When it comes to sporting a wearable, the Apple Watch sure has all the bells and whistles but if you’re looking for something you’d particularly take for a run, Garmin’s Forerunner watches will not let you down. As the moniker suggests, these are inherently made for casual runners and budding marathon athletes. However, fitness enthusiasts likewise may appreciate it as a dynamic activity tracker with smart capabilities.
Don’t worry if you missed out on some Black Friday deals, Amazon just started their countdown for Cyber Monday which means you still have the chance to snag either Garmin’s Forerunner 35 or 935 along with huge price cuts for a limited time.
Garmin Forerunner 35 — $100 ($70 Off)
Much like the Apple Watch, Garmin’s Forerunner 35 adopts a squarish watch face that measures 1.5 x 1.6 inches. Although its monochrome LCD display obviously won’t be colorful, it is bright enough to be readable in any light with a 128 x 128-pixel resolution. In the absence of a touchscreen, interaction and navigation are mostly done through each of the four buttons surrounding its bezel. While its design likely suits function more than style, you’ll have no qualms in terms of wearability as it is lightweight at just 1.6 ounces and breathable with more than a few notches to adjust its fit. Your best bet at altering its look is simply by switching out its silicone bands for another color or material.
The Forerunner 35 is a runner’s dream that scores a near-perfect 4.5-star rating on our review with crucial running metrics and a run/walk mode that would help improve their performance and form. With a built-in GPS and a 24/7 wrist-based heart rate monitor, its feature for all-day activity tracking is all the more accurate. It is water-resistant to 5ATM which only means that it can survive rain, splashes, or a dip in the pool. And when it detects you’ve been idle for way too long, this wearable will gently vibrate and will only reset once you’ve gone for a five-minute walk at the very least.
Once your smartphone is paired via Bluetooth, smart notifications and playback controls are instantly enabled. While real-time stats can be viewed directly on the dial, long-term progress tracking is possible through the Garmin Connect app. The app is also a portal to an online fitness community that allows you to skim through tips and engage with other members as you share goals and milestones, or join challenges.
Get yourself on the groove of staying fit with the Garmin Forerunner 35 selling for only $100 instead of $170 on Amazon.
Garmin Forerunner 935 — $370 ($130 Off)
If you’re training for a triathlon or just shopping for something more advanced than what you have, the Forerunner 935 may tick all the right boxes for you, as it did on our review. Like the Forerunner 35, it flaunts a streamlined design with customizable watch faces and interchangeable bands. However, it sets itself apart with a 1.2-inch round color display that packs more pixels with a 240 x 240 resolution.
Fitness is where the Forerunner 935 undoubtedly shines, not only does it offer runners crucial running metrics, it also has dedicated indoor and outdoor activity profiles for biking, skiing, paddle sports, golf, strength training, and swimming, among others that back up its claim as multisport GPS-watch. Though it is made for serious athletic training, it has all the basic fitness metrics for steps, floors climbed, calories burnt, distance traveled, or beats per minute with the 24/7 wrist-based heart rate technology. It also acts as a fitness coach that evaluates your performance to help determine if you’re overtraining and/or underachieving based on your stats, which are automatically uploaded to the Garmin Connect app.
It may not be a full-fledged smartwatch, but Bluetooth allows it to receive smart notifications for calls, texts, app alerts, and music playback. You can even set up to ten customizable alarms with audible vibration alerts and use it to locate your phone or control another Garmin device. Its battery is something no Apple product will be able to match up to as it can last up to two weeks in smartwatch mode, 24 hours in GPS mode, and 50 hours on UltraTrac mode.
Although it may falter at tracking your swims, you can count on it to support your active lifestyle while being able to stay connected on the go. It usually wears a hefty $500 price tag so it would be best to get it now while Amazon has it on sale for just $370.
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