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

I am not a runner but I have been considering a Garmin watch for a long time because I am usually an active hiker. I haven't been as active for a while and I feel like the wellness tracking this device offers is helping me back on track. This has been one of those purchases that I wish I had pulled the trigger on sooner now that I have it. Combined with the web app I really love the amount of detail that I can get and the variety of things I can easily track. I've found the GPS tracking on my longer walks to be very accurate so far. I also enjoy the variety of customization options both native to the watch and through Connect IQ score. I know that the sleep, stress, body battery, etc, are not the most accurate, but they are still a great tool for getting a rough idea of where I can improve. For me, being called out by something as neutral as data is very helpful and I appreciate being able to see trends and make note of things that I could change for the better. I do have to take some of the body measurements with a grain of salt because of medications that I take, like the HRV-based stress readings (always high for me), so you should take that into consideration if you are prescribed any kind of medication that either stimulates or sedates. I am so glad I went with the smaller model, I am a petite person and it feels like the perfect size for my wrist. I don't find it to be obtrusive at all. I don't love the silicone band and went with an alternative that looks better at the office and doesn't bother my skin as much.

Great watch, great battery. The heart rate sensor is accurate, lightweight.

I’ve been a Garmin user for over 10 years, and I upgraded from the Forerunner 745 to the Forerunner 255. This is an excellent upgrade and immediately feels like a more refined and capable watch. The 255 is lighter and more comfortable to wear all day, and the battery life is noticeably better than the 745. I’m also seeing improved GPS accuracy and more consistent tracking overall. The updated metrics, including HRV status and the newer training insights, provide more useful data to support training and recovery. Performance is smooth, reliable, and exactly what I expect from Garmin. It keeps everything I liked about the 745 while improving the areas that matter most, especially battery life, comfort, and tracking accuracy. If you’re coming from the 745, the Forerunner 255 is absolutely a worthwhile upgrade. Highly recommended.

I really am enjoying this watch. I'll start off by saying it I used to have an Apple watch but no longer have an iPhone so I was looking for an alternative. I've used Fitbit and apple watches and feel they are accurate at tracking things like heart rate and GPS. This watch feels the most accurate out of both of those. The Garmin app isn't as pretty and easy to use as Fitbit but the quality and information is so much better. Also the customization of this watch is insane. From multiple backgrounds to the way you can set up what information you want to see during any given workout is awesome. As you can tell by my watch face there is a great amount of information just by looking at the first screen and more if you scroll around. This is the 46mm case size and I really think it's the perfect balance between being able to see the information and not being too bulky. Obviously the tranflective display is not as pleasing as an AMOLED display like and apple watch, galaxy watch, pixel watch, or Garmins own venu or epix watches but it honestly is not that bad. Also I've heard of bad backlight reviews on the Garmin watches where the screen looks washed out and blue when the backlight is on and I think I got a good one. It's almost been two weeks and I'm still at 67% battery life. I have yet to swim with the watch but it feels like good quality and the gps has been accurate on my runs. I was thinking of getting a Fenix 6 since they are much cheaper now but the features and less bulkiness of this Garmin Forerunner 255 sold me. The gray color is okay but I might end up going with a different band style and color in the future. The video taken with the backlight on is with the brightness at 20%. Take your fitness goals to the next level and get this watch!

A quality watch that is not too pricey and good for beginners or serious athletes.

I have owned Apple Watches and Samsung Watches and sleep trackers and step counters in the past. The tech watches are nice if you like to charge your watch daily/nightly or often. The other trackers are nice if you want specific data. This watch's battery life is about a week with my usage, which is great for me! It tracks most of what I want to know. I wear it to bed, I wear it in the shower. It tracks my sleep. It helps me track my heart rate in the dry sauna. I like the breathwork meditation settings as well. It's even gotten me to run a bit more than I would have otherwise. The Watch Faces are adjustable and the app is OK. The step counter and heart rate and respiration and sleep tracking are all great. I check my hours slept every morning and it's pretty accurate. Sometimes it will detect that I have woken up but will log me as going back to sleep when I knew that I was awake for 2 hours in the night (see photo) I am still trying to understand all it's tracking like body battery and recovery hours. Garmin is a health nerd's dream brand. I see a lot of athletes and sauna / cold plunge enthusiasts with Garmin watches. The notifications aren't my favorite (getting a message on my phone or whatever), but they are easy to turn off. I am super happy with this watch. The only thing I wish would be improved is a better charging port like USB-C. This requires a specific charger. I bought 5 extra cables to put in bags or around my house because I have so many cables now that this one is easy to lose track of.

great features, most settings can be adjusted with your phone instead of having to do it on the watch. You can even use your phone to set the display screens that you want to see while exercising. Battery life is LONG. And I much prefer this style of display to the newer ones because it's clearly visible in daylight and bright daylight. The one disappointment is sleep tracking: About half the time, the watch doesn't recognize that I'm asleep for the first 2 hours of my sleep. Example: I go to sleep at 8:30, watch says my sleep began at 10:30. But I had this problem with fitbit too, so it may just be me, the shape of my wrist or something?

Very good watch. Love the tidal blue color. Easy to control and adjust. Delivery is very fast. Very good display with several free watch faces to choose from.