Garmin - Forerunner 245

I have the same watch, but without the music option. It connects to MFP perfectly.

I am also using an AMOLED (epix pro gen 2), which replaced a fr245.  I had a tough time in some scenarios with the MIPS display, such as on shaded trails and around subset (both common in my users). In these cases I am happier with the AMOLED. 

I have been using forerunners (245 and 255) for some years and they're pretty accurate. You still need to manually enable drill mode but it's almost perfect for the basic strokes. By the way, it's worth noting that how it detects styles depends also on your technique.

BUTTONS I had a 245 that broke a couple years back, and while I waited to get a new one I borrowed my wife's old apple watch, and hated every minute of using it due to the touch screen for everything interface. Now I've got a nice sleek 965 my dad gifted me last year and it's so nice. Love the AMOLED screen.

I would personally always take a Forerunner over the Venu series, as I am pretty serious about my fitness. I don't really care much about smart watch features, just need a bare minimum. And the venu series seems to take tradeoffs with fitness features to accommodate the increase in smart features.

Running is just what the Forerunner targets to be the best choice for. It is a lighter watch, with all the GPS accuracy you can get. It doesn't focus on Golf or diving or being "rugged". So yes, a Forerunner would still be a great option for your situation, and it will just be a plus if you ever decide to run.

I would recommend the Forerunner series, I love it. Great for running, and a recent update even added Strength training to the Garmin Coach feature. It used to just be running plans. But aside from that you can make your own strength training workouts. I personally really enjoy the ability to make my own workouts and fill out the calendar in the app to have a custom training plan that I know works for me. But I believe the custom workouts/planning aspect should be universal to most watches though.

I have the 245 and 265. I actually like the touch screen when scrolling my data versus the buttons. Especially when looking at the morning report. Very convenient when scrolling. I was hesitant to get the 265 back then but happy i did. Love the screen. Very bright. My next one will definitely the 970. I love the flashlight, sapphire and titanium features.

Garmin foreunner 245 has been a real joy for years now. zero complaints

My forerunner 245 is still going strong 5 years in. It occasionally confuses a rest for a lap when i dont tell it I'm resting. Otherwise it's great.

I have a garmin Forerunner 245 and its really great, try looking for a similar watch used

I use an old Forerunner 245 as I got it for running and I can listen to music without having to take my phone. It does the job for crossfit. I record it as either Strength or Cardio. Or if it's a running WOD, then Workout (tracks distance). It just depends on your budget and personal preferences with aesthetics and fit.

I have a FR 245 with Music. It does what I need it to do. It can be a bit judgemental if I have a rest day and/or go for a walk (I have been knocked down from Productive to Recovery - so audacious). I like not having to take my phone with me, especially if it's raining.

i own fenix 7pro solar. Best watch ever(literally), will not replace it at least 5 more years. I do hiking/climbing/road cycling except for running tho. I do actually train for a marathon in April rn, Forerunner 245 is you best choice if you don't need mountain oriented features and other stuff. What's so great about garmin watch. I track quite accurate my surfing activities, skiing, have always great navigation out in the wild, satellite messaging features, great battery capacity, great water pressure resistance(up to 100m). What else do i need, i ask myself. But in reality, only for running you don't need much. You basically need only HR tracker and gps device to track the pace and distance. So any watch is fine

What are the current MIP models? I’m having a hard time finding this info. I have a 245 that I’m very reluctant to let go of. I can’t have a glowing watch for my job. Also, I’m not super impressed with AMOLED

Swimming on the Active 2 is not good. It does not have a proper rest mode and suffers the same fate of the screen needing to be "active" for the physical buttons to function as expected. If you're doing a single non-stop casual swim, it will track stroke/swolf fine, but if you do any kind of interval workout, it will add a bunch of distance and you'll end up with very inaccurate data. Assuming the Vivoactive is similar to how my Fenix 5+, Forerunner 245 and Forerunner 955 all were, it has proper rest modes, interval support, countdowns for starting intervals etc.

I first bought the FR265s because I have very small wrists. After a few months I bought the FR265. Yes, it's a bit big on my wrist (left wrist smaller than right wrist) but I can read it better. The 265s display was too small for me, even if I had my new glasses that time. There is really a difference between the 2.54mm larger screen of my FR245.

Older Garmin watches work fine, I regularly see runners with the 2015 Forerunner 235 at races. And used models will be fine, albeit older watches may have reduced battery life simply due to age. That’s the nature of rechargeable batteries I’m afraid, and it applies to all brands. I would recommend a Forerunner 45 as the minimum, or a 55, and if you can get a 245 in budget then even better Whichever watch you choose, go to [DC Rainmaker](https://www.dcrainmaker.com/) and search for his in-depth review of that model which typically includes a video. They will tell you all about the functions, how to use it, what it can do etc.

I regularly see runners using the Forerunner 235 at races, and that watch came out in 2015 Until recently I had a Forerunner 245 that I had bought 4-and-a-half years ago. I upgraded to a 965 because I wanted to treat myself to a new watch with some new features, but my 245 was like new and would have easily lasted another 5+ years. As ever with a technology, how you look after it is a big factor. But Garmins do last a long time.

> Every Garmin should match your needs I'm not being picky here, but that's not true 245 does not support multisport mode Only 945 series and newer (and Fenix) support maps

Garmin Forerunner 245. I like it, it works well for running, mountain biking, and canoeing.

This is true, mostly, but the deciding factor for me upgrading from the 245 (I know this is not the same watch you mention but still more or less the same) to the 965 was maps. And maps are also the reason I chose AMOLED over MIP (which I do also like). OP, if you don't want maps this post is a very strong argument. Edit: just noticed this is 3d old, but that's the Reddit algorithm...

Edit: why not change the battery of your AW7? Shouldn’t be too expensive normally, and that may help you run the 15k distance without running out of battery. It should still be supported for a few years, so it won’t be obsolete immediately. The FR55,165 and 255 won’t receive any updates anymore, except maybe a bug fix, but don’t expect new features like Apple may still add to WatchOS. I won’t recommend you to get the FR55, it’s just too old and expensive for what it is. Try to look for a 165 or 255, they are more recent and/or have some extra features and better gps (255). https://www.reddit.com/r/Garmin/s/PoeYUQKgTm And between Garmin and Amazfit, ask yourself if you want a no nonsense running watch or a watch with lots of gadgets and features, which may not all work well or be useful? They’re just 2 different types of watches. Personally I’m still using my FR245 that I got in December 2021, and it’s still working great. I’d love to upgrade, but the most recent version of it, the 570, is just soooooooo overpriced. And I secretly also prefer MiP instead of OLED. 😀

Honestly? Not worth it. It uses the gps of your phone, and then you’re better off using your phone with a cheap Bluetooth chest strap heart rate monitor. I do recommend you to slightly stretch your budget for a Vivoactive 5, Forerunner 165 or 255. They’re a bit more expensive, but still under $300. Maybe you can find a good deal secondhand. I’m still using my Forerunner 245 after 4 years and it’s still a solid watch for my running (5-10km).

A valid alternative to trex 3 pro? I have Garmin 245 and it still works..but I'd like to change it to something that can last around 5 years

The 245 runner works just fine for me for all these use cases, and additionally for hiking and swimming as well.

I've had the 245 for about four years and recently just got a replacement refurbished one from Garmin after I broke the strap lugs, so committed to it again for a few years. I'd recommend it as a good smartwatch for running and other activity. I track weights, netball, swimming and hiking as well as running and cycling. I've not used the workout section that much but know it's there and it looks good. It's still a fairly straightforward watch (no touchscreen, no sleep scores) and some of the stuff I've seen on more recent models does look good but I wonder how much I would actually use them. You can always be upsold on the next incremental improvement but the 245 does hit most boxes for me.

My 235 and 245 still lasts 6-8 days

I love my Garmin Forerunner 245. Only time I've ever had a sync issue is when the servers themselves were down. The free running coaches got me into running consistently now.

Had an Apple watch for many years and then I decided to take running serious. Just as that happened my Apple Watch broke so I decided to get a garmin thinking I’ll only wear it to run. Once I saw all the data I could collect by wearing it all the time the watch has not left my wrist. Now I can’t stop tracking sleep and all that other good stuff lol. I run 5-6 days a week and charge it once a week to top off. Apple Watch was getting charged every night. Started with the 245 and upgraded to the 965.

Because the 245 came out over six years ago. This list is supposedly from this past year. Not only is it harder to get, as an owner of a 245, I wouldn't recommend it almost only because it suffers from a known dead-pixels issue (gone through multiple 245 watches with that problem). The 265s not only doesn't have that issue, but it has improved hardware. I'd get the 265s on the improved GPS alone if I were getting a watch today, and I just went through this decision process with a friend who ended up choosing a 265s.

I think Cadence lock shouldn't be a thing at all :-). But i got it with my old 245 and now with my 255 as well. Not that often, but can still happen. I use an HR Monitor anyway so that should be solved. Also it's interesting that wearing a nylon strap reduces issues with heart rate monitoring on the watch a lot compared to the silicon strap

Lots of options. Check out the Venu series, Vivofit, and Vivoactive. IMO the value-added aspects of the Forerunner are around running and other aerobic endurance sports. Are those relevant to you?

I had a 610 years ago and a 700-series a different time. Might be getting it backwards. I think there's always been a 900-series? The intermediate models tend to wander, though I think they've usually had a 200-series as well. I had a 230 for a while and I know there was a 245, 255 and 265, so it was a reasonable assumption that there'd be a 270. DC Rainmaker kind of hated the 165 and 265. Like his reviews really read like he thought we should get Instincts instead. He's also been talking about how Garmin is maybe trying to rationalize their line. So maybe now it's Lifestyle watches -> Instinct -> FR 570 -> FR 970 -> Fenix -> higher-end Fenix variants. I dunno... I was really waiting for this because I wanted to at least wait a generation before replacing my 165. But the price hike in the 970 is kind of a shock. Maybe I'll do a 965 in a bit, now that there's something to make it last year's model. Now that I have AMOLED I don't really want to go back, especially if part of my deal is wanting maps.

Forerunner can be a great alternative to Fenix if you're price conscious. Or just last generation Fenix. Do you care about maps?

Sure if it's cheap. The 245 got some legitimately cool new features. I don't think the following generations have, though sometimes there's more incremental stuff. Also, Garmin has pulled support for the 235 but that doesn't mean it will have stopped working.

Forerunner does that stuff too. In general, higher-end Garmins add, they don't take away. Are you serious about any of your sports? Like planning seasons, building for events, that kind of thing?

Changed my mind... I think without an explicit indoor rowing activity profile and VO2max, the extra analysis stuff on the Forerunner won't really work. Not sure if any of the watches have that. I know there are some accepted equations to estimate that stuff, though I think you'd also need a reasonably accurate power meter on your rowing machine. So yeah, Venu or whatever is fine.

My opinion, go with the Forerunner. Check out all the chatter from people moving on from their Apple Watches - I get that some of the newer ones have much better support for running but you say you have an older one. And you're not going to want to carry your phone either. How much running have you done up to now?

I have a garmin 245 and am happy with it. If you want it for hiking I would get the one with an altimeter. When I upgrade I’m going to make sure it has it. To select, go through the versions and see what features you want, you don’t need the fanciest one. I do bring a battery to recharge on multi day hikes and don’t use my gps on them.

I have both the 55 and 245 and highly recommend the 245. Even though the watch is the same size, the bezel on the 245 is slightly smaller making the screen slightly larger and easier to read. There are some minor activities differences and the data screens are more descriptive on the 245. 245 also has a pulse oximeter if sleep tracking is important to you. Both watches are fantastic, but the 245 is slightly ahead. Happy tracking!

**Do all Garmins do these things?** Most do. **Should I grab a second hand older model? Or did I need a specific newer model to do all of these things?** What you mentioned should work on second hand models. BUT I suggest you pick a model that has the latest heart rate sensor (V5) for better heart rate accuracy. And if you can afford a model that has multi band GPS if possible, this makes the GPS much more accurate. [https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=9NWiPDU4gM0JWMfdWFol7A](https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=9NWiPDU4gM0JWMfdWFol7A) Here is a list of new watches with Multi Band GPS (price starts at $400): [https://www.garmin.com/en-US/c/sports-fitness/running-smartwatches/?FILTER\_FEATURE\_SUBTRACKING\_CONNECTIVITY=multibandGPS¤tPage=1&sorter=price-asc](https://www.garmin.com/en-US/c/sports-fitness/running-smartwatches/?FILTER_FEATURE_SUBTRACKING_CONNECTIVITY=multibandGPS¤tPage=1&sorter=price-asc) To research watches, I do recommend you check out [https://www.dcrainmaker.com/](https://www.dcrainmaker.com/), he has wonderful reviews and videos, very in depth. **Watch recommendations** Since you mentioned you are running. I would suggest a watch that has "Training status". Basically it keeps track of your workouts, and suggest more workouts to you. As a runner I love it. Now it is a bit more expensive, the new watches that have this can be found here: [https://www.garmin.com/en-US/c/sports-fitness/running-smartwatches/?FILTER\_FEATURE\_SUBTRACKING\_RUNNING\_TRAINING=trainingstatus¤tPage=1&sorter=price-asc](https://www.garmin.com/en-US/c/sports-fitness/running-smartwatches/?FILTER_FEATURE_SUBTRACKING_RUNNING_TRAINING=trainingstatus¤tPage=1&sorter=price-asc) But you also have some older models if you buy used, such as Fenix 5 & up, Forerunner 245 & up, Forerunner 745, Forerunner 935 & up.

I went from a 45 to a 245 to now the 955. I love the 955. I did wait until it went on sale for $350usd.

I have a Garmin 245 and I'll probably be buried with it, the newer ones are hilariously expensive and don't offer much that really matters. I tried a Fenix 7s and it couldn't even play bluetooth consistently, they stuffed too much useless crap into it

I had an Apple Watch Series 5 and it was good at distance but very patchy at stroke detection (my form isn’t that bad!). Switched to a Garmin 245 4 years ago and it was much better at stroke detection. Distance is fine with the occasional missed lap but that also happened with the AW for me. I now use a Fénix 7S and I like it a lot. I really like the ability to push structured workouts to it. That was not doable with the AW. The system for logging drills is a little cumbersome but you get used to it. The missed laps problem has been reduced for me. Now I find that if I keep swimming it catches up eventually most of the time. (Of course newer AWs may have improved too.) Good luck!

I’ve been using a Garmin Forerunner 245 for about two years now. Picked it up for around $225 if memory serves me right. Great little watch.

I've previously had various Fitbit Charge series fitness trackers and they were ok, it took about a month to get used to wearing one before I could keep it on 24/7. I've now got a Garmin Forerunner 245 that I got when I got really into running a few years ago as it has lots more useful features for that than any of the Fitbits. Generally the Garmin feels like a more grown up version of a fitness trackers, but it really depends on what you want to use it for. If I were to get another fitness trackers I'd definitely go for a Garmin again, I've no desire to return to Fitbit.

Agree, I have a forerunner 245 and it does what I need it to do. All the different stats are fun to begin with, but imo there are so many unnecessary features on these watches. Maybe it’s just me

Also have a 245. Ended up getting it replaced for free a year or two ago when the original froze during a software update. Garmin support was awesome. Walked me through the troubleshooting steps, then when it didn't work, asked if I wanted to do free ground shipping, or pay extra for expedited shipping. I was in shock. I had owned it for like 4 years at that point and it was way beyond warranty, but they still warranty exchanged it. Bonus was the battery life on the old watch was definitely lower than it had been, and the new watch came with a fresh battery. I was totally ready to drop $450 on a new 255/265

For running, the **Forerunners** win because they’re lighter, have better training tools (readiness, load, recovery, VO₂, etc.), and give you more run-specific metrics. The **Instinct/Fenix** are better for hiking/backpacking since they’re tougher, with longer battery and more rugged features. Animated workouts are more of a nice to have, useful if you like guided bodyweight or gym sessions, but most people don’t rely on them. Daily suggested workouts are hit or miss: they’re good for structure but not something to blindly follow. Maps are genuinely handy if you do trails or long hikes; on runs they’re mostly good for keeping you on a planned route. The 970 only records ECG if you start it manually, it doesn’t passively check like an Apple Watch. Smart features: you’ll see texts and calls, but RCS isn’t supported (just standard SMS/notifications). The mic/speaker are fine for quick replies or answering a call in a pinch, but not something you’d want to use all the time. Why Garmin? Mostly the depth of training metrics, reliability, and ecosystem, Coros and Suunto are good but Garmin still has the most polished data!!

I’d go with the **Forerunner 165** ,it has better sensors, solid sleep and health tracking, and supports readiness and guided workouts. The **245** is still good but discontinued, so future updates might stop soon. The **55** is fine for basics, but the 165 gives you a noticeable upgrade without unnecessary extras like music

Don’t buy a apple or samsung smartwatch. Any of your selected options is much better than a smartwatch. I have a forerunner 245 that I bought in 2019, and I love it. It genuinely helped me run a marathon, and I was trying to do 5k when I first got it. Garmin has a running plan and coaches that you can apply in your runs. Im sure others have this too, but I think only garmin can measure VO2max

I think the 970 has the new HR sensor, but not sure if it will be better for tattoos. I have a 245 and it won't work on my left wrist, sorta sometimes works on my right. Always just wear the HR strap, but tempted to get the 970 and the new HR strap.

I had forerunner 245 and used it for running and swimming. It was great, but I fell and trashed it. Had forruner 165 but didn't get training readiness so I upgraded to forruner 265 and happy with my choice. Ony downside with forruner 245 is that it didn't have hrv stats.

Garmin 245. Not a smart watch, but if you want to can pair it with your phone to view messages. It looks and feels like a normal watch. Pairs with their app or Strava. Tracks and records everything you want. It will track for nearly 12 hours. Tells you distance, vertical gain, calories, heart rate. Just plain works.

Really any of the Garmin Forerunner 200-series watches, so even used ones can work out well so: Garmin Forerunner 245, Garmin Forerunner 245 Music, Garmin Forerunner 255, Garmin Forerunner 265 There isn't a huge difference in features for these watches so the biggest factor is your budget. I think some of the newer ones have newer display, maybe slightly better battery life, etc. but for the activity tracking they are all pretty much the same and cover the areas you are looking for.

Due to the huge black bezel(?) I just can't switch to 955 from 245. It just fell like a step back :( I'm still waiting with hope for 975/275 MIP version. And in that point of my training. I really need only one more thing from what I already have: HR strap, resting HR, body battery, and missing barometer for elevation tracking.

As mentioned already, disabling the auto-interval feature is, in my opinion, essential for accurate swim tracking. I’ve swum with the Garmin Forerunner 245, then the Swim 2, switched to the Apple Watch, and now I’m back to the Garmin Epix Pro. All of them seem to struggle a bit with auto-interval detection, but aside from that, I’ve never had any major issues with tracking swim styles, laps, distance, or heart rate. Occasionally they might miss a lap or two, but nothing worth stressing over. Also, as far as I know, most indoor swim trackers rely on the push-off from the wall to mark the end and start of a lap (outdoor swims use GPS). So it’s possible your push-off isn’t strong or consistent enough to register properly.

I had a Garmin Forerunner 245 and was very happy with it. A first I dived into all the metrics, but then I discovered they are really only at best estimates, at worst plain wrong. In the end I just use it for time, GPS and Heart Rate, and ignore all Garmins opaque algorithms for the likes of VO2Max, Training Readiness, Sleep scores etc. Then my Garmin Forerunner started un-pairing from my Samsung A34 despite everything being on the latest software. Its now pretty unusable. So I looked for a Garmin replacement and was shocked at the prices. Garmin have basically priced me out. I ended up buying an Amazfit T-Rex 3 for around around 220 USD in a sale. GPS and HR are just as accurate as Garmin, and it has a much smoother and intuitive interface. Amazfit Zepp app is not better than Garmin Connect, but then again its not really worse, just different in terms of things that do not work, or are buggy. Both companies really need to improve their software. So I would say its worth looking around at alternatives to Garmin especially if you are on a budget.

Used Forerunner 55 is pretty much you answer. If you can find a used 245 for around the same price you can go the route too.

I have a garmin forerunner 245 which does the trick but would be a hazard to check on the wrist. So I bought a used Garmin Edge 520+ years ago and it's been great.   Interface is a bit clunky and slow but you tend to watch one screen, so not a big issue. A dedicated computer and out front mount is best.   Garmin, wahoo, hammerhead are the big 3 but expensive. Cheaper alternatives available from Bryton, Magene, igpsport. Eg, you might look at igpsport bsc200 for budget or there higher end models for more features.

I really like my garmin forerunner 245, my husband has the model up. We have both been using them for over 2 years, and are eagerly waiting to destroy the watches so we can upgrade to fenix.

245 Here! Still going strong, was looking to upgrade but didn’t see a reason to once I started to realize that I get all the data I need.

Also chiming in in favor of forerunner 245, but would strongly advise consideration of a basic biking computer as well (I have garmin edge but have heard good things about most major vendors) if wanting to navigate while cycling (can use wrist broadcast heart rate from watch to computer if desired).

For anyone coming to this thread later (looks like OP made decision already): I've found that the fenix 6 pro solar does an inferior job with gps accuracy while running on roads and has a track mode that is notably less precise than my forerunner 245. Very disappointing. Fenix has been good for navigating trail runs and not needing to rely on 3rd party apps for winter sports, OWS, and triathlon modes, but the difference in utility and performanc between the two is lacking in many respects.

Fourrunner 245 and a garmin 540 for computer. Perfect combo. I grabbed my watch for 80 off marketplace and 200 for the bike computer

I have a Forerunner 245 that I got second hand. The main reason was so I can listen to music while running without bringing my phone. The health metrics etc are more than enough for me to keep track my progress. 

When I started this sport 5 yr ago, I was in the same spot. I picked the Garmin Forerunner 245 but found the screen to dim. I upgraded to the 255 and happy with that. I wouldn't get the version with the Spotify option as I ended up never using it. Never as I always had my phone and Shokz.

Average runner(64) here. I use both, started with Apple Watch then got Garmin 245 to try it. Apple Watch is easier, stays paired to my iPhone and all, but I run with playlists on the Apple Watch and get into a power rundown on long runs. I added the Garmin as a backup tracker. I like it and the long battery life, but since I don’t wear it all the time, it unpairs and is a hassle to re-pair it. So, wear Apple Watch all day and run with both.

Garmin forerunner 245. I can go easily a week without charging it, and that’s with doing 4-6 runs per week. My husband has a new apple watch and basically has to charge it every single day, which would honestly drive me mad. I chose the 245 because of the battery and it also has buttons instead of a touch screen, which makes it easy for me to use while running.

My Garmin Forerunner 245 is great. I’ve had it 4+ years and works just as well as the day I got it!

Amen, I’ve had the 245 since 2020 as well and just haven’t been convinced the 965 warrants spending the $s. I run 50 kms a week and ride occasionally, 245 still caters for that perfectly

Some from IT here. These things are not semi random - obviously off by a good amount if you do non-walking activities but they still track very well how active one is. As long as you're not the driver of an old bus with a broken suspension, they will do a good job. This kind of data can be used really well for indoor navigation, without any help of GPS, only relying on cheap sensors. But I agree fully with your claim that smart watches are not BIFL. Sooner or later software support will run out and you won't be able to connect it again with your non-BIFL smart phone. OP will be best off with either a sturdy pedometer/step counter like the early days of fitbit without having notifications or Invest some money in a reputable brand and go the expensive route. I have a Garmin Forerunner 245 since it's release day in 2019. With all features off, the battery still lasts weeks but software will kill it one day, sooner or later.

If i remember correctly swim 2 was very similar watch to fr245? (gen 3 sensor, outdated in 2025) instinct 3 amoled doesn't have touch and music but have flashlight and stronger built quality. i3 solar have small memory. fr265 have lover atm rating (if you go regularly to swimming poll there is good chance to cloge barometar hole after a year of swimming) and don't have flashligh. As usual with garmin: pick you poision. Both watches have 5 buttons, and swim drill log mode, that's good. Both watches have gen 4 sensor that is ok for average hr, but pretty slow to adapt to intervals. Gen 5 sensor is little better. In newer watch models i think there is swim coach but didn't track that part. 50mm i3 is probably to bulky for swim, but 45 i3 or 46/42 fr 265 should be ok size.

My Race S sensor is completely on par with the sensor on my Garmin Forerunner 245 so I don't see the problem with his statement.

245 for 70-80 is ok and you can see if you like it. I had it and it does the job.

I concur. My 245 still works but the buttons, even after a lot of cleaning with warm water, never worked perfectly again after a sea swim. These Forerunner watches don't like the salt in the water I believe.

Yea as you said, comparing the 245 to the fenix 8 is apples to oranges. It’s not even about the 970 being newer, it’s about it being high end, which the 245 isn’t.

How is the tech getting outdated? It's literally the same as the 965, but MIP. And Garmins latest watches are still being released with MIP And then the actual functionality is still all there with no realistic end date. I was using a 245 until earlier this year, that was still a fantastic watch and I only sold it because I'm getting into trail running and wanted maps for overseas travel.

How are the Forerunner 265s and 255 in the top five but the FR 245 is near the bottom? You've got a similar problem for the 945 vs the 955. Any methodology that produces such disparate "rankings" for two watches with similar features, build quality, and price is pretty suspect.

I've had the FR 245 the past 2+ years, and it's been excellent. No touch screen. And don't miss any touch screen from previous watches. Presumably the 255 and 245 are very similar

That's the one I have too. I love it!

Forerunner 245 if your starting out, no need to spend £500+ on a watch. Forerunner 245 has pretty much all features apart from lactate threshold test. Used it for multiple marathons no issues

Okay, I have a Garmin 245 and love it for its standard fitness tracking - HR, steps, sleep tracking, exercise options - and its water proof. It does not make a good bike computer (my power meter data tracks but is not analyzed iykwim) and wish I got a few models up like a Fenix. I have heard good things about Coros if you want more running data to analyze on your own and not have Garmin interpret it for you.

Depending on how much you want to interact with your watch, the lack of buttons on a Venu might be frustrating. For that reason a Forerunner might be better as you can lock the touch screen during runs and use the buttons.

I like the idea of a Venu 4. I currently wear a Forerunner 245 for all my metrics, and Galaxy Watch 3 for phone notifications during the morning on work days. My main 'smart watch' interest is... does the watch audibly ring when my phone rings in Bluetooth range, so I can get to my phone and answer it and/or ring the person back. I don't care so much about answering the call, or replying to text/fb messenger on the watch... I just want to know something is incoming. And.. as a Forerunner owner, will losing all those buttons bother me. I'm kind of used to all the information the 245 provides me, so it would bother me probably dropping back to a Venu 3, but a Venu 4 does 99% of what the Forerunner 570 does, but you have to use the swipe screen because you don't have the buttons.. My running is down to 3 or 4 20-30 minute, 3km runs a week.. all easy pace, so I'm not doing different Interval training runs, or Threshold runs etc.. I'd like to think that touch once to start a run, and touch twice to end a run is all I would really need..

I just sold my 245 for a little more than that, so the $90 isn’t a bad deal. It worked fine and battery was still great. If you’re looking for a basic garmin watch it’s fine.

I switched from Apple Watch to forerunner 245 around 3 years ago. Never looked back. Apple Watch is a smart watch with fitness features. Garmin is a fitness watch with smart features.

if you need maps buy 965, if not go for 265. If you even do not need OLED go 255. If you need battery go for the one with more battery capability. Don’t get fooled by fancy metrics you’ll never use. I have a 955. Very happy with it. I was happy also with my 245 without mapping and using the preloaded tracks. Only reason I upgraded was screen size e possibility to have 5 fields on the screen. Other than that it was perfect, and I still miss how it was disappearing on my wrist in terms of weight, bulkiness and band size. Consider used to try it out or go to a local shop to play with it and see how it feels at your wrist. Also consider a nylon band (ultrafit by garmin or a similar amazon one) since it is mor stretchy, secures better, breaths better then silicon.

if you need oled no maps go 265. If you need no oled no maps 255. If you need maps and oled 965, if you need maps no oled 955. Must say I was also happy with my 245 using preloaded tracks to follow (you just do not have tha background image only a track. I switche to 955 because I needed more fields on my screen (fr245 had only 4) and I do trail running. I am happy with my 955 but I dont really am a fun of maps, I still use my phone for that. I could have been ok with the slicker and lighter 255. I still miss how the 245was disappearing on my wrist in terms of weight, bulkiness and band size. Consider to buy used to try it out or go to a local shop to play with it and see how it feels at your wrist. Also consider a nylon band (ultrafit by garmin or a similar amazon one) since it is more stretchy, secures better, breaths better then silicon. Trust me, you dont need touch screen on a sport watch. Garmin one is also bad in my experience. Also dont get fooled by fancy metrics you will never use.

This is a great option (Forerunner 245 and Edge 840) as I did the same thing. Ebay is great. What I do is record the ride on my watch (hit the button), then turn on extended display on the 840 so I can see my heart rate on my computer as well as the other ride stats. I pay most attention to my heart rate to manage my efforts and not blow up on the ride. However I ride on known routes and don’t need the head unit for navigation. Which on extended display is not as helpful. That would be my only complaint is that the extended display is not as visible (smaller text) as the non-extended readouts when just using the head unit. Extra credit: When paired with the Garmin Varia rear light radar unit, the watch will buzz my wrist when traffic is detected behind me.

Got the fr 245 and its still solid. By all means, go for it still worth it

Garmin will add less laps if you stop less or segment your workouts accordingly. Kinda like saying user error? But it’s because the watch is too sensitive? Example: I swim 25 underwater. I get to the wall to stretch for 30 seconds, and then swim back to complete the lap before I do 1500 freestyle. I usually end up with 75 or 100 meters when I complete that first warmup lap. And it’s because it is detecting movement consistent with the movement of pushing off a wall while I’m stretching. If I don’t start my watch until after I stretch and warm up and I just track my main set in one big block it’s spot on. If I am doing intervals it also adds half laps periodically, but for the same reason: it’s detecting change of direction movement. To minimize this I look at a wall clock instead of my watch to know when to blast off again. Solution for garmin: stop moving your watch when you’re not swimming if you told your watch you were swimming. They could probably fix it by making it less sensitive to changes in direction. But for now I can get 100 meters just by putting my goggles on if I want. Watches: forerunner 245 and fenix 7. 25 meter pool. Freestyle only.

Garmin 245 and garmin phoenix 7 both slap.

i second that. wrist HR with F8 is also faulty for me like 30% of the times, could be because of a wrist or a strap. But i did not see any with F8 improvement compared to F6 or older forerunners

I second this. Exact same use case run 3x/week and weight train 3-4x/week. I found the epix pro gen 2 sapphire to be best utility and bang for buck. I tried the FR but was too run focused and I preferred the more tactical look. The fenix 8 was nice but at double the price with same sensor technology it didn’t felt worth it. You do forgo the mic and voice features but I didn’t need it and didn’t want a true smart watch but prioritized a fitness forward watch. 3 months in and I love my Epix pro gen 2 47mm

I use a Garmin Forerunner watch, and it displays heart rate while tracking activity. The reading is pretty visible to me even with slightly foggy goggles but ymmv. They have a lot of models with this capability, so maybe you can find one with a bigger screen. The default heart rate screen also has a colored Zone indicator, if that's easier to see & you're not looking for exact numbers https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=kbOXNev7NS4DQcc3IjAV49

I use Garmin forerunner watch, sync Strava with Garmin Connect and sync Komoot with Strava. It works like a charm.

I have a Garmin Edge bike computer and chest based heart rate because I like to see my speed on the handlebars rather than having to look at my watch. It also navigates for me on more adventurous rides and race courses I'm unfamiliar with. For local social rides I just track on my Garmin Forerunner watch.

A Garmin head unit. You could buy used to reduce the cost. I do ride wearing my forerunner watch, however it is purely for heartrate (linkeded to display on headunit) In reality you could buy the headunit and an inexpensive chest heartrate monitor such as magene. I do however like that my watch provides lots of other daily data such as resting heartrate, steps and so forth. There is benefit to headunit + basic level sports watch.

Runs are the same concept as rides. Personally, I use purpose-built devices to record: Garmin Edge bike computer, Garmin Forerunner watch (they also both do navigation, connect to heart rate sensors, watch does music, etc.). When I stop an activity and hit save, it's uploaded to Strava before I can even get the garage door open. I don't want to carry my phone on a run, and I don't want to run down the battery on all-day rides.

Obviously a Fenix 8 Micro LED. For real though, Fenix/Epix watches will give you full golf functionality minus a feature or two which are reserved for the golf specific watches. If you are budget conscious I would look for a Fenix 7/epix 2 series watch. If you have money to spend, a Fenix 8 will be great for everything you can imagine. Forerunner watches do have some golf features but they are dumbed down a bit to basic distance to green and score keeping.

The same I was big on the Apple ecosystem and felt like it was a cool watch just because it integrated so well, but I never even downloaded any apps for it. All I ever used it for was timers and reminders and stuff like that and basic fitness tracking, and my forerunner does all the same stuffbut way better. Should’ve switched sooner

There is Garmin Swim (IMHO essentially it is a ForeRunner, but swim has been put in focus; review here https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2019/10/garmin-openwater-review.html). However, modern Garmin watches are all able to track pool swim as well as gym workouts (you might have to set exercises later in the app if you want to track muscle groups affected). Essentially ForeRunner is for runners mostly, Forerunner 9xx is focused on triathlon, Fenix is mostly for outdoors - but again, all of them can do almost the same. I’d go with Fenix if budget allows.

All true except advanced metrics. They are also present in Fenix (it has even more features for hiking) and Instinct. Forerunner is not more advanced. The rugedness is mostly about the bezel. In fenix and instinct it has a rim which gives extra protection to the screen. But that means rugged watches are more bulky what can be a problem in the gym. The real question is lightness of forerunner vs battery life of fenix /instinct

I’ve had and loved garmin forerunners and a coros pace. Slight preference for coros over garmin for battery life. Slight preference for garmin for multi-app interoperability.  I’m actually planning to buy an Apple Watch because it’s fine as a fitness tracker and has better health tracking capabilities on top of the fitness stuff. 

I have both and just got the forerunner. I really enjoy the fitness data from garmin. AW is just a superior smart watch and I am coming to the conclusion that I don’t need it any more. At my age I just need to focus more on my health and fitness.

Not having a screen doesn't really seem like much of a selling point. It's nice to have the watch function and access to other data bits on the screen. I have an older Garmin Forerunner that I've used for about 8 years.

Many of the Garmin lineup support multi sport, and personally I've been on the Fenix track for over a decade now, currently on Epix Gen2. Handles swimming and running spot on paired with HRM-Pro. I have an Edge 1040 for cycling. Wife has a Fenix 8, it's super nice. Weight not an issue for me, Forerunner is a lighter model but gets a plastic case if I'm not mistaken. And go for the Sapphire screen.

In same boat. Floridian who knows you can’t touch anything after 10 minutes in the heat and I fear the button loss. Also have owned forerunners

I second this. My Garmin Forerunner has been going strong 4 years now.

Yes, they’re great. Make sure to download the connect app, that’s we’re all the useful data will be much easier to read.

The only time that I had issues with a Garmin watch they replaced the watch well over the warrant. I got a forerunner that lasted a lot (6 years?) and then I gave it to a friend. I'm sporting an almost 5 year old fenix and I got it second hand. The watches they make are sturdy

Garmin Forerunners are a great fitness watch.

Bought the forerunner as my running only watch and still use my Apple Watch the rest of the day. Apple Watch is a far superior smartwatch and Garmin is a far superior running watch.

I think if you primarily want to track those workouts and your alternative is not getting an Apple Watch, then it might be overkill in terms of money spent. I was coming from a forerunner and knew I wanted an Apple Watch so was going between an S10 and ultra 2 and don’t regret getting the ultra 2. Like you, I wanted the extra battery life and preferred the more rugged look

You can get a Fenix 7 Pro for less than that from John Lewis at the moment. It depends what you want from the watch. If you want sturdy and looks good then go for a Fenix, if you want lighter then go Forerunner. You won't get a Fenix 8 in that budget but the 7 Pro is still very good for the money.

I've been an Apple Watch user for more than 7 years. Currently have Ultra 2. But I just got a Garmin Forerunner and love it. It's a refreshing change with superior data for me. On a practical note, I can use Spotify in the Garmin and it hasn't glitched on me once. Apple Watch is a disaster with playing music at the same time as running and this has held true for years over several different watches, watchOS versions and headphones. I like to row and the Garmin counts the strokes per minute whereas the Apple watch gives you no data. The built in training plans on Garmin are much better than having to pay for a subscription to Runna or Fitness+. The recovery insights through the day are better for me than Apple and don't require a third party app. The Find my iPhone equivalent feature on Garmin works better for me. Good luck with your AW but I'm enjoying the Garmin experience and I say that as a diehard Apple user.

So I train with both the AWU2 and my Forerunner, and I’m a fan of each for different reasons. Never have I heard anyone complain about the GPS accuracy of an Ultra 2 though. I generally find my two watches are very close if I use them together but, if anything, the Ultra is always a bit closer to the mark, especially in areas that challenge GPS. Very odd what you’re saying here.

Where??? I’m really curious. All the reputable reviewers rave about Apple for accuracy of GPS (especially the Ultra, with its dual-band) and HR. Now when it comes to all the other fitness functionality it sucks big time haha. But, on the other hand, the Garmin is far worse from a smartwatch perspective and my AWU2’s cellular connectivity is above and beyond the thing I care most about on long, remote runs.

If you really end up getting into running, I would not suggest Vivioactive 5. The pace shown on the watch is NOT the pace you are running. You won’t see your actual pace until after you run and sync to the app. I’ve learned a way to know “appropriately” what pace I’m running by setting up the watch with .25 mile laps so it will show me the .25 average. Also, I start a separate run activity for both slower warmup and another one for the slower cool down. For weight workouts in the gym, I just use the cardio activity but it’s really just to see approximately how much time and calories I’m supposed earning. Pool workouts are decent for counting laps, just one lap off. Maybe the low-level Forerunner would have been a better option for my running. I’ve only had mine a few months but it’s durable. I’ve worn it doing lots of hiking, over rocks etc. But I’m also a little bit careful.

Coros or garmin pace or forerunner, if you like music while running get the garmin, if your more minimalist (smaller screen, simpler interface) get the coros

Yes because the Apple Watch battery is unlikely to make the distance of a marathon, let alone an Ultra (depending on how recent your watch is). Ask me how I know; lol. I trained with my Apple Watch but knew from my long runs that it wasn’t gonna make the distance of the full marathon so wore a Garmin Foreunner (an older style one at that that I found on Marketplace!) for race day. It didn’t even get below 50% battery!

I turn it off on my garmin forerunner as it drives me mad and once it’s off you never get notifications. Even after system updates and stuff. Easy peasy

I would suggest any Fenix or even any forerunner over any vivoactive or venu of you're serious about training. Sure you can get by with most basic stuff on those watches but if you get serious about training or want better features you'll have wanted at least a forerunner model

I think it very much depends on what you want from a watch. I’m a big data nerd too and I really do enjoy my Garmin. The other nice thing is that Garmin has a pretty wide array watches that can cater to a beginner or advanced runner. Me personally? I had a forerunner for many years before I upgraded to the Enduro line due to battery life during 100k+ distance races.

Came to say the same… I had an Apple Watch, replaced it with a garmin forerunner for 1 month it was the worst! So inaccurate and when I’d swim in pools it would so often double count my lengths… I went back to Apple Watch

None of the forerunners have a metal bezel. They’re all solid colours. The Venu just looks better period , imo

I’ve worn a lot of watches and trackers. For a beginning runner I would get a Garmin Forerunner. I’ve owned the entry level and the Epix Pro ($1100). Garmin is the most consistent running tool I’ve owned

Update I bought a forerunner and used it a couple times but ended up returning it for the Venu 3. I am happy with my choice!!!

I got the Venu 3s and couldn’t be happier! Tried out the forerunner but hated the way it looked and I feel like their running tools/stats are incredibly similar

I just switched from AWU it FR 970 and it’s really not even a question. I LOVE the forerunner so much more.

Just “downgraded” from a Fenix to a Forerunner (about a month ago) and love it. The battery life of the Forerunner isn’t as great but it’s still good, about 7 days on one charge (using GPS once a day). Forerunner is less bulky. I have zero regrets with the switch.

Go with a venu 3, all the important things is there, it has great accuracy comparable with forerunners, and it's adequate for your running needs, and also the design is more fitting for you.  But yeah, if I have to choose for myself I'd go with Forerunner because as a guy I like Forerunner better design wise, and I like to have all the features even though I might not need it. 

I have a Garmin Forerunner, hopefully soon to upgrade to Fenix. Anyway, it has the quickfit watch strap, so I have an orange band on it all the time, and for formal occasions I have the chestnut leather band, takes all of 30s to swap them over 👍🏻

I’d check Facebook Marketplace for a used Garmin Forerunner. They are good watches for running and biking, and they also have good sleep-tracking if you decide to wear it 24/7.

This was my experience, too-- went from Apple watch to Forerunner and I'm glad that I made the leap. The tipping point for me was that the Apple watch battery was draining so fast on my rides that I was losing data, and I was charging it twice a day.

The forerunner is the same internals and same 1.4" OLED screen as all the other high end garmin watches. The heart sensor is elevate 4 instead of elevate 5. Otherwise its the same watch with different styling. You can put whatever watch face on the watch you prefer. You want it to look like any other watch, just use that watch face. Just don't get the extremely outdated MIP screen that the zealots keep pretending is a good choice even though it doesn't save any battery anymore and is only offered on the obsolete watches. Some people can't afford the new OLED screens so they want to say they are inferior, when they are just poor and can't afford current tech that is obviously better. It really comes down to the styling of the watch case, if you want it to be super oversized 51mm or normally only slightly oversized 47mm or you want the colored accents or the flashlight or whatever. Its a personal styling decision at this point, get what makes you happy.

Love my forerunner and wished I had switched sooner to be honest

Definitely Garmin, specifically the Forerunner

I don’t know what you’re doing with your Ultra, but mine gets barely 2 days and I have the brightness on the lowest settings and no third party apps installed. My Garmin Forerunner gets 4-5 days on a single charge and if I turn off the AOD, that goes up to 15

Just about all the Garmin watches do what you're looking for. The only thing with the Instinct is that it's a pretty specific look. You're coming from an Apple watch, which is pretty much accepted as appropriate in any setting and with any attire. The Instinct definitely looks rugged and tough. The Forerunner is more generic looking.

No it’s definitely true. AW is famously terrible on battery life with no apparent justification. I get close to a month from my forerunner on standby - about 2 weeks with daily workouts.

It’s not though - and even if it was nobody wants that. The overwhelming majority of AW sold are non-cellular. I get notifications on my Garmin and that’s all I really need my watch to do in addition to fitness tracking. Battery life is hugely important for a wearable - I have an AW and I never use it because the poor battery life means I just don’t put it back on after taking it off. My forerunner is ugly and plasticky but the battery life lasts a really nice length of time and it is much better than AW at fitness tracking and I still get my notifications. I wouldn’t switch back to android, I really like my iPhone, but Apple has been pretty stagnant in innovation for best part of 10 years now. The Apple Watch just isn’t a particularly good product. It’s not a bad product, but it’s not good either.

Yes you can order plenty of bands online. I started with the Venu 2S and swapped to the Forerunner. They are the same size. Forerunner definitely has sportier bands. But I appreciate more activity modes, more training metrics and better battery life.

I’m an iPhone user and only use Garmin. I tried the Apple Watch and wasn’t a fan- Garmin had a better battery life and is just a great fitness teacher regardless of your fitness level. The Garmin website has a “quiz” to help you select a watch- I recommend that! I like the Vivomove series for just daily wear and have a Forerunner for running. Happy shopping!!

Forerunner or Enduro for all around "everything." Weights suck with any watch, but that's not specific to any model.

Don't underestimate the lightness of your watch. Especially 19 hours in, I just get tired of the heavy shit on my wrist. I'd go Forerunner or Enduro every time.

Garmin all the way if you are using android The tracking is really quite good and the features arent exactly advanced for a beginner, it walks you through basically everything Ive seen a few forerunners or vivoactive go on sale for slightly over 200. Abit higher than your budget but imo worth it, it will last you even when you are no longer a beginner

I would go Fenix personally if money isn't an issue. Better looking, better build, longer battery, and better (more waterproof) buttons. I really don't like the look of the forerunners so that may also be a big bias for me.

Funnily enough, a lot of people do more than just road running..... a forerunner is not great for swimming, cycling, heavy trail running etc. Ive run multiple half marathons in my fenix no issues as well as doing many other activities without the worry of cracking a plastic watch and having enough battery to do so. I also did say that I was bias towards the look.... but it still remains that I think forerunners look cheap.

I would go for either a venu or a forerunner depending on whether you want to use it for running or more general metrics. Both will suit your needs well but the forerunner will prompt you more to run and has more alerts etc on that department. Also decide on the size of your wrist, I had a bad experience with the 165s as it didn’t measure my hr properly because it was too big so if you have a small wrist go for one of the S versions!

Most of the training data is a gimmick anyway. Youll be fine with a venu 3. One of my friends is an ex Olympian Rower. Hè has a venu 3 I have a forerunner. He is in much better shape than I am. The Watch doesnt matter.

Brother gave me a used Garmin Forerunner a year ago as he upgraded. It's been awesome so I'd go second hand/refurbished from reputable source.

get a low digit garmin Forerunner, they do what you are looking for

I have the forerunner and I haven’t as it’s not rated for that kind of temp. However google searching has people going into the sauna with their Garmin without issue so it’s really a personal risk / reward scenario.

Basically any Garmin from the 255 and up. Fenix is the best but pricey so forerunner should be more than enough

I had a forerunner and only switched to an Apple Watch when I had to stop running. Garmin is a superior fitness watch. Especially if you are running every day. You can use both but it will screw your daily stats. You get a few more smart features (eg replying to texts)  in n the Garmin if you pair it to an Android phone as Apple deliberately don’t integrate well.  Oh, and the battery lasts days even when exercising a lot (weeks without excercise). 

For a long time, I only ran with my phone and used the Map My Run app, and then switched to Strava. I used live tracking on the apps as I ran, but I didn’t have a watch to see how it was going in real time. Both apps have voiceovers that tell you when you hit a mile and your pace.  I ran my first half marathon and had no clue what my heart rate was, which is what made me get a little more serious afterwards. I got a cheap Garmin forerunner to start with, and moved on from there! So you don’t necessarily need anything, but if you get more serious with it, a watch is nice to have! A running belt like Flipbelt or SPI belt is handy to carry your phone.

...and something good about the Forerunner is that there is one for every budget (unlike other Garmin watch ranges).

the cheaper forerunners and Fenixes are great for this, simple, cheap, reliable and near indestructible

I’ve had both fenix and forerunner. Even as a multi sport athlete ( although primarily a runner) I hands down love my forerunner way better.

If you want a sports watch with superb training feature and battery runtime, get a Garmin (Forerunner). If you want a smartwatch with some sports features, get an Apple Watch.

Honestly, garmin. I like the smaller forerunners. You can find my reply to a similar post last week/recently

I tried a Garmin Forerunner but couldn't figure out how to customize it (and I'm pretty tech savvy). Sold it to a triathlete. I'm a Samsung gal and I love my Samsung Galaxy 6. I easily customized it so that getting to the swim app is just one face swipe and a click. It auto detects my strokes pretty reliably and even though I don't do flip turns it knows when I switch direction and gets the distance right.

Probably Forerunner. I did a whole video on picking your Garmin: https://youtu.be/UuSZG52uOrg

Current/recent Forerunners aren't clunky and are a fine everyday wellness watch.

Forerunner. Any model. Any model from last few years up to now. Great range of watches. Loads out there pre-loved as runners do live to upgrade. FR 745 is vastly underrated / undervalued as a device for the non-elite level runner.

I’ve been double wristing it for about a year and a half since I got into marathon training. Garmin Forerunner on the right, rotation of analog watches on the left. It has completely killed any desire for a digital watch on my “nice watch” arm, and I get a question about it occasionally, but otherwise I don’t really think about it

I tried to switch but in the end I came back to Apple watch (I missed it's smart capabilities, it's nice and polished apps and the way it integrates in the Apple ecosystem). I do wear my Garmin Forerunner on my runs though along with my the Apple Watch.

For someone who is new and cares mostly about sleep tracking and GPS activities it’s honestly all kind of the same. You can run with an Instinct and you can hike with a forerunner. Choose based off of look, price, battery life for your particular activities. A Fenix or Instinct pretty much does it all and with great battery life. Doesn’t really matter in the end unless you care about very specific advanced metrics. I personally think most of the Forerunners are ugly so I gravitate towards Instinct because I’m also not willing to overpay for a Fenix when there’s other brands that cover 90% of a Fenix for half the cost. If you want to research alternatives: If you’re looking at an Instinct, check out Coros Nomad. If you’re looking at a Fenix check out Suunto Race 2 or Vertical 2 or upcoming Coros Apex 4.

Dammit I loved my Forerunner, I pool swam, ran, trail ran, hiked, OWS, you name it, and the watch is awesome. It holds music so I can run with just the watch. Tracking was great. The numbers were big enough to read I had it for 3 years, and the plastic bracket that holds the wrist strap pin broke. I am using my sons Google watch and I curse every time I have to look at it. I keep thinking I'll get used to it and eventually love it. Nope I hate it every day. So now I run with 2 fitness trackers, the Garmin without a strap, in my pocket and my every day Google watch on my wrist. Buy the Garmin

For almost every Garmin wach you can download TennisAI app from garmin store which would capture and recognize your strokes, measure power etc. If you are interested there are two versions of the app and I would recommend to check compatible devices list from the latest one as it has improved interface and match score tracking features ( https://apps.garmin.com/apps/0073ddf4-3ec7-436d-a598-d88cfd0d583a?tid=1 ). The watch shall be worn on the hand that holds the racket so ehen it comes to a device if you buy a havy model like Fenix or Epix (>80gr ) at first it will take you a few sessions to get used to it but if you buy something lighter like venu, forerunner or fenix S version it will not interfere with the game at all.  Also the square devices are in General poorly supported by developers.

Forerunners are much lighter weight and therefore much more comfortable to wear.

Hi! I was in the same boat when I switched from a Garmin Forerunner to the Apple Watch Ultra and missed the Body Battery feature. If you decide to get an Apple Watch, feel free to check out my free app, [BodyState](https://apps.apple.com/no/app/bodystate/id6479940325), which brings back that feature. We even have a [subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/BodyState/) if you're interested!

I would wait for the Ultra 3 in September. I’ve tried going to Garmin a few times (Forerunner, Fenix 8) but they never feel as good a quality and the UI is terrible IMO. Im similar to you, I run, strength train, walk and Hyrox and the AW does everything I need. The only thing against an AW is the battery life if you’re going on multi day hikes. If that’s not an issue then I’d pick an AW every day of the week.

I have a Garmin forerunner and it’s great for fitness tracking and everything else, I wear it all day every day. It will give you yardages to front middle and back, and it’s pretty accurate. I mainly use my range finder though so I don’t often use the watch for golf. I was thinking about making the switch to a more golf forward version and the epix pro is the top of my list. It has unbelievable golf functionality but is also a great fitness watch. The only better “golf feature” garmin is the S62 or similar, but they aren’t as convenient for fitness tracking IMO. Garmin kicks ass though, I highly recommend it. The site DC rainmaker is a good resource, that dude has reviews on every damn garmin product I think

Fenix or Epix and yes they integrate with iPhones. Some fitness apps will connect to Garmin. If you want a slimmer watch you can also go for the new forerunner.

The Forerunner but that is just my preference because I feel that the Instinct is the ugliest watch that Garmin makes. I see several have suggested the MIP solar version of the Instinct - I would say a huge no to that. Unless you are going to spend a huge amount of time outside the solar is useless and the MIP is dull and not great inside.

The fr is the better watch for running, it is a training device. The Venu3 is a lifestyle watch, a health and wellness device.

Apple Watch will do fine for a long time - only got a Garmin last year. However once you go to only having to charge your watch once every two weeks you just can’t go back to Apple. I have a Garmin Fenix (on the $$$ side) but I wear it every day as my normal watch too and have had zero issues making the switch. However there’s heaps in the range, I love accuracy, maps, long battery and lots and lots of data so I can overthink every run - so Fenix it is! The forerunners are great and the vivoactives are a good mid range model. There’s other brands like Suunto, Polar etc. For true accuracy on any wrist watch you may need a chest monitor. But if you really like your Apple Watch I found it pretty good unless you’re somewhere with not much reception

It does not sound like you do running or other outdoor activities, so I d recommend a vivoactive 5 or 6 mate. However, something like a basic Forerunner could also give you all plus some running support for a share of the vivo price. I started my first one with a vivomove HR which only gave me steps and basic gym rep counting (that was 8 years ago) then vivoactive 3 and now a FR965 because I do hike a lot and started running recently plus all the gym.

Go for the forerunner!!! No need for anything else

They definitely do, especially Instinct 3 Tactical. If you have more spare cash, look into Tactix 8. Also, you most likely knew by now; stay away from running and lifestyle watches. Forerunner is not tough enough for sports like rock climbing.

I used my last Forerunner for 6 years before I changed to my current Venu 3s 2 years ago. The Forerunner was still working by then, I only changed because I wanted the Venu, not because the FR broke. In short, they last.

I’d definitely take a look at the Forerunner line. It’s going to be thinner and lighter than the Fenix, and generally carries most of the same (if not all) features. 

Forerunner if you care about run-specific metrics, the vivoactive 5 lacks them, the vivoactive 6 has some, but forerunner would be the go-to

I received an Apple Watch from my friend as a gift years ago. It did a lot of things reasonably well but it had limited battery life and I found many of the features distracting. Eventually the watch cracked after falling off a nightstand. I switched to a Garmin forerunner and loved it, good battery life, good athletic tracking, if I wanted I could control my music or read but not respond to a text (I have notifications off), I could also use it as a HR monitor for my bike computer (or track a ride with it but I like a HUD). A few years later I upgraded to a Fenix 6 and it’s still going strong 5 years later. I would never go back to an Apple Watch unless it could meet the same battery life expectations and was less easy to damage.

I had a 255, also a similarly slim wrist, and recently "upgraded" to a Vivoactive 6. Upgrade in quotes because I'm aware a lot of people don't consider that an upgrade, but it definitely was for me, for things I cared about, and ultimately it's only things you care about that matters. For me the biggest problem was how big and heavy the 255 was. I believe it's very similar size/weight to the 265, and the 955 is even larger/heavier (by a bit). I am also primarily a runner, but not a super serious one (one or two half marathons a year, a few weeks/months of half-assed training). The tracking and training features on the dirt cheap Vivoactive is more than enough for me, and I don't miss the more advanced features from the Forerunner at all. In fact, I still don't know what those are. I suspect very few people wearing Forerunners really benefit from the very specialized running features that the more "lifestyle" Garmin watches don't have, and I regretted falling into that trap and getting that Forerunner a few years ago. Either that or this sub is full of hardcore elite runners. On the Vivoactive, the OLED screen is much more beautiful than the MIP, and the new interface is so much more intuitive to use. The size also looks much less comical on my wrist. It's also much lighter, which I didn't really appreciate until getting this one. It "only" has 10 days battery life, but I just charge it when I notice it going below 20% when sat at my desk, and it really doesn't bother me at all. The 255 was purely a training tool. The Vivoactive gives me joy to wear and look at, in addition to being just as good a training tool for me. But that's a very subjective thing. If you don't like the Vivoactive aesthetic, there's also the new Venu 4/4S that looks more premium. So I think it mostly depends on whether you actually need the additional features. The map is the only feature I would care about in the 9xx, but I wasn't going to pay so much for that, when I never do long runs in unfamiliar places without my phone anyways.

Yeah every forerunner I’ve owned has been great. Also touch screens on a running watch are really annoying if you sweat a lot

Apple watch is pretty useless by the time you're trying to add sensors to your workouts. Look at wahoo and coros. Garmin forerunner is awesome if you want to splurge.

As a long time garmin devotee…their current pricing is just inexcusable. I’ve been a forerunner guy forever and it’s honestly a joke.

Made this switch a week ago. Love it. Wish the connectivity with strava/runna was better. Annoys me that theres no golf activity on the forerunner

If you want a cheaper option the Forerunner is good. Had two in a row. Heart rate, could record rides pretty accurately.

My forerunner lasts like 3 days 🫠

Garmin lily if smartwatch na close to iWatch (no personal experience, nakita ko lang sa friend ko). I have a forerunner naman, works well also. May sariling app.

If your priorities are Ant+ and a streamlined UI, you might consider returning your Fenix and going with a cheaper device from the Forerunner line. The Fenix line is the more "fully featured" option, but with that comes cost and a more clunky UI. The last two generations of Forerunners will all have Ant+ for less than half of the price.

Nice, yeah you summed it up pretty well! Haha. I’d actually recommend a Forerunner over a vivoactice but they would both suit your needs

Forerunner, and the version depends on your bidget

If you want to get healthy and get phone notifications and *maybe* do music or something, get a Garmin. Instinct 2 (gives music controls but requires a phone for the music itself) or a used Forerunner (I believe they're done of the cheapest models that do on-board music, Spotify, etc.) or what have you. If you want to do smartphone stuff on your wrist and *maybe* get healthy, go Samsung.

If you think you will become more ambitious with running, then forerunner's extra features are helpful to see your progress. It also gives you feedback on what to work on eg low aerobic and high aerobic. The Vivoactive is basically just a lifestyle watch, similar to apple's

Garmin Forerunner + Playrun App from IQ is working for me pretty smoothly.

I had the same debate - bought the venu & ended up returning it for the forerunner & have been beyond happy with my decision. the extra battery life alone makes it so worth it for me, but I also really love the additional metrics & the daily suggested workouts

I really love my Garmin. I use a forerunner which isnt the most stylish model, but battery life is really good and it has a lot of additional activity features I like (e.g. tracking outdoor swimming, biking , training plans etc). They have a paid subscription model but it is in no way necessarily, you get access to most features as part of the watch.

Well, it is not necessary, but definitely it helps. I’d recommend you to buy at least some basic Garmin Forerunner - it doesn’t cost much, has a decent battery life and is light. Regarding AW, for marathon, you should buy ultra, which is a lot of money. Whoops is more an add-on than running tracker. It’s not very comfortable to run with a phone and the watch shows live metrics, which is very useful. So yes, you should.

I switched. 1) no need to subscription (I'd have to pay for at least three apps to just remotely mimic what garmin does out of the box - cadence, bevel or athlytic and fitify) 2) ability to connect and use all my gear (I tend to use Engo Eyewear AND Stryd Duo pod together, which is hardly achievable on AW (I never managed to do it). 3) Garmin just works. No fiddling with apps like AW, just select the activity and go. 4) Five buttons! AW tended to behave erratically when sweated with long sleeve. Not Garmin. Or swimming workouts are accurate thanks to those buttons and drill log mode. 5) Battery good enough to withstand long run in winter (AW tended to have problems in 30+ km runs in cold, not Garmin) Forerunner asks me if to go to power saving mode, when there are "just two days left" :) 6) it is iphone independent. I can freely choose whatever phone I like 7) Garmin connect has bad UI, but the data trove is great. 8) ANT+ - lots of gear uses it 9) maps are in the watch offline, no need for data connection, like AW

I have all phone notifications disabled on my Forerunner and on my Garmin Edge. So it works just as you expected - it records my activities and syncs them to Garmin Connect / Strava afterwards.

My wife has the vivoactive 5. She recently started running and finds it rather basic compared to the running metrics and functionalities I get from my forerunner. The things she would like to have the most, that are not on the Vivoactive, are Daily Suggested Workout and breadcrumb trails.

Had an Apple Watch and currently have Garmin Forerunner Battery life Battery life Battery life Garmin all day.

No smartwatch does swimming or lifting particularly well, imo. The development of swimming software has always been secondary to the watch’s software for biking and running. That said, i do use and find acceptable the swim function on my garmin (I’ve had a swim 2, forerunner, and fenix). I don’t pay attention to stroke detection so I can’t speak to that but it does everything else you’re asking for.  For lifting, paper and pen is still king. I track my lifting workouts on my watch so i get “credit” for them and the workouts help me reach some of the silly little “challenges” garmin has, but it’s too fiddly, prone to errors, and doesn’t provide me the same information I get by writing down my lifts & how I felt. 

if you're trying a lot of new hikes, loading up hikes on the watch is great and I've liked it on my forerunner.

Yeah, the nice thing about the PW is that its user serviceable. You can change out the screen and battery. I hope other manufacturers decide to follow this example. It also has LTE and satellite and okay battery life. On the other hand, the forerunner has buttons which I prefer.

The forerunner is made for runners, it's the obvious choice here.

I have a Whoop band that I really like for tracking activities. It’s not a watch - doesn’t have a face to it at all - but I think it does a good job tracking sleep/activities and horse riding is an option for activity on it. You don’t pay up front for it - it’s a $35/month service fee. So while not a big expense up front, it obviously adds up over time, which is not necessarily for everyone.  I wear a garmin forerunner on my other wrist too. I like that as well, but I have to say I prefer the app and the data provided by the whoop. I basically only use my forerunner for the actual watch face at this point.  Edit: I just checked whoops website and they do offer a $399 up front fee for 2 year membership. 

The forerunner line is geared towards running and triathlon. They are excellent watches. You can get them relatively cheap used.

The forerunner will meet and exceed all your needs except one. What type of integration are you requiring? Basic smart notifications?

I was a Fenix guy until I bought a forerunner. I can't tell the forerunner is on my wrist. I love it.

Fourth for Garmin!!!(I have a forerunner) I love it!

Switched 5 years ago. Echoing the comment here: this is **not** a smartwatch, but a **sports/adventure watch.**  You won’t be reading your emails, getting texts, or calling a Uber, and the screen is nowhere near as responsive as the AW. If you’re looking for a phone one your wrist, Garmin is not for you. But if you’re training for a sports race, anything from a 5k to an ultramarathon, or even just trying to stay generally fit, the load tracking and suggested workout feature alone is worth it. The battery of data signals you get to tailor and improve your training is worth the switch alone, to a Foretunner or Epix or Fenix. Not even getting started on navigation in the mountains, which is really good — if you hike, camp, trail run, cycle, or generally enjoy being out, you will love your Epic or Fenix.

I’d also recommend going for a Forerunner. Forerunners are built for running and can be used for swimming. An Instinct 2 lacks for example Garmin Run Coach, which the Forerunners have.

IMHO Apple does fitness tracking better than Garmin. Esp. sleep tracking is more accurate, plus you get ECG on most Apple Watches. In the US, blood oxygen tracking is currently disabled for new Apple Watches. Btw. I am wearing both, Garmin and Apple (I like redundancy for marathons, plus my Apple Watch has LTE, while my Forerunner does not)

>It's actually not bad, it's just a compromise you MUST take I don't like compromises. So I wear an Apple Watch and a Garmin Forerunner.

I use both, Apple Watch and Garmin (one on each wrist). IMHO, Apple Watch does better health tracking and offers a wider range of devices to contribute data. As well as more apps. Apple really shines in sleep tracking and I have the feeling that Apple’s wrist based HR sensor is better than Garmin’s. I am using a Forerunner, so it’s not the newest Garmin tech, but my Apple Watch is a Series 8, so not the newest gen either). I really like Garmin for training. And the HRM Pro Plus is the best heart rate monitor I ever had.

What nags me most is that Garmin has x variants of their OS and you never know for sure, which watch gets which software features. Like training readiness is available on the Forerunner 265, but not on the 255 - although the hardware would absolutely permit it. Apple on the other hand usually ships software-only features to older watches that are still supported by the current version of watchOS. The reason why I also have a Garmin Forerunner is button operation and the OOTB training features. Apple needs really to learn that touch screen operation isn't ideal when you do certain sports.

Yes, serious overkill. Vivoactive is good for general health tracking and logging your runs or you could go for something more running specific like a Forerunner. For more all around fitness at a decent price, you can't beat the Vivoactive series.

Whoops focus during exercise is how much strain you are putting your body through.  I’d recommend getting a Garmin forerunner if you want a fully dedicated running watch! 

I've not yet had an issue with my Garmin Forerunner resetting during activities. The most important decisions to make are determining your budget, the activities you genuinely want to track, your goals, and your needs for multi-app use on a watch face (be honest with yourself - don't fall into traps of spending more based on unlikely "what ifs?". For me, I wanted to keep it simple - track runs, gym activities, steps, and heart-rate/pace trends. As a beginner, I decided on one of the lower-end Garmin's for their strong GPS and because it was good enough to meet 99% of my needs. I'll use money saved to buy the inevitable new, needed pair of running shoes.

Garmin forerunner, Fenix, epix, Enduro. And nothing else matters

Basically any modern smartwatch will do this. Your axes of choice are ecosystem, battery life, and price. The basic Apple Watch will do what you want, but because you’re using the GPS, the battery will be dead mid-day. I do not recommend any Apple Watch but the Ultra for an athlete or active person because of the awful battery life. If you want something cheaper than the Ultra, I’d look at the Coros Pace and cheaper Garmin Forerunner options. They’ll both cost about half and are really good products with roughly 5-10x battery life vs the basic Apple Watch.

Oh wow I didn’t know the Ultra 2 also had that issue. Honestly after getting a garmin watch, I don’t think I can go back.

The Fenix is much heavier than the Forerunner. I had a Fenix and switched to Forerunner because of the weight.

Whichever forerunner is within your budget is usually best if running is the priority

Garmin forerunner, whichever one you want they’re all good

I have the Fenix 8 amoled which I use for running and hiking, the sapphire glass is great so it doesn’t scratch and I love having topo maps standard. Cons is the price. Forerunner is a good option if price is an issue.

The best deals are on Mercari and Yahoo Auctions. I bought my Garmin Forerunner 2 years ago(?) used on Yahoo Auctions and it is still working great!

I just got a forerunner garmin after my Apple Watch couldn’t last a day. if you can, I’d definitely recommend getting one, maybe even with the holidays coming up. It tracks my sleep, workouts, stress - a whole lot more than my old Apple Watch!

I have an AWU: it’s a smart watch w/ mostly useless rudimentary fitness tracking metrics that don’t match at all with what training peaks, intervals, Strava, or Garmin Connect give for metrics & stats. Also, battery lasts less than 24 hours if you actually use your watch for tracking rides. I had a Garmin Forerunner: It was a legit fitness tracker that has useful metrics that align w/ 3rd party training platforms and also has some basic useful smart watch features. Seamless integration w/ Garmin Edge bike computer stats as well. When I upgrade watches, I’m going back to Garmin because I prioritize the fitness features more than the often annoying & useless smart watch novelty features that Apple caters towards for the general public. What do you prioritize? Novelty smart watch features (Apple), or useful training metrics (Garmin).

Garmin has the best batteries, forerunner as others said

Vivoactive and Venu (non X1, that thing should have had a name of its own) don't have the advanced running metrics. So it's Forerunner , then check whether the features you want are in Instinct, Fenix, Enduro or Epix if you like one of those better.

Vote for garmin forerunner. I’ve had three models, came back after trying Coros. I use for running, strength and CrossFit. I love it. Works well, easy to use, I like the recovery and body battery aspect as someone who also had whoop but was sick of having two things

I used my Garmin Forerunner and it was perfect. Only charged once after 6 days.

Fenix 7. Skip the screen on the 8 and go with one that holds up better in bright sunlight. HOWEVER, if these are truly your only options I’d say forerunner. Slightly less rugged, but has everything you need for a little less than Fenix series. Doesn’t have a flashlight though

If price isn't an issue check the Garmin line. They have watches for runners, climbers, n daily life. I'm not a runner but I got the forerunner since it matched well with my life style. Just pick the one that u like the most based on its features. Battery life is from 7 days to 15 depending on the watch n use. If price is an issue get the lower end ones, less feats but still very nice battery life

I use Strava and the Whithings app, paired with one of their smart scales and a few add ons. Apple Health can pull from both, and while I don't care about my daily steps (for example) they automatically pull from my watch (forerunner) into the various apps as well.

The Forerunner would be a watch I’d recommend for sure. There are a number of different models, so make sure you do your research. It also depends on how much you want to spend.

Can't go wrong with Garmin imho. I've had a fenix and a couple of forerunners, and they've all worked great.

Fenix or Forerunner. They have precise data especially if you ride a horse

If you move all day, whoop will track it. Whether or not you are doing an activity whoop will count any increase in heart rate towards your "strain", and will give you sleep recommendations and adjust recovery based on that. The automatic activity tracking and auto sleep tracking are great. It's the most hands off device out there. Garmin only adds load when you are tracking an activity, so it can miss a lot if it's not a planned workout. But when you do track activities, it gives you much more information. Whoop is not a good activity tracker. It's a health tracker. You can really only see your heart rate zones for the activity. You can't see progression over time or compare it to previous workouts. For that you need garmin or Strava or something else. From what I can tell, Garmin is amazing at activities and good enough with health, while whoop does great with health but is poor for activities. Not sure if this helps, but it seems like there is no perfect option - Im going to have to make this same decision once my subscription is up.

I replaced my whoop with a forerunner and have been thrilled with the change; big up front cost yeah but it fully replaced all the recovery metrics I was using whoop for and got rid of the monthly subscription too

Get the forerunner it’s definitely more versatile and does the swim as well as the swim 2.. I have owned a Garmin for 20 yrs — have the Fenix 8 now

Forerunners are the gold standard of running watches. Pick any model. Been a Garmin FR user since 2009. No regret. There can be additional software that’s fun to use to analyze data other than Garmin Connect if you’d like but in terms of hardware, I’ve had no complaint in over 30,000 miles. That’s a lot of time worn…and I now wear it 24/7 to track sleep and stress and steps.

I have been trying to get going as a runner for a few years but kept getting injured... anyway I've had a Garmin Forerunner for a few years as well and I am happy with it. It's useful as an everyday watch but also has built in training programs. I'm going through one right now for a half marathon in May and it's going well. I did six miles yesterday (the farthest I've ever ran in my life) and I feel great today. It is durable, has great battery life, and for the money is a pretty good bargain imo. I would suggest it to anyone.

If you don’t wanna get a dedicated computer like the Garmin edge. Then get a forerunner or fenix.

Garmin forerunner You want more than just gps for time and distance, whether you realize it yet or not

For concept 2 you can use the forerunner to broadcast HR to a PM5, and have Ergdata sync to Garmin Connect. The HR data works well even off the wrist (I used to find that wrist HR sucked for rowing). I also broadcast HR to my cycling computer.

Ive had a few Fenix versions, they are great/ top of the range. Last few years ive been using forerunners which have all the functionality - 9xx series is great, or 2xx for something easier on the pocket. My activities include trail running, hiking, triathlons (and running/swimming/riding only), golf/disc golf. Navigation and battery are good, and glass is strong. Lifestyle is great for sleep, general hr tracking, step counts, tap to pay. The 955 i have also has great multimedia (music). Cant go wrong with a forerunner (solar if you are doing ultra's or multiday). Fenix is a nice splurge

>Its a Vivoactive by another name. ironically i've been looking at the FR series to upgrade my old vivoactive. lack of altimeter is deal breaker for me.