Garmin Black Friday: Smartwatches, Fish Finders, and More

Invest in outdoor tech while prices are slashed for the holidays

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Garmin makes some of our favorite adventure electronics, and Black Friday is the right time to invest in pricey outdoor tech. We found some of our favorite field-tested devices discounted for the Garmin Black Friday sale. Check out our reviews and the best deals below.

Smartwatches

Hunter wears Garmin Instinct GPS watch.
The waypoint features on the Instinct’s Hunt GPS activity mode help you drop specific pins, like “Covey” and “Upland game,” not unlike the onX Hunt app. Natalie Krebs

Many of the Instinct 2 Series features that are most useful to hunters, anglers, and other outdoor enthusiasts are the same ones that the first-gen watch was built around. The new Instinct still offers GPS features like Track Me, and will pair with an inReach device and Garmin’s dog trackers. I tracked a trail run using both my gen-one Instinct Solar and the new 2S Solar to track a trail run, with identical tracking results. There’s a lot to love about the new Instinct 2 Series, but much of what the watch appears to do best is what it’s always done: It’s a low-maintenance, feature-rich, durable smartwatch for anyone who spends lots of time outside. —Natalie Krebs

Read Next: The Garmin Instinct Solar 2 Series Is a Rugged, Customizable Smartwatch with an “Unlimited” Battery Life

Satellite Messengers

Garmin inReach MINI 2 with on-board compass
The Garmin inReach MINI 2 features a new electronic compass. Tyler Freel

Through several years of using Garmin GPS units in remote places and harsh climates, I’ve found the Garmin inReach devices to be durable and dependable. The optimized battery power and user-friendly on-device navigational features make the Mini 2 an even more useful and versatile unit. It’s one of the best handheld GPS options available for anyone looking for a lightweight, compact, and dependable satellite communicator. —Tyler Freel

Read Next: The Garmin inReach MINI 2 Packs Upgraded Features into a Familiar, Handy Device

Fish Finders

Best portable fish finders
The author found the Garmin unit to be the easiest to use. Jim Edlund

The first thing I noticed upon turning on the Garmin ECHOMAP UHD 73CV is just how clear and crisp the ClearVu sonar display is, featuring high-contrast vivid scanning sonar palettes that make it easier than ever to distinguish fish and structure. The unit also features pre-loaded LakeVu g3 inland maps, BlueChart g3 coastal charts, and a worldwide basemap that supports Garmin Navionics+ and Garmin Navionics Vision+ marine cartography. So the maps for where I tested it — the Mississippi River — were pretty good. —Jim Edlund

Read Next: Best Portable Fish Finders

More Outdoor Tech

A dog wearing a gps collar.
The Garmin TT15X was named the most accurate in our test of GPS dog collars. Natalie Krebs

While bird hunters and houndsmen will appreciate the feature-packed TT15X (with an advertised 9-mile range in the best conditions), this collar would also work well for a dedicated blood tracking dog and his handler, thanks to its waypoint functionality and detailed tracks. The TT15x’s GPS was the clear accuracy winner, with nuanced tracking that showed my dog’s every move. The GPS tracking interface is info-packed and intuitive, with multiple displays to track your dog, including maps. —Natalie Krebs

Read Next: Best GPS Dog Collars, Tested and Reviewed

 
colorado elk hunters

The Best Deals on Outdoor Gear Gifts

After field-testing the best gear all year long, we know exactly what should be on your shopping list. Check out the top performing outdoors products and the best deals available.

 
Ashley Thess Avatar

Ashley Thess

Associate Gear Editor

Ashley Thess is the Associate Gear Editor for Outdoor Life, where she edits and writes gear reviews. Originally from Missouri, she now lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she keeps an unruly gear closet.

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