33 in Fitness Trackers
Garmin - Forerunner 245
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Reddit Reviews:
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Based on 1 year's data from Mar 17, 2026 How it works
Liked most:
11
0
"I can't tell the forerunner is on my wrist. ... It took me a while to get used to the heft of the fenix. It it noticeable while running or any activity in which your hands swing."
"if you buy something lighter like venu, forerunner or fenix S version it will not interfere with the game at all."
"Forerunners are much lighter weight and therefore much more comfortable to wear."
18
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"Oh, and the battery lasts days even when exercising a lot (weeks without excercise)."
"I get close to a month from my forerunner on standby - about 2 weeks with daily workouts. ... the battery life lasts a really nice length of time ... As a fitness wearable Garmin... destroys Apple on battery life. ... There’s really no sensible person running Tris or Marathons using an Apple Watch. The battery life is too poor to last reliably. If you go to the starting like of a marathon you’re really only going to see actual fitness brands on wrists due to battery life alone."
"Battery good enough to withstand long run in winter (AW tended to have problems in 30+ km runs in cold, not Garmin) ... Forerunner asks me if to go to power saving mode, when there are "just two days left" :)"
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"I used my last Forerunner for 6 years before I changed to my current Venu 3s 2 years ago. The Forerunner was still working by then, I only changed because I wanted the Venu, not because the FR broke. ... In short, they last."
"near indestructible"
"in terms of hardware, I’ve had no complaint in over 30,000 miles. That’s a lot of time worn…"
Disliked most:
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5
"lack of altimeter is deal breaker for me."
"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."
"missing barometer for elevation tracking."
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"the Garmin is far worse from a smartwatch perspective ... my AWU2’s cellular connectivity is above and beyond the thing I care most about on long, remote runs."
"fr245 had only 4 ... I needed more fields on my screen"
"if you have to take your phone anyway, there's a much better device on you for making calls. ... apple watches can have sim cards and place calls *without* having your cellphone on you. that's a real use case -- go for a run, leave the bulky phone at home."
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"when I’d swim in pools it would so often double count my lengths…"
"a forerunner is not great for swimming, cycling, heavy trail running etc."
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"I used to find that wrist HR sucked for rowing"
100HB 1.0I 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).
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.
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!
Additional_Abies9192 1.0I 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.
alittlebitofall 1.0The 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
anbu-black-ops 1.0I 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.
andisteezy 1.0Garmin foreunner 245 has been a real joy for years now. zero complaints
BottleCoffee 1.0My Forerunner 245 from 2022 still holds a week of battery life. Guess I'm never getting the hiking watch I covet.
BromTady 1.0This would be my suggestion too. A used one probably would probably fall close to the $100 range. A used Forerunner 245 might be worth considering as well (the Forerunner 245 Music version can even store music). Just keep in mind in this price range you won't get the multi sport mode so you have to stop and start tracking each activity, but I've made it work well for me!
bvc25 1.0I see a lot of people recommending the Forerunners, I own a 245 and it's great but keep in mind that it sucks at tracking you with the GPS while open water swimming. I don't know if that's something that happens with every smartwatch but it's something you probably would like to know. For everything else? Absolutely great and I've had pretty much 0 issues in 2 years of using it.
Capable_Tip7815 1.0I use an old Forerunner 245 as I got it for running and I can listen to music without having to take my phone. It does the job for crossfit. I record it as either Strength or Cardio. Or if it's a running WOD, then Workout (tracks distance). It just depends on your budget and personal preferences with aesthetics and fit.
I have a FR 245 with Music. It does what I need it to do. It can be a bit judgemental if I have a rest day and/or go for a walk (I have been knocked down from Productive to Recovery - so audacious). I like not having to take my phone with me, especially if it's raining.
captainpeapod 1.0What are the current MIP models? I’m having a hard time finding this info. I have a 245 that I’m very reluctant to let go of. I can’t have a glowing watch for my job. Also, I’m not super impressed with AMOLED