitely adore it.
There are lots of useful features and applications for various kinds of sports. The application abilities are also extended with GPS and GLONASS connection. And of course, since the genuine smartwatch is supposed to be waterproof, there is no exception to Descent Mk1.
You can count on the consistent battery work. But don’t forget that a larger amount of switched on sensors will consume more power, so the battery life will be shorter than expected.
It’s difficult to say whether it’s expensive or cheap since everyone has his own limit. Of course, you should understand that higher-quality products are typically expensive.
- The instructions are easily understandable
- The diving mode and water-resistance are awesome
- The battery capacity is large
- There may be some issues with software
- The diving program starts running when the device is submerged to a depth of 4 feet
Garmin Forerunner 735XT Review
Figuring out whether the smartwatch lives up to the expectations or not can be time-consuming. However, it won’t take lots of time investigating whether it’s comfortable to use Garmin Forerunner 735XT, which has been available in stores since May 2016.
Needless to say, it has all the required functions that a modern smartwatch has to have. However, taking into account that this model is older than the previous ones, these features may have quite limited abilities. But still, the battery capacity is much larger that makes this device durable in terms of time necessary for the cycle between recharging it. In addition, all the sensors work nicely and don’t bring any unpleasant experience to a user.
Besides, the date of release also influences a price range as well. Thus, if you decide to have this smartwatch, you may be pleasantly wondered by its cost. And as a result, you will get the new device with all the necessary tools but for a visibly lower price.
- Works nicely with various types of sports
- It’s lightweight and comfortable to wear
- The sensors and apps that count indices are gorgeous
- Easy to adjust and set up settings
- There may be some issues with the weather app
- The light doesn’t spread evenly
Garmin Tactix Charlie Review
Another item from Garmin released in the second quarter of 2018 is Tactix Charlie that has earned lots of positive feedback. Let’s check why there are lots of adherents of this device and whether it is worth your money.
Firstly, the design is classic for the Garmin smartwatches. There is a nylon band, a 30.5 mm round display that can work even under the sunlight, and a bezel around the display. This combination allows the smartwatch to be used by men and women. In addition, an extra DLC protection will keep your device unchangeable for a long time.
Secondly, the installed applications help you track your physical condition and improve it thanks to special prompts. In combination with GPS and GLONASS connection, you can also make the visual dynamic of your progress.
The next thing is the battery that allows all these features to do their work properly and consistently. Luckily, the battery capacity is enough to work for 12 days in smartwatch mode without recharging it. While adjusting settings and turning on as many apps and sensors as possible will obviously cause significant battery life decrease.
For sure, you might be curious about the price. In fact, this model is not quite expensive or cheap. Its price range is just right in the middle.
- It’s very comfortable to wear
- It’s lightweight
- It’s easy to sort out how it works
- The battery is outstanding
- The band may cause rash
- The heart rate monitor is not quite accurate
Garmin Fenix 5 Review
If you are looking for the biggest display in the smartwatch among Garmin devices, then take a look at Garmin Fenix 5 released in the middle of 2017. The diameter of the display is 47 mm. For sure, this size provides users with joy using this device, especially the program operation that is more comfortable than it is on smaller displays.
As always, the Garmin brand provides a bunch of pre-installed applications specially designed for active people who are keen on sports. Obviously, sensors along with the GPS and GLONASS transmitters allow users to see how the progress goes and make the work out more effective, building up the new routes.
Of course, for this bunch of running apps and sensors that constantly track your body condition, there should be a large battery capacity. In fact, working in regular mode, the battery can provide consistent performance for 2 weeks. However, as you already know, running applications make the battery level lower.
For this item, it’s not a sin to say that Fenix 5 deserves a higher price. However, due to its release date that was quite a long time ago, the price has dropped to the medium range.
- The battery life is outstanding
- The display performance under the sunlight is gorgeous
- The big display
- The touch screen performs nicely even with the wet fingers
- There may be some issues with the triangular button
- The band is not of corresponding quality
FAQ
Learning the reviews on the best-selling smartwatches might not provide you will all the necessary information that you wanted to know. That is why there is a section named FAQ where you can find the answer to your question.
What Is a Blue Arrow on Garmin Fenix 5 in Triathlon Mode?
When turning navigation mode you will see the map. However, once you start walking and running ?‍♂️, the blue triangle starts moving on the screen as well. Consequently, the blue triangle shows your position on the map when the GPS mode is turned on.
How to Use Triathlon Mode on Garmin 735xt?
Using the Triathlon mode for the first time may be quite challenging for people who have never dealt with this before. Thus, just pick the triathlon mode, then there appears a one-time picture that shows which buttons will be involved in this mode. There are 4 data screens that can be switched by pushing the “down” buttons on the watch edge. Just make sure that the smartwatch ⌚ is connected to GPS (the data screen will be active), and then you can push the button to launch the timer.
Conclusion
Anyone who faces choosing the smartwatch will admit that this process is quite challenging. Furthermore, taking into account that each device has lots of features and applications, a new potential user will only get trapped by investigating each characteristic. More difficulties appear when the device has to be connected through GPS and GLONASS or while transferring activity data to the smartwatch.
The Garmin devices in this review were carefully selected, so a potential user will never experience such problems. The only thing left to do is make a decision.
References
- Garmin Official Website – https://www.garmin.com/
- Fenix® 5 Owner’s Manual – https://www.garmin.com/
- What Garmin Smartwatch Should I Buy This Christmas? – https://www.reddit.com/