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The depths of winter mean darker nights, turning up the heating and dealing with icy mornings.

But they also mean that its ski season, the lifts are running and the slopes are open.

Carv

Carv on the other hand, tracks your skiing performance.

Its purpose is to improve your skiing through advanced metrics and real-time feedback.

I clipped into my skis and hit the slopes to find out how they differed.

Garmin Fenix 8 skiing

Core to Garmins offering is the heart rate sensor on the back.

Heart rate monitoring is core to Garmin figuring out how hard you work, using heart rate zones.

This means it knows where you are and importantly it knows what lift you get on.

Garmin Connect screens

How Carv records your skiing sessions

Carv is managed through the smartphone app.

Your phone is also supplying the speed and altitude change data through GPS.

The app presents each run with plenty of detail, so you could see exactly what you did.

Carv 2 on a ski boot

As the name suggests, its about guiding the user to better carving.

As you ski, youre awarded a score (your Ski IQ), with these scores gamified.

you’ve got the option to sync withAppleHealth, but theres no compatibility with other fitness apps.

Carv app

How did my skiing sessions compare between Garmin and Carv?

Theres only one absolute measure thats defined by physics that we can compare and thats maximum speed.

Both results are within 2kpm, which is a minor difference.

Fēnix® 8 – 47 Mm, Amoled

Again, the figures are close but its impossible to determine which is the more accurate.

That suggests that these metrics apart from speed arent comparable between these two devices.

Thats worth remembering if youre skiing with friends!

Garmin fenix 8 AMOLED…

Who should buy Carv?

Carv is a comprehensive digital coach for skiing, with access to plenty of data.

Who should buy Garmin?

Competitive Cyclist

Garmin | Fenix 8 Smartwatch…