Garmin is a pioneer in making specialized adventure watches. Its Tactix watch is the latest addition to its line of robust army-grade watches. If you have used or seen the Garmin Fenix 5, you are going to notice a lot of similarities between it and the Tactix.
The latter seems like an updated version of the Fenix. This is not something new by Garmin. Owing to the extreme popularity of the Fenix series, Garmin has introduced several watches, in its lineup, which share the Fenix form factor and / or features. These watches include the Quatix (marine) and the D2 (aviation) version.
Tactix has been inspired from military ware and its name is a play on ‘tactic’. This is not coincidental. Garmin introduced this watch as an option for military personnel to use on the field.
Let us learn more about this watch through my Garmin Tactix review.
Let’s Jump to the Review!
Product: Garmin Tactix Watch
My Rating: 9/10
Price: Check
Warranty: Yes
Cheapest Place to Buy: Amazon.com
The Garmin Tactix Features
Reliable Navigation And Tracking Back With Garmin Tactix
Tactix brings all the essential navigational features in its system. Like most high end adventure watches, this one also comes with a GPS system.
The GPS system gives you all the coordinates of your current position and the position you want to go to. It will also show you directions to specific bearings.
There is the navigation arrow which allows you to have directions to the location of your desire. A TrackBack feature records your movement and gives you direction to your starting point, in case you hit an emergency during your track.
Together with the below mentioned sensors, you can always be sure of your position and your destination, with zero chances of getting lost. The GPS and TrackBack systems are very reliable and will not fail on you under any normal circumstances.
Moreover, the watch also has dual-position readout which will let you get all the details of your current position, including the latitude, longitude, MGRS data, etc.
These features help in search and rescue during military operation and are present due to the military-grade nature of the watch.
Multiple Sensors And Compass Included
Perhaps the most important feature for any hiking watch, apart from telling the time, is to give you data about your altitude, atmospheric pressure and direction.
The Tactix is able to do all these due to the ABC sensors embedded in it. ABC stands for altimeter, barometer and compass.
With these three sensors, you can truly make the most of your hiking trip. The altimeter and the barometer will keep feeding you information about your climb and any patterns developing in the air pressure.
The latter is important to predict weather and any upcoming storms. The GPS system works to calibrate the ABS system and stay in sync, with respect to your position.
This is great as you can get precise readings without waiting, while on the move. There is also a temperature sensor which helps in creating data for weather forecasting.
The impressive property about this sensor is that it comes with Tempe, which ignores the body temperature of the user and calculates only the real temperature.
Global Basecamp Framework Installed In The Watch
The Garmin Tactix comes with a preloaded Global Basemap, through which you can access the data for the cities which are nearby. Again, this is a feature which only high end watches have and will be appreciated by hikers going in group.
The Global Basemap setting lets you plan a track with your mates and share the route with them (or your friends and family), to ensure that everyone stays in the agreed direction.
The Global Basemap is supplemented with ANT+ and Bluetooth facilities for syncing and sharing routes between hiking partners. The watch can also be paired up with a BaseCamp mobile app, which opens up more possibilities regarding the control of your route.
Advance Profiling And Data Display
The Garmin Tactix comes with some unique data processing and customization, not found in the ordinary hiking watches. You can take control of your data fields and build your custom profile, or just select the default profiles for activities such as running, cycling, hiking, etc.
When you customize the profile, you can choose specific data for specific activities, to give you the exact information you would need. The custom profile can be saved with a name so that you can access it quickly.
Trainer And Data Analyzer
The Tactix watch comes with several features to store and display data from various physical activities. The data includes measures for distance, time, calorie, speed, heartbeat rate, etc.
This data can be visualized through the graph feature, which will help you better analyze the performance and pinpoint the areas where you need improvement in.
Besides the inbuilt software, the watch can also be used as a remote controller for the VIRB action camera, which will allow you to get all the angles of your activity recorded as you perform.
Water Resistant and Highly Durable
It is no surprise that, being an adventure friendly watch, the Tactix is super robust and water resistant. The water resistance is active up till 50 meters deep, which is more than sufficient enough depth while hiking or tracking.
The watch also has tide data and Jumpmaster system installed in it for aerial coordination, while under water. Talking about its durability, the watch has a military grade construction and can survive even the greatest of impacts / falls.
It is made for use by military personnel during active duty and hence works as robustly as a rock. All the hardware in the watch has been reinforced to work reliably, even under extreme conditions.
Garmin Tactix Watch Usage In Outdoor Activities
Now that we have covered all the major features of the Garmin Tactix, lets see how you can use these features for outdoor activities. Being a rugged watch, with water resistance and a ton of navigation features, Tactix is a popular choice for enthusiasts of a variety of physical activities. Some of the most popular outdoor activities for Tactix users are:
Hiking
The Garmin Tactix is an ideal watch for hiking. It comes with ABC sensors and a GPS system. Together, these two systems are the only ones any hiker will ever need. The ABC system shows accurate data about your altitude, atmosphere and direction.
The GPS provides precise details about the coordinates, bearings and your direction, based on the route you have put in at the start of the journey.
In case you are heading towards a storm, the barometer will warn you to abort the journey. You can also rely on the TrackBack feature for going back to your starting point, in case you meet any emergency or a sudden weather change.
Moreover, the data analyzing system will keep track of your distance, heart rate and speed, which will allow you and your group to stay together, at a similar pace.
Cycling
The Tactix watch is a great option for cyclists. It will keep track of all the fundamental vitals involved in cycling and even help you improve your daily performance, by showing you graphs for better visualization.
The GPS and navigation system in the watch will guide you through your cycling route. The cycling route itself can be downloaded independently and even shared with your cycling partners, enabling them to tag along with you.
Running
The Tactix is perfect for use during running. It will help you build your stamina and endurance as you practice every day. All your running is recorded precisely in the watch including your distance, average speed, heart rate, calories burnt, etc.
You can use the data to analyze your performance and see where you need to improve more.
Daily Use
Apart from being used in a variety of activities, the Tactix is also stylish enough to fit in as a watch for daily use. It’s minimalist black body and the textured strap will make it a subject of attention and appreciation in your everyday life.
Here’s a YouTube video by RIZKNOWS providing an overview on the Garmin Tactix:
Final verdict
We have now reached the end of my Garmin Tactix watch review. All in all, this watch is incredible. It comes with a ton of features, is super durable and has a stylish exterior.
Due to its premium nature, has a high price tag, but the investment is well worth it considering the watch’s performance and abilities. This watch is going to your companion across your ventures. It is one of the best watch for hiking and other adventure activities.
You may be interested to have a look at my list for the best hiking watches for 2017.
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