You need to set your expectations appropriately.
Wrote too much, deleted it.
My first Garmin was a 610 something like fifteen years ago. I think the mid-range Forerunners are pretty good. I'm skeptical of the 970 and Fenix and inclined to laugh at people who buy the MARQ.
I suspect that part of my attitude here is that my current 165 (don't buy, get the 255 if this is your pricepoint) is way better than my 610 was and a bit better than my 230 and mostly good at what I want to be its core competency. People are pissed off when they're comparing to a fantasy watch that's as good as an actual sleep study, lab VO2max test, educated, attentive human coach, and Google Maps on their phone or at least the Edge or one of the handhelds. And yes, as good at being a smart watch as the Apple Watch.
Especially at higher pricepoints, some modules are a shitshow. You need to come in with some idea of what features are important to you and research if they actually work. Or come in with open expectations and just move on when some features don't work.
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?
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?
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.
the Enduro 3 has the same buttons as the previous Fenix versions, so they are waterproof. Garmin just did some marketting effort to sell the new F8 button as leakproof, implying that the other design was not. I've been swimming with my F6 for 4y and never had any issue with water ingress.
Fun_Apartment631
