Forerunner 570

I have FR 570 (Gen 5 sensor) and Vivoactive 5 (Gen 4) and I don't find 570 is better when it comes to HR tracking. I found Apple watch is more accurate than both but I prefer Garmin.

I have a 570 and would say the evening report is useless at least for me. I get the message 1.5 hours before bed time, and get the morning report right after I wake up. Also the skin temperature feature provides nothing to me. I am female but it doesn't even do anything for my cycle tracking. However I would go for 970 if I was a runner. It's light weight & future proof, perfect for runners. I like the new UI, it's still sometimes glitchy but in general the design is really good and the screen is beautiful.

Oh it's a shame.. that haptic feedback is actually the biggest thing I love my 570 about.

Anyone see a sapphire option in the 42 mm size? I do not. That’s annoying.

Yes it’s a bummer for those with smaller wrists don’t have the option of sapphire. They could bump it $50 (it’s usually $100 markup but $550 is already getting high) and get people (me) to buy it.

I was in a similar position and just ordered the 570 in the 42mm size. My Venu 2s was great, but it was time for an upgrade and since the 570 is brand new, it should be future-proof as well. I don’t have any data yet as it's on its way, but I noticed my Venu 2s would sometimes lose my pace when I was in wooded areas. It would also occasionally lose my heart rate, so I’m excited to try the new HR sensor in the 570. I’ll try to update you in a few days once I receive it. I know some people have recommended the 265 or Vivoactive models, but the vivoactive lacks a lot of running features and an altimeter so it can't track any change in elevation. The 265 is fully made of plastic and does look quite cheap. The forerunner 570 has a ton of running metrics so you would be good in case you ever do start running. I suggest using the garmin comapre feature on their site. It's a great tool to check the differences in feature.

A Forerunner will give you training readiness and DSW, which are big additions to help keep you conditioned for upcoming races. The Vivoactive also doesn’t have an altimeter, so it can’t track elevation changes if that matters to you. I recently upgraded from a venu 2s to a Forerunner 570, and it was a huge upgrade since I started running a lot more. You also would get access to PacePro with a newer Forerunner which is nice to help you keep pace during races. If money doesn't matter, it's worth it. Otherwise, your vivoactive is fine for just tracking runs.

Check in with your GF whether a smaller watch face is important for her, and maybe pop out to try some on first. I have a Forerunner 570 42mm - it meets all my requirements as an ultra runner, but the smaller face is perfect for my tiny wrists. It should tick your GF’s requirements by the sounds of it! Oh and it comes in cool colours too, not just black.

I switched from Apple Watch Ultra to Forerunner 570 42mm and I’m really happy: battery life 1day apple vs 1 week Garmin, lighter, smaller, navigation while running, etc. The only disadvantage I noticed is that there are more premium 3rd party watchbands for apple than Garmin. And Garmin Pay does not support all banks.

I used Apple Watches for years (Apple Watch 3,7, Ultra) and made the switch to a Forerunner 570 42mm a few months ago, since I started running and cycling more seriously and I don‘t regret the switch. Besides the better battery life, the Garmin plans and tracking helped me to improve my fitness a lot! In the end you have to find out if you prefer a smart watch with fitness features or a fitness watch with smartwatch features.

And I bought the 570 42 mm because I like the size and 20 mm wristbands 😂

I have the 965. I bought my daughter the 42mm 570. It’s slick AF. Beautiful display. Cool mic and speaker. Between the 2, I would definitely take the 570.

I just bought that same colour 42mm 570 for my daughter. I spent some time with her yesterday getting it dialled in. Damn, it’s so much nicer than my 965. The display is magnificent. The colour is amazing. If you don’t need maps or golf courses, it’s a killer option. Lots of shit being spewed on Reddit aimed directly at the 570. My bet is that the critics have not actually tried one.