Garmin Vivosmart HR+ Review

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The Garmin Vivosmart HR+ is clearly geared toward those who have active lifestyles and are meticulous about their health. It could be quite useful for anyone who wants to keep track of their health-related activities each day. The Vivosmart HR+ allows these people to go about their active lives without thinking about the smartphone tucked into their pocket or stuffed into their bag. They simply use the Vivosmart HR+ to monitor their incoming calls and texts.

How Does Garmin Vivosmart HR+ Work?

The Vivosmart HR+ hits all the right bases as a fitness tracker. It will measure daily activities for you, such as number of steps, floors climbed, etc. It monitors your heart rate throughout the day and will automatically track your sleep patterns.

You can find these features on other fitness trackers. Others will do it at a lower price, too. It will also display iPhone or Android phone notifications, and you don’t have to panic if you jump in the pool with it on.

What Makes the Garmin Vivosmart HR+ Stand Out?

The obvious icing on the cake is the GPS built into this wearable device. But it also has subtle perks that garner it the “monster” moniker in fitness tracking circles. It has a dedicated training mode especially geared for running. This includes a run/walk mode and a virtual pacer mode.

You can get a 4-hour history of your activity in the form of a graph, including your heart rate. It is a smart looking device, but it could be a bit on the big size for anyone with a small wrist. The touch screen is large enough to allow you to access your stats and smartphone functions, including music controls, with ease.

Common Reviews of Garmin Vivosmart HR+

A review of reviews for the Vivosmart HR+ finds many users comparing the size of the device to comparable products. The HR+ is bigger and thicker than its competition, it seems. While the screen is low resolution, it is still highly responsive when swiped or touched. The anti-glare feature of the screen makes it easy to read under direct sunlight.

The water-resistance is a popular feature with the physically active crowd. The accuracy of the unit in measuring steps, floors climbed, heart rate and sleep is almost universally praised. Most report that they do like the inactivity alert and the Move bar feature.

Is the Garmin Vivosmart HR+ for Me?

You’ll find the Vivosmart HR+ on the wrists of people who are always on the go and active. This “monster” of the fitness trackers is for those who love intense activities – mountain climbing, swimming, running, etc. It lets them keep in touch with the normal world through calls and text while their phones are in their backpacks.

About the Author

Jeff Hindenach

Jeff Hindenach is the co-founder of Versus Reviews. He graduated from Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism. He has a long history of journalism, with a background writing for newspapers such as the San Jose Mercury News and San Francisco Examiner, as well as writing for The Huffington Post, New York Times, Business Insider, CNBC, Newsday and The Street. He believes in giving readers the tools they need to get out of debt.