10 Best Garmin Forerunners 2025 in the United States

The Garmin Forerunner 965 is a top choice for serious runners and multisport athletes who want detailed training insights and reliable GPS tracking. It features a sharp 1.4-inch AMOLED touchscreen display that’s bright and colorful, making it easy to read outdoors. The titanium bezel and lightweight design (53 grams) offer durability without feeling bulky on the wrist. Battery life is impressive, lasting up to 23 days in smartwatch mode and 31 hours with continuous GPS, which is excellent for long training sessions or races. The GPS uses multi-band technology and SatIQ, providing highly accurate location tracking even in challenging environments.

This watch stands out with its advanced training and recovery features, including personalized daily workouts, training readiness scores based on sleep, recovery, and heart rate variability (HRV), and detailed running dynamics like cadence and stride length. These metrics help athletes understand their performance and avoid overtraining. It also supports multiple sports profiles (triathlon, duathlon, swimrun), making it versatile for those who cross-train. The morning report and adaptive workout suggestions add a helpful coaching aspect.

Smart features like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and compatibility with both Android and iOS allow for smooth syncing and notifications. The price point and advanced features make it better suited for serious athletes rather than casual users. The Garmin Forerunner 965 delivers a great balance of accurate GPS, long battery life, and comprehensive health and training tools wrapped in a stylish, durable package, making it ideal for runners and multisport enthusiasts looking for deep insights to improve their performance.

The Garmin Forerunner 265 Running Smartwatch stands out in the running smartwatch category, bringing a range of features that cater specifically to athletes and fitness enthusiasts. One of its key strengths is the brilliant AMOLED display, which provides clear visuals and is responsive to touch, making it easy to navigate through various functions. With up to 13 days of battery life in smartwatch mode and around 20 hours in GPS mode, this watch offers impressive longevity, allowing users to engage in extended training sessions without the constant worry of recharging.

The robust training metrics and recovery insights are also a highlight. Features like the training readiness score, which evaluates factors such as sleep and recovery, help users optimize their workouts and avoid overtraining. Additionally, the ability to receive personalized daily suggested workouts based on race input makes it an excellent choice for those preparing for upcoming events.

On the safety front, features like incident detection and assistance offer peace of mind for outdoor runners, ensuring that help can be summoned easily if needed. The multi-band GNSS with SatIQ technology enhances GPS accuracy, even in challenging environments, making it reliable for various terrains. The Garmin Forerunner 265 is a solid option for dedicated runners and fitness enthusiasts who appreciate advanced training metrics, safety features, and long battery life.

The Garmin Forerunner 165 Music is a strong option for runners and fitness enthusiasts looking for a versatile smartwatch. It has built-in GPS and wrist-based heart rate tracking, which are reliable for measuring pace, distance, and your heart rate during workouts. The AMOLED touchscreen is bright and colorful, making it easy to see your stats even outdoors, and its lightweight 43 mm design feels comfortable on the wrist. Battery life is solid, lasting up to 11 days in smartwatch mode and about 19 hours with GPS active, which is enough for most training sessions and longer runs. This model shines with its training features—personalized daily workouts adapt based on your recovery and performance, plus it offers race-specific plans and over 25 activity profiles beyond running, including cycling and HIIT. Health insights like sleep tracking, recovery time, and heart rate variability provide useful feedback to help improve your fitness safely.

It also supports music storage with popular streaming apps and connects to wireless headphones, letting you run phone-free. Smart features like notifications, Garmin Pay for contactless payments, and safety options like incident detection add convenience and peace of mind. One drawback is that some advanced safety features require pairing with a smartphone and network coverage, so they aren’t fully independent. Also, while the watch supports many smart features, it’s primarily focused on fitness rather than being a full smartwatch replacement. For those seeking an easy-to-use, performance-focused running watch with great battery life and music capabilities, the Forerunner 165 Music offers a well-rounded choice.