Anyone have good advice on a running watch? Looking at the garmin 235 forerunner and was wondering if anyone had any good input..

230 and 235 are probably the most used that I see. Great watch.

You can up $$$ a bit and get the fenix 5, forerunner 645, or vivoactive 3 for newer models and more features.

Do. It.

Big fan of Garmins. When they go tits up (and they all do - we're rough on them) they send you a refurb no questions asked.

I'm still running with the Vivosmart HR+. Only complaint is battery life, which is OK but not great. If I'm running a half marathon of longer, I better have it fully charged before I leave the house. When I ran the Cowtown, I had fully charged it Friday night and thought it would be OK for the HM on Sunday. Low power came on around Mile 10 but it made it through.

Call Garmin, my 235 Forerunner was doing that, about 20 months old, and they shipped me a refurb replacement for free.

FR35 is a strong contender that's cheaper than the 235. The 230 is no more unless you buy used or new old stock. FR35 is missing a few features and GLONASS, but still a great watch for running.

My wife and I have gone through several iterations of Fitbits, Apple watches, and I tried a Polar M400 last year. We found things we didn't like about each one of those and finally bought Forerunner 235s earlier this year. They just work and give you everything you need without overloading you with stuff you don't need.

All you'd ever want to know about running watches. ->DC Rainmaker

If running metrics are the deciding factor, I'd stay away from Apple watch or Fitbits. I've had runners I coach use both and the accuracy has been a bit hit or miss with both. I'd always recommend a Garmin watch. I have a 620 and will upgrade to a 935 or 735 in a year or two.

I've had my 235 with optical HR for two years. Strange thing, when wearing in my left arm, HR is wildly inaccurate compared to a polar HR strap. On my right arm, it is mostly in sync with the polar.

Good watch for the price. If you can afford it just get the Fenix 5. Suunto seems to have missed the mark on their latest watches

RockOn said:

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I've had my 235 with optical HR for two years. Strange thing, when wearing in my left arm, HR is wildly inaccurate compared to a polar HR strap. On my right arm, it is mostly in sync with the polar.

Good watch for the price. If you can afford it just get the Fenix 5. Suunto seems to have missed the mark on their latest watches

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Bands are usually the most accurate.

And the 235 was one of Garmin's first in-house optical monitors after farming those out for many years.

ags2125 said:

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Anyone have good advice on a running watch? Looking at the garmin 235 forerunner and was wondering if anyone had any good input..

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What all do you want it to do? I've had the Garmin 405 for years, and it's great. I switched to the 230 a few months ago, mainly b/c I wanted the bluetooth connectivity for uploading my running data.

The 230 does everything I need/want: GPS, bluetooth, HR (I prefer chest strap b/c I've heard optical isn't as accurate), recovery advisor, V02 estimate, etc.

I went from a Garmin 920XT to a Apple Watch version 3 with data and love it. Before the Apple Watch I had a Garmin of some variation for 5 years.

I have a garmin vivoactive 3 and I love it. It has a few more features than the 235 I believe, like a touchscreen.

I have a Garmin Fenix 5X and the wife has a Fenix 5S. Since it doesn't look plasticy and like a running watch, we both find that we wear it almost everywhere instead of just when we run.

Regardless of model, go with Garmin. I also like having the built-in heart rate, though not as accurate as a chest strap it does track HR all day.

I have a 235 and love it. For what it's worth, I've found the built-in optical hr close enough for government work. Every time I've done a comparison test with an HR strap, the 235 ans the watch with an hr strap are within a beat of each other.

Did either of you spring for the sapphire crystal, and if so, has it held up well?

My Fenix 3 has the regular face, and it has a good bit of scratches and dings in it from use over the years. I'm looking to upgrade at some point, and wondering if the sapphire is worth it.

I've had a Fenix 3 Saphire for 2 years and the face still looks new. Band is a little worn but not terrible for every day wear.

AgEng06 said:

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Did either of you spring for the sapphire crystal, and if so, has it held up well?

My Fenix 3 has the regular face, and it has a good bit of scratches and dings in it from use over the years. I'm looking to upgrade at some point, and wondering if the sapphire is worth it.

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I got the Fenix 5X sapphire and my wife's 5S isn't sapphire. She already has a scratch on her face and my glass looks good as new. The only damage/wear on my watch is a scratch on the bezel, which isn't bad considering how much I put it through.

If you don't care about the looks of your watch, save the money on the sapphire. If you do want to avoid scratches and have a watch you can wear around, spring for the sapphire.

For those of you with the Fenix 5, do you not find it too large? I have the 235 and was debating upgrading to it, but after trying it on I'm leaning more towards the 735/935.

htxag09 said:

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For those of you with the Fenix 5, do you not find it too large? I have the 235 and was debating upgrading to it, but after trying it on I'm leaning more towards the 735/935.

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DC Rainmaker has a great side-by-side x6 comparison image at https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2017/03/garmin-forerunner-935-depth-review.html (scroll down a little bit)

The Fenix 5, especially the 5X which is the size of the Fenix 3, is a large and slightly heavy watch. There's no getting around that. I was willing to make that sacrifice for an everyday watch that I could take on a run.

The 935 is a nice looking watch and would probably be my choice if I wasn't looking for a wear-everywhere watch nor concerned with scratches on the screen. I think you can get screen protectors for the '35s but I don't have any experience with them.

Thanks for the feedback, guys.

This is a timely thread...I am debating between a FR35, FR235, and the Vivoactive 3. With my corporate discount, I can get FR235 and Vivoactive 3 for the same price.

Am I missing out on any key running-specific features if I go with Vivoactive 3 over the FR235? I plan on using it for running (1-2 marathons per year, 20mi/wk when not training, not elite level).

Not sure what your discount is, but I've got some onetime use 35% off codes which would get the 235 or VA3 for $162.50 off of garmin's website right now.

If he doesn't want it, I'd be happy to use it. I plan on buying a Fenix 5X soon.

I've got more than one, so you've got dibs on one. Looks like it should knock the price down to $422.50 for the 5x. ***email removed*** if anyone else is interested, leave a way for me to get in contact with you.

Sure, if you still have another Discount code! I'll shoot you an email too (if still available)

Yeah, i think i've got 4-6, so you're in

Thanks! Email sent.

HEy bud do you still have a code coupon. Certainly would appreciate it!!

Thanks! Email sent.

Any more codes left?

I tentatively have codes for 2 forerunners, 1 vivo, and 1 or 2 fenix remaining.