Quick question - I've currently got a Samsung Watch 6 but am thinking of upgrading it to a dedicated runners watch - Garmin 265 or 965. Has anyone got or had one of these, are they any good. My Samsung is ok, but the battery is not too great and although it tracks runs, it isn't a dedicated watch with many stats (not that I understand the stats etc 😅😅), just wondering whether it is worth changing watches. I'm particularly wondering whether the stats such as running pace, heart rate zones etc are worth the switch ??
Thanks as always, for anyone's advice. It's really appreciated !!
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adnewg73
Graduate10
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If you don't need an OLED display, the Garmin 955 is exactly identical in function to the 965 and will be cheaper. Don't bother with the solar version: that's more of a gimmick than any use in UK sunshine. (Similar with the 255 versus 265. The display is the only difference.)
I would agree with nowster . I bought the Forerunner 255 and saved a fair whack on the 265. I am v happy with it and the battery lasts ages. If you haven’t used pace and HR before then I think you will enjoy the new avenues it opens up for your training. Eg low HR or zoned HR running etc.
I have the exact watch you do and the same thoughts about getting a garmin. The Samsung battery lasts me about 36 hours I'd say and it's really irritating. But at the same time I think in my case I'm getting away from myself with enthusiasm as it probably still covers what I need right now! Will be interested to hear what you decide to get because I might upgrade in a year or so.
Decided to take the plunge and my new Garmin Forerunner 265 came today .... I can't wait to try it but I'm due to run tonight, so will use my Samsung for this one. Once I'm home, showered and had tea, I can play with my new watch (I'm impressed with myself for waiting and just looking at it until later) 😅😅👍
I’ve got a forerunner 265s and I love it. I’d have bought a 255 but mine was a bargain newer model for the same price….the box was damaged so it was massively reduced.
It’s my first garmin and I’ve been really happy with the battery-I charge it about once a week. I don’t use all the features. I like the daily run suggestions (although I ignore them most of the time!). It’s pretty to use now I’ve got used to it. I like being able to see my heart rate/pace the run and adjust down if I’ve got a bit over excited!
I definitely recommend a Garmin, I've tried a few different brands and the Garmin is easily the best.
I have a Fenix 6 which is a few years old now but still going strong, battery lasts for weeks and I've barely scratched the surface of what it can do if I'm honest.
I've heard very good things about the garmin forerunner series, there less expensive than the Fenix watches and there's some very good sales on right now as Garmin have just released there new models so some of the slightly older ones should be comparatively cheap.
I have a Garmin 965 and it does absolutely everything and is good for things other than running. It also has built in maps so you can do turn by turn directions for navigation (a bit like a car satnav). The display is excellent. If you only need a watch for running and don't need maps then the Garmin 265 is a very good and much cheaper alternative. There are also other Garmin watches such as the 165 which also have oled displays. If you don't need an oled display there are many alternatives. I suggest you go into a shop and have a look at the watches in person to get a much better feel for what they are like.
I switched from a regular smartwatch to a Garmin last year, and the difference was wild. The stats, like running pace and heart rate zones, really helped me improve my training. I didn’t get most of the stats at first, but over time, they started to make sense. The battery life on my Garmin is way better too, which is a huge bonus for long runs.
Funny enough, while looking into smartwatches, I stumbled upon some super clones watches from superclonerolex.io/ . They looked really nice and had solid features without the hefty price tag. Just something to consider if you want something stylish for everyday use while keeping your dedicated runner's watch.
Thanks Hartynspren - I took the plunge and got a Forerunner 265. I printed out the manual for the watch and am "trying" to make sense of all the 128 pages 😂 The one that is a bit, not necessarily worrying, but confusing is the "Recovery time". Last night I ran 10K, then have swam 24 lengths this morning - my recovery time is down as 57 hours (it was about 72 after my run last night). The stress is another thing which is always high, so I'm not sure how that works as everyone gets stressed at work most days !!
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