Garmin Vivoactive – A Solid Sports Watch In Smartwatch Clothing

These days, everyone makes a fitness tracker, but it’s rarely easy to be able to merge stats all into one place without using a 3rd party app. Being a cyclist that likes to geek out on stats and the latest technology, I’ve been a Garmin user for years. I started with an Edge 305, then moved to a 500, and now on to my 810 and a Virb camera. I also began wearing a fitness tracker with my first FitBit, then on to a Jawbone Up24. While the info from the Garmins always worked well, trying to add the fitness tracking has always been a pain.

What led me to buy (yes, Garmin did not send one to me to review, although I’d happily review other products if they would decide to) the Vivoactive was that it played nice with my 810, and that I could even leave the 810 at home if I wanted to. Now, that won’t happen, since there are some things that the 810 can do that the Vivoactive can’t, but at the end of the day, all the data syncs up using their Garmin Connect website.

Now that you know the back story, here is what I think about the Vivoactive.

Initial unboxing and set up was a breeze. If you already have a Garmin computer with Live Tracking, you already have the Garmin Connect App. After filling out some basic info on the watch and syncing it with my phone, I was set. No additional accounts to create, just add it to your Garmin profile. If the app is new to you, it is still pretty easy to use. Download it, sign in with you Garmin account, and add the Vivoactive to you profile.

The watch already had some charge on it, so I didn’t have to charge it immediately. That was good, because I wanted to start playing around with all the settings and apps. When you do need to charge, just take it off, and place it into the magnetic charging cradle that connects to the back of the watch. A USB plug on the other end connects to you computer or a wall charger. A full charge takes a little more than an hour and Garmin says it should last for about 3 weeks, depending on usage. The more you use apps or the back light, or if you have GPS running, the shorter it will last. While I don’t use the GPS much, a typical charge will last me about a week and a half to two. That not something Apple can say about their smartwatch.

On the wrist, it doesn’t look too flashy or over the top. People have recognized it as a smartwatch, but it blends in nicely. The unit is available in a black or white case, and comes with two bands, black or white (more colors and materials available separately). The bands are easily swapped with the included torx drivers, which Garmin uses on many of their other watches. I opted for the black case, and at first, I went black band for the stealth look, but decided to go white after a while for a change. It fits very comfortably on the wrist with it’s approximately 40 mm x 40 mm case. A button on each side controls power/back light and access to starting activities, changing settings, viewing past activities, and a handy “find my phone” feature. All other controls are handled through the tough screen, and along with two buttons at the bottom of the face to move forward or backwards in menus.

One thing I will recommend right off the bat is a screen protector. The screen is pretty durable, but I’m not one to take chances. I have a full array of OtterBox products for my phone and iPad, and even have a screen protector and rubber skin on my 810, so to me, it just makes sense. If you put it on right, you’ll hardly even notice it is there, and it doesn’t effect the use of the unit.

As a day to day fitness tracker, running watch, and cycling computer, I love it. The step counter and recently expanded sleep tracking are an interesting insight into my day and can help track recovery after big workouts. The GPS seems to track just as well as my 810, and the ANT+/Bluetooth connectivity allows me to connect my heart rate strap, speed and cadence sensors, and just about anything else that runs on ANT+ or Bluetooth standards. It also has Live Tracking abilities when paired with your smartphone. By swiping through the screens, you can also control your music and a Virb action camera, along with viewing general weather data and even upcoming events on your calendar. The Vivoactive does not have the the ability to view maps on the screen like that the 810, so just make sure you know your route, or refer to your smartphone.

Once you are done working out, you can upload your activity right onto Garmin Connect through your phone. The Connect app and website offer plenty of ways to look at activity, fitness, calorie tracking, and the activities of your friends also on the Garmin ecosystem. The app also allows you to connect to other apps and websites like MyFitnessPal to help get a full view of your fitness goals.

The Garmin Connect app has the Connect IQ Store, which lets you download different apps, watch faces, data fields and widgets for your Vivioactive or other compatible Garmin sports watch. There are a decent amount of items in the store to customize the watch to your specific needs, whether you are a runner, golfer, swimmer, or just using it as your daily watch. Adding these programs to your watch is managed through the Connect app and syncing between the watch and phone, and then some selections through the settings. The watch faces are one great way to customize the Vivoactive, but beware, there can be consequences. If there are any bugs in these programs you are adding, it can cause your Vivoactive to restart, and you can possibly lose your steps or activity. I’ve mainly found it on the watch faces, which is very disappointing as there are some cool faces that provide more info at a glance than what Garmin’s plain watch face does. Remember too, using these apps will also drain the battery quicker too.

Being a smartwatch, there are some other features that come in handy. Whether I’m shooting photography at a race, riding, or in a meeting, I have it set up to get alerts from my phone. The Vivoactive has vibration alerts that can be customized as far as the vibe intensity, but it’s pretty much all or nothing when it comes to choosing your alerts. Texts and phone calls are pretty standard, but any other notifications for things like email or app alerts, either all come through, or nothing.  It would be nice to be able to customize that only certain mailboxes get alerts, or just social media apps, instead of shopping or other apps on the phone.

Overall, the Vivoactive is a great way to jump into the smartwatch field for current Garmin users, or anyone else looking for a capable watch. Yes, there are other, more robust products out there from the GPS brand that are tailored more to runners, triathletes, golfers, and so on, but for an average or power user looking for something that fits in from the boardroom, to Wednesday Night Worlds, and back for a night out, the Vivoactive checks off the boxes for most people.

Vivoactive – $249.99
Vivoactive with premium HR strap – $299.99

http://www.garmin.com