Can the new Garmin Cirqa fitness tracker survive being submerged in just over one foot of water for 30 minutes? As part of my forthcoming Cirqa review, I decided to find out.
Garmin promises 50 meters of water resistance for the new screen-free Cirqa fitness tracker, which should be more than enough to make it through this test unscathed, but is that actually the case? Read on.
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What’s in a waterproof rating?
Waterproof ratings for wearables can be tricky business. After all, a 50-meter water resistance rating doesn’t actually mean you can swim at a depth of 50 meters and expect the device to survive.
In reality, 50 meters of water resistance translates to protection from water incursions during brief-ish surface-level swims. Most smartwatch manufacturers, including Apple, spell out these restrictions on their sites.
Garmin similarly states that the Cirqa’s 50 meters of water resistance is enough for “splashes, rain or snow, showering, swimming, diving into water, and snorkeling.”
Garmin Cirqa waterproof test
For this Garmin Cirqa waterproof test, I placed the device at the bottom of a tall graduated cylinder and filled it until the water level was just over one foot. I then set my trusted darkroom timer for 30 minutes and waited.
Once the time was up, I fished the Cirqa out and inspected it. The fact that the sensor lights were flashing upon my retrieval was immediately a good sign that things seemed to be working properly. I then pressed the single button on the Cirqa — used to start and stop workout tracking without the app — to see if it would vibrate. It did.
Finally, I opened the Garmin Connect app, and sure enough, the Cirqa popped up and began syncing. So, yes, the Garmin Cirqa passed the official Tom’s Guide fitness tracking waterproof test with flying colors. It’s now more than 24 hours later, and the Cirqa is still functioning as it should.
One side note from this test: Unlike the Fitbit Air's quick-drying fabric strap, the Garmin Cirqa strap seems to retain water, which translates to a very long dry time. After this particular soaking, for example, the Cirqa strap was still damp nearly two hours later; hardly ideal.
Which smartwatch or wearable should I waterproof test next? Let me know below.
