10 Best Garmin Waterproof Watch 2025 in the United States

The Garmin Forerunner 265S is a feature-rich running smartwatch designed for smaller wrists, making it an excellent choice for athletes and fitness enthusiasts. Its standout strength is the brilliant AMOLED touchscreen display, which is easy to read and navigate. The watch is lightweight and comfortable to wear, weighing just 39 grams. The water resistance is adequate for open-water swimming, making it versatile for various activities.

GPS functionality is top-notch with multi-band GNSS and SatIQ technology, ensuring accurate positioning even in challenging environments. The battery life is impressive, lasting up to 15 days in smartwatch mode and up to 24 hours in GPS mode, which is quite beneficial for long workouts and training sessions. Heart rate monitoring, along with a suite of other health metrics like HRV status, sleep coach, and stress tracking, provides comprehensive insights into your fitness and wellness.

Durability and build quality are commendable, ensuring the watch can withstand vigorous activities and daily wear. Smart features such as receiving calls and texts, incident detection, and personalized training plans add to its convenience. However, the 1.1-inch display might feel small for some users, and the dependency on pairing with a smartphone for full functionality can be a drawback if your phone is not nearby. The 8GB storage capacity might also be limiting for users who wish to store a lot of music or data directly on the watch. Despite these minor setbacks, the Forerunner 265S excels in offering a comprehensive and reliable training companion for serious runners and fitness enthusiasts.

The Garmin Instinct 3 is built tough with a 50mm fiber-reinforced polymer case and a metal-reinforced bezel, making it a solid choice for anyone needing a rugged, waterproof outdoor watch. Its 1.3-inch AMOLED display is bright and clear, which is a nice upgrade over traditional screens in this category, helping you easily read data outdoors. GPS functionality is strong, featuring multi-band GPS with SatIQ technology for accurate navigation and optimized battery use, aided by a 3-axis compass and barometric altimeter. This makes it reliable for hiking, trail running, or other adventures.

Battery life is impressive, lasting up to 18 days under normal use and even longer with power-saving modes, so you won’t worry about frequent charging on trips. Health tracking is comprehensive, including wrist-based heart rate, Pulse Ox, and advanced sleep monitoring, though it’s important to remember these are estimates and not medical-grade. The built-in flashlight with adjustable brightness and strobe modes adds practical value in low-light situations.

The watch is fairly large at 50mm, which might feel bulky for smaller wrists. Also, its weight is just under 60 grams, so it’s not the lightest option if you prefer something more minimal. While it offers smart features like notifications and multisport tracking, it may lack some of the app variety or touchscreen responsiveness found on other smartwatches. This Garmin model is especially well-suited for outdoor enthusiasts who prioritize durability, reliable GPS, long battery life, and solid health monitoring in a waterproof package.

The Garmin Venu 3S is a versatile smartwatch that stands out for its impressive health monitoring capabilities and smart features. With a bright 1.2-inch AMOLED display, it not only looks good but also offers clear visibility in various lighting conditions. The watch boasts a solid water resistance rating, making it suitable for swimming and other water-related activities. Users can enjoy up to 10 days of battery life in smartwatch mode, which is quite generous for a device packed with features.

A key highlight is the Body Battery energy monitoring, allowing you to track your energy levels and recover effectively. It also provides personalized insights into your sleep and stress levels, which can help you maintain a healthy lifestyle. With built-in GPS functionality, fitness enthusiasts can track outdoor activities accurately without needing a phone.

The smartwatch also includes a variety of smart features, such as the ability to make and receive calls, respond to messages via voice, and stream music from popular services. For wheelchair users, it has a dedicated mode to track pushes, making it inclusive for a broader audience. However, there are a few drawbacks to consider. The watch may be a bit bulky for those with smaller wrists, and while it offers a wide range of health metrics, some users may find the data presented to be just estimates rather than precise measurements. Additionally, syncing with certain apps might require a premium subscription, which could deter some potential buyers. In terms of usability, while the touch screen is convenient, navigating through numerous features may feel overwhelming for less tech-savvy users. Nonetheless, its user-friendly interface generally mitigates this concern.