Garmin - Forerunner 955 Solar

Definitely still a cracking and viable watch, the only issue is that Garmin love putting out new features on more recent watches that older ones would be perfectly capable of running too. So if you're like me and will get frustrated at not being able to see something like training readiness (955 might have this but it's just an example of a newer feature I could think of), then you might want the 965 instead. If you just want a watch that does all the good, expected, fitness features and will be supported for the years to come with any necessary bugfixes etc. then the 955 will be perfectly serviceable

Just went for a hike today with my 955. Could see the maps clear as day.

I have a 955, love it. Still getting updates, and my experience has been pretty bug free with it.

The battery life is dependent on how much you use it. If you do 5h of activities a week vs 30h, the battery won't last very long. When I did about 7h activities a week, best satellite settings, no music, it lasted about 8-9 days. Without using GPS only indoor activities, it would last longer, but yeah still dependent on how much activities. Atm I'm only doing ~3h of activities, all indoor so no GPS, and it lasts about 12 days. I still love it and my only worry is I don't know what I would upgrade to in the future, nothing else is really comparably good. I'd like there to be a 995MIP or something.

I've been trying to figure out exactly this right now.... Here's some info which may help. I have an Apple Ultra 2 and that is my everyday smartwatch. It works OK for run run tracking and there's a pretty good app for surf tracking. I just recently tried it with swim and it's OK. The auto sets feature (e.g. recognizing 4 laps as a 100) is pretty reliable, but I don't think that the automatic split times are especially accurate. HR is somewhat accurate. I've tried both the built-in workouts app as well as the [swim.com](http://swim.com) app and although the latter is generally better for "real" swimming it doesn't really fit with my training workflow which involves transferring workouts to Training Peaks. I also wear prescription goggles (-3.0) and find the display very difficult to read in certain scenarios, especially when the screen dims. Some of the data fields are ridiculously small and there is no way to change them. I also have a couple of Garmin devices (Forerunner 955 and Epix gen 2) and for the sake of this discussion both are the same with the exception of the screen technology. The Epix is AMOLED and objectively "better" but the 955 is so much easier to read at the pool. Garmin's auto rest feature (automatic lap/set vs rest feature) is almost good. The issue is that the motion detection is way too sensitive so if I move my arm at all during rest it thinks I'm still swimming. The algorithm also has trouble with rests shorter than 20s so it's common to see workout sets recorded as one big swim blob with some periods of no movement sprinkled in. HR accuracy is similar to apple... at least it was similar for the few times that I wore both to compare. I think that I've settled on wearing the 955 for swimming in the manual mode where I have to press the lap button at the start end end of each rest period. This gives me the most accurate representation of what I did for that session along with pace and HR data that makes sense within the context of the workout. The display is super-easy to read and gives me the information that I need in the pool. The transfer to Training Peaks is seamless and everything appears to be working well at this point. At some point I'm sure I'll stop caring about the exact structure of the workout that I did and just use the watch to record the whole thing. It is possible to pre-build workouts in both platforms and there are virtual coaching products that work with both. I never investigated what's available as I have a human coach who takes care of dictating my daily torture. I will say that having the watch execute the workout isn't all it's cracked up to be. Neither platform is especially good about providing visibility into what is coming up and in some cases barely conveys what you're supposed to be doing right now. If the watch messes up with counting laps then it could put you into a rest period at the wrong time and generally get you out of place in your workout. In some cases it's extremely difficult to go back and repeat a section of a workout. I've gone back to the post-it note stuck to my water bottle as the high-tech way of bringing my workout to the pool. With the workout transcribed in pencil and a rubber band as a safety it's pretty much fool proof.

If you want it only for running, then look at forerunner 255/265 or 955/965 (these with 5 in the middle have MIP screens, these with 6 have AMOLED). I'm recommending these since they're smaller and lighter, but if you like the looks of fenix 7 go for it. In terms of HR recording you're gonna need chest strap for running if you want to get accurate measurements. Measuring the heart rate from wrist is good until it come down to trainings with variable intensity, for example the watch alone is very bad at recording hr during intervals. In terms of GPS, fr 955/965 have the best one (multiband gps). The difference is visible when recording next to high building or in the forest. The type of screen is something where you need to see comparison between these two, I'm personally in love with MIP for its visibility when being outside and way better battery life. But everyone prefers something different so this decision is up to you. I personally have fenix 7s which i bought mainly for everyday use and hiking/biking. But I started to run with it and it's perfect for me. Everyday training suggestions are very nice, especially if you wear the watch all the time. It's taking many factors into account (for example sleep, stress, training load, your performance and many more) so every training is adjusted to you, no need to think what you should do.

For getting back into running, I used the 955 solar, and the HRM pro plus, which gives you not only good HR data, but also data on how your left and your right is balanced, stride, etc, which is interesting and helps you avoid injuries better.

Many of us have been here. Just get the best Garmin you can afford and you'll never look back. I bought the EPIX 2, and love it, but the Forerunner 9xx series are probably the best bang for buck if you're into fitness training.

It's OK, but the workout builder is kind of cumbersome to use. Lots of tapping, then turning dials, then tapping. Just a poorly conceived user interface. The issue I have with all of them is that you become a slave to the watch in the pool. Need an extra 10s rest? Well you had better hurry up and pause the watch because if you let it get into the next interval then it's a total pain to back up. I had one workout where it was a series of 25yd sprints with short rest in between. The Apple Watch got totally confused and double-counted laps so it was having me finish the set in half the time. There was no easy way to get out of that so I ended up pausing the watch and finishing the set without recording. It's so much easier just to write the workout down and let the watch record it. Plus I find that the act of writing it down commits it to memory. I've settled on Garmin as it just works better with Training Peaks and that's a key feature for me. I do wish it was smarter about auto-lap but it has been 100% accurate hitting the lap button after every lap. To be clear when I say lap I don't mean length of the pool I mean collection of lengths (eg 50s, 100s, etc)

[9 Best Hiking Watches (2025) with GPS Worth Investing In](https://alaskanarrows.com/best-hiking-watches-with-gps-2025/) But if I'm gonna sum up my advice after all the research I've done on smartwatches and owning many (got the Fenix 7 and Instinct 2)...the Garmin Instinct 2 Solar is overall the best value for money watch you can get. If you want more advanced navigation and features then the Garmin Forerunner 955 and if you're drawn to something a bit different with strong battery and maps then check out the Coros Apex 2 Pro

955 Solar. Jack of all trades. It's my 3rd FR, 6th Garmin device (also have had Edge devices for cycling). Not to mention HR straps. Personally love it.

I got my first running watch (a clunky ass Tomtom that only worked for running and maybe biking) in 2015 and I replaced it in 2019 for an Apple Watch because of a heavy discount I got through work (it ended up costing me like $100). At this time, I was also foraying beyond running and I appreciated the multi-sport capabilities. It was great and got the job done through multiple marathon cycles but after a marathon where the GPS crapped out at miles 20-23 (literally the worst time possible) I decided it was time to get myself a proper sports watch and bought a Garmin Forerunner 955 (or 945, idk/idc). This was in 2022 and unless it betrays me late in a race or it breaks/battery dies, I don't anticipate replacing it until 2030. The battery life is outrageous compared to a regular Apple Watch, the material is durable, and I haven't had a single bad GPS incident. Are you happy with your current watch?

955 is on sale right now and is a pretty sweet deal, other than that, getting 970 cus its the latest is the safest bet.

I went through exactly the same scenario recently. Here's the brief version of what I found. Apple Watch Alone: Does an excellent job of recording sessions, but the data display during the workout is limited and doesn't include some fields I want. Personally I found the display slightly difficult to read. It was also quite frustrating that when transferred to Training Peaks the workout was broken up into 25yd pool lengths rather than the actual sets I swam. Apple + swim.com: This one works really well. I'm still not thrilled with the data display, but it is more useful than AW alone. Recording accuracy is excellent. The only issue that I had was the quality of the downloaded data into Training Peaks. No matter how I did it (and I took a number of different approaches) the HR data was wonky. Garmin (I'm using the 955, but they're all essentially the same): Data display is fully customizable so I can show exactly what I want and the rest timer display is useful. Note that the 955 has the older MIP display rather than the AMOLED that is all the rage now. The MIP is absolutely my preference as it is far easier to read in/at the pool and the rest timer screen is much clearer. Data transfer to Training Peaks is perfect. I don't use the auto-set feature on Garmin as it is far too sensitive of motion during rest, plus it's really unreliable if the rest interval is less than 20s (which most of mine are). I had one session where a descending set of 100s was recorded as one 800 since the rest was only about 15sec between. Now I have auto-lap off and hit the lap button when I push off at the start of a lap and again when I touch the wall at the end to start the rest timer. The watch does an excellent job of recording pool lengths and overall lap distance. I started out by trying to program the workout into the watch and then have the watch run it, but this proved to be cumbersome. First off, there's no truly clean way to get my coach's workout into the watch directly so there was always some manual intervention required. Second, if the watch mis-counted something or I needed to re-start a set the process was extremely frustrating in the pool. Now I just write the workout on a post-it with pencil and stick that to my water bottle. I just use the watch to record the workout. I'm currently using the Garmin to record swim workouts and it's working very well for me.

It was on sale until yesterday i think, and lasted about from prime day. In Canada, anyway. Got it for $470 CAD with taxes

Some metrics that i don't know if they are important, flashlight, which his great, better HR sensor, it seems more snappy to me, ability to call from the watch and a very beautiful screen. But as I said, 955 is a great watch! If you are a MIP lover, go for it!

I use a Garmin Forerunner watch, and it displays heart rate while tracking activity. The reading is pretty visible to me even with slightly foggy goggles but ymmv. They have a lot of models with this capability, so maybe you can find one with a bigger screen. The default heart rate screen also has a colored Zone indicator, if that's easier to see & you're not looking for exact numbers https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=kbOXNev7NS4DQcc3IjAV49

You can still find it in online retailers with killer discounts. Same for the 955. For the value you can't beat them atm.

I have mine since Jan 2023. It has 14d fully charged.

>Its a Vivoactive by another name. ironically i've been looking at the FR series to upgrade my old vivoactive. lack of altimeter is deal breaker for me.

Seems like I missed it. Just ordered a 955 with 2 year extended warranty for $366 USD after taxes.

Since you're a runner using Runna and want better battery life, the sweet spot is probably the Forerunner 265 if you want something light, run-focused and comes with AMOLED brightness which your Galaxy probably has. If you want more of a "smartwatch vibe" with a mic for calls then maybe the Venu 2 Plus is the only Garmin that adds voice assistant and call handling but its training metrics aren't quite as deep as the Forerunner 955/965 series ones If I were you I'd also consider the Forerunner 955 or 965 for serious running and battery though, it's pretty much the best watch you can get as a runner IMO or you could try [9 Best Smartwatches Worth Investing in 2025 for Running and Hiking](https://alaskanarrows.com/best-smartwatches-in-2025-for-hiking-and-running/) for others as well Cheers

You'll be forced to use MyFitnessPal for food tracking, since the watch and Connect app don't do it natively. I've got a 955 and an index scale and I still don't bother with MFP at all, I use a different app. The watch doesn't really do any good measurement of training load for strength training either, like it shows something but it's inconsistent and won't provide training load recommendations since strength is always considered anaerobic. I agree with OP, unless you intend to do some aerobic work too (hiking, running, cycling, etc) I wouldn't recommend a Garmin just for Strength training.

I had a $20 vivo active 2 that was super simple. Wanted heart rate so I got a cheap Fitbit. Wanted better tracking and ability to use chest strap heart monitor, so i got a used forerunner 735xt. Fitbit wanted a subscription to see most of the data. Garmin cost more but didn't require subscription. It worked good enough but was aged technology. Got a good deal on a used 955($200 used). It's a MIP screen and I order it over newer OLED screens.

This is historically not true. The 255 and 955 have been updated with major updates over the last few years that kept them relevant for users and a high quality option for second hand purchasing.

There's a garmin quiz thing online that I used. It's asks a bunch of questions and then will match you with some watches. I don't know enough about them to give you an answer but that's how I ended up with my 955

I had a coros pace 1 and switched to Garmin 955. The garmin is way better for swimming

I got a 255 for 250 euros. At the time of my purchase the 955 was at 390 euros. I think that's a good deal.

Look for a certified waterproof refurbished Garmin, maybe in the Forerunner family. Personally I would go back as far as the \_55 models (255, 755, 955, etc.).

I had 955 and now have 970. The visual difference is enormous. I think it is not being updated anymore regarding new features. Other than that it is a great watch!

Im rocking a 955 and I love it

Garmin Forerunner 955 Note on the Garmin watches... for the most part the pool swim functionality is the same between all models. This falls apart a bit with older models that are no longer being sold, but if you can buy it from Garmin and it has the Pool Swim activity then it's going to be the same as any other currently-available model. Also, the auto-lap function is completely useless and will result in total frustration as your set of 10x50 gets counted as 125+300+75+400+50. Use the manual function and get used to hitting the lap button at the start and end of each rest, or use an Apple Watch with the [swim.com](http://swim.com) app.