Choosing the best Garmin watch for your needs

Whether you are a keen runner, an avid hiker or a gym bunny, wearing a sports watch is the best way to keep track of your workouts and of your performance over time. And when it comes to sports electronics, the Garmin brand is well known for its reliable, featured-packed watches, each designed with a particular activity in mind. However, their range is vast, and choosing the right model for your needs can quickly become overwhelming. To help you choose, here are the best Garmin watch.

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The best Garmin watch overall: Garmin Forerunner 965

The Garmin Forerunner 965 is one of SAIL’s best-sellers, and for good reason. Coming in at just under $800, it offers similar features to that of the epix Pro, but retails at nearly half the price. The colourful AMOLED display allows for better readability, which comes in handy when using the full-colour built-in maps. In addition to all the usual health data, the Forerunner 965 provides a training readiness score based on sleep quality, training load and other stats, so you can determine whether to push for a PB or to take today off. The device also suggests daily workouts according to your upcoming race events to ensure you don’t miss your goals.

Garmin Forerunner 965

The most budget-friendly Garmin watch: Garmin Forerunner 55

Those looking to upgrade from a more basic fitness tracker to a sports watch should consider the Garmin Forerunner 55. The device tracks all the usual running data such as time, distance, heart rate, pace and speed, and has a built-in GPS to help you map your route. A few extras are also available, including stress and respiration tracking, making this watch a good entry-level option for runners.

Have a look at SAIL’s full range of activity monitors.  

Garmin Forerunner 55

The best Garmin watch for runners: Garmin Forerunner 265

Looking to take your running to the next level? The Garmin Forerunner 265 is the watch for you. Suitable for both trail and road runners, this model is packed full of features specifically designed for running enthusiasts. Its clear AMOLED display has an optional always-on mode for those who wish to keep a watchful eye on their stats. Just like the Forerunner 55, the 265 provides daily workout suggestions as well as a training readiness score, but it does much more than a basic running watch. The advanced metrics include a training status which indicates whether you are training productively or straining, as well as a race widget, which estimates your completion time based on the course details, the weather on the day and your performance data. Pretty neat, huh!

Shop our range of electronics dedicated to runners. 

Garmin Forerunner 265

The best Garmin watch for hiking: Garmin Instinct

The main requirements of a good hiking watch? An extra long battery life, a weatherproof design and excellent navigation features. Enter the Garmin Instinct! Built to perform even in the harshest of environments thanks to its chemically strengthened glass lens and fibre-reinforced polymer case, this watch is as tough as they come. The advanced navigation functionalities include a built-in 3-axis compass and barometric altimeter, as well as several global navigation satellite systems, helping you find your way even when going through challenging terrain. The TracBack® feature is particularly interesting, and allows hikers to navigate the same route back to their starting point. As for the battery life, turn off GPS functionalities to conserve power for up to 14 days, or use GPS for up to 16 hours. For a good compromise, switch the watch to UltraTrac™ battery saver mode for up to 40 hours of battery life.

For more outdoor watches options, browse our range. 

Garmin Instinct

The best smartwatch for battery life: Garmin fēnix 7 Pro Sapphire Solar

Whatever your chosen activity, the Garmin fēnix 7 Pro Sapphire Solar is the ultimate multisport watch. With its longer-than-average battery life, you can be confident it will remain operational no matter how long your run, bike ride, hike or even golf game turns out to be. The watch’s scratch-resistant lens is solar charging, giving you weeks of battery life when set to smartwatch mode. The fēnix 7 is also built tough, with a fibre-reinforced polymer case and titanium bezel and rear cover for those long hikes in the middle of nowhere. Enjoy advanced features such as hill score, which measures your climbing performance, real-time stamina updates and preloaded maps.

Garmin fēnix 7 Pro Sapphire Solar

The most advanced Garmin outdoor watch: Garmin epix Pro (Gen 2) Sapphire

Another great outdoor watch with even more gadgets than the Instinct is the Garmin epix Pro (Gen 2) Sapphire. This model has been described as the ultimate high-performance smartwatch, and for good reason: it comes with advanced training technology, excellent navigation features, weeks of battery life (in smartwatch mode), an LED flashlight, and all-day health and wellness monitoring. All this on the new scratch-resistant AMOLED display.

Some of the cool data available during your workouts include a hill score, which measures strength and endurance during ascents and descents and lets you see progress over time, an endurance score, HRV status, Pulse Ox and advanced sleep monitoring. As for navigation, the watch uses several technologies to deliver an accurate position, no matter where you are. In fact, there isn’t much this watch can’t do!

Garmin epix Pro (Gen 2) Sapphire

Garmin Connect

The Garmin devices listed above can be paired with the Garmin Connect mobile or web platform for more detailed analysis after your workout. Owners of a Garmin device can simply create a profile to benefit from extra tips and information, and to share their workouts with their peers or the wider community.

For more on how to choose a smartwatch, read the article on our blog.