We’ve reviewed both of these ultra-compact, uber-popular chronographs here in the past. See our write-up of the Garmin Xero C1 Pro here and the newer Athlon Rangecraft Velocity Pro here.
The TLDR version: Both are excellent at their jobs and have — as the bizzy school honks would say — disrupted the chronometer space in a fundamental way. Both are light weight, both are pocket-sized and neither is inexpensive.
The major differences include the fact that the Garmin was first to market, is slightly smaller, and has been around and proving itself for years now. The newer Athlon is slightly larger, slightly easier to navigate, has a slightly better UX, is quicker on the readout and…here’s the big one…costs $150 less (the Garmin is about $555 and the Athlon is about $400).
That’s a big difference — big enough to tilt most people toward the Athlon — but watch the video. Draw your own conclusions. You can’t really go wrong with either one.