Outdoor Recreation

New Data Shows Garmin Users Around the Globe Are Diving More than Ever

28 November, 2023

Garmin divers have logged more of each category of dive so far in 2023 than they did in the same time period in 2022 — and they’re completing them at some of the best diving locations around the world.

Garmin customers are adventurous. They push their limits and expand their horizons, striving to make each day better than the last — and no community is more relentless than Garmin divers. Whether they’re looking to go deeper and stay submerged for longer or seeking out the sunken treasure they know must be nearby, divers are constantly looking for something new. Luckily, that’s exactly what a Garmin watch-style dive computer is built for.

Garmin dive computers offer six different diving modes, whether it’s our Descent™ G1 series or the Descent™ MK3 series — and so far, divers using the Garmin Dive™ app have been diving even more in 2023 than they did in the same time period in 2022. How much more, exactly, and where are the best diving spots? Let’s dive deeper.

Top 10 Locales for Diving Points of Interest Around the Globe

Garmin users dive all around the world, but some places are more popular than others. So far in 2023, here’s where they’re marking the best locations for diving:

  1. Taiwan
  2. United States
  3. Philippines
  4. Thailand
  5. Indonesia
  6. Egypt
  7. Japan
  8. Mexico
  9. Malaysia
  10. The Maldives

Hitting up Dafuxi in Taiwan, perhaps? Or the Blue Heron Bridge in the United States? Crystal Bay in Indonesia also seems to be a popular spot. Frankly, we’re a little jealous.

Garmin Diving Percentage Growths

The Garmin diving community has always been a dedicated one, but this year they’ve taken it to new depths. From single-gas diving to apnea hunting, they’ve stepped it up this year in each of our six different dive modes.

Single Gas Diving: +42%

In single-gas mode, the diver selects one type of gas to use during the entire dive. It’s the most common mode used by recreational divers, who are typically breathing air (which comes as the default gas on a Descent computer). So far in 2023, Garmin Dive users have logged 42% more single gas dives than they did during this same time period in 2022.

Multiple Gas Diving: +47%

Rather than simply using air, divers in multi-gas mode can use multiple active gases during a single dive, including air, nitrox, trimix and pure oxygen. This mode should only be used by experienced divers who need multiple types of customised gas to accommodate the depth, duration and/or decompression needs of their dives. This type of diving saw a 47% increase over 2022.

Closed-circuit Rebreather (CCR) Diving: +29%

In a CCR dive, a diver uses a CCR unit that replaces exhaled CO2 with O2 for the diver to consume in each breath. This is typically a deeper, more technical type of dive, and it produces fewer bubbles. Garmin Dive users have performed 29% more CCR dives in 2023.

Apnea Diving: +41%

Apnea diving is free diving, or diving without a tank and instead simply holding your breath. Whether participating in a free diving competition or just diving for fun, it’s important to know exactly what the dive time, depth, heart rate and descent and ascent rates are — time is of the essence when a diver doesn’t have a tank to rely on. Garmin Dive users have performed 41% more free dives in 2023 than they did in 2022. Using the Garmin dive variometer to up their game, perhaps?

Apnea Hunting: +29%

Apnea hunt diving is also free diving, but in this mode, the dive computer will silence audible alarms and simplify the screen for quick, easy-to-access information when spearfishing. Sometimes, this is a matter of personal preference — it’s up to the diver to decide how much information they want while underwater and how much it might distract from the task at hand. And divers may not want the audible alarms when they’re trying not to scare fish. Garmin users who opted for a quieter experience when free diving have logged 29% more dives in 2023.

Gauge Mode: +22%

When the Garmin dive computer is in gauge mode, it serves as a bottom timer and records the total time of your dive from descent to ascent. Divers also have access to tools such as a compass, a stopwatch, and measures of your current depth, max depth and water temperature. Garmin Dive users have recorded 22% more dive in gauge mode in 2023.

Ready to explore new depths? Garmin dive computers are built specifically with divers in mind — both for under the water and above it.