Yes, the Garmin Edge 530 is waterproof. The device is rated as IPX7, which means it has been tested for immersion in 1m of water for at least 30 minutes, and remains waterproof.
Given that no-one rides a bike with the handlebars submerged that far under water (well, mainly no-one), the Edge 530 can be classed as fully waterproof from a cycling perspective.
(And, for completeness, you don’t need to buy a separate waterproof case for the device).
Here is the evidence of my unscientific test:
And thankfully, here is the result:
And it still works afterwards (as it has been built to do):
The full spec sheet, including the waterproof rating, is on the Garmin website, and more details of the water ingress rating system can be found here.
Now you know it’s waterproof, the links are below in case you want to buy one.
Also, check out my post comparing the Edge 530 with the
High performance at a reasonable price. Sophisticated training and performance features. Good for trails and MTB. Not touchscreen. Complex at first but powerful when you get the hang of it.
Here is the video of me dropping an Edge 530 in a glass of water:
I had an unfortunate incident recently, resulting in me and my Edge 530 going splash in the River Irwell while riding along the river bank. It took me five days to find my Garmin, which was in about 50cm of water.
It looked OK, but I put it in a tub of moisture absorbing crystals overnight as a precaution.
I plugged it in the following morning and it started charging. When it was charged up it located the satellites, connected to my phone and WiFi and uploaded my route (as far as the River Irwell). It still works perfectly so very impressed with the water proofing.
I have now fitted the lanyard.