More and more people are wearing some sort of smartwatch when venturing into the backcountry. There are likely to be some uses and functions for smartwatches in the BC field that you may seem familiar with but actually don't know. Recently, we picked up Garmin, which has been attracting attention among backcountry enthusiasts, and our reader reporter asked the manufacturer to tell us how to use it in depth.
Do you use a smartwatch in the backcountry?
Many people probably wear a smartwatch when entering a backcountry field. People around me use the Apple Watch most often, and people who go mountain climbing regardless of the season use Sunnto or Garmin. I also use Garmin's smart watch all the time, both in my daily life and in the backcountry field, but I haven't yet found the best way to use it. How do BC enthusiasts utilize smartwatches?
Smartwatches are used in the backcountry, even if you think you know how to use them, but in reality you often don't. So, I want to know exactly how to use it and what potential it has! So, we asked Mr. Taniguchi and Mr. Sakai from Garmin Japan's marketing department about the benefits of using Garmin in the backcountry.
Q. Please tell me about Garmin wearable devices.
A. “Garmin was co-founded in 1989 by electrical engineer Gary Burrell and Min H. Kao. Garmin was named after Gary and Min.The
company first expanded into the marine field by introducing GPS positioning technology into navigation systems for airplane pilots. While working on products such as GPS positioning technology, we have evolved from GPS positioning technology to technology that utilizes various data.Currently, it is incorporated into Garmin's wearable products that you can see, and is expanding into various sports and fitness fields.
The use of wearable watches in the sports field, especially for runners, is remarkable.By combining a heart rate sensor that grasps the state of the body based on GPS measurement technology, it can not only record but also monitor the heart rate at that time. The feature is that it can simultaneously record various life log data such as .
However, what is provided by GPS and various sensors is nothing more than data, and the real value of wearable devices lies in how users can utilize the accumulated data in their daily conditioning to create conditions that will give them their best performance. The question is whether to create it.
Using Garmin's unique "body battery" that shows the body's remaining energy, life log functions including sleep tracking, and exercise management functions, Garmin is able to deliver optimal performance when you want to show your potential. We believe that this is the true value of a wearable watch,''
Mr. Taniguchi said.
fēnix 8 Sapphire AMOLED | Flagship GPS watch
This is the flagship model "fēnix 8" that Garmin Japan recommends to backcountry users.
It has excellent visibility, battery life, and durability, and is tough enough to withstand harsh outdoor use. Leach is a rugby player, and his image of Michael is perfect.
The stylish design is appealing both in appearance and in everyday business use.
GARMIN
◆Official HP／ https://www.garmin.co.jp/
Q.What functions can I use in the backcountry?
A. “Garmin wearable watches can record over 100 different activities, from running, swimming to mountain climbing. It has been well received by competitive athletes who like to combine sports.Backcountry
is also a multi-disciplinary activity that combines mountain climbing, skiing, and snowboarding, and it is possible to track various scenes by combining various sensors. Battery life is very important for this kind of activity.Depending on the model, some models can last up to 84 hours even in GPS mode (Fenix 8 51mm), so you can use them in the field with confidence. Another feature is that it can be used in
①Route tracking using highly accurate GPS
GPS tracking is familiar from smartphone mountaineering apps, but Garmin's GPS devices are characterized by their extremely accurate tracking.
Behavioral data of Mt. Gassan backcountry where I went skiing in April 2024.
Information on hikes and transition runs is accurately digitized on the map.
Data that graphically expresses altitude differences, hike and ski times, speeds, etc.
When combined with a map, you can see at a glance what kind of actions they were taking.
② Tracking log data such as altitude difference, heart rate data, and calories burned
Data unique to a wearable watch can be collected as a log, such as heart rate data during activities, altitude difference during activities, and calories burned during activities. In particular, data such as training effects and calorie consumption can be used as a reference for the next activity, such as how much load is required compared to normal exercise, and how many calories are required for the activity. .
You can see how much the 7-hour mountain hike affected me.My
weekly exercise load of living in the city during the off-season is about 150. Compared to that, it is 280, which means that one day in the mountains is exerting more than a week's worth of stress.
If you want to be more comfortable while hiking, you will realize that you need to be more aware of the stress you can handle on a daily basis.
, you can see how much energy you expended due to the difference in altitude.
During the 7-hour hike, you burned 2,360 calories and sweated an estimated 6 liters. You can see that you need to take in calories the day before to support this amount of consumption, and you need to take in calories during your activities as well.
It was a hot day, so I think I was sweating a lot. Maybe it was because I didn't have much water with me. I was quite tired that day, so I guess I was actually dehydrated.
Q.What are the benefits of using wearable devices?
A. “While it's fun just to track your activities and check the data with Garmin's wearable watch, Garmin actually uses this data to help you reach your full potential during future activities.
includes a wide variety of models, from stylish models for everyday use to athlete models for serious sports. That's why it's there.
It tracks your daily physical condition and activity based on Garmin's unique feature called "Body Battery," which analyzes data such as sleep and stress and expresses it as a numerical value between 5 and 100. I think the great advantage and unique feature of Garmin's wearable watch is that it allows you to understand trends in your own physical condition and use it as a reference for daily conditioning in preparation for days when you want to be active.
Obtaining “ sleep data
Garmin wearable watches measure sleep scores, which rate sleep quality on a 100-point scale, sleep stages such as light/deep/REM/awakening, and naps. By knowing your sleep, you can gain a deeper understanding of your own body's condition.
By looking back on your pre-sleep behavior based on your own sleep patterns and scores, you will be able to figure out the behavioral pattern that will give you the best sleep. By the way, drinking alcohol before going to bed is a no-no.
Let's take a look at the actual data. By wearing the device while sleeping, you can obtain this kind of sleep data.
Of course, the quality of your sleep is greatly influenced by what you do before you sleep, and you can clearly see that the quality changes greatly depending on your actions. The data below is data from the day when I did activities all day the day before, and data from the day when I drank alcohol for a long time and slept the day before. The difference is obvious.
Data from a day when I did activities all day the day before and got a good night's sleep. Mid-way awakening only occurs when I wake up from sleep.
Sleep data when you drank alcohol for a long time the previous day. Awakenings occur intermittently during sleep.
Understand yourself “here and now” with “ Body Battery
"Body Battery" is a feature unique to Garmin that measures the "body battery level" on a scale of 5-100. A higher score means you have more energy available for activities and exercise during the day.
Conversely, the lower the score, the more you need to conserve your physical strength and get enough rest to recover.
Body battery is linked to sleep data and daytime activity. A good night's sleep will restore your battery; a bad night's sleep won't restore it much. During the day, the stress level is recorded using heart rate variability (HRV) throughout the day, and when this is high, it appears that the body battery is being consumed.
Body battery the day after an active day
It can be seen that the body battery is greatly restored through sleep, and is consumed rapidly during the day when traveling for work or at the gym.
Body battery the day after drinking for a long time
Even when they are sleeping, they are stressed, and it is difficult to work when their body battery is not fully recovered, and this is reflected in the data.
Just by looking back at some of these data, we can see how the way we spend our days affects our sleep and daytime vitality. Especially on long backcountry tours, it's easy to binge drink at night, but if you want to stay energized and reach your potential, you should limit the amount of alcohol you drink. I'm starting to understand things.
And the same goes for everyday life. If you run out of energy, you can't move. Charge it before it discharges. It is really useful for protecting your health as evidence that ``the body doesn't lie.''
Summary: and things I learned about using wearable devices in BC
When we think of smartwatches, we tend to focus on how they are used in a log-like manner, where data is collected during activities and utilized for the next activity. However, after listening to the two people from Garmin, I realized that there is another way to use it.
By tracking your daily health data, you can review your daily activities and condition yourself for the days when you want to show your potential. This kind of usage is not limited to the world of sports and hobbies, but is also accepted by business users on a daily basis, and I personally feel that there are various benefits to using it in this way.
Of course, in the backcountry, by increasing your caloric intake than you burn each day and getting into the mountains, and by improving the quality of your sleep before climbing, you can stay in the best condition whether it's a long road trip or a tough one-day tour. Isn't it possible to play while keeping it?
[Finally, a review as a Garmin user]
I've been using Garmin for over two years now. I started having trouble getting enough sleep for a certain period of time, and I bought Garmin's entry-level model after being told that I could measure my sleep with a smartwatch.
After wearing my Garmin for a while, I discovered that my sleep problems were caused by my long habit of working on my computer right before bed, drinking alcohol, and eating dinner late. Drinking and eating that put stress on the body before going to bed greatly reduced the quality of sleep, and at the same time, working on the computer took time for the brain to calm down, which significantly reduced the quality of sleep. The rhythm of work and life was greatly reducing the quality of sleep and daily performance.
After that, my trust in Garmin suddenly increased. I purchased "Decent MK3" which is suitable for diving, mountain climbing and backcountry activities. From managing daily work and life rhythms to managing logs of activities in the field, this single device handles everything. Managing the rhythm of my life is extremely helpful for maintaining performance, even on long backcountry tours, and of course at work.
Why not take a look into the world of data-centric performance management with Garmin?
A new daily life and a world of mountains may open up!
Interview cooperation: Garmin LTD.