Dan Bracaglia is the Tom’s Guide editorial lead for all things smartwatches, fitness trackers and outdoor gear. With 15 years of experience as a consumer technology journalist testing everything from Oura Rings to instant cameras, Dan is deeply passionate about helping readers save money and make informed purchasing decisions. In the past year alone, Dan has assessed major product releases from the likes of Apple, Garmin, Google, Samsung, Polar and many others.
An avid outdoor adventurer, Dan is based in the U.S. Pacific Northwest where he takes advantage of the beautiful surroundings every chance he gets. A lover of kayaking, hiking, swimming, biking, snowboarding and exploring, he also makes every effort to combine his day job with his passions. When not assessing the sleep tracking and heart rate accuracy of the latest tach gadgets, you can find him photographing Seattle’s vibrant underground music community.
Latest articles by Dan Bracaglia

I walked 7 miles with the Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Pixel Watch 5 — here's the winner
By Dan Bracaglia Last updated
Which smartwatch is the more reliable outdoor workout tracker for dense city environments: the Apple Watch Ultra 3 or Pixel Watch 5? I decided to find out.

Exclusive: Inside the Pixel Watch 5's breathing emergency detection — and why it's like an 'airbag on your wrist'
By Dan Bracaglia Published
Also: Blood Pressure and Insulin Resistance Trends

Review: I wore the Google Pixel Watch 5 for a week — and it’s the new king of on-wrist safety
By Dan Bracaglia Published
RecommendedThe Pixel Watch 5 is identical to its predecessor in many ways, but groundbreaking new preventive health and safety tools give it a major leg up versus the competition.

I used AI to create a deli meat-inspired watch face for my Pixel Watch 5 — and now I'm questioning everything
By Dan Bracaglia Published
Just because you can generate a custom AI watch face for the new Google Pixel Watch 5 doesn't mean that you should.

Pixel Watch 5 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 — 5 key differences you need to know
By Dan Bracaglia Published
I'm reviewing the new Google Pixel Watch 5 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 in tandem, and these are the core ways they are different.

I walked 5,000 steps with the Fitbit Air vs Garmin Cirqa — Round 2: We have a new champ
By Dan Bracaglia Published
We're back with another fitness-tracking showdown between everyone's favorite new screen-free trackers: the Fitbit Air vs. Garmin Cirq. Who will win round 2?

3 reasons the Google Pixel Watch 5 is good news for the Fitbit Air owners
By Dan Bracaglia Published
The Google Pixel Watch 5 is brimming with impressive health and fitness-based features, and some of the most promising ones are coming to the $99 Fitbit Air.

I just tried the new Google Pixel Watch 5, and its upgraded health and safety features blow Apple Watch out of the water
By Dan Bracaglia Published
Not yet ratedIt might look identical to the Pixel Watch 4, but the new Pixel Watch 5 boasts impressive new health, safety, and fitness features.

I biked 11 miles with the Garmin Instinct 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 — and the winner is clear
By Dan Bracaglia Published
Which rugged smartwatch is the more reliable fitness tracker for cyclists, the new Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 or the Garmin Instinct 3? I decided to find out.

Report: Your next Apple Watch might look more like a Whoop than a smartwatch
By Dan Bracaglia Published
Apple is reportedly considering a revolutionary redesign of the Apple Watch that could result in a new case design or even a screenless tracker.

I went e-mountain biking in cougar country with the new Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 vs Garmin Instinct 3 — and the winner is clear
By Dan Bracaglia Published
I took the Garmin Instinct 3 and Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 e-mountain bike riding in Washington's Cascade range, and one vastly outperformed the other.

I just reviewed the Garmin Cirqa — 5 things you need to know about Garmin’s subscription-free Whoop and Fitbit Air alternative
By Dan Bracaglia Published
The Garmin Cirqa is like a cross between the Fitbit Air and Whoop 5.0, with better insights than the Fitbit and a lower cost than the Whoop.

The best hiking boots to buy — tested and rated for mountain trails and casual hikes
By John R. Quain, Dan Bracaglia, Jessica Downey Last updated
These are the best hiking boots to in 2025, including the best waterproof hiking boots and the best hiking boots for casual trekkers.

Garmin Cirqa review: I wore the screen-free Garmin Cirqa for two weeks, and it's a near-perfect balance between the entry-level Fitbit Air and pro-level Whoop 5.0
By Dan Bracaglia Last updated
RecommendedThe Garmin Cirqa sits nicely between the $99 entry-level Fitbit Air and the serious/pro-athlete-oriented, subscription-mandatory Whoop 5.0, both in terms of price and specs.

I trekked the Cascade Mountains with the Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Garmin Instinct 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 — this is the one I'd take on my next hike
By Dan Bracaglia Published
I hiked 1,000+ feet to an alpine lake and back to test the performance, accuracy, and comfort of the Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 vs Garmin Instinct 3.

Garmin Cirqa vs Fitbit Air vs Whoop vs Oura Ring: Our fitness experts are helping you pick the perfect fitness tracker
By Dan Bracaglia Last updated
Should you ditch the screen on your next fitness tracker?

Exclusive: Garmin Cirqa PM says ‘it just felt like we had all of the pieces in place’ to launch a screen-free fitness tracker
By Dan Bracaglia Published
I chatted with the product manager for the Garmin Cirqa to learn more about the design process, the decision to give it a physical button, the lack of GPS, and more.

Is your old fitness tracker good enough? I tested a 5-year-old Fitbit vs Apple Watch Series 11 on a 5,500-step walk to find out
By Dan Bracaglia Published
Old Fitbit vs new Apple Watch: Can 2021's Fitbit Charge 5 keep up with the latest Apple Watch 11? The results speak for themselves.

Garmin Cirqa waterproof test: Can the Garmin Cirqa survive 30 minutes in a foot of water?
By Dan Bracaglia Last updated
I tested the Garmin Cirqa's water resistance to confirm whether or not it can really survive extended periods in water. Here's what I learned.

I walked 7,000 steps with the Garmin Cirqa vs Fitbit Air — and there's a clear winner
By Dan Bracaglia Published
Which screen-free fitness tracker is more accurate, the Fitbit Air or the Garmin Cirqa? I decided to find out by popping one on either wrist and logging a long walk.

I walked 4,000 steps with the Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 — and the winning margin was razor-thin
By Dan Bracaglia Last updated
Ultra vs Ultra

Samsung turned the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 into a fully-fledged dive computer — but there’s a catch
By Dan Bracaglia Published
The Ultra 2 has legit dive-ready specs and features, including the ability to monitor nitrogen levels, depth, temperature, and dive time.

The Samsung Galaxy Ring is about to be the world’s first FDA-cleared smart ring for sleep apnea
By Dan Bracaglia Published
Slated for a fall roll-out, the Samsung Galaxy Ring is set to become the world’s first smart ring with FDA-cleared sleep apnea detection. Here’s everything you need to know.
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