Knowing Garmin: The Beginning

“In 1989, Garmin was formed as the parent company of a group of other companies. It develops aviation, marine and consumer products that use global positioning system (GPS).

The brand has firmly positioned itself as a forerunner in the industry of GPS-enabled products and has excelled into becoming a household name for various products.

The first product that Garmin released was the GPS 100 and it was designed for use in the marine market with a price tag of $2,500 (£1,582).

After its début at the International Marine Technology Exposition in Chicago in 1990, it was a huge hit and the company is thought to have ended up with a backlog of orders for 5,000 units.

Garmin, which have successfully broken into the marine and military markets, has now set its sights on the consumer industry, creating the now infamous Forerunner brand.

The basis behind these products was to crack the recreational running community by providing them with a GPS device that could actually benefit their routines.

The brand name which composed of a collection of three different versions was registered two years before the first set of Forerunner products were actually released.

The devices themselves are sports watches that contain the ability to record various bits of personal data along with a global positioning system.

When an athlete wears the watch, they can use it to measure things like speed, heart rate, pace, distance, and altitude, amongst other things.

Some of the watches come complete with a USB stick that allows the user to transfer the collected data onto a PC. They could then use the data to work out the areas that they need to improve on or are doing well with.

The watches have been developed over time, with the technology advancing and usability improvements.

The big selling points that ensure Garmin stays at the top of the GPS sports watch game are its touch-sensitive screens, vibration alerts and the ability to be used in wet and rainy conditions.

The Forerunner collection of watches is often considered as an industry leader for it has made such a name for itself purely on quality, durability, efficiency, and style.

GPS-enabled sports watches, which runners, hikers, and cyclists all regularly use, has immense popularity which is likely to have spawned a large selection now available on the market.

Garmin Singapore as a company make multiple different designs, while other manufacturers are also breaking into the market.

Some of Garmin's rival companies also make several different versions, but with GPS being the main capability, they largely rely on the same technology.

Having created so many, it’s clear that Garmin has worked hard to turn themselves into a leader of GPS enabled products.

The original company has come a long way from its relatively small beginnings to be a global frontrunner in the creation of technology that makes modern life that little bit easier.

From in-car satellite navigation systems to sports watches, to cockpit products, it seems that Garmin has cracked every market that could ever possibly have a need for GPS.

The Best Featured Garmin Watches of 2019

GARMIN VIVOACTIVE GM-010-01605-24 UNISEX TRACKER

With vívoactive HR, you can easily run, bike, swim, golf, ski and more. All so you can keep your life in balance, its GPS-enabled built-in sports apps track your stats while smart notifications allow you to stay connected.

vívoactive HR continues to track activity³ throughout your day by counting steps and floors climbed as well as monitoring sleep and calculating intensity minutes.

Features and Design

• Glass: Chemically Strengthened Glass
• Case Material: Plastic
• Case Color: Black
• Strap Material: Plastic
• Movement: Rechargeable Lithium-ion
• Function: Activity Tracking, Heart Rate Monitor, GPS, Inbuilt sports apps
• Local Warranty: 1 Year
• Water Resistant: 5 atm
• Style: Casual
• Gender: Unisex
• International Warranty: 1 Year
• Case Size: 30.2 mm

GARMIN fēnix 5 GM-010-01688-60 SMARTWATCH

Athletes and adventurers come in all sizes. Due to the wide range of users, the fēnix 5 series offers multiple models that vary in size to fit every wrist and every workout.

Each version of the fēnix 5 series offers a variety of stainless steel finishes, QuickFit™ watch band combinations and premium feature set to give you the performance, look, and lightweight comfort.

Features and Design

• Glass: Mineral
• Case Material: Stainless Steel
• Case Color: Black
• Strap Material: Silicone
• Movement: Rechargeable Lithium-Ion
• Function: GPS, Heart-rate tracker, GLONASS Satellite Reception, 3-axis compass
• Local Warranty: 1 Year
• Water Resistant: 100m
• Gender: Unisex
• International Warranty: 1 Year
• Case Size: 30.5mm

GARMIN FORERUNNER 35 GM-010-01689-42 UNISEX'S WATCH

Forerunner 35 is a watch that has a slim and lightweight design which is perfect for daily runs, training, and racing.

Features and Design

• Glass: Chemically Strengthened
• Case Material: Silicone
• Case Color: Black
• Strap Material: Silicone
• Movement: Rechargeable lithium-ion
• Function: Step counter, heart rate, GPS
• Local Warranty: 1 Year
• Water Resistant: 5 atm
• Style: Sports
• Gender: Unisex
• International Warranty: 1 Year
• Case Size: 40.7 mm

GARMIN FORERUNNER 35 GM-010-01689-43 UNISEX'S WATCH

The watch features built-in wrist-based heart rate as well as GPS that tracks your distance, pace, intervals and more.

Features and Design

• Glass: Chemically Strengthened Glass
• Case Material: Silicone
• Case Color: Black
• Strap Material: Silicone
• Movement: Rechargeable lithium-ion
• Function: Step counter, heart rate, GPS
• Local Warranty: 1 Year
• Water Resistant: 5 atm
• Style: Sports
• Gender: Unisex
• International Warranty: 1 Year
• Case Size: 40.7 mm

GARMIN FORERUNNER 35 GM-010-01689-44 WATCH

The watch captures all your stats while working out. Thus, your watch is all you need. With the Garmin Forerunner 35, you need no phone, no chest strap when you work out.

Features and Design

• Glass: Chemically Strengthened Glass
• Case Material: Silicone
• Case Color: Black
• Strap Material: Silicone
• Movement: Rechargeable lithium-ion
• Function: Step counter, heart rate, GPS
• Local Warranty: 1 Year
• Water Resistant: 5 atm
• Style: Sports
• Gender: Unisex
• International Warranty: 1 Year
• Case Size: 40.7 mm

GARMIN FENIX 5X GM-010-01733-10 SMARTWATCH

Combining the best features that Garmin's fitness and outdoor watches have with world-class performance, fēnix 5X is the premiere multisport training companion.

It’s the first fēnix series watch to offer full-color TOPO & OSM mapping for at-a-glance navigation and location reference – so you can beat yesterday, and be sure of getting back.

Through the fenix 5X, you get advanced features such as built-in activity profiles, Elevate™ wrist heart rate technology, performance metrics and training status readings that show the fitness-enhancing effects of your workout.

Smart notifications² help you stay in touch on the go. Plus, with no tools required, QuickFit™ bands let you tailor the look to any lifestyle or activity. Go from workplace to workout without breaking stride.

Features and Design

• Glass: Chemically Strengthened Glass
• Case Material: Stainless Steel
• Case Color: Black
• Strap Material: Silicone
• Movement: Rechargeable lithium-ion
• Function: Heart rate monitor, Auto Scroll (cycles through data pages during workout), Step counter
• Local Warranty: 1 Year
• Water Resistant: 10 atm
• Style: Sports
• Gender: Unisex
• International Warranty: 1 Year
• Case Size: 51 mm

GARMIN FORERUNNER 935 GM-010-01746-16 ACTIVITY TRACKER

The Forerunner 935 GPS running/triathlon watch features a lightweight and comfortable design which you’ll be happy to wear all day.

The 935 is compatible with Garmin's line of easy-to-swap QuickFit™ bands. With a band to suit every event, you can easily change from classic leather to sporty silicone and even high-end metal.

Features and Design  

• Glass: Chemically Strengthened Glass
• Case Material: Fiber-reinforced Polymer
• Case Color: Black
• Strap Material: Silicone
• Movement: Rechargeable lithium-ion
• Function: Activity Tracking, Built-In Heart Rate Monitor
• Local Warranty: 1 Year
• Water Resistant: 5 atm
• Style: Sports
• Gender: Unisex
• International Warranty: 1 Year
• Case Size: 47 mm

GARMIN fēnix 5s GM-010-01685-30 SMARTWATCH

For serious athletes and adventurers who don't want to wear more and at the same time do more, fēnix 5S is the perfect choice. The fēnix 5S watch offers full-size performance in a sleeker, lighter and more compact design.

Features and Design

• Glass: Mineral
• Case Material: Stainless Steel
• Case Color: White
• Strap Material: Silicone
• Movement: Digital
• Function: GPS, Heart-rate monitor, GLONASS Satellite Reception, 3-axis compass
• Local Warranty: 1 Year
• Water Resistant: 100m
• Gender: Unisex
• International Warranty: 1 Year
• Case Size: 42mm

GARMIN VIVOSMART 3 GM-010-01755-91 SMARTWATCH

Your activity tracker doesn't define you, but it's what you do with it that does. That's why vivosmart 3 features a discrete but attractive profile to help it fit right in with any fashion, and its smart features keep you on your toes.

Using the vivosmart 3, you can track activity, get smart notifications, monitor your heart rate, and even access detailed fitness monitoring tools such as VO2 max estimate and your fitness age.

Features and Design

• Glass: Chemically Strengthened Glass
• Case Material: Silicone
• Case Color: Black
• Strap Material: Black Silicone
• Movement: Digital
• Function: Heart-rate monitor, Fitness monitoring tools
• Local Warranty: 1 Year
• Water Resistant: 50m
• Gender: Unisex
• International Warranty: 1 Year
• Case Size: 9.6mm x 19.2mm

Takeaway

To keep them on pace with their training, more and more runners are relying on intricate GPS technology strapped to their wrists.

Just a few years ago these systems looked more like something out of a NASA command center than a watch but as the technology has developed, so too has the style and accuracy of the devices.

If you are searching for a reliable GPS watch, then Garmin is the watch brand for you.