After having the chance to evaluation the Garmin Descent Mk2 dive computer, I fell in like with it and wore it on my wrist each single day. I fully loved the total aspects for diving and for fitness tracking, on the opposite hand, my most effective be anxious with carrying it for day to day wear used to be the dimensions. I truly own very minute wrists and the dimensions of the Mk2 used to be most steadily overwhelming in both appears and feature. After I heard of the upcoming beginning of the smaller Descent Mk2s in three completely different colors, I was fully overjoyed and jumped on the likelihood to evaluation it!
First Impressions
The Descent Mk2s is noticeably extra compact, with a 43mm case size (when in contrast to the Mk2’s 52mm case size), which is best for those with smaller wrists or divers who capture a orderly peek face. It comes with three coloration schemes to net from – Carbon Gray DLC/Dismal, Gentle Gold/Gentle Sand, and Mineral Blue/Sea Foam. It’s additionally phenomenal lighter than its predecessor – 60g (2.1oz), which is a whopping 43.8g (1.5oz) lower than the Mk2. I’m able to barely truly feel it on my wrist, and I no longer by likelihood hit a button when bending my wrist.
I selected the Gentle Gold/Gentle Sand coloration for myself, which is never precisely white, nonetheless extra muted. I’m notably thankful for this because I truly feel that it appears extra stunning and refined than a former gold/factual white mixture.
The interface of the Mk2s has now not modified at all, which I’m very cheerful with. I love the fully customizable peek faces that allow me net between viewing date, day of the week, heart rate, steps, climate, battery, and heaps others., and with loads of completely different colors and topics that I’m able to download from the Connect IQ™ retailer. The silicone band additionally has QuickFit™ compatibility, so I’m able to commerce the peek band rapidly and with ease. The menu and button placement would possibly perhaps like a original Garmin user a microscopic bit of getting worn to, nonetheless after a day of taking half in around with the total ideas, it turns into very acquainted.
Notifications, Signals, and Logs
The Descent Mk2s has all the pieces a factual dive computer will need to own on the apnea mode knowledge hide in a actually straightforward and simple-to-read structure. The predominant and predominant hide has the ground interval time, the final dive’s dive time, essentially the most depth reached, and water temperature. The second hide has the time of day and heart rate, while the final hide has your level on a plan. Even even though the hide is smaller than the Descent Mk2, it stays clearly seen underwater with a powerful backlight. I’m able to additionally swap between freshwater and saltwater modes, which is unbelievable since I dive both within the ocean and in a deep pool.
I now require both audible and haptic depth notifications on my dive computer systems, and the Descent Mk2s has the option of correct one or notification both kinds and is both loud enough with a powerful enough vibration to alert me of my depth, so I never leave out an alarm for taking my mouthfill or starting my freefall. The time notifications are necessary as well for hangs or for spearos who need to be alerted of their bottom time. It’s likely you’ll space and customise an alert for floor interval time, as well, even though I would love to scrutinize one that calculates my floor interval robotically based fully mostly on my earlier dive’s depth and ascent rate.
It’s likely you’ll scrutinize on the detailed dive log both on the Descent Mk2s itself or on the Garmin Dive™ app, which lets you enter so phenomenal additional data about your dives, equivalent to conditions, weight, photos, notes, and dive friends and lets you peek dive sites and knowledge that completely different Garmin users own uploaded publicly. It’s likely you’ll additionally compare timelines of your depth, heart rate, and water temperature, and layer them on top of every other for a extra in-depth scrutinize at a dive. For freedivers who need to in level of fact file and video display their dive classes, this app is vivid.
GPS and Compass
The compass is highly responsive, even though I carry out now not employ this for my like private dives. My predominant peril in a dive computer is having a GPS since the total buoys that I establish to in Taiwan are positioned underwater. Connecting to GPS is nearly instantaneous, and saving a original dive voice is a bound. I’m able to even personalize the title of the gap and a particular icon for it! If a friend additionally has a Garmin dive computer and has the coordinates of a particular space, I’m able to without peril enter them into my Mk2s and navigate on to the dive space and then place it apart to my like dive computer.
I would add that it’d be extra convenient if I would place it apart on to my Mk2s, so I will be looking for future Garmin updates!
Battery Existence and Connectivity
The Descent Mk2s does own a shorter battery time than the Mk2 because of the its smaller size, nonetheless I serene most effective need to payment it each 4-6 days looking out on my exercise level, which is unbelievable when in contrast to completely different smartwatches and fitness trackers (even ones that carry out now not double as dive computer systems)! GPS connectivity is absurdly swiftly, and I’m able to additionally connect it to my Android cellular phone to get notifications. I carry out now not in my opinion truly feel bask in I need this selection, on the opposite hand, so I capture it off to gain extra out of my battery.
Heart Charge Measurement
Having a heart rate measurement is essential to me for day to day existence, physical activities, and most steadily in my dives as well! I carry out now not rely on it for dives, on the opposite hand it is truly cool to peek my heart rate decrease and stabilize while I put collectively for a dive, and to peek it upward thrust a piece and then tumble on hangs. Wrist-based fully mostly heart rate is now not essentially the most appropriate measurement and can most steadily own a snappy prolong, especially within the water, so whilst you happen to would possibly perhaps well be obsessed on measuring your heart rate and wish a extra appropriate measurement, Garmin sells an HRM-Swim chest strap that would possibly perhaps also be worn up to 5ATM.
Smartwatch and Fitness Tracker Aspects
The Garmin Connect™ app lets you search out many well being stats: heart rate, Body Battery™, steps, ground climbed, stress level, calories out and in (connect with MyFitnessPal to observe calories), stress, breathing rate, and additional. It even tracks ovulation and menstruation and helps you to be succesful to add in notes! I love figuring out and seeing my heart rate zones, aerobic and anaerobic advantages, load, and recovery time. I’m able to even carry out pre-made or personalized workout routines straight from the Mk2s itself! Moreover, it has workout modes for a extremely giant fluctuate of activities, even unfriendly-country snowboarding, and tactical modes.
All of those ideas and measurements inspire me to be extra active and wholesome, which I truly admire from the Mk2s. The well being and fitness tracking ideas are what truly beget me need to retain the Mk2s on my wrist day by day, now not correct when I’m diving.
Final Solutions
The Descent Mk2s is a spectacular dive computer and all-around fitness peek, and all of its aspects beget the price sign price it! My common parts of the diving ideas are the dive alarm’s quantity and vibration depth, the heart rate tracking, and the diagram in which seen it is in relate sunlight and underwater, and I truly need to admit that I’m shamefully addicted to the well being and sports activities tracking aspects of it. The minute size and putting colors are ideal for day to day wear, and the peek itself makes me need to are residing and dive higher and presents me the total sources to capture out so.
In quick, I fully suggest the Garmin Descent Mk2s for divers of all kinds (especially for freedivers and spearos)!
Key Aspects
- Dive Modes: Single-Gasoline, Multi-Gasoline, CCR, Gauge, Apnea, Apnea Hunt
- Apnea/Apnea Hunt Files Display hide
- Most up-to-date Floor Interval Time
- Maximum Depth
- Water Temperature
- Time of Day
- Heart Charge
- Most up-to-date Space on a Map
- Apnea/Apnea Hunt In-Dive Display hide
- Elapsed Time
- Most up-to-date Depth
- Maximum Depth
- Heart Charge
- Ascent/Descent Charge
- Customizable Dive Modes
- Dive Log
- Floor Multi-GNSS
- Wrist-Primarily based mostly Heart Charge
- Pulse Ox Sensor
- Natty Notifications
- Connect IQ™ Retailer
Technical Specs
- Sapphire Crystal Lens
- Stainless Steel Bezel
- Fiber-Bolstered Polymer
- QuickFit™ Peep Band Savor minded
- 43 x 43 x 14.5mm (1.7 x 1.7 x 0.6in)
- 2” (30.4mm) Diameter
- Sunlight-Visible, Transreflective Memory-in-Pixel (MIP)
- 240 x 240 Pixels Mark Resolution
- Silicone Band
- Rechargeable, Constructed-in Lithium-ion Battery
- Battery existence
- Smartwatch: As much as 7 days
- Battery Saver Peep Mode: As much as 21 days
- Dive Mode: As much as 30 hours
- Water Ranking: Dive, 100m (328ft)
- 32GB Memory/History
Imprint
- Garmin Mk2s Descent – $999 USD / €821 EUR / £705 GBP
Defend It Now
Garmin Descent Mk2S Peep-Style Dive Computer
Hit upon both of your worlds — underwater and topside — with Descent™ Mk2S. This smaller peek-sized dive computer aspects extra than one dive modes, equivalent to single and additional than one gasoline dives, gauge, apnea, apnea hunt and closed-circuit rebreather. Descent Mk2S additionally comes with an underwater 3-axis compass as well to floor GPS capabilities to designate your entry and exit ideas.
