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Epix 2 vs Going underwater

fred198
over 3 years ago

Dear Community,

I'll soon receive my EPIX 2 and I am wondering if I can use it underwater for the following activities:

1. Scuba Diving: max depth 60m, I just want to keep my watch as a time keeper, maybe use an alarm or timer, NOT to measure depth or pure scuba stuff, I have a dive computer for this.

2/ Free diving: beside practising apnea in the pool (horizontally) I would like to keep my watch when free diving in open water going "down".

I read that the watch is 10atm (100m) water resistant but on the EPIX 2 user manual (https://www8.garmin.com/manuals/webhelp/GUID-E5C62F3F-DCE3-4197-8CA5-E419B2A55D12/EN-US/epix_2_OM_EN-US.pdf) I read "The device is intended for surface swimming. Scuba diving with the device may damage the product and will void the warranty." ... so am wondering why I bought a 100m water restant watch and should not go under water, deeper that what surface swimming would allows.

I am a bit puzzled. Ok I know I could have bought the Descent G1, but it does not offers such nice features as the EPIX and unfortunately, no I can not afford an MK2.

Thanks in advance for your feedback. Fred,

  • 0 over 3 years ago

    100 ATM water resistant doesn't mean it can be used for scuba diving. 100 ATM indicates that your watch is able to withstand said pressure >without movement< for a certain amount of time. I don't know who came up with this method of classification, but it is what it is.

    100 ATM translates to "can be used for swimming (and snorkeling? don't quote me on that)". 

  • 0 over 3 years ago

    While it can possibly go down to those depths, pressing buttons is likely to cause failure cause as far as I am aware only their dive watches have inductive buttons. 

    Personally I wouldn't risk it.

  • 0 over 3 years ago
    Water resistance level Suitability Recommendations
    Water resistant 30 m or 50 m

    (3 ATM or 5 ATM)

    		 Suitable for washing hands and light splashes. Not suitable for swimming or diving
    Water resistant 100 m (10ATM) Suitable for recreational surfing, swimming, snorkeling, sailing and water sports. Not suitable for diving
    Water resistant 200 m (20ATM) Suitable for professional marine activity and serious surface water sports. Suitable for diving
    Diver’s 1000+m (100+ ATM) Suitable for all water activities Typical rating for modern diving watches
  • +1 over 3 years ago

    Over the years I’ve gone down to about 30 m (100 ft) with strong currents wearing earlier model Garmin Fenix as well as a number of watches from other manufacturers, as timers and for funsies of collecting heart rate data via OHR… All dives were upward of 35-40 minutes in length. Some of the watches weren’t even rated at 5ATM of static pressure. All devices survived unscathed.

    That being said, I can’t state it enough:

    • It could have just been my dumb luck
    • No single watch was subjected to more than 5-8 dives 
    • I didn’t press buttons much or at all at the bottom

    TLDR: You might get away scuba diving with your Epix. Most likely it will be just fine if all you do are shallow dives with minimum watch interaction. But it’s not something you should do!

    And if you end up destroying barometer, temperature sensor, or some other not-scuba proved externally facing piece, let alone the very watch, well… You’ve been warned.

  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to nickk

    Thanks all for your feedback. It confirmed what I anticipated ... could work, but better to not risk it ! I'll still enjoy my EPIX2 and carry another watch while diving. Hopefully one day I can afford a MK series :) 

  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to 5530129

    must of my old mechanical diving watches have all been 20bar watches - and never had an issue with those, but then always got them pressure tested, with seal replacement whenever the battery was changed.

  • 0 over 3 years ago

    Been diving in apnea in the sea and swimming pool with 5X, 5Xplus, Instinct1 and Fenix 6 titanium.
    Never pushed the button submerged but once surfacing.
    No issue. Planning to do the same with my Epix with no afterthought.  If I want scuba diving I will invest in a Descent G1.

  • 0 over 3 years ago

     Up until I got the Epic 2 I have been using the Swim 2 (only rated 5 ATM) for snorkling and Freediving down to max 60 ft. After 3 years no problem. As per other comments I only press buttons on the surface.