Garmin is an organization that’s been round since 1989 and is well-known for its GPS expertise. 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 machine. (Critically, 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.
At this time, Garmin presents a variety of working watches to go well with the wants of runners of all ranges, from learners to elite athletes. We’re going to dive in to evaluating these beneath, however first I need to discuss a bit extra concerning the options you might want to think about.
They make SO MANY WATCHES now that it may be complicated. Listed below are the first options you’re going to need to think about.
GPS Accuracy
Normally, all Garmin working watches are going to satisfy your fundamental GPS wants. You’ll be getting correct information 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 might have to step as much as the upper stage watches just like the 965, Fenix and Enduro.
Battery Life
Battery life is one other essential issue to think about, 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 accessible GPS modes, going from 20 hours as much as a number of weeks in battery save mode.
Measurement and Weight
The dimensions and weight of your Garmin watch can even affect your working expertise. Search for fashions which are snug to put on and received’t weigh you down throughout your runs.
Increasingly Garmin is making most fashions of their S model, which suggests small. It matches higher on a smaller wrist and I can attest to this while you see me carrying the Enduro subsequent to the Venu 2s.
Show Options
A transparent and easy-to-read show is essential for monitoring your progress throughout a run. Just about all Garmin watches could have high-resolution screens, adjustable brightness ranges, and easy-to-navigate menus.
However you might have to determine if you would like contact display screen or are extra targeted 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 extra watch face choices there or you’ll be able to monitor issues like your cycle through the app.
Coronary heart Price Monitor
All Garmin working watches are going to incorporate the wrist based mostly HR monitor sensors. That is the characteristic I are usually the pickiest about as I take advantage of it for all of my simple runs.
Thus far the Enduro has carried out one of the best over the long run. This will likely have one thing to do with the bigger type 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 through Bluetooth or ANT+ so you may get the gold normal of readings. I additionally admire that they now have 24/7 HR monitoring that can assist you monitor resting HR.
Knowledge Monitoring and Evaluation Capabilities
Garmin watches include a wide range of information monitoring and evaluation options, together with coronary heart price monitoring, VO2 max monitoring, and customized exercise creation. Take into account which metrics are most essential to you and select a watch that provides the options you want.
Value 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 screen that’s much less more likely to break while you drop it off a cliff or will be submerged in water for diving, not simply a swim. Take into account your finances when selecting a watch, but additionally take into account that a dearer watch could provide extra superior options and higher sturdiness.
Greatest Garmin Watches for Runners Breakdown
All proper now let’s evaluate Garmin working watches. These are listed so as from fundamental entry stage to high finish, together with a number of the options that set every one aside.
Least expensive Garmin for Freshmen – Garmin 55 ($199)
Let’s begin with the watch that I like to recommend 9 occasions out of 10 for somebody who simply wants a GPS watch to start out higher monitoring their exercises, the Garmin Forerunner 55.
Understanding the options of this entry stage watch, may also enable you higher perceive any upgrades that seem in additional superior watches. Checkout my in-depth evaluate of the Garmin 55 to see all of the fundamentals you need to anticipate 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 by a number of buildings it is probably not 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 consider that information is useful.
**Notice it offers you elevation information, however 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 information insights.
See the complete specs of the Garmin 55 >>
Runner Up for Freshmen: 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 screen that I gush about with the 265…however for $200 much less.
I’ve a sense the 55 could in actual fact be phased out for this watch within the coming years as a result of the display screen actually is simply such a winner.
There are a number of different upgrades, which you may love for the additional $50, however once more most folk received’t even use all of the issues supplied within the 55!
✅Greatest Total Garmin Look ahead to Runners – Garmin 265 ($449)
After testing this watch, I’m really prepared to start out altering my advice 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 implies this has lastly bumped my lengthy standing Polar Vantage V2 from it’s coveted every day spot. (We’ll see if the HR stays tremendous correct when winter hits, however to this point, proper on.)
That being mentioned, if all you want are the fundamentals of HR, how far did I run and a few tempo information then don’t spend the additional!
All of the watches from right here have the touchscreen possibility, which is sweet…however will also be a severe ache within the winter. So I admire that all the buttons stay accessible to make it simple to start out, cease, lap, and even regulate settings (together with turning off contact display screen).
The 265 goes to be a bit lighter than the Venu and but additionally much less sturdy than the Venu or Fenix. It’s additionally going to start out providing you with extra of these working stats:
- Restoration time
- HRV standing (debatable how correct HRV is)
- Coaching readiness, coaching load and coaching impact
- Elevation information, stride size, working energy, working dynamics
- Extra correct monitor 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 possibility for those who’re actually on the lookout for coaching information that can assist you enhance.
Greatest Garmin Smartwatch – Garmin Venu 2 ($399)
Plenty of you might have requested me concerning the Venu 2, so I spent a while working with it and carrying it 24/7 lately to present you my trustworthy suggestions. Let’s simply begin with it’s a stupendous watch and the AMOLED touchscreen shade 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 information, however has a number of different nicely although out options just like the physique battery or sleep information, that merely remind a number of you to recuperate 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 acquire or loss, which is probably not helpful to you. However I discover this data actually precious when coaching for a selected race and dealing on matching the course.
- The screens throughout a exercise don’t have a wide range of colours, which I’ve gotten used to for shortly scanning the info.
- I turned off the motion alert reminder, however it simply saved pinging me all day lengthy in any case.
All of that being mentioned, this will likely nonetheless be completely the best choice for you!!
I would 100% choose this mannequin over a typical Apple Look ahead to providing you with extra correct HR information, GPS and common data. And with the Venu 2Plus, you’ll be able to certainly obtain and make cellphone calls identical to out of your Apple Watch. Or you’ll be able to snag the Venu Sq which is their solely sq. mannequin of a working watch to present 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)
If you desire a working watch that appears like a ten and has the brains of a ten, that is your clear lower winner. The Fenix can do all of it from working to deep sea diving to skydiving, proper alongside providing you with cellphone notifications, pay out of your watch and a good multi-color show.
Truthfully, I didn’t notice how uninteresting the display screen was till I acquired the Venu and 265.
Evening and day distinction, however once more I feel the much less colourful non-touch display screen is a part of the longer battery and sturdiness. You’ll be able to regulate the display screen brightness, however assume brighter will take extra battery and it’ll nonetheless not appear to be the above watches.
Using all 3 satellite tv for pc choices, GPS, GLONASS and Galileo, which suggests this watch is providing 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 acquire, pulse oximeter, fueling reminders, race predictor, coaching ideas, tempo, and VO2 max.
The Fenix additionally consists of maps, which is an unbelievable characteristic for those who love not simply trails, however working in new cities (which I do quite a bit!)
Because of all the options the battery life on this watch is sweet, 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 (massive fan of all their photo voltaic version watches now)
The Fenix additionally permits you to pre-load music so that you simply aren’t streaming out of your cellphone. Nevertheless, for almost all of runners I nonetheless advocate carrying your cellphone. The emergency alert options really require the Garmin app to be open in your cellphone to present folks your location.
Excited by extra particulars? Checkout my in-depth Garmin Fenix 7 evaluate 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 acquired my stamp of approval for HR accuracy! It’s a beast of a watch, by way of measurement, however I nonetheless put on it nearly any time I’ll be hitting the paths and for lots of my highway marathon coaching as nicely.
Moreover, it grew to become my go to for our mountain hikes, snowshoeing and cross nation ski days. Since battery life is likely 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 screen on this one will not be that brilliant contact display screen of the smartwatches, however 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 possibility for watch face
- Nylon strap
- Bigger watch face and show with no S possibility for smaller wrists
- Dramatically longer battery life throughout the board
- Photo voltaic version is really spectacular in terms of battery
- Extra sport options for Ultrarunning, Expedition, Journey Racing
Notice solely the Enduro 2 consists of maps, which can price you one other $300. However truthfully this seems like a should have characteristic for these lengthy out of doors adventures.
Excited by 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 can’t fake to know all of the belongings you want, I’ve completed 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 dwelling and coaching in Florida (that one time tried triathlon), I’ve not placed on the latest mannequin. However I couldn’t write up this evaluate and never embrace it!
Which Garmin Working Watch to Decide?
As you’ll be able to see from the listing 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 a number of the key components to think about when selecting a Garmin look ahead to working, together with GPS accuracy, battery life, measurement and weight, show options, information monitoring and evaluation capabilities, and value vary.
By taking these components under consideration, you’ll be capable to 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 completed as a result of the Garmin 55 may do what you want…however oh boy is that Fenix fairly and wow the display screen on the 265!!
Right here’s a have a look at the common measurement of their watches vs the S fashions.
Garmin Working Watch Comparability Chart
There are a number of components to think about, however let’s have a look at a number of of them to attempt to assist with that remaining selection.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Garmin Fenix 7 – Solely diving authorised watch |
|
|
Garmin Enduro 2 |
|
|
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 excellent for you.
Take a while to discover the assorted fashions accessible, learn opinions, and check out some on for measurement. With some research and a few cautious consideration, you’re certain to discover a Garmin watch that might be your excellent working companion for years to return.
Searching for extra suggestions?
