10 Best Garmin Swim Watches 2026 in the United States

The Garmin Forerunner 970 is a high-end multisport smartwatch that offers strong features for swimmers and triathletes. It has a durable design with a titanium bezel and sapphire lens, ensuring good comfort and protection during swimming. The watch features built-in GPS and advanced swim metrics to track swim distance and performance accurately. Heart rate monitoring is included, with the option to use an additional sensor for more detailed running metrics, which is helpful for triathletes who want to monitor all aspects of their training.

The Garmin vívoactive 6 is a versatile fitness smartwatch that offers a solid range of health and activity tracking features, including built-in GPS and wrist-based heart rate monitoring. Its bright 1.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen makes it easy to read underwater and in bright sunlight. With a battery life of up to 11 days in smartwatch mode, it can keep up with long swim sessions and everyday use without frequent charging. The watch supports over 80 sports apps, including swimming, which is handy for tracking various workouts.

The Garmin fēnix 8 is a premium multisport smartwatch designed for athletes who need robust features both in and out of the water. It has a solid 40-meter dive rating and leakproof metal buttons, making it reliable for swimming and even scuba diving. The large, bright 1.4-inch AMOLED screen with a sapphire lens ensures excellent visibility underwater and durability against scratches. Garmin’s multisport watches typically offer detailed swim tracking, including stroke count and distance, which should be expected here. Heart rate monitoring is available 24/7 with advanced sensors, though wrist-based heart rate accuracy can sometimes be less precise in water compared to chest straps. GPS tracking is highly accurate with multi-band SatIQ technology, helpful for open water swims or triathlons.