Garmin Xero C1 Pro Review

Whether it’s gathering ballistic data from rifles or bows, projectile speed is a key component in building the right arrows and bullets for the job. Hunters build entire setups around achieving a certain FPS. Until now, though, that data was a bit harder to come by.

I know on the bow side of things, I’d have to head to my local pro shop and use their big, ancient chronograph. And for rifles, the chronographs out there seemed so oversized and cumbersome.

Garmin has answered that call with the Xero C1 Pro. It’s your own personal chronograph, similar in size to a GoPro.

In short: Hunters willing to bite the bullet on price for the Garmin Xero C1 Pro will enjoy all the FPS data gathering they can and do it with virtually no learning curve whatsoever.

Garmin Xero C1 Pro Review

Overview

Garmin has long been a trusted source of digital gadgets, from GPS watches and rangefinding bow sights to inReach devices and collared GPS tracking for your hunting dogs. The brand has been a leader in the space for quite some time, and this chronograph is no exception to that trajectory. In fact, it fits the mold perfectly.

The Garmin Xero C1 Pro is a compact, yet highly accurate chronograph that takes up less space than a deck of cards and weighs 3.7 ounces. With the small tripod that Garmin includes, the weight increases to a hefty 5.6 ounces.

In each box, you’ll find your Xero C1 Pro device, a 1/4-20 thread tripod, a USB-A to -C cable, and instructions. On that note, the chronograph has a rechargeable battery, which Garmin advertises as lasting up to 6 hours or 2,000 shots.

And don’t worry about the unit getting wet, either. It has an IPX7 water rating, which basically means it can handle dusty environments, splashes, rain showers, and snow.

As far as layout goes, the C1 Pro has a very basic and easy-to-use layout reminiscent of the Xero Bow Sight. The top of the unit has just four buttons, which are OK, Power/Back, Up, and Down. On the side of the chronograph, you’ll find the USB-C jack for charging.

The front has a sleek, yet basic, black-and-white screen. And on the bottom is a 1/4-20 threaded input that can be used to mount on a tripod, whether that’s the included one or one of your choice. I assume many will mount an Arca-Swiss plate on the bottom, giving a variety of mounting options.

Features

Self-Explanatory

The first notable feature of the Garmin Xero C1 Pro is the fact that it is so self-explanatory. It’s incredibly easy to use. Simply turn it on and select which weapon you’ll be using.

From there, Garmin will instruct you on how to place your unit versus your weapon for the best reading, and you’ll have the option of inputting the weight of your projectile. After that, you just start shooting and gathering data. That’s it.

Multiple Weapon Options

The Garmin Xero C1 Pro might be small, but it packs a ton of capability in terms of what weapon’s projectile it can measure. It has settings for pistols, rifles, bows, crossbows, air rifles, shotguns, muzzleloaders, or other projectiles, such as BBs. As long as it travels a minimum of 100 fps, the Garmin Xero C1 Pro can track it.

Compact and Packable Size

Compared to other chronographs on the market, the Xero C1 Pro is a much more portable unit. This thing can literally fit in the palm of your hand and reminds me more of a GoPro camera than a chronograph. Carry it in your gun case, bow case, backpack, etc. It’s not gonna weigh you down a bit and will take up little to no room.

Connects to Phone: Garmin ShotView App

To keep track of all your juicy data shot by shot, Garmin offers the ShotView app, which you can download to your phone and pair with your Xero C1 Pro. This allows you, the shooter, to see any deviations shot to shot in a much easier format, being on your smartphone, than the small screen on the Garmin device. It’ll give you speed, kinetic energy, and an average fps — a must for those who appreciate the details.

My Experience

While I have had friends tell me of the wonders of this chronograph, I had never tested it out for myself until now. With that said, I saw the appeal immediately when I took it out of the box. Garmin really hit the nail on the head here by giving you a ready-to-use device.

In no time at all after pairing my phone to the C1 Pro, I was off to the races and shooting. In all honesty, after using it, I had a feeling of “that’s it?” This was in a good way, of course. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to use. Finally, I had a way to quickly measure fps with my bow right in my backyard with minimal effort.

I primarily use the Xero C1 Pro for shooting my bow. For the most part, the data shot-to-shot was extremely consistent. The device never missed one shot and delivered the data very quickly.

At the end of my shooting session, I loved how I could see an average fps right on the device. Of course, the app is much easier to view all of the shot data, but it’s a nice quick fix, seeing it immediately right on the unit.

What’s Wrong?

Above, I said, “For the most part, the data shot-to-shot was extremely consistent.” This brings me to my first downfall of the Xero C1 Pro.

I noticed that anytime I shot a three-shot group and stopped for a few minutes, the next shot after was about 10 fps slower than the previous average fps. I’m not sure why this is, but sure enough, the next shot was right back where it should be. Not a deal breaker, but just something to note and something to disregard on the data front.

Lastly, this is an expensive chronograph that will cost you around $600. If you’re not one for details, this is a big pill to swallow, and it might not be worth it. With that said, it is the most convenient chronograph on the market, and if you enjoy gathering fps data, it’s worth it.

Final Thoughts

When the sun falls below the horizon, I’m very happy with the Garmin C1 Pro and see myself using it quite a bit in the future, especially for shooting my bow. Before, I had to go to the pro shop for fps data. The Xero saves me time now, as I can just turn it on quickly, head into the backyard, and start playing with different arrow setups and comparing.

Heck, even noting fps changes downrange sounds interesting, and it’s something I fully intend to tinker with. All of that said, kudos to Garmin. If you’re in the market for your own personal chronograph that is incredibly lightweight, easy to use, and very portable, this chronograph is a keeper, in my book.