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Garmin Descent G1 and G1 Solar Product Review

The Garmin Descent G1 and G1 Solar are the newest in Garmin’s line of dive watches. Garmin has once again outdone itself with creating an even more impressive watch. This watch now has even more features than the other Garmin Dive watches at a lower price. 

Garmin Descent G1 Dive Modes

These watches have all the amazing dive features of the past Garmin Descent watches. They are preloaded with modes including: Freedive, Single Gas SCUBA, Multi-Gas SCUBA, and Closed Circuit Rebreather. With the built in GPS this watch is able to record your entries and exits on the surface. The watch still needs to connect with satellites for the GPS to function, so no underwater GPS. With that being said it can record up to 200 dives before it needs to sync up to the Garmin Dive App.

Dive Related Features

The Garmin Descent G1 dive related features are numerous and valuable. One of the biggest safety features is how it is compatible with the Garmin InReach Mini and Case. The ability to communicate with emergency services is one of the greatest features this watch has. Other great features include tide information and Surfline information.

Performance and Sport Watch

This watch comes pre-loaded with over 30 different sport modes, with performance tracking for all of them. The Garmin Descent G1s have the same performance features as the other Garmin Sport watches. It calculates you estimates fitness age as well as suggested workouts and recovery times. When you are done training it records helpful productivity statistics to help indicate if you are overtraining. 

Garmin Descent G1 Battery Life and Solar Charging

The biggest change in this watch is the solar charging capability. The solar element doesn’t remove the need to charge the watch, but it significantly improves the battery life of the watch. Garmin claims the watch will have a 25 hour battery life while in dive mode, and a 124 day battery life while in smartwatch mode while solar charging is enabled. They estimate the watch to last 39 hours while in GPS mode. This is a significant improvement over their other watches. 

Smart Watch Features

The Garmin Descent G1 comes with most of Garmin’s smart watch features. It has call, text, and smart notifications. It additionally has the Garmin Pay function to allow for easy purchases with compatible devices. The only feature that is cut back on this particular device is the Music function that some other Garmin watch have. For the price the Garmin Descent G1 is a hard dive watch to pass on.

Garmin MK2 and MK2i Product Review

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Garmin MK2 and MK2i Product Review

The Garmin MK2 and MK2i Dive Watches are not just the best dive watches on the market. They are the best smart watch on the market for a diver. All of the different dive modes make them perfect for any type of diving. They are a top of the line smart watch as well. The GPS functions make this easily the best watch for free dive spearfishing, or doing anytime in the outdoors. 

Dive Modes and Functions

With multiple dive modes this series of watches is prefect for freedivers, scuba divers, and even rebreather divers. These watches are Nitrox compatible. They even allow you to set custom alarms and customize how conservative you watch is for dives. With built in GPS capability and mapping it allows divers to zero their spots perfectly. The Garmin Mk2i has the capability of connecting with the Descent T1 Transmitter Air Integration to monitor task pressure, and for scuba instructors or divemasters you are able to monitor up to five tanks that have transmitters on the regulators. 

Garmin Fitness and Smart Watch Capabilities

Diving is just the start of these watches capabilities. These watches have all the capabilities of a great training watch with built in pulse oximeters and heart rate monitoring. It gives recommendations for training intensity and recovery. With countless fitness activity modes this watch is prefect for any active person. Then there are the traditional smart watch components to these watches. Call, text, email, music and so much more. This watch additionally has unmatched durability for everyday wear.

Legendary Customer Service

To top it all off Garmin has legendary customer service that has set the standard for going above and beyond for the customer. These watches are insanely durable, so the odds of having to contact Garmin are low, but they always take care of their customers. 

Garmin inReach Mini Product Review

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Garmin inReach Mini Product Review

The Garmin inReach Mini is the perfect solution for an offshore communication device. Additionally, they have SOS capabilities. It has connectivity anywhere a satellite can reach. Pair it with any compatible bluetooth device. The inReach Mini even has the ability to improve navigation. With some add-ons it can even be carried in the water. 

Worldwide Communication

The inReach Mini runs on the Iridium satellite network. This  guarantees communication worldwide. These also allow for two way texting with a smart phone or comparable device. For example, any of the Garmin Dive Watches. This means that your regular smart phone is now capable of worldwide communication. Alert your loved ones of your location and any other messages that may be necessary while you are on the water.

inReach Mini Navigation

The Iridium network allows you to navigate using a paired device anywhere in the world. It gives access to topographical maps and U.S. NOAA Charts. The Earthmate app can be downloaded for free and allows you to access these charts. This can dramatically improve the charts you have on your device. This can help keep from running aground with the most up to date charts available.

Safety Signal

The Garmin inReach Mini makes a great SOS device which can act as an EPIRB in a pinch. The device itself can send a signal to the Coast Guard alerting them of an issue. Additionally, you can pair these with compatible Garmin watches to send emergency messages.

inReach Mini Waterproof Case

When paired with the waterproof case you can even take it with you in the water. The case lets you take the inReach Mini up to 100 meters. This allows you to take it with you on scuba dives and have a SOS signal. Given the number of divers that find themselves away from the boat in heavy current this could save your life. 

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Riffe 3ATM Float – Product Review

Riffe has always been at the front of spearfishing. They have always had a focus on building quality equipment, and their Riffe 3ATM Float is no exception to that rule. Riffe designed this float to work on big fish that are notorious for destroying even the toughest spearfishing equipment. 

Built on Quality

The Riffe 3ATM float is tough. It is made with a durable vinyl coating with a 320 pound per square inch tear strength. This makes the float hard to damage. This is important both when fighting fish and when traveling to remote parts of the world. The urethane bladder inside the float can be replaced, but that is really necessary with such a durable float. That bladder is made with 1000 pound test Denier nylon to allow even distribution of the pressure throughout the float. All of the hardware is stainless steel to handle the tough saltwater environment and ensure years of hard use.

How the Riffe 3ATM Float Works

The concept of the Riffe 3ATM Float works on some basic principle form physics. As an inflatable float gets pulled underwater it starts to loose buoyancy. This is a result of the depth causing increased pressure on the air inside the inflatable float. The float lifts less and less as it is pulled further underwater. This allows larger fish to continue diving deeper and deeper with less and less resistance. The Riffe 3ATM Float solves this problem. You need to pressurize the float at the surface to work properly. By having the float pressurized it maintains its displacement until it reaches a depth of 66 feet, or 20 meters. This float displaces the equivalent of 33L which equates to 95 pounds of lift. This much buoyancy is enough to stop all but the largest of fish.

Where it Belongs On Your Bluewater Setup

The Riffe 3ATM float is a serious bluewater float. It has a lot of displacement and can be larger than most bluewater spearfishing may require. It does have the benefit of being inflatable,  so it is a great option for traveling. Most serious bluewater divers will use multiple floats. The Riffe 3ATM float is the  perfect float for the end of your bluewater setup. For more information on setting up your bluewater spearfishing set up check out this post.