Garmin Forerunner 45S GPS Running Watch with Coach Training
Garmin Forerunner 45S GPS Running Watch with Coach Training Plan Support – Black, Small
Forerunner 45S39.5 x 39.5 x 11.4 mm Fits wrists with a circumerence of 124-185 mm
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| Dimensions: | 3.95 x 3.95 x 1.14 cm; 32 Grams |
| Model: | 010-02156-12 |
| Batteries Included: | 1 Lithium Ion batteries required. (included) |
| Manufacture: | Garmin |
| Department: | Unisex – Adults |
| Dimensions: | 3.95 x 3.95 x 1.14 cm; 32 Grams |
| Origin: | Taiwan |
This is amazing and so great for what i need it for and matches what is says and you can change the screen to what you like with a app
Does everything I need, not too big on the wrist, very functional
I’ve owned a few forerunners and bought this new after being disappointed with the battery life of a renovated version of a different model, which died after half-marathon distance. This Forerunner 45 has easily coped with four hours of marathon training and still been going strong for runs on subsequent days before requiring a recharge. The sleep tracking function seems to be pretty reliable, detecting if I wake in the night. Very lightweight and stylish too.
Not disappointed at all with this purchase. Wish I had bought a Garmin sooner rather than waste money on cheaper fit watches.
Easy to use, no problems with anything it does, app is clear and informative.
This is a well built watch by Garmin, unfortunately mine developed a software issue within a few days, therefore I returned it to Amazon and purchased the Motorola at a slightly cheaper price. I’ve always liked Garmin forerunner watches as they have plenty of functions. Also the Garmin mobile app is better than others, it is very clear and easy to see your activity data. Would highly recommend this watch for the runner or for those attending gym classes. Nice looking watch which goes smartly with any attire.
I only use this watch for running because the 3G on my Apple Watch was poor. I’ve been using it for a year – It’s a good watch, GPS is accurate.
Very happy with my Forerunner 45
There are a wide variety of watch faces available, but I find a watch with physical hands is much clearer and more attractive. I only wear the Garmin for sports activities turning it off most of the time, which means less frequent charging is necessary.
The Connect app and website is ok for basic information but is a bit limited. GoldenCheetah or the Python SDK might be better if you are serious.
I needed a watch so I could keep an eye on my pace and time and distance without keep getting my phone out and looking at Strava so I bought a Garmin 45.
My aim concern being I need reading glasses, was being able to see the numbers on the go. I can confirm they are nice a big on the always on display.
The best thing is the App. So much data is available. The sleep tracker seems accurate, heart rate also. The GPS is more accurate than Strava in my opinion.
There are many features that I haven’t even begun to use yet.
The only question is why do people pay 200+ more for a more expensive Garmin?
Update: The answer perhaps is the battery is rubbish. On a 3 hour run it drained 80% from full charge.
It even drains 20% syncing with the phone app!
One thing for sure, it would never last 7 days as claimed!
Mainly use it to help me keep a steady pace and HR during runs tho, was key in the half marathon i did back in 2021, couldnt have done it without this for sure. And timing my daily 3-5k runs.
Also at work i use the timer for my lunch breaks and stuff, its really handy tbh. Good watch, good price. When it dies i will probably buy a more expensive Garmin watch, as they have proven themselves quality.
The only thing that I don’t like is the strap is VERY stretchy, so I often over tighten it. Apart from this, it’s an awesome product, definitely buy one.
Appealing design, variety of features incl. VO2 max, easy to use, just not too convinced about overall accuracy. For example, the sleep function shows me as sleeping even when i haven’t been, only because I have been lying pretty still in bed. Also records steps sometimes when I am sittng down during a bumpy ride. I guess it’s OK for someone who isn’t obsessed 🙂
This if for the 45S, which fits perfectly on smaller wrists.
The GPS tracking compares well with my previous fitness tracker and the demarcations on my local running route. The sleep tracking seems to over estimate the amount of sleep I get but that’s ok. The one downside is the battery only lasts about 4 days.
Finds GPS quickly. Accurate tracking. Get use to the buttons eventually. Good battery life. The sleep tracking aunction isn’t great says your asleep whenn your just lying in bed wide awake.
I really loved this watch – perfect for staying motivated through lockdown! Until recently I’d have given it five stars – battery life is decent, GPS track seems very accurate, not too big/weighty…. just seems to work well in use, giving all the information required. I love the fact that you can configure it to get help if it detects a heavy impact (actually happened to me once when I tripped and bashed my head into the ground). I was a bit dazed but it was ready to start messaging my configured emergency contacts with my location until I canceled it. Love the VO2 max measure of fitness also which is great for measuring progress!
HOWEVER, my Garmin Forerunner 45 is now two years old (I wear it all the time) but the strap mounting points at the top of the watch have now both broken off. One broke off first and predictably due to the extra load, the other shortly afterward. These are integral parts of the watch (cannot be replaced). I have had to glue the strap on with superglue, which seems to have worked fairly well, but it’s a bit of a poor show on a two year old watch. I am not a super athlete by any means – just slow, gentle running, so it’s not like it’s had a particularly tough life. From what I have read this seems to be a known issue with the watch, unfortunately…Just watch out for that.
The first one delivered had a very weak battery – barely 12 hours in watch mode without GPS; this was replaced immediately with another watch of the same model, it has the advertised battery life.
Buttons are preferred over touch screen.
A compact watch, good for small wrist without compromising battery life.
Versatile with regards to activities monitored.
Some of the reviews here will bemoan missing features compared to premium smartwatches, but if you’re looking for something to track your walking, running or cycling with GPS support, this will cover exactly what you need without breaking the bank.
From a lot of use it seems to be fairly accurate in what it says, and the Garmin app is good for tracking how things are going.
In terms of sizing, I went for the 45s as my wrists are quite small, and it’s by far the most comfortable lightweight smartwatch I’ve tried. If you’re looking at the 45 range due to similar concerns on comfort, you could be on to a winner here.
On the downside, I’d say the sleep tracking is quite poor when compared to fitbit’s equivalent, however I think it does everything else better!
I noticed Garmin have since released thj Forerunner 55, which may be worth a look as a similarly priced model with a few extra features bundled in.
This is my first expensive sports watch. My previous ones were 20 jobs which had a chest strap. I’ve always been a bit dubious about the HRM accuracy of wrist watches but this one seems ok. Its the HRM I’m mainly interested in, so that’s a tick. GPS will be used occassionally, sleep monitor also occassionally and on exercise days I’ll be using it as a watch. As a watch the screen is quite dark when inside – the attached picture is a good example. OK, so there’s a light but you don’t want to use a light just to read the time. Size. This is supposed to be LARGE but I wouldn’t call it large. Diameter is 40mm and live display is 26mm. This is not large. So I’m a bit dissappointed. Controls are a bit fidly but ok once remembered. Straps have always been a weak point with me (the rubber ones have never lasted very long) so it will be interesting to see how long this one lasts. Is this good value for money? Ask me in 6 months time.
Great watch to measure my steps and running distance. I have started using the Garmin coach app to run a half marathon and so far it’s going really well. Very impressed.
Brilliant with all features. Took a little time to get accustomed to navigating the menus using the buttons, but once I got thr hang of it, it was great. Sometimes takes a few seconds longer ‘waiting for GPS’ than I expected but overall cannot fault this watch.
This is my first Garmin watch that I got for running. I’m a new runner but love my tech so wanted to get this in order to keep me motivated. Really like the watch, the app is easy to use and had lost of customisation and data to look at. Especially for a relatively new runner. Not sure how accurate the sleep data is but GPS and heart rate info seems to be good. Watch is comfortable, only issue is I did get a sweat rash when wearing it 24/7 for a while. So I no longer wear it overnight, or at least change wrists every so often. May look into upgrading the strap sometime. Overall pleased and likely to stick with Garmin products in the future.
I just wanted something simple that would work with my iPad – I’m 63 and stopped running a while back but this seems just right for the fun of tracking walks I do for my daily excercise. I maybe should’ve got the larger one as the strap just fastens without much spare but I didn’t want a huge thing on my wrist.
Only had 3 days now and so far am very happy.
he product works great now, better than expected. But at the start I experienced the triangle of death- I had to re-download the app and reboot the entire watch for it to work normally again. Amazon customer service was helpful on this fro
The accuracy of the sleep and dream function is dependent on fairly basic measures of pulse and as such is just a rough guide.
I would prefer a more breathable strap, but that’s my own preference.
Lovely watch, easy to read and operate. Can take longer that a few minutes to get satellite though. Battery life is excellent. I run 60 miles a week and only have to charge once a week. It stores lots of info aswell.
The watch charges quickly and has a good uptime when not used to track and monitor runs which means it is not constantly on charge for daily use and can be worn for a few days without battery issues. It monitors and tracks the run very effectively and is very user friendly to get used it in no time. The menus are customisable so you can choose the widgets to be displayed as well as choosing new faces from the Garmin app to personalise it to your own preferences. It’s easy to read and the watch is comfortable to wear as the strap is quite soft and flexible, and having a “normal” face diameter so it doesn’t look huge on any wrist.
First the only negative.. If you’re expecting the screen to look as vibrant as the ones in the promotional images then you’re in for a bitter disappointment as the colours are dull and extremely washed out in comparison.
I contacted Garmin support regarding the first watch received and was advised to send it back get a replacement, which I did, but the screen on the replacement is exactly the same.. dull and washed out!
On the upside.. the watch is extremely comfortable to wear and works well. Heartbeat monitor is accurate as is the steps monitor and the GPS connects without much delay. I wanted the watch to track my bike rides, which it does flawlessly and connects to my Strava account seamlessly.
Initial setup to my phone & Garmin connect app was painless. The app itself is brilliant. It contains a wealth of information regarding your activities, sleep patterns etc.. and allows you to tweak your general watch settings and customize downloaded watch face settings.. It’s much better than the fitbit app and a damn site more reliable.
This is my first tracker and apart from the dull screen it does everything I need and has good battery life so overall I’m pretty pleased with the purchase. However I would advise that anyone purchasing the Forerunner 45 to also purchase a screen protector at the same time as the glass doesn’t look like it would take much to damage it.
Generally all seemed ok.
But if you search the web, you come across hiccups, I came across those too.
Sometimes it would not be connected to my phone, but appears it is. Wouldn’t sync.
Started to not or sometimes wouldn’t connect with my cadence sensor. Changed that and the battery.
No better
Turn watch off and on, all ok.
This became the norm turn watch off then on would connect with cadence and phone.
Sometimes move away from phone, wouldn’t then reconnect. I put up with this sketchy performance for a few months thinking it was just a thing.
Then it seemed to get worse
Sometimes watch just refused to turn on.
Finally contacted amazon and they did exchange the watch.
Wanted to upgrade but they couldn’t do that.
New watch arrived. Set up as required.
If you are using iOS do not use the phone to connect, only use the app.
This watch does behave differently, very differently to my other
But it works totally, I don’t have to turn it off
It always reconnects with my phone and when I go out of range it tells me
It tells me when I’m back in range.
It always connects to my cadence sensor
It always uploads my ride.
So I’m pleased with this watch now, I was annoyed with the other.
I love this watch. I use it for running and it’s great for that. Would have liked it to do aerobics and it has no downloadable apps in Garmin IQ other than watch faces. That was a disappointment because When I looked up about swimming and Garmin forerunner the web said it didn’t track but there was good swim app. Not for this forerunner so beware.A shame when it is fully waterproof. I’m not sure why it doesn’t. It’s gps is excellent and it’s pretty intuitive to use.
Unfortunately mine started to drain battery power really quickly and it had been amazing before that. Amazon customer support was outstanding though and I have my replacement no hassle. That is the only reason I give 4 stars in case the battery issue is a common thing but I’ve not seen anything to suggest that.
The only thing I don’t like (hence the 4/5 stars) is that it can take a fair while to find a GPS when I start it. It’s taken well over two minute sometimes, although there have been times when it’s quicker. And of course, it might just be where I live. But the reviews I read before I bought it (e.g. techradar) did warn me of this, so fair enough.
Surprisingly easy to use and navigate the menus once you’ve worked out what the buttons do. Becomes intuitive fairly quickly, especially given I’ve not had a smart watch before. Thought it would be complicated or clunky but was pleasantly surprised how user friendly it is!
The watch face is easy to read and the watch is comfortable to wear – I have slim wrists and the 45s is ideal in terms of the face diameter and the length of the strap – which is quite soft and flexible, not hard plastic.
Very customisable menus – you can choose which ‘widgets’ are displayed and in what order. There are quite a few watch faces to choose from on the Garmin app and you can easily make your own from a picture and upload it.
The app is great for tracking patterns in terms of sleep and exercise, planning workouts and using the Garmin coach – would definitely recommend. I didn’t realise my phone calendar could sync to my watch, which is surprisingly useful and easy to view.
I tend to leave the Bluetooth switched on on my phone to receive alerts for calls and notifications during the day, but don’t take my phone out running or in the gym, and just sync the watch when I’m done exercising, which works well, especially with the app to track things.
I found the step counter to be somewhat variable in terms of accuracy – but for running there are three different GPS options, so the accuracy there doesn’t seem to be any problem at all.
Given the watch cannot store music, it’s handy that you can control your music from the watch. I use Bluetooth headphones and Spotify on my phone and can use the basic music control functions from my watch at the same time, and also answer or ignore calls. I imagine having control from the watch is brilliant if you do take your phone out running.
I didn’t want to have a watch that stored music or could do contactless payments, so for an exercise oriented smart watch this is brilliant. I would definitely recommend it to anyone that wants a lower end / starter one – but it packs many more features than I expected for the price and certainly feels like a high end item.
It is excellent. I find the buttons much better to use the my husband’s Garmin that is waterproof.
There was a glitch with software that meant it wouldn’t sync with the music for a while but that resolved with an update.
It has seen me though my training and doing the great North run.
I like the ease that you can start a “run activity” which is great at start of a park run when you have not paid as much attention- 3 clicks of a button. There is sometime a delay for waiting for GPS so I usually prime it to find GPS then one click to start your run.
I can easily see the display and see your pace and it seems accurate.
I am just a fun runner so didn’t need all the fancier things that came with the more expensive versions. Only thing I would say is I don’t like the sexist colours as would have preferred black and that was only in the bigger size. Having got the white I actually think I prefer it to the black now.
Few odd observations that will hopefully be fixed in future software releases:
– Syncing to Strava has resulted in the elevation value being significantly over estimated (seems okay in Garmin Connect). Not sure if this is a Strava issue or a problem with the GPX data (Strava can correct the elevation if you choose it to).
– If you set Workout interval repetition to 0 then it looks if if the watch doesn’t deal with the datatype properly and displays a very large negative number on the second interval. Still works, but need fixing (see final image).
– A few of the custom watch faces are extremely cramped, and even the default Garmin ones aren’t very polished around the edge of the screen (some show a few rogue white space pixels around the circumference). See second image.
Overall though really happy with my purchase. The Garmin Connect app syncs everything seamlessly and (elevation issue aside) it syncs to Strava (and MapMyRun) without any problems.
UPDATE: Excessive elevation issue syncing to Strava appears to be fixed (01/06/2019)