The long-awaited advanced watch-style dive computer, the Garmin Descent Mk2 is here, and it is a truly powerful piece of equipment. Sleek looking, rugged and packed with innovative features - it is a worthy contender to the title of the ultimate wrist smart dive watch.
In fact, the Garmin Descent Mk2i has been awarded with the Scubalab's Tester's Choice award, so we're definitely not the only ones that think this computer is something special.
Garmin Descent Mk2 - Diving Features
The new Garmin Descent Mk2 will appeal to all divers looking to have an ultimate diving and fitness smartwatch. If you are a beginner diver, this will be the wristwatch that will take you through many stages of your diving career, should you wish to expand in the future. If you are an advanced diver or a technical diver, this smart dive watch will delight you with functions like gauge only, air, nitrox up to 100% and trimix, PPO2 setting - for both open circuit or closed circuit diving. Those of you who are like to customise your deep stops will be pleased to find that you can now change your deep stops by user-adjustable gradient factors.
If you, like some of us, have a multi-disciplinary approach to diving, the new Garmin Descent Mk2 diving smartwatch will be your brilliant dive mate in Apnea or Spearfishing (hunter mode with alarms turned off). Besides, GPS and 3-axis dive compass will show the correct position and bearing each time you are out and about enjoying the water world. Wait.... the features don't stop there! Are you windsurfing or sailing in tidal waters like we do in the UK? The new Garmin Descent Mk2 will provide information on tides via Connect IQ Software so you can plan your dives and water sessions accordingly.
Just like its younger brother, this wristwatch style dive computer is rated to 100m and is a wholly sealed in a watertight casing, hence the risk of flooding is reduced to the minimum. All the functions and navigation are cleverly accessible by inductive buttons, which detect the amount of pressure from your fingertips.
The Garmin Descent Mk2's Dive log lets you store and review data from up to 200 dives right on your wrist and share and review dives in the Garmin Dive™ app downloaded to your compatible smartphone. Last but not least, this new smart dive watch has a phenomenal battery life which is 80 hours in dive mode, 16 days in smartwatch mode and 15 hours in GPS mode with music. That is more than enough to cover extended liveaboard holidays and makes it highly suitable for any expedition.
Garmin Descent Mk2 - Improvement and Evolution
It is no secret that one of the most critical aspects of developing a great piece of equipment is listening to your customers' feedback. We are impressed with the Garmin's Research and Development Team, and you can see that they listened to customer's feedback. The original Mk1 is a fantastic dive watch style computer, but many users find the size of the screen a bit too small. The other surprising factor is that the Descent Mk1 does not have much-sought air integration - at this level and price? Not the case any more!
The new Garmin Descent Mk2's screen is a whopping 36% larger than its predecessor, and together with its colour display, these make a huge difference. Most of all, this new smart dive computer finally has the option for air integration in the body of the Garmin Descent Mk2i (i for integrated). The Garmin Team makes this debut in a big style:
Unlike most transmitters which use radio frequency to transmit the data, Garmin has developed a sonar-based technology for the Descent Mk2i. The biggest problem with radio waves is that they don't travel through water very well whereas sonar works best in water which allows for the significant improvement in transmission range. You will now be able to pair your Garmin Descent Mk2i with up to 5 T1 transmitters via SubWave™ - a feature that will find applications in recreational as well as technical diving. The Garmin Descent Mk2i has a handy option of putting a reading from two separate T1 transmitters onto the screen, which may be extremely useful for those of you seeking to use this dive computer in sidemount diving, rebreather diving or want to keep an eye on your dive buddy's gas consumption :-)
We think that by adding wireless transmitter functionality, Garmin has created the best recreational, technical and closed-circuit rebreather smartwatch dive computer on the market, hands down!
Garmin Descent Mk2 - Fantastic Sport Multi tool
Take it for a skydive, to the mountains, take it underwater, take it anywhere you may want to explore! When its younger brother the Garmin Descent Mk1 came out, it sent shockwaves in the community with its revolutionary design, built-in features and user-friendly interface. What has been successfully started by the Garmin Mk1 continues with its younger brother the Garmin Descent Mk2 - the difference is the Mk2 does it even better. This should not come as a surprise as both have a fantastic pedigree of the ultra multi sport GPS mountaineering and fitness watches such as the Garmin Fenix.
Someone recently told me, while I was training for an endurance event, that you make the best progress by not looking at other competitors but by competing against yourself. The new Garmin Descent Mk2 does not stop to impress with excellent scuba diving functions but truly empowers you with its surface features too. If you have an active lifestyle and enjoy swimming, hiking, climbing, mountain biking, skiing, snowboarding, XC Skiing, stand up paddleboarding or rowing, this computer will do it all with you. While you are enjoying your daily fitness routines, it will measure your oxygen saturation, hydration, heart rate, count your caloric expenditure or check your performance condition. The Garmin Descent Mk2 dive computer will assist you in becoming a better sportsman. It even has a GPS linked with Barometric Altimeter giving a speed of descent and altitude for those of you who enjoy skydiving or, let put it this way, engage in more tactical endeavours ;-)
Garmin Descent Mk2 - The Power of Connections
Just like the latest hi-spec dive computers, the Garmin Descent Mk2 can be connected to your smartphone, only with this one you can receive text messages, e-mails and notifications or control your music. You can now pay your bills with it through Garmin Pay™ payment service. The new Garmin Descent Mk2 and Mk2i are truly versatile smart dive computers utilising Garmin's vast experience in navigational and safety electronics, and now Mk2i offers air integration. Both computers are equipped with ABC sensors to determine elevation, environmental pressure, and your current heading and together with GPS, GLONASS and build in EXO™ omnidirectional antenna systems enable a navigational experience that no other dive computer offered before. You can now plug your smart dive watch to compatible safety devices such as the inReach Mini and inReach Marine making off-the-grid, sailing open seas and diving most remote dive sites safer than ever. Your new Garmin Descent Mk2 is a link to a powerful satellite communications platform for adventures.
I am not a gadget person, and most of the time like to keep things simple - you know - less is more kind of thing. However, once in a while comes that iconic piece of equipment that blows your mind away. I firmly believe that the new Garmin Mk2 and Garmin MK2i are these types of equipment. They are genuinely 21st-century equipment for a 21st-century scuba diver. I know I will be getting one!
Mike's Dive Store is all about offering the best scuba diving equipment for the type of diving you do. If you have any questions about the new Garmin Descent Mk2i or any other product, do not hesitate to get in touch at support@mikesdivestore.com.
