Outdoor

Garmin Watches for Spring Outdoor Activities

April 16, 2024

Speaking for pretty much everyone, getting outside is critical to our overall well-being. Whether exploring your favorite outdoor adventures or discovering new and different places, you may be challenged with a question: How do we get started? This is where Garmin technology comes in. With the right tools in your arsenal, you’ll have no problem navigating what’s to come — whatever or wherever that may be.

GPS Smartwatch: Your Outdoor Companion

Garmin launched the first fēnix® watch in 2012. It was initially developed for Alpinists, so its ethos has and always will be built from the side of a mountain. Since the first fēnix, Garmin has continually developed wrist-based technology for outdoor enthusiasts. It has grown into the most comprehensive multisport watch on the market, and many of its technologies have been adapted into different watches for specialized purposes, from boating to endurance trail running.

As the fēnix family expanded, Garmin continued to integrate features for daily life, making it one of the most popular “everyday” GPS smartwatches available. Whether you’re wanting to track a treadmill run or get a better pulse on your fitness and health monitoring, the fēnix has become a digital companion keeping us on track with work and life.

However, Garmin never stopped improving the outdoor heritage of the fēnix. With the launch of the fēnix 7 Pro series in 2023, its outdoor features are as robust as ever.

Here are some features that can help you get started, stay safer and enjoy your outdoor experience more.

Solar Charging

AMOLED Display

Built-in LED Flashlight

Multi-Band GPS with SatIQ™ Technology

ABC Sensors

Built-in Sports Apps

MTB Dynamics

Surf-ready Features

Hydration Tracking

Acclimation

The fēnix started it all, but since then the technology has been incorporated into various new watches. In fact, Garmin has a watch for almost everyone.

Wondering where to start? Here are a few to consider:

fēnix: You want the ultimate in outdoor performance. The face of adventure. The multisport king. This GPS smartwatch series is at the pinnacle of exploration and athleticism. 

epix™: You’re an athlete who doesn’t make compromises. Everything you love about fēnix, now with a bright, AMOLED display — this ultimate multisport GPS smartwatch is designed to perform all day, every day.

Instinct®: You want rugged. You want bold. You want a GPS smartwatch that doesn’t look like other GPS smartwatches. This is a great choice for those new to the outdoors.

Enduro™: You’re an extreme endurance athlete and you need a lightweight ultraperformance GPS watch with epic battery life. This one will help you go the distance.

quatix®: You’re a mariner. And you want a GPS multisport smartwatch that’s active on land and at home on the water. So here you go. Connect with your boat, in more ways than one.

tactix®: You’re on a mission to find a rugged GPS smartwatch with special-ops functions that help you travel in the shadows. This one will serve you well.

inReach®: Outdoor Communication

Nobody wakes up in the morning thinking they are going to have an emergency in the afternoon. This is especially true in the outdoors. When venturing out and about, be sure to have your backup plan: a satellite messenger.

With inReach satellite technology from Garmin and an active satellite subscription2, you can stay in touch globally. You can send and receive messages, navigate your route, track and share your journey and, if necessary, trigger an SOS to help get assistance to you from the Garmin IERCC, a 24/7 global emergency response coordination center via the 100% global Iridium® satellite network.

Most people think about the “what-ifs” emergencies that may happen when they are outdoors. But what happens if an emergency occurs back home and you are out of cell phone communication range? Luckily, inReach allows two-way messaging so you can reach out to a loved one immediately.

Additionally, using Garmin Explore™, users can set up live tracking so family or friends back home can join in your adventure from the comfort of home. From a safety standpoint, this is very beneficial. For example, using live tracking, family or friends can check to see if you’re moving along your planned route. If you are, great — all is well. If you aren’t moving and you should be, they can check in to see if everything is alright. If not, they can arrange help.

A few tips before heading outdoors:

  1. Always let people know where you’re going and when you expect to be back.
  2. Educate yourself on where you are going and the surrounding area.
  3. Don’t just check that day’s weather, check tomorrow’s weather. If you plan to be out for an extended period, bring appropriate gear. Weather can change quicker than most forecasts predict.
  4. Plan your route and stick to it.
  5. Mark your start and know how to get back.
    • What to use: All Garmin handhelds GPS mark a waypoint; also, consider using the TracBack feature on your fēnix or Instinct

So, what comes next?

Summer and the opportunity to explore new places. After that, who knows? Inevitably, Garmin watches are always there for you—inside or out.

1 Assumes all-day wear with 3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux conditions.
2Active satellite subscription required. Some jurisdictions regulate or prohibit the use of satellite communication devices. It is your responsibility to know and follow all applicable laws in the jurisdictions where the satellite communication device is intended to be used.