A Watch, Water and Workouts

Furbo.org ^ | July 14, 2015 | Craig Hockenberry

[Swordmaker]

A Watch, Water and Workouts

The most common question I get about my Apple Watch is this: “Is it waterproof?”

Everyone from followers on Twitter to Laguna Beach lifeguards have noticed that I wear my watch while swimming and want to know how this new device holds up when it comes in contact with 71% of the Earth’s surface.

If you look closely, you’ll see that I just completed my exercise goal
with a swim in the Pacific Ocean.

This report will explore how well the watch works when it’s exposed to water. I’ll also make some recommendations for Apple to improve the usability of its Workout app, especially when tracking water sports.

The Specs

The first thing I wanted to know after the Apple Watch announcement was its water resistance. Swimming is my favorite way to work out, so I knew I’d want to use the watch in the water. But there wasn’t much information available other than Tim Cook saying he wore his in the shower.

Luckily, as the watch got closer to shipment, a key piece of information was published in the user guide:

Submerging Apple Watch is not recommended. Apple Watch has a water resistance rating of IPX7 under IEC standard 60529. The leather bands are not water resistant. Water resistance is not a permanent condition and Apple Watch cannot be rechecked or resealed for water resistance.

A little bit of research shows that “IPX7 under IEC standard 60529″ means the watch can be submerged in 1 meter (3.3 feet) of water for up to 30 minutes. That’s certainly more than a shower and perfect for the kind of swimming I do.

[Swordmaker]

Short answer is that yes, you can go swimming at your own risk with your Apple Watch, and you can take a shower with it, again at your own risk. Still an interesting article with a lot of information. Well worth the read.

[Swordmaker]

Can you swim, bathe, and shower with your Apple Watch? This article is the definitive answer to those questions. — PING!

Yes, you can swim, bathe, and shower,
with your Apple Watch!
And, yes, he seems to
be wearing it upside down!
Ping!

If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.

[zeugma]

A little bit of research shows that “IPX7 under IEC standard 60529″ means the watch can be submerged in 1 meter (3.3 feet) of water for up to 30 minutes. That’s certainly more than a shower and perfect for the kind of swimming I do.

Uh, actually not. quite perfect for swimming. That kind of rating generally means it can handle rain, splashing and the like. When you're doing something like swimming, you actually create water pressures far in excess of that at 1m pressures. The same can be said of water coming from a shower head depending upon shower nozzles and whatnot.

I would take that rating to mean that it's OK to get wet in rain and the like, and could probably handle you sitting in a tub with it on. I probably wouldn't risk it swimming. In general watch guys don't recommend swimming with anything that's not rated at more than 10 meters.

Personally, I think the water resistance is great for what it is, but I wouldn't put as much trust in it as the author apparently does.

[zeugma]

See Wikipedia: Water Resistant Mark, and IP Code.

Also this article from AppleInsider.com

I wouldn't wear one swimming.

[Swordmaker]

Personally, I think the water resistance is great for what it is, but I wouldn't put as much trust in it as the author apparently does.

Quoting me above "at your own risk. . . " which I said because of your concerns mirror mine.

[zeugma]

Yeah, I just figured I’d say it a bit more emphatically. ;-)

[Swordmaker]

You did it very well. Thanks. I am not planning on going swimming or even showering with mine on any time soon.

[zeugma]

Here's an interesting review by a guy who's an actual 'watch guy' i.e., he reviews insanely expensive watches for a living, among other things.

[amigatec]

It would help if he had put the watch on correctly, it's on his left wrist, but it's upside down.

[raybbr]

A lot of talk about the watch and working out. Does it even tell time? /s

Do people who exercise really need all that data during a workout? Seems a bit much to me.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

an interesting review by a guy who's an actual 'watch guy'

Yes, very interesting review - you’d like it, SM.

Thanks, z . . .

[reed13k]

I’ve had a lot of top wrist guys try to ‘correct’ me of my bottom wrist wearing habit - I just ask them how many scratches they get on their crystal when they’re working with their hands...takes em a while

Course if they keep on I ask how they tell time when shootin.... :)

[zeugma]

You’re welcome. I was kind of surprised myself, as the site is mostly concerned with mechanical watches, and rather high-end ones at that. They are generally pretty good about coverng positives as well as negatives though. If you’re into automatics at all, it is a really good site.

[MeshugeMikey]

the odd thing about the photo of the watch on his wrist..is that the "text" the display on the watch appears to read properly although the watch IS upside down.

I performed some Photoshop contrast increases on the watches face to allow for better visibility..which discolored some of the display slighty... but thats the only modification I made to the original photo

Perhaps the display can be vertically "flipped" as an option?

[amigatec]

I do know they can be set up got right or left hand use.

[MeshugeMikey]

Thank you.

apparaently this is an option

“Apple told Slashgear in September, there’s a workaround: Just flip the smartwatch over so that the crown is pointing to the left.

Apple tells us on initial setup, you can choose to have the watch face orient itself for use on the right wrist, making it friendly to lefties. The watch bands are also swappable, so your band isn’t facing the wrong way.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2015/03/09/how-the-apple-watch-will-work-for-lefties/

[Swordmaker]

The Apple Watch is quite configurable. . . a lefty can wear it with the crown facing the hand too.

[Swordmaker]

Yes, very interesting review - you’d like it, SM.
Thanks, z . . .

Thanks, I read it.

[mad_as_he$$]

Shouldn’t this be in the religion forum? Cult water baptism.

[Swordmaker]

You’re welcome. I was kind of surprised myself, as the site is mostly concerned with mechanical watches, and rather high-end ones at that. They are generally pretty good about coverng positives as well as negatives though. If you’re into automatics at all, it is a really good site.

I found the review to be exceptional, considering it came from a mechanical and jewelry watch oriented critic, you could tell that he loved the Apple Watch and what it did for him. He was, however, loathe to give up his fancier mechanical jewelry watches, but I got the impression he was going to wear both in the future. The Apple Watch on his right wrist for its wonderful functionality and a great, good looking jewelry mechanical on his left, or vice verse.