Garmin (NYSE: GRMN) today announced the Descent^™ G1 Solar – Ocean Edition, a rugged watch-style dive computer with features for both underwater and topside adventures. Designed with environmental responsibility in mind, 100 percent of the plastic used to make the watch’s housing, bezel and buttons come with recycled ocean-bound plastics. In addition to its eco-friendly construction, Descent G1 Solar – Ocean Edition features a solar charging lens that lets divers explore longer with up to 25 hours of battery life in dive mode and up to 124 days in smartwatch mode when solar charging¹. Eliminating the need for a separate dive computer and smartwatch, the Ocean Edition includes Garmin’s popular dive features to help users make the most of their diving experience – plus multisport and smart features for an active lifestyle out of the water.

“We are proud to unveil our first-ever product with parts made with recycled ocean-bound plastics. With the Descent G1 Solar – Ocean Edition, we’re taking materials that were once at risk of harming the ocean habitat and turning them into parts to help create an eco-friendly dive computer that’s made to explore it.” –Dan Bartel, Garmin Vice President of Global Consumer Sales

Making an impact through design

The idea for the Descent G1 Solar – Ocean Edition started as a brainstorming session between Garmin associates.

“Our associates spend a lot of time pursuing their passions – fishing, diving, surfing and more – in oceans around the world. Some also dedicate their personal time to cleaning up areas around the water and in doing so, started to think of ways to repurpose the plastic materials that are often bound for the ocean. After a lot of conceptualizing and researching, the idea became clear: a watch made for exploring oceans that uses recycled materials once destined to end up in it.” –Susan Lyman, Garmin Vice President of Global Consumer Marketing

Once ocean-bound plastic is collected around bodies of water, it is sorted, cleaned and dried. The plastic is then melted into a pelletized resin before being reinforced with glass fiber and sent off to be coloured. From here, the material is moulded to create the shape of the watch housing, bezel and buttons—then incorporated in a rugged, eco-friendly dive computer designed to help users dive confidently.

For your explorations above and below the water

Incorporating all the popular features on the original Descent G1 Solar, the new Ocean Edition eliminates the need for divers to have both a dive computer and a smartwatch with features made for life on land or underwater.

1. Get multiple dive modes for single and multiple gas dives (including nitrox and trimix), gauge, apnea, apnea hunt and closed-circuit rebreather.
2. Track dive entry and exit points on the surface with surface GPS.
3. Store and review data for up to 200 dives and share via the Garmin Dive^™ app.
4. Tailor additional data screens for each dive mode.
5. Easily navigate below the waterline with a built-in 3-axis dive compass.
6. View nearby tide conditions right from the watch².
7. Stay fit for the next dive with more than 30 built-in sports apps, recovery time advisor, training status, daily suggested workouts and all-day respiration tracking.
8. Focus on mind and body with sleep score and advanced sleep monitoring, wrist-based heart rate, Body Battery^™ energy monitoring and hydration tracking.
9. Stay connected with smart notifications, Garmin Pay^™ contactless payments, and incident detection and assistance².

The Descent G1 Solar – Ocean Edition features a 45mm reinforced polymer case, scratch-resistant sapphire lens and an easy-to-read monochrome display. Water-rated to 100 meters and tested to U.S. military 810 standards for thermal, shock and water resistance, the Ocean Edition is rugged and ready for adventures both above and below the water. Available now in dark lakeside with an azure blue band, it has a suggested retail price of £569.99.

For more information about Garmin dive computers, visit www.garmin.com/en-GB/c/sports-fitness/dive-computers-smartwatches/.

¹ Assuming all-day wear with 3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux conditions

² When paired with a compatible smartphone; see Garmin.com/ble.