For years, Garmin's Lily series represented a frustrating compromise. You could have a stylish, petite smartwatch that actually looked good with a dress–but you'd have to bring your phone on every run. The standard Lily 2 still makes you choose between fashion and function. The Lily 2 Active finally solves that problem.
This is the watch that women runners have been asking for: built-in GPS tracking, comprehensive fitness metrics, and a design subtle enough to wear from the office to the gym without looking like you're preparing for an ultramarathon. After a month of testing, the Lily 2 Active proves you don't need a chunky sports watch to get serious training data.
Design & Build: Small But Not Fragile
The Lily 2 Active measures just 38 x 38 x 11mm and weighs 29 grams–lighter than most jewelry. The aluminum case sits so low on the wrist that it disappears under a shirt cuff. Unlike the bulky Forerunner or Fenix lines, this watch doesn't announce its presence.
Garmin's signature feature here is the hidden display. When the screen is off, the patterned lens creates the illusion of a traditional watch face. It's a clever design choice that pays dividends in everyday wearability. You can wear this to a meeting or dinner without the usual smartwatch aesthetic screaming "I track my sleep stages."
The case is protected by Gorilla Glass 3 and rated to 5 ATM water resistance. It handles pool swimming and showers without complaint. Build quality feels premium for the price point–no flex in the case, and the silicone band (available in colors like Lunar Gold with Bone, Silver with Purple Jasmine, or Jasper Green) stays comfortable through sweaty workouts and all-day wear.
Two physical buttons flank the right side of the case. They're a smart addition over the original Lily's tap-only interface. During workouts, you can actually control the watch without fumbling with a slippery touchscreen.
Display: Functional, Not Flashy
The 240 x 201 pixel monochrome LCD won't win awards for vibrancy. This isn't an AMOLED display like you'd find on a Samsung Galaxy Watch or Apple Watch. It's grayscale, and at certain angles in harsh sunlight, the patterned lens can make readability a challenge.
But here's the thing: this display makes sense for the Lily 2 Active's use case. The hidden screen technology maintains the fashion-forward aesthetic when you're not actively using it. When you raise your wrist or tap a button, the screen activates instantly with enough contrast to read heart rate, pace, and distance data during a run.
There's no always-on display mode, which will frustrate anyone used to glancing at their wrist for the time. You have to raise your wrist or tap the screen. That gesture recognition works reliably, though–better than some Wear OS watches I've tested.
For viewing workout stats during a run, the display is perfectly adequate. Text is crisp, numbers are large, and data fields update smoothly. You're not getting the color-coded zones and animated graphics of premium Garmin watches, but you get everything essential.
Performance & Features: Serious Tracking in a Small Package
This is where the Lily 2 Active earns its "Active" designation. GPS acquisition takes 15-20 seconds–fast enough that you're not standing around waiting before a run. Accuracy matches Garmin's higher-end models. During back-to-back tests against a Fenix 8, the Lily 2 Active delivered nearly identical distance and pace readings.
The watch includes over 30 activity profiles: running, cycling, pool swimming, strength training, yoga, tennis, golf, pickleball, and more–roughly double what the standard Lily 2 offers. For runners, you get all the core metrics: pace, distance, cadence, heart rate zones, and post-workout VO2 max estimates.
Heart rate tracking uses Garmin's Elevate V4 optical sensor. It's not the newer V5 sensor with ECG support, so you miss out on features like atrial fibrillation detection and skin temperature monitoring. But the V4 sensor is well-proven. During interval workouts, it tracked heart rate changes within a few beats of a chest strap, with only minor lag on sudden sprints.
The Garmin Connect app is where the Lily 2 Active really shines. Data syncs instantly after workouts. You get detailed maps of your route, elevation profiles (though there's no onboard barometric altimeter for live elevation data), heart rate zone breakdowns, and training effect scores. The Morning Report feature delivers a daily summary of sleep quality, HRV status, Body Battery level, and upcoming calendar events.
Body Battery is particularly useful. It's Garmin's proprietary metric that combines HRV, stress, sleep quality, and activity to estimate your available energy. After a few days of wear, it becomes eerily accurate at predicting when you're ready for a hard workout versus when you need recovery.
Smart features cover the basics: notification mirroring for texts and calls (iOS and Android), calendar reminders, weather updates, and Garmin Pay for contactless payments. There's no onboard music storage, so you'll need your phone for Spotify during runs–a notable omission, though understandable given the compact form factor.
Safety features include Incident Detection (which can alert emergency contacts if it detects a crash during activities) and Assistance (manual SOS alerts with your live location). Both require your phone, but they add peace of mind for solo trail runs.
The watch supports structured workouts downloaded from Garmin Connect, including Garmin Coach training plans for 5K, 10K, and half-marathon distances. You can follow on-screen prompts for intervals, tempo runs, and recovery jogs without constantly checking your phone.
One limitation: there are no preloaded maps, no breadcrumb navigation, and no barometric altimeter for stair counting. If you need turn-by-turn directions or serious trail navigation, look at the Forerunner 265 or Fenix models. The Lily 2 Active is for tracking your route, not guiding you through it.
Health & Fitness: Comprehensive Wellness Tracking
Beyond workouts, the Lily 2 Active runs 24/7 health monitoring. Wrist-based heart rate tracks continuously (you can dial it down to save battery). Pulse Ox (blood oxygen saturation) measures overnight for sleep insights, though spot checks during the day drain battery quickly.
Sleep tracking is solid, though not perfect. The watch automatically detects when you fall asleep and wake up, breaking down sleep stages (light, deep, REM) and providing a Sleep Score each morning. After a few weeks, it starts calculating HRV status, which takes 19 nights to establish a baseline but becomes a useful trend for tracking recovery.
The catch: some users report the Lily 2 Active is overly generous with sleep tracking, sometimes logging reading in bed as light sleep. It also occasionally registers sitting and reading as napping. For serious sleep analysis, a dedicated sleep tracker like Whoop delivers more accurate data, but for general trends, the Lily 2 Active is useful.
Stress monitoring runs all-day, using HRV to estimate your stress level. When stress spikes, the watch prompts you to do a breathing exercise. It sounds gimmicky, but the feature grows on you–especially on hectic workdays.
Women's health tracking lets you log menstrual cycle phases, symptoms, and pregnancy. The watch provides exercise and nutrition reminders tailored to your cycle phase. It's a thoughtful inclusion that goes beyond the token period tracker many smartwatches bolt on.
Respiration rate tracking monitors your breathing 24/7, flagging abnormal patterns that might indicate illness or poor recovery. Combined with HRV and resting heart rate trends, it's a decent early warning system for overtraining or getting sick.
Battery Life: Finally, A Week Between Charges
Battery life is a genuine highlight. Garmin claims up to 9 days in smartwatch mode, and that holds up in real-world use. With daily notifications, continuous heart rate monitoring, one workout with GPS per day, and occasional Pulse Ox checks, the watch consistently delivers 8 days before needing a charge.
GPS mode drains faster–about 9 hours of continuous tracking. That's enough for a marathon or long trail run, but not multi-day adventures. For comparison, a Forerunner 265 gets up to 20 hours of GPS, and a Fenix model can push 40+ hours in certain modes.
The charging cable is Garmin's proprietary clip-on design. It's magnetic and attaches securely, but you'll want to keep it in a consistent spot since it's not USB-C. A full charge takes about 90 minutes.
This battery performance is a massive upgrade from the original Lily (5 days) and the standard Lily 2 (also 5 days). The Lily 2 Active's 9-day lifespan means you charge it once a week, not twice. That makes a real difference for compliance–you actually wear it every day instead of forgetting it on a charger.
Who It's For
The Garmin Lily 2 Active is perfect for: - Runners who prioritize style: You want accurate GPS and training metrics, but you refuse to wear a chunky sports watch to work. - Small wrists: At 38mm, this is Garmin's smallest GPS watch. If a 42mm+ watch looks comically oversized on your wrist, this is your answer. - Casual to intermediate athletes: You run 3-5 times per week, do yoga or strength training, and want solid health tracking without diving into VO2 max intervals and lactate threshold analysis. - Garmin Connect fans: If you're already in the Garmin ecosystem, this slots in perfectly with the app and platform you know.
Who Should Skip It
This watch isn't for: - Serious runners: If you need maps, advanced training metrics, or multi-day battery for ultras, spend more on a Forerunner 265 or Fenix 8. - Music lovers: No onboard storage means you're carrying your phone for Spotify. If wireless headphones and phone-free runs are essential, consider a Forerunner 265 Music. - Color display enthusiasts: The monochrome LCD is functional but basic. If you want rich colors and always-on display, look at Samsung Galaxy Watch or Apple Watch. - Ultra-budget shoppers: At $249.99, this is one of Garmin's more affordable GPS options, but it's still $250. If you just want step counting and basic heart rate, a $50 Fitbit Inspire or Samsung Galaxy Fit3 will suffice.
The Verdict
Score: 83/100 – The Lily 2 Active is an excellent fitness watch for style-conscious athletes who refuse to compromise on aesthetics. It's the smartwatch equivalent of workout leggings that actually look good at brunch.
Core Function (30%): 26/30 – GPS is accurate, activity profiles are comprehensive, and Garmin Connect delivers excellent post-workout analysis. Loses points for no altimeter and no onboard maps.
Build Quality (15%): 13/15 – Solid aluminum case, comfortable silicone band, and Gorilla Glass 3 protection. Not ruggedized like a Fenix, but well-made for its category.
User Experience (20%): 15/20 – Hidden display is clever and readable in most conditions, but the grayscale screen and lack of always-on mode frustrate at times. Button controls during workouts are a smart addition.
Value (20%): 16/20 – At $249.99, it's $50 more than the GPS-less Lily 2 and the same price as a Forerunner 165. The Forerunner has a color AMOLED display and longer GPS battery, but the Lily 2 Active wins on size, style, and all-day wearability. Strong value for the fashion-fitness niche.
Battery (15%): 13/15 – Nine days in smartwatch mode is excellent. Nine hours of GPS is merely adequate. Outstanding for a watch this small.