Garmin - Swim

I've never had an Apple Watch but have rarely had issues with multiple generations of Garmin's (started with the Swim 1 back in 2012). The trick to good lap counts is a strong push off from the wall (you don't need to flip turn) and swimming consistently during the lap. Mixing strokes during a lap, stopping, turning around before the wall etcetera can mess your count up.

Garmin swim 2 is what I use, had the Garmin swim 1 before it

If you can find them on eBay the original Garmin Swim is still a solid watch for recording pool swimming. I would still be using mine but I failed to close the battery compartment tightly after a battery change and it died with water ingress. Currently using a Swim 2, which as a plus has wrist HR, but is slight harder to read in the middle of a session (and the displayed lengths count lags behind what you've actually swum, although it catches up if you click stop). It has a small form on your wrist, so it doesn't catch the lane rope. I like it.

Garmin for last 8 years or so. Went from Swim to Swim2 to FR265. IMO Garmin has the most complete functionality of anything out there. I would recommend the FR165/FR265 models as they are the newer more modern releases that have the full swim functionality (with the 165 missing a few things like open water and HRM support).

I wouldn’t do that. Having used both Apple and Garmin products for swimming, I’d urge you to go for the Garmin. That’s not to say there’s anything wrong with the Apple, it’s just that the Garmin is better and the battery life is a godsend by comparison

I have limited experience with both. Garmin (Swim) was not as good as AW for counting laps without flip turns. I killed an AW by swimming in a saltwater pool though.

My Garmin requires me to press the lap button to end the set and from what I can tell it does not break it down. I’m told I should swim without a watch but there’s no way I could keep count so I awkwardly reach for the button at the wall

It counts my distance but I don’t think it knows when I’m at the wall. But I have used the my swim pro workouts and when I do them it transfers to my watch and I think I had to stop it at the end but it would auto start at the end of the rest. You could ask at r/garmin they will know better

My Garmin records my freestyle as breaststroke, and I don't even know how to breaststroke.

The set up is correct (left wrist). I think it's because my stroke rate is too low. When I start flailing my arms, then it records as freestyle, but at 42spm it's a breaststroke or backstroke...

Garmin will track your laps (while swimming any style). But if doing drills (FS kicking, one hand FS, BF kick...), you'll have to manually start/end each drill during your current Garmin poolswim session. With an Apple Watch it will track almost every lap, despite doing drills. So depends on what you'll do in the pool. Cheaper versions like a Fitbit , will track your laps no problem. You don't need to go to he GPS smart bands/watches just for swimming.

Why do you swim like that? Just out of interest. Is there any particular reason? My Garmin hassles most sets ok. For drills there is a mode where you set it manually. Works pretty good for tracking distance.

I love my Garmin Swim watch! https://www.garmin.com/en-CA/p/665374/

Like others have said, I've a Garmin and it seems to be tracking my swims quite well. I had two fitbits before (both stopped working) and they more often than not were wrong when it came to how far I had swam.

I tried the Garmin Swim but went with the Vivoactive 4. Purchased in 2020 when the pools opened. I would not refit for tracking distance in open water but otherwise it’s been great for over 4 years. HR from wrist seems accurate enough but you can get a chest strap if you want more accuracy.