The new Garmin Descent G2 is an Apple Watch Ultra 2 competitor if we’ve ever seen one, featuring a large display, impressive durability, and a comfortable, waterproof strap. While it’s a fantastic option for divers, it’s also a solid pick for anyone that wants a more rugged smartwatch.
The Descent G2 has a 1.2-inch AMOLED display that’s easier to see in the murky depths, which is particularly helpful when using some of its more advanced features. Garmin says the smartwatch gets up to ten days of battery life (although that drops to four if the display is always on), and it also has numerous training programs and more than 100 different sports apps.
There’s another standout feature about this watch, too: all its plastic is 100% recycled from the ocean.
The Descent G2 measures your dive readiness by evaluating how well you slept, your stress levels, recent exercise, and more. If you aren’t seeing the scores you expect, its 24/7 health monitoring makes staying in tip-top shape a little easier.
Aside from the features you would expect from a dive computer, like marking the start and end locations of a dive, it also has a satellite communicator built-in that enables SOS messaging from anywhere. If you hit a snag while in the water, figuratively or literally, you can call for help.
Even if diving isn’t your forte, the Descent G2 has an array of tricks that can help all you land-based folk. It can track your stress levels, measure heart rate variability, and even measure menstrual cycles. This is a smartwatch and dive computer in one.
The Garmin Descent G2 is available for purchase now, starting at $700. It’s available in both Black and Paloma (pink/orange) colorways. It has a rugged look through and through, so don’t expect it to blend in with sleeker smartwatches; the Descent G2 is big, bulky, and capable.
