Which Garmin Running Watch Is Right For You?
Garmin Watch Reviews to Pick the Best Garmin Watch for You
Trying to decide which Garmin running watch to buy for yourself or as a gift for a runner this holiday season?
Whether you’re looking to track how far you run, take your marathon training to the next level or you’re a fitness enthusiast who likes to record your everyday activities and health metrics, we’re here to help you pick the perfect Garmin watch.
Drawing from over 45 years of experience outfitting, training and sweating alongside runners of all different abilities, our team of Fleet Feet Editors rounded up our favorite Garmin watches that help us train harder and smarter.
In this guide, we break down all the models and features Garmin has to offer to help you find the best men’s and women’s timepieces for walking, running, trail running, hiking, triathlon, cycling, swimming and fitness.
- Best Garmin Watch for Beginner Runners: Forerunner 55
- Best Garmin Watch for Music: Forerunner 255 Music
- Best Garmin Watch for Marathon Runners & Triathletes: Forerunner 965
- Best Garmin Watch for Cross Country, Track & Field Athletes: Forerunner 265
- Best for Trail Running & Hiking: Garmin Instinct Solar
- Best Garmin Watch for Fitness Enthusiasts: Venu 2 & Venu SQ Music
- Best Garmin Watch for Do-It-All Athletes & Deep Analytics: fenix 7
- Best Garmin Watch for Minimalists: vivoactive 4
[This article is part of our 2024 Gift Guide for Runners. See all the best gifts for runners by price, category and more. Can’t make up your mind? No worries. Check out our gift cards for a gift that keeps on giving.]
Best for Beginners: Garmin Forerunner 55
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Great for beginner runners as well as seasoned athletes, the Forerunner 55 offers a simple, easy-to-navigate interface that can be set up in minutes.
Elevated fitness tracking and a wide range of preloaded sports apps help you track runs, walks, hikes, yoga, pilates and more. This GPS running watch is also smartphone compatible and provides hours of non-stop tracking in a lightweight package.
Whether you’re just getting started with run/walk intervals or are training for a race, the Garmin Forerunner 55 offers updated features that help you train smarter, not harder.
Check out our full review of the Garmin Forerunner 55. In addition to the standard features offered on all Garmin watches, the Forerunner 55 also includes:
- Wrist-based heart rate
- GPS distance, pace and elevation tracking
- Garmin Coach
- Smart Notifications
- Safety Tracking
Tech Specs | Garmin Forerunner 55 |
Battery Life | 20 hours GPS mode; 2 weeks SmartWatch mode |
Water Rating | 5 ATM; waterproof |
Heart Rate Monitor | Yes; wrist-based monitor |
Smartphone Compatibility | Yes (iPhone, Android); Smart notifications |
Music Storage | No |
Best for Music: Garmin Forerunner 255 Music
Run and workout while listening to your favorite music—without carrying your bulky smartphone. The Garmin Forerunner 255 Music can hold up to 500 songs, including playlists from your Spotify, Deezer or Amazon Music accounts (subscription may be required).
The Forerunner 255 Music has all the best features most people will ever need from their GPS running watch. It’s lightweight on your wrist and can track your distance, pace, elevation, heart rate and more to help you train and perform better.
Training for a race or have some big goals in mind? The Forerunner 255 Music has daily suggested workouts that adapt as you progress, and a race widget that helps you plan your course strategy and keep your training on track.
You’ll never have to worry about getting lost or stranded when you wear this running watch with music. The Forerunner 255’s battery can last up to 14 days in smartwatch mode and uses multiple global navigation satellite systems to track your runs, walks, bike rides, swims and more. Plus, thanks to a LiveTrack, friends and family can follow your real-time location and view your pre-planned course.
Check out the full details on the Garmin Forerunner 255 Music.
In addition to the standard features offered on all Garmin watches, the Forerunner 255 Music also includes:
- Training status and benefit
- Training load
- Lactate threshold
- Daily suggested workouts
- Open and auto intervals
- RPE & Feel
- Improved recovery time
- Triathlon activity profile
- Running Dynamics
- Safety Tracking
Tech Specs | Garmin Forerunner 255 Music |
Battery Life |
|
Water Rating | 5 ATM; waterproof |
Heart Rate Monitor | Yes; wrist-based monitor |
Smartphone Compatibility | Yes (iPhone, Android); Smart notifications |
Music Storage | Yes (up to 500 songs) |
Best for Marathon Runners & Triathletes: Garmin Forerunner 965
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Perfect for running, cycling and swimming, the Garmin Forerunner 965 was designed with runners and triathletes in mind. Now featuring an AMOLED touchscreen display, Garmin engineered this GPS watch to track every part of your training, from long-distance runs and open water swims to bike rides and recovery days.
The Forerunner 965 levels up your standard running watch features like pace, distance and heart rate, by adding advanced running and health metrics that give you a full picture of your training, performance, sleep and recovery. The running power feature shows how hard you’re pushing, and training readiness lets you know when you’re at your best and when it’s time to take a break.
Have a big race coming up? Plan your strategy with daily suggested workouts, course details and more using the race widget. Full color maps from streets to trails let you run your route confidently or follow a course so you’ll never get lost. Plus, the 965 uses multi-band GNSS with SatIQ™ technology to provide superior accuracy in challenging environments while also optimizing the device’s battery life.
A do-it-all premium smartwatch for serious athletes, the Garmin Forerunner 965 is a favorite among up-at-dawn runners and conditioned-for-pain triathletes.
In addition to the standard features offered on all Garmin watches, the Forerunner 965 also includes:
- AMOLED touchscreen display and side control buttons
- 1.4” diameter display
- Multi-band GPS
- Race widget
- On-device running power
- Pre-loaded activity profiles for running, biking, swimming and more
- In-depth fitness metrics, like VO2 max and training load
- Heart rate variability
- Daily workout suggestions based on your recent training
- Garmin Pay contactless payment system
Tech Specs | Garmin Forerunner 965 |
Battery Life |
|
Water Rating | 5 ATM; waterproof |
Heart Rate Monitor | Yes; wrist-based monitor |
Smartphone Compatibility | Yes (iPhone, Android); Smart notifications |
Music Storage | Yes (up to 2,000 songs) |
Best for Cross Country, Track & Field Athletes: Garmin Forerunner 265
If you’re a student-athlete or have a child who joined the school XC or track and field team, the Garmin Forerunner 265 is a great option that will give you more than enough features to track progress, workouts, recovery, sleep and more.
The Forerunner 265 does the hard work for you. Whether you choose between the classic 265 or the smaller Forerunner 265s, you'll find everything you need to train smarter.
Garmin designers upgraded this GPS smartwatch with an AMOLED touchscreen display to make it easy for you to see all of your running stats at a glance. Also new to the 265 is Garmin’s Training Readiness Score, which helps you calculate your sleep, recovery time, heart rate and stress to analyze how prepared you are for a tough training session.
Plus, it has a safety tracking feature that shares your exact location with friends and family so they can keep track of you while you're out running—or just follow along with your race progress.
If you’re trying to stay under a certain budget, check out the Garmin Forerunner 55 for another quality GPS running watch.
Read more in our Garmin Forerunner 265 review.
In addition to the standard features offered on all Garmin watches, the Forerunner 265 includes:
- AMOLED display
- Training status and benefit
- Training Readiness Score
- Lactate threshold
- Daily suggested workouts
- Open and auto intervals
- Improved recovery time
- Triathlon activity profile
- Running Dynamics
- Safety Tracking
Tech Specs | Garmin Forerunner 265 |
Battery Life |
|
Water Rating | 5 ATM; waterproof |
Heart Rate Monitor | Yes; wrist-based monitor |
Smartphone Compatibility | Yes (iPhone, Android); Smart notifications |
Music Storage | Yes (8 GB memory capacity) |
Best for Trail Running & Hiking: Garmin Instinct Solar
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Best for nature lovers who spend more time on trails than at home, the Garmin Instinct Solar is a bullet-proof watch with solar charging, so you never have to worry about your watch dying in the middle of an ultramarathon or backcountry trek. The Instinct Solar boasts an impressive battery life of up to 54 days in smartwatch mode and 68 days in Expedition mode with solar.
Multi-GNSS support from GPS, GLONASS and Galileo satellite systems will be your three best friends in the wild to help you track wherever your adventures take you, and Tracback® Routing
takes the guesswork out of your return journey to help you navigate the same route back to your starting point.
Like other Garmin running watches, the Instinct Solar monitors how your body uses energy by tracking heart rate, stress, estimated sleep and Pulse Ox—which helps give you a better understanding of your health and wellness. Plus, it comes pre-loaded with activities like running, hiking, biking, swimming and more.
Water-rated to 100 meters and constructed to U.S. military standard 810 for thermal, shock and water resistance, you can confidently wear this rugged watch for trail running, ultramarathon training or multiple-day backpacking trips.
In addition to the standard features offered on all Garmin watches, the Instinct Solar also includes:
- Solar charging with up to 54 days of battery life in smartwatch mode
- Built-in 3-axis compass and barometric altimeter, plus multiple global navigation satellite systems (GPS, GLONASS and Galileo) track in more challenging environments than GPS alone
- Pre-loaded activities ranging from running, biking and swimming to hiking and skiing
- 10 ATM water rating
- U.S. military standard 810 for thermal, shock and water resistance
Tech Specs | Garmin Instinct Solar |
Battery Life |
*Solar charging, assuming all-day wear with 3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux conditions **Solar charging, assuming use in 50,000 lux conditions |
Water Rating | 10 ATM; waterproof |
Heart Rate Monitor | Yes; wrist-based monitor |
Smartphone Compatibility | Yes (iPhone, Android); Smart notifications |
Music Storage | No |
Best for Health & Fitness Enthusiasts: Garmin Venu 2 & Venu SQ Music
The Garmin Venu 2 and Venu SQ Music are geared more toward individuals looking to lead an active lifestyle, but who still want all the benefits of a traditional GPS smartwatch vs an Apple Watch.
They’re built to last through whatever your day throws at you, and it delivers the style that matches yours. Choose from customizable wristbands and watch faces to add a flare of your unique aesthetic to this essential piece of technology.
But the Venu 2 and SQ don’t stop when your workout ends: The watches sync with your phone for smart notifications and music, and they let you track your blood oxygen levels, stress and sleep for a fuller picture of your health.
In addition to the standard features offered on all Garmin watches, the Venu series also includes:
- Garmin Coach plans workouts for yoga, pilates, cardio and more
- More than 20 pre-loaded sports apps track a broad range of activities
- Health monitoring gives insights on heart rate, step count, hydration and sleep
- Garmin Pay contactless payment system
Tech Specs | Garmin Venu 2 & Venu SQ Music |
Battery life |
|
Water rating | 5 ATM |
Smartphone compatibility | Yes (iPhone, Android); Smart notifications |
Music Storage | Yes
|
Best for Do-It-All Athletes and Data Nerds: Garmin Fenix 7
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The Garmin fenix 7 is the ultimate GPS running watch for all-around athletes that love having the newest tech.
The fenix 7 tracks pretty much everything you can think of—and then some. The latest fenix keeps your pace, distance, heat and altitude-adjusted VO2 Max, heart rate, trail running adjustment, recovery advisor, real-time stamina data, and other advanced training metrics.
The full gamut of pre-loaded activities provides you with more than 100 performance metrics, mapping, GPS tracking and so much more. It also gives you deep analytics essential for elite performance and will track you wherever you go over land and sea.
Whether you’re running, skiing, golfing or kitesurfing, downloadable topographical maps and navigation sensors help you track your adventures better than ever before. Plus, it has point-to-point map navigation, a 10 ATM water rating and up to 18 days of battery life in smartwatch mode. In our Garmin fenix 7 review, a Fleet Feet tester praised never having to worry about the watch dying or losing connection.
In addition to the standard features offered on all Garmin watches, the fenix 7 also includes:
- Touchscreen color display, as well as buttons
- Over 100 advanced performance metrics
- Pre-loaded activities like running, biking, swimming, hiking, skiing, golf and more
- Worldwide downloadable maps
- Point-to-point map navigation, sunlight visible
- Race Predictor & RealTime Stamina feature
- Garmin Pay contactless payment system
Tech Specs | Garmin fenix 7 |
Battery Life |
*Solar charging, assuming all-day wear with 3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux conditions **Solar charging, assuming use in 50,000 lux conditions |
Water Rating | 10 ATM; waterproof |
Heart Rate Monitor | Yes; wrist-based monitor |
Smartphone Compatibility | Yes (iPhone, Android); Smart notifications |
Music Storage | Yes (up to 2000 songs) |
Best for Minimalists: Garmin vivoactive 4
Whether it’s your first time hitting the gym or you’re an athlete who prefers something simple and minimalist, the Garmin vivoactive 4 GPS watch gives you the guidance and analysis you need to set and meet your fitness goals without overwhelming you with advanced features and metrics.
For those who aren’t the most tech-savvy, easy-to-use features like Garmin Coach and animated, on-screen workouts provide the motivation and instruction you need to exercise creatively and consistently.
The vivoactive 4 is also available in the 4S for individuals looking for a smaller watch face.
In addition to the standard features offered on all Garmin watches, the vivoactive 4 also includes:
- Over 20 pre-loaded sports apps
- Fitness tracking, sleep monitoring, mindful breathing guidance
- Garmin Coach and on-screen animations guide you through custom workouts
- 4: 45.1 mm diameter/ 4S: 40 mm diameter
Tech Specs | Garmin vivoactive 4 |
Battery life | Smartwatch mode: 8 days, GPS + Music: 6 hours |
Water rating | 5 ATM |
Heart rate monitor | Yes; wrist-based monitor |
Smartphone compatibility | Yes (iPhone, Android); Smart notifications |
Music storage | Up to 500 songs |
Garmin GPS Watch Reviews
Deciding Which Garmin GPS Watch Is Right For You
Choosing the best Garmin for running or other sports will depend on what you’re using it for and which features are most important to you. These GPS running watches pack a ton of tech onto your wrist, so to make the most of your Garmin, think about what you’d like to get from your smartwatch.
In addition to tracking your distance, steps, and heart rate, consider other features such as battery life, waterproof rating, music, advanced workouts and safety tracking.
Garmin Watch Features
Garmin packed its lineup of running and activity watches with features to help you train smarter. See each individual watch for its list of unique features.
- GPS tracking: Garmin GPS watches tune in to navigational satellites to track your whereabouts. The data can determine your location, the distance you run or bike and your pace.
- Activity tracking: When you're not running, Garmin watches act as an activity tracker to give you a full picture of your daily motion. As a tracker, the watch counts your steps, distance, calories and sleep.
- Heart rate monitoring: Select Garmin watches include wrist-based heart rate monitoring. Garmin's Elevate heart rate technology identifies your heart rate zone and beats per minute in real time—all without the use of a chest strap.
- Advanced running metrics: Watches like the Garmin fenix 6 series dial in the info you need to run smarter. The fenix takes biomechanical measurements, such as cadence, stride length, ground contact time, balance, vertical oscillation and vertical ratio. The key performance metrics help you analyze and improve your form.
- Smart Notifications: Receive emails, texts and alerts right on your smartwatch when paired with your compatible smartphone.
- Garmin Connect: Garmin's GPS and running watches sync to your phone with the company's online fitness community, Garmin Connect. With the free Garmin Connect app, you can log your workouts and compete against friends no matter where you run.
Garmin Sizing
Each watch face has a unique diameter, which indicates the space it will take up on your wrist, no matter the shape. Choose between circular, square or even rectangular watch faces to best suit your style.
For smaller sizing, look for "S" sizes. For example, the Forerunner 45S has a smaller watch face than the Forerunner 45.
For larger sizing, look for "X" sizes. For example, the fenix 6X Pro has a larger watch face than the fenix 6.
Standing Behind Our Picks
With more than 45 years of experience, Fleet Feet is the expert in running and running gear. We picked the best Garmin GPS watches based on what we think will work for most people in most situations. What makes the perfect Garmin GPS watch for a runner comes down to the personal experience, goals, preferences and style of that runner.
If you buy a Garmin GPS watch from us and you don’t like the way it looks, fits or performs, bring it back within 60 days for a full refund.
Plus, we offer free shipping on all orders over $99 on fleetfeet.com, and we’ll match a lower price from a qualifying retailer. That’s our Happy Fit Guarantee.