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Garmin Tactix 8 - Solar 51mm Mens Watch
Ref. 010-03407-01
Sits in Garmin’s upper tier here — more premium than three quarters of the Garmin watches we list, which start at £130.
Price range £130 to £1,815 across 68 Garmin watches in stock.The tactix 8 is Garmin's tactical layer built over the Fenix 8 platform — same case architecture and solar system, with an added set of mission-specific tools that the Fenix does not carry: stealth mode, a kill switch, jumpmaster activity, night-vision goggle compatibility, and the Applied Ballistics Ultralight solver for long-range shooting calculations. This Solar variant pairs that feature set with a MIP display rather than AMOLED, which is the deliberate trade-off — MIP draws far less power and harvests solar energy continuously, pushing smartwatch battery life to 48 days under reasonable outdoor conditions and expedition mode to 118 days with solar. For sustained use away from power, that margin matters considerably. At 51mm and 15.4mm thick, and 95g, this sits large on the wrist and makes no pretence otherwise — anyone with a smaller wrist will feel it. The DLC-coated titanium bezel and titanium caseback give it genuine structural credentials without the full weight penalty of steel, and MIL-STD-810 testing covers the kind of thermal and shock exposure the case dimensions already suggest it was designed for. The nylon band that defines this reference suits the brief: it runs flatter under load-bearing kit than a silicone band would, and the five-button layout operates reliably through gloves, which on a watch with this many menu layers is not a minor point.
- Reference
- 010-03407-01
- Brand
- Garmin
- Collection
- Tactix
- Case size
- 51mm
- Case thickness
- 15.4mm
- Case material
- Resin
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Black
- Functions
- Solar powered, Bluetooth, Heart rate, GPS, Compass, Thermometer, Altimeter
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Fabric strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Additional specifications
- Weight
- 95g
Learn more about Garmin
Gary Burrell and Min Kao founded Garmin in 1989 — the name is a contraction of their first names — to build GPS receivers for aviation and marine use. Consumer navigation came later, and wearables later still.
Unlike most names in this directory that arrived from outside watchmaking, Garmin is not a licence. It designs and builds its own devices, writes its own software and runs its own satellite-positioning stack, which is why its watches do things Swiss houses do not attempt.
The fenix line established the template in 2012: a rugged multi-sport GPS watch with mapping, altimeter and week-long battery life. Forerunner covers running, Instinct the hard-wearing end, Venu the smartwatch end, and the MARQ line puts the same electronics in titanium and sapphire at Swiss prices.
Battery life is the differentiator. Where most smartwatches are measured in days, Garmin measures in weeks, and in solar-charging models sometimes in months.
These are instruments rather than heirlooms, and they date the way electronics date — but for anyone who actually trains, they are among the few watches on the market that earn their place.
- 1989
- Founded by Gary Burrell and Min Kao.
- 2003
- The Forerunner brings GPS to running watches.
- 2012
- The fenix line defines the multi-sport GPS watch.
- 2019
- MARQ places the electronics in titanium and sapphire.
- 2020
- Solar charging extends battery life to months.
Also in 5 collections
This watch appears in the Garmin Tactix range (7), Back in Stock (4,868), Watches 44mm and Over (802), All Black Watches (291) and Solar & Kinetic Watches (209).
Temporarily out of stock
Mappin & Webb is not currently taking orders for this reference. Last listed as available on 6 November 2026. Stock is checked nightly and this page updates when it returns.
What the specifications mean
Strengths
- 100m water resistance covers swimming and watersports
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- One of Garmin's more premium watches
Worth knowing
- 51mm is a large watch with real presence
- 15.4mm thick, so it will not disappear under a cuff
Garmin Tactix 8 - Solar alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 010-03407-01 | GMC-B2100D-1AER | JY8110-51E |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,219 | £739 | £799 |
| Case size | 51mm | 51.5mm | 47mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 200m | 200m |
| Movement | Solar | Solar | Solar |
| Strap | Fabric strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Titanium bracelet |
| This watch |
|
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 100m it is rated for swimming and snorkelling, though not for diving.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
No. It charges from light, and the cell behind that is designed to last a decade or more.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedIs it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's.
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