Garmin is an organization that’s been round since 1989 and is well-known for its GPS know-how. They’ve a long-standing status for producing high-quality, dependable, and sturdy merchandise.
Garmin’s first foray into the working watch market was the Forerunner 101 in 2003. This watch was a game-changer on the time, because it allowed runners to trace their distance, tempo, and time with out having to make use of a separate GPS system. (Significantly, I ran for years with only a watch that might inform time, begin and cease!!)
Since then, Garmin has continued to innovate and enhance upon its working watch designs, releasing new fashions with more and more superior options and applied sciences.
As we speak, Garmin gives a variety of working watches to go well with the wants of runners of all ranges, from newcomers to elite athletes. We’re going to dive in to evaluating these under, however first I wish to speak a bit extra concerning the options you could want to contemplate.
They make SO MANY WATCHES now that it may be complicated. Listed here are the first options you’re going to wish to take into account.
GPS Accuracy
On the whole, all Garmin working watches are going to satisfy your primary GPS wants. You’ll be getting correct knowledge on the highway and for almost all of your path runs. Nevertheless, if you’re going to be doing extra back-country issues or open water swimming, then you could have to step as much as the upper stage watches just like the 965, Fenix and Enduro.
Battery Life
Battery life is one other necessary issue to contemplate, particularly for those who’re planning to make use of your look ahead to lengthy runs or multi-day occasions. There may be a variety relying upon the smartwatch options and obtainable GPS modes, going from 20 hours as much as a number of weeks in battery save mode.
Dimension and Weight
The dimensions and weight of your Garmin watch also can affect your working expertise. Search for fashions which might be snug to put on and received’t weigh you down throughout your runs.
An increasing number of Garmin is making most fashions of their S model, which suggests small. It suits higher on a smaller wrist and I can attest to this if you see me sporting the Enduro subsequent to the Venu 2s.
Show Options
A transparent and easy-to-read show is necessary for monitoring your progress throughout a run. Just about all Garmin watches can have high-resolution screens, adjustable brightness ranges, and easy-to-navigate menus.
However you could have to determine if you’d like contact display or are extra centered on lengthy battery life and thus prepared to forgo all the beautiful colours.
You’ll additionally discover that the Garmin Join app makes it very simple to customise your screens throughout exercises on all watches. Moreover some watches will present further watch face choices there or you may observe issues like your cycle by way of the app.
Coronary heart Charge Monitor
All Garmin working watches are going to incorporate the wrist based mostly HR monitor sensors. That is the function I are typically the pickiest about as I take advantage of it for all of my simple runs.
Up to now the Enduro has carried out the most effective over the long run. This will likely have one thing to do with the bigger model and it being extra rugged, so within the winter it may possibly proceed to get a greater studying.
That being mentioned, all of the watches additionally pair with a chest strap by way of Bluetooth or ANT+ so you will get the gold commonplace of readings. I additionally respect that they now have 24/7 HR monitoring that can assist you monitor resting HR.
Knowledge Monitoring and Evaluation Capabilities
Garmin watches include quite a lot of knowledge monitoring and evaluation options, together with coronary heart fee monitoring, VO2 max monitoring, and customized exercise creation. Think about which metrics are most necessary to you and select a watch that gives the options you want.
Worth Vary
Working watches vary in value from round $150 to over $1,000. A few of this is because of options, some to do with supplies like a display that’s much less more likely to break if you drop it off a cliff or could be submerged in water for diving, not simply a swim. Think about your finances when selecting a watch, but in addition take into account that a costlier watch might supply extra superior options and higher sturdiness.
Greatest Garmin Watches for Runners Breakdown
All proper now let’s examine Garmin working watches. These are listed so as from primary entry stage to high finish, together with among the options that set every one aside.
Least expensive Garmin for Newbies – Garmin 55 ($199)
Let’s begin with the watch that I like to recommend 9 instances out of 10 for somebody who simply wants a GPS watch to begin higher monitoring their exercises, the Garmin Forerunner 55.
Understanding the options of this entry stage watch, may even aid you higher perceive any upgrades that seem in additional superior watches. Checkout my in-depth assessment of the Garmin 55 to see all of the fundamentals you need to count on in your Garmin working watch and what they imply (i.e. what’s coaching standing, Stay Monitoring or treadmill calibration).
The one draw back to this watch is that you simply aren’t getting the highest stage GPS. So for those who take it on the paths or via quite a lot of buildings it will not be as correct.
Moreover, you don’t have a inbuilt accelerometer, altimeter or barometer, so that you received’t be getting any details about elevation adjustments. As I point out with the Venu, I do imagine that knowledge is useful.
**Notice it gives you elevation knowledge, nevertheless it’s coming from the GPS of the watch. So it’s much less correct than the opposite fashions with inbuilt altimeter.
Past that, you received’t be getting issues like race predictor, music management or storage, sleep monitoring and another working knowledge insights.
See the total specs of the Garmin 55 >>
Runner Up for Newbies: Garmin 165 ($249)
In February of 2024, Garmin launched the brand new Forerunner 165 and it’s a step up from the 55. About $50 extra you’ll now be getting the AMOLED display that I gush about with the 265…however for $200 much less.
I’ve a sense the 55 might in reality be phased out for this watch within the coming years as a result of the display actually is simply such a winner.
There are just a few different upgrades, which you may love for the additional $50, however once more most people received’t even use all of the issues supplied within the 55!
✅Greatest General Garmin Look ahead to Runners – Garmin 265 ($449)
After testing this watch, I’m really prepared to begin altering my suggestion for lots of runners from the Forerunner 55 to the 265. This AMOLED show is insane and the watch options actually are a step up from the entry stage watch.
It’s the watch I’m requested most about when sharing pictures and the one I’m utilizing about 80% of the time proper now. The opposite 20% is my Garmin Enduro on path runs. Which suggests this has lastly bumped my lengthy standing Polar Vantage V2 from it’s coveted day by day spot. (We’ll see if the HR stays tremendous correct when winter hits, however thus far, proper on.)
That being mentioned, if all you want are the fundamentals of HR, how far did I run and a few tempo knowledge then don’t spend the additional!
All of the watches from right here have the touchscreen choice, which is good…however may also be a severe ache within the winter. So I respect that all the buttons stay obtainable to make it simple to begin, cease, lap, and even regulate settings (together with turning off contact display).
The 265 goes to be slightly lighter than the Venu and but additionally much less sturdy than the Venu or Fenix. It’s additionally going to begin supplying you with extra of these working stats:
- Restoration time
- HRV standing (debatable how correct HRV is)
- Coaching readiness, coaching load and coaching impact
- Elevation knowledge, stride size, working energy, working dynamics
- Extra correct observe exercises, PacePro
- Higher biking and swimming monitoring
See all of the specs of the Garmin 265 >>
And also you’re nonetheless getting a lot of the smartwatch options of the Venu, Garmin pay for contactless cost, and music storage, so it’s a greater choice for those who’re really on the lookout for coaching knowledge that can assist you enhance.
Greatest Garmin Smartwatch – Garmin Venu 2 ($399)
A number of you could have requested me concerning the Venu 2, so I spent a while working with it and sporting it 24/7 not too long ago to offer you my trustworthy suggestions. Let’s simply begin with it’s a good looking watch and the AMOLED touchscreen coloration show is unbelievable!
I had no points with the sleep monitoring, steps and even GPS. And whilst you may consider this as a health tracker, I’d say it’s completely a step above something I’ve seen from Fitbit or different manufacturers. It’s lacking some run knowledge, however has quite a lot of different effectively although out options just like the physique battery or sleep knowledge, that merely remind quite a lot of you to get better higher.
The place it got here up brief for me is on the metrics supplied for runners and through a run.
- It doesn’t present elevation achieve or loss, which will not be helpful to you. However I discover this data actually priceless when coaching for a selected race and dealing on matching the course.
- The screens throughout a exercise don’t have quite a lot of colours, which I’ve gotten used to for rapidly scanning the information.
- I turned off the motion alert reminder, nevertheless it simply stored pinging me all day lengthy in any case.
All of that being mentioned, this may occasionally nonetheless be completely the best choice for you!!
I would 100% choose this mannequin over a regular Apple Look ahead to supplying you with extra correct HR knowledge, GPS and common data. And with the Venu 2Plus, you may certainly obtain and make telephone calls similar to out of your Apple Watch. Or you may snag the Venu Sq which is their solely sq. mannequin of a working watch to offer you that Apple look.
See all of the specs of the Garmin Venu choices >>
Greatest All Round Garmin Look ahead to All Sports activities – Garmin Fenix 7 ($699- $999)
Once you desire a working watch that appears like a ten and has the brains of a ten, that is your clear reduce winner. The Fenix can do all of it from working to deep sea diving to skydiving, proper alongside supplying you with telephone notifications, pay out of your watch and an honest multi-color show.
Truthfully, I didn’t notice how boring the display was till I obtained the Venu and 265.
Evening and day distinction, however once more I believe the much less colourful non-touch display is a part of the longer battery and sturdiness. You may regulate the display brightness, however assume brighter will take extra battery and it’ll nonetheless not appear like the above watches.
Using all 3 satellite tv for pc choices, GPS, GLONASS and Galileo, which suggests this watch is supplying you with high notch efficiency for GPS accuracy it doesn’t matter what journey you’re on.
You’ll even be getting all the anticipated working options like cadence, stride, vertical oscillation, altitude, elevation achieve, pulse oximeter, fueling reminders, race predictor, coaching ideas, tempo, and VO2 max.
The Fenix additionally contains maps, which is an unbelievable function for those who love not simply trails, however working in new cities (which I do so much!)
As a consequence of all the options the battery life on this watch is nice, however not what you’ll discover within the Enduro.
- Smartwatch as much as 11 Days
- Customary GPS mode 37 hours
- Photo voltaic charging signifies that you get further on all of the battery life settings, like as much as 46 hours GPS or 14 days smartwatch mode (huge fan of all their photo voltaic version watches now)
The Fenix additionally lets you pre-load music so that you simply aren’t streaming out of your telephone. Nevertheless, for almost all of runners I nonetheless suggest carrying your telephone. The emergency alert options really require the Garmin app to be open in your telephone to offer individuals your location.
Excited about extra particulars? Checkout my in-depth Garmin Fenix 7 assessment and comparability >>
See extra specs of the Garmin Fenix 7 >>
Greatest for Skilled Path Runners – Garmin Enduro ($799-$1099)
One of many few watches that instantly obtained my stamp of approval for HR accuracy! It’s a beast of a watch, when it comes to dimension, however I nonetheless put on it nearly any time I’ll be hitting the paths and for lots of my highway marathon coaching as effectively.
Moreover, it grew to become my go to for our mountain hikes, snowshoeing and cross nation ski days. Since battery life is without doubt one of the issues that stands out, let’s have a look at that.
- Smartwatch as much as 50 Days
- Customary GPS mode 70 hours
- Photo voltaic charging signifies that you get further on all of the battery life settings, like as much as 300 hours of GPS!
- Energy Meter to assist preserve battery life by turning off some issues, then as much as 200 hours in GPS mode
- Expedition mode is designed for multi-day actions that can assist you get that prolonged battery life
- Maps for navigation are one of many options that used to set this watch aside, however now you can get much more sensible colours and maps on the 965.
Once more the display on this one is just not that brilliant contact display of the smartwatches, nevertheless it completely nonetheless offers you all of your watch notifications. You can not reply to texts from the watch.
What the Enduro has that Fenix doesn’t:
- Titanium choice for watch face
- Nylon strap
- Bigger watch face and show with no S choice for smaller wrists
- Dramatically longer battery life throughout the board
- Photo voltaic version is really spectacular in the case of battery
- Extra sport options for Ultrarunning, Expedition, Journey Racing
Notice solely the Enduro 2 contains maps, which is able to price you one other $300. However truthfully this seems like a should have function for these lengthy out of doors adventures.
Excited about extra particulars? Checkout my in-depth Garmin Enduro eview and comparability >>
See extra specs of the Garmin Enduro >>
Greatest Look ahead to Triathlon – Garmin 965 ($599)
Whereas this isn’t a triathlon weblog and I cannot fake to know all of the belongings you want, I’ve carried out my fair proportion of swimming and biking over time. I additionally owned on of the early fashions of this watch the 935 and it was a stellar watch. So I really feel assured talking to the options and high quality for triathletes.
Whereas I’ve used older fashions whereas residing and coaching in Florida (that one time tried triathlon), I’ve not placed on the most recent mannequin. However I couldn’t write up this assessment and never embrace it!
Which Garmin Working Watch to Choose?
As you may see from the checklist above, I’ve good issues to say about just about all of the Garmin working watches I’ve examined.
On this article, we’ve coated among the key components to contemplate when selecting a Garmin look ahead to working, together with GPS accuracy, battery life, dimension and weight, show options, knowledge monitoring and evaluation capabilities, and value vary.
By taking these components into consideration, you’ll be capable of select a watch that meets your particular wants and helps you obtain your working targets. However I do know that’s nonetheless simpler mentioned than carried out as a result of the Garmin 55 may do what you want…however oh boy is that Fenix fairly and wow the display on the 265!!
Right here’s a have a look at the common dimension of their watches vs the S fashions.
Garmin Working Watch Comparability Chart
There are quite a lot of components to contemplate, however let’s have a look at just a few of them to attempt to assist with that ultimate alternative.
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Garmin Fenix 7 – Solely diving accepted watch |
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Garmin Enduro 2 |
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So what are you ready for? Whether or not you’re simply beginning out otherwise you’re a seasoned professional, there’s a Garmin watch on the market that’s good for you.
Take a while to discover the varied fashions obtainable, learn critiques, and take a look at some on for dimension. With a little analysis and a few cautious consideration, you’re positive to discover a Garmin watch that might be your good working companion for years to come back.
