Dive In and Make a Splash with the New Garmin Swim Watch

Not my kind of thing, but I could see how it has its uses and can be useful..

Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, today announced Garmin Swim™ – its first training watch designed specifically for swimmers that lets users track stroke type, stroke count, distance, pace, lengths and much more. This stylish thin watch also allows swimmers to track their workouts and drills in real-time. Garmin Swim was announced in preparation for the U.S. Masters Swimming Championships in Omaha, Nebraska July 5-8 where it will be prominently displayed.

“Garmin Swim will quickly replace the log books and journals so many swimmers have come to rely on for tracking their progress,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin’s vice president of worldwide sales. “At a glance, swimmers will know their time, distance, pace and be able to wear this watch as an everyday timepiece, all without having to worry about charging it.”

Garmin Swim is ready to go right out of the box – swimmers need only to tell it the length of the pool they are swimming in and begin their workout. Its sleek profile allows it to cut right through the water, so it won’t cause drag or slow swimmers down. Garmin Swim’s battery lasts approximately one year and is easy to replace at home, so swimmers won’t have to send it away to stay powered. To see Garmin Swim in action go to: www.garmin.com/swim.

With Garmin Swim on the wrist, swimmers can focus on their technique instead of what lap they are on. Garmin Swim automatically knows the stroke swimmers are using and tracks their lengths, strokes, distance, pace and more. With a few button presses, swimmers can also log drills or start timed sets without constantly monitoring the pool clock. It even calculates swimmers’ swolf scores to help gauge efficiency, making it ideal for lap swimmers of all levels. The intuitive interface utilizes 6 buttons, so functions can be accessed quickly and easily.

Slim and attractive enough to be worn as a daily watch, Garmin Swim serves as a personal reminder of swimmers’ goals. To help swimmers stay motivated, it displays their weekly accumulated distance under the time of day. Watch features include dual time zones and alarm — so no more early morning excuses for not getting to the pool.

Upon completion of a workout, swimmers can upload their swim data to Garmin Connect™ (http://connect.garmin.com), a website for free online analysis. Here swimmers can quickly and easily view their workouts, track their totals, set goals, share workouts and data with coaches, friends and family and participate in an online fitness community of more than 80 million activities around the world. Through the magic of ANT+™ wireless technology and the USB stick that comes with the Garmin Swim, swimmers’ workout data automatically transfers to their computer when in range. Garmin Connect is Mac® and Windows® compatible.

Garmin Swim is available now and has a suggested retail price of $149.99. Garmin Swim is the latest solution from Garmin’s expanding fitness segment, which focuses on developing technologies and innovations to enhance users’ lives and promotes healthy and active lifestyles. Whether it’s running, cycling, or other athletic pursuits, Garmin fitness devices are becoming essential tools for athletes both amateur and elite. For more about features, pricing and availability, as well as information about Garmin’s other fitness products and services, go to www.garmin.com/intosports