Last week, Garmin released the new vivoactive HR that gives you GPS, a large, high-resolution, color touchscreen, and built-in activity apps. For those of you that are multisport athletes, this could possibly be the do everything wearable of your dreams.
Garmin added its Elevate optical heart rate technology to the vivoactive HR in order to measure your heart rate at the wrist instead of using the chest strap. Similar to the other Garmin wearables, the new watch acts as an activity tracker throughout the day, counting steps and floors climbed as well as monitoring your sleep and calculating intensity minutes.
When paired with your phone, the vivoactive HR automatically syncs to Garmin Connect in order to deliver cues to move if you’re not on track to meet your step goal—or shoutouts when you do hit those milestones. Plus, you’ll get healthy tips from experts that become like virtual coaches.
Built-in sports apps include GPS-enabled running, biking, swimming, skiing, snowboarding, golf, rowing, and paddle boarding—no phone connection required. For the running app, the watch uses its built-in accelerometer and GPS, enabling you to track your runs both indoors and out. You can set up vibration alerts for heart rate, pace, run/walk intervals and more. Other training features include Auto Lap and Auto Pause and a post-run summary with stats such as total mileage, calories, average pace, and overall time.
The GPS-enabled cycling app measures time, distance, speed, and calories. It’s compatible with Garmin sensors, such as speed and cadence, and also compatible with the Varia lights and radar.
For a day of skiing or snowboarding, vivoactive HR measures your 3-D speed by calculating the speed and distance on an incline versus latitude and longitude. It also provides your splits automatically and gives you the option to turn on Auto Pause, which freezes the timer automatically when you stop or ride the lift.
Other fun features include the weather and temperature display, control of music on your phone, locate your phone if you lose it, remotely control your VIRB action camera, and the ability for your friends and family to follow your adventures in real time.
The rechargeable battery lasts up to 8 days in watch/activity tracking mode or up to 13 hours using GPS. The vivoactive HR retails for $250 and will start shipping in 5-8 weeks.
FYI, the original Vivoactive also contained GPS as well.