Garmin

Forerunner 245 Series

Overall

#28 in

Fitness Trackers

according to Reddit Icon Reddit

Sentiment score70% positive
81
21
13

Top Pros

Top Cons

Last updated: Jul 12, 2026

Reddit Reviews

Reddit Icon100HB
9 months ago

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. 

8 months ago

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!

4 months ago

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).

Reddit IconAdditional_Abies9192
12 months ago

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.

Reddit Iconalittlebitofall
9 months ago

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

Reddit Iconanbu-black-ops
11 months ago

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.

Reddit Iconarmaddon
2 months ago

Before jumping into another brand, you might check out the WorkOutDoors app and see if it helps you step up your training a bit: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/workoutdoors/id1241909999 Disclaimer: I don’t use an Apple Watch myself (Garmin Forerunner 245 here), but I have running buddies that do and they swear by WorkOutDoors. It has a similar workout builder to Garmin, every data screen you could imagine and more metrics than you could shake a stick at. Everything should sync up between Apple Health and Strava/Runalyze/TrainingPeaks/whatever sinks your submarine.

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