The Garmin Lily 2 was the tracker I wanted on trip

On my final day of trip, I sat on a pristine seaside, sipping on a piña colada whereas watching a turquoise Caribbean Sea. In 4 days, I’d charged my Apple Watch Extremely 2 thrice, and I used to be right down to about 30 p.c. On the opposite wrist, I had the extra modest $249.99 Garmin Lily 2 Sport. It was at about 15 p.c, however I hadn’t charged it as soon as. Really, I’d left the cable lots of of miles away at dwelling. Whereas pondering this, the Extremely 2 began buzzing. My telephone could have been buried beneath towels and sunscreen bottles on the backside of a seaside bag, however Peloton was having a nasty earnings day. The best way that watch is about up, there was no approach it could let me neglect. The Lily 2 additionally buzzed now and again. The distinction was studying notifications on it was too bothersome and, due to this fact, simply ignored.

That tiny slice in time sums up every little thing that makes the Lily 2 nice — and maybe not so nice.

My 10 days with the Lily 2 had been break up into two dramatically completely different weeks. The primary was a chaotic hell spent zipping right here and there to get 10,000 issues carried out earlier than trip. The second, I did my best possible to be an untroubled seaside potato. That first week, I discovered the Lily 2 to be cute and cozy however missing for my explicit wants. On trip, its limitations meant it was precisely the type of wearable I wanted.

I wasn’t stunned by that. The Lily 2 isn’t meant to be a mini wrist laptop that may often sub in on your telephone. It’s meant to look stylish, let you know the time, and hey, right here’s some fundamental notifications and health monitoring. That’s very best for informal customers — the type of of us who cherished health bands and Fitbits earlier than Google began mucking round with the system.

The principle factor with the Lily 2 is you must settle for that it’s going to look good in your wrist however be somewhat finicky to truly use. The authentic Lily’s show didn’t register swipes or faucets that nicely. It’s improved a smidge with the Lily 2, however only a smidge. Studying notifications, navigating by means of menus, and simply doing most issues on the watch itself I discovered to be nowhere close to as handy as a extra full-fledged touchscreen smartwatch. This additional friction is an enormous cause why the Lily 2 simply didn’t match my wants in each day life.

As a health tracker, the Lily 2 is middling. The principle additions this time round are higher sleep monitoring and some extra exercise varieties, like HIIT, indoor rowing and strolling, and meditation. There are additionally new dance health profiles with varied subgenres, like Zumba, afrobeat, jazz, line dancing, and many others. That mentioned, the Lily 2 isn’t nice for monitoring your knowledge mid-workout. Once more, fiddly swipes and a small display add an excessive amount of friction for that.

I additionally wouldn’t suggest attempting to coach for a marathon with the Lily 2. Because it makes use of your telephone’s GPS, my outcomes with out of doors runs had been a combined bag. One four-mile run was recorded as 4.01 miles. Nice! One other two-mile run was logged as 2.4 miles. Much less nice. It’s a tracker greatest suited to an lively life, however not one the place the small print actually matter. Living proof, it was nice for monitoring my normal exercise splashing round and floating within the ocean — but it surely’s probably not the tracker I’d attain for if I had been attempting to trace laps within the pool.

At 35mm, it’s a skosh greater than the unique Lily however a lot smaller than simply about each different smartwatch in the marketplace. It’s lighter than most at 24.4g, too. That makes this a supremely snug lil watch. Most days, I forgot I used to be carrying it.

Whereas I’m no fashionista, I didn’t really feel like my lilac evaluate unit was exhausting to fit into my each day wardrobe. But when playful colours aren’t your factor, the Basic model is $30-50 extra and has a extra elegant really feel, a extra muted colour palette, and nylon / leather-based straps. (It additionally provides contactless funds.)

As a girl with a small wrist, the 35mm dimension is a plus. However whereas I personally don’t suppose the Lily 2 has to be a girls’s watch, it’s undeniably dainty. If you’d like one thing with a extra impartial vibe or a barely greater dimension, Garmin has the Vivomove Pattern or Vivomove Sport. Withings’ ScanWatch 2 or ScanWatch Mild are additionally compelling choices.

Finally, the Lily 2 is nice for people who wish to be extra lively whereas attempting to chop down on notifications. It’s additionally an ideal different should you miss the previous Misfits, Jawbones, or Fitbit Alta HR. Deep down, I want that had been me, however the actuality is I’ve an excessive amount of gadget FOMO and care approach an excessive amount of about my working knowledge. That mentioned, the following time I’m going on trip — or really feel the urge to disconnect — I feel I’ll attain for the Lily 2 and attempt to depart the remainder of my life at dwelling.