My Garmin Xero C1 chronograph has become one of my must-have items when I am at the range. These little chronographs are incredibly convenient and help me gather the data I need to provide quality reviews. About the only downside (other than price) is that the unit does not include much in the way of protection, nor does it come with a case. Annex Defense has some accessories that help keep your Garmin from being destroyed by the other things in your range bag.

Chronographs @ TFB:

• TFB Armorer’s Bench: Closer Look – Ballistic Precision Chronograph Kit 
• TFB Review: Garmin Xero C1 Pro Chronograph 
• The Rimfire Report: FX Airguns Pocket Chronograph 
• TFB Review: MagnetoSpeed Sporter Chronograph 

Disclosures: Annex Defense hit me up on Instagram and offered to send me these products for free. I did not have a relationship with the company before that.

Screen Protectors

The first product I installed is the screen protector. These come in a three-pack that costs $15. Installation is very easy, and is abit like putting one of these on your phone. The package includes cleaning wipes for the screen. One wipe is wet for removing any dirt or grime, and the dry wipe cleans any remaining lint away. They are numbered so you get the order right. The protector itself has protective film that peels off. It has another helpful numbered instruction tab attached so you do things in the right order. I applied this protector about a year ago and don’t remember much else about the process besides it being pretty easy.

The screen protectors come in a three-pack so they can be replaced as they get damaged, but I have not needed that yet. After ten months of very frequent use, the original screen protector looks as good as it did on the initial installation. The protector is not shiny and does not cause additional glare, nor does it dim the screen.

I don’t mount my Garmin on rifles while I am shooting, but many shooters do, even though the Xero C1 is not rated for that kind of use. The newer and more expensive C2 is rated for that, so if you insist on putting a chrono on your gun for some reason, that is the way to go. But if you are still insisting on using your C1 in this way, adding some extra protection is a very good idea.

Torture testing is not something I want to do with this item. I bought it, it was not cheap, and I use it all the time for reviews. My unintentional torture testing has involved a lot of getting tossed into a range bag and ending up with ammo cases on top of it, or brushing it off of a table onto gravel or concrete accidentally. It still works after that. Would it have been fine without the Annex upgrades? Maybe. But when it was in the air on the way to the ground, I felt a lot better having them on there.

On The Range

These products have made cameo appearances in basically every review I have written over the last year. After lots of use in all sorts of conditions at various ranges, they work as advertised. The main thing I notice about the glass protector is that I do not notice it at all. I honestly forgot I had installed it until I came across the box with the spare screen protectors inside several months later. The protector itself is holding up great, and the glass underneath is presumably doing the same.

As for the covers, the main questions boil down to whether you want the sun shade or not, and which color you prefer. The sun shade makes the screen easier to see when the sun is high overhead. The trade-off is a little added bulk and getting in the way of the screen every once in a while if the unit is close to the shooter, creating a downward viewing angle. After using both indoors and outdoors, I would recommend the hooded model for people who usually shoot outside in uncovered areas. The non-shaded cover is the better choice if you primarily use the Garmin indoors. Both work well in any circumstance, though.