GARMIN FENIX 7 SOLAR SMARTWATCH

I’ve loved testing the Garmin Fenix 7 solar edition. I wasn’t a big smartwatch fan before I got one, but I now find myself wearing it most of the time. Primarily a multisport watch, I use it for running and cycling, but it’s also useful for sailing, as well as almost any other activity out there.

As with most of the best Garmin watches, you can connect the Fenix 7 Solar to your phone for call alerts, message notifications, contactless payments, navigation, and to control your music, along with a host of other functions. Oh, and it tells the time too.

It will also track your daily physical activity and monitor your body functions, giving you early warning of when you’re not at your best, not sleeping well, or in need of rest – handy for skippers and solo sailors needing to manage their sleep. The face includes a photo-voltaic cell, which, while not enough to charge the battery fully, will prolong each charge by up to 22 hours (smartwatch mode) or longer in power save when outdoors.

THE TEST

When it comes to sailing, my Fenix 7 Solar will show me speed over the ground, total distance sailed, max and average speeds, chart and navigation information, compass heading and GPS course. In short, it gives me would get from my GPS without leaving the helm, which is particularly handy as a backup if you are racing and sitting on the rail or in a boat without a full set of electronics. Depending on the charts downloaded, you can also use it to view location.