Garmin - Forerunner 255 Series

I just switched from an Apple Watch (3.5 years) to a 255. I run and was mostly using my aw as a running watch. As a running watch it was fine, but the battery life sucked and my gps/distance was always a bit off from my friends. I’d much rather a slightly better gps than a slightly better hr sensor. Also, big, physical buttons are also great when doing things when you are sweaty. I didn’t even bother getting a touch screen. From my perspective, I couldn’t find a good reason to buy another apple.

For me a forerunner was 100% worth it but I never liked Apple Watch, never used mine (hand me down from a parent), and didn’t have the same concerns about Garmin that you have. I am not a smart watch person so the fact that my garmin (255) is basically not a smart watch is ideal for me. I don’t care about look. The training metrics are a plus and a big part of why I love it but nothing anyone needs and if the battery life/24/7 wear isn’t going to be THE factor for you then it sounds like Apple Watch is your watch and you don’t need to convince yourself you need Garmin!

The same I was big on the Apple ecosystem and felt like it was a cool watch just because it integrated so well, but I never even downloaded any apps for it. All I ever used it for was timers and reminders and stuff like that and basic fitness tracking, and my forerunner does all the same stuffbut way better. Should’ve switched sooner

There is Garmin Swim (IMHO essentially it is a ForeRunner, but swim has been put in focus; review here https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2019/10/garmin-openwater-review.html). However, modern Garmin watches are all able to track pool swim as well as gym workouts (you might have to set exercises later in the app if you want to track muscle groups affected). Essentially ForeRunner is for runners mostly, Forerunner 9xx is focused on triathlon, Fenix is mostly for outdoors - but again, all of them can do almost the same. I’d go with Fenix if budget allows.

All true except advanced metrics. They are also present in Fenix (it has even more features for hiking) and Instinct. Forerunner is not more advanced. The rugedness is mostly about the bezel. In fenix and instinct it has a rim which gives extra protection to the screen. But that means rugged watches are more bulky what can be a problem in the gym. The real question is lightness of forerunner vs battery life of fenix /instinct

FR 165 may be missing some more advanced options, but it should match your needs and budget (barely). Personally I would go for second hand FR255. If you care a lot about HR, especially during intervals, buy arm monitor like Polar OH1+ in addition to a watch. It is quite cheap, easily pairs with all Garmins and tests prove it is more reliable than almost any watch on the market.

Nice choice! The 255 Music is solid and honestly perfect for getting into serious running. I've got the regular 255 (non-music) and it does everything you need - the pace/distance tracking is spot on and battery life is great. 255 euros sounds like a decent price too The 965 is nice but probably overkill if you're just getting started with outdoor running. You can always upgrade later if you get really into it, but the 255 will handle anything you throw at it for a good while

Forerunner 55 for the absolute basics. Forerunner 165 is the cheapest with a AMOLED screen. Forerunner 255, 265, 955 and 965 are just discontinued. In my opinion 955 is the most value for money as it includes mapping. 965 is the same watch as the 955, but with an AMOLED screen. If you don’t need mapping, then go for the 265. It is the same as the 965, but without maps. So if you can find a 955 that would be your best bet in my opinion. Forerunner 570 and 970 introduce unnecessary features, such as microphone & speaker, sapphire glass, shiny metal bezels all of which add nothing to running but do increase the price.

Been using the FR255 for about a year now and can confirm it's solid for the price. GPS locks fast, battery easily lasts a week with regular running, and Spotify works great once you get it set up. Perfect starter watch that won't make you feel like you're missing out on anything important

Their training readiness is unfortunately skewed for cardio like running or cycling. Garmin is not very good at measuring muscle load / fatigue. I would go 255 + Chest Strap. Optical sensors are not very good at detecting sudden changes in heart rate so without a chest strap you will notice a lot of lag and it may not properly detect peaks during lifting. Straining your wrist a lot is also known to interfere with HR measurements.

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.