Garmin - Forerunner 965

I wear my Forunner 965 24/7 when on a training program. When not, only at night to track my sleep. I then can rotate my “real” watches.

This is what i get from my 965. I do go back and edit most of the exercises, the watch does recognise a bench press or a row but I like to personally be more accurate with the exercise. The biggest problem for me is that garmin does not allow me to create my own strength exercise. https://preview.redd.it/q3vxs47uxyye1.png?width=768&format=png&auto=webp&s=b1aeb0c6e227e33199bdefed168847dbd2acdba2

Forerunner 965 has been perfect for me and can easily download music via Spotify.

I just bought a forerunner 965 and I personally think it’s better than whoop, especially if you’re a runner

Forerunner 965, can do it all at a better price and you still get the better display, over cheaper older models of other lines. If you don't need the maps function, then I would recommend the Forerunner 265.

No, the 165 Music versus not is just price point budget options thing. Forerunner 265 and 965 have the music functionality of downloading directly to the watch from YT Music. If you just want good basic run and training tracking I would do the 165 music, if you want more training support and data collection and management, I would go for the 264. Either way a focus on running I would only select between these 2 watches.

Garmin’s “strength training” is garbage also. I just turn it on and do my whole workout as one set.

For what you said, I'd probably do the 265. The 965 has much better mapping when you don't have a phone on you, but that's the main difference. The 965 also has more storage, it's really designed for people who want to run without a phone on them. I have a 965 and am training for my first marathon. I love it. Really depends on how much you value offline mapping features. If you have your phone on you the extra storage doesn't really matter. So the 265 is cheaper and has everything you need, unless you want those extra mapping option.

Really the only way to get better data is with a heartrate monitor. They both track the same data. The main selling point is the internal GPS on the 965. I got the 965 for the extra mapping features.

Bought it

I started running after buying 965. Helped me a lot but for the one with the needs like us I’d have gone for 165 or 265

I have to step in...I have a Morpheus. And a Garmin forerunner 965, and an Oura ring, and a Fitbit, and a Polar H10. Oh, and a Schoshe rhythm. Garmin scale. Hunger health scale. Lots of apps, custom chat gpt for health and fitness. I like Caliber for weightlifting, but I use the Garmin in parallel. I get my labs done pretty much quarterly. I do cardio and life weights, gym 5-7 days a week. 60 yo, retired. Went from 184 to 160 pounds in 6 months. Maintained or gained muscle mass, body fat 11%. If I could have only one device, it would be the Garmin watch. If you want to get fit and you're motivated, this will keep you going. Their app is so full of information and different kinds of motivation. My second device to keep us the Polar chest strap (not the Morpheus). First, the Morpheus app is kinda buggy when it comes to connecting and tracing exercise. The Morpheus process (morning meditation, as Peter described it) is slow to get sleep data (hours only) from Garmin. Garmin has a similar feature to grab a snapshot with heart rate and HRV. I do both every morning at the same time and they simply do not tell me anything different. Morpheus chest strap can't be machine washed, a huge negative, the sucker smells awful after a few runs. Polar is battery that lasts over a year, no proprietary charger to lose. And did you know that you can use anything with the Morpheus app once you've registered the app one time with the actual M7? So, yeah, I still use the app, but (a) I don't use the Morpheus M7 anymore and (b) I get zero additional insight from the Morpheus morning evaluation. I just do it to see if it tells me something different than Garmin and Oura. It doesn't. Morpheus says that their HRV algorithm is proprietary and better. When you use their software, it sends the data to their server for processing, so it's not local. It just makes it slow. It is not different from Garmin or Oura. I need a scale, so I'd keep the Garmin. It does body fat, muscle mass, etc and it syncs with Garmin software. But I do both every day. The Hume is 3x the price and not better. Neither is perfect, so I get an Inbody scan once a month at Orange Theory (pay $25). You can calibrate the Garmin to that data. I also got the famous Dexa scan. If you look into it, it's actually not the gold standard he says it is. From machine to machine and tech to tech, you get very different readings. The Inbody is less than 1/10 the cost and it's accurate enough and it let's you see trends by doing it often. I like Caliber for weightlifting. I won't go into it, you can check it out. But I track my workouts on my watch at the same time using the freestyle mode so that the Garmin has the workout data so it knows all of my activities. The Garmin works best when it sees everything... Sleep, all exercise, weight, etc. Yes, get a fitness watch. If you're not into tech, get a Fitbit. If you get serious, you'll want a Garmin.

I know a lot of athletes. So, by extension, I know a lot of Garmin watch owners. Of all the 965 owners I reckon about 10% of them, max, use the watch to its full capacity. The other 90% use it in a way the 265 would satisfy without a shadow of doubt - and at a significantly smaller price point. Get a 265 (or a 265s) and watch, even then, the amount of things you barely make use of. Garmins are great (I wear one) but they flex a bucket load of features and IMO most people make use of two or three things for their sport of choice. This is why people get sucked in by the 900 series models.

First to mention the flashlight! 965 owners don’t know what they’re missing 

I sadly do. I own a 965 and I'm so tempted to get the 970 mostly for the flashlight! Obviously it's not worth the switch, since my 965 is only a year old, so I'm trying to convince my wife to upgrade her vivoactive 3 to my 965 to justify buying a new one 😁

You might not like how ‘bulky’ a Garmin might feel compared to an Apple Watch if you’re going to have it on constantly (at the start anyway). I have a 965 which I would recommend. The Fenix is the flag ship ‘outdoor model’ but from what you described there is nothing the 965 can’t do. It is also sleeker than the Fenix. If you have a shop local which you can try them on for size I would do that first before making the plunge.

I’ve had 3 Garmin watches they’ve been great currently using the forerunner 965

I use a garmin Forerunner 965, and it does the job with no real complaints. Like most watches, it misses the odd length every now and again, but ultimately, it's pretty good. The only thing I think the apple watches might do better than the garmins is they automatically count kick set where on garmin watchs you have to manually input the data. I have also had a garmin swim2, which is fine but very basic.

Running Economy will need a chest strap (£160ish I think). Better battery during activities slightly, much large decrease in smartwatch mode. For me the main draw is the sapphire screen, but I've just got a replacement 965 for one which died and I've put on a £1 screen protector on it while I decide. Previously after 2 years I had 2 absolutely tiny scratches on the screen but only if you looked closely in the right light. I'm certainly not jumping to the 970 for now

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...

You will probably find the 965 reasonably cheap now the new models out. I have it and it's very very good.  you can even set up an out and back navigation route and then add your daily suggested workout onto it

Battery life is the biggest. Not even close. We’re talking multiple weeks of battery life with consistent use vs a day or two. Also, my Apple Watch was near death after running a marathon with it on a full charge. The Garmin won’t have that issue. Garmin has more detailed health metrics as well. Switched from my Apple Watch SE to the Garmin Forerunner 965 recently. I miss the messaging integration and all that “smart watch” stuff, but there’s no doubt the Garmin is king of fitness. Particularly running and endurance sports.

Do you plan on running a marathon? Get the Garmin. There, I justified it for you!

I got the 965 recently. If I had the money for the 970 I would go for an Endurance 3. Much prettier, +battery, and sapphire lens.

I have the forerunner 965 and I love it. The 970 just came out so you might find some great deals.

They are all "good enough" without a HR strap tbh. If you don't care *that* much about HR data... you'll get by with wrist as long as it's tight. It's usually pretty accurate for consistent based efforts. It's the intervals/gym sessions a wrist really struggles. Since you mention mapping... look into the Forerunner 965 or 955. Difference is the 965 has an AMOLED display, 955 is what we call MIP. MIP = longer battery life. Both are on sale, 955 is on sale tremendously if that's a route you wanted to go. If you can afford/find a deal on a Fenix 7 Pro that has the most up-to-date wrist-based optical HR sensor which is more accurate than the Forerunner 965 or 955 HRM. Lots of options there, but I've been recommending some friends to get the 955 lately, as I think I've seen $350 for the regular and $400 for solar model prices out there. I think that's an amazing bargain.

Running, training? Then absolutely NOT the Venu 3 (my watch)-it is absolutely lacking Training metrics. Nice watch but not for the serious runner. Instead the FR265 (no maps) or FR965 has maps on board.

The screen of the 955 would be a major drawback coming from an Apple. I would go for the 265 instead. Note that the 965 is also on sale quite often. Got mine for 450 euro.

Agree with everything except battery life - the 965 has a 23-day battery life, versus 15 days for the 955. Just because the display should have better battery life, doesn't mean the *entire watch* actually does. [https://www.garmin.com/en-US/compare/?compareProduct=886725&compareProduct=777655](https://www.garmin.com/en-US/compare/?compareProduct=886725&compareProduct=777655)

I would look to the Forerunner 965 personally.

I’ve used Garmin 645 and now Garmin 965 which are probably more expensive than you want. For what it’s worth, I found the cheaper/older Garmin to be more straight forward and often more accurate. The new one has all sorts of great features which I’ve not really learned, especially as I’m just a sort of “go swim” sort of person, not doing tons of drills etc.

I have the 965 and love it but if I was buying a watch now I would get the 970. I dont even know the extra features as I haven't looked, but the newer watch is always better.

Go for an old version of Fenix (7 for example). Forerunners are also a good alternative, 265 or 965 if you have a bigger budget. Try to consider a second hand in good condition, a lot of folks have just upgraded to Fenix 8 so you can catch some good deals.

I got the 965 in 2024 and it's a great watch. I do think it's overpriced and the 265 has better value. I think you should get the least expensive watch you will be okay with. There is always going to be a newer and better model. I use it mainly to track my outdoor runs or treadmill runs. I tried the maps on the watch and it's nice to have but rarely used. I also didn't end up using the music option on the watch because I just use my bone conduction earphones with built in memory and music player.

100% agree with this. I initially bought a Forerunner 965 to replace my AWU 1 and it just felt cheap. The screen was unresponsive and the watch faces looked tacky, also the Garmin Connect app is really poor on the iPhone (crashes and also menu buttons go randomly missing). I then bought the Fenix 8 47mm AMOLED as that is the premium watch that they offer but again I had the same feelings when comparing it to the AWU 1. I actually really want to move to Garmin, and I don't care about the connectivity with AirPods etc as I have notifications and everything turned off on my watch, but every time I try a Garmin watch I'm left feeling disappointed. I also can't seem to find any analytic data that I care about that the AWU doesn't give me that Garmin does (for context I run, bike, do cardio/HIIT/strength at the gym and have ran a few Hyrox races). The battery is non issue as well as I just chuck it on charge when I shower or when doing some work for 30 minutes or so and I'm good to go. For someone who just runs, bikes, strength trains, HIIT trains, what does the Garmin offer that AWU does not?

I would say Garmin is the top of fitness watches. Coros is also up and coming. They’re not as far along yet as Garmin but they claim they have a lot in the works. I use a Garmin forerunner 965 personally

I love my 965 but I am seriously considering the upgrade. After 2 months I can use a 20% off coupon code for the 970. If I can sell mine for 300-350 i'm gonna do it. The main upgrades I'm liking are the mic and speaker for the ability to respond to texts better right from the watch, the flashlight for evening runs, the brighter oled, and the sapphire display for a bit more sturdiness. I do think the ECG is a nice add too. I usually get around 10 days to 2 weeks on a charge right now between gym workouts and runs, so I'm hoping I'll still get around 10 days on a 970 with mixed use.

I have the FR965 and I love it. I use it for swimming, weights, kayaking, and running. I use a chest strap for everything but swimming. It has multi-sport options for triathlons etc. I often do workouts where I run to where my boat is, get in a kayak for a workout, and then run home. I would use the multi-sport feature for that.  I recommend a chest strap HRM no matter what you choose. I find the wrist based HR monitors are not reliable for anything above 120 bpm. I’ve used Apple Watch, Fitbit, Whoop, and three different Garmins and none of them worked for me above 120bpm so I think a chest strap is a must. Oddly enough, the wrist HRM doesn’t do that badly in the water.

The Garmin watches are spectacular for cardio, and mediocre for strength training. It will do everything you'd want from a running perspective. I have the forerunner 965 and love it.

I have a 965 and it's amazing. The only thing the 970 has that seems like a big enough upgrade to consider the premium is the sapphire glass. And the ECG I guess, but that's unnecessary for most people. If I had atrial fibrillation then I'd definitely get the 970 instead.

No, gorilla glass sucks. I put a screen protector on my 965 from day 1. It doesn't bother me.

IMO, if you aren’t all in on the 965, it’s overkill for you. You’re getting a flagship running watch and aren’t planning on using it fully. You might be better off going with a 265 or something which has 95% of the features and hardware at a lower price point. Unless you’re doing it because it will make you feel good or something, I wouldn’t recommend the 965 for this use case.

Garmin is not great for tracking any kind of lifting or strength training, it is really an afterthought for them. As for running I would recommend the Fr265 or FR965 if you want a bugger battery and maps. You can use the compare feature on the Garmin website to compare specs. Just choose all watches and the compare feature is right at the top.

One poster has recommended a Shitbit - avoid that at all costs. I am not a huge fan of Garmin even having used them for years, the software is outdated and buggy and the UI and UX is bad. You will get regular updates that will cause more issues that require more updates and the cycle will continue. The devices are good at tracking workouts and data. The Forerunner 965 is a good choice for you, sleek and does what you have asked. Has most of the features of the Fenix8 that people are suggesting but has been out for a while and the software is at least stable and for what you are getting it is priced better. The F8 is far overpriced for what you get.

Do you have any details on what isn't accurate on the Garmins compared to other products? I had an apple watch for years but switched to a Forerunner 965 and have been very happy; didn't notice any accuracy differences. I can't even name 10 competitors in the smart watch market so I'm not sure if that's an exaggeration?

This depends on how you want to track your sessions. Some people prefer to start "strength training" when enter a gym and stop it at the end. I use my watch to follow my program like described here: [https://gelberhut.com/strength-training-with-a-garmin-in-a-gym/](https://gelberhut.com/strength-training-with-a-garmin-in-a-gym/) If you want to do the same - a watch which allows to adjust weight/rep number using the touch screen is handy. I know that venu3 and F8 support this, not sure about other models. PS: Not that long ago, Garmin released strength coach (https://gelberhut.com/garmin-strength-coach-what-is-it-and-what-can-it-do/), if you want it: check one of Garmin Venu 3, Garmin Fenix 8, Garmin Vivoactive 5, Forerunner 255, Forerunner 265, Forerunner 955, Forerunner 965.

I have semi-recently made the switch from an Apple Watch Ultra 1 to a Garmin Forerunner 965, and my Garmin is leagues better than the Apple. If you don't want to spend 600, that's perfectly ok. [Everything on this list will likely suit your needs pretty well](https://www.garmin.com/en-US/c/sports-fitness/swimming-smartwatches/)

I've owned both. 965 is sleek and fantastic for metrics. Venu 3 is slim and low profile, but lacks metrics. Best to start big imo, the 965 should last you years with what it provides

And don't forget screen brightness. Fenix 8 still has a 1000 nits brightness screen, which, at least for me, is not enough. My friend has the T-Rex 3 and the brightness difference compared to my Forerunner 965 is huge. Even if T-Rex 3's screen burn out faster, I can still buy another 2 and still be cheaper than one Fenix.

I won't upgrade. Sapphire glass is useless, as it's not bulletproof and even that would better have a screen protector on. Its screen is brighter and this is important as 965's screen leaves some room for complaints, but it comes at the cost of higher battery consumption, so no either. Don't care about new sensor (I use chest strap), couldn't care less about the flashlight, mic and speaker, so no reason to upgrade even in the future, 970 won't be among my options.

The rhetorical question is whether it is worth paying almost 60% extra for a few changes. I had an FR965, in my opinion the changes are not worth paying that much extra. 

I am having the same choice. And I decided that 965 is what better for me because: 1. I don't need a flashlight. Cannot imagine when I would need it. 2. I don't need ECG - it is useless anyway. 3. I don't care about new pulse sensor because I think that v4 and v5 are equally good outside exercises and for exercises/running I use Polar H10 sensor anyway. 4. I absolutely don't care about microphone. I've had AW for 3+ years and never ever used it. So, paying 700 euro instead of 470 for features which I don't need makes no sense. And I like the look of 965 much more than 970. Yes, I miss sapphire glass, but that's all. With regards to software updates: with this kind of watches I don't expect anything super fancy with software updates. They will add some new useless exercise type? Who cares...

Go with the 965. There are a few standout features though on the 979 - Sapphire Glass - Brighter Screen - New elevate sensor (include better hr tracking, each, etc) - Mic and Speaker If those features are important to you than pay the extra amount.

I had a Garmin Forerunner 965 and it was terrible for swimming. Not even one lap could be recognized correctly

I don't know. My watch tracked waaay more laps than I actually have done. If I swam 1000m, the watch tracks 1400m.

Here's how I viewed them when I was comparing models a few weeks ago: Forerunner - Fitness Watch with Smartwatch capabilities. "I want to run and track everything." 965 for serious data and 265 for cheaper but still lots of data Venu 3s - Smartwatch Fitness Watch. The most "Smartwatch" of the Fitness watches. "I want a smartwatch that is fitness focused when I need it to be." Vivoactive 6 - A sort of cheaper (in price) compromise of the 2. More fitness than the Venu but also more smartwatch than the Forerunner and more affordable.

I enjoy my forerunner 965 (it was gifted to me) but it seems to track well for strength (I like that if I do a ‘freestyle’ strength it guesses the muscle groups and the I can adjust later). And the gps has been really solid even when doing trail runs in a rural area

I have owned Garmin over 10 years and a periodic couch potato. I train during 3 seasons and just lie flat during holidays- spring period. I know, an unhealthy style but it works for me. to help you understand better, a couch potato in terms of general fitness differs VASTLY with a couch potato in terms of running. It is easier to make a habit of getting into gym/hiking/wight-lifting from a couch potato stage but getting into running NEEDS a lot of motivation. Garmin Forerunner 965 : How a forerunner (9 series) can help you. 1. **Morning Report:** It has a morning report that send you every morning based on your sleep and other health report, how ready you are for running and suggests you workout (running) 2. **Steps:** THIS WILL BE A MAJOR thing to push you so I will dig a bit deep here - the watch starts encouraging you by steps and the algorithm adjust based on WEEKENDS and your daily steps. Meaning, weekends it gives you higher number of steps vs weekdays lower, if your lifestyle is busy on weekends. You don't have to set anything it will follow you meaning. I recently switched jobs and in the first 90 days being on-site role, I had to drive in 50 miles daily and choose weekends to lie flat and be a homebody. the watch adjusted the number so weekends I used to get low number of steps. Now that I have a hybrid schedule and I started working out on weekend, for the past couple of weekends it started increasing my numbers on weekend and adjusting to normal numbers on weekdays. 3. **Garmin Coach:** with your forerunner, comes Garmin coach a FREE feature in your Garmin Connect which will train you according to your potential. I have used it and I loved how it helped me to get back into routine last year. 4. **Music/Garmin Pay/LiveTracking:** it has enough features to leave the phone at home for that quick runs. 5. **Sleep and Cycle (if women) Tracking:** One of the best sleep trackers (at least for me) out there. I use Apple(my fashion watch) and Oura. Garmin beats them in everything! 6. **Other workouts:** it has MORE workout tracking than an Apple watch has. This is the watch that could track my Paddle Boarding, Indoor Bouldering (it also said what V-stage I was bouldering!) Golf, Snowboard, Kayak and many more! Meaning your EVERY ACTIVITY is tracked so you will not loose your days and FUN. You don't have to stick yourself to ONLY RUNNING or GYM. 7. **Other App integrations:** it connection to apps like Strava apple health and other will helps you to be in connect with communities to participate in many events. It also Has its OWN challenges (which I rarely use to be frank as I am more Strava challenge person) but for a beginner it helps a lot. Forerunner vs Fenix - I have been waiting to buy a Fenix for years but honestly, for my needs, Forerunner is enough. It has enough features for my lifestyle which keeps changes and has seasonal routines. If I ever plan on ultra marathons or triathlons then I will verge into Fenix or I have money to splurge. **Final Say:** If Forerunner can do this, Fenix can do a LOT more! But you need to decide if you need a Fenix. Fenix is **NEXT STEP / UPGRADE** to Forerunner. I would go with a a Fenix if I have a budget to splurge 😎 PS: I have just given you how it can help a couch potato but once you are on a full swing you can see MANY running metrics and calculations in Charts, Stats and Laps that can further motivate you to take running as a habit. Good Luck!

I own both the Apple ultra 2 and the Garmin forerunner Runner 965. I definitely strongly prefer the Garmin for activity tracking. The activity tracking on the Apple just is too simple for me. Like the Garmin has things like your interval pace and automatic rest timer.  Maybe the Apple has it too, but by default it does not  I will sometimes also bring along the apple if I want a second screen with directions when I am going on a bike ride Or if I want to stream music off the Apple Watch on my swim headphones or stuff like that But Garmin is hands-down way better as an activity tracker, if nothing else just because the battery is 10 to 20 times better

Ended up getting a 965 and couldn’t be happier with it. The maps have been so useful to have and I’m glad to have the touch screen to use them (vs the 955). Battery life is unbelievable compared to Apple Watch as well

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.

There should be, but it isn’t. I have 255 and it’s great, capable, light watch, but it has weak display and no touch, changing straps is a hassle. So I waited long for 975, but I’ll go the Fenix way very, very soon :) Maps are definitely better on the 965 than on 255, navigation there is really rather basic.

There should be, but it isn’t. I have 255 and it’s great, capable, light watch, but it has weak display and no touch, changing straps is a hassle. So I waited long for 975, but I’ll go the Fenix way very, very soon :) Maps are definitely better on the 965 than on 255, navigation there is really rather basic.

Wife has the 265 and I have the 965. Battery life is good on the 235 and excellent for the 965. Maps as mentioned is the biggest difference.

I just ordered a 965 2 days ago for 460€. Cant wait to try it :) Even knowing that a 975 might be out in a few weeks... worth it :)

The price is not justified, while subjective the 965 looks quite better with the design of the embedded gravings on titanium and nicer markers on bezel. The 970 main thing is the sapphire glass and design less prone to damage but only you could say if that is worth $200, but for most cases a screen protector could do a similar job in most cases for the 965.

GPS is still much higher on 965. Only looks like 970 has significant advantage with music, and tiny bit maybe with all systems multi band.

I bought the 965 (at 25% off) and sold my 265 to a friend. Apart from increased battery life, it was a waste of money. I never use the maps or the golf features. The 265 was super stealth on my wrist. I couldn’t tell whether I was wearing it or not. The 265 is a killer watch. I don’t regret having the 965, but in hindsight, it was completely unnecessary.

I'm an Apple guy with an iPhone, 2 iPads, and 2 Macs. But when it comes to a watch for swimming, I much prefer the Garmin. The Apple Watch is wonderful smartwatch but its native swimming app is pretty sparse. I had one but no longer use it. I had a Vivoactive 3 years ago. I'm not up on the VA5 but I really prefer the 5 button Garmin watches anyhow. I'm currently using a Forerunner 165 which gives you a lot of bang for the buck if you are mostly just swimming, running, or cycling. If you do lots of other activities, the the FR 265 or 965 is the better option. They all give you the choice of 5 button use or touchscreen.

I just recently switched from Apple Watch Ultra to Garmin Forerunner 965 (~3 weeks ago so still fresh). I believe the Ultra is an amazing smart watch that you could train with but damn does that battery suck. I wear my watches 24/7 so I’d be charging it every day while I showered just to get through the day. I find the two watches have similar analytics (Garmin through the Garmin Connect App and Ultra through different apps like Athlytic and AutoSleep) so it’s up to you if you want it all consolidated or spread through a few apps on your phone. The Garmin still does push all notifications to you through the watch you just can’t answer like you can on an Apple Watch. Long story short: I prefer my Garmin for it having everything out of the box and having a better battery life. The only thing I miss from the Ultra is not being able to answer calls/texts from a watch.

For what it’s worth, I have used both, now, and am keeping neither. I’ve already sold both of them actually and decided I’m going to keep my Instinct 2X Solar, which I love, and buy a second hand FR965 that has everything, more or less, that the F8 has (minus the torch) and use the two alternatively. Even on the I3 AMOLED 50mm I found the screen too small.

Although I’m an iPhone user, I’ve never used an Apple Watch. Okay that’s not technically true, I used one for 48 hours a couple of years ago just to see how it different from my Garmin. And for me it was everything I didn’t want; terrible battery life, constant notifications, smart features etc. Garmin has added a lot of things like that but there is still a very clear demarcation point between phone and watch. I love that on the Fenix and Forerunner 9xx series, I can still have global maps when I don’t have my phone and I can completely disconnect and go for a run or hike and know I won’t get lost. Not to mention have offline music using YouTube Music or Spotify. While I’ve not used it yet, the FR970 ticks all the boxes. Alongside my current Fenix 8, I also have the FR965 and I find myself using that far more than my Fenix, simply because it’s so much lighter on the wrist. The only things missing from that were the torch, which is an absolute must have, and the sapphire glass. Now that the 970 fixes those two things being missing, it’s the clear choice for me.,

The 265 doesn't offer a proper map/navigation. Depending of OP needs, it can be a deal breaker. Has been for me. From having use a Samsung Tyzen OS watch, then a Suunto Android Wear one, and now the FR965, I'd add the 965 is not as integrated as an Android Wear device, but it still works fine with Android (I heard its far worse with iOS but never tried it myself).

I did, in june 2023, and never regreted. But if you already own a Pixel Watch, you can definitely, if you finally find out you miss the everyday features you like on it, use it when you're not doing sport and keep the Garmin for sport. I did trail running and hiking with both the Suunto 7 (Wear OS watch by Suunto, supposed to be better of both worlds, an Android smartwatch made by one of the better outdoor sportwatches manufacturers, but not exactly that because of limitations on Wear OS and short battery life) and the Forerunner 965, and it's day and night. The battery life is fantastic and it gives me enough smartwatch features for my use (I can receive and answer WhatsApp messages for example, but I can't initiate a conversation. I can use the watch as a remote when I cast a YouTube or Netflix on my TV. Use a calculator, weather app, converter, map. Some other things. But it's definitely not as integrated as a Wear OS device.). For me, waking up with 40% battery and knowing it'll be plenty enough for my 2 hours walk in the afternoon and it will still be enough to end up the day, track my sleep and work all the next day, it was a game changer. You basically never have to worry about the battery. 8 hours long hike in the Alps? It got you covered, no worries.

If you plan to run, go with forerunner. 265 is enough **BUT** 965 has maps and golf so I'd pick that instead. From memory they're almost the same size aswell

Be aware that the Forerunner 165 does not have mapping capabilities. For that you need a higher model watch e.g. Forerunner 965 or one of the top epic/Fenix models.

No I used an Instinct Crossover until last week and switched to a 965, mostly for the color screen and because it has a comparable battery life. Actually its battery life is better. It has music and built in maps, but I have not quite figured out the music yet - my earbuds seem to have difficulty pairing and I carry the phone in my pocket anyway. Otherwise would enthusiastically recommend the 965.

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.

I got a forerunner 965 which I quite like, if you don’t care for the OLED screen then get the 265 and if it’s in your price range the fenix line looks more serious and is more durable. Also has some extra features.

I have a 965 and Apple Watch Ultra. In terms of swimming. Apple Watch is much better in terms of hr accuracy and split detection. But garmin has better ecosystem

965 is a no brainer here.

I've used either a Forerunner 9xx or a Fēnix for about 6 years. If you give it about 5 minutes before you swim to leatch onto as many satellites as possible after it says it has a GPS fix it's pretty good. If you dive in as soon as you get the tick, it's crap.

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 use Garmin forerunner watch, sync Strava with Garmin Connect and sync Komoot with Strava. It works like a charm.

I have a Garmin Edge bike computer and chest based heart rate because I like to see my speed on the handlebars rather than having to look at my watch. It also navigates for me on more adventurous rides and race courses I'm unfamiliar with. For local social rides I just track on my Garmin Forerunner watch.

Runs are the same concept as rides. Personally, I use purpose-built devices to record: Garmin Edge bike computer, Garmin Forerunner watch (they also both do navigation, connect to heart rate sensors, watch does music, etc.). When I stop an activity and hit save, it's uploaded to Strava before I can even get the garage door open. I don't want to carry my phone on a run, and I don't want to run down the battery on all-day rides.

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. 

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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?

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.

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.

Garmin ecosystem is chocked full of goodness. Since I run and cycle, it’s great for multi sport. A lot of folks who only run seem to love Coros watches and their environment. I think either of those (with Strava integration) would be an improvement over your Apple Watch.

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. 😂