Garmin Vivomove folds fitness into fashion (hands-on)

One of the main arguments against fitness trackers is their design. These devices can be bulky and simply too unsightly to wear, especially for a fancy occasion. Garmin is all too familiar with this problem, but that's all about to change. The company's new tracker combines fitness and fashion all wrapped up in a single package.

The Vivomove is an analog watch with a full year of battery life and support for interchangeable bands, compatible with any 20mm band on the market. It can also track things like steps and sleep, and will remind you to remain active with move alerts throughout the day. Like all of Garmin's devices, the watch is waterproof down to 50 meters (165 feet), so you can swim and shower with it. All in all, it's pretty similar to the Withings Activite.

The watch is sleek, stylish and offered in a variety of different models. The Vivomove Sport has a silicone band, while the Classic comes with a leather one. There's also the Vivomove Premium, which features a steel body and a leather strap.

This is a device you won't be ashamed to wear to the office or a wedding. The build quality of the Premium model felt nice. The watch had good weight to it, but not enough to annoy you when wearing it. While I didn't get to do extensive testing, I was pretty impressed.

My only complaint would be the software. The watch syncs with Garmin's Connect mobile app on Android or iOS. This is where you can view activity stats, connect with friends and more. The software has improved in the past few months and added new features, such as personalized insights and feedback, but it's still clunky and confusing to navigate compared to apps from competitors Fitbit and Jawbone.

The Vivomove Sport model is available for $150 or £140 in black or white, while the Classic can be had for $200 or £180 in black or rose gold. The stainless steel Premium model costs $300 or £240 and is also available in a gold-tone steel variant. In Australia the Sport will cost you AU$249, the classic is AU$329 and the Premium is a hefty AU$479.

Vivomove accessory sport bands are available in white and black for $30, AU$49 or £24, while leather accessory bands in black, rose gold and white, dark brown or light brown will run you $60, AU$99 or £46.