Running is one of the most analog fitness activities you can do — just throw on a pair of running shoes and go. You can do it anywhere (though I prefer the lush, tree-lined road in Brooklyn's Prospect Park) and you don't need to drop thousands on equipment just to get started. It's easy to fall in love with the runner's high and the feeling of simply getting outside and putting your body to work. After some experience, though, you may fall in love with something a little less analog: data.
With a myriad of available training plans, online coaching sessions and the latest in advanced research, tracking your heart rate and pace — among other things — is key to becoming the best runner you can be. If you really want to unlock your potential, or just want to keep tabs on your heart rate while you are on the road, you need a running watch.
Not only do most of today's running watches keep track of your heart rate, but a quality watch can also monitor your runs with GPS, connect to Strava for seamless activity tracking, measure your blood's oxygen levels, track your sleep and even store music so you can run phone-free. Oh, they also keep time, too.
If you're looking for peak performance from your running watch, you can start and end your search with the latest and greatest from the leader in GPS devices, the Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar. Garmin has become synonymous with GPS tracking, whether you're a runner, a cyclist, an avid sportsman or auto enthusiast, and this is the brand's newest running-specific wearable that takes things way beyond GPS tracking.
I've been a Garmin fan for years, but I've really only ever used the brand's Edge series cycling computers and heart rate monitors — this is my first foray into its running watches. From the moment of unboxing, I knew this device would be my new go-to, not only for tracking my fitness, but for daily wear as well. Here are my findings after a month of testing.
What's Good About the Forerunner 955 Solar?
It has battery life for days (literally).
I'll just start by saying this: I've had this watch for a month now. I use it every day and I've only charged it once. Not only do I wear it daily, but I use it daily for runs, hikes and bike rides. Garmin has equipped this Forerunner 955 iteration with Power Glass, allowing for solar charging and is a godsend for endurance athletes — and folks like me who are too busy wearing the damn thing to charge it.
If you want some stats that are less anecdotal, here's the nitty-gritty straight from Garmin's testing: the battery will last up to 20 days on smartwatch mode, which includes training and sleep tracking functionality. With solar power, you can get 49 hours of battery life in GPS mode, and if you want to use All-Systems GPS — which uses GPS, GLONASS and GALILEO navigation tracking — along with the watch's music-playing capabilities, the battery will still last 8.5 hours, which is plenty for a solid, long run.
So. Much. Data.
If you want to know anything — and I mean anything — about your body, the Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar can probably tell you. The main source of data for the watch is your heart rate and sleep quality. While these may seem like a couple of simple measurements, the most impressive thing this watch does is crunch the numbers and turn them into more digestible statistics that inform you about your body and its performance abilities.
You'll start each morning with a Training Readiness score, which uses data from previous workouts along with your heart rate and sleep data to let you know what your body can handle that day. While you still want to listen to your body, this is a great motivator with suggested workouts based on your fitness level, real-time stamina tracking, running power, training status, recovery time and more.
I found this data to be extremely helpful in just about every aspect of my training, and in my day-to-day life, too. It reminds me when to take it easy and when to push it, when to get that extra hour of sleep and when I need to take a day or two off. While our bodies are good at telling us what they need, you rarely get this complete of a picture without some added help.
The watch can replace your phone in a lot of ways.
While the Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar can't make calls, it can do a number of other tasks runners or cyclists depend on that would otherwise require phone use. You can receive real-time updates, including calls, texts and app notifications. If you have an Android, you can even reply to text messages straight from the watch. This is semi-standard fare for smartwatches these days, but there are two other features I found even more impressive in my testing: music and Garmin Pay.
Using the Garmin Connect app, you can load playlists or podcasts from Spotify or Apple Music directly onto the watch (up to 2,000 songs) and connect your Bluetooth headphones for phone-free listening. This comes in handy if you don't want to take your phone along or do need your phone, but don't want to suck up the battery. I love having this feature because, as I mentioned before, I'm not great at charging my devices, namely my iPhone.
Possibly even more impressive than music storage is Garmin Pay. You can link your bank and credit card to make contactless payments the same way you'd use Apple Pay. This is ideal for post-run coffees or that mid-run snack you didn't think you'd need. Carrying cash on a run or bike ride is always a good idea, but this alleviates that need in most circumstances.
What's Less Ideal About the Forerunner 955 Solar?
It's tough to get the watch dialed-in.
As you can imagine, with all of the capabilities of this watch, if you really want to get the most out of it, you'll have to spend a lot of time toying with the settings, both on your phone and on the watch itself. The Garmin Connect app is a handy helper, but you'll spend a lot of time on the Garmin website figuring out how to get that one data field into the right spot, or how to get push notifications to only come to your watch when on a run.
The Garmin help center is fairly robust, but it can still be a chore to get things to work exactly how you want them to. With that said, you can pretty much take it out of the box and go if you don't mind using preset functions, but those will only get you so far.
You need Garmin's companion charging cord.
This is a small thing, but you can only charge the watch with the proprietary Garmin charging cord. Charging solely with solar will never work (it's not made to do that), so when the time comes to charge this puppy up, you will be searching through a sea of USB to find the Garmin cable. You can buy off-brand ones online and they do work, but I'd recommend sticking with actual Garmin cables just to make sure you don't accidentally fry the guts of the watch.
Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar: The Verdict
If you're looking to get the most out of your training and take your running to the next level, this is 100 percent the watch for you. If you're a triathlete, this is also a watch that should be on your radar. However, it only comes with running, cycling and swimming profiles. If you're looking for a more outdoor-leaning watch with a barometer, elevation and other statistics required in the backcountry, you'll want to opt for something like the Garmin Fenix or Suunto Peak.
With that said, the GPS is accurate, the battery life is incredible and I really just like wearing this watch every day, whether working out or not. The easy connectivity to Strava is standard with most sports watches, but I still love that I can automatically upload activities to my profile without actually having to do anything. The ability to use Garmin Pay and Spotify are delightful bonuses that I certainly don't need but always appreciate as well.
In the past, I've had sports watches that I solely reserved for workouts because of their size, but the Forerunner's relatively small profile and modest size means it fits my wrists without making me feel like Rambo. The watch band it comes with is extremely comfortable, and the touch-screen is a nice perk, though I do opt for the buttons more often than not. While it is expensive, it's not the most expensive option for a sports watch.
As I stated at the beginning of the review, running starts out as an affordable fitness activity...so why not splurge and add a bit of tech to your setup?
Editor's Note: While we still think highly of this impressive running watch, Garmin has released a new iteration. The Forerunner 965 boasts exceptional battery power in its own right, along with an updated AMOLED display for brighter, more vibrant readings.
