5ATM - Waterproofness

It's a Tri watch. Garmin will have checked its o.k. For swimming!

CW

All my research confirms that 5ATM is not a sufficient waterproofness level for swimming.

That's interesting. My research says different. Can you please direct me to a source of this conclusion?

Have a look at this chart:
http://www.garmin.com/en-US/legal/waterrating

Garmin says that a watch rated 5ATM is suitable for surface swimming and even jumping into water. It is not suitable for high-speed water sports and scuba diving.

In the past I have used many watches rated 5ATM, and for all of them the manufacturer specified that they are ok for swimming. I used them in the pool regularly (and in sea water water occasionally) and none of them failed.

If you own a 935, does the box state 5ATM or 10ATM waterproofness level? I have my fingers crossed it is 10ATM.

Thanks.

Box says 5 ATM, definition of which is "Withstands pressures equivalent to a depth of 50 meters"

Pretty sure no swimming pool or outside swim I do will be that deep ;)

Box says 5 ATM, definition of which is "Withstands pressures equivalent to a depth of 50 meters"

Pretty sure no swimming pool or outside swim I do will be that deep ;)

That's the point, you misunderstand the rating. If you were to hit the water hard enough the pressure could vastly exceed the 50m/5ATM rating. You (personally) cannot swim to a 50m depth, so this point is moot. It's the equivalent pressure it can withstand up to the pressure exerted on a static (not moving!) object at 50metre underwater equivalent at sea-level.

My original point still stands. I don't really care what Garmin's own website says - you would expect it to be biased towards their products. See picture for the necessary components in order to reach 10ATM+ ratings. Multiple layers are required. For the high price (relative to the 5 series) I would suggest the 935 should have better quality plastic underneath and ideally some form of better screwing to keep all this in place.

My own experience of 5ATM and swimming hasn't been good with Garmin and also other brands - in fact most brands. Some brands over-engineer but can't reach 10ATM, so an 8ATM watch would be badged as 5ATM. My main worry is this watch just reaches 5ATM and no more.

alders chemin

I'm not missing the point at all, 5 ATM will be fine for me for swimming, jumping in, arsing around in the sea on holiday IMHO. Not had a problem at all with my 735XT swimming 3 or 4 times a week in a pool, jet skiing etc.

If you were to hit the water hard enough the pressure could vastly exceed the 50m/5ATM rating.

"Hard enough" is relative. Apparently when surface-swimming or jumping into water the watch does not hit water "hard enough" to exceed 5ATM.

I don't really care what Garmin's own website says

If you assume that Garmin lies about the capability of their devices, then what do you care what water-rating mark they put on the bottom of the watch?

Multiple layers are required.

To achieve higher water rating, perhaps. 5ATM is easier and does not necessarily require multiple layers. This picture only proves that a 10ATM watch is built differently than a 5ATM watch. It does not prove that 5ATM is not enough for swimming.

My own experience of 5ATM and swimming hasn't been good with Garmin and also other brands - in fact most brands. Some brands over-engineer but can't reach 10ATM, so an 8ATM watch would be badged as 5ATM. My main worry is this watch just reaches 5ATM and no more.

Build quality and manufacturing defects are another issue altogether. If you assume that the watch might be poorly designed and/or manufactured then why do you think that adding "multiple layers" and putting a 10ATM mark would help?

I'm not missing the point at all, 5 ATM will be fine for me for swimming, jumping in, arsing around in the sea on holiday IMHO. Not had a problem at all with my 735XT swimming 3 or 4 times a week in a pool, jet skiing etc.

I think you really are missing the point. You seem to infer that jet-skiing would exert a force of 1-metre pressure on the watch if you fell in the water whilst jet-skiing and did not fall more than 1 metre into the water. That isn't how pressure works. If you fell whilst jet-skiing and hit the water with your left wrist the pressure exerted on the watch would be in the region of 3 to 8ATM, depending on how the momentum gained from the speed traveled prior to the fall.

I was trying to state that there is a reason that, for example, jet-ski compliant watches are rated to 10ATM and above for very good reason :D Also, you may have not had an issue with your 735, but others have had; watch-faces falling off after severe impacts in water, etc.

I think you really are missing the point. You seem to infer that jet-skiing would exert a force of 1-metre pressure on the watch if you fell in the water whilst jet-skiing and did not fall more than 1 metre into the water. That isn't how pressure works. If you fell whilst jet-skiing and hit the water with your left wrist the pressure exerted on the watch would be in the region of 3 to 8ATM, depending on how the momentum gained from the speed traveled prior to the fall.

I was trying to state that there is a reason that, for example, jet-ski compliant watches are rated to 10ATM and above for very good reason :D Also, you may have not had an issue with your 735, but others have had; watch-faces falling off after severe impacts in water, etc.

But you said

All my research confirms that 5ATM is not a sufficient waterproofness level for swimming.

and now you talk about jet skiing. No one - including garmin - said that a 5ATM watch is good for jet skiing. But 5ATM is perfectly ok for normal swimming.

really, I am not missing your point. If you need a >=10 ATM watch for YOUR needs, don't buy the 935. For MY needs it is fine.

FFS! Move on! It's same rating as the 920XT, the 910 before it and the 310 before that. It's sufficiently waterproof for swimming in the pool or in the open water. If you want to do anything other than swim in the water with it, then buy something else!

And FWIW, I've spent hours in the pools and open water swimming with Garmin devices since the 310, through the 910 and into the 920. And never had any problems with water ingress.

Are you really stupid enough to believe that Garmin would sell a device for swimming that is not up to the job!