My Garmin Forerunner 965 saved my life, so to speak. It stopped me from a vicious cycle of trying to get fit and healthy after chemotherapy and constantly finding myself back in bed feeling worse and worse. Until I experienced how good the technology behind this product was and saw firsthand how it can help people, I had no time for smartwatches.
And now, Garmin is moving the needle yet again with its recently launched Tactix 8.
Like many of Garmin's flagship models, this unit is available in a 51mm or new 47mm case size. But what separates the Tacitx 8 from the rest of Garmin's lineup is that it features dedicated rucking and dive activities, as well as a speaker and mic. Once you're out living up to the activities, this beast was made for the leakproof buttons, titanium bezel, and scratch-resistant sapphire lens should ensure it can survive whatever you throw at it.
I appreciate seeing the built-in mic and speaker because when my heart rate is through the roof and my hands are dirty, the last thing I want to do is try to navigate my watch's interface, and to be fair, it's not particularly difficult. But with the Tactix 8, you can use voice commands to navigate through the system without ever touching the watch, and it doesn't need to be connected to your phone to use this feature.
For those that prefer the deep blue over high-altitude, the 40-meter dive-rated case and support for scuba and apnea dive activities are there to make life easier. If rucking is your thing, the new features included in the Tactix 8 are there to help you better understand the exertion you're placing on your body. Now, you can add your pack's weight to various activities, like running, hiking, and walking. The VO2 max feature is disabled when you input that you're carrying 2kg or more, which should help give you a better understanding of what your true VO2 is.
You can choose between an AMOLED display or an always-on display to sit behind the sapphire lens. The always-on display features a solar charging lens, which results in up to 50% more solar power than previous models. If you keep the Tactix 8 in smartwatch mode, the battery should last for up to 16 days, whereas if you opt for the 51mm solar model with an always-on display, that number jumps up to 48 days.
Anyone who chooses the AMOLED display will especially benefit from the new terrain contours on TopoActive maps. If you want to get out and explore nature, you can enter a distance on the watch and receive suggested routes to stay on track and on time with dynamic round-trip
routing.
But these are just the features that make the Tactix 8 stand out from the rest of Garmin's lineup, which is already stacked with industry-leading health sensors and monitoring systems. And if you decide you can't live without this around your wrist, just know that suggested retail prices start at $1,299.99.
