Forerunner 245

I'm also coming from a FR245 non-music, but went with the Fenix 7 Pro Solar, as it was 43% cheaper than the FR970. The 245 still is a very decent watch that's perfectly usable in 2026.

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).

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. 

A few months ago I made the transition from the FR245 to the Epix Pro Gen 2 Sapphire and have been enjoying the change, I especially like the larger and brighter screen. I hope you have a great time with the new watch!

I usually wear both a watch and a fitness tracker. For the watch, it is usually a Seiko SKX007 or a Citizen Eco-Drive Promaster. For the fitness tracker, I wore a Garmin Forerunner 245 for several years, and a few months ago, I purchased an Epix Pro Gen 2 Sapphire (47m).

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.

The first one i broke rock climbing. 245 i replaced with 255 bcs i started trail running and i wanted elevation tracking. 255 was the reasonable choice (price vs function) even though I liked fenix 7 more

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 FR245 has lasted almost 10 years. Beat the shit out of it and still going. Can't beat that imo. Looking at a slight upgrade to FR255 to keep the MIP