Garmin is an organization that’s been round since 1989 and is well-known for its GPS expertise. They’ve a long-standing popularity 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 gadget. (Significantly, I ran for years with only a watch that would 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.
Right this moment, Garmin affords 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 speak a bit extra in regards to the options chances are you’ll want to think about.
They make SO MANY WATCHES now that it may be complicated. Listed here are the first options you’re going to need to take into account.
GPS Accuracy
Typically, all Garmin working watches are going to satisfy your fundamental GPS wants. You’ll be getting correct knowledge on the highway and for almost all of your path runs. Nevertheless, if you’ll be doing extra back-country issues or open water swimming, then chances are you’ll must step as much as the upper degree watches just like the 965, Fenix and Enduro.
Battery Life
Battery life is one other vital issue to think about, particularly in the event you’re planning to make use of your look ahead to lengthy runs or multi-day occasions. There’s 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.
Dimension and Weight
The scale and weight of your Garmin watch may also affect your working expertise. Search for fashions which can be snug to put on and gained’t weigh you down throughout your runs.
An increasing number of Garmin is making most fashions of their S model, which implies small. It matches higher on a smaller wrist and I can attest to this once you see me sporting the Enduro subsequent to the Venu 2s.
Show Options
A transparent and easy-to-read show is vital for monitoring your progress throughout a run. Just about all Garmin watches may have high-resolution screens, adjustable brightness ranges, and easy-to-navigate menus.
However chances are you’ll must determine in order for you contact display screen or are extra centered on lengthy battery life and thus keen to forgo all the gorgeous colours.
You’ll additionally discover that the Garmin Join app makes it very straightforward to customise your screens throughout exercises on all watches. Moreover some watches will present extra watch face choices there or you possibly can observe issues like your cycle by way of the app.
Coronary heart Fee Monitor
All Garmin working watches are going to incorporate the wrist based mostly HR monitor sensors. That is the function I are usually the pickiest about as I take advantage of it for all of my straightforward runs.
To this point the Enduro has carried out the most effective over the long run. This may occasionally have one thing to do with the bigger type and it being extra rugged, so within the winter it will probably 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 may get the gold customary of readings. I additionally respect that they now have 24/7 HR monitoring that will help 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 price monitoring, VO2 max monitoring, and customized exercise creation. Think about which metrics are most vital to you and select a watch that provides the options you want.
Worth Vary
Working watches vary in worth 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 prone to break once you drop it off a cliff or might be submerged in water for diving, not simply a swim. Think about your price range when selecting a watch, but additionally understand that a dearer watch could supply extra superior options and higher sturdiness.
Greatest Garmin Watches for Runners
All proper now let’s evaluate Garmin working watches. These are listed so as from fundamental entry degree to high finish, together with a number of the options that set every one aside.
Greatest Garmin for Learners – 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 degree watch, may even show you how to higher perceive any upgrades that seem in additional superior watches. Checkout my in-depth evaluation 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 just aren’t getting the highest degree GPS. So in the event you take it on the paths or by plenty of buildings it is probably not as correct.
Moreover, you don’t have a inbuilt accelerometer or barometer, so that you gained’t be getting any details about elevation modifications. As I point out with the Venu, I do consider that knowledge is useful.
Past that, you gained’t be getting issues like race predictor, music management or storage, sleep monitoring and another working knowledge insights.
See the complete specs of the Garmin 55 >>
Greatest Garmin Smartwatch – Garmin Venu 2 ($399)
A variety of you may have requested me in regards to the Venu 2, so I spent a while working with it and sporting it 24/7 lately to present you my trustworthy suggestions. Let’s simply begin with it’s a gorgeous watch and the AMOLED touchscreen coloration show is unimaginable!
I had no points with the sleep monitoring, steps and even GPS. And when 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 plenty of different nicely although out options just like the physique battery or sleep knowledge, that merely remind plenty 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 info actually invaluable when coaching for a particular 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 info.
- I turned off the motion alert reminder, but it surely simply stored pinging me all day lengthy in any case.
All of that being mentioned, this will nonetheless be completely the best choice for you!!
I would 100% desire this mannequin over a typical Apple Look ahead to supplying you with extra correct HR knowledge, GPS and normal info. And with the Venu 2Plus, you possibly can certainly obtain and make telephone calls identical to out of your Apple Watch. Or you possibly can 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 Total Garmin Look ahead to Runners – Garmin 265 ($449)
After testing this watch, I’m really prepared to start out 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 degree watch.
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 sweet…however can be a severe ache within the winter. So I respect that the entire buttons stay accessible to make it straightforward to start out, cease, lap, and even alter settings (together with turning off contact display screen).
The 265 goes to be a bit of lighter than the Venu and but additionally much less sturdy than the Venu or Fenix. It’s additionally going to start out 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 many of the smartwatch options of the Venu, Garmin pay for contactless fee, and music storage, so it’s a greater choice in the event you’re actually searching for coaching knowledge that will help you enhance.
Greatest All Round Garmin Watch – Garmin Fenix 7 ($699- $999)
While you need 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 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 screen was till I acquired the Venu and 265.
Night time 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 may alter the display screen 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 implies 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 the entire anticipated working options like cadence, stride, vertical oscillation, altitude, elevation acquire, pulse oximeter, fueling reminders, race predictor, coaching solutions, tempo, and VO2 max.
The Fenix additionally consists of maps, which is an unimaginable function in the event you love not simply trails, however working in new cities (which I do quite a bit!)
Attributable to the entire options the battery life on this watch is nice, however not what you’ll discover within the Enduro.
- Smartwatch as much as 11 Days
- Commonplace GPS mode 37 hours
- Photo voltaic charging implies 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 just 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 present individuals your location.
Keen on extra particulars? Checkout my in-depth Garmin Fenix 7 evaluation 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, 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 nicely.
Moreover, it turned 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 take a look at that.
- Smartwatch as much as 50 Days
- Commonplace GPS mode 70 hours
- Photo voltaic charging implies 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 will help 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 just isn’t that brilliant contact display screen of the smartwatches, but it surely 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 actually spectacular in relation to battery
- Extra sport options for Ultrarunning, Expedition, Journey Racing
Notice solely the Enduro 2 consists of maps, which is able to price you one other $300. However truthfully this seems like a will need to have function for these lengthy out of doors adventures.
Keen on 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 faux to know all of the belongings you want, I’ve performed my fair proportion of swimming and biking through the years. I additionally owned on of the early fashions of this watch the 935 and it was a stellar watch. So I really feel assured chatting with 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 latest mannequin. However I couldn’t write up this evaluation and never embrace it!
Which Garmin Working Watch to Decide?
As you possibly can 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 a number of the key elements to think about 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 worth vary.
By taking these elements under consideration, you’ll be capable to select a watch that meets your particular wants and helps you obtain your working objectives. However I do know that’s nonetheless simpler mentioned than performed 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 take a look at the common dimension of their watches vs the S fashions.
Garmin Working Watch Comparability Chart
There are plenty of elements to think about, however let’s take a look at just a few of them to try to assist with that remaining selection.
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Garmin Forerunner 55 |
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Garmin Venu 2 |
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Garmin Forerunner 265 |
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Garmin Fenix 7 – Solely diving authorized watch |
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Garmin Enduro 2 |
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Garmin Forerunner 965 |
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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 excellent for you.
Take a while to discover the assorted fashions accessible, learn opinions, and check out some on for dimension. With a little analysis and a few cautious consideration, you’re positive to discover a Garmin watch that will probably be your excellent working companion for years to return.
In search of extra suggestions?
