Garmin Epix2 - Smartwatch for All Occasions

I still remember vividly that moment when I wound up my grandpa's old pocket watch, and after countless years, it began to tick again as if it had never stopped dividing our precious time into the smallest, precise units. Since then, my relationship to watches on my wrist has been ... let's call it ... nostalgic.
In the age of software and in light of the short-lived and fast-paced nature of our professions, where we always have to act on the cutting edge of time, there is something calming about the fact that, with the winding of the crown, a timepiece can still tick as precisely after 50 or 60 years as it did in days long past; when a small, round thing tries to pace our existence into absolute units of time and with a glance at the wrist it simultaneously becomes apparent just how relative time really is.

What does all this have to do with the Garmin Epix, you might ask? Well, wrist space is valuable and also limited. With my appreciation for old watchmaking craftsmanship, no smartwatch has managed to occupy that space for more than a few hours - be it the Apple Watch, the predecessor models of the Garmin Fenix or various Android models.
However, this could change with the Epix 2, and for the following six reasons:

It's now half past 4 in the morning in the Salzkammergut. Time to make your way to the start. The Amoled display of the Epix is sensationally sharp and, as expected, super readable in the dark even in dimmed mode. A twist of the wrist, and the touchscreen shines so brightly that there's no problem with readability even in direct sunlight.
After a year of use, I am still excited about the everyday usability of the Epix. In direct sunlight with the backlight off, the semi-translucent LCDs of Fenix and others may have an advantage, but with the standard display lighting, the difference is not quite so extreme. In all other lighting situations and thus also in my everyday life, the Epix is clearly ahead.

4:56:30 AM in the Salzkammergut, exactly three minutes and thirty-three seconds until the start of the 25th Salzkammergut Trophy. Thanks to the GPS signal, there's no need to worry about the exact time with the Epix, so I can take my position as a photographer punctually two minutes before the start.
The second-accurate time has also become useful for me as a marathon photographer to time my position changes or to measure the distances between the leading and chasing groups. Additionally, it provides precise information about sunrise and sunset at the respective location along with the daily course of the sun.

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Tech Specs General

Back in the Salzkammergut. By now, I'm sitting on the back of the quad, gravel spraying behind us in the curves, so we can arrive at Kriemoos before the first participants, before heading towards Raschberg. Another checking glance at the watch, how much time we've lost in the morning traffic, making sure everything turns out fine.

After a long stint at the Salzkammergut Trophy, the day comes to a proper and cozy end in the tent of the 2RadChaoten. A glance at the Garmin Smartwatch tells me that it's time for a beer. The sun has set in Goisern at an altitude of 500 meters, my pulse has calmed down, and my battery is drained - time for some rest with friends.

The Garmin Epix 2 not only looks good after a few beers, but also after fine white wine and even finer noble fish, it maintains an equally noble appearance.
I like round watches and even though my wrist isn't the bulkiest, the Epix 2 fits perfectly and is very comfortable. The case itself is excellently crafted, the sapphire glass is extremely robust, and the silicone strap wraps around the wrist almost imperceptibly.

For people who like to add a bit of color or variety to the mix, Garmin's Quickfit is a really successful system. The bands can be changed in seconds without any tools. The clasp is extremely secure, and there is a wide selection of original bands, from silicone to leather to matching metal bands.
Thus, the Epix sometimes appears relatively inconspicuous for its size, or at other times becomes a bit more snazzy with a colorful band.

A new day now dawns in the Salzkammergut region. The Sunday after the Trophy is perfect for a leisurely ride in good weather.
Since my Garmin Edge bike computer is by far the most useful tool for me on the go, I didn't necessarily have the Epix 2 on my radar when it comes to bike tours or their navigation and recording. But now I especially appreciate the simplicity of the watch, the quick start of recordings, the easy loading of tracks via Komoot and the like, the clean map display with elevation contour lines, and above all, that it is always available, as long as it's on the wrist and charged. No matter which bike or tour you are on: This incredibly versatile computer is always at hand.

The Quickfit Quarter-Turn Bike Mount is relatively new, a simple adapter to make Garmin watches (20, 22, or 26 mm) compatible with the bike mount via Quickfit. This allows the watch to be transformed into a bike computer mounted on the handlebars in no time at all.
If this is one of the main uses, then the Garmin Fenix is a better choice compared to the Epix. More information on this three paragraphs down.

The greatest strength of the Epix 2 is also the biggest compromise and the reason why a Fenix still has its raison d'être. As sharp and bright as the display of the Epix 2 is in most cases, in direct sunlight it is only readable with full backlight, in contrast to the semi-translucent display of the Fenix.
In this context, of course, I must also add a wish for an even longer battery life, because you can never have enough of it in principle - even if it is basically already satisfactory.

Last but not least, a small point that is probably very individual, and yet has cost me a few meters of recording now and then: While the touchscreen can be easily deactivated to prevent unintended operation, it has happened to me occasionally that the recording was unintentionally stopped.
If you don't regularly check the watch, this can lead to longer interruptions in the track, which can be annoying in the best case and critical in the worst case.

Basically, the Epix and Fenix, in terms of functionality, are very similar. Average users will hardly notice any differences. The crucial point is the display.
While the Epix works with a sharp and bright Amoled display, the Fenix offers significantly lower resolution and brightness, but is extremely easy to read in direct sunlight, similar to the Garmin Edge series, thanks to its transflective display, and also without backlighting, it is much easier to read than the high-resolution display of the Epix 2. Here, I can only advise everyone to carefully consider in advance the environments in which the watch will be used and whether, for example, high resolution and everyday readability in dark surroundings, indoor areas, etc., is more important than immediate readability in direct sunlight.

Since the QuickFit mount makes it particularly suitable for use on the bike, here are a few thoughts on using it as a bike computer.
In principle, some of the functions of the Edge series can also be realized with the Epix, but in my opinion, it lacks several relevant training pages, such as the sensational Climb-Pro or various elevation profiles. The round shape, compared to the square Edge, has disadvantages in terms of map presentation and data fields.
Additionally, as already mentioned above in comparison with the Fenix, the display, which definitely requires backlighting to be readable under direct sunlight. On the wrist, this is less of a problem, as the lighting switches on immediately with the appropriate movement. On the bike, however, pressing the display or one of the buttons is necessary.

For recordings or as occasional navigation assistance, if necessary, the Epix 2 is definitely a great tool. Only for permanent route navigation or for bikers who always want to have all data in view, a Fenix on the handlebars or, even smarter, a Garmin Edge with all its specific cycling functions is better suited.