Honestly, things like reason #9 make this channel so unique. James' ability to think like a seasoned diver and still be able to think outside of his 'box' or profession. Thank you.
My wife is a badass diver who has been diving for nearly a decade in some amazing parts of the world (Great Barrier Reef, Norway, Belize). This year, she finally introduced me to Scuba and I just received my OW cert a couple of months ago. I would love to win this for her as a thank-you for sharing the amazing world of Scuba with me and to celebrate the beginning of our journey as divers together.
I've got the Mk2i and a T1 transmitter for me and my wife. Works great. I love being able to monitor both of our air levels. I have not noticed the sonar beeping tone at all. Occasionally, I will hear a faint beep, but I don't find it at all distracting or annoying. I don't know if Garmin has toned it down since release, or if I am just not as sensitive to sound underwater as James is, but for me, the sonar sound is a complete non-issue. Overall, I love this piece of gear, both for diving and for all the other features.
James, I am new to diving and followed your channel for almost a year now. The ongoing epidemic stopped me from putting diving and training into action. Your Garmin Decent review is your best and more honest product review to date. As a recreation offshore sailor, Garmin is on my list of no-go-manufactures of a very simple reason. A few years back, I equipped my sailing vessel with Nexus Marine sailing instruments, a few weeks later, Nexus Marine was acquired by Garmin. Garmin managed quickly killed the excellent Nexus sailing instruments loved by many sailing enthusiasts. No service, no spare parts, did not keep up the warranty responsibilities, simply no information to existing customers. Garmin simply acquired competitors to let the product line die. Garmin ended up on my no-go-list-of-manufactures. Your Garmin Descent review changed that. I have had my basic dive equipment for many years. A dive watch will be my first purchase, quickly followed by drysuit and first/second stage. I want one!
I first got certified in 1997 and over the years have dived less and less until this year. My daughter took an interest in diving and decided to get certified and now she is my dive partner and I couldn't be happier. I have a basic dive computer watch and have yet to get her one. Having this watch/dive computer would give me the ability to give her a watch of her own. Love the content and channel. Keep providing such awesome videos.
Garmin has changed everything about diving with the MK2 by keeping you informed so you can make critical desisions about your dive and dive plans. Can't wait to get my hands on one.
I'm a Rescue Diver with an old and borrowed dive computer. I have been literally searching, watching, and waiting for a dive computer that I will finally call my own, and it looks like THIS IS IT! #9 hits the nail in the coffin. MK2 is a game changer. This will single-handedly redeem 2020! What a great way to end the year and look forward to the next!!! Thank you for this awesome review.
I've been a chef all of my life, since i was a teenager I've been in the same industry and worked hard. 2 years ago I moved to Australia and did my first dive on the GBR, and I was in love with diving right away. Since then I have moved to the world heritage ningaloo reef in Western Australia. Home to large populations of whale sharks, breeding and nesting grounds for green and hawksbill turtles and a stop on the migratory path of humpback whales coming from the antarctic.while here I have worked through my dive certifications and in 2021 I will be starting my dive master internship. I'm so excited to transition into this field and start a new career. These videos have been a great help in this endeavour, and I have become a better diver because of them, so for that I thank you. As for what this watch would do for me, it would give me a much needed piece of equipment going into the professional field, to give me a leg up as I move on with a new life. To make the task ahead of me much easier and increase my chances of succeeding. Here is hoping luck is on my side this time.
Great review! I Love my Mk1, but I wouldn't mind a Mk2. I really like some of the new features. I was really waiting for the air integration, but I don't think I could deal with the noise. I wonder what the marine life thinks of it.
Hi James, long time lurker here, but now an official subscriber! Thank you for what you do for the industry. Although I grew up in the Caribbean doing a lot of snorkeling, I am a new diver. I am grateful for each and every video you have produced. I appreciate your transparency and willingness to pass on your knowledge and share your experiences with all of us here in TH-cam Land (as you might say). Thank you. I can honestly say that they were (and still are) among the first on my list of online learning materials. Been looking at computers for a while now, and I can identify very much with what you say at the end of your video. Finally, a company that realizes that people who dive also happen to have a life! lol And that we do so much more than diving. Living in south-central Oklahoma, in a town that has a lake in its "back yard" this computer not only will allow us to be connected to our activities and one another, but it is a tool to help everyone who owns it stay safe and improve their quality of life. That why I WANT IT, and I HOPE I WIN!!!
Im the person to a T you described in the video, my wife and i are always outside. we hike, dive, hit the gym everyday, track our workouts, try to keep track of steps, to name a few. having this computer would change all the complicated apps, smart watches, and everything else we have and give me the ability to have it all in one central location without ever having to take it off my wrist! what a great tool to keep my active life on track and in order!!
I have a lot going on in the outdoors diving and outdoors love the review of the garmin and getting started in tec diving what a good way to get started!!!
Winning this computer would completely make my year. It would be a computer to see me through my entire diving career and grow old with me. I have just completed my Advanced Open Water course, and I'm looking to advance through Rescue Diving, and onto the professional ladder, to one day becoming a Technical Diving Instructor. The winner of this computer is going to be super happy, and I'd like to wish everyone luck! Thanks Diver's Ready for the opportunity, massive respect!
I just started scuba diving - divemaster, with the intention of taking an IDC when I qualify. I've recently started diving for research and environmental/marine conservation, and not only do I spend loads of time in the ocean, or on the field, really trying to grow in what I do, but I also have lots of correspondence to review, events to attend and I'm trying to be the most available human I can be, not just for myself and others, but also for our oceans and planet. It's not exactly lucrative haha! I would love to actualise some sort of program that allows or encourages people to approach nature or their own personal life in the same kind of framework. Outside of the water, I teach yoga, hike extensively, love photography and it would be awesome to have a piece of equipment that complements and integrates into most parts of my lifestyle! Thanks so much for the review!
Great review! Good shots of the watch under water which help to show if the brightness is an issue or not (didn’t look like it is). If I win this awesome piece of equipment, it will also be my first smart watch ever. It will be useful to show colleagues details about dives to get them interested in the sport. The GPS that captures where you got in the water and got out of the water will help enhance the conversation as well as the app interface. Also, the fact that it is a Garmin product can serve as a gateway for non-divers who are active people and already have Garmin products to get into the sport.
So I'm an OWD with just one dive in addition to my test dives under my belt. Just moved from NE to Miami so I could dive year round. I also cycle, run, lift weight, walk a lot, sky dive and this watch can functionality for every single one of these things! I want a computer that will grow with me and my Xmas would definitely be made by winning this watch/dive computer!
This dive comp would be a great gift for my son who just did his tour of duty in the Marines and has received his rec dive cert. Thanks for the videos. Keep up the great work.
After 23 years of been unable to dive due to a misdiagnosed lung issue, where I was a advanced diver with over 100 dives under my belt. When at start of this year whilst getting a test for TB, I found out I didn’t have the lung issue at all. Wining the a awesome Garmin Mk2 would kick start my love of diving again. Thanks Diver Ready for the fantastic review.
Winning this would make my diving more complete, safer, more knowledgable and bring a smile to a subscriber that has watched loyally for the past year. As a fire medic during these tough covid times, your channel has gotten me through some rough times here at the station, getting my mind off covid and dreaming of the next time I can dive. Whether I win or not...Thanks you for providing content that makes my job easier. :) SV
James, my oldest is 5 and he loves watching your(and Johnathon birds) videos with me. He is always taking about how he is going to be a scuba diver when he is 10 and how he's gong to be my dive buddy. The mk2i would be my first dive computer as well as smart watch, fitness tracker, etc.. I am stoked as a new diver that my son is showing such an interest in this sport and a product like the mk2i would afford me the ability to monitor my son's pressure as he ventures into this amazing pastime. Cheers and keep up the good work.
I just get my open water certification and totally in love with this sport. Been looking for my very first dive computer that I can grow alongside with to achieve my DM, and I think the Garmin MK2 will the prefect dive computer to help achieve my goal. Thank you James for giving out such a great piece of content. Looking at your videos do help me make a better purchase decision and increase my knowledge to make my dive better. Always love your honesty when sharing your experience, support you as always!!!
This watch would enable me to keep up with all of my activities . I have had a 100% spinal fusion, took 5 years to recover and now I go to the gym and ride mountain bikes, kayak and now I’m getting back into diving. I’m 61 and going strong. Perfect watch for my new lifestyle.
This is the dream wrist computer for me because I like SCUBA and Freediving, I do SUP boarding, trekking, MTB and many other nature sports, I like to swim in pool and open water. One wrist computer to cover them all and add HR measurement, sleep quality monitoring, payment options, navigation, too many many features to write here is like a dream come true! What I can need more from Garmin is to produce some TPU watch body protectors for this computer. They are on sale for many (previous) Garmin models on Aliexpress, ebay or Amazon. But a genuine Garmin protector would be great especially designed for this one. This watch body protector will keep the watch safe from scratches and dings and also will decrease the accidental button push problem (which is mentioned on your video review) because the buttons will stick out less (this information is due to my personal experience with 2 other dive watches previously). Thanks for your honest review James! I did subscribe to your channel not because of this giveaway but because of your in depth and honest review. I wish Marry Christmas and Happy New year to you and all divers (and everyone). Also good luck to everyone! :)
I bought a really basic computer when I started 3 years ago. Never thought I would love diving this much! Now I really want to upgrade to a better one after finishing my dive master last year. Would be an amazing christmas present. Even if not - please keep making those videos. Highly appreciated by me during lockdown here in Austria, because I can´t travel and I still feel like I learn so much even without being in the water !
It's exciting to see the progress being made in this space. As it happens, I'm currently in the market for a new dive computer that I can get comfortable with before I do my advanced open water course. But I'm also shopping for a watch to track my trail runs and a smart watch for everyday use. The MK2 is a total slam dunk at that point. Thanks for the honest and critical review!
Thank u James for this awesome review. I am a dive instructor, hiker,marathoner, swimmer, hopefully when this damm corona virus gets wiped off the face of this planet get to do my first triathlon. This beauty will be a one stop watch for all my activities. I would never be able to afford this fantastic piece of tec so it would be an awesome Christmas gift. 👌👌🤞🤞🤞
Holy Moly - a beast is right! I can track my runs, my steps, my calls, my texts, my music ... and my dives?? Sounds like this watch is one function away from hosting its own TH-cam channel. Well done, Garmin! Way to show it off, James. Super sweet intro.
I am 20 dives in and have been looking for my first dive computer before doing advanced open water... I had not found a dive computer / watch I was excited about until I saw this very review (thanks for the review James). I should mention that I had a Apple watch that just crapped out after a 4 years and I was shopping for a replacement for that as well for Christmas, wanting to replace that as well for topside activity. The MK2 would suit just about every activity. This watch would be a phenomenal way to grow as a diver, in and out of the sea!
Awesome review James. Recently got back into scuba diving, and my wife got her open water certification in September! I found your channel and have been watching your videos oldest to newest. I've got a ways to go. I stopped wearing a watch a few years ago so I wasn't seriously considering the MK2. Your review has me rethinking that!
I like the idea of a watch that incorporates my whole lifestyle - I swim, go to the gym as well as scuba dive...It has taken me a number of years to brave the water and now in my late 50's am loving life thanks to scuba diving...
Thank you very much for the underwater views. I am looking for my first dive computer and I am stunned how many reviews there are with 0 underwater shots.
I am a rec and Tec Diving instructor form Germany. And already I fall in love with the mk1, now the mk2 below me away completely. But do to the fact that I am a student of Marine environmental science and the CoVid19 pandemic, I have a quite tight budget that doesn't allow me to buy such an expensive dive Computer... The mk2 would mack teaching scuba diving much easy and safer for me because I could monitor the tankpressure of my students much better. Btw: great review 😊 Cheers from Germany Sven
It's been a year for me and my family...I've been anticipating this watch for years now and predictably can't justify buying it right now. As a diver, triathlete, golfer, hiker, etc. this would change my life and help me be more accountable for more training. Enjoyed the review, the b-roll was nice and I hadn't seen some of those underwater features. Thanks!
I've been a diver for over 12 years and a divemaster for almost a year now; and now that I am finally getting into tech diving, a future-proof computer like this that can handle my aspirations for trimix, rebreather, and all the other high level specialties would really come in handy. The fact that this computer is also a GPS enabled smartwatch is awesome.
Now that I've started my first job out of college I'm looking at buying my first full diving kit, I've been saving for months in the hopes of being ready for the Australian summer. Thanks to you my heart is already set on an Apeks reg and wing. This computer would have me in the water within a week and I'd love it.
Why I need this watch. I got my open water in 1991 and after college didn’t dive due to several factors. Fast forward to 2020, I did a refresher, got my nitrox, and love nothing more than diving. I have my first trip to cocoa view planned jan 2021 and need gear. This dive watch would make a big impact. It’s the perfect fit for my needs but the cost is more than I can afford since I am needing other gear. Thanks for th great content and wish you the best and I hope I can represent Garmin.
My son just turned 13. Two years ago he asked if he could get scuba certified. I was not a diver, but got certified with him because of his age he needed a parent. He’s a natural underwater, me not so much. It has been fantastic watching him grow in skill level. Since he and I started at the same time it’s also unique for me as a parent to be a peer with him in some thing since I brought no previous experience. Diving allows us to step outside of the normal parent/child dynamic and see each other in different roles. This dive computer would be a fantastic addition since it would be able to grow with him on his diving adventure!
I am a PADI instructor with old school Sherwood wisdom 2 which stopped working a few months back. I just started my Masters in Marine Biology and this Dive Computer will be so good for my career.
I'm currently a firefighter based in Orlando, Florida. I recently got my open and advanced open water certs to able to became a rescue diver for my fire department. Fortunately or unfortunately (for my wife), I got the bug and now dive for fun as much as possible! I have all the gear needed to dive at recreational level, including the aqualung i300c. I'm not going to lie, it works adequately fine (for now!), but I plan to advance and would love a product that will do the same! The Garmin would suit my active life style outside of the water as it can be used while on shift to monitor my physical performance and also monitor my lack of sleep while running calls. Plus it will look awsome on my skinny wrists! I'll now stop the groveling Cheers, Nick.
I am a marine conservationist. I am an intern for a coral restoration organization in the FL Keys, where I dive to maintain coral nurseries and outplant endangered corals onto the reef. I have been diving for almost 2 years and thankfully have been lucky enough to be able to dive as a job, amassing lots of dives in my early professional career. However, as an intern, I don't make a lot of money. This dive computer would allow me to upgrade to a dive computer that will carry me through the rest of my life in my mission to help protect our oceans. As I continue up to my instructors and (hopefully) tec diving certs, it can grow with me to make a difference.
Brilliant review! I like how you don’t pull any punches and tell it how it is! I’m a new diver, just building up my own kit and have been wanting a dive computer that also does things in my life. I have a Fitbit versa2 but it’s not dive ready! Which means I need a dive computer that does more. This seems like something I could use. Alas, getting into diving means money for kit. And with a wife 3 kids (that I know of) and a dog money is very tight! Not to mention my wife has Ocular Graves’ disease. When I dive I get to get away from all the things that plague the mind on the surface and just relax and breath and enjoy the view! Best decompression of the mind! Many of my friends use other Garmin devices, they are great at GPS and Avionics and know a thing or two about user experiences with their products. I would love to be able get any of their products and this computer would be a perfect start to my dive kit and allow me to save money on my other kit and training for diving in Canada and around the world!
Since I started diving this is the type of computer I have been wishing someone would make and it blows my mind that Suunto was not the company to first do this but I’m glad someone finally listened. I absolutely love diving but as someone who doesn’t live close to great diving locations and can’t dive more than a couple times a year it’s hard to cough up $1,000+ for a strictly dive computer but being able to buy something that I can use everyday as well makes for an easier decision. Plus when it’s something you use everyday and are used to charging then you are less likely to forget to bring it or get to a dive and realize the battery is dead
As a new open water diver, fisherman, hunter, high voltage lineman, husband, and father, this would be a game changer!!! It would be awesome to be able to view my daughter’s tank pressure when she gets junior certified next spring!!! Cheers and Merry Christmas!
James, I have been watching your videos since I started diving in the summer of 2020. I have since earned OW and AOW PADI certs and have around 70 dives so far. I have two boys (13 and 11 yrs old) that also earned their OW certs in August. As a newer diver and the father of two newer divers, the Garmin Mk2i would give me an additional way to monitor the cylinder pressure for my kids. As any parent can confirm, kids get easily distracted and sometimes they forget things. The Mk2i being able to monitor other transmitters is something I want to increase the safety of my kids. Thanks for the consideration!
I currently have the Garmin instinct and love it! I, as you mentioned, too wished for a product that would give me all of the options on the Instinct plus a dive. Computer. I am new to diving, just having certified earlier this year, and am in the process of slowly buying my own equipment. I recently watched your 5 things to buy as a new diver, and the computer purchase is where I'm at. Love you're channel as it has many things that I have not yet learned about (don't know what I don't know). Appreciate all your info.
James, one of these would do wonders to my divings, as I don't have a diving computer yet - just finished OWD this summer - and so, it would be a tremendous improvement to my scuba gear, which, to be honest, is non-existent at the moment. So you can imagine how great this could be for someone with budget constraints, and the incentive it would be to keep diving. Cheers, and thank you for the opportunity.
Hi James love the videos has really helped me in so many ways to become a better diver after finishing my open water I had a pastion for diving and your channel I subbed across one day and has completely changed the way I dive and think about diving for the better. Winning this dive watch would be my first dive watch as I'm starting to slowly build up my dive equitment as my pastion grows. If would allow me to log my dives and develop my skills as I progress further into the world of diving whilst being able to track my life style. Thank you for making your videos once again I would of made so many bad purchases with these!
I've been on a car crash recently and I believe this watch would help me not only get back in the water sooner but once there it would help me transition from rec to tec diving. Thank you for your honest review !
I have a Aqualung i450t, just a little small but is a great DC. I been waiting for the MK2i and with the sonar beeps, I think the MK2 would be perfect. I surf, kayak, dive, fish anything outdoors with water!! This woyld be a unreal match!! James, thanks for the great content..always!!
Newbie OW certified diver here. This watch would help me learn how to be a better diver while becoming familiar with a tool that will grow with my diving career. I am hoping to dive to restore ecosystems, clean debris, and see tons of cool stuff here in the Puget Sound as well as all over the world! As someone learning my new favorite sport while having enjoyed skiing, backpacking, biking, rock climbing, whitewater kayaking, and others; this watch would take me everywhere I want to go! p.s. Thank you for all of the information on your channel, it truly helped me learn more and ask better questions during my OW class and subsequent dives.
James - as always, terrific informative video. Have logged 22 dives on my Mk2i, 16 with the T1 transmitter (am an active Divemaster in Islamorada). Previously owned a Suunto Mk6i, Garmin Descent Mk1, Shearwater Teric, and now the Garmin Mk2i. Absolutely agree with your observations, comments, and recommendations, with one very small exception dealing with the integration with the Garmin Dive app. I agree it couldn’t be easier or more automatic to get the dives out of your computer and onto your iPhone/iPad/laptop, via Garmin Connect. But I find the Dive app lacks flexibility if you want to add new categories, like dive activities, so you can keep track of different kinds of activities, different pieces of gear on different dives, etc. Back in my Suunto days, because I didn’t really like the inflexibility of their proprietary logging app (DM5), I searched around and found a third party app - moremobilesoftware.com’s DiveLogDT, which is supported on iPhones, Androids, iPads, and laptops. Has ultimate flexibility in personalizing the data you log, and found it migrated very easily with me as I moved between different computers (wasn’t a big fan of Shearwater’s proprietary app either, but the Teric was a breeze to bluetooth upload to DiveLog’s app via an inexpensive in-app translator to the DiveLog app. Garmin Mk1 was a bit trickier to upload, but was still able to do it. Mk2i came out, and there was a hiccup, but I found working with the moremobilesoftware.com fantastic - they’ve developed a beta software app that I’m testing with them to facilitate a Mk2i compatible version. So I agree that this is either the best every-day watch that happens to be an industry leading dive computer, or an industry leading dive computer that also happens to be an amazing every day wear smart watch - you simply can not beat it with any dive watch currently on the market, at any price. The only time I’ve taken it off is to charge it, whether it needs it or not (and it usually has 3-4 days left, even after multiple 4-dive days). I too noticed and was briefly annoyed by the high-frequency chirp from the T1, but have noticed that on dives with greater ambient noise (i.e., shallow reef dives with a fair bit of wave/surge noise (think Molasses or Alligator Reefs), the chirp is much less noticeable. Am also finding the more I dive with it, the less I notice the chirp. I agree it might be nice to be able to dial back the power more, or perhaps configure a removeable sleeve out of sound absorbant material to attenuate the sound a few dB. I thought the Mk1 was a terrific watch/computer (and still use it as my back up). I got the Teric because I’d given up on Garmin ever fielding air integration (loved the display, but it was only ever going to be a [short battery life] dive computer). The Mk2i is everything you could want a smart watch AND a dive computer to be. Only drawback I’ve had is the rudimentary Garmin Dive log, but thanks to a really responsive third party developer I’ve gotten around that. And I can live with the chirp (maybe my retired Navy ears have a bit more hearing loss than you!). Anyway, keep ALL your great videos coming, and come on down to Islamorada to add some variety to your local diving! Best wishes.
Been waiting for the MK2 for a long time. As an avid cyclist who enjoys his time under the water, this watch is the one I have dreamed about. I have been diving with my Oceanic OC1 for years, what an upgrade.
It's what I've been waiting for, a unit that will pair my cadence, speed, temp sensor along with AP. I have had the Phenix5 as my main watch for past 5yrs but since I needed a dive computer, it's always been a bit of a hassle. A side note, lot of free divers bought the bundle and they're selling the air pressure bit for just a few bucks where I am. I just got back from my dive trip so that will be my next purchase before my next trip. Thanks!
Thanks for the review. I’ve owned 3 garmin (Fenix series) and have used them as an everyday watch for many years. As a new diver I have trouble justifying why I should NOT have a mk2 to incorporate this new lifestyle. Thanks again for another great, honest review and welcome to the garmin club!
James, as a BRAND NEW diver this would kickstart my entry into the sport! So excited to take this journey of discovery, it's been a bucket-list item for years and I finally did it! Love your content and your insights, will follow me throughout my dive adventures. Of course I'm in the market for a dive computer and this one is WAY out of my budget, so fingers crossed! lol. Regardless, thanks for sharing your passion for the sport, is truly appreciated. thnx.
I've finished my DM course almost a year ago now in Madagascar and since then I've been looking into getting a new dive computer to simply make my life and work underwater easier. I'm also interested in getting into tec diving in the near future so this computer would be PERFECT for me. Other than diving I am outdoors a lot and all of the features of the MK2 almost sound too good to be true! Anyway, best of luck to everyone entering!
Being able to get a dive computer in a watch style would allow me to travel easier and lighter because I wouldn’t need a separate everyday watch from my dive computer. But it would also allow me to track all the other metrics I pay attention to, like steps, calories, hiking, lifting. It would streamline things for me. Even if I don’t win, great review, great material you post, and hopefully soon I’ll be able to take a class through you!.
I just started (last year) diving and I completely fell in love with the sport. I am now currently buying all my equipment and having this diving computer would be the final touch to my equipment.
I like diving 2 computers. Just wrapped up my PADI Divemaster course in the Pacific Northwest and have been shopping around for a new secondary computer... I was planning on purchasing the Teric but I think I’m switching to this Garmin I like the idea of being able to hook up the transmitter to a student divers first stage especially diving in colder darker water where signing remaining air isn’t always the easiest thing todo for new divers. Very good looking watch as well
Hi James. Thank you for great content. I am just getting back nto diving after about 30 years on land, and I've found that the industry has jumped leaps and bounds since last. This computer would be my first divecomputer AND it would help me in other areas as well. Some of which will be felt while diving.....
Another great review James. Not new to diving and no sad stories, but like everyone would like to win the MK2i. Been diving since 1974 and hard to believe I have been diving for 46 years now. You always keep learning and trying go get better. Never take diving for granted and always be a safe diver. Thanks, Kenneth
Great review James and the videography in the opening was top notch! I have a Garmin Fenix watch which I love as well and see many of the same likes and dislikes. Can’t wait to hear the tech dive review. As a cold water diver with dry suit and dry gloves, I love the bigger buttons and bigger straps of my perdix. I do use the AI on my back has and find it really useful for diving planning and to monitor RMV during my dive. I think a Garmin would be in my future when I have more warm water opportunities and need to replace aging gear. Just need a job in florida .....
Love my Garmin Forerunner for running. Have fallen in love with the interface. Would love to have this for a dive watch for simplicity. Already use the interface naturally. Having something I am that comfortable with would be a big benefit.
a great gift for my wife since she started diving. perfect watch for all activities I do.from hunting,hiking,a quick run,a walk in the neighborhood,diving and no need to change to other watches.this would definitely bring me more time outdoors and get more fit😍 we.could share this between us
Truly appreciate all the work that goes into making such high quality videos and the great through content. So much more than unboxing. While I think due to price and other considerations I will be buying the shearwater if I do not win. This would make the sport I love and am getting back into with my 16YO son. A little cheeper since I have to buy 2 of most things and we are primarily diving cold water of Wisconsin. What I have spent thus far has blown my wife’s mind. This after a 20 year break in diving with the exception of the occasional holiday dive. You would make my wife happy.
This would be a game changer for me. I Dive, free dive, and spend allot of my off time outdoors and at the beach. This watch has it all. I wanted the mk1 and was amazed to find out the mk2 came out recently. Its an absolute dream!!
Garmin definitely tailors its features to active subsets while maintaining everyday components we all need. Thank you, Garmin! 🙂 Divers Ready, thank you for introducing me to a great “divers watch” (or maybe “diverse” watch)!
Got Open Water certified and I've been putting off diving till I get a dive computer and have been putting off getting dive computer because I also want a smart watch to track my other activities. I couldn't decide which to get first. I want one item that will do it all. The MK2 sounds like the solution to my problem. Thank You for the great review.
Aloha from Hawaii James. I appreciate your content. My 13 year old son and I have just finished our open water certification. If you know anything about Hawaii,it is very expensive and acquiring the right dive gear for both of us is out of reach. So Winning this computer would really help push me (and perhaps more importantly my young son) into the water more.
I love this. I’m a terrible navigator. I start worrying about where the boat is 15 minutes into my dive. The gps would be a game changer. Thank you for this review!
Great review!!! As an aviator I have followed Garmin and their products for years. Liked the MKI but was waiting to see what they had in a MKII. This would make me the most badass looking diver outside the water with an awesome looking watch that you can almost miss is a dive computer.
32 dives in and I've already fallen in love with the sport.. I will definetely pursue diving as a long time hobby. Would be great to have the Garmin descent mk2 to accompany me through that journey + the journey I plan to start in 2021 to lose weight and get back to full fitness (to help with my diving air consumption obviously ;)). Merry Christmas and keep up the great content, I will continue to tune in.
Loved the video. was a very insightful assessment. you captured everything there is to look forward to about this watch and how it integrates with normal life and not just diving. As for my Competition answer, Im enlisting in the Australian Navy and having a watch that I can rely on to keep my on track and up to date with the rigours of Military life would be a massive assistance as well as being able to carry around my dive computer at all times so that I can jump in for a dive wherever I might be in the world would be an awesome bonus. Keep doing the good work. love the content.
My brother, sister-in-law and I just started our dive journey getting certified this fall. We’re excited to explore and expand with the community and this watch would be terrific leap into doing that!
Winning this computer would take my diving to a whole new level. Not to mention it would be the first step towards the tech diving course! Love the content James - your videos have really helped out a lot! Keep it up 🙂
Been watching the channel since taking up diving earlier this year, really great content. Currently using a hand down computer and would love the Garmin, I currently use a Garmin fitness watch for my everyday fitness monitoring and time keeping and know how awesome they are. Thanks for the great reviews and giveaways nice to see a fellow Brit doing so well over the pond.
Amazing piece that Garmin commercialized. With a computer like this i will finally have one watch for our lake dives and paddle tour, for hiking and mountain bike tour here in Switzerland ! Thank you James for sharing this review !
My wife and I love to travel the world! Sailing and diving are our passion. Beyond that, I love to mountain bike, camp, and hike. The Garmin looks like a perfect fit!
I have used a Garmin vivo watch for several years and I love it for biking and running. I getting back into diving and am currently updating my dive gear. Having a computer like that, from a brand I trust, would be phenomenal.
Winning the MK2 would revolutionize my current setup. I’m having to constantly switch between my Fitbit smart watch and my dive computer. I have even forgotten my dive computer on a few dives simply because it can be hard to keep up with two different watches. This MK2 would bring everything together and outperform my current setups. Awesome review and thanks for including the “downside” to owning this device.
This dive computer would solve all my gear problems. So freaking awesome. UGHHH, now I want it so bad. I too have wayyy to many watches! Would love to own this! This video was super interesting too. I have never heard anyone talk about the transmitter and realized it uses sonar not GPS, and you can hear the sound?!?! That is crazy. Love your videos.
James thanks for another great gear review!! This watch would be great for work, fitness, biking, and diving. I’ve been looking for a good dive watch but haven’t found one that does what I want and within my budget. This would be an awesome surprise for any of us divers that watch your videos!
Great Review - As a marine and automotive Garmin user, I am a solid admirer of their products. As a diver since 1976, the Garmin Descent would be a great addition to my gear
Aside from all of the other cool features, I think you hit the nail on the head as far as having a student's or my dive buddy's (my 14 year old daughter) tank pressure at the press of a button. You can't put a price on that kind of peace of mind. Awesome review.
Great Review James! could'nt agree with you more about your last point, I cant belive that no other manufacturer prdoduced a 'smart diving computer' such as this, even after the MK1 has came out. about GARMIN being a GPS company, that might be true to it's origins but nowdays the company makes alot products for the marine evnivroment and for aviation which demands AT LEAST the same level of reliabilty as a dive computer, and that's worth mentionig when talking about their lack of experiance with dive computers. This is an epic dive watch that I can absolutely see my self grow into as a current rescue diver, that will allow me to develop in any direction I might choose in the future, from MD, instructor or tec diver and would be a great present for new years 2021!
The person who introduced me to diving wore a Mk1 and I was so blown away by what he had access to compared to the rental computer I had. I have since obtained my Advanced Open Water certification and plan to grow even more as a diver. The Mk2 will help me tremendously on that journey!
For me, the ONLY obstacle is money! I’ve been interested in diving for many years and only recently discovered the TH-cam world of scuba... Your videos and many other content creators have drastically piqued my interest even more! As a newbie, the idea of a future proof device is phenomenal!
Thanks for this review! My initial thoughts on Garmin was a bit dismissive. "they do GPS, not Dive Computers" , just like you said. Thanks for setting me straight and getting me to broaden my horizons !! i use an old school console, this computer could be a revelation! and my hearing isn't what it used to be so the sonar noise probably wouldn't bother me!!
Honestly, things like reason #9 make this channel so unique. James' ability to think like a seasoned diver and still be able to think outside of his 'box' or profession. Thank you.
My wife is a badass diver who has been diving for nearly a decade in some amazing parts of the world (Great Barrier Reef, Norway, Belize). This year, she finally introduced me to Scuba and I just received my OW cert a couple of months ago. I would love to win this for her as a thank-you for sharing the amazing world of Scuba with me and to celebrate the beginning of our journey as divers together.
As a public safety diver and mountain rescue responder this would cover all the bases!
Instablaster
And now you have to take a look at another new dive watch... The Garmin G1, which is maybe ideal for the kind of work you do!
I've got the Mk2i and a T1 transmitter for me and my wife. Works great. I love being able to monitor both of our air levels. I have not noticed the sonar beeping tone at all. Occasionally, I will hear a faint beep, but I don't find it at all distracting or annoying. I don't know if Garmin has toned it down since release, or if I am just not as sensitive to sound underwater as James is, but for me, the sonar sound is a complete non-issue. Overall, I love this piece of gear, both for diving and for all the other features.
This watch would finally be the "one watch to rule them all"!
James,
I am new to diving and followed your channel for almost a year now. The ongoing epidemic stopped me from putting diving and training into action. Your Garmin Decent review is your best and more honest product review to date.
As a recreation offshore sailor, Garmin is on my list of no-go-manufactures of a very simple reason. A few years back, I equipped my sailing vessel with Nexus Marine sailing instruments, a few weeks later, Nexus Marine was acquired by Garmin. Garmin managed quickly killed the excellent Nexus sailing instruments loved by many sailing enthusiasts. No service, no spare parts, did not keep up the warranty responsibilities, simply no information to existing customers. Garmin simply acquired competitors to let the product line die.
Garmin ended up on my no-go-list-of-manufactures.
Your Garmin Descent review changed that. I have had my basic dive equipment for many years. A dive watch will be my first purchase, quickly followed by drysuit and first/second stage. I want one!
I wanted a mk 1 so bad, but figured I needed to wait for mk 2. And now it’s here! Thanks for the review!!
I first got certified in 1997 and over the years have dived less and less until this year. My daughter took an interest in diving and decided to get certified and now she is my dive partner and I couldn't be happier. I have a basic dive computer watch and have yet to get her one. Having this watch/dive computer would give me the ability to give her a watch of her own.
Love the content and channel. Keep providing such awesome videos.
Garmin has changed everything about diving with the MK2 by keeping you informed so you can make critical desisions about your dive and dive plans. Can't wait to get my hands on one.
I'm a Rescue Diver with an old and borrowed dive computer. I have been literally searching, watching, and waiting for a dive computer that I will finally call my own, and it looks like THIS IS IT! #9 hits the nail in the coffin. MK2 is a game changer. This will single-handedly redeem 2020! What a great way to end the year and look forward to the next!!! Thank you for this awesome review.
Finally, a dive watch I can use everyday OUT of the water.
I've been a chef all of my life, since i was a teenager I've been in the same industry and worked hard. 2 years ago I moved to Australia and did my first dive on the GBR, and I was in love with diving right away. Since then I have moved to the world heritage ningaloo reef in Western Australia. Home to large populations of whale sharks, breeding and nesting grounds for green and hawksbill turtles and a stop on the migratory path of humpback whales coming from the antarctic.while here I have worked through my dive certifications and in 2021 I will be starting my dive master internship. I'm so excited to transition into this field and start a new career. These videos have been a great help in this endeavour, and I have become a better diver because of them, so for that I thank you. As for what this watch would do for me, it would give me a much needed piece of equipment going into the professional field, to give me a leg up as I move on with a new life. To make the task ahead of me much easier and increase my chances of succeeding. Here is hoping luck is on my side this time.
Great review! I Love my Mk1, but I wouldn't mind a Mk2. I really like some of the new features. I was really waiting for the air integration, but I don't think I could deal with the noise. I wonder what the marine life thinks of it.
Hi James, long time lurker here, but now an official subscriber! Thank you for what you do for the industry. Although I grew up in the Caribbean doing a lot of snorkeling, I am a new diver. I am grateful for each and every video you have produced. I appreciate your transparency and willingness to pass on your knowledge and share your experiences with all of us here in TH-cam Land (as you might say). Thank you. I can honestly say that they were (and still are) among the first on my list of online learning materials. Been looking at computers for a while now, and I can identify very much with what you say at the end of your video. Finally, a company that realizes that people who dive also happen to have a life! lol And that we do so much more than diving. Living in south-central Oklahoma, in a town that has a lake in its "back yard" this computer not only will allow us to be connected to our activities and one another, but it is a tool to help everyone who owns it stay safe and improve their quality of life. That why I WANT IT, and I HOPE I WIN!!!
Finally I wouldn’t have to change watches when I go to work, go workout, go hiking, go cycling and go diving. Life changer!
Im the person to a T you described in the video, my wife and i are always outside. we hike, dive, hit the gym everyday, track our workouts, try to keep track of steps, to name a few. having this computer would change all the complicated apps, smart watches, and everything else we have and give me the ability to have it all in one central location without ever having to take it off my wrist! what a great tool to keep my active life on track and in order!!
I have a lot going on in the outdoors diving and outdoors love the review of the garmin and getting started in tec diving what a good way to get started!!!
Winning this computer would completely make my year. It would be a computer to see me through my entire diving career and grow old with me. I have just completed my Advanced Open Water course, and I'm looking to advance through Rescue Diving, and onto the professional ladder, to one day becoming a Technical Diving Instructor. The winner of this computer is going to be super happy, and I'd like to wish everyone luck! Thanks Diver's Ready for the opportunity, massive respect!
My dog ate my dive computer and I need a new one. This would make my Christmas if I won this.
I just started scuba diving - divemaster, with the intention of taking an IDC when I qualify. I've recently started diving for research and environmental/marine conservation, and not only do I spend loads of time in the ocean, or on the field, really trying to grow in what I do, but I also have lots of correspondence to review, events to attend and I'm trying to be the most available human I can be, not just for myself and others, but also for our oceans and planet. It's not exactly lucrative haha! I would love to actualise some sort of program that allows or encourages people to approach nature or their own personal life in the same kind of framework. Outside of the water, I teach yoga, hike extensively, love photography and it would be awesome to have a piece of equipment that complements and integrates into most parts of my lifestyle! Thanks so much for the review!
This dive computer would allow me to stop searching the internet for alternatives to upgrading my Oceanic Geo 2.0
I've been waiting desperately for this watch for about one year from now...but it's so expensive 😭 I would love to take it to my dive trips
Great review! Good shots of the watch under water which help to show if the brightness is an issue or not (didn’t look like it is). If I win this awesome piece of equipment, it will also be my first smart watch ever. It will be useful to show colleagues details about dives to get them interested in the sport. The GPS that captures where you got in the water and got out of the water will help enhance the conversation as well as the app interface. Also, the fact that it is a Garmin product can serve as a gateway for non-divers who are active people and already have Garmin products to get into the sport.
So I'm an OWD with just one dive in addition to my test dives under my belt. Just moved from NE to Miami so I could dive year round. I also cycle, run, lift weight, walk a lot, sky dive and this watch can functionality for every single one of these things! I want a computer that will grow with me and my Xmas would definitely be made by winning this watch/dive computer!
This dive comp would be a great gift for my son who just did his tour of duty in the Marines and has received his rec dive cert. Thanks for the videos. Keep up the great work.
After 23 years of been unable to dive due to a misdiagnosed lung issue, where I was a advanced diver with over 100 dives under my belt. When at start of this year whilst getting a test for TB, I found out I didn’t have the lung issue at all. Wining the a awesome Garmin Mk2 would kick start my love of diving again. Thanks Diver Ready for the fantastic review.
Winning this would make my diving more complete, safer, more knowledgable and bring a smile to a subscriber that has watched loyally for the past year. As a fire medic during these tough covid times, your channel has gotten me through some rough times here at the station, getting my mind off covid and dreaming of the next time I can dive. Whether I win or not...Thanks you for providing content that makes my job easier. :) SV
James, my oldest is 5 and he loves watching your(and Johnathon birds) videos with me. He is always taking about how he is going to be a scuba diver when he is 10 and how he's gong to be my dive buddy. The mk2i would be my first dive computer as well as smart watch, fitness tracker, etc.. I am stoked as a new diver that my son is showing such an interest in this sport and a product like the mk2i would afford me the ability to monitor my son's pressure as he ventures into this amazing pastime. Cheers and keep up the good work.
I just get my open water certification and totally in love with this sport. Been looking for my very first dive computer that I can grow alongside with to achieve my DM, and I think the Garmin MK2 will the prefect dive computer to help achieve my goal. Thank you James for giving out such a great piece of content. Looking at your videos do help me make a better purchase decision and increase my knowledge to make my dive better. Always love your honesty when sharing your experience, support you as always!!!
This watch would enable me to keep up with all of my activities . I have had a 100% spinal fusion, took 5 years to recover and now I go to the gym and ride mountain bikes, kayak and now I’m getting back into diving. I’m 61 and going strong. Perfect watch for my new lifestyle.
This is the dream wrist computer for me because I like SCUBA and Freediving, I do SUP boarding, trekking, MTB and many other nature sports, I like to swim in pool and open water. One wrist computer to cover them all and add HR measurement, sleep quality monitoring, payment options, navigation, too many many features to write here is like a dream come true! What I can need more from Garmin is to produce some TPU watch body protectors for this computer. They are on sale for many (previous) Garmin models on Aliexpress, ebay or Amazon. But a genuine Garmin protector would be great especially designed for this one. This watch body protector will keep the watch safe from scratches and dings and also will decrease the accidental button push problem (which is mentioned on your video review) because the buttons will stick out less (this information is due to my personal experience with 2 other dive watches previously). Thanks for your honest review James! I did subscribe to your channel not because of this giveaway but because of your in depth and honest review. I wish Marry Christmas and Happy New year to you and all divers (and everyone). Also good luck to everyone! :)
I am a newly certified advance diver from Malaysia. I keep on watching your videos. It is really great. Hello from Malaysia!!
I bought a really basic computer when I started 3 years ago. Never thought I would love diving this much! Now I really want to upgrade to a better one after finishing my dive master last year. Would be an amazing christmas present. Even if not - please keep making those videos. Highly appreciated by me during lockdown here in Austria, because I can´t travel and I still feel like I learn so much even without being in the water !
It's exciting to see the progress being made in this space. As it happens, I'm currently in the market for a new dive computer that I can get comfortable with before I do my advanced open water course. But I'm also shopping for a watch to track my trail runs and a smart watch for everyday use. The MK2 is a total slam dunk at that point. Thanks for the honest and critical review!
Garmin Descent G1
Thank u James for this awesome review. I am a dive instructor, hiker,marathoner, swimmer, hopefully when this damm corona virus gets wiped off the face of this planet get to do my first triathlon. This beauty will be a one stop watch for all my activities. I would never be able to afford this fantastic piece of tec so it would be an awesome Christmas gift. 👌👌🤞🤞🤞
Holy Moly - a beast is right! I can track my runs, my steps, my calls, my texts, my music ... and my dives?? Sounds like this watch is one function away from hosting its own TH-cam channel. Well done, Garmin! Way to show it off, James. Super sweet intro.
I am 20 dives in and have been looking for my first dive computer before doing advanced open water... I had not found a dive computer / watch I was excited about until I saw this very review (thanks for the review James). I should mention that I had a Apple watch that just crapped out after a 4 years and I was shopping for a replacement for that as well for Christmas, wanting to replace that as well for topside activity. The MK2 would suit just about every activity. This watch would be a phenomenal way to grow as a diver, in and out of the sea!
Awesome review James. Recently got back into scuba diving, and my wife got her open water certification in September! I found your channel and have been watching your videos oldest to newest. I've got a ways to go. I stopped wearing a watch a few years ago so I wasn't seriously considering the MK2. Your review has me rethinking that!
I like the idea of a watch that incorporates my whole lifestyle - I swim, go to the gym as well as scuba dive...It has taken me a number of years to brave the water and now in my late 50's am loving life thanks to scuba diving...
Thank you very much for the underwater views. I am looking for my first dive computer and I am stunned how many reviews there are with 0 underwater shots.
I am a rec and Tec Diving instructor form Germany. And already I fall in love with the mk1, now the mk2 below me away completely. But do to the fact that I am a student of Marine environmental science and the CoVid19 pandemic, I have a quite tight budget that doesn't allow me to buy such an expensive dive Computer...
The mk2 would mack teaching scuba diving much easy and safer for me because I could monitor the tankpressure of my students much better.
Btw: great review 😊
Cheers from Germany
Sven
It's been a year for me and my family...I've been anticipating this watch for years now and predictably can't justify buying it right now. As a diver, triathlete, golfer, hiker, etc. this would change my life and help me be more accountable for more training. Enjoyed the review, the b-roll was nice and I hadn't seen some of those underwater features. Thanks!
As someone who has just started triathlons and loves diving, this couldn't be more perfect.
I've been a diver for over 12 years and a divemaster for almost a year now; and now that I am finally getting into tech diving, a future-proof computer like this that can handle my aspirations for trimix, rebreather, and all the other high level specialties would really come in handy. The fact that this computer is also a GPS enabled smartwatch is awesome.
Now that I've started my first job out of college I'm looking at buying my first full diving kit, I've been saving for months in the hopes of being ready for the Australian summer. Thanks to you my heart is already set on an Apeks reg and wing. This computer would have me in the water within a week and I'd love it.
Why I need this watch. I got my open water in 1991 and after college didn’t dive due to several factors. Fast forward to 2020, I did a refresher, got my nitrox, and love nothing more than diving. I have my first trip to cocoa view planned jan 2021 and need gear. This dive watch would make a big impact. It’s the perfect fit for my needs but the cost is more than I can afford since I am needing other gear. Thanks for th great content and wish you the best and I hope I can represent Garmin.
My son just turned 13. Two years ago he asked if he could get scuba certified. I was not a diver, but got certified with him because of his age he needed a parent. He’s a natural underwater, me not so much. It has been fantastic watching him grow in skill level. Since he and I started at the same time it’s also unique for me as a parent to be a peer with him in some thing since I brought no previous experience. Diving allows us to step outside of the normal parent/child dynamic and see each other in different roles. This dive computer would be a fantastic addition since it would be able to grow with him on his diving adventure!
I am a PADI instructor with old school Sherwood wisdom 2 which stopped working a few months back. I just started my Masters in Marine Biology and this Dive Computer will be so good for my career.
I'm currently a firefighter based in Orlando, Florida. I recently got my open and advanced open water certs to able to became a rescue diver for my fire department. Fortunately or unfortunately (for my wife), I got the bug and now dive for fun as much as possible!
I have all the gear needed to dive at recreational level, including the aqualung i300c. I'm not going to lie, it works adequately fine (for now!), but I plan to advance and would love a product that will do the same!
The Garmin would suit my active life style outside of the water as it can be used while on shift to monitor my physical performance and also monitor my lack of sleep while running calls. Plus it will look awsome on my skinny wrists!
I'll now stop the groveling
Cheers,
Nick.
I am a marine conservationist. I am an intern for a coral restoration organization in the FL Keys, where I dive to maintain coral nurseries and outplant endangered corals onto the reef. I have been diving for almost 2 years and thankfully have been lucky enough to be able to dive as a job, amassing lots of dives in my early professional career. However, as an intern, I don't make a lot of money. This dive computer would allow me to upgrade to a dive computer that will carry me through the rest of my life in my mission to help protect our oceans. As I continue up to my instructors and (hopefully) tec diving certs, it can grow with me to make a difference.
Brilliant review! I like how you don’t pull any punches and tell it how it is! I’m a new diver, just building up my own kit and have been wanting a dive computer that also does things in my life. I have a Fitbit versa2 but it’s not dive ready! Which means I need a dive computer that does more. This seems like something I could use. Alas, getting into diving means money for kit. And with a wife 3 kids (that I know of) and a dog money is very tight! Not to mention my wife has Ocular Graves’ disease. When I dive I get to get away from all the things that plague the mind on the surface and just relax and breath and enjoy the view! Best decompression of the mind! Many of my friends use other Garmin devices, they are great at GPS and Avionics and know a thing or two about user experiences with their products. I would love to be able get any of their products and this computer would be a perfect start to my dive kit and allow me to save money on my other kit and training for diving in Canada and around the world!
Since I started diving this is the type of computer I have been wishing someone would make and it blows my mind that Suunto was not the company to first do this but I’m glad someone finally listened. I absolutely love diving but as someone who doesn’t live close to great diving locations and can’t dive more than a couple times a year it’s hard to cough up $1,000+ for a strictly dive computer but being able to buy something that I can use everyday as well makes for an easier decision. Plus when it’s something you use everyday and are used to charging then you are less likely to forget to bring it or get to a dive and realize the battery is dead
As a new open water diver, fisherman, hunter, high voltage lineman, husband, and father, this would be a game changer!!! It would be awesome to be able to view my daughter’s tank pressure when she gets junior certified next spring!!! Cheers and Merry Christmas!
James, I have been watching your videos since I started diving in the summer of 2020. I have since earned OW and AOW PADI certs and have around 70 dives so far. I have two boys (13 and 11 yrs old) that also earned their OW certs in August. As a newer diver and the father of two newer divers, the Garmin Mk2i would give me an additional way to monitor the cylinder pressure for my kids. As any parent can confirm, kids get easily distracted and sometimes they forget things. The Mk2i being able to monitor other transmitters is something I want to increase the safety of my kids. Thanks for the consideration!
I currently have the Garmin instinct and love it! I, as you mentioned, too wished for a product that would give me all of the options on the Instinct plus a dive. Computer. I am new to diving, just having certified earlier this year, and am in the process of slowly buying my own equipment. I recently watched your 5 things to buy as a new diver, and the computer purchase is where I'm at. Love you're channel as it has many things that I have not yet learned about (don't know what I don't know). Appreciate all your info.
James, one of these would do wonders to my divings, as I don't have a diving computer yet - just finished OWD this summer - and so, it would be a tremendous improvement to my scuba gear, which, to be honest, is non-existent at the moment. So you can imagine how great this could be for someone with budget constraints, and the incentive it would be to keep diving. Cheers, and thank you for the opportunity.
Hi James love the videos has really helped me in so many ways to become a better diver after finishing my open water I had a pastion for diving and your channel I subbed across one day and has completely changed the way I dive and think about diving for the better. Winning this dive watch would be my first dive watch as I'm starting to slowly build up my dive equitment as my pastion grows. If would allow me to log my dives and develop my skills as I progress further into the world of diving whilst being able to track my life style. Thank you for making your videos once again I would of made so many bad purchases with these!
I've been wanting to upgrade my dive computer to for a while now, love that everything is on one device!
I've been on a car crash recently and I believe this watch would help me not only get back in the water sooner but once there it would help me transition from rec to tec diving.
Thank you for your honest review !
I have a Aqualung i450t, just a little small but is a great DC. I been waiting for the MK2i and with the sonar beeps, I think the MK2 would be perfect. I surf, kayak, dive, fish anything outdoors with water!! This woyld be a unreal match!! James, thanks for the great content..always!!
Newbie OW certified diver here. This watch would help me learn how to be a better diver while becoming familiar with a tool that will grow with my diving career. I am hoping to dive to restore ecosystems, clean debris, and see tons of cool stuff here in the Puget Sound as well as all over the world! As someone learning my new favorite sport while having enjoyed skiing, backpacking, biking, rock climbing, whitewater kayaking, and others; this watch would take me everywhere I want to go! p.s. Thank you for all of the information on your channel, it truly helped me learn more and ask better questions during my OW class and subsequent dives.
James - as always, terrific informative video. Have logged 22 dives on my Mk2i, 16 with the T1 transmitter (am an active Divemaster in Islamorada). Previously owned a Suunto Mk6i, Garmin Descent Mk1, Shearwater Teric, and now the Garmin Mk2i. Absolutely agree with your observations, comments, and recommendations, with one very small exception dealing with the integration with the Garmin Dive app. I agree it couldn’t be easier or more automatic to get the dives out of your computer and onto your iPhone/iPad/laptop, via Garmin Connect. But I find the Dive app lacks flexibility if you want to add new categories, like dive activities, so you can keep track of different kinds of activities, different pieces of gear on different dives, etc. Back in my Suunto days, because I didn’t really like the inflexibility of their proprietary logging app (DM5), I searched around and found a third party app - moremobilesoftware.com’s DiveLogDT, which is supported on iPhones, Androids, iPads, and laptops. Has ultimate flexibility in personalizing the data you log, and found it migrated very easily with me as I moved between different computers (wasn’t a big fan of Shearwater’s proprietary app either, but the Teric was a breeze to bluetooth upload to DiveLog’s app via an inexpensive in-app translator to the DiveLog app. Garmin Mk1 was a bit trickier to upload, but was still able to do it. Mk2i came out, and there was a hiccup, but I found working with the moremobilesoftware.com fantastic - they’ve developed a beta software app that I’m testing with them to facilitate a Mk2i compatible version. So I agree that this is either the best every-day watch that happens to be an industry leading dive computer, or an industry leading dive computer that also happens to be an amazing every day wear smart watch - you simply can not beat it with any dive watch currently on the market, at any price. The only time I’ve taken it off is to charge it, whether it needs it or not (and it usually has 3-4 days left, even after multiple 4-dive days). I too noticed and was briefly annoyed by the high-frequency chirp from the T1, but have noticed that on dives with greater ambient noise (i.e., shallow reef dives with a fair bit of wave/surge noise (think Molasses or Alligator Reefs), the chirp is much less noticeable. Am also finding the more I dive with it, the less I notice the chirp. I agree it might be nice to be able to dial back the power more, or perhaps configure a removeable sleeve out of sound absorbant material to attenuate the sound a few dB. I thought the Mk1 was a terrific watch/computer (and still use it as my back up). I got the Teric because I’d given up on Garmin ever fielding air integration (loved the display, but it was only ever going to be a [short battery life] dive computer). The Mk2i is everything you could want a smart watch AND a dive computer to be. Only drawback I’ve had is the rudimentary Garmin Dive log, but thanks to a really responsive third party developer I’ve gotten around that. And I can live with the chirp (maybe my retired Navy ears have a bit more hearing loss than you!). Anyway, keep ALL your great videos coming, and come on down to Islamorada to add some variety to your local diving! Best wishes.
Been waiting for the MK2 for a long time. As an avid cyclist who enjoys his time under the water, this watch is the one I have dreamed about. I have been diving with my Oceanic OC1 for years, what an upgrade.
It's what I've been waiting for, a unit that will pair my cadence, speed, temp sensor along with AP. I have had the Phenix5 as my main watch for past 5yrs but since I needed a dive computer, it's always been a bit of a hassle. A side note, lot of free divers bought the bundle and they're selling the air pressure bit for just a few bucks where I am. I just got back from my dive trip so that will be my next purchase before my next trip. Thanks!
Thanks for the review. I’ve owned 3 garmin (Fenix series) and have used them as an everyday watch for many years. As a new diver I have trouble justifying why I should NOT have a mk2 to incorporate this new lifestyle. Thanks again for another great, honest review and welcome to the garmin club!
James, as a BRAND NEW diver this would kickstart my entry into the sport! So excited to take this journey of discovery, it's been a bucket-list item for years and I finally did it! Love your content and your insights, will follow me throughout my dive adventures. Of course I'm in the market for a dive computer and this one is WAY out of my budget, so fingers crossed! lol. Regardless, thanks for sharing your passion for the sport, is truly appreciated. thnx.
I've finished my DM course almost a year ago now in Madagascar and since then I've been looking into getting a new dive computer to simply make my life and work underwater easier. I'm also interested in getting into tec diving in the near future so this computer would be PERFECT for me. Other than diving I am outdoors a lot and all of the features of the MK2 almost sound too good to be true! Anyway, best of luck to everyone entering!
Being able to get a dive computer in a watch style would allow me to travel easier and lighter because I wouldn’t need a separate everyday watch from my dive computer. But it would also allow me to track all the other metrics I pay attention to, like steps, calories, hiking, lifting. It would streamline things for me. Even if I don’t win, great review, great material you post, and hopefully soon I’ll be able to take a class through you!.
I just started (last year) diving and I completely fell in love with the sport. I am now currently buying all my equipment and having this diving computer would be the final touch to my equipment.
I like diving 2 computers. Just wrapped up my PADI Divemaster course in the Pacific Northwest and have been shopping around for a new secondary computer... I was planning on purchasing the Teric but I think I’m switching to this Garmin I like the idea of being able to hook up the transmitter to a student divers first stage especially diving in colder darker water where signing remaining air isn’t always the easiest thing todo for new divers. Very good looking watch as well
Hi James. Thank you for great content. I am just getting back nto diving after about 30 years on land, and I've found that the industry has jumped leaps and bounds since last. This computer would be my first divecomputer AND it would help me in other areas as well. Some of which will be felt while diving.....
Another great review James. Not new to diving and no sad stories, but like everyone would like to win the MK2i. Been diving since 1974 and hard to believe I have been diving for 46 years now. You always keep learning and trying go get better. Never take diving for granted and always be a safe diver. Thanks, Kenneth
Great review James and the videography in the opening was top notch! I have a Garmin Fenix watch which I love as well and see many of the same likes and dislikes.
Can’t wait to hear the tech dive review.
As a cold water diver with dry suit and dry gloves, I love the bigger buttons and bigger straps of my perdix. I do use the AI on my back has and find it really useful for diving planning and to monitor RMV during my dive.
I think a Garmin would be in my future when I have more warm water opportunities and need to replace aging gear. Just need a job in florida .....
Love my Garmin Forerunner for running. Have fallen in love with the interface. Would love to have this for a dive watch for simplicity. Already use the interface naturally. Having something I am that comfortable with would be a big benefit.
a great gift for my wife since she started diving. perfect watch for all activities I do.from hunting,hiking,a quick run,a walk in the neighborhood,diving and no need to change to other watches.this would definitely bring me more time outdoors and get more fit😍 we.could share this between us
Truly appreciate all the work that goes into making such high quality videos and the great through content. So much more than unboxing. While I think due to price and other considerations I will be buying the shearwater if I do not win. This would make the sport I love and am getting back into with my 16YO son. A little cheeper since I have to buy 2 of most things and we are primarily diving cold water of Wisconsin. What I have spent thus far has blown my wife’s mind. This after a 20 year break in diving with the exception of the occasional holiday dive. You would make my wife happy.
This would be a game changer for me. I Dive, free dive, and spend allot of my off time outdoors and at the beach. This watch has it all. I wanted the mk1 and was amazed to find out the mk2 came out recently. Its an absolute dream!!
Garmin definitely tailors its features to active subsets while maintaining everyday components we all need. Thank you, Garmin! 🙂 Divers Ready, thank you for introducing me to a great “divers watch” (or maybe “diverse” watch)!
Got Open Water certified and I've been putting off diving till I get a dive computer and have been putting off getting dive computer because I also want a smart watch to track my other activities. I couldn't decide which to get first. I want one item that will do it all. The MK2 sounds like the solution to my problem. Thank You for the great review.
Aloha from Hawaii James. I appreciate your content. My 13 year old son and I have just finished our open water certification. If you know anything about Hawaii,it is very expensive and acquiring the right dive gear for both of us is out of reach. So Winning this computer would really help push me (and perhaps more importantly my young son) into the water more.
I love this. I’m a terrible navigator. I start worrying about where the boat is 15 minutes into my dive. The gps would be a game changer. Thank you for this review!
Great review!!! As an aviator I have followed Garmin and their products for years. Liked the MKI but was waiting to see what they had in a MKII. This would make me the most badass looking diver outside the water with an awesome looking watch that you can almost miss is a dive computer.
32 dives in and I've already fallen in love with the sport.. I will definetely pursue diving as a long time hobby. Would be great to have the Garmin descent mk2 to accompany me through that journey + the journey I plan to start in 2021 to lose weight and get back to full fitness (to help with my diving air consumption obviously ;)). Merry Christmas and keep up the great content, I will continue to tune in.
Fitness, outdoors and diving are my life. What a great way to pull them all together in one watch.
Loved the video. was a very insightful assessment. you captured everything there is to look forward to about this watch and how it integrates with normal life and not just diving.
As for my Competition answer, Im enlisting in the Australian Navy and having a watch that I can rely on to keep my on track and up to date with the rigours of Military life would be a massive assistance as well as being able to carry around my dive computer at all times so that I can jump in for a dive wherever I might be in the world would be an awesome bonus.
Keep doing the good work. love the content.
My brother, sister-in-law and I just started our dive journey getting certified this fall. We’re excited to explore and expand with the community and this watch would be terrific leap into doing that!
Winning this computer would take my diving to a whole new level. Not to mention it would be the first step towards the tech diving course!
Love the content James - your videos have really helped out a lot! Keep it up 🙂
Been watching the channel since taking up diving earlier this year, really great content. Currently using a hand down computer and would love the Garmin, I currently use a Garmin fitness watch for my everyday fitness monitoring and time keeping and know how awesome they are. Thanks for the great reviews and giveaways nice to see a fellow Brit doing so well over the pond.
Amazing piece that Garmin commercialized. With a computer like this i will finally have one watch for our lake dives and paddle tour, for hiking and mountain bike tour here in Switzerland ! Thank you James for sharing this review !
My wife and I love to travel the world! Sailing and diving are our passion. Beyond that, I love to mountain bike, camp, and hike. The Garmin looks like a perfect fit!
I have used a Garmin vivo watch for several years and I love it for biking and running. I getting back into diving and am currently updating my dive gear. Having a computer like that, from a brand I trust, would be phenomenal.
Winning the MK2 would revolutionize my current setup. I’m having to constantly switch between my Fitbit smart watch and my dive computer. I have even forgotten my dive computer on a few dives simply because it can be hard to keep up with two different watches. This MK2 would bring everything together and outperform my current setups. Awesome review and thanks for including the “downside” to owning this device.
This dive computer would solve all my gear problems. So freaking awesome. UGHHH, now I want it so bad. I too have wayyy to many watches! Would love to own this! This video was super interesting too. I have never heard anyone talk about the transmitter and realized it uses sonar not GPS, and you can hear the sound?!?! That is crazy. Love your videos.
James thanks for another great gear review!! This watch would be great for work, fitness, biking, and diving. I’ve been looking for a good dive watch but haven’t found one that does what I want and within my budget. This would be an awesome surprise for any of us divers that watch your videos!
Great Review - As a marine and automotive Garmin user, I am a solid admirer of their products. As a diver since 1976, the Garmin Descent would be a great addition to my gear
Aside from all of the other cool features, I think you hit the nail on the head as far as having a student's or my dive buddy's (my 14 year old daughter) tank pressure at the press of a button. You can't put a price on that kind of peace of mind. Awesome review.
Great Review James! could'nt agree with you more about your last point, I cant belive that no other manufacturer prdoduced a 'smart diving computer' such as this, even after the MK1 has came out. about GARMIN being a GPS company, that might be true to it's origins but nowdays the company makes alot products for the marine evnivroment and for aviation which demands AT LEAST the same level of reliabilty as a dive computer, and that's worth mentionig when talking about their lack of experiance with dive computers.
This is an epic dive watch that I can absolutely see my self grow into as a current rescue diver, that will allow me to develop in any direction I might choose in the future, from MD, instructor or tec diver and would be a great present for new years 2021!
The person who introduced me to diving wore a Mk1 and I was so blown away by what he had access to compared to the rental computer I had. I have since obtained my Advanced Open Water certification and plan to grow even more as a diver. The Mk2 will help me tremendously on that journey!
For me, the ONLY obstacle is money! I’ve been interested in diving for many years and only recently discovered the TH-cam world of scuba... Your videos and many other content creators have drastically piqued my interest even more! As a newbie, the idea of a future proof device is phenomenal!
I love mine. So pleased I spent a bit more over the shearwater teric. I got the titanium t1 bundle 🥰
Thanks for this review! My initial thoughts on Garmin was a bit dismissive. "they do GPS, not Dive Computers" , just like you said. Thanks for setting me straight and getting me to broaden my horizons !! i use an old school console, this computer could be a revelation! and my hearing isn't what it used to be so the sonar noise probably wouldn't bother me!!