Apple Watch vs Garmin Watch (from an athlete's perspective)

I love the detailed videos you do on products! Keep up the great work! Love seeing the channel grow.

Great comparison video like many of your other review videos, Clint. Thak you.

The Garmin Fenix would be best compared with the Apple Watch Ultra. They would be more equally comparable since they are both higher end in the product lines. As an ultra runner, I have owned well over a dozen Garmin watches in the past 20 years, and they are fantastic. I have changed to the Apple Watch in the past 6 months because the heart rate monitor is more accurate. While there are some things Garmin did better such as battery life, but the Apple integration is a real benefit. For 100 mile races though, I’ve got to pull out the forerunner.

Garmin actually has a lot more options for watch bands as it uses spring bars just like watches have for almost 100 years now. You just need to find the lug width, which is 22mm for most models, and you will be able to fit any regular watch band to your Garmin but you won’t be able to remove the straps quickly to fit to the bike mount, however.

I now know my next purchase - a Garmin. Like you, I cycle, MTB, hike, kayak in Florida. Love my Garmin 830. Have had a few Apple watches but hate charging daily and want the Garmin Body Battery. Thanks for the comparison.

I have a vivoactive 4 and it is much better for my needs as a cyclist, hiker, weightlifter and all around durability. The only issues I have had is tracking of the intensity minutes which comes and goes after every update but that’s not a big deal and is a software and pairing problem to my iphone. I’d 💯% buy another Garmin watch. It simply does what I need it to do and it durability is incredible.

Still looking forward to your video on camera setup options while riding and the equipment used.

The Apple Watch SE is about 3 times cheaper so obviously everything about it is going to be less premium. Another YouTube reviewer put it best when they said (paraphrase, "That the Apple Watch is a smart watch with fitness features while the Garmin is a fitness watch with smart features." If you are primarily running around and doing fitness activities and need little to no other tech integration, go with a Garmin. If you need medium to high integration in your fitness watch then go with the Apple / Samsung watch.

I like hearing both sides of this. I am homebound and mostly sedentary, but there are things that are very useful for the Apple Watch. If I were an active and younger person, then I can see the advantage of getting a Garmin watch, but the Apple Watch is not trash.

Very useful post thanks 🙏 I’m using vivoactive 3 by garmin which is showing it’s age a little but agree on the charge cycle. My watch lasts about a week and I don’t worry to much about durability it copes with anything-and that’s something I haven’t considered with Apple which are more expensive. So yes lots to think about thanks again 👍

Great video, thank you. I’m interested in the Garmin watches, any recommendations on previous versions of the fenix’s or other Garmin watch models you’ve had?

I sold my apple series 7 and got a Garmin forerunner 245, very happy with it.

I own a Garmin Fenix 6X and a Venu 3. The battery on my wife's Apple watch wouldn't last a day. I just got her a Venu 3S. Looks like a definite home run. We run, bike, swim and occasionally hike. If you're active, get a Garmin. If you just want to reply to text messages and you have an iPhone then still get a Garmin! The battery life on the Garmin is soooo much better than Apple.

Whats missing in the Garmin is the ability to call as you can with the apple watches. I also agree with comments that comparing the Garmin with an Ultra instead of the other apple watches. I do appreciate Garmins as they are excellent but for me, I'm not doing ultra marathons or biking 100+ miles. I'd like to see you review the Garmin and the Apple Ultra.

Love my Fenix 7SS!! Love Garmin Connect and the fact all my fitness data is in one system as I have a garmin bike computer with all the dudads. Team Garmin. Great review, thanks!

Great video! I really wish Apple would partner with Garmin to make the 'Best of Both Worlds' watch. I have used both Apple watch 7 and the Garmin Epix 2 for road cycling, mountain biking and for long kayak paddles and there is definitely a proven performer at least for my use cases. For me the Apple watch is great for ease and productivity. Being able to take quick calls right from the watch without having to pull the phone out from a pocket, backpack or even a dry bag when on water is a great 'nice to have' - as well as setting alarms and responding to texts/calls. However, the Apple watch battery tends to die during an all day (5+ hour) activity when using the GPS and I found it often times cant capture the entire activity- which sucks. Also a big one for me is that Apple doesnt have maps to check trails/waterways when mountain biking or on water - and I used to have to use other apps to map my positioning, which all drains the phone battery faster. With the Garmin, I can customize pages for all activity data fields that also include a page for a full map which has been a real life saver when on a paddle or lost in the woods somewhere so you can navigate routes, rivers or nearby points of interests or back to start. The maps on Garmin wearables and handheld GPS units are also customizable and offers additional region map options (at an additional cost though). I also really like the 'Morning Report' on the Garmin Epix and the insights and workout suggestions based upon all the data from the weeks activities and sleep/ sleep history. The Garmin really does offer a lot more specific data, as well as body battery, stamina (beginning and end), when to train/workout and when to rest and suggests workout for base/recovery rides. Also the battery on the Garmin Epix is by far a better performer for full day and or mulit-day activities and it connects to speed, power, cadence and heart rate sensors to get all the rich data (I use the HR Pro when wearing a drysuit to get accurate heart rate data, but its hard to get an accurate reading for any watch with the latex gaskets on the sleeves). I used to wear both, but I've found myself wearing the Garmin and leaving the Apple watch on the charger for activities. I do however miss Siri and being able to respond to texts easily and lifting my wrist to read all my daily affirmations and photos that are linked to my phones photo folder. The only lack luster function that I can think of on the Epix that needs improving is the flashlight. But to make this the ultimate watch for data rich activities and productivity would be an Apple + Garmin watch edition.

I made the move from Iphone and an Apple Watch to a Google Pixel and a Fitbit at first but managed to get an excellent deal on a Garmin Instinct 2 solar and now waiting for delivery of my Epix Sapphire. I will definitely not be going back to IOS any time soon plus you can get a Venu 2 plus that allows calls and voice assistant

great video, thank you! I think you can talk thru some of the Garmin watches. my wife has Venu2, and she can talk through it. key requirement: the watch should be within a Bluetooth distance of the phone. so, if you have it in your hydration bag, that's a solution. idk if Epix2 can do the same though

One thing with the garmin quick release straps. Be careful with high speed crashes on water (windsurfing/kitesurfing/wakeboarding/ect)….the straps can come off. I know…..somewhere on the bottom of the bay near me is a fenix 5. Which is the reason I use regular non quick release type band. Just fyi.

I'm an old guy who has taken a few falls over the years while riding so I was intrigued with fall detection. Also, I was intrigued with a function to purge water. I've had my Apple Watch for a couple of years and it still works and looks new. I bicycle (road and mountain) for half the year and swim year round.