If you want to get a fitness tracker, and you have a good budget to work with, we will always put Garmin on the top of your list. They are, undoubtedly, the kings of fitness trackers at this point. They have the fēnix series, a multipurpose and extreme activity tracker at a premium price point. They also make the vívosmart series that is meant to be an entry-level fuss free fitness tracker.

They also make rather focused fitness trackers too, specific to different sport functions. One of the most popular models in their line-up is the Forerunner series. It is hardly surprising though, the Garmin Forerunner series is made specifically for running, one of the simplest activities you can do to start getting in shape. It is also probably something you have been doing for a while now.

Garmin introduced their Forerunner 245 about two years ago. The Forerunner 245 is made for the intermediate runners, or people who are already quite familiar with running. It packs all sorts of tech that a runner might want. You get GPS, an adaptive training plan feature, specific sensors to track your stride lengths, ground contact time, balance, and whatever you need to know about your running posture. Of course, there is a heart-rate sensor built into the watch.

That was two years ago, it is 2022 and the Forerunner 200 series needs a successor, a modern refresh of some sorts. Welcome to the Forerunner 255, the new and improved mid-range Forerunner.

Better in Every Way

Very much like the Forerunner 245 it replaces; it is made for the enthusiast runners. It is better though, with longer battery life – 14 days on a single charge. It has an accurate GPS as well, in GPS tracking mode, it will last up to 30 hours.

It is also lighter at just below 50g. It is so light; you are not going to feel any resistance or weight in your arms as you go for your run. Of course, you might want to wear it to sleep as well, which means the lack of weight will not affect your sleep at all.

They made it to be more durable too. The entire body is made to be as rugged as a runner’s watch can be. Its included silicon band is made to last a long time and to withstand plenty of sweat without disintegrating.

Of course, the Forerunner 255 also retains all its exercise tracking functions to not just track your running, but to improve your lifestyle as well. it features more than 30+ exercise modes including a triathlon mode to make the Forerunner 255 even more versatile than before. Its advanced sleep tracking function not only measure your sleep patterns and heart rate. It also gives you suggestions to improve your sleep and to get through your day.

If you are going for a race, the watch can also be your coach in recommending programs for you to hit your goals. It helps you understand your body a little better too with a recovery time recommendation and performance condition tracking. At the same time, the watch tracks your training history and intensity to optimise your trainings and fitness regimes. In a race, it can even predict your training’s impact and estimates your finishing time.

Of course, to keep track of everything, you do not need to just rely on the small watch face you get on the Forerunner 255. Despite the brilliant 1.3-inch display protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass 3, you still want to see all your efforts in a report on a larger display. That is where the Garmin Connect app compatibility comes in. It also supports Garmin Pay, in case you need to quickly pop-by for coffee or any other things.

Price and Availability

The Garmin Forerunner 255 is now available in the North American region. The most basic Forerunner 255 is retailing for US$ 349 (MYR 1,532*) onward. There is also a music variant that allows your Garmin Forerunner to connect to your wireless earbuds and play music directly from the smartwatch itself for US$ 399 (MYR 1,751*) onward. You can get your Forerunner 255 in either 41mm or 46mm watch face sizes. There are no announcements yet on its availability in other regions, including Malaysia. Of course, we expect to see Garmin launching their Forerunner 255 in Malaysia in the coming months.

*Approximately based on exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.39 as of 06/01/2022 on xe.com