Garmin Launches Varia Vision™, Fenix 3s, Tactix Bravo And Connected Insights

Garmin Australia has announced a host of new products and services, coming soon to Australia. New products include the Varia Vision™, an in-sight display that helps enhance cyclists’ road awareness, three new fēnix® 3 Sapphire multisport watches, as well as the updated tactix® Bravo, a tactical-minded multisport GPS watch with connected features. Garmin also announced Connect Insights, new wellness insights designed to help Garmin Connect users achieve their fitness goals.

“We’re extremely excited to announce such an innovative line of new devices to the Australian market,” said Matt DeMoss, General Manager for Garmin Australasia. “One of the most exciting announcements is the next device in our line of Varia cycling awareness products – the Varia Vision in-sight display. Cyclists can now easily view their data and receive alerts during a ride without needing to take their eyes off the road ahead.”

“We’re also thrilled to offer new fēnix 3 devices to consumers, which is one of our most popular watches. The addition of Garmin Elevate technology to the fēnix line, and the updated leather and titanium versions, will appeal to users no matter if they’re hitting the trails, the boardroom, and now even the golf course.”

“For our tactical operators, the new tactix Bravo watch ticks all the boxes,” continued Mr DeMoss. “Tactix Bravo was designed to handle the most demanding environments, and with specialised software, it will help users accomplish the mission at hand while still looking sleek and stylish.”

“Finally, the new Garmin Connect Insights with updated data analysis and personal recommendations will support, motivate, and connect with our users more than ever.”

VARIA VISION
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Varia Vision is an in-sight display that helps enhance cyclists’ road awareness by putting information in their line of sight. Attaching to a cyclists’ sunglasses, the Varia Vision displays key data from a compatible device[1] including performance data, turn-by-turn directions, incoming smart notifications and more. When paired with the first-of-its-kind Varia rearview radar system, Varia Vision warns users of traffic approaching from behind.

Sleek Design
Featuring eight hours of battery life, as well as a glove and wet-weather friendly touch panel to rotate between data displays, Varia Vision makes it easier than ever for cyclists to keep focus while riding. Its adaptable mounting allows it to attach on either arm of the glasses with a fully adjustable arm and eyepiece for optimum display positioning. Varia Vision features a durable, weatherproof design while weighing approximately only 29.7 grams for maximum comfort, and its integrated ambient light sensor and colour display ensures readability in all conditions.

Connected Features
Connect Varia Vision with a compatible Edge device for integrated, customisable data screens to easily view performance stats and turn-by-turn prompts including distance to turn plus street name and directional arrows. Varia Vision also connects with Varia rearview radar for in-ride, in-sight visibility of vehicles approaching from behind.

Vision also features vibration alerts for performance, navigation, or cycling awareness prompts, as well as incoming smart notifications[2] allowing riders to receive alerts for incoming calls, texts and more without taking their eyes off the road.

Availability
Varia Vision in-sight display will be available in Australia in late February and will available for a recommended retail price of $649.

FENIX 3 SAPPHIRE

Updates to Garmin’s fēnix 3 multisport watches includes Garmin Elevate wrist-based heart rate technology, additional activity profiles and new, stylish watch bands. The three new sapphire-lens options include a premium version featuring a titanium bezel and band, a version with easily interchangeable leather and nylon straps, and a version touting Garmin Elevate wrist-based heart rate.

Updated style
Boasting a full multisport and navigational toolset, fēnix 3 is also stylish enough to go from the trail to the office. The new genuine leather and nylon bands are easily interchangeable with no additional tools required, making switching back and forth a breeze. The premium titanium bezel and band looks sharp while also reducing weight and improving durability.

Wrist-based heart rate monitoring
Now featuring Garmin Elevate wrist-based heart rate technology, fēnix 3 HR users now have the freedom to measure heart rate 24/7 at the wrist. Fēnix 3 HR users can get credit for their workouts and extra effort with the Intensity Minutes. By tracking daily Intensity Minutes, users can monitor their progress against weekly aerobic activity goals recommended by leading health organisations. Depending on settings, fēnix 3 HR can get up to 40 hours of battery life in UltraTrac mode, 16 hours in GPS training mode, 3 weeks in watch mode and 2 weeks in smartwatch mode.

Enhanced metrics
Building off the previous version of advanced running dynamics like cadence, vertical oscillation and ground contact time; fēnix 3 users will be able to utilise more data and physiological measurements[3]. The new metrics include:

• Stride Length: Measures the length of a runner’s stride in real time
• Ground Contact Time Balance: Measures a runner’s ground contact symmetry, which some runners have found to correlate with injuries or strength imbalances
• Vertical Ratio: The cost-benefit ratio of vertical oscillation to stride length, serving as one indicator of a runner’s efficiency
• Lactate Threshold: Estimates the level of effort at which fatigue rapidly increases in terms of a runner’s heart rate and pace
• Stress Score: Measures heart rate variability to make an assessment of a user’s overall level of stress
• Performance Condition: Provides a real-time fitness-level measurement relative to a runner’s average baseline, which indicates performance readiness for the day’s workout or race

Software update
All current fēnix 3 owners will have access to a software update that will include the updated advanced running dynamics, as well as new activity profiles for golf, SUP and rowing. With the recently updated Garmin Connect mobile app, users can download more than 40,000 worldwide golf courses for precise course data and use their watch as a digital scorecard. With the new SUP/Rowing mode, users can measure their paddle stroke count, stroke rate and distance per stroke to gauge their efficiency. The fēnix 3 software update will come preloaded on new units and is available for current users to download now.

The new fēnix 3 models will still be compatible with the Connect IQ platform for endless customisation options. Through the Connect IQ store in the Garmin Connect mobile app, users can download any of the free apps, widgets, watch faces or data fields so their fēnix 3 can suit their individual needs. 

Availability
The new fēnix 3 Sapphire watches will be available in Australia in late February. The recommended retail prices for the fēnix 3s will be $949 for the fēnix 3HR, $999 for the fēnix 3HR bundle, $1,249 for the titanium fēnix 3 Sapphire, and $939 for the fēnix 3 Sapphire with leather and nylon bands.

TACTIX BRAVO
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The tactix Bravo is a multisport GPS watch that combines tactical functionality with smart features for fitness training and outdoor navigation. Featuring an all-black, rugged design, tactix Bravo was built for the tactical environment with a scratch-resistant lens and bezel, as well as a sunlight readable display optimised for night vision goggle compatibility. Additionally, it comes preloaded with specialised software for both aerial and land missions. Complete with smart notifications and Connect IQ compatibility, tactix Bravo is also stylish enough for everyday wear.

Design
Inspired by the requirements of Law Enforcement and Police Special Operations, tactix Bravo is able to handle the roughest conditions, with a sapphire lens and a knurled bezel with a diamond-like carbon coating to prevent nicks and scratches. It has a sharp, all-black, non-reflective finish and the colour display has a special mode making it compatible with night vision goggles. In addition to the standard black silicone band, tactix Bravo is also available with nylon watchbands in black and olive drab. The nylon bands can be easily interchanged with no tools required, so users can easily switch between the black and olive drab

Multisport toolset
Boasting an EXO™ antenna and high-sensitivity GPS with GLONASS support, tactix Bravo has a full multisport toolset to handle training, exploring, missions and more. Users on land can mark and store up to 1,000 waypoints, navigate back to their starting point using the TracBack® feature, while users in the air can utilise the Jumpmaster software for three jump types: HAHO, HALO and Static. It also has a unique dual-position mode that can simultaneously display two sets of coordinate systems on a single data screen. Able to last through long missions or training sessions, tactix Bravo can get up to 50 hours of battery life in UltraTrac™ mode, 20 hours in GPS training mode, and up to three weeks in smartwatch mode.

Performance data
Tactix Bravo boasts advanced workouts and training modes, so users can get real-time performance data such as distance, pace, calories burned. Additionally, users can get advanced running dynamics like stride length, ground contact time balance and vertical ratio and physiological measurements like their individual lactate threshold, stress score and performance condition[4]. Tactix Bravo is also compatible with other ANT+ sensors[5] to collect more data like temperature with Tempe™, or to control a VIRB® action camera remotely. Tactix Bravo uses will also have access to new activity profiles for golf, SUP and rowing.

With daily activity tracking and connected features, tactix Bravo doubles as a stylish smartwatch. Users can track their daily steps, mileage and sleep, then wirelessly upload all their data to the recently updated Garmin Connect™ mobile app. They can also connect their watch to a compatible smartphone for call, text and email notifications right on the watch. Additionally, tactix Bravo is Connect™ IQ compatible, so users can customise their watch with a variety of watch faces, data fields, widgets and apps.

Availability
Tactix Bravo will be available in Australia in late February and will available for a recommended retail price of $1,099.

GARMIN CONNECT INSIGHTS

Garmin Connect Insights includes a host of new wellness insights to help Garmin Connect users achieve their fitness and wellness goals.

Leveraging millions of hours of sleep and billions of steps logged every day, Garmin Connect Insights provide cues to help users reach health and wellness goals and shout-outs when milestones have been met. The smart insights also provide relevant healthy tips from experts and show users how they are doing in comparison to people like them for extra motivation.

Garmin Connect Insights’ personalised recommendations are pushed to users based on their Garmin Connect data. Wellness insights at launch include sleep analysis and goal prediction, which features analysis of users’ daily step trends, predicted step total and cues reminding them to get up and move if they aren’t on track to meet their daily step goal. Insights also features suggested supporting videos or news articles to provide users with smart coaching, and congratulatory messages when milestones are reached, providing a virtual high-five to users for extra encouragement in pursuit of their fitness goals. Utilising data collected from the Garmin Connect community for over a decade, Insights is able to show users how their data stacks up against the average person their age and gender. At launch this will include benchmarks for step totals with more comparisons coming soon.

Garmin Connect Insights will be available to Australian users in January with additional Insight wellness features rolling out through 2016.

For decades, Garmin has pioneered new GPS navigation and wireless devices and applications that are designed for people who live an active lifestyle. Garmin serves five primary business units, including automotive, aviation, fitness, marine, and outdoor recreation.