Details
Brand
Garmin
Model
Vivofit 4
Battery Life
1 year
Use
Tracking
Latest Version
Yes
Key Features
• Two standard band sizes: small/medium and Large• Offered in black, white and speckle• 1 year of battery life• Move IQ technology develops smart goals after learning about your activity level• Face display is visible in bright sunlight• Customizable face colors, fonts, phrases, and display options• Comes with alarm, stopwatch, and find phone features• Compatible with iPhone and Androids• Colored alert bar notifies you when you haven’t moved• Connects via Bluetooth to Garmin Connect App• Toe to toe feature allows parents and children to engage in competitions• True Up technology identifies which activity is being performed• Waterproof and safe for swimming
Comfort
Athletes reported that they forgot that they were even wearing this watch because of how comfortable and lightweight it is on their wrist. The key features of this watch is that the battery life lasts up to a year without needing to be recharged. Athletes purchase this watch over others because they don’t have to take it off, even in the shower! It is designed to be comfortable and actually become a part of your day to day wardrobe. Some runners reported wearing it for months at a time without taking it off.
Size
This is a sleek and slim watch. Unlike some other Garmin models and activity watches, the face is rectangular and follows the shape of the band, creating a continuous 19mm width throughout the entire watch. The standard band comes in two sizes, small/medium and large. The circumference ranges from 122 mm to 215 mm to fit all shapes and sizes. Each band comes with a number of different sized holes to ensure the perfect fit.
Accessories
The watch comes with the Garmin Connect App that is free to download onto an iPhone or Android. It also comes with an alarm feature, a countdown timer, and a stopwatch for the athlete who is looking to perform speed work on the track. Runners can also connect to their children using the Toe to Toe feature that allows parents and children to face off in daily step competitions. There a handful of optional accessories that can be purchased separately with this watch like different colored bands to personalize your look.
Style
The watch itself is thin and minimalist in design. It is a mere 19 millimeters wide and 9 millimeters thick. The watch face is constantly illuminated and rests flush against the band. The watch band comes in three basic colors, white, black or speckled. Replacement bands can be purchased for an additional price. These bands offer the athlete more color and styling options including merlot and navy speckle.
Activities
This watch is designed to cover any activity that you choose to participate in. For starters, one of the details that set this watch apart from others is that this watch is waterproof and can be worn during all swimming adventures. Since this watch tracks steps and calories burned during all activity, this is a great watch for a triathlete. The MOVE IQ technology identifies which activity you are doing, and adjusts accordingly
Basic Features
This watch is designed to cover any activity that you choose to participate in. For starters, one of the details that set this watch apart from others is that this watch is waterproof and can be worn during all swimming adventures. Since this watch tracks steps and calories burned during all activity, this is a great watch for a triathlete. The MOVE IQ technology identifies which activity you are doing, and adjusts accordingly
Advanced Features
The Garmin Vivofit 4 creates personalized step and calorie goals. After time, it will learn about you and your average amount of movement and activity during a given day, and design goals that challenge you, but are also attainable. Because of the smart technology of the MOVE IQ, this watch automatically detects which type of activity you are doing, whether it is running, walking, working out on the eliptical, biking, or swimming, and will classify and adjust accordingly. Not only does it track your movement, it tracks your minutes and hours of inactivity and kindly nudges you to get up and get moving. It also has Garmin’s patented Toe to Toe feature. This connects you and your child via the Vivofit Jr 2 and allows you to compete in step and activity competitions with one another.
Connectivity
The Vivofit 4 uses Bluetooth smart and ANT+ technology to connect the watch to Garmin Connect. Athletes can easily look at and track their progress on either their PCs or their phones using the available apps. The watch connects automatically throughout the day to ensure that data is up to date. This product is designed to connect to your PC, IPhone, or Android.
Ease of Use
Runners reported that this watch is very intuitive to the needs of the athlete. The face is always illuminated and is easily visible even in bright sunlight. The displays are large and easy to read. Additionally, the outline of the technology that goes with the Garmin Vivofit 4 makes it possible to easily compare progress and goals from week to week and day to day. In terms of the overall technology usage, runners found this watch to be very easy to use. The watch automatically updates using Bluetooth and Garmin Connect technology so there is no need to remember to update your data. Likewise, the app is easy and free to download and the website connected to the Garmin Vivofit 4 is easy to navigate.
Power Source
The most unique detail about this watch is that it stays charged for an entire year. No need to connect it to anything and no need to even ever take it off. In terms of connectivity, the Vivofit 4 connects to Garmin Connect via Bluetooth technology.
Accuracy
Garmin is a leader in GPS technology and their fitness watches have been leading the way with fitness watch technology. The Vivofit 4 uses Bluetooth smart technology and ANT+ to ensure that steps, calories, and distances are all accurately displayed and tracked.
Face
The face of the watch is designed to be visible in all conditions. One of the main issues with an activity watch face is that in certain settings, the displays can be impossible to read. Garmin addressed this issue by creating a watch face that can be seen in bright sunlight or dim evenings. The display is always on and always in color. The screen can be customized with different colors, watch faces, and even phrases that come up on the watch face.
Band
The band is offered in two different sizing options. The first is small/medium that measures 122 to 188 millimeters around. The second sizing option is large that fits 148 to 215 millimeters around. The band comes in three standard colors but additional color options can be purchased. Garmin uses silicon with a TPU strap to add durability and comfort to the band. Runners reported that this band doesn’t rub or cause irritation like others they have purchased in the past.
Apps
The App that is designed to be used with this product is the Garmin Connect App. This App can be found and used on both iPhones and Androids. It is free to download to the phone and is very user-friendly. Users described it as intuitive and simple to understand. The app clearly displays the current day’s activity as well as the activity over the course of the week and even months, so athletes can track and compare their progress over time. Since the watch uses Bluetooth technology, it automatically updates throughout the day and sends the update to the app for easy viewing.
Durability
This watch receives high marks in a variety of different durability areas. For one, the battery of this watch is literally designed to last a whole year. You don’t need to recharge this guy for an entire year! The watch is waterproof and can be worn while swimming or bathing. The band is made from a silicon and TPU combination that is practically tear-proof. If something does happen to your Vivofit 4, the watch does come with a limited warranty that covers most issues.
Price
The price of this watch is very affordable compared to other activity watches on the market today. Athletes were pleased that they were able to get the quality and assurance of a trusted name like Garmin without paying hundreds of dollars. Additionally, since this watch is waterproof and can be used for swimming, athletes found the value to be even greater since there was no need to purchase two separate activity watches for land and sea. The synthetic TPU band is durable and holds up against wear and tear. Runners reported that it is virtually indestructible, which means that they really get their money’s worth.
Bottom Line
The Garmin Vivofit 4 is an activity watch in a long line of Garmin products that provides accuracy and motivation to kickstart a healthy lifestyle. The Vivofit 4 is waterproof and durable and is a great choice for the seasoned athlete as well as the athlete who is just starting out on their fitness journey. The watch performs all of the basic functions of an activity watch. It tracks steps, distance traveled, calories burned, and heart rate. It also has more advanced features like the Move IQ that not only is able to identify which activity you are participating in, but it also gets to know your movement and it develops smart goals for you that are challenging but attainable. The watch is slim and sleek and comes in three standard colors, white, black and speckle, with the option of purchasing different bands separately. Runners love the Garmin Connect App and reported that it was easy to use and intuitive to their needs. This is a very affordable watch too and provides all of the quality of a Garmin product without the higher price tag.
