Garmin wearable device offers reliable alternative for on-water stroke rate and velocity measurement in rowing.

This article evaluates the efficacy and reliability of the Garmin Forerunner 735XT wrist-worn device for measuring stroke rate (SR) and velocity during on-water rowing, comparing it to the Catapult Optimeye R4, an industry-standard tracking device. Sixteen trained rowers completed 118 sessions with data recorded using Garmin's two functions: 'Every Second' and 'Smart.' Results indicate that when using the 'Every Second' recording mode combined with a 15-second velocity moving average and appropriate data filtering, the Garmin device reliably measures SR within 1 stroke per minute and velocity within 0.20 m/s compared to the Catapult device, particularly within typical training ranges (18–39 spm and 2.60–5.34 m/s). While the Catapult device is not a gold standard and both devices have inherent measurement errors, the findings suggest that the Garmin watch offers a practical, accessible alternative for monitoring large volumes of on-water rowing training, potentially supporting more holistic training load management.