Garmin MARQ Commander Smartwatch In-Depth Review

When Garmin released their MARQ collection last year, it became quickly apparent that these luxury wearables were going to perfectly fill the gap for those wanting both luxury aesthetic and demanding functionality. The collection started with five models: the MARQ Athlete, Driver, Captain, Aviator and Adventurer, but then several months later, purposely designed for brave adventurers, soldiers and weekend warriors, came the Garmin MARQ Commander.

It is widely known that Garmin watches are already used by the military for training and navigating missions, so the Garmin MARQ Commander seems to a perfect luxury alternative for those looking for a more dressier design that can go from staying undercover in the wilderness to pairing with black-tie on an evening out. The stealthy, matte black MARQ Commander is filled with some remarkable secret agent-esque features that even James Bond would find useful including a unique kill switch, night vision compatibility and an always-on display. Let’s take a look at the Garmin MARQ Commander smartwatch in more detail…

TACTICAL TRAINING FEATURES

First things first, let’s delve into some of the features that make the Garmin MARQ Commander stand out from the rest within the collection. It is the very first modern tool watch to offer dual format GPS coordinates, built-in topographic maps and UTC markings on the bezel allowing you to synchronise operations effortlessly and provide unparalleled situational awareness in every environment. For missions at night, the remarkable night vision function keeps your movements cloaked in darkness when used with compatible night vision equipment.

One of the Garmin MARQ Commander’s most significant abilities is its unique Kill Switch and Stealth Mode feature. When set, you can press the kill switch pusher on the case to instantly erase sensitive personal data on the device while stealth mode stops storing and sharing your GPS position and wireless communication altogether. This remarkable innovation is essential for those in the military, while providing those of us who are everyday wearer’s with additional personal security and our own James Bond style gadget! Lastly, Jumpmaster mode is designed for use when skydiving and detects automatically when you have jumped to begin navigating toward the desired impact point using the barometer and electronic compass.

CASE & STRAP

Making a statement in all-black, the Garmin MARQ Commander smartwatch has been carefully designed for stealth and adventure. The matte black case is engineered from lightweight titanium and measures to 46mm in diameter and fitted with a UTC bezel for easy organisation with the rest of the squadron. A special knurled effect is used on the bezel, brown and pushers for a secure feel and easy manipulation with gloves on. Scratch resistant sapphire crystal glass is also used to protect the touchscreen display and provides a water resistance of 100 metres.

The strap of the Garmin MARQ Commander is rather breathtaking, and effortlessly takes the timepiece from an out-of-office mission to a formal occasion. It is crafted from elite tritone black jacquard-weave nylon renowned for its strength and robustness while its flush mounted hardware and keepers provide perfect form and function.

FITNESS FEATURES

For use at the gym, on the road or while tactical training, the Garmin MARQ Commander comes fitted with an exceptional array of fitness features to monitor your progress and health. The wrist based heart rate monitor is one of the first by Garmin to work underwater and helps gauge your pulse and track how hard you are working during particular activities. This feature also assists the Stress Score feature and the advanced training metrics so you can monitor key aspects of your tactical training progress and get a better look at your current performance level. For those training at high altitudes, the Pulse Ox sensor allows you to gain awareness of how your body’s oxygen levels are adjusting while the ClimbPro ascent planner helps you get up there in the first place with real-time information on your current and upcoming climbs, including gradient, distance and elevation gain.

The Garmin MARQ Commander is one of the first few smartwatches from Garmin to feature their new PacePro function. The useful training feature allows users to enter custom start and finish points and a target competition times. This means that the watch will tell you exactly how fast you should be aiming to run, cycle, swim etc to complete each mile and ultimately reach your goal. The Pace Pro function even considers hills and slopes for ultimate training awareness. To keep track of your overall wellbeing and health, Respiration Tracking and Hydration Tracking monitors your breathtaking and water intake throughout the day.

LOCATION FEATURES

For military personnel or anyone who often finds themselves out in the unknown, a smartwatch with exceptional location features is essential. The Garmin MARQ Commander boasts access to multiple global navigation satellite systems including GPS, GLONASS and Galileo so you can venture out into more difficult environments than just relying on GPS alone. The handy ABC sensors also help you navigate your route with an altimeter for elevation data, barometer to monitor weather and 3-axis electronic compass for direction.

For tactical training or just general off-road adventures, the Round-trip Routing feature allows you to enter a distance you want to travel and provides you with suggested routes that will take you back to your starting point. Trendline popularity routing also helps you find the best local paths wherever you find yourself while the TopoActive Europe maps give you an easy to read coloured view of your route. For days of ‘rest’, the Garmin MARQ Commander also features access to over 41,000 full-colour golf courses around the world as well as 2,000 worldwide ski resorts.

BATTERY LIFE

An extended battery life could mean the difference between life or death for those brave enough to answer the call of duty, and with up to 12 days of battery life in smartwatch mode, the Garmin MARQ Commander smartwatch can be safely relied on. Even in GPS mode, the battery promises up to 28 hours of power, 48 hours in UltraTrac mode and 9 hours with GPS and music. For days when battery life becomes essential, the Power Manager feature will offer suggestions to save your battery such as turning off certain apps like music or maps.

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SOCIAL FEATURES

When life slows down, the Garmin MARQ Commander remains your right hand man with incredible smart notification that keep you in touch with friends, family and work with emails, texts and alerts sent straight to your wrist. Like all the smartwatches in the MARQ collection, you get the Garmin Pay contactless system which allows you to pay with a simple swipe at checkouts and music storage for up to 2,000 songs and access to streaming apps like Spotify, Deezer and Amazon Music.

Whether you truly are a real-life James Bond or simply inspired by the bravery of those that are, the Garmin MARQ Commander smartwatch is the ultimate tactical training wearable for you. You can order the MARQ Commander and the entire Garmin MARQ smartwatch collection on the Jura Watches website with interest free finance and free delivery available.