Garmin is the go-to brand for sports and fitness watches and has provided users with some excellent features over the past couple of years. But some users have a huge misconception regarding these smartwatches.
Most users think Garmin smartwatches are limited to tracking their footsteps, monitoring their heartbeats, and performing other essential fitness and health-tracking functions.
Though the major portion of these smartwatches is concerned with these metrics, you can also use the watch to track your swimming hours.
Multiple waterproof Garmin watches available in the market can provide you with your entire swimming stats. This ranges from your swimming laps, pace, and vital readings as you move around in the water.
Swimming is the best kind of physical activity and has multiple advantages for what you can think of.
As per a 2017 report published by Swim England, swimmers had a 28 percent lower risk of early death and a 41 percent lesser chance of death caused by heart disease and stroke than non-swimmers.
If you are a swimmer looking to log the swimming hours and laps and keep other swimming stats in check, the best thing you can do is get your hands on a Garmin waterproof watch for swimming.
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How I Made This List?
With multiple options in the market, I have narrowed down some of the best ones for you based on features like battery life, build quality, comfort, and water resistance.
Battery Life
In addition to being a physical activity equipped with multiple health benefits, swimming also requires a lot of time. I have often seen that most swimmers must push themselves hard to get out of the water once they get on with it.
So, to track your long swimming hours efficiently, its battery life is highly crucial, which is why this was at the top of my priority list while making a list of the best Garmin watch for the swimming pool.
Build Quality
It’s a general conception that exposing your gadgets to water can reduce their life span and cause them damage and great harm. Though this is not true with all gadgets, it’s better to keep the devices away from water to be safer. But this is not possible with smartwatches meant to track swimming time, so I have gone with only those Garmin watches that are robust enough to easily bear the wear and tear caused by water.
Comfort
Another thing I considered while making this last is the users’ comfort. Unlike running and other physical activities, taking off the smartwatch isn’t an option for swimming.
So to save yourself from any injury and make the smartwatch bearable for you, it’s important to go for one that is lightweight and comfortable to be worn for long hours.
Garmin fenix 6s Pro Solar
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The Garmin Fenix 6S Premium Multisport Smartwatch allows you to track more than 20 physical activities, and swimming is one of them.
The watch features a color-rich display that lets you see all the data at once. If I compare the Fenix 6S with all its predecessors, it has long battery life, more memory, offline maps availability, and a pulse oximeter making it a better upgrade.
Overview of its Features
If you want a watch that can be worn in the swimming pool, the Fenix 6S is a reliable choice with a water resistance rating of 10 ATM, which means it can easily withstand water pressure up to 100 meters in depth.
If you want a watch that can be worn in the swimming pool, the Fenix 6S is a reliable choice with a water resistance rating of 10 ATM, which means it can easily withstand water pressure up to 100 meters in depth.
of the smartwatch, it features prompts and on-screen instructions, taking you through the entire process without much hassle.
Despite having a glass touch screen, the Fenix 6S smartwatch is resistant to drops, falls, and scratches. Though you can always pay some extra bucks to upgrade your smartwatch to the Sapphire version, the in-built screen is still robust enough to bear any strong clash.
To make the watch comfortable to wear for you, the Fenix 6S features a silicon band. But unlike other cheaper smartwatches in the market, the band on this watch is premium giving you style in addition to comfort.
Unlike most other smartwatches in the market that feature a touch screen, exposing them to damage more often, the Fenix 6S smartwatch doesn’t have one. Instead, you get five buttons on the sides of the watch.
Using the navigation buttons on the watch, you can scroll through different watch faces, select various apps, and make changes in the watch’s settings when needed. You can also use the Connect app on your mobile for this.
Instead of providing a battery percentage, this smartwatch gives you an estimated time for your watch to last on the present battery.
The watch’s battery life, however, is pretty cool and can last for more than 9 days in normal mode while up to 34 days in the battery saver mode.
Things to Buy the Watch For
The slim design of the watch makes it suitable for small wrists
You can easily customize the watch’s interface
It features a long-lasting battery
The watch face is almost scratch-resistant
Things Against the Watch
It is expensive
You might face difficulty in adjusting the watch’s band around your wrist
User Comments on the Fenix 6S Smartwatch
The Fenix 6S stands at a 4.7 out of 5.0 and has multiple health and fitness tracking features. Though users found that it’s not a medical watch, the robustness, high build quality, and water resistance of the watch are appreciated by most users.
There were mixed opinions among the users concerning the absence of a touch screen. But overall, most of the customers accepted this watch with open arms.
If you want to keep track of all your health metrics, including heart rate, pulse fluctuation, blood oxygen level in the water, and blood pressure, the Fenix 6S is the best slim profile Garmin wearable for swimming to get your hands on.
The band on the smartwatch might be a bit hard to size as per your wrist’s size, but you can change it with a better band if you want.
Garmin Forerunner 945
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If you are a professional swimmer looking for the most robust features smartwatch in the market that is lightweight, comes with ample music storage, wireless paying feature, and is equipped with advanced health monitoring features, look no further.
Overview of its Features
The low-profile design of the Forerunner 945 Smartwatch comes with all the features you can hope for as an athlete or swimmer. The watch touts impressive battery life, ideal for swimming contests and races, and has multiple activity profiles.
This feature-packed smartwatch will not slow you down and has offline maps, accurate navigation, a workout plan, and all the features that make it a fully-featured GPS smartwatch.
The toolset and widgets of the Forerunner 945 Smartwatch give it an edge over other smartwatches of the same category produced by brands like Fitbit, Coros, Sunoco, and others. Even while you are engaged in a heavy swimming process, you can easily access all watch features.
In addition to featuring a powerful battery that allows it to last multiple days without a charger, the charging time of the Forerunner 945 Smartwatch is low. You need just 75 minutes to charge its battery fully.
You can change and customize the watch faces using the Garmin IQ feature. You can access multiple customization options making it ideal for users who get easily bored with uniformity.
The optical heart rate sensors at the bottom of the watch and its charging dock provide you with accurate heart readings. This is especially crucial during swimming when your body is not inhaling normally.
This Garmin fitness watch is waterproof and water resistant and features robust glass and a body that saves the watch from any damage and can be useful for military tactical purposes as well. You can easily wear the watch to your waterproof without fearing getting scratched.
You get a 1.2-inch screen display on the watch with a bright display that’s even visible in bright sunlight, along with a backlight you can turn on when needed using the push button on the smartwatch.
The watch is water-rated to 5 ATM, making it suitable for swimming, and with its rugged design, it is worthy of withstanding anything you through at the watch.
Things to Buy the Watch For
It is a feature-packed smartwatch
The watch is lightweight and comfortable on your wrist
You get a superb battery on the watch
Its screen is wear-resistant and waterproof to up to 5 ATM
Things Against the Watch
The watch is a little expensive
Its interface is too complex
User Comments on the Forerunner 945 Smartwatch
To tell you about the user comments on the Forerunner 945 smartwatch, I won’t say much but quote the words of a user saying, “After using the Garmin smartwatch for almost two weeks, I instantly get to it for any guidance as it serves as the best coach one can ever ask for.”
Based on its high performance, sleek design, and robust body, the watch has gotten a rating of 4.6 out of 5.0, making it a good Android smartwatch for swimming.
If you want your Garmin smartwatch to be extremely responsive and sensitive to even a minute change in your body and one that has all the whistles and blows you need as a runner or swimmer, there is nothing better than the Garmin Forerunner 945 Smartwatch in the market.
Though many features available on the watch are a little more than what you normally ask for, it still makes up for the best option.
Users wanting a smaller and simpler watch can always get their hands on the Garmin Fenix 6S Smartwatch at almost the same price as the Forerunner 945 Smartwatch.
Garmin Instinct Solar Watch
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The Garmin Instinct Solar Outdoor Smartwatch stands out among the crowd for its seemingly interesting battery life due to the installation of solar energy cells into it.
It has all the basic GPS features integrated into the watch, making it your companion on long hiking journeys or swimming routes.
Overview of its Features
Instinct Solar is a mid-level smartwatch that tracks fitness features and health metrics and provides accurate location data. You can choose from both tactical and navigate profile options on the watch.
To provide you with an in-depth review of any physical activity you engage in, i.e., swimming, in this case, the Instinct Solar syncs well with the Google Connect app. You can also use the watch with the Explore app to create fitness courses for better tracking.
GPS tracking, Blood oxygen sensor, Heart rate sensor, Fitness tracking (pedometer, advanced sleep data, calories burned), Navigation, Smart notifications, Weather updates, Compass, Timers, and water resistance of 50 ATM are some noticeable features of the smartwatch.
If you have used a Garmin watch before, you won’t have difficulty setting up the Instinct Solar smartwatch. The entire learning curve for this smartwatch is unlike other simple watches, But you will get there with proper concentration and effort.
Like the Garmin Fenix 6S watch, this one also represents the battery life in the number of days left instead of a percentage. Due to this, you won’t fall behind and never have to face the issue of no charge as you set out for a swim.
There are five buttons on the sides of the Instinct Solar watch, including a power button. As the buttons lie flat on the surface, I thought of the fewer chances of the buttons getting pressed accidentally. But as I stepped into the pool, some buttons got pressed as my hands curled, opening some activities and changing the watch faces.
Things to Buy the Watch For
It comes with the most accurate and advanced GPS navigation
The watch perfectly syncs with the phone and shows all the notifications
You can control and store music on it
It has a water resistance of up to 50 ATM with a strong frame
Things Against the Watch
The display of the watch is black and white
It cannot track body weight well
User Comments on the Garmin Instinct Solar Smartwatch
Most users were in awe of the built-in solar panels on the watch and loved how it was made per the modern time and needs.
In addition to the extensive battery life, its timer feature and 27 different fitness profiles, each with features better than the other, are loved by the customers.
Some loved its design, its rugged feel, and its easy-to-use interface. Most users complementing the watch were first-time buyers enjoying all the high-quality features it had to offer. It secured a rating of 4.4 on the scoreboard.
For users wanting an extensive battery life more than anything else in their smartwatch, the Garmin Instinct Solar Smartwatch is the most reliable option.
With this smartwatch, you don’t have to put it to charge often as the solar panels keep its battery boosted. It is the best Garmin watch for swimming and cycling to support your impromptu plans.
But if you don’t want to rely solely on solar panels and want a smartwatch with higher battery life than most smartwatches on the market, the Garmin Fenix 6S Premium Multisport Smartwatch is worth considering.
Similarly, users who want the watch to have all the running features and be a swimming gadget can get their hands on the Forerunner 945 Smartwatch.
Garmin Swim 2 Watch
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The name of the Garmin Swim 2 Smartwatch is enough to let you know its purpose, and it is one of the few smartwatches in the market made specifically for swimmers.
The watch has all the features needed to withstand water bodies, including a robust design, sensitive heart rate monitoring, and other features.
Overview of its Features
The design and overall look of the watch are almost the same as what you see in the Garmin Forerunner 945 watch. For better usage in the water, it comes with physical buttons instead of a touchscreen display.
The transflective display of the Swim 2 Smartwatch allows you to read the display easily in water, and you won’t face any problem soaking your data in water.
The Swim 2 has trackers to measure the length, distance, pace, and stroke count. You can even determine the stroke type using your Swim 2 watch, making it one of the most efficient Garmin watches for swimming laps.
On the Swim 2 Smartwatch, you can access some critical swim speed insights allowing you to improve for the better. For beginners, the watch is a great mentor providing them with pace alerts from time to time.
You can also make the swim tracking procedure customized for yourself by making some pre-swim adjustments on the watch. This ranges from selecting the pool size, switching on auto resets, setting up alerts, and choosing data screens on your smartwatch.
The Swim 2 Smartwatch allows you to perform a critical swim test. This is done to determine the time you can swim continuously without feeling tired. You can measure your improvements over time by taking the test multiple times after every few days.
Things to Buy the Watch For
It comes with a sleeping schedule tracking feature
You can perform critical swimming tests on the watch
It features a high battery life
The watch is completely prone to damage even in water
Things Against the Watch
It lacks the advanced level smartwatch features
You get GPS on the watch for open water swimming
User Comments on the Swim 2 Smartwatch
On the rating meter, the Swim 2 Smartwatch scored 4.2 out of 5.0. The majority of the users appreciated it and loved how it always accompanied them to their swimming sessions and helped them improve for the better.
Though the users who wanted more than the swimming features of the watch felt slightly disappointed, it stood by all its claims.
Finding a smartwatch with all its features focused on uplifting your swimming experience and is built keeping the interests of swimmers in mind is hard.
It won’t be too much to say that the Swim 2 Smartwatch is one of the very few smartwatches in the market that are meant to be worn in the water.
So, if you don’t want to miss your chance of hoping on such a unique gadget, this watch is your most reliable choice. But before getting this smartwatch, you need to be aware of its disadvantages, i.e., the lack of more advanced smartwatch features.
If you want a smartwatch with all the high-quality and advanced features like pulse oximeter, blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen monitoring, along with the ability to sync messages, you can get the Garmin Fenix 6s Smartwatch.
Forerunner 945 Smartwatch is another great purchase for customers wanting a multi-sport watch. On the contrary, the Garmin Instinct Solar Smartwatch is the perfect purchase for people who can’t compromise on battery life.
Getting the Best Garmin Watch for Swimming
To get the best Garmin smartwatch for swimming, you need to consider the factors below.
Design
The design of a smartwatch plays an important role in determining the level of comfort it will provide you. If you don’t want to struggle as you swim, it’s best to get a smartwatch that features a simple design with flat buttons on the sides.
Weight
Lightweight watches are generally easier to wear throughout the day than bulky ones. Also, while swimming, even the lightest hurdle can affect your experience. So, a lightweight smartwatch is the best to go for to be on the safer side and save yourself from any bad experiences.
Water Resistance
Water resistance is a feature you can’t compromise on when you want a watch to be worn during swimming. It’s usually recommended not to go for a smartwatch resistant to less than 5 ATM of water pressure.
Activity Profile
The last feature on the borderline, i.e., if you can find it in the watch, there could be nothing better, but you can do fairly well even in its absence. Navigate through the different faces of your watch and check for the swimming profile on it.
FAQs
Do the Garmin watches come with a waterproof feature?
Yes, most of the Garmin watches come with the waterproof feature, and the Swim 2, Instinct Solar, Forerunner 945, and Fenix 6S are a few.
Is Garmin Fenix 6s suitable for swimming?
Yes, considering that the Fenix 6S is water-resistant to over 10 ATMs, is durable, doesn’t feature a touch screen, and comes with a swimming profile makes it an ideal Garmin waterproof watch for swimming.
How to set Garmin watch for swimming?
To set a Garmin watch for swimming, select START from its face. Choose a swim activity from the given Options. From the available options, select the one you like the most, and you are all set to get started with your swimming session.
Is it worth getting a smartwatch for swimming?
Smartwatches are not cheap and require maintenance too, and you also need to follow certain protocols, charge them regularly, and take care of multiple other things to be able to use them for a long time.
With all these things in mind, most users wonder if it is worth getting a smartwatch for swimming.
The answer is yes, and you must have gotten an idea of why they are important by looking at all the different features of the smartwatches I have explained before you.
Although all the smartwatches I have talked about here are fantastic, one that I like the most is the Garmin Swim 2 Smartwatch.
When I was learning to swim, the Garmin Swim 2 Smartwatch played my coach’s role, provided me with necessary criticism, and appreciated me when needed. All of its features are focused on swimmers’ interests, which is one thing I love the most about the smartwatch.
