In the world of watches, there is something known as a dive watch. Practically speaking, most people that use them don’t actually dive with them. Though, unless they’re a horribly cheap imitation, they’re typically quite water resistant, have highly visible features, and have a rotating ring around the face to help you keep track of your remaining Oxygen. They do something, but not a lot.
That’s why lately we’ve been looking at the latest generation of the Garmin Descent, a smart watch that is a true diver’s watch and not merely a “dive watch” in the traditional sense. It’s also why we’re excited to see a $200 rebate offer across watches in their Mk3 and Mk3i lines. It’s all available for you now through July 16 if you tap the button below. That can take a 43mm Descent Mk3 from $1,200 to $1,000, as an example, but literally all of the combinations of sizes and models available on the store page have this offer, so take your pick.
Why you should buy a Garmin Descent dive watch
The Garmin Descent Mk3i watches have bright screens, and you can even connect them to your air tank, if you have the appropriate Garmin gear, to get a supercharged dive watch experience. But these watches go way beyond that. Unlike normal tech that might not penetrate the waves, if you’re using an Mk3i (this feature is unavailable on a standard Mk3) you can communicate with your dive mates using sonar networking. From here you can pass a simple “Are you okay?” to your pal that’s within about 30 meters.
The Mk3 watches take some of the claustrophobia of the sea away, with sea maps and depth readouts that will help you pinpoint your location in an otherwise low context environment. All of the watches have a 200m dive rating, but they’re also useful on land as well. In addition to getting the standard fitness tracker activity features, you’ll also be able to see a “Dive Readiness” score that isn’t unlike your exercise readiness that other smart watches give out.
There are a whole host of other features that you’ve seen on the best smartwatches, too, in addition to more highly specific dive uses (the watch helps you ascend and descend safely with vibrations, for example) that you’ll need to check out yourself. The Mk3i is somewhat better due to the sonar networking, but you’ll want to check out the watches yourself to make sure the small features you expect for your dive are available on the particular watch that you choose. To do so, and save $200 via a rebate (this can take a $1,200 Mk3 down to just $1,000), you’ll need to tap the button below and select your watch by July 16.
