I think it's actually the opposite - silver is LESS likely to get visible scratches, whereas the slate is a coating ON TOP OF the base silver bezel. Others with the slate can comment here, but I bought the silver specifically to avoid scratches removing any of the coating that's on the slate one. I've seen pics over time of other slate bezel Garmin watches and that slate coating seems to show scratches more, to me. Since the silver bezel has no coating on it, I'd say it's less likely to show scratches. But I've read some VA3 owners with the slate bezel are fine with it. Personally I like the silver. That's why they have both! :)
Have to agree with Neil_Rosser; Slate is probably more sensitive to scratches due to the coating method.
That said; I've been wearing the slate version close to 24/7 since late October-17, not a single scratch yet. Normally not exposed to especially rough conditions, however I have never taken any extra precautions to protect it either.
Thx so much for the feedback. I watched one reviewer online who complained about a scratch on the silver bevel of the V3, even though--he said--he had been careful to protect it. That's what gave me pause.
As a Slate owner I will also say if you are unlucky enough to scratch it then you will notice is but like SAHO I have owned mine since 2017 and it is tough to scratch, I have not managed it yet. With the silver I am also pretty sure you could carefully buff out some scratches in the metal as it's un-coated.
While I don't have va3 in silver I do have a forerunner with a silver bezel and these things are hard to scratch. I have however achieved a scratch.
The circumstances are interesting, my local ninja warrior course has one of those walls that you run up. I made contact with the metal pipe as I pulled myself up. It was a most annoying sound and feeling. Jubilation at achieving the wall and sadness that I knew my pristine watch was likely scratched. Well it is scratched but unless you look really closely in just the right light it is pretty much invisible.
The moral is keep it safe, scratches will happen but brushed steel hides scratches well.
I went with a silver VA3 because Garmin slates have a rep for visible scratches (it's just a coating after all) and because I even came across a forum member who had scratched his slate VA3 (a bike crash, I believe) and the scratch wasn't pretty. Yes, the silver version can get scratches as well but they are not as visible.
I find slate version sratch resistant, it survived many attacs of my dog without single sratch. Not sure why you think that slate layer covers the silver one. I would assume that both cover white plastic ...
Slate, since last November. No scratches until last week when I accidentally rubbed my arm against a brick wall. Still, doesn't look too bad and would go slate again any time.
