In the growing market of fitness-focused smartwatches, two brands stand tall above the rest: Fitbit and Garmin. Garmin might not have the name recognition that Fitbit enjoys (at least when it comes to activity trackers), but this company makes some of the best and most feature-rich wearables on the market today, including a few of our favorites.
Garmin makes fitness trackers to suit just about any need and budget, too, and REI has a few of these top-rated smartwatches on sale right now at deep discounts of up to 30% off. If you’re hunting around for a new activity tracker to help you with your fitness goals and to get the most out of your outdoor activities this spring and summer, read on.
Garmin Vivosmart 4
For a solid fitness tracker without unnecessary bells and whistles (and one that’s ideal for people who are new to these wearables and don’t want to spend a fortune), check out the Garmin Vivosmart 4. It may lack advanced features like built-in GPS, but the Vivosmart 4 packs a full suite of tracking abilities including a Pulse Ox heart rate monitor that tracks your pulse and blood saturation levels as long as you’re wearing it. The Body Battery feature also lets you know the optimal time to get moving and when it’s better to rest and recover.
When synced with your phone, the Vivosmart 4 can upload your data to the Garmin Connect app (it will automatically do this when within Bluetooth range) and can send alarms and other notifications to you by gently buzzing your wrist. A 23% discount knocks $30 off the price, bringing the Garmin Vivosmart 4 down to $100 on REI right now.
Garmin Fenix 5
Moving into full-featured fitness smartwatch territory leads us to the Fenix 5, which could be considered one of Garmin’s “flagship” trackers. At first glance, its round stainless steel case might make it look like a traditional wristwatch, but the Fenix 5 is packed with advanced smart features: It’s got the full lineup of activity-tracking functions (including a heart rate monitor) as well as a built-in GPS for monitoring distance and for real-time navigation.
The Fenix 5 even boasts some impressive additions like a three-axis compass and barometric altimeter, making it a perfect wearable for serious outdoor enthusiasts. It’s also compatible with a wide variety of different watch faces, apps, and even metal and leather bands, so it’s perfectly suitable as a regular smartwatch for all-day wear. Normally $500, the Garmin Fenix 5 is on sale from REI for just $350, saving you 30%.
Garmin Fenix 5X
The Fenix 5X is the cream of the Garmin crop, and it could just be the best fitness smartwatch that money can buy. It scored a perfect ten out of ten in our hands-on review thanks to its superb build quality, excellent set of incredibly detailed tracking features, and unmatched multi-sport versatility. The Fenix 5X offers all of the capabilities of the Fenix 5 plus full-color U.S. mapping displayed right on the watch face, powered by satellite-based GPS and a three-axis navigational compass.
This mapping function can give you real-time route suggestions as you run and ride, and the Around Me feature notifies you of nearby points of interest when you’re exploring a new environment. Another $150 discount brings the premium Garmin Fenix 5X with rubber strap down to $450, or you can score the striking all-steel model for $600.
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