Forerunner 305

Old guy here. I'm tall with thin wrists and even an Apple Watch Ultra looks a little ridiculous on me (to me). Back in the day, our only Garmin GPS option was the 305. It was like wearing a CRT monitor on your arm. *However*, I never really noticed it during training or racing. It was the cost of doing business and my brain just filtered out the proprioceptors like it does with shoes and jackets, etc. Given that almost all the Garmin options are pretty thin, how it looks is likely the only real concern. The diameter shouldn't affect whether it snags on clothing, etc., but you might need a smaller strap. I'd choose the one with the best features for your data-crunching. If you don't need a lot of data, the smaller watches would probably do the job. https://preview.redd.it/8g7pjtsq85sf1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d11130072d2f69e311abd65ebd09c0478bba4a9c

I've been using Garmin watches since 2004. I've never had one fail, I've replaced them out of wanting a new feature or eventually losing battery life. Models: FR 201, 305, 225, vivoactive 1 & 3, FR 735XT, Edge 520+ 6 watches over 21 years. Plus pulling the 305 apart and replacing the battery (it still works - so did the 201 last I heard that the guy I'd given it to had passed it on)

Garmin faithful (though not fanboy) here… 305>610>935>255s (middle numbers might be wrong and I’m too lazy to doublecheck). Wrist issues are going to happen to a small slice of the population with silicone straps… emphasis on small. As far as training readiness… these are consumer grade devices… squint when the garmin (or coros or suunto or apple or whoever) tells you stuff and you’ll be fine. 

Ha! This post took me on a trip down memory lane! I had to look at my history in Garmin Connect. Started using my Garmin Forerunner 305 back in 2010. Since then I’ve upgraded 3 times: 310XT in 2012, (loved this watch), 235 in 2019, 165 this year in 2025.

My 1st two smart watches were Garmins; one dating back to 2006 I think with the original Forerunner 305 (bulky but paired well with heart rate monitor- used for cycling and running) and then years later with a smaller Garmin. Got my first Apple Ultra 2 years ago. I currently like the Apple Ultra better for my lifestyle. Ease of use for music (yes, I have Apple Music), phone calls, text messages, sleep stats, heart info, connects to Fitness app and Strava free app, etc. Thinking of upgrading soon to Apple Ultra 3 or a Garmin. TBD. Both are outstanding brands with excellent watches to choose from. Much better than the sundial I used to carry with me when I was young. For you OP, if cost is an issue, there is likely a Garmin that will fit your budget better than an Ultra which I think are better than their “series” SE watches for running and cycling. BTW: I check my Ultra watch and iPhone battery health and if below 80% I believe I can get it replaced by Apple (yes, I have Apple Care). I do need to charge both fully once a day. Not really a problem.

I’ve had both and definitely have had more issues with Garmin. I have yet to experience a mid activity crash on my AWU in over a year, something that I’ve had happened multiple times on every Garmin device I have ever owned (a lot, I started with a FR 205 or 305). I still own a Garmin edge and it happened again last week. Riding along and you look down and the screen is just shut off. I do miss the battery life of my old Fenix but I got used to putting the AWU on the charger every time I shower and that seems to work 99% of the time. I don’t see a bright future for Garmin. There’s companies like Coros that make arguably better watches now for a fraction of the price (don’t take my word, look at all the pros using Coros now). When my Edge dies I’ll probably switch brands.

I've used garmin watches since the original 205/305 in 2006. All through those years charging has always been my main grip with various garmin watches. Be it the propietary charging ports or the fact that (at least for me) charging cables for garmin watches (garmin or third party) don't seem to last for more than a few months. On my current epix 2 I need to be very carefull after attaching a cable or it loses connection right away and on my fenix 6 pro before that the charging port on the watch itself broke.