GarminForerunner® 255, GPS Running Smartwatch, Advanced Insights, Long-Lasting Battery, Slate Gray

Upgrading from a VERY beat up Vivoactive 3 I got second hand, it is a night and day difference. The battery life is amazing going for weeks at a time. I don't use sleep tracking much but it is more comfortable than the Vivoactive 3 in those situations. I often found the HR monitor would bother me seeing the flicker when sleeping but that has not been an issue when I napped with this. I prefer the button controls over touchscreen, especially when working out since the screen would get sweaty and not respond well. Built like a tank, this thing will likely hold up for years and years beyond the battery losing starting to degrade. Display is great and easy to read, especially in the black and white workout mode. I have no issue with sun glare like I did with the Vivoactive watch. I got this on a great sale during Prime Day, so it was an amazing value for all the features in this watch. Now I just need to get back into running regularly!

I bought this several days ago and I am very satisfied! Firstly, the shipping was great. It only took 1 day! Thanks for Amazon. Secondly, Garmin watch is good. You can see a lots of data from the watch as well as the app on the phone. I feel I can monitor my body from the data easily from now on. The battery is good as well, I charged once in the 1st day. After 1 week, I still have more than 6 days remaining. Perfect!

This watch does everything we need! Love the fitness tracking capabilities and it has a long battery life as well. It has a good size Watch face but is still fairly light weight. My husband somehow lost his in the yard and ran it over with the lawn mower… we immediately bought another one.. that’s how much he liked it !

I have been a fan of Garmin for many years. This one is perfect for runners. Accurate information is provided every use.

As a fitness tracking watch this is an awesome introduction to the Garmin platform. We are a Garmin and Apple family with four Garmins and two Apple Watches. I use this Garmin for walking, running, cycling, stretching and general workouts. I’m very happy with this watch and the data it provides.As I said I can compare this watch to several others. Let’s start with battery life. Our Apples are on the charger every night. The Garmins all go at least a week, I average 9 days. We also have an Instinct, a 965, and a Golf. Biggest “complaint” is forgetting to charge them.My 255 connects to my Apple iPhone 15 without issue. It also connects seamlessly with my MacBook Pro, zero issues. I have and use separate HRM’s because for intense workouts I don’t think a wrist based HRM is the answer. My chest strap is much better than my watch for workouts. The 965 however is much more accurate during runs (compared against arm strap HRM) so Garmin maybe uses different HR sensors in different models? For walking and general use during the day my 255 works great!Value for $… I’d strongly recommend this watch without hesitation if you’re thinking about entering the fitness watch/smart watch world.I entered this fitness data world because of age. I have a friend who is alive because of data changes he noticed in his heart during exercise. A triple bypass later and this fit cyclist is still riding with me. At 60+ I thought this data was for younger more aggressive athletes. Not so. I am now a data nerd and train regularly partly because of it.Didn’t think it was important, in honesty didn’t know it was a thing but I now am aware of HRV, FTP, Training Status, Sleep tracking, and Watts. It’s addictive. But knowledge is power and knowledge can be healthy. I owe a 25 pound weight loss to this knowledge (and a lot of work). This watch alone won’t cause weight loss but for me it was a part of the puzzle.I really like my Garmin Forerunner 255. That said, my next one will probably be a 965, but at the price difference I’m not 100% sure the difference is justified, certainly not if this is your intro to the data! The reason I will likely “upgrade” is simply because my daughter has the 965 and I want to be able to share that (cool, we both have the same watch) with her 😉Final thought as I wrap up this review, as I said I’m getting older and as such my near vision isn’t great without readers but I can actually see the time on this watch so.. there’s that.

I’ve been using the Garmin Forerunner 255 for a few months now, and I’m genuinely impressed. It strikes a great balance between advanced performance features and everyday usability. The GPS accuracy is top-notch, thanks to the dual-frequency support, and I’ve had no issues with tracking even in areas with spotty reception like wooded trails or city streets.Battery life is a huge plus—it easily lasts close to two weeks in smartwatch mode and over a day with continuous GPS. The design is lightweight and comfortable for all-day wear, including during sleep tracking, and the five-button interface is simple and responsive (though I do sometimes miss having a touchscreen).Training features are where this watch really shines. It supports multiple sports modes, heart rate variability, stress tracking, and Garmin’s “Body Battery” to gauge overall energy levels. The race predictor, morning report, and recovery time estimates are surprisingly useful. Sleep tracking is detailed and generally accurate, and syncing with the Garmin Connect app is smooth.My only minor complaint is that you need the Music version if you want onboard music storage; otherwise, you're just controlling your phone’s playback. Also, no touchscreen might be a con for some, but the physical buttons work great in sweaty or wet conditions.