Garmin - Forerunner 245 Music

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 really recommend the Forerunner 245 Music! I had it for a good 2 years (before upgrading to the F965 as I started getting into Ultra running and needed a lot of battery life) and I found the F245 lasted me around 4-5 each charge while doing 1-3 hours of activity each day. Good battery life, great simple watch for both running and lifting. Isn't super expensive and doesn't have tons of extra random features that you won't use. It was really great for me

From one fellow clumsy person to another, the Apple Watch is good until one sleepy morning you accidentally drop it on the bathroom floor tiles. The screen smashed and repairing it would have cost almost as much as a new watch, so I got a Garmin Forerunner 245 and haven't looked back since. I upgraded to a Forerunner 265S a few months ago and am super happy. However there are definitely cheaper Garmin models that would work for you if you don't want to spend that much and don't need certain tracking functionalities.

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.

My Garmin Forerunner does a decent job tracking lap swimming. It struggles with open water but I do'nt do that very often.

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

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

>Garmin should work seamlessly with every headphone out there As far as I know, the only real issue is with AirPods. I've used quite a few headphones (including random Chinese/Amazon specials) with the various music Garmin devices (Fenix 5+, Forerunner 245 Music, Forerunner 955) over the years and never had an issue. Seems like there may have been issues with their older devices, but I haven't seen much since then on anything in the last few years. Given Apple's track record about playing nicely with 3rd party devices, I'm not surprised that there's a potential issue. > and offer all the features (and more) compared to a watch that's $400 cheaper. Apples to Oranges. The AWU is like a Corvette. The Fenix is like a Jeep Wrangler. Both are cars, both have different things they excel at. If you want a full featured app store, seamless calls, texts etc, then you need an Apple Watch with an iPhone. Apple limits the API from the iPhone to 3rd party devices, so unless Apple changes that stance, any non Apple Watch will always be more limited. >but one of my biggest pros for Garmin is the smaller 43mm size, which fits better for me. In my opinion, the AWU is a bit too large. If the AWU is too large, then compare the Garmin's battery life to the regular 45mm AW9. The 43mm Garmin destroys the AW9 in battery life.

One more for the 245m. Almost 4 months, already the best product i bought this year

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...

Same watch for me. I absolutely love it, but I will probably upgrade someday.

My Garmin watch has changed my life. Having so much information about my body helps me figure out my training. I've become athletic since getting it a year ago. I was skeptical at first, especially since it was $200+. I love it. I wear it all the time. I got the forerunner 245 music so I can pair earbuds to it. So nice to be able to listen to music without a cellphone.

Yup. He bought the polar watch because he had the polar chest strap for hr just from lifting. I used the chest strap alongside my Garmin forerunner 245 back when I first got it and the data was identical EXCEPT for interval training, like 9/10 short burst hard efforts. Think hill sprints. The strap catches those spikes but the watches lag too much between your heart and your wrist and it ends up missing the highest heart rate. Honestly though I don't care about that data because whether I'm at 190 or 200 bpm it all feels like certain death/inevitable vomiting to me anyway lol. I stopped pointing that out online though, people hate hard on smart watches for whatever reason and I don't get paid by Garmin so 🤷🏼‍♀️ let the hate flow lol

Garmin Forerunner 245 Music, so I don’t have to have my phone with me to play music. I don’t track anything, but it’s neat to see the metrics of my run. I don’t track for lifting, seems pointless.

This is the succinct explanation you need. You can get cheaper than a 965 if you don't want to spend that much to get started. I'd suggest going to Garmin's site and look at comparisons between the different models. One thing to be aware of is that garmin just changed to oled screens with their newest line. Advantages and disadvantages to the old and new. For what it's worth I have a 245. Sort of wish I had gotten the music version, but I'm otherwise happy.

Try to look for a used garmin forerunner 245 or 945! They last a while and that’s a great way to get a good watch for cheap. When I want to upgrade I always just buy used

Forerunner 245 has everything you need

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 have the Garmin 255 and I absolutely adore it. I use it for running, swimming, walking, hiking, yoga, and strength training. I upgraded from the 245 and gave that one to a friend because I wanted the altimeter for hikes. I agree with others about finding used.. I got mine on a heavy sale a while ago and that’s the only reason why I upgraded.

I have a Garmin Forerunner 245 which works like a charm to track my running, cycling, and swimming. Pretty decent for day-to-day stuff too.

One more for the 245m. Almost 3 years using it daily, it's a great watch.

I like the size of the 245 very much. It's against the big watches trend, it's light, small, the battery is great.

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.

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.

Forerunner 245 M - it does everything I want, is customisable and even tells the time. I love it. It's my coach and my records keeper.

I have a 245 and it also “doesn’t” support open water but they have third party Garmin IQ apps where I’ve made it work. Little janky and it seems like the GPS signal is sort of fine. I wouldn’t bet my life on it but I got data that was better than nothing.

I have the Forerunner Music 245, I opted for this to save a bit of money since it’s like a 5 or 6 year old model and I got it for a great price on eBay. I love it, it has everything I need for marathon training, cycling, climbing, hiking, lifting etc :-) battery lasts forever, charges super fast, and uploads my workouts immediately to Strava!

If you listen to music the Garmin 245 MUSIC is awesome. Tracks everytplus you can download your music apps to the watch so you don't have to carry your phone.

I loved my Forerunner 245.

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).

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.

This was my go-to in HS back in the 90’s. Timex Ironman Classic https://www.amazon.com/Timex-T5E901-Ironman-Classic-Black/dp/B000AYTYLW/ref=asc_df_B000AYTYLW/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693128908685&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5193342251594156163&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9030242&hvtargid=pla-338000187509&psc=1&mcid=3e338a5cc7cb36e48e162d35d17bcbc5&gad_source=1 I’m using a garmin 245 now and love it!

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

It's an old watch, so comparing it to recent Garmins is a bit crazy. You can find Forerunner 245's for really cheap and they were released around the same time as the Pace 2. Both companies make great watches, though!

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.

just a note: my garmin 245music is a 5 years old now, but battery still lasts a week (without using gps).

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.

Yeah it’s just what you are used to. I bought a forerunner music so I don’t have to carry my phone and can pay wherever I want.

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

I actually prefer my old Vivoactive to the Forerunner. I'm a slow jogger, and this Forerunner is demotivating because it tells me how much I suck.

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 was doing gym work exclusively, got a Forerunner. Somehow ended up a runner .. you’ve been warned lol The daily suggestions of going for a run brainwashed me I think! But there are worse things to happen in life

Mine’s always been quite low, I have asthma, asthmatic Garmin users seem to say just ignore it Just in case it doesn’t improve and you feel dejected like I did, have a read online, plenty of stuff like this https://uphillathlete.com/aerobic-training/max-vo2-myth/ it probably doesn’t mean as much as the faith we place in it! But good luck in your training!

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.

Garmin Forerunners are a great fitness watch.

Garmin Forerunner does a great job. I like the Apple Watch, but the battery life kills me. With my Garmin, I can use it to track swims, runs, and bike ride and I still only need to charge it once a week.

I had a Vivoactive for years that died and I switch to a forerunner a few weeks ago. I am super happy, much better battery, I love the training analysis features it pushes me to work on my cardio as I am more into strength.

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

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

As the other comments here say, Forerunner or instinct. It will not give you the equivalent experience to a Samsung watch, as they are sport/activity focused by design. It has all the basic functionality of a smart watch, Bluetooth connection, notification alerts (some just say you have a notification, others will aloow you to read and respond, so do your research). Forerunner is the entry level fitness device, so it may be best for you, and the instinct is a little more 'I just want a watch that's also connected' vibes. The vivosmart is a half step down from the Forerunner, and yes, super basic, will probably be in the category of just letting you know you have a message, but I'm not sure, as I don't have one. Forerunner also has built-in GPS, which vivosmart does not.

I've got a Forerunner that I wear to keep an eye on hearth rate, but that's about it. I generally mark beginning and end, and sometimes when there's a big change in the section of the sequence - from standing/balancing to seated/prone sections. I'll also often hit the pose button if it's been one of those days and I need to tap out to hero/corpse. The problem you're going to find is that the watch would have to sense very specific motion and velocity to figure out when a pose has changed. I can't think of a watch anywhere with that much sensitivity.

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.

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

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.

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.

It depends on your goals. If youre wanting to squeeze the most out of each session then more data will allow you to do that. If youre not that fussed and just happy to be doing some cardio and you can gauge your effort based on feel then that would be fine too. I use a garmin forerunner for HR zones during running and cycling (+ chest strap monitor), and as a stop watch when swimming. I dont bother to monitor anything else as Im not hoping for a podium nor do I change my training depending on any data in particular. Edit; It should also be noted that its only worth tracking data if you actually know what to do with the information

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

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

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

Garmin forerunner for sure. I got myself a Garmin venu 3 and it’s good but there’s a few features the forerunners have that I miss. I use that combined with Strava for community, Garmin connect app for stats, and Runna app for training plans. They all connect together. Runna automatically sends runs to my watch, then the watch sends the stats back to all three apps when I’m done 👍 Edit: it also all sends the data to my Apple health and my Lifesum dieting app which updates my daily calorie intake based on activity level

I use my Garmin forerunner Yes it's fine with chalk, though the buttons used to go smoother Yes it gets scratched but hey, so do I

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

You can’t respond to notifications with it. I have the S and I’m in love with it!

The Vivoactive 4s or the forerunner are my favorite intro garmins. That being said, the Venu 3 is probably the best intro at the moment since it has more accurate sensors (I just prefer the transflective displays as opposed to the amoled displays) The main reason I got a Garmin was due to the metrics at the start of covid. That being said, now I often use it to track metrics when walking the dogs, or as a way to see the watch readings if I’m feeling off. As an example, when I got covid I was able to use the readings to check my recovery metrics, which was nice.

I use Garmin Forerunner. But I am not interested in smart watch stuff, and only fitness (though you can still pick calls, change music), so it works for me and it lasts for weeks. However, if you want something more straightforward it also probably isn't for you. It has tons of data and some of it is hard to read unless you go out of your way to learn what it is.

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.

Get a garmin forerunner best investment I’ve ever made

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 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.

To add to everyone else’s comments - mines have lasted very well. My first Forerunner works after a decade, I just replaced it with a Fenix a few years back. After four years it’s never had any issues. Yes they aren’t the cheapest but it is worth the investment.

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.

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?

used Garmin like Fenix or forerunner, or just used Apple Watch 6 they are like 70-$100

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)

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.

Garmin forerunners have hrv, you don't need a special app. But again, sleep tracking isn't great

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.

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

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.

Three things to consider that comes to my mind. 1. If you are only looking to track runs(no use for daily health metrics) then you can just wear the running watch during the run, and then put the watch away after you are done. That is what I do with my Garmin Forerunner. I do my run with the watch and then after I come back home the Forerunner gets turned off and put away. 2. Alternative option is to just use your phone's GPS data to track run data. Personally I tried this method, and I wasn't a fan because the phone GPS would struggle to find me sometimes and I'd end up with a weird run distance and times. Non watch style fitness tracking device would likely also have this issue where the GPS function is either non-existent or not as accurate as the watch style running watches. 3. Lastly, I'd just run by time and effort without any tracking if you are just starting out. Time on feet will likely matter more for your progress than accurate distance or speed measures. Set a timer on your phone and run until the timer goes off, then turn around and run back to the starting point. Slowly increase the time on the timer over as you get better. This is more or less what I did when starting out, and I still use this method when going for an easy run.

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

That's what I did, I had a Forerunner and when it was time to upgrade, went ahead and upgraded to Fenix.

People have to stop comparing these. These are for two different people. I would never wear an Apple Watch based on battery life alone. I specifically got the Garmin for a wrist based gps and mapping tool to track and orient myself. You buy an Apple Watch to use smart features and be connected to your phone. Garmin has never been in that market. It’s a whole company based on gps systems for outdoor activities . You buy an Apple Watch to have Apple ecosystem. you can’t use half the feature of the fenix on an iPhone bc they only want you to use their watch… Garmin are all specifically made for their audience even down the the model . Apple watches are just to keep you plugged into your phone and have no bearing on actual outdoor activities despite calling it ultra. The Millitary has been orienteering with Garmin wrist based gps systems forever. You’d never catch an Apple Watch on patrol in Afghanistan. 😂