A tiny device that makes a giant distinction

My Garmin watch not often leaves my wrist, as is evidenced by the intense white patch of pores and skin the place the watch lives. Naturally, I put on my Garmin once I’m touring. Whereas the battery life of my go-to gadget (the epix Pro Gen 2 Sapphire) is sort of good, it does require charging roughly each week or much less, relying on how I am utilizing it. On longer journeys, then, or if I’m going into a visit with out a full cost (which is typical), I am going to want to have the ability to cost my watch.

Sadly, I can not let you know what number of instances I’ve forgotten my Gamin charging cable at house. I do know I am not alone, both, as that is a quite common thread within the working teams I am in. Plus, once I do bear in mind to pack it, it is yet one more twine amongst my telephone charger, computer charger, and others. So once I noticed the tiny ​​Abanen charging adapter, I used to be instantly onboard. This miniature gadget converts a USB-C cable right into a Garmin charger, which means I’ve one much less factor to convey alongside.

Editor’s alternative

Abanen Charging Adapter for Garmin

The Abanen Charging Adapter permits you to join any USB-C gadget, turning it right into a Garmin 4-pin charger. It is tiny and light-weight and comes with a small strap to connect to your key ring or backpack so that you just all the time have one with you. 

Execs

• Very small and light-weight
• Is available in a pack of two
• Features a tiny strap with a clip
• L-shape design places it comparatively flat towards the again of the watch

Cons

• Solely supposed for use with a USB-A to USB-C twine
• Might void your Garmin guarantee for power-related points

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Value, availability, and specs

The ​​Abanen charging adapter is obtainable as a two-pack from Amazon for $9.59. It’s only accessible in black and comes with two tiny cables with clips.

What I favored in regards to the Abanen charging adapter

Set it and overlook it

The Abanen charging adapter could be very easy however very helpful. The tiny little gadget attaches to the tip of a USB-C cable, turning it right into a Garmin charger. Since I just about all the time have a USB-C twine with me, it means I’ll not often be unable to cost my watch. Even when you do not have one, USB-C cables are in a position to be bought nearly wherever, together with gasoline stations, whereas Garmin chargers are most positively not.

I discovered this little adapter actually useful for topping up my watch battery within the automobile when driving someplace for a hike if I forgot to take action at house (which is much too frequent). Earlier than, I needed to bear in mind to convey my Garmin charger after which take it again out of the automobile once I received house.

The Abenen adapter makes use of an L-shaped design, permitting the USB-C twine to put parallel to the again of the watch reasonably than assembly in a perpendicular method just like the Garmin charger. It type of turns right into a stand whereas charging, which is reasonably good once I nonetheless need to see my watch whereas it is related to the charger.

Though I solely used the adapter for charging, it does work for knowledge switch as nicely. If it’s essential to join the watch to your laptop to switch maps or different information, it is possible for you to to make use of this.

On the finish of the adapter is a versatile loop to which you’ll be able to connect a clip or twine. The versatile nature provides me extra confidence that the half will not break over time. It comes with two little cables with clips, which I girth-hitched on. I clipped one onto my keyring and hooked up the opposite to the backpack I sometimes fly with. Since I normally do not convey my keys with me if I am flying someplace, having this adapter on my backpack makes rather more sense so I do not overlook it when touring.

For the reason that adapter is so tiny, it would not take up a lot room and provides subsequent to nothing when it comes to weight. It is not noticeable on my key ring and is even much less noticeable on my backpack. It actually is simply an attach-and-forget kind of accent.

Associated

Did you damage your Garmin watch? It may be under warranty

You could have some safety ought to your new Garmin watch break.

What I did not like in regards to the Abanen charging adapter

Near perfection

There’s actually nothing to dislike in regards to the Abanen charging adapter. However, if I needed to be nitpicky, one draw back is that the corporate says to solely use a USB-A to USB-C twine as a substitute of a USB-C to USB-C. It would not say why on the Amazon itemizing, and I did use a USB-C to USB-C twine once I wasn’t paying consideration. It charged simply fantastic, and my gadget hasn’t behaved any in a different way since then, however I suppose it might have long run implications if that is what I all the time used.

I’ve solely been utilizing this charging adapter for roughly every week, and that is solely been in my house, so I can not converse to its sturdiness or longevity at this level. If I expertise some form of failure as I proceed to check, I’ll you’ll want to replace this assessment. However it appears to be like to be well-made and has labored completely to this point.

The one actual concern with this adapter is expounded to your Garmin warranty. Garmin’s guarantee doesn’t apply to “injury to a product that has been related to energy and/or knowledge cables that aren’t equipped by Garmin or injury to a product that has been related to AC adapters and cables that aren’t licensed by UL (Underwriters Laboratories) and usually are not labeled as Restricted Energy Supply (LPS).” Since you will be plugging in non-Garmin cables, meaning your warrant might be void.

Garmin’s guarantee solely lasts for one 12 months, so in case your gadget is older than that, the above will not matter. However, when you’ve got a brand-new gadget, it could be value contemplating earlier than hooking as much as any third-party charger or adapter.

Must you purchase the Abanen charging adapter?

For the worth and performance, it is a no-brainer to select up the Abanen charging adapter, offered you have got a suitable Garmin watch. The tiny measurement is ideal for journey, and the two-pack means you possibly can toss one in your keys for native journeys and one in your journey bag for longer journeys. Even when you do not take journeys lengthy sufficient to justify bringing alongside a Garmin charger, the flexibility to put largely flat on the again of your Garmin makes it, in some methods, higher than the inventory Garmin charger for sure conditions, anyway.

Editor’s alternative

Abanen Charging Adapter for Garmin