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Garmin Vivoactive HR Review

In an age where smart watches are appearing almost on a daily basis, it’s important to know which products are going to perform the best. Well, we’re here to tell you about one of, if not the best: The Garmin Vivoactive HR.  Amazing and innovative, this is a device that is bringing a lot of satisfaction to customers, consistently delivering in terms of function and style.

To learn all about what makes it so unique, and why you need one, check out my Garmin Vivoactive HR GPS SmartWatch review. I’ll break down its design and features, so you can see for yourself why it’s on everyone’s must-have list.

The Garmin Vivoactive HR: Beyond Tracking

With all of this talk about fitness trackers, it is important to know why you need one and what it can do for you. The truth is, there are a lot of reasons people use these devices and a ton of benefits associated with them. At their core, trackers are designed to motivate you and encourage you to be more active in a way that is simple, effective, and fun. For one thing, they could track the steps that you walk on a daily basis.

Standard trackers will count your steps on a daily basis and allow you to set weekly and monthly goals. This makes it easy for users to slowly incorporate exercise into their routine and become more fit. For instance, users may start using the stairs instead of the elevator, then progress to taking walks during lunch. As their activity level increases, they will start to do more, eventually, working out at the gym or home.

That’s where a more advanced tracker or smartwatch comes in. These devices do more than count steps, enhancing how you exercise. From monitoring calories burned to tracking heart rate and sleep cycles, they can help you improve your overall health.  Many,  like the Vivoactive, also have advanced features, like Smart Notifications and GPS. These components allow you to receive calls or map out new jogging routes, so you can workout anywhere, anytime, without getting lost or being out of reach.

They guide you to lose weight, tone up, and help you keep an eye on health issues, making you fitter, stronger, and most importantly, excited about exercise.

Garmin Vivoactive HR: Features and Benefits

Smartwatches are made to do it all, and the Garmin Vivoactive HR does it better than most others. Sporty and durable, it has a colored touchscreen and flexible band that makes it comfortable to wear and easy to use.  In addition to tracking calories, distance and speed, here are it’s main features and benefits:

Heart Rate Monitoring

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One of the main advantages of owning the Vivoactive HR is the 24/7, wrist-based heart rate monitoring.  Heart rate monitoring indicates how hard your exercising and also shows how healthy your heart is at rest. This is important for a few reasons. To starts, these numbers can indicate issues, like high blood pressure, making you more aware of your body. They also give more accurate statistics in terms of calories burned, making your workouts more productive. Finally, since it’s wrist-based, you don’t need a chest strap to gather the data; just put your device on and go.

GPS

This may be the best feature of all. Integrated GPS makes working out easier than ever, especially for runners. Using GPS, users can determine lap times, mile splits, and other data to improve their run times. It also is great for helping you explore new areas, without worrying about getting lost. You can hike new trails or bike in a new neighborhood, and find your way back with ease. GPS also enhances heart rate monitoring, for more precise readings.

And since the GPS is built into the unit and acquired via satellite, you can get a signal even under tree cover.

Built-In Sports Apps

For those who like to switch up their activities, the built-in sports apps are a big plus. Using GPS, the Vivoactive HR accurately tracks movements for running, biking, swimming, skiing and more. Other watches estimate calories and other data based on basic movements. With these apps, they recognize and calculate according to actual movements. This gives you a more realistic idea of how you’re doing, so you can tweak your routine where needed.

Intensity Minutes

This allows you to monitor your progress when performing aerobic activities. Intensity minutes pinpoint your exertion levels at any given period. Using this, you can see if you’re hitting your target heart rate, which helps you burn your maximum number of calories. The last thing you want to do is work out, break a sweat, and not get the most out of it. This feature eliminates that problem and helps you reach your full potential.

Long 8-day Battery Life

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The Garmin SmartWatch has a battery life of up to 8 days. This is a major advantage compared to other devices that could go out within hours. This allows you to go long amounts of time without having to connect your advice to a charger. This also brings a lot of convenience to you. Many people talk about days when they forgot to charge their smart watch and still found that it had enough power.

Smart Notifications

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Your device can be synced to your smartphone, so you’re never out of touch. You can see incoming calls, texts, and messages. So you can go for a run or bike ride and not worry about the kids or your boss trying to call.

Colored Touchscreen

A lot of mobile devices have screens that are monotone or need to be navigated using buttons. Not the Vivoactive HR. The colored touchscreen is bright, vibrant, and easy to read in any light. Best of all, the touchscreen lets you swipe to toggle between screens and stats in an instant.

Waterproof

The waterproof rating allows you to run in the rain, shower, or swim with it. This is a feature few smartwatches have and broadens your exercising options. You don’t have to worry about taking it off to wash up, and you can swim laps instead of running on hot days.

Pros and Cons

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This device comes with a few advantages and disadvantages. However, it is a very worthy device. The advantages that come with this device are:

  • Flawless integration of desktop, web, and phone applications.
  • You can easily use the watch with swipes and touches
  • IT is very easy to read the display.
  •  The battery lasts days before needing to charge
  • The Garmin Express allows you to configure and save each app.
  • The GPS is reasonably accurate

Among the possible disadvantages with this device are:

  • There may be a limited space for apps and you may be limited on the number of apps that you can install
  • Notifications will also be emailed whether you want it to or not

Every device has its pros and cons. The most important thing in deciding whether or not to buy a product is figuring out what features you need. Then choose the product with the needed features.

How it Stacks Up

A similar product this compares to is the Fitbit Blaze Smart Fitness Watch. Both are premium watches, with a few key differences. To starts, The Vivoactive HR has built-in GPS, the Blaze doesn’t. You can access GPS using the Blaze on your phone, which means you have to carry it while you workout. That can be a hassle. In addition, the Garmin is waterproof, the Blaze is not, so you are limited in the activities you can do. the Fitbit comes with a

In terms of performance, the Fitbit comes with a battery life of 5-6 days, whereas the Garmin Vivoactive HR lasts a bit longer at a total of 8 days. The Garmin smart watch also comes with a sunlight readable screen. This makes it easier for you to track your activities in the bright sun. Priced around the same amount, the added features make the Vivoactive HR  a better option.

Q & A

AS with any new product, there is going to be a lot of questions. It is important to get as much information as you can in order to take advantage of all of the features and to maximize the life of your watch. Here are some questions that can help you get a clearer picture of how well the product works and what it comes with.

Q: When is it released?

A: This product is estimated to be released on July at the latest

Q: Can you connect it to a chest strap?

A: So far, the current design of this product allows you to connect it to a chest strap

Q: Does it track your heart rate in water while swimming?

A: It does track your heart rate in water while you are swimming. However, you can’t access it during the activity.

Q: Can you use it in a Sauna and a Jacuzzi?

A: The device’s waterproof design allows you to use it in areas where there is a lot of moisture

Q: Do you have to track your sleep manually with this device?

A: No, the design of this device allows it to automatically track your sleep.

The Importance of Customer Reviews

While getting information and technical specifications about the product, it is important to know how well it works. Customer reviews can give you plenty of insight on how well the device performs. While the specs tend to list the potential of the device, it is important to know that not all devices live up to its capabilities. Customer reviews will give you an idea of what you can expect and are a great way to make sure that you are making the right choice with any product. Here is what customers have to say about the Garmin Vivoactive HR.

One athlete was always active in sports. He didn’t own a tracker before the Vivoactive Smart Watch. This device worked to his satisfaction and beyond. He was definitely impressed with the accuracy of the heart rate monitoring and how it helped him improve his exertion levels.  This device also proved to him that it was accurate in tracking sleep. It analyzed specifics, including deep sleep and light sleep using the connect app. This helped him in his recovery and improved his performance.

Other customers go on about how comfortable the watch is to wear. They also talk about the quality of the screen. However, one customer goes into more detail about what he likes about the watch. One feature that he lists is a pause feature for running and biking. The device will pause when he stops and start back up upon resuming the activities. He also likes that he is able to customize anything with this device. He can get the watch to display the time and the distance when running outdoors. For one thing, this watch will display information about different exercises.

One thing that the customer notices in this review is that he can replace the band and change colors easily. There are plenty of different colored bands that are compatible wit this device. This makes it versatile, and able to be worn in any setting.

Conclusion: Where to Buy it

The Garmin Vivoactive HR GPS Smart Watch can be bought wherever electronics are sold. It is sold at Best Buy and you can also order it on Amazon. This product also comes with a one-year limited warranty in the case that it comes with a defect. As my  Garmin Vivoactive HR Review shows, you will get what you need from this device. It will get you on the road to better health and make you excited about working out. Fitted with great design and exercise features, it gives you everything you need, right at your fingertips. So, if you’re in the market for a new device, make it this one.See Best Price

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  • Mark Amott January 29, 2018 at 9:15 pm
    I bought my Garmin Vivoactive HR and was really impressed with it. The heart rate monitor was accurate, and overall the watch was doing exactly what it promised. Over the next few months, the screen became less and less sensitive, until six months after the purchase, the touch screen was completely unresponsive. I contacted Garmin, requesting that they resolve the issue, and was told that a screen replacement would cost be $120. I’m completely turned off by Garmin, and I’m posting this review on every website that reviews Garmin products. For a company to not stand behind a product for which I paid over $200, and instead try to get more money out of me is ridiculous. Buy from any company but Garmin. There are plenty of heart rate tracking watches made by companies that stand behind their products. Mark

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