Garmin Annonunces New Garmin Swim.

Looks cool, but also exactly like my Swimovate PoolMate.

Not that all these devices don't rip off each other anyway...

http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2012/06/garmin-swim-watch-in-depth-review.html

Seems a lot MORE to it than you think...

Looks like a really cool device, and can be used for swimmers specifically...Heck, even Phelps.

Amen!

Read through it.  Don't see anything that is a lot more than pace, distance, stroke count, etc?  Sure, it can tell me when my interval is up....  but isn't that what the deck pace clock is for?

It's funny, they used to say you could tell the triathletes in a masters class, they were the ones wearing a watch.    Hey, I'm a gadget guy like anyone else.  Just bought a 910XT.  But I wouldn't use it in the pool to count my laps or tell me how far I've swum

Lap counters, OK, I get that.   But stuff like this is just overkill, IMO

You can have my SWOLF when you pry it from my cold dead fingers.

Yeah, I remember the days before I had all this technology on my wrist.  Now- I've got a Garmin for running, a Garmin for cycling, a powertap and a swimovate poolmate.  Love them all.  Data is a hoot, and very motivational to me.  to each his own.

Garmin did a nice job with this.  Looks like a better product, and undercut the competition on price.  Well done.

Swim

With

Out

Lighting

Farts?

Not another thing to program / remember. 

Lessee: on any given day I can choose to update firmware, program, or automate...an iPhone, Garmin, 2 Polars, laptop, any one of a thousand apps, xbox, kids' phones, several apple devices and products. 

For a new device that requires maintenance / programming / updating to make it into my arsenal, it sure needs to do something noteworthy or replace one of the existing devices. This does neither. 

#solutionstoproblemsthatdon'texist. 

As a newbie, it is geat to just focs on your swim/bike/run and then look at the data in between sets.

Countign cadence on a bike while pedalling is hard and close to impossible.

So could I count my strokes in the pool myself? Yes.

Do I want to? No.

Other question can you walk to work without shoes? Yes.

Do you want to talk teh car isnsted?

I thought it was Short Women Only Love Firemen

There is a ton of value to using Garmin watches in the pool, I can't see any value of a lap counter though.

It's not very pro.  Just FYI.

Got excited for a minute but alas..... no go in open water.

I'm frustrated with my Garmin 305 hiding in my swim cap but way too cheap to shell out the money for a 910.

Amen. No technology other than the clock (or my watch, if the pool doesn't have one). It's all you need.

Sure 

#1) You swim outdoors at night - you can't read the pace clock.  The garmin 910xt has a nice big lighted display making it very easy to follow the prescribed workout

#2) The garmin 910xt does a better job of counting calories than one can estimate.  It isn't perfect, but it is much better than guestimation.  Knowing how much work you are doing is very important IMO in planning.  Counting laps is easy, counting calories and work in the pool is not.

#3) Clock Management -  Sure many people claim they use the wall clock but they do a very poor job in doing what I consider clock management.  Tonight at masters I swam in a lane and had people nipping at my feet during warm-up.  The last thing we did tonight was a 500 LCM for time.  I finished 1 min 30 seconds ahead of the next fastest person.  There is no reason I should have people nipping at my feet during warm-up and IMO comes down to not paying enough to attention to the clock and pace which people inevitably do.  When you start to use a watch you get that instantaneous feedback.   

Also this comes into play in looking at splits mid-inteval.  Sure people say they can read an analog clock just fine, but when you are doing a 500 free for time and are hypoxic I guarantee that very few people can tell me their exact splits.  As for me I looked at my 200 split and I could tell that I was 3 seconds ahead of where I had to be at the 500.  I could go on and on about clock management and different coaches have different theories but there is a ton of value IMO in metrics.

4) Working on stroke count.  Counting strokes can be real chore that takes your focus away from the activity at hand as you focus on counting strokes.

5) Open water swimming.  It isn't perfect but does a pretty good job of measuring how far you have traveled and other metrics that come in handy.

I think that is a enough for now.  I am sure there are others but that is a pretty good list IMO.  As far as I can tell a lap counter doesn't give any benefit. 

I read Ray's review this morning and it sounds pretty sweet.  I don't need it though since I already picked up a 910.  Hopefully they will add some of the new features to the 910...

On one hand I'm surprised of the negativity here about it, but then again it is specific to ONE sport and by definition that isn't what we are about here.

For swimmers, or triathletes that already have run/bike solutions they are happy with it is a good deal.  And I bet I'll have a swim buddy sold on it as soon as I see him again. He was really interested in my 910, and with the lower price and form factor on this I'm sure he'll be eyeballing it right away.

Definitely serves a purpose and I can't say I'm not a little tempted...not a bad looking watch for regular wear either.

Well, I come from a swimming background, not a triathlon background, which is exactly why I think it is a bit ridiculous.   I've been doing everything the new Garmin does since high school with either my timex wristwatch or the deck clock.  Thomas' list was interesting, but that's a 910, and frankly most of those things I am fine at (pacing, stroke count, intervals, reading the clock at night, etc.) 

But I know triathletes - including myself - love gadgets.  So if you can afford it, and it helps you swim more faster, go for it.  Hell, I just ordered a 910 so I can wear it for a full race and get my OW swims without going to gmaps