Garmin Forerunner 245 Running Watch – Slate
Garmin Forerunner 245 GPS Running Smartwatch, with running and training features, Slate Band
Stay ConnectedConnected feature* include built-in smart notifications *When paired with a compatible smartphone; see Garmin.com/ble
” data-position=”triggerHorizontal” />Track how far and how fastThis smartwatch monitors heart rate at the wrist and uses GPS to track how far, how fast and where you’ve run.
” data-position=”triggerHorizontal” />Garmin ConnectThe tool for tracking, analyzing and sharing health and fitness activities recorded by your Garmin device.
” data-position=”triggerHorizontal” />
Comparison Table
 Forerunner 245 |  Forerunner 245 Music |  Forerunner 55 |  Forerunner 45S |  Forerunner 45 | |
| Daily Suggested Workouts | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ |
| PacePro | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ |
| Recovery Time | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ |
| Race Predictor | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ |
| Built in GPS | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Wrist Based Heart Rate | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Advanced Running Dynamics | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
| Training Load | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
| Training Status | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
| Connect IQ Store | Yes | Yes | Yes | Watch faces only | Watch faces only |
| Dimensions: | 14 x 0.5 x 3.47 cm; 38.5 Grams |
| Model: | 010-02120-10 |
| Manufacture: | Garmin |
| Department: | Unisex-Adult |
| Dimensions: | 14 x 0.5 x 3.47 cm; 38.5 Grams |
To be honest, I was hesitant in purchasing a smartwatch from Amazon. I wanted a smartwatch that I could listen to music whilst running without my phone. I was recommended Garmin 245 Music by a fellow runner after my old Samsung smartwatch broke. I am pleased with my purchase and it is a genuine Garmin watch. Its easy to use. It is not a touch screen, but honesty I don’t miss it and I think it is better without it. I can use my wireless bluetooth earphones and connect to my spotify playlist and use gps/workout at the same time. I still use a Samsung Galaxy S8 phone and it connects ok with the watch. I have my parkrun barcode on the watch which is better when trying to scan from my phone. It has an alarm in case you fall and message your family (it actually does work). It has lots of watch faces, apps and widgets you can get from Garmin Connect, such as ‘find my phone’, ‘messages’, ‘WhatsApp’, and the usual health/sleep/activities/weight/blood/heart/stress etc (some apps you have to purchase) and it automatically connects to Strava. For any avid runner (or any activity), this smartwatch is highly recommended. The battery life is also good (better than my previous Samsung smartwatch). I have also purchased different coloured straps that are easily to clip on and off.
Love this product, it does so much without needing to have your phone with you. Ideal for exercising without the interuption of phone calls or text messages coming through but still having music readily available.
I love my Garmin 245, does everything I need it to for running and swimming and don’t really need the music because I use Deezer on my phone. Unless you need to know power and have more programmes etc, it’s fine for the average runner. I lost mine recently so I got this for a brilliant sale price of 169 (80 less than first time buying). The moment I’d charged it up, I found the original (still going strong after 2.5 years), so I’ll use it as a spare/eventual replacement. The Garmin app with it is great and I find the GPS very accurate, better than my old Fitbit charge. You really don’t need a more expensive watch!
Replaced an old Huawei Wear OS smart watch and the difference is night and day, quick to lock GPS and sync data after a run. Recommended if you want a basic, light and easily usable running watch – not a full smart watch but it does have some good smart watch functionality.
Quite like this product but some elements aren’t that intuitive! Bought it to help with my fitness, particularly steps. A good app from Garmin helps with the stats. Display could be a bit brighter but on the other hand that would reduce battery life which on average seems to be about 4 days before a recharge. Not that easy to use some of the watch functions. Overall a nice smart watch but not the best.
he thing seems great so far. i was giving up on Garmin watches – dim light, confusing & obscure user interface, unstable platform, the last straw was when my last one (745) died & Garmin customar support didnt really care. This seems so far a vast imrpovement – much more usde friendly and effective. Hope it lasts
Boy, did I get this and a lot more. Admittedly, the learning curve to set up the watch was a bit steep. Ultimately, that is my least favourite thing about it. But once you ‘get it’, it works.
I started by signing up for one of the coach-led programmes but quickly found out I was far too unfit. It was a bit of an eye-opener that my fitness age was 64, and I’m nowhere near that yet in real life. After a few days, I decided to follow the ‘daily recommendation’ generated on my measured fitness level. This started from – what felt like at the time – ridiculously slow walks of 20 minutes or so, slowly building up to very fast-paced hour-long ones. Once I got to that stage, it was a watershed moment. To progress, I had no choice but to jog. Slow as it may seem, it was a jog, not a walk. I continued this at my availability next to work and other commitments.
One day, I got a notification that I ran 5K! 5K! I had started the Couch to 5K programme twice and failed to complete it thanks to various injuries acquired through overtraining. With the daily recommendations, it just … happened. It felt amazing. I built on my daily plans, and while I was not motivated to do a 10K, I started running 2x5Ks in a day in succession and felt terrific.
The app gave nice and colourful stats and graphs. If you’re even slightly nerdy, you’ll enjoy the pace times and your improvement. I never thought I would be contemplating a goal time one day, let alone jogging at all. The most important things on the watch face are the HR zones and the timers. It is great that you can set up your alerts, especially when you train within certain HR zones. The buttons took a little while to get used to, but again, you get used to it, and it’s a sturdy build. One year later, it’s still going very, very strong. The strap is the same as it was in the box, and I have had no issues with it at all.
The battery is good enough.
Oh, and you don’t have to pay for the app at all. Unlike with the Fitbit, everything else was extra money. The app looks very sleek and grown-up and treats the data it has with the seriousness it deserves for much less money.
I also wanted to pay homage to the breathing exercises. These actually helped me a lot when I went through a particularly stressful time in my life and not only calmed me down during the day but helped me go to sleep as well. The downside: it eats the battery, so if I didn’t check beforehand, my watch would have drained by the morning. However, it charges very quickly, which is a massive plus.
I really love this watch, and after a year’s use, it still works as good as new.
I have used the watch for 3 months to track and improve my running. It serves as a handy tool for this purpose providing a lot of data, especially live heartrate is extremely helpful. It also measures stress levels throughout the day (and night) and shows body battery suggesting to rest when needed. Love it overall!
I really can’t fault this watch, it does everything and has so many features for the price including route directions, music and phone connectivity. Really comfy with understated and smart looks. I use it everyday for swimming and running and it’s the first wrist based heart rate monitor that actually works accurately most of the time. Instant pace is good but rounds up to the nearest 5s/km which is annoying in reps but you learn to adapt to it. Workouts can also be configured on the app (which btw I think is one of the best apps I’ve seen) for any combination of session on the watch, including by pace (which oddly is accurate to the second). A couple of years in and battery life is now deterioting needing a charge every 3 days and the buttons have a less positive feel like that might fail, but given the use I’ve got out of it I wouldn’t hesitate in buying another.
Very happy with my 245. I wear it pretty much all the time and find the metrics tracking, steps etc. very helpful. For runs it is of course brilliant. Fully customisable data screens, navigation works nicely, music function is pretty sweet too! Watchfaces can be downloaded with ease, most are fully customisable too. All functions work really well, as you’d expect. One of the more comfortable watches I’ve worn as well. Battery life is as described in the description, won’t blow the competition away but will last as long as it’s supposed to. Not sure what else I can say that hasn’t been said already, it’s fantastic!
The ONLY thing I can possibly fault it on is that the 245 doesn’t seem to have a screen/backlight brightness adjustment setting unlike the 255 and 265. This isn’t a problem for me, I’m quite happy with it, and I would probably turn it down anyway. But that’s something to keep in mind if you’re used to something else with a super bright screen.
Setting favourites so I can select it quick before the exercise to log it.
Also be using cross trainer later and see how that is. To say the battery is only that us good cause its still evening out, I read the watch will use more for the first week till it settles down with my needs.
It’s bright enough, I first thought it wasn’t but you get used to it. Using for work on 12 hours at a steelworks and it’s fine.
Got weather, temperature, heart rate, time, steps, date, battery percentage, miles walked all on one screen face.
You can customise for free on the Garmin Qi app. Brilliant. Right down to the colour of each thing.
I would advice getting a cover for the face of the watch and added warranty, I got 3 years for 15.
The covers are on amazon for like 6 for 3.
The only con is the strap, I think I’m allergic to the rubber abit as I got wrist burn abit when at work so ordered another stap that’s nylon. No big deal.
Love the watch, glad I got it. You can link your fitness pal app to it too.
I use it for sleep to track and steps. Had a fitbit years back and the steps would mount up cause I was driving so that put me off.
Not tried it under water yet as its waterproof upto 5 metres I bealive.
I like the push buttons instead of touch screen.
Light watch but tough also by how it’s made.
Messages and calls appear on the interface which is good so I can read the whole message on my watch instead of opening my phone and I can make my own short pre message to replay quick if I’m working out. Glad I went to Garmin instead of samsung. My sister has the samsung watch and she says every couple of days it’s dead and it’s new.
Why should you have to disable features to save battery??
You want the most out of the watch.
Sister is looking into getting one of these now, good all around and I’m not a runner but a gym guy that walks abut and wants to track sleep and respiration, heart rate. It’s perfect.
I’ll update if my mind is changed.
Watch ticks all the boxes for me . Got a great deal for it
Delivery prompt and within 2 days
Easy to set up and use
Perfect for an amateur runner but also some more serious runners
Was very dubious about buying but I love it. Not too flash but does everything that I need it to do. I am a club runner, built for comfort not speed, I run about 40km a week.
Upgraded from a forerunner 45, resisted buying a more expensive one, not used the music bit yet, but gives everything I wanted and unlocks the connect functions, very easy to use
As a keen runner who was looking for more data during runs I decide to trade in my Apple Watch for a Garmin.
Once you’ve worked out how to navigate round the watch. It is defo worth the money.
It’s light on the wrist and has a long battery life.
The watch is quite chunky and not as sleek as a fitbit or Apple watch. It looks like a traditional men’s sports watch, which I don’t mind. I have slender wrists and it still fits fine. The strap has plenty of notches for adjustment and is easily replaceable if you want to try a different one.
I’ve had the watch and worn it every day for a couple months now and there are no scratches on the screen so far.
It doesn’t have a touchscreen, but navigation using the side buttons is simple. Occasionally the ‘start’ button will be pressed by my cuff or whatever I’m carrying, but it’s possible to lock the watch if this happens frequently.
My only complaint is that the heart rate monitoring seems quite inconsistent and doesn’t always correspond with how I’m actually feeling. I have a suspicion that it sometimes matches my cadence rather than my actual heart rate. I’d need to get a chest monitor to confirm this. Since I’m not really doing HR based training, it isn’t a big deal, but I’d recommend getting a chest monitor if you intend to train with zones.
Garmin Connect is a solid app. Loads of features, a decent interface, and good integration with Strava, although it still doesn’t auto-fill descriptions from planned workouts.
I’m doing the Garmin half marathon plan and it seems good so far. Sadly it doesn’t intersperse planned strength and mobility workouts, but the scheduled runs are helping me stay on track and increasing my fitness.
Recommended!
I’ve had a couple of Garmin devices. They do take a little time to configure properly–you’ll need to mess around with settings, widgets etc. Especially if you’re using a third-party watch face with different customizations. But once you get there it’s well worth the time. The watch is reliable, the charge lasts me for around a week (with HR on) and the notifications come through consistently (not a given with smartwatches I’ve found). The strap’s super easy to change, although the one that comes with it is comfortable.
Overall a great RUNNING watch, not a great ‘smart’ watch and you’ll need to budget for a new strap.
Bought as a gift for my son. He’s over the moon with it.
Bought as a gift and seems to be well liked.
I use it everday for running and in the gym for any workout (abs training, bench press etc). It does not have a touchscreen so you have to apply a bit of effort to press the right button every single time but OK…
Having changed from a Huawei gt2 the forerunner 245 is alot smaller in my opinion would suit a women’s wrist better. Set up fairly straight forward however I do miss the touchscreen from the gt2 the Garmin connect app is streets ahead of the Huawei health app and size apart the watch will do everything the gt2 did battery is ok looking like 5 to 7 days depending on the useage
I’m a casual runner, by no means competitive. I usually run between 5 and 10k’s a few times a week so I’m not one for all the bells and whistles the more expensive watches have. This fits the bill perfectly for me, I’ve noticed a lot more features than my older forerunner had such as stress monitoring, respiratory, body battery, etc… which are pretty neat.
I already had the connect app so adding the devices was seamless and easy to pick up where I left off.
One of the main reasons I opted for this was the capability of playing music, I used to run with earphones and my phone which I hated, so using this watch with wireless earphones almost felt liberating.
The only criticism I have is the strap tends to be a bit uncomfortable but that’s not much of an issue and does not impact my running in any shape or form.
Overall it’s a great watch and fits my needs perfectly.
I use this for running and cycling. Excellent accuracy and heart rate monitor is second to none
Great everyday run watch. Good tracking and app etc. what you’d expect from Garmin.
Like the different clockfaces and how you can alter the positions to suit you
Lightweight, not too big, good activity range, app is brilliant, battery life ok…. depends on how often you use GPS, recommend i
Good watch , great for a runner with very accurate GPS
First of all the most impressive difference was battery life. I went for a 10k run with GPS and Glonass and it only took 4% of the battery, where my vivoactive would take 30%.
Second advantage, its smaller and lighter, so confortable indeed.
Then, the amount of details recorded is mind blowing.
I actually prefer to use buttons over the touch also, its more precise especially if it rains or due to sweat.
Connection to my phone was quick, as soon as I got back home it was already updated my run, really impressive.
GPS lock took a mere 5 seconds also.
It also has heart rate when swimming, which the vivoactive 3 cant do.
All in all a great upgrade especially for the battery and confort.
I bought the non music version as 3.5gb storage is nowhere near enough for my collection which is around 300gb. I still use an mp3 player instead of keep swapping music.
Very pleased. Purchased as an upgrade. Battery life is really good. It lasted for my 50km ultra with still a day or two of charge left. Tracks a wide range of activities.
The 245 was a little more than half the price of the 645 but does everything (as far as I can judge) that the 645 did, as well as adding a couple of tricks of its own, such as measuring the percentage of blood oxygen saturation. The wrist heart monitor even seems to record heart rate while swimming, something that was beyond the 645. I think that this brilliant little watch is outstanding and the Garmin Connect App works every bit as well with the 245 as it did with the 645. It took seconds to retire the old watch and link the new and see Connect pick up the thread. I would imagine that only a professional athlete with very specific requirements would need anything more elaborate and I am delighted with this watch. Highly recommended.
Super instrument for running, only two downsides, too many buttons to press 5 sometimes is easy to loose yourself in it, and silicon strap causing irritation to skin after while.
This watch was recommended to me by fellow running friends, I simply did not like the look of it, very small face. Have given 5 stars based purely on how highly recommended it was to be based on the tech.
Amazing just a perfect watch designed to give runners the right dataand amazon early prime offer meant this 250 quid watch for me was only 132 quid 🙂 its still 250 quid in Argos ! Lol
Got this at 139 September 2022, mainly to use for running after problems with GPS tracking using Strava on my phone.
This is a brilliant bit of kit, and so comprehensive. Easy to set up and customise, and tracks everything. Display is really clear plus bleeps and vibrations for interval reminders.
Have used it for running, walking, dinghy sailing, cycling etc. Works every time and looks great.
Highly recommended!
Upgraded from a Forerunner 35, the biggest problem is the screen brightness, if you are in a dark room then you can use the backlight and in bright sunlight you can tilt your wrist to see the display but in between situations it’s dire.
The menus and access to them takes some getting used to, some of the screens you are presented with are a waste of time as the information is that small you can’t see it, things like heart rate over 7 days for instance, you are better off looking at them on the phone app.
You do need good eyesight especially if you have set up a training plan, I can barely see if I’m being told to run or rest.
The watch picks up a satellite signal very fast even indoors.
Other stats that you get from the watch like sleep seem pretty accurate and it does match when you sleep and wake up.
Overall don’t expect an Apple Watch display, I think I’d prefer to have a brighter screen and forgo having to charge it more often, the watch easily lasts over a week before you need to charge and it does not take long to get to 100%
My old forerunner 35 was a bit basic but if you want to get a bit more out of a running watch like making running plans then you need a watch similar to this one, overall I would recommend with a few caviates.
Excellent watch my partner uses it for running and loves it, he wouldn’t use any other watch! Definitely recommend!
My other two smartwatches were an original Motorola 360, then a Samsung Galaxy Sport 2 and they were more fancy watch than sports trackers. I loaded up all the watch faces and apps and it was great.
Then when I decided to start jogging and realised I needed something better to log my distances. After much web browsing I decided on the Garmin 245. No, it doesn’t have the fancy Rolex look alike watch faces, but it does the exercise stuff really well. I’ve been using Strava and Adidas Running apps and it’s been mapping my daily excursions since the original lockdown began.
I went with one of the standard watch faces as it had all the information I need at a glance. The battery lasts for aaaaages and charges quickly too, so it’s always on my wrist. Am I any fitter? No, because it seems I have a heart condition that requires major surgery in the near future, so that was a not pleasant surprise, but it’s keeping me healthy enough.
This version also comes in a different model, Forerunner 245 music that has a bit more memory to store mp3s so you can listen to bluetooth streamed music while you hike, cycle, run, etc. I use my Samsung A52s with wired headphones, so didn’t need the extra functionality.
It’s one of the cheapest watches in the Garmin range and it’s perfect for me. Just buy a screen protector for it before you start wearing it, as I found the glass does scratch (somehow).
Worked out of the box as a straight replacement for my previous Garmi
As my passion for running is growing i need to find a replacement for ky Vivosmart 4 which was a great companion to my weight loss programe. After reading so many review of so many diffirent running watches and model, i decided to stay with Garmin. I have read somewhere the review about accuracy of this Garmin GPS when runing in the woods made me a bit nevous, i asked the question to the community here but no feedback. I couldnt wait any longer then I had to place the oreder, 3 weeks in i have nothing to complain about this watch, so happy with it! Highly recommend !
Very happy with this product. I hesitated about splashing out on a garmin but its been great. Good battery life requiring charging only once a week and it takes 10 minutes. Links to Strava easily. Great product.
Took you running in January to shift a few extra pounds and have enjoyed it. Have tracked a lot of my runs on a Fitbit Charge and Strava but found my pace was very inconsistent even during a 5k. Wanted something to show my pace and other metrics during my run and this tucks those boxes. I opted for this watch as I don’t really have any interest in smartwatch features but this does have some useful bits and pieces such as news and message alerts that pop through. You can also edit this to suit your preferences which I really like so you can have all smart notifications off if you like. The customisation on this watch is really good. There are features on the connect IQ app which allow you to download apps and watch faces but I prefer simple so I have edited my own watch face on the watch itself which I think is a cool feature. You can also edit the screen to suit your running so it will show what you want it to rather than being subjected to metrics that are preset such as with my old Fitbit. The supporting app seems great too. I like the Garmin trainer feature and particularly value the fact you do not need to subscribe for x a month in order to enjoy. Will do all that most activity trackers do such as heart rate and sleep tracking as well as some other bits. Overall, it’s a reasonably priced activity tracker tailored for running. If you don’t want this for running, it’s still a decent watch.
Very accurate and has all the features I need. Easy to use and great quality. Only slight negative is it takes a while to get a gps signal. A good bit slower than it’s predecessor the 235
I’m familiar with Garmin watches and this was to replace a 7 year old 225 that could just about maintain 90 minutes charge (fortunately my regular run is around an hour) in “active” mode.
The new Forerunner 245 was 20 cheaper than I paid for the old Garmin, it’s less than half the weight and half the height with probably double the features. I’ve used it for my first run but am back to using it as my daily watch, it’ll be interesting to see what battery life is IRL. It still has the odd Garmin foible of not immediately picking up satellite GPS but I’ve found that to be mostly influenced by weather conditions, having said this it’s perfectly accurate and fits my needs well. Barely know it’s on my wrist and can use it to turn my iPhone’s music on and off.
I’ve never had a problem with my Garmin watches so haven’t had to navigate any customer services.
Have had a Fenix 3 for years but as I now focus on running, bought myself new Forerunner 245. Loving the insights the inbuilt heart rate monitor offers and the Garmin Coach option which is free. Super light and great value.
Bought this watch after watching/reading countless reviews as it’s a relatively big purchase at this price point, so wanted to get this right.. Previously I have been using a Galaxy watch active which has been great, but I wanted to take the next step with purchasing a forerunner. Initially was going to go for the 55 but the 245 was reduced in black Friday so went for this. Anyway, on to the watch itself…
My first impressions are really positive (only had for 1 week) and I love this watch. Yes, the screen resolution isn’t up there with the likes of apple/Samsung, however I didn’t buy this watch for that. As a running watch, the display is clear, easy to ready and actually looks great with a traditional LCD display.
The watch itself is light, comfortable and the battery life is amazing, really. It’s lasted 5 days so far and still have over 60%!!!! Garmin have created a fantastic app (garmin connect) which is super easy to use and is nice to look at. What’s really good is that you can see a snapshot of your daily stats (heart rate, stress, body battery) etc on the watch itself, or, you can access the app for a more detailed overview. The daily suggested workouts are a really nice touch and really mix up your running routine which makes it fun to use. What I didn’t expect is how good this watch is as a day to day smart watch, as notifications are displayed really clearly and its quick and easy to respond to texts etc. So far, I have no complaints and if you are considering purchasing this watch, you won’t be disappointed. Highly recommended!!
I initially thought of buying a touch screen watch but I’m so happy I opted for the 245 with 5 buttons. The operation is straight forward with no chance of ghost touching whilst exercising. Have only used it for running so far but it meets all expectations. If you are looking for a sports watch I would fully recommend the 245 if you’re after a smart watch maybe look at other Garmin products.
This is my 4th Garmin and it’s my favourite so far. Battery life is amazing and it’s neat enough to fit on my wee wrists. Bought for running ultras and given that I have only charged it twice in the month that I have had it I think it will be perfect.
Bought this to replace both my Garmin Forerunner 35 (which is a great first running watch, but more basic, and blocky in appearance) and my Fibit Charge 4 (which looks smart, but I find useless for running due to the small text and touch screen).
Really pleased with the appearance, and how comfortable it is to wear all day. (I even wear it all night without noticing it, which lets me use the sleep analysis function too.) Loving it for running, as I can easily see all the stats I want, and control everything with good sized buttons.
Lots of extra functionality that I’m still learning more about (eg recovery time), but also more basic functions easily visible that the Forerunner 35 seemed to lack (eg viewing and monitoring Heartrate all day, even when not triggering exercise modes).
I have it hooked up to my Polaris arm strap to monitor heartrate during exercise, for better accuracy – which was simple to do. It also paired very easily with my Garmin connect phone app using Bluetooth (which links to Strava, showing mapping of runs from the device’s GPS data), and seems to be getting software updates from Garmin directly from Garmin Connect. (Another plus point, as my older Forerunner needed hard wiring to my PC to get software updates.)
So far, I’m very impressed by the battery life, which seems far better than either device it’s replacing – despite it monitoring more things.
All in all, a great, robust, watch for everyday wear as well as for running/exercising. (And I’m enjoying no longer feeling I have to constantly switch between 2 watches!)
Charges really quick also and doesn’t need charging every day like my Apple Watch. Personally I find this helps with my training, not only running but also strength and gym work. Find it syncs well with the app and so far no issues
I moved from Fitbit to Garmin after a number of years of frustrating Fitbit ownership. Their software and hardware is so buggy. I had the app on both Android and iOS and it was awful. Not to mention devices that wouldn’t connect, GPS totally inaccurate, and numerous product replacements due to them dying and strap failures. In contrast my Garmin software has been completely stable and the device is built like a tank. Literally I have repaired the car whilst wearing my Forerunner 245 (covered it in oil and grease plus bashed about) with not a mark on it! Obviously I washed it down afterwards but it still looked like I had taken it out the box on day one. My Fitbit would have been scratched to pieces had I done the same, I once tapped it against a wooden door frame and it scratched the screen.
So my 245 I use mainly for running and as a heart rate device while cycling. I say as a heart rate device because I put it into heart rate broadcast mode while cycling and it pairs with my Garmin Edge 830 bike GPS device (the Edge does the tracking/activity recording). The pairing works without fault every time and the battery lasts well too. I believe it is ANT+ in this mode so may well connect with other devices as a HR receiver.
Modes on the 245 are: Run, walk, trail run, bike, breath work, pool swim, cardio, bike indoor, walk indoor, treadmill, row indoor, other, virtual run, track run, indoor track, strength, yoga, pilates, elliptical & stair stepper. You can also make your own activity if it is not one listed by default.
The 245 does not have Garmin pay but don’t let that worry you as it is useless in the UK (just like Fitbit pay) with only Santander supporting it. If you really must pay by watch then Apple and Android watches are better for payments.
iPhone notifications work brilliantly albeit with iPhone you can’t reply to messages. This is Apples restriction and not Garmin. You can however answer and end calls from the watch. I believe if paired to Android then you get pre defined text responses too. You can see all of a text message on the watch as well as clear the notification from your phone. My diary also syncs nicely to my watch with calendar and system notifications working just as well as texts, and stuff from all other phone apps. You can configure what notifications you receive and also put the watch into ‘do not disturb’ mode.
As for health tracking it does loads of stuff: pulse oxygen, heart rate, stress, respiration, body battery, active minutes, sleep and more. They all seem to be pretty accurate with loads of metrics to play around with on the Connect phone app.
The battery in the 245 comfortably lasts a week and that is with usually 3 x 5K runs, 1 x 10K run and a four hour bike ride in HR broadcast mode. Compare that to the Apple Watch that barely lasts a day! I never suffer battery anxiety and can easily go away for a few days minus the charging lead.
GPS is fantastic and really accurate considering this is a watch. I have also used the Komoot app with it and the arrow direction guidance was very accurate meaning that I did not get lost at all on my run. You can also use the device to save your parking location and navigate back with an arrow. On the subject of finding things if you lose your phone you can make it play a sound at full volume. If your phone is on silent the 245 will show Bluetooth signal strength to guide you to where your phone is hiding. You can also do it in reverse from your phone if you have lost your 245.
For offline music storage you need the 245M. The 245 will control playback from your phone only. It works very well with the following features: play/pause, skip forward/back, volume up/down, track title.
Other features are available in the Garmin Connect App Store such as Starbucks card, watch faces, compass, data fields etc. There are loads of extra apps, widgets, watch faces and data fields.
If you need a Garmin with on screen maps then you will need a Fenix device. If your primary focus is golf you need a Approach device. If you are a swimmer a Swim or Descent model. If you are a cyclist and runner like me then the Forerunner range is excellent.
Don’t let the lack of touch screen put you off. It is so easy to use and I don’t miss a touch device at all. There are no accidental screen activations while exercising with this thing (especially in water), but if having a touch screen is important to you then you might like the Venu or Vevoactive range. The screen is backlit (configurable to work when raised, during darkness etc.) and the screen is very clear in full sun. It might not be as pixel perfect as an AMOLED screen but it is very clear, very battery friendly and always on.
I could go on about the many features of this watch. I suppose it is important to add that the straps are watch industry standard so any of the correct width will fit (not stuck with Garmin only), it is waterproof to 5ATM, charges with a short proprietary to USB-A cable, and the Garmin standard UK warranty is 2 years from date of purchase.
In summary I highly recommend Garmin products especially this Forerunner 245. All the Garmin stuff I have works a treat, is way more stable/accurate than Fitbit, and the battery life blows Apple Watch out of the water.
Battery life definitely a lot better than the 235 (which had a life of about 7 hours GPS usage), the 245 is exceedingly better.
Other pros: very lightweight; smart looking; wider range of activities available; love the range of options already installed in the watch rather than having to download from Garmin Connect.
Cons: takes far longer for GPS to connect than any of my previous Garmins; annoyingly, buttons are not positive – have to visually double-check the selection has been made; button labels are illegible, far too small and font lacks contrast to the dark coloured bezel; display is frustratingly dark; sleep monitoring & stress levels are way off! (don’t find them accurate or useful so will just ignore them!!).
Overall, happy with the purchase & am sure I’ll get used to the buttons!
Firstly I will say that I would prefer to have the music version of this watch, however I got this one on sale and I couldn’t justify the extra cost. I would say to go for the music version if price is not an issue for you.
I was going to purchase this watch after I had already completed my couch to 5k program, however I saw that it was on sale so I bought it very early in to the program. I ended up finishing my c25k program a few weeeks early and that is a hundred percent down to having the feedback on my wrist on how far I’d travelled. Having such a small and accessible device which gives you useful information like your heartrate, your time running, your pace and your distance really helps you to push yourself that extra bit at the end of your run to round off your distance. I also enjoy the mapping features that the phone app offers, it’s lovely to go on a jog with your c25k buddy, take a nice picture, then use the garmin app to put your stats over the picture to commemorate hitting the milestones.
I love the training programs inbuilt in to the garmin app, they don’t just give you a running program, they also tell you useful information about running, fatigue, posture and mindset along the way. I have found this useful as a new runner. This all comes for free with the app (I say this because I jog with someone who uses a fitbit, and they have to subscribe to have access to the content on the fitbit.)
I have even been walking more since I got this watch, it gives you a nice summary each day of your exercise, your condition, sleep patterns etc. If you are someone who likes feedback I do think a Garmin watch is a great bit of kit to help you to train up to be a runner.
All in all, I really like it. I would not have run my 10k by now had I not gotten my Garmin watch. I would recommend this or something like it to new runners.
Pros..
+ Good battery life – only needs charging once or twice a week
+ Mostly very quick to locate GPS signals
+ Light to wear and a comfortable strap
+ Nice choice of watch faces
+ Accurate at tracking activities and heart rates.
Cons..
– Sleep tracking is terrible. Not accurate at all. The other night I didn’t get to sleep until 2am and regularly pressed the light button on my watch to check the time. Next morning it said I had been asleep since midnight… must think I press the light button in my sleep!
– Had a couple of instances where it has stopped logging heart rate from the sensor on the back. Note that this is a logging problem, not a measuring problem. When this happens it still shows accurate current HR value (so it’s still measuring), it’s just that the plot showing HR values over the last four hours is empty. Turning the watch off and back on fixes this.
– Night time pulseox values seem very low, and there are a couple of other people posting about this on forums. Garmin says it might happen if you are laying on your arm (cutting off the blood supply).
– Personal records (e.g. 10k fastest time, longest run etc..) sometimes vanish or don’t get updated. To be fair I’m not sure if this is an issue with the watch or an issue with the Garmin Connect app.
Purchasing this watch is helping me become fitter and healthier. I highly recommend it.
I have also used it for hikes and bike rides, both of which it has recorded accurately. The heart rate monitor matches that of the Vivoactive 3 and seems to be very accurate. I have checked my heart rate manually a few times and it has agreed perfectly with my calculations, so I am happy that it is accurate. The information after a ride or walk has been very accurate including the GPS map which was accurate enough even to show which side of the road I was walking on.
Looks-wise, I don’t think it is as nice as the Vivoactive 3 and I suspect the bezel will scratch fairly easily as it is plastic. I have a screen protector and a case on mine to protect it. My Vivoactive 3 just had a screen protector and survived well despite heavy use. I hope this will be as good.
The battery life seems to be good, though I haven’t noticed a big difference from the Vivoactive 3. I like the additional function of the body battery, which appears to be pretty accurate.
One thing that did surprise me though, was the need to plug it into a laptop when I received it, to get the latest software update. I couldn’t do this from my phone or Chrome book. I was also surprised that it had not come installed with a more up-to-date software version. However, once I realised what I needed to do, it was easy enough to follow the on-screen instructions and update it to version 5 rather than the version 2-point-something it had come with. Once that was done, I installed a few watch faces and chose one that I like.
The face is clear, even in low sunlight and without the backlit option. The strap is comfortable and fits without adjustment due to the number of holes running all the way around. There is plenty of adjustment so I cannot imagine that there are many people it would not fit.
All in all, it is a nice upgrade from the Vivoactive 3 which I have been very happy with. The added functions are great and I am pleased with it. At the price, I think it offers a good range of functions and is accurate.
I chose the non music model over the music version as I use amazon music streaming service and I was told by Garmin the watch only supports Deezer or Spotify.
The watch was lighter then expected, which is good.
Menu and terminology of apps, widgets, data screens can be a little confusing at first, but after a few days you get the hang of it.
After have my watch a little over a week, my battery is currently on 25% and have been on two 5k runs, four 4K rides and have been wearing it constantly.
The watch provides vast amounts of data that has kept me busy following and comparing.
On two occasions the connection between watch and phone has been lost and was unable to sync, but after restarting the Garmin connect app, the connection was restored. So this seems to suggest a bug with the current app and not the watch.