Awesome video Matt as always. I purchased the 255 on your recommendation last year. As you know, I went back and forth on what to buy and was eyeing the 945LTE... I even almost bit on the 745 at one time... but waited and voila the 255 came along. I LOVE mine. Absolutely it is capable and I have zero regrets. So capable at a great price point. Mine has held up as you have indicated and I have zero screen marks and my lifestyle is rough on all my kit. Cannot say enough about this watch - highly recommend. I have the slate grey and as you noted in your initial review, the red accent is a nice look. A great recommendation by you when it was released and I appreciate it!
Glad it's still working well for you. Yeah, I'm super impressed with this one from Garmin. Great value for all the features they offer here. Hope you are well and enjoying that new hat! Thanks again!
The best value for money watch. I think training readiness is deliberately left out as they did for VO2 max for Instinct 1 even if if perfectly capable of for example. I understand their point of view since they have to sell 955/Fenix 7 too.
Forgot to charge my Apple Watch last night and I had to run a virtual 10K for a charity today. I was gutted. But Forerunner 255 was there holding up its charge (still 5d worth left and don’t remember when I last charged it). Had to carry my phone in the water pouch bag for emergencies which I wouldn’t have if it was Apple Watch SE cellular. Great watch, so light and don’t need to worry about scratching it while climbing stairs or on busy streets in Bangalore, India. Great video as always Matt and just in time for today when I used JUST Forerunner 255 for my run :) :) Cheers 🍻
I fully agree! I'm very happy with my 255 after 7 months. As you say, it is not perfect but is a great and affordable watch! Thanks for your videos, Matt!
Hi could you help me with this issue I'm having with my watch. I'm not very technically minded. Does anyone know why the distance on the watch is 4km out compared to the distance downloaded onto the garmin app on my mobile? 😮
Love the 255s Music, was trying to avoid bringing my phone with me and it's perfect. I ordered tempered glass for the face of the watch to protect it and additional band colors for fun.
great review Matt!! we need to talk about your long runs now... cell for music.... just go with no music just kidding enjoy your training! the morning info is awesome!!
I have all of these watches at my disposal. I should probably just suck it up and download a podcast to one of them. Currently I'm enjoying Audible on my runs.
Hi Matt, I've watched through numerous comparison video reviews, and somehow seem to lean in towards your video reviews as it has a more human experience touch to them compared to blasting off full on technical specs. I started with FR645, Pace 2, Pace 3 and now swopped over to the FR255 based on your recommendations. Finally understood the differences and why. Thanks!
The 255 is a great device. I appreciate the kind words Alvin. There are a lot of really great reviews out there and I"m glad you've taken the time to watch some on my channel.
So the 245 has a better map UI and provides training readiness scoring. Whereas the 255 has a better battery life, a way to pay at the counter, and more accurate tracking via dual band. Got it - thank you!
I am also quite happy overall with my FR255, using it 24/7 since late summer last year. Firmware is evolving, with new features like running power without pod or auto gps mode, but still buggy. For example sync issues requiring a soft reset after fw upgrade or font size issues for certain training page layouts with 14.08 since last Friday. I did not experienced the really weird stuff recently, like frozen activity data fields or skewed pace data, which I still saw around Sep 22. Overall a quite capable, reasonably decent looking, light weight and comfy watch.
I bought the 255 music almost exclusively so that I could get this watch in white. Is it dumb to spend an extra $50 for a colour I want? Maybe. But I wear it every day, and I far prefer the white to the other colours - plus the ability to listen to music on the watch is a nice plus on the rare times I want to use that feature!
Great job Matt. You mentioned how Garmin dials down some of the software features for the middle/lower models. I am a tennis player. I play a good 3x a week, when I can. But, no mid range Garmin models have tennis or pickelball sports profiles. I don’t know why Garmin does that. It’s not as if Garmin has created some special metrics for tennis as they have done for some of their activities. Of course, I could create a generic profile on a 255. But, even the lowest Polar has tennis. And, that is why I have a Polar Vantage M2.
@@highseastrader4190 As far as I am concerned, there is a difference. I can go into the Polar Flow app and tell exactly how many times I played tennis, in a month, year, etc…. You can’t do that on a generic Garmin cardio profile.
@@johnmanley4528 you can rename any activity in Garmin connect. So if you select “rowing” for instance, every time you play tennis, just rename it to Tennis afterwards and you can view all your Tennis activities over time.
Thanks for the review! I also have a very small wrist for a guy, and my regular watch is 41mm... but based on your recommendation, I've ordered the 46mm. Hopefully it won't look too oversized.
Yeah, that’s my recommendation. I’ll be curious to hear what you think of the size. It is bigger than what you’re used to but I’ve grown fond of the size. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
OH man, you've got some moooooody lighting going on! The misty drone work is fantastic. It is good to see you running around, your injuries are all remedied? There was one segment where you were tiptoeing and it reminded me playing "hot lava" as a kid. Say...Vo2 numbers... I know they are not clinical grade accurate...but does altitude come into it? For example, my Vo2 number reads 54 versus your, which looks like it is 52 (we're comparable Matt!!!). I love the data - I love having all the numbers and talk about them (tells me I'm not fast enough in more metrics!) The auto-GPS mode is really cool! That race event coming up thing is so cool! HRV! I needed that - I've never know the high versus low HRV. I hate being dyslexic, can never remember. I did a big week over Thanksgiving and my watch got sassy with me - said I was "overreaching" and sure enough, I blew up. Stupid watch can see the future! Huh, training readiness is missing from my Solar 2 as well! Those turkeys. I always took my body battery as that number - I never read the title on the screen. I'm a bit of a goldfish... It is a hoot getting to come along this journey with you. Thanks for sharing a bit of your life with the internet people.
Thanks for watching this one!!! The running is coming along but it's going to be a long time before I'm 100% (if that ever happens). I'm very excited that I ran a 6 miler a week ago. I haven't run that long in 2 years. I don't know how altitude effects VO2 max. That's a good question. The Instinct 2's GPS tested just as accurate as any other watch I've tested and I think it's getting HRV data maybe . . . 🤷♂️. I know it's getting running power and that morning report at some point. Hope all is well in the 'Rado!!!
@@mlegrand Things are good!!! I'm being much more intentional and focused with my training this year and the watch is such a great tool. I'm so glad you've been able to get back to running! It feels like part of your soul is missing when you can't exercise the way you want - while I don't feel that way about running, I understand how you feel. That's what I hear (the morning report stuff). How do I get all that? SHOW ME YOUR WAYS XOXO
Excellent and pertinent review as always! This was truly a great watch to focus on! It's funny because I just recently spent all this time focused on the top end watches, but this is so much more relevant to the every day user. And as I watched your video I realized the significant value even further. Not that I hadn't realized it completely before, but my focus has always been on the total package of the 955, but at $500 is still out of many peoples price range! Would it be okay if I find inspiration in this video and do a 255 focused one as well? Awesome work
Yeah, absolutely. I can't wait to see your take on the 255! I will say that typically people spending more money on high end watches might watch more videos online about those watches. Or at least, that's what it seems like to me. (those Fenix videos do extremely well for example).
As always, great video, Matt. Unfortunately I had to replace my 255 due to a poor GPS connection and got a new one. But the buttons on this new one, and also on the old one are pretty shitty tbh, feel extremely cheap. I upgraded to an Enduro 2 just to end all complaints 😅 and it works perfectly so far and the buttons feel like they should, no sticking, no double clicks, etc. Keep up the good work
This is actually really fantastic feedback. I agree that the buttons feel sticky. I haven't had any issues but they don't feel as good as they should. The Enduro 2 review is coming soon. I've been wearing that watch a lot lately and it's a beast. I'm coming up on 100 days with that watch. I love the Morning report software update and the fact that you only need to charge it once per month. 🤯 Keep me posted on how you're enjoying it or any issues you notice. Thanks Clita!
I returned mine because of the sticky, double clicking buttons which seems to be a common issue. Unbelievable not a single review I watched talked about this issue.
@@johnbanks6547 - Hey John, maybe some reviewers don’t want to upset the manufacturers but the reviewers that I like (@dcrainmaker, @desfit, etc) don’t mind calling out companies at all. In fact negative videos tend to do well on TH-cam. I reviewed this watch positively because I really believe this is an amazing value option. But the button issue is legitimate. Mine are clicky in a weird way. It hasn’t been an issue for me and I didn’t mention it but I understand what people are referring to. If you hate your 255, make sure to return it quickly. There are other good options out there.
I would probably take advantage of the mega sale on the 255: amzn.to/3VKyidy You might also check out the 165 if you’re interested in the brighter AMOLED screen. I just posted a video about it on this channel. Best of luck!!! 👍
My gut feeling is that it won't happen. I think they're trying to simplify this Forerunner watch series of devices. And it seems like everything is getting bigger these days. I'd love to be wrong. The 745 was a really great watch. Accurate GPS, good heart rate and decent battery life. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
You haven't mentioned about BIG DISSAPOINTMENT about 255. It doesn't have configurable Navigation Data Fields that are available is FR 245. No TH-camr talk about it.
Interesting. I never use this watch for navigation. It’s super odd that they’d leave something off of the 255 from the 245. Thanks for posting this for others considering this watch. 👌
First 2 minutes took me, so I decided to feed YT algorithm. It was time well spent. Really pro examples, great comparisons. If I'll get ready for an ultra trail night run next year, I might need 255 for it, as currently I'm using Samsung Active 2. Its battery will probably not hold 11h on GPS. I'm also looking for a watch for a friend. He's way better in running than me, but not in technology. Enough to say that he has some simple watch with 2 buttons, and he doesn't know what's the second one for. He needs great battery for ultra runs. Is Forerunner 245 enough for such user?
Thanks for the kind words about the first 2 minutes. Maybe I should keep using this format. 🤔 But I think the 255 is a significant improvement over the 245. I'd skip the 255 music because I typically don't use music directly on the watch and it's a bit of a battery suck. If music is important the 955 base model has it along with a lot more memory.
Thanks Matt for the amazing review, you're producing the best smartwatch reviews I have seen on TH-cam so far! Small question: you said that the 255 measures your heart rate variability overnight and in the morning it "spits out" your overal HRV value (indicating how well you are recovering/sleeping). What I was wondering, does the 255 refine the daily suggested workouts based on this HRV metric, or is this something you have to factor in yourself (because I don't mind missing the training readiness score metric, as long as the suggested workouts are "tailormade" to my training load/recovery)? Going to buy the 255 in a few weeks, can't wait!
I do believe that the workout suggestions are effected by the nights HRV score. I wish Garmin would just add training readiness to this watch. I don’t understand what’s holding it back. 🤷🏻♂️
I don't actually own a 255s. I have a Venu 3 which is similar size and the 255 which I like quite a bit. Personally, I think I'd prefer the 255 for cycling but they're both great options. Let me know if you have any specific questions.
I’ve just bought one of these to replace my FR645 which is struggling with battery life. TBH having read reviews and ploughed through the manual I’m thinking of sending it back… it seems far more complicated than my 645!
I would look at your allotment of time before returning and really give this watch a chance. I’ve really like it but agree that it’s way more complex. You might not need every feature but there might be things in here that you come to enjoy learning about. I like tracking my sleep and HRV data. Keep me posted on what you end up doing. 👌
Well, I kept it… but right at this moment it’s sitting in a drawer and my well used FR645 is on my wrist. I think I’ve run with it about 4 times so far (and I run 4-5 times a week). Main reason: the screen is way too murky and I don’t like a backlight glaring away every time I move my wrist. In comparison the 645 is much more straightforward and just does the job. Or I’m just stuck in my ways 😂
Awesome. I think you're really going to love the FR 255. It's a great watch and has been very accurate in my testing. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
As an avid runner and swimmer myself, this review was exactly what I was looking for. I have narrowed down the choices to the fr255 and the apple watch se, although I am leaning towards the apple watch for the lower price and seamless iphone connection. Do you know which watch has better swimming and running workouts/routines?
I prefer the way Garmin does their swimming but my uncle who is an avid swimmer prefers how Apple tracks swimming. But I think you should go for an Apple Watch. I'm enjoying their new watches currently. I don't know how desperate you are but it might also be worth waiting until Black Friday for some holiday deals. 🤷♂️ Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
I think you’re right. 200 songs or so? I think the 955 is about 10x that? I can’t remember but I also don’t really listen to much on my watch. I’m odd in that I just bring my phone if I’m listening to something. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Hugely informative. How accurate are the daily suggested workouts in the 4,8,12 weeks before a race? Does it replace a regular training plan? Or is it still work in progress? I know this will vary a lot on your ability, if you effortlessly run sub 35:00 for 10K or are more a 60+ min runner. I’ve the 245. 80% of my suggestions are 40 min base runs. No matter if I run 25 miles a week or about 45+ MPW.
It's hard for me to tell how and why suggested workouts are formulated. It's obviously taking into account sleep/recovery and previous workouts. From what I can tell, it seems to be looking at my previous runs to determine suggested pace for workouts as well as my race goal pace. But I typically ignore their suggestions and just run whatever I have planned to run for the day. So I might not be the best judge of that feature. Are you thinking about upgrading from the 245? There are rumors of a 265 but who knows. 🤷♂️
Hi, have you tried the auto transition function during a triathlon? That seems like a really awesome feature, but I'm a bit sceptical if it would work accurately. Thanks!
New idea is these metrics like hrv, readiness and sleep all seem to reveal the condition of your heart. I'm old and I'm thinking that my heart is ready for the next workout way before my legs are. I bet the 'readiness' offered by the 955 won't work for me if it's my legs that still need to recover. The next frontier - a sensor for my old glutes.
The Polar Vantage 2 I believe has a recovery test. It would make you jump from a squat 3 times and measures the time it takes for each jump. Based on the time of the first and last jump or some combination, it can tell whether your legs are good to go or not. Maybe if you can look at how their test works you can just do it with a stopwatch. If 3rd jump is significantly faster than 1st jump, let’s say 10%, your legs are still fatigued
It depends on if you need power meter support for cycling or something that's missing on the 165. I've yet to review the 165 but I'm hoping to get on here soon to do some testing. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
If your 245 music is working well, I'd wait to see what's coming next. I've read rumors about the forerunner watches getting AMOLED screens which would be very interesting. I'm curious, do you use the music on the 245 often?
@@mlegrand First off thank you very much for replying. As far as I know he 245 works fine, I just wasn't sure if the GPS accuracy was even better on the 255. And in terms of the music on the 245, I tried using it at first but there are 2 big reasons I stopped using it: 1. The user experience between Spotify and Garmin isn't great, adding/editing playlists was a bit tedious for me and 2nd, since I always have my phone with me, I end up listening to 1-2 hour DJ mixes via TH-cam Music from my phone, which you cannot do with any Garmin watch. I prefer continuous music on runs vs one track at a time. And I might get some flack for this (and I know Garmin does this on purpose) the only reason I am considering getting the 255 Music is simply because I like the WHITE watch which only comes on the Music version - very clever Garmin :(
@@mlegrand After watch this vdo my 255 order is on the way I'll test side by side with my 945lte . I love the size of 945lte bought used at 1/3 of the price.I never plan to use LTE function.
@@mlegrand Update : 945 lte / 255 Music : I keep Garmin 255 music & here's why 1. Gps = 945lte was good I mean better than fenix6,245 line up ,but New Gps chipset in 255 is way better. 2. Size : that's what worry me the most Coz I'm small wrist guy (160 mm) 945lte fit me perfect , 255 abit bigger but also thiner & it's lighter than 945lte so both fit perfect for small wrist person 3. Spec , No Map , No LTE , No 16GB & Training ,training readiness ,but I'm ok with that. 4. Change Data Screen via Garmin Connect app is a plus on 255 ,also 1.3" screen look nicer 5. I'm only paid $300 for my FR255 Music . Thanks Matt
Hey Matt. Thanks for the review and my sentiments are the same with my watch. One thing I noticed was that the weather won’t work most of the time… I get the red exclamation mark. Do you get that?
Nice video and it gave me plenty food for thought for the next Garmin that I purchase. I have a question... I use the Forerunner 245 and a friend of mine uses the Fenix 6. When we run hills together, our elevation is way off, his seems to always record higher gain given the barometric altimeter in the Fenix 6. How accurate is the Forerunner 255 when running hills for elevation gain?
I don’t actually know the precise differences you might get. It’s something that might be more or less severe depending on the hills and accuracy of calibration. 😬 Sorry I don’t have a good answer for this one
Thanks for the review Matt, I'm in quite in dilemma, which one to choose FR255 or FR 745 (both costs same in India) or FR 945 (its quite high on cost though) my main sport is cycling though run and swim are also part. I'm looming for BRM's like 200/300 kms. which should be given a try, please let me know.
That's a tricky call. The 945 would provide maps which would be a nice option. Personally I think I'd go with the 255. I think you might enjoy the morning report. Like I said in this video, I've been testing other watches over the past 6 months and I kept missing that morning report. Let me know what you end up with and how you like it. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Thanks for the long term review! I got the 255 in december. Still not sure if it's the right one for me. I am not used to wearing the watch during sleep. I am afraid it will stress me too much as I've had insomnia every now and then. I feel like I am not giving the watch enough data to analyze. But the data after runs is meticulous, and I hope missing the sleep data doesn't corrupt too much the overall analysis of training.
Ok, I also struggle a lot with sleep. Hopefully running will help us sleep better. If wearing a watch to sleep is difficult than I wouldn't worry about it. There are a lot of recovery metrics that the 255 will track during sleep but the basics are that you should try to get as much sleep as possible. Sleep and HRV metrics would help guide the suggested workouts but I typically ignore those suggested workouts and run whatever I have scheduled for myself for the day. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. Keep me posted on how everything progresses and how you're liking the 255. 👍
Many thanks for the video! You mentioned you usually carry a phone with you for longer runs. Do you hold it in your hand, or use some sort of arm/body strap? Just curious to see preferences
Hi Matt great video as always. I do run, bike, & swimming and I'm still confused which one should I get the Instinct 2 or FR 255. Because I like long battery life of instinct 2 but I also want the Race widget and daily training suggestion on 255. Can you please make a suggestion for me between those two? Or maybe comparison video even more better, thank you.
Is there one you’re leaning towards more than the other? Do you like the way one looks over the other? They’re very similar feature-wise but the screen is a little nicer on the 255. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
@@mlegrand thanks for responding, from the look of it and battery life I'm leaning more to instinct but form the screen size and features such as morning report, race feature, and pace pro I'm leaning more to FR255. That's why i still cant decide yet.
This is a really hard call. The 13.10 software (beta) of the Instinct 2 now has the morning report feature and training readiness. So I might lean towards that device if you’re ok with the look of it.
On 03:05 mins you mention your wrists are 156mm in diameter, but I guess you probably mean the circumference?! I also have rather small wrists and was thinking about the smaller version - but my wrist circumference is around 170mm.
Hi matt. Hope your doing good. Just bump in on your review. Just need a recommendation from you , as a triathlete, would you recommend this FR255 for a full distance triathlon race. (IRONMAN) thank you more power to you.
The 255 is an excellent option for triathlon. It should be ok for a full triathlon. You've got 17 hours to finish that Ironman and this watch can go that long. You *might* want to adjust some GPS settings and you wouldn't want to use music. The 955 has slightly better battery life. I'm also about to post a video about the 965 vs the 265 which have the AMOLED displays but the MIP displays might work better for your exact goals. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Hey nice vid! I was wondering which watch i should really get. I have an iphone, and really want Garmin. But i see that apple watches is a bit more expensive then garmin and the battery on the apple watch is not really good either so i hope u have some suggestion which watch i should really get?
It’ll depend on what you like to do. I’d probably start by looking at the Garmin Forerunner 165. I have a video about it on my channel. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
if you wanna an actual SMART watch that can flex/function as sports watch get the apple watch. If you value a SPORTS watch more get the garmin. The apple watch is a great sports watch if you don’t mind charging every night or every two nights if you get the ultra
I don't actually know which regions support which navigation types. Maybe reach out to Garmin with that question? Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Hello! Thank you for your video! I've been thinking about upgrading from Mi Band 4 to Venu 2, but after quick comparison with other Garmin watches such as Instinct Solar 2 and now Forerunner 255 Music which is my choice I'm really struggling between Venu 2 or FR255. The functionality that I think I could make use of are training effect/load/recovery status and which unfortunately Venu 2 is lacking :( I've been spending my whole live pretty active, now I do running and go to gym 3-4 times per week and I'm starting to believe that I don't kinda need touch screen, but I'm kinda worried overall. Could I please get your opinion? Also, loving the material! Thank you!
There's been rumors of a Venu 3 coming out at some point in the near future. I don't have any details but it might be worth waiting a month depending on when you're planning to make a purchase. Some we'll also see discounts right before a model is discontinued or updated. 🤷♂️
@@mlegrand I have decided to go with Forerunner 255 Music. So in the future I will know if I will ever make use of these additional sport features. I'm just wondering if it is worth waiting extra time for some sales, but I highly doubt it as in my country discount for Music model is pretty rare and I've heard that Garmin birthday sales aren't the best. Thank you for your comment, appreciate is sir!
Im looking to buy my first gps watch to track overall sport activity. Im looking at the pace 2, the 245 and 255, is the 255 worth the extra money or should I go for the pace 2 or 245?
Personally, I think the the 255 is worth the extra money. It has loads more features and I’d expect it to get updated longer into the future. However, if you just need some basic GPS functionality for some running than any of these watches would work.
Thx for the review. I have a specific question about pool swimming. I'm very brand loyal and prefer Samsung, although the 3 I have owed break down after approx. 3 months of pool use (techs state its the chemicals in the water}. Does the 255 hold up during pool use?
My wife and I have been using the 255 for a year now and we have both had multiple times on workouts where the screen has a pixelated line appear through the center of the display. One time when this happened, the watch reset itself. Have you seen anything like this? Garmin customer service didn’t have a solution other than to hard reset the watch and report back to them if it continues, which it did. Curious if you’ve seen this.
I haven't seen that pixelated line. I did have an update that failed once and I had to do a hard reset. But I was chalking that up to being a part of the beta testing group. Thanks for posting about this because I'm sure others will or have had similar bugs. 👍
@@mlegrand one only problem every garmin user have is in training mode like run interval if you set pace target.During your workout the watch always telling you're slower than your target pace even you run 1:30-2:00 faster. I did interval 8*600 yesterday my was keep showing 8:30 min/mi on every labs ,but end of the workout data show up I run 7:0x on each lab.
@@mlegrand I'm don't think that about delay in gps on my test ,but many beta user have same kind of problem someone said that pace show on workout screen was " Avg Pace " not the current pace that you're running & I have no idea why garmin put Avg Pace there instead of pace. I had that issue on fw7.0x & lastest fw 13.21 on beta & I'll run next my interval on open interval mode on 945lte or do lap by myself to compare.Hope Garmin can fix this issue. ( if you want to try just set up workout on run & set target pace then do that workout )
I love my watch but just recently my altimeter has gotten hacked up and garmin tech has no fix. That and sometimes when I start my run it randomly Laps within like 10ft
I bet it's the temperature sensor. See if that looks crazy. If so, it'd effect the altimeter. If it's the 255, I'd expect it to be within the warranty replacement timeframe. Keep me posted on what you're seeing if if you're able to get it resolved. Thanks!
Good day! What do you recommend to consider for running classes: garmin 255 or 945lte? Interested in battery performance, better gps signal, more metrics for running.
Personally, I still feel like this is one of the top value GPS watches on the market. I’d ask Garmin about there security update policy. 2 years doesn’t sound right to me. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
It's still getting firmware updates. Latest one added Sleep Coach and other stuff. Easily best value in Garmin's lineup right now if you don't need maps or want Amoled (to me Amoled is overpriced rubbish but each to their own)
Any idea if you can see the training readiness score in the connect app if you use the 255? Or does the watch need to have it for it to populate into garmin connect?
Im using this watch for like 2 weeks and i can see some scratches, i dont really like that so i was trying to avoid IT, so whenever i was doing something that could damage my watch i was taking IT off,
Do you think buy 255 for now still a good option? 255 v 945 v 955, which one will you get? Im looking for a best buck for now, not really need map feature 🙄
Hi, I am thinking to upgrade from my 3 years FR245 to FR255 eventhough now Garmin launched 265. Apart from price, i prefer MPI sunlight friendly screen on 255 instead of AMOLED on 264. Is 255 is still relevant in 2024?
Yeah, I think the 255 is still a relevant device in 2024. It's also an amazing value option. Good choice. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Hi... is the triathalon mode soley for swim/bike/run activity? Is it the same as multisport mode? Can the triathalon mode be edited to just a run/bike/run for example? TIA.
I can not decide between this 255 non music and a fenix 7 pro solar. Hard to not have FOMO when wearing something other than a fenix, but do I really need all those features to spend double the money….
Yeah, huge price difference. I think if you had both on your wrist you'd say "The Fenix also feels like a nicer watch". The build quality is significantly better. The watch body is built to be much more durable and it feels heavier. The 255 has a much more light weight plastic feel. Lighter weight is better in some use cases so I think it all depends on what you're going to be using it for.
Hi Matt, thanks for the informative video. I was wondering if I can sync my Komoot maps with the 255 for navigation. If it isn't the case, I would be very thankful if you could suggest me an affordable option. Thank you!!!!
Yes you can! But you're FR 255 doesn't have maps, it has breadcrumb style navigation but not detailed maps. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
It's probably a good idea. I personally don't have one but it can get scratched. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Resting heart rate is basically your lowest heart rate. Sleep average might be higher depending on dreams or even getting up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom.
@@mravljakmatej8899 - I’ve only seen 7 day rest heart rate average. The watch is taking readings as you sleep so that information is there. It’d just be a bit of a pain to extract it out.
@@mlegrand edited, but if that is the case, seems like the right size but you also suggest the larger 1.3" vs 1.1" size would be okay as well? Think that the 955 is overkill for me but maybe the standard 255 Music, but I can get the 955 for $390
@@jasboehlke - I typically recommend either the 255 non music or the 955. There's more storage and maps on the 955. And if your wrists are similar to mine, I'd go with the 1.3 size. Let me know what you end up with and what you think.
Can I see the elevation profile while using navigation in a running activity to see how much i still have to climb? I know it doesn't have climb pro but foe example, on instinct series i see the elevation profile to have an idea what is coming up. Thanks!
I think you can. In that way it should be very similar to the Instinct series. There's navigation but no maps. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
I think it depends on what you’re planning on using the watch for exactly. If you’re mostly running, all of these watches will work well. I really like 265 amongst this group. I don’t think you’d be disappointed with it at all.
Have you done any Triathlon with this watch? How does the end result is synced? For e.g. in Wahoo rival, you can edit the segments including transition based on final chip time and upload. Does it work in the same way on Garmin?
That's a cool feature that the Wahoo Rival has but Garmin doesn't have it specifically. There are tools to edit .fit files but it's not as easy and intuitive as what Wahoo offers. You were looking at the Coros Pace 2 also which again wouldn't have this edit feature. I still think the Garmin 255 is the far superior choice.
@@mlegrand Hey Matt. The reason for Coros Pace 2 is the price and features. I'd be doing hardly 1 or 2 tri events a year but would be taking part in multiple running events. So my plan was to buy something cheap for Ironman 70.3 which is just 7 weeks away and then sell this watch and either go with Garmin 265 or other higher end Coros watches. To be honest, I did use the Garmin watch once and was just annoyed by the app and user interface. Also, the earlier reason to go with wahoo was the ability to reduce data fields as and when needed with just button press. I have to wear normal glasses when running but due to it, I can't read small text and have to look from under my glasses when reading data on my watch or phone :).
@@HarishChouhan - Sounds like a plan. You can reduce data on a screen with Garmin but it's multiple button presses and not something you want to do mid-race. Best of luck with the upcoming triathlon Harish!
hi Matt, great review. Without music playing, is battery life in training mode identical between music & non music model? in market for Pace 2 replacement and 225s is on my eyes now. Definitely, I don't need music, but I don't like color option of non music model.
Yes, battery life would be identical. I’d look at all of the color options including the larger size. I think you’d get used to and like the bigger edition. I’d also look at the new 165 options. 👌
Hi Matt, looking for a watch so i can track heart rate wile mountain biking, would you recommend 165 or 255, or something more rugged like the instinct 2?
I’m a big fan of the instinct series and they’re due for an update at some point but heart rate tracking from the wrist is extremely difficult on any watch while mountain biking. The 165 doesn’t support power meters on the bike. I’m not sure if that matters 🤷🏻♂️
@@carsarecool3426 - similar to my wrists. You can see what you think of my wrists wearing it in this video but would want the smaller edition personally.
I like the watch overall, but it doesn’t auto sync my runs or walks. I have to open the app and play with the sync button and wait several minutes to upload. Kinda buggy!
That's odd. It should eventually connect and sync your data. I would double check that your watch is connecting to the wifi network at your home. But this is really good feedback for people to see when considering this watch. Thanks so much for taking the time to post it!
Some users prevent the app from running in the background to save battery. I do too. Just run the app after a workout and it will sync up within a minute or so.
Hello again mate, how do you think which one will stay longer by one charge Coros Apex 2 or Forerunner 255, i know that the apex 2 has 45 hours in gps mode which is 15 more hours than 255, but in just smartwatch mode it's only 3 day longer?
Both Coros and Garmin are doing some tricks to get that really long battery life. For example reduction of HR readings or not showing the seconds on the display because those display refresh cycles drain the battery. I would say that the Coros would get a long battery because of some of these differences. Are you mostly going to use it for running?
Battery still seems solid on this device. I haven't done a ton of testing on it. But typically these lithium ion batteries start to show real signs of age after 2 years. 😬 I haven't experienced the battery replacement options from Garmin, so I can't speak to that.
Yes, the people have had issues with this watch's buttons. Personally, mine are still perfect and clicky. No problems after having had it for a while. But I trust those that are experiencing that squishy button issue. Hard call. Are you mostly using this for running?
@@anderstoll3736 - Mapping? The Enduro is a massive jump in price but very much designed for Ultras. You kind of have to jump up to the 955 to get mapping. Although now that there is a 965 you might be able to find a discount on the 955.
Maybe. The 255 has a cheaper feel to it. It’s more plastic feeling than what you’re used to. I do think you’d like the software advancements of the new device.
Awesome video Matt as always. I purchased the 255 on your recommendation last year. As you know, I went back and forth on what to buy and was eyeing the 945LTE... I even almost bit on the 745 at one time... but waited and voila the 255 came along. I LOVE mine. Absolutely it is capable and I have zero regrets. So capable at a great price point. Mine has held up as you have indicated and I have zero screen marks and my lifestyle is rough on all my kit. Cannot say enough about this watch - highly recommend. I have the slate grey and as you noted in your initial review, the red accent is a nice look. A great recommendation by you when it was released and I appreciate it!
Glad it's still working well for you. Yeah, I'm super impressed with this one from Garmin. Great value for all the features they offer here. Hope you are well and enjoying that new hat! Thanks again!
I like you review very much Matt👍 not overloaded with a lot of technical data, more practical users impression. Well done !
Oh, thank you so much Rodzinka! That's super nice of you to say!
I’m so impressed by how “comfortable” of this video. Nice lighting and shots.
Thank you so much!
The best value for money watch. I think training readiness is deliberately left out as they did for VO2 max for Instinct 1 even if if perfectly capable of for example. I understand their point of view since they have to sell 955/Fenix 7 too.
Yeah, I still wish it were hardware limitations but I understand the dilemma
BEST VALUE Indeed! I think training readiness is just redundant but a refined feature.
Forgot to charge my Apple Watch last night and I had to run a virtual 10K for a charity today. I was gutted. But Forerunner 255 was there holding up its charge (still 5d worth left and don’t remember when I last charged it). Had to carry my phone in the water pouch bag for emergencies which I wouldn’t have if it was Apple Watch SE cellular. Great watch, so light and don’t need to worry about scratching it while climbing stairs or on busy streets in Bangalore, India. Great video as always Matt and just in time for today when I used JUST Forerunner 255 for my run :) :) Cheers 🍻
Hope the virtual 10k went well today Pavan!
Very good video. I've been wearing that watch for the last five months and I love it. I'm currently training for a marathon…
Awesome! Which marathon? How's training going? Glad you like the 255 and thanks for the feedback on the watch. I'm a big fan of this one. 👌
I fully agree! I'm very happy with my 255 after 7 months. As you say, it is not perfect but is a great and affordable watch! Thanks for your videos, Matt!
Great to hear you're enjoying it. I've been pretty impressed. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Hi could you help me with this issue I'm having with my watch. I'm not very technically minded.
Does anyone know why the distance on the watch is 4km out compared to the distance downloaded onto the garmin app on my mobile? 😮
Really appreciate the tldr at the start, you win my humble 'subscribe' and 'like' 🎉
Awesome David!!! Glad I can help in some small way. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Love the 255s Music, was trying to avoid bringing my phone with me and it's perfect. I ordered tempered glass for the face of the watch to protect it and additional band colors for fun.
That sounds awesome! I think that's the way to go! Keep me posted on how you like it or any issues you see. Thanks MJ!
great review Matt!!
we need to talk about your long runs now... cell for music.... just go with no music just kidding enjoy your training!
the morning info is awesome!!
I have all of these watches at my disposal. I should probably just suck it up and download a podcast to one of them. Currently I'm enjoying Audible on my runs.
wow, I didn't expect such an informative, well-spoken video. Watched the whole thing.
Cheers!
Thank you for the kind words and watching the entire thing. I really appreciate that.
Hi Matt, I've watched through numerous comparison video reviews, and somehow seem to lean in towards your video reviews as it has a more human experience touch to them compared to blasting off full on technical specs. I started with FR645, Pace 2, Pace 3 and now swopped over to the FR255 based on your recommendations. Finally understood the differences and why. Thanks!
The 255 is a great device. I appreciate the kind words Alvin. There are a lot of really great reviews out there and I"m glad you've taken the time to watch some on my channel.
So the 245 has a better map UI and provides training readiness scoring. Whereas the 255 has a better battery life, a way to pay at the counter, and more accurate tracking via dual band. Got it - thank you!
Nailed it!!! 😂
I absolutely love the morning report from Garmin 👍
I have an epix pro Gen 2 47mm
100% agree 👍 Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it.
Well done mate, very nice and detailed review, thanks!
Glad you liked it! Hope it helped in some small way.
I am also quite happy overall with my FR255, using it 24/7 since late summer last year. Firmware is evolving, with new features like running power without pod or auto gps mode, but still buggy. For example sync issues requiring a soft reset after fw upgrade or font size issues for certain training page layouts with 14.08 since last Friday.
I did not experienced the really weird stuff recently, like frozen activity data fields or skewed pace data, which I still saw around Sep 22.
Overall a quite capable, reasonably decent looking, light weight and comfy watch.
Great feedback Rollo! Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
You're review are stunning, congrats. Thanks for your feedback, wish you well.
Subscribed!
Hi from Italy 🇮🇹
Hi Mr DNA from Italy!! Thanks so much for watching. Keep informed on what you’d like to see here. Thanks for the kind words!!!
Mine is on the way! it will be my 2nd sport watch after 45...i want that longer battery life and music feat.
Awesome! Keep me posted on what you think when you get it home. 👌
I bought the 255 music almost exclusively so that I could get this watch in white. Is it dumb to spend an extra $50 for a colour I want? Maybe. But I wear it every day, and I far prefer the white to the other colours - plus the ability to listen to music on the watch is a nice plus on the rare times I want to use that feature!
Color is important for something you’ll be wearing everyday. I wouldn’t worry about the extra 50. 👌
Keep up the amazing videos! Your content is awesome :)
Wow, thank you!
Great job Matt. You mentioned how Garmin dials down some of the software features for the middle/lower models. I am a tennis player. I play a good 3x a week, when I can. But, no mid range Garmin models have tennis or pickelball sports profiles. I don’t know why Garmin does that. It’s not as if Garmin has created some special metrics for tennis as they have done for some of their activities. Of course, I could create a generic profile on a 255. But, even the lowest Polar has tennis. And, that is why I have a Polar Vantage M2.
Yeah, why Garmin why? I really don't understand why Tennis would be more of a premium feature. 🤷♂️
@@mlegrand LOL. Hope you are well, Matt!
What do you find in the "tennis" profile of your Polar that is not in a generic "cardio" or even "walking" profile of a Garmin?
@@highseastrader4190 As far as I am concerned, there is a difference. I can go into the Polar Flow app and tell exactly how many times I played tennis, in a month, year, etc…. You can’t do that on a generic Garmin cardio profile.
@@johnmanley4528 you can rename any activity in Garmin connect. So if you select “rowing” for instance, every time you play tennis, just rename it to Tennis afterwards and you can view all your Tennis activities over time.
165 mm diameter wrist sounds HUGE, I am INTRIGUED and perplexed. Sorry, joking aside, thank you for the informative video. I purchased one today!
Ha!!!! Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Such a helpful and clear review. Great presentation style. Watch looks good too.
Thank you so much Andy! Let me know if there's other material you'd like me to cover here on the channel. 👌🏻
Thanks for the review! I also have a very small wrist for a guy, and my regular watch is 41mm... but based on your recommendation, I've ordered the 46mm. Hopefully it won't look too oversized.
Yeah, that’s my recommendation. I’ll be curious to hear what you think of the size. It is bigger than what you’re used to but I’ve grown fond of the size. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
OH man, you've got some moooooody lighting going on!
The misty drone work is fantastic.
It is good to see you running around, your injuries are all remedied?
There was one segment where you were tiptoeing and it reminded me playing "hot lava" as a kid.
Say...Vo2 numbers... I know they are not clinical grade accurate...but does altitude come into it? For example, my Vo2 number reads 54 versus your, which looks like it is 52 (we're comparable Matt!!!). I love the data - I love having all the numbers and talk about them (tells me I'm not fast enough in more metrics!)
The auto-GPS mode is really cool!
That race event coming up thing is so cool!
HRV! I needed that - I've never know the high versus low HRV. I hate being dyslexic, can never remember.
I did a big week over Thanksgiving and my watch got sassy with me - said I was "overreaching" and sure enough, I blew up. Stupid watch can see the future!
Huh, training readiness is missing from my Solar 2 as well! Those turkeys. I always took my body battery as that number - I never read the title on the screen. I'm a bit of a goldfish...
It is a hoot getting to come along this journey with you. Thanks for sharing a bit of your life with the internet people.
Thanks for watching this one!!! The running is coming along but it's going to be a long time before I'm 100% (if that ever happens). I'm very excited that I ran a 6 miler a week ago. I haven't run that long in 2 years.
I don't know how altitude effects VO2 max. That's a good question.
The Instinct 2's GPS tested just as accurate as any other watch I've tested and I think it's getting HRV data maybe . . . 🤷♂️. I know it's getting running power and that morning report at some point. Hope all is well in the 'Rado!!!
@@mlegrand Things are good!!! I'm being much more intentional and focused with my training this year and the watch is such a great tool.
I'm so glad you've been able to get back to running! It feels like part of your soul is missing when you can't exercise the way you want - while I don't feel that way about running, I understand how you feel.
That's what I hear (the morning report stuff). How do I get all that? SHOW ME YOUR WAYS
XOXO
Great podcast you had dialed up there. Big fan.
Glad to hear about it. What topic should the Dialed group talk about next?
Excellent and pertinent review as always! This was truly a great watch to focus on! It's funny because I just recently spent all this time focused on the top end watches, but this is so much more relevant to the every day user. And as I watched your video I realized the significant value even further. Not that I hadn't realized it completely before, but my focus has always been on the total package of the 955, but at $500 is still out of many peoples price range! Would it be okay if I find inspiration in this video and do a 255 focused one as well? Awesome work
Yeah, absolutely. I can't wait to see your take on the 255! I will say that typically people spending more money on high end watches might watch more videos online about those watches. Or at least, that's what it seems like to me. (those Fenix videos do extremely well for example).
This is the first review I ever saw from you. You are impressive. Subscribing!
Wow, thank you!!! 🙏
As always, great video, Matt. Unfortunately I had to replace my 255 due to a poor GPS connection and got a new one. But the buttons on this new one, and also on the old one are pretty shitty tbh, feel extremely cheap. I upgraded to an Enduro 2 just to end all complaints 😅 and it works perfectly so far and the buttons feel like they should, no sticking, no double clicks, etc. Keep up the good work
This is actually really fantastic feedback. I agree that the buttons feel sticky. I haven't had any issues but they don't feel as good as they should. The Enduro 2 review is coming soon. I've been wearing that watch a lot lately and it's a beast. I'm coming up on 100 days with that watch. I love the Morning report software update and the fact that you only need to charge it once per month. 🤯 Keep me posted on how you're enjoying it or any issues you notice. Thanks Clita!
Same reason (buttons) that I bring it back. Bought Pace 2 after that and realised that I really don't need expensively watch.
I returned mine because of the sticky, double clicking buttons which seems to be a common issue. Unbelievable not a single review I watched talked about this issue.
@@johnbanks6547 - Hey John, maybe some reviewers don’t want to upset the manufacturers but the reviewers that I like (@dcrainmaker, @desfit, etc) don’t mind calling out companies at all. In fact negative videos tend to do well on TH-cam. I reviewed this watch positively because I really believe this is an amazing value option. But the button issue is legitimate. Mine are clicky in a weird way. It hasn’t been an issue for me and I didn’t mention it but I understand what people are referring to. If you hate your 255, make sure to return it quickly. There are other good options out there.
@Matt LeGrand My comment wasn't aimed at you, your review is very honest and you did agree it was a minor problem.
Great video Matt!!
Can u recommend to me a budget running watch in 2024, would u go for Coros Pace 3 or Garmin Forerunner 255? Which one is better?
I would probably take advantage of the mega sale on the 255: amzn.to/3VKyidy
You might also check out the 165 if you’re interested in the brighter AMOLED screen. I just posted a video about it on this channel. Best of luck!!! 👍
@@mlegrand i see, thank you Matt
Matt, that intro and outro were drop dead PNW gorgeous.
Thank you!
I wish they would release a new version of the 745. I love the smaller form/size factor to a full tri featured watch.
My gut feeling is that it won't happen. I think they're trying to simplify this Forerunner watch series of devices. And it seems like everything is getting bigger these days. I'd love to be wrong. The 745 was a really great watch. Accurate GPS, good heart rate and decent battery life. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
You haven't mentioned about BIG DISSAPOINTMENT about 255. It doesn't have configurable Navigation Data Fields that are available is FR 245. No TH-camr talk about it.
Interesting. I never use this watch for navigation. It’s super odd that they’d leave something off of the 255 from the 245. Thanks for posting this for others considering this watch. 👌
First 2 minutes took me, so I decided to feed YT algorithm. It was time well spent. Really pro examples, great comparisons.
If I'll get ready for an ultra trail night run next year, I might need 255 for it, as currently I'm using Samsung Active 2. Its battery will probably not hold 11h on GPS.
I'm also looking for a watch for a friend. He's way better in running than me, but not in technology. Enough to say that he has some simple watch with 2 buttons, and he doesn't know what's the second one for. He needs great battery for ultra runs. Is Forerunner 245 enough for such user?
Thanks for the kind words about the first 2 minutes. Maybe I should keep using this format. 🤔 But I think the 255 is a significant improvement over the 245. I'd skip the 255 music because I typically don't use music directly on the watch and it's a bit of a battery suck. If music is important the 955 base model has it along with a lot more memory.
Thanks Matt for the amazing review, you're producing the best smartwatch reviews I have seen on TH-cam so far! Small question: you said that the 255 measures your heart rate variability overnight and in the morning it "spits out" your overal HRV value (indicating how well you are recovering/sleeping). What I was wondering, does the 255 refine the daily suggested workouts based on this HRV metric, or is this something you have to factor in yourself (because I don't mind missing the training readiness score metric, as long as the suggested workouts are "tailormade" to my training load/recovery)? Going to buy the 255 in a few weeks, can't wait!
I do believe that the workout suggestions are effected by the nights HRV score. I wish Garmin would just add training readiness to this watch. I don’t understand what’s holding it back. 🤷🏻♂️
Hi Matt. How would you compare the 255s vs the Coros Pace 3 for cycling? Thanks and continue to really enjoy your videos. OB
I don't actually own a 255s. I have a Venu 3 which is similar size and the 255 which I like quite a bit. Personally, I think I'd prefer the 255 for cycling but they're both great options. Let me know if you have any specific questions.
I’ve just bought one of these to replace my FR645 which is struggling with battery life. TBH having read reviews and ploughed through the manual I’m thinking of sending it back… it seems far more complicated than my 645!
I would look at your allotment of time before returning and really give this watch a chance. I’ve really like it but agree that it’s way more complex. You might not need every feature but there might be things in here that you come to enjoy learning about. I like tracking my sleep and HRV data. Keep me posted on what you end up doing. 👌
Well, I kept it… but right at this moment it’s sitting in a drawer and my well used FR645 is on my wrist. I think I’ve run with it about 4 times so far (and I run 4-5 times a week). Main reason: the screen is way too murky and I don’t like a backlight glaring away every time I move my wrist. In comparison the 645 is much more straightforward and just does the job. Or I’m just stuck in my ways 😂
I have the 35 en just bought the 255. 🎉
Awesome. I think you're really going to love the FR 255. It's a great watch and has been very accurate in my testing. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
As an avid runner and swimmer myself, this review was exactly what I was looking for. I have narrowed down the choices to the fr255 and the apple watch se, although I am leaning towards the apple watch for the lower price and seamless iphone connection. Do you know which watch has better swimming and running workouts/routines?
I prefer the way Garmin does their swimming but my uncle who is an avid swimmer prefers how Apple tracks swimming. But I think you should go for an Apple Watch. I'm enjoying their new watches currently. I don't know how desperate you are but it might also be worth waiting until Black Friday for some holiday deals. 🤷♂️
Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Great review!
Thank you! And thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Pretty sure the reason the 255 storage is so much less than the 955 is because it doesn’t have mapping. It’s got plenty of storage for music
I think you’re right. 200 songs or so? I think the 955 is about 10x that? I can’t remember but I also don’t really listen to much on my watch. I’m odd in that I just bring my phone if I’m listening to something. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Hugely informative. How accurate are the daily suggested workouts in the 4,8,12 weeks before a race? Does it replace a regular training plan? Or is it still work in progress? I know this will vary a lot on your ability, if you effortlessly run sub 35:00 for 10K or are more a 60+ min runner.
I’ve the 245. 80% of my suggestions are 40 min base runs. No matter if I run 25 miles a week or about 45+ MPW.
It's hard for me to tell how and why suggested workouts are formulated. It's obviously taking into account sleep/recovery and previous workouts. From what I can tell, it seems to be looking at my previous runs to determine suggested pace for workouts as well as my race goal pace. But I typically ignore their suggestions and just run whatever I have planned to run for the day. So I might not be the best judge of that feature. Are you thinking about upgrading from the 245? There are rumors of a 265 but who knows. 🤷♂️
Nice hat buddy 👍
Thanks 👍 I was selling these for a bit but my stock is low.
Hi, have you tried the auto transition function during a triathlon? That seems like a really awesome feature, but I'm a bit sceptical if it would work accurately. Thanks!
I tried it on an Apple Watch but not the Garmin yet. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Great video, Matt! I'm going to stick with my Apple Watch but if you can convince me to run, I might consider changing
I’m working on it! 🏃♂️
New idea is these metrics like hrv, readiness and sleep all seem to reveal the condition of your heart. I'm old and I'm thinking that my heart is ready for the next workout way before my legs are. I bet the 'readiness' offered by the 955 won't work for me if it's my legs that still need to recover. The next frontier - a sensor for my old glutes.
Great point Steve! I'm feeling very old as well. My legs definitely don't recover like they used to.
The Polar Vantage 2 I believe has a recovery test. It would make you jump from a squat 3 times and measures the time it takes for each jump. Based on the time of the first and last jump or some combination, it can tell whether your legs are good to go or not. Maybe if you can look at how their test works you can just do it with a stopwatch. If 3rd jump is significantly faster than 1st jump, let’s say 10%, your legs are still fatigued
@@marcelsow5817 that would be very clever of the polar folks. Thinking outside the box. We'll have to get polar to send Matt a vantage.
Superb editing👏
Wow, thanks so much Bruno!!!
If in my country I can get the 255 or the 165 for roughly the same price…What do you think would be a more “bang for your buck” option?
It depends on if you need power meter support for cycling or something that's missing on the 165. I've yet to review the 165 but I'm hoping to get on here soon to do some testing. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
255 all day
Hi Matt, great video, I was wondering, I have the 245 music which I only use for road running, do you think it's worth upgrading to the 255?
If your 245 music is working well, I'd wait to see what's coming next. I've read rumors about the forerunner watches getting AMOLED screens which would be very interesting. I'm curious, do you use the music on the 245 often?
@@mlegrand First off thank you very much for replying. As far as I know he 245 works fine, I just wasn't sure if the GPS accuracy was even better on the 255. And in terms of the music on the 245, I tried using it at first but there are 2 big reasons I stopped using it: 1. The user experience between Spotify and Garmin isn't great, adding/editing playlists was a bit tedious for me and 2nd, since I always have my phone with me, I end up listening to 1-2 hour DJ mixes via TH-cam Music from my phone, which you cannot do with any Garmin watch. I prefer continuous music on runs vs one track at a time.
And I might get some flack for this (and I know Garmin does this on purpose) the only reason I am considering getting the 255 Music is simply because I like the WHITE watch which only comes on the Music version - very clever Garmin :(
The part that excites me most... as a runer 😁 7:40
Running power native right from the watch. 👌
@@mlegrand Haven't had this watch but I think this is the best value under 400. Planning to have this one.
Are you ready for FR 265 ? hope you be the one who test that watch Matt , Greats Vid.
I’d love to see it and test it. 🤷🏻♂️ Currently I know nothing about it. Seems like rumors are swirling
@@mlegrand After watch this vdo my 255 order is on the way I'll test side by side with my 945lte . I love the size of 945lte bought used at 1/3 of the price.I never plan to use LTE function.
@@teeramate - I would love to hear what you think of the two side by side. 👌
@@mlegrand Update : 945 lte / 255 Music : I keep Garmin 255 music & here's why
1. Gps = 945lte was good I mean better than fenix6,245 line up ,but New Gps chipset in 255 is way better.
2. Size : that's what worry me the most Coz I'm small wrist guy (160 mm) 945lte fit me perfect , 255 abit bigger but also thiner & it's lighter than 945lte so both fit perfect for small wrist person
3. Spec , No Map , No LTE , No 16GB & Training ,training readiness ,but I'm ok with that.
4. Change Data Screen via Garmin Connect app is a plus on 255 ,also 1.3" screen look nicer
5. I'm only paid $300 for my FR255 Music .
Thanks Matt
@@teeramate - I think that's exactly what I would have decided also. Thanks for the update Ryan! Great feedback here.
Hey Matt. Thanks for the review and my sentiments are the same with my watch. One thing I noticed was that the weather won’t work most of the time… I get the red exclamation mark. Do you get that?
It’s something about the watch not connecting to the phone for the latest info. It seems to be working for me right now. 🤷🏻♂️
Nice video and it gave me plenty food for thought for the next Garmin that I purchase. I have a question... I use the Forerunner 245 and a friend of mine uses the Fenix 6. When we run hills together, our elevation is way off, his seems to always record higher gain given the barometric altimeter in the Fenix 6. How accurate is the Forerunner 255 when running hills for elevation gain?
I don’t actually know the precise differences you might get. It’s something that might be more or less severe depending on the hills and accuracy of calibration. 😬 Sorry I don’t have a good answer for this one
@@mlegrand 🆒 thanks for getting back to me. Plenty to ponder and I may well upgrade sooner than later of the back of your video
Thanks for the review Matt, I'm in quite in dilemma, which one to choose FR255 or FR 745 (both costs same in India) or FR 945 (its quite high on cost though) my main sport is cycling though run and swim are also part. I'm looming for BRM's like 200/300 kms. which should be given a try, please let me know.
That's a tricky call. The 945 would provide maps which would be a nice option. Personally I think I'd go with the 255. I think you might enjoy the morning report. Like I said in this video, I've been testing other watches over the past 6 months and I kept missing that morning report. Let me know what you end up with and how you like it. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Thanks for the long term review! I got the 255 in december. Still not sure if it's the right one for me. I am not used to wearing the watch during sleep. I am afraid it will stress me too much as I've had insomnia every now and then. I feel like I am not giving the watch enough data to analyze. But the data after runs is meticulous, and I hope missing the sleep data doesn't corrupt too much the overall analysis of training.
Ok, I also struggle a lot with sleep. Hopefully running will help us sleep better. If wearing a watch to sleep is difficult than I wouldn't worry about it. There are a lot of recovery metrics that the 255 will track during sleep but the basics are that you should try to get as much sleep as possible. Sleep and HRV metrics would help guide the suggested workouts but I typically ignore those suggested workouts and run whatever I have scheduled for myself for the day. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. Keep me posted on how everything progresses and how you're liking the 255. 👍
Many thanks for the video!
You mentioned you usually carry a phone with you for longer runs. Do you hold it in your hand, or use some sort of arm/body strap? Just curious to see preferences
I use a cheap running belt thing. Something like this: amzn.to/3CTDBxz
But it's not super durable. I just like the price.
Hi Matt great video as always. I do run, bike, & swimming and I'm still confused which one should I get the Instinct 2 or FR 255. Because I like long battery life of instinct 2 but I also want the Race widget and daily training suggestion on 255. Can you please make a suggestion for me between those two? Or maybe comparison video even more better, thank you.
Is there one you’re leaning towards more than the other? Do you like the way one looks over the other? They’re very similar feature-wise but the screen is a little nicer on the 255. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
@@mlegrand thanks for responding, from the look of it and battery life I'm leaning more to instinct but form the screen size and features such as morning report, race feature, and pace pro I'm leaning more to FR255. That's why i still cant decide yet.
Same problem here 😂
This is a really hard call. The 13.10 software (beta) of the Instinct 2 now has the morning report feature and training readiness. So I might lean towards that device if you’re ok with the look of it.
@@mlegrand wow, thanks for the information
On 03:05 mins you mention your wrists are 156mm in diameter, but I guess you probably mean the circumference?! I also have rather small wrists and was thinking about the smaller version - but my wrist circumference is around 170mm.
That's not the first time I've mixed up diameter in circumference. 🤦♂️ That should be 165mm in circumference for my wrists. Sorry about that.
@@mlegrand No worries :) just wanted to make sure 😊
Hi matt. Hope your doing good. Just bump in on your review. Just need a recommendation from you , as a triathlete, would you recommend this FR255 for a full distance triathlon race. (IRONMAN) thank you more power to you.
The 255 is an excellent option for triathlon. It should be ok for a full triathlon. You've got 17 hours to finish that Ironman and this watch can go that long. You *might* want to adjust some GPS settings and you wouldn't want to use music. The 955 has slightly better battery life. I'm also about to post a video about the 965 vs the 265 which have the AMOLED displays but the MIP displays might work better for your exact goals. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Hey nice vid! I was wondering which watch i should really get. I have an iphone, and really want Garmin. But i see that apple watches is a bit more expensive then garmin and the battery on the apple watch is not really good either so i hope u have some suggestion which watch i should really get?
It’ll depend on what you like to do. I’d probably start by looking at the Garmin Forerunner 165. I have a video about it on my channel. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
if you wanna an actual SMART watch that can flex/function as sports watch get the apple watch. If you value a SPORTS watch more get the garmin. The apple watch is a great sports watch if you don’t mind charging every night or every two nights if you get the ultra
Great video👍 I am just wondering does the FR255 English version support BeiDou navigation since it's not showing on the official website.
I don't actually know which regions support which navigation types. Maybe reach out to Garmin with that question? Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
@@mlegrand Thanks anyway.🙂
Hi Matt, looking for a budget watch in 2024, would you go for the 255, the new 165 or just bite the bullet and go for the new 265
The 255 is fantastic but I guess it depends on if you want the AMOLED screen or if you’re ok with the MIP displays.
Hello! Thank you for your video! I've been thinking about upgrading from Mi Band 4 to Venu 2, but after quick comparison with other Garmin watches such as Instinct Solar 2 and now Forerunner 255 Music which is my choice I'm really struggling between Venu 2 or FR255. The functionality that I think I could make use of are training effect/load/recovery status and which unfortunately Venu 2 is lacking :( I've been spending my whole live pretty active, now I do running and go to gym 3-4 times per week and I'm starting to believe that I don't kinda need touch screen, but I'm kinda worried overall. Could I please get your opinion? Also, loving the material! Thank you!
There's been rumors of a Venu 3 coming out at some point in the near future. I don't have any details but it might be worth waiting a month depending on when you're planning to make a purchase. Some we'll also see discounts right before a model is discontinued or updated. 🤷♂️
@@mlegrand I have decided to go with Forerunner 255 Music. So in the future I will know if I will ever make use of these additional sport features. I'm just wondering if it is worth waiting extra time for some sales, but I highly doubt it as in my country discount for Music model is pretty rare and I've heard that Garmin birthday sales aren't the best. Thank you for your comment, appreciate is sir!
Im looking to buy my first gps watch to track overall sport activity. Im looking at the pace 2, the 245 and 255, is the 255 worth the extra money or should I go for the pace 2 or 245?
Personally, I think the the 255 is worth the extra money. It has loads more features and I’d expect it to get updated longer into the future. However, if you just need some basic GPS functionality for some running than any of these watches would work.
Thx for the review. I have a specific question about pool swimming. I'm very brand loyal and prefer Samsung, although the 3 I have owed break down after approx. 3 months of pool use (techs state its the chemicals in the water}. Does the 255 hold up during pool use?
I haven’t had any issues in a wide variety of different pools and pool chemicals. It seems odd that the Samsung watches are having issues.
My wife and I have been using the 255 for a year now and we have both had multiple times on workouts where the screen has a pixelated line appear through the center of the display. One time when this happened, the watch reset itself. Have you seen anything like this? Garmin customer service didn’t have a solution other than to hard reset the watch and report back to them if it continues, which it did. Curious if you’ve seen this.
I haven't seen that pixelated line. I did have an update that failed once and I had to do a hard reset. But I was chalking that up to being a part of the beta testing group. Thanks for posting about this because I'm sure others will or have had similar bugs. 👍
pixel line (black/white) it's a bug on from software . I did had that issue on 945lte before update to new fw . I'm on 13.21 beta 945lte
@@mlegrand one only problem every garmin user have is in training mode like run interval if you set pace target.During your workout the watch always telling you're slower than your target pace even you run 1:30-2:00 faster. I did interval 8*600 yesterday my was keep showing 8:30 min/mi on every labs ,but end of the workout data show up I run 7:0x on each lab.
@@teeramate - I wonder if that's due to a delay in GPS acquiring your actual pace. 🤔
@@mlegrand I'm don't think that about delay in gps on my test ,but many beta user have same kind of problem someone said that pace show on workout screen was " Avg Pace " not the current pace that you're running & I have no idea why garmin put Avg Pace there instead of pace. I had that issue on fw7.0x & lastest fw 13.21 on beta & I'll run next my interval on open interval mode on 945lte or do lap by myself to compare.Hope Garmin can fix this issue. ( if you want to try just set up workout on run & set target pace then do that workout )
I love my watch but just recently my altimeter has gotten hacked up and garmin tech has no fix. That and sometimes when I start my run it randomly Laps within like 10ft
I bet it's the temperature sensor. See if that looks crazy. If so, it'd effect the altimeter. If it's the 255, I'd expect it to be within the warranty replacement timeframe. Keep me posted on what you're seeing if if you're able to get it resolved. Thanks!
Good day! What do you recommend to consider for running classes: garmin 255 or 945lte? Interested in battery performance, better gps signal, more metrics for running.
Personally, I'd go for the 255. You would be missing maps from the 945. Keep me posted on what you pick and what you think. Thanks Stas!
Is this watch still worth it in 2024? I read you only get 2 years worth of security updates.
Personally, I still feel like this is one of the top value GPS watches on the market. I’d ask Garmin about there security update policy. 2 years doesn’t sound right to me. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
It's still getting firmware updates. Latest one added Sleep Coach and other stuff. Easily best value in Garmin's lineup right now if you don't need maps or want Amoled (to me Amoled is overpriced rubbish but each to their own)
Any idea if you can see the training readiness score in the connect app if you use the 255? Or does the watch need to have it for it to populate into garmin connect?
I don’t see it in here. I see training status which is different. I’ve only seen it on the 955 and Fenix series devices. (Epix, Enduro 2, etc. )
Im using this watch for like 2 weeks and i can see some scratches, i dont really like that so i was trying to avoid IT, so whenever i was doing something that could damage my watch i was taking IT off,
Super sorry to hear that. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Out of interest Matt, is there any difference in battery life between the 255 and the 255 Music version?
If you use music it’s a huge drain on battery. But it’d be the same otherwise.
@@mlegrand OK, no I just wondered if the music version had a better battery capacity in place so may last longer anyhow in watch only modes.
Would you chose forerunner 255 or coros pace 3?
I would choose the Garmin 255 personally
Thanks @@mlegrand
Do you think buy 255 for now still a good option? 255 v 945 v 955, which one will you get? Im looking for a best buck for now, not really need map feature 🙄
Best bang for your buck? 255 non music. In my opinion. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Hi, I am thinking to upgrade from my 3 years FR245 to FR255 eventhough now Garmin launched 265. Apart from price, i prefer MPI sunlight friendly screen on 255 instead of AMOLED on 264. Is 255 is still relevant in 2024?
Yeah, I think the 255 is still a relevant device in 2024. It's also an amazing value option. Good choice. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
@@mlegrand thanks for your feedback
Hi... is the triathalon mode soley for swim/bike/run activity? Is it the same as multisport mode? Can the triathalon mode be edited to just a run/bike/run for example? TIA.
The Multisport activity type can be triathlon, swim-run, brick, duathlon or custom. Great question Daniel. 👌🏻
@@mlegrand Thanks Matt
I can not decide between this 255 non music and a fenix 7 pro solar. Hard to not have FOMO when wearing something other than a fenix, but do I really need all those features to spend double the money….
Yeah, huge price difference. I think if you had both on your wrist you'd say "The Fenix also feels like a nicer watch". The build quality is significantly better. The watch body is built to be much more durable and it feels heavier. The 255 has a much more light weight plastic feel. Lighter weight is better in some use cases so I think it all depends on what you're going to be using it for.
Hi Matt, thanks for the informative video. I was wondering if I can sync my Komoot maps with the 255 for navigation. If it isn't the case, I would be very thankful if you could suggest me an affordable option. Thank you!!!!
Yes you can! But you're FR 255 doesn't have maps, it has breadcrumb style navigation but not detailed maps. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Should I get this or the new 165 ? Sine they both the same price…
Do you need the triathlon activity type? What kind of training and racing are you doing?
@@mlegrand I don’t do triathlon, but I do gym workout , and occasionally running on road but for about 10k only , I’m not preparing for marathon..
@@brucelin5842which one did you go for?
Do you recommend getting a screen protector for it?
It's probably a good idea. I personally don't have one but it can get scratched. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
I know I can set up alert for lap, heart rate and pace but how can I set up alert for the stress feature???
Great question!!! See my previous answer on the other video. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
would you recommend this over the coros pace 3?
Yes, and I’ve been seeing this 255 on sale recently. amzn.to/3MnQe8I
Thanks for video, what about the sleep average HR, is it the same as rest HR ?
Resting heart rate is basically your lowest heart rate. Sleep average might be higher depending on dreams or even getting up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom.
@@mlegrand but there is not an option so see just sleep hr averages right? thanks
@@mravljakmatej8899 - I’ve only seen 7 day rest heart rate average. The watch is taking readings as you sleep so that information is there. It’d just be a bit of a pain to extract it out.
@@mlegrand Yes, thank you and enjoy!
Your wrists are 6.5" in circumference, did I hear that accurately if so we are spot on the same.
I think that should be circumference. 😬 Or about 165mm
@@mlegrand edited, but if that is the case, seems like the right size but you also suggest the larger 1.3" vs 1.1" size would be okay as well? Think that the 955 is overkill for me but maybe the standard 255 Music, but I can get the 955 for $390
@@jasboehlke - I typically recommend either the 255 non music or the 955. There's more storage and maps on the 955. And if your wrists are similar to mine, I'd go with the 1.3 size. Let me know what you end up with and what you think.
@@mlegrand Yeah trying on both tomorrow, $310 for 255S with music, $390 for 955 club prices.
@@jasboehlke - See what you think of the size but I’d lean towards the 955. And that’s an amazing price for that device. 👌
Can I see the elevation profile while using navigation in a running activity to see how much i still have to climb? I know it doesn't have climb pro but foe example, on instinct series i see the elevation profile to have an idea what is coming up. Thanks!
I think you can. In that way it should be very similar to the Instinct series. There's navigation but no maps. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
im on the fence between the forerunner 255 music or the 265. anybody have reconemndations
Go for the 265 if you want music. I think the 255 non music is a great value but the $50 increase is a lot for the small amount of music storage.
Hey! I’m thinking about getting either the 255 music, 265, 945 or 165. Which one do you think it’s the best?
I think it depends on what you’re planning on using the watch for exactly. If you’re mostly running, all of these watches will work well. I really like 265 amongst this group. I don’t think you’d be disappointed with it at all.
@@mlegrand Thank you very much, man! I was leaning towards the 255 music, but it might be worth it to spend the additional 100 bucks for the 265
Have you done any Triathlon with this watch? How does the end result is synced? For e.g. in Wahoo rival, you can edit the segments including transition based on final chip time and upload. Does it work in the same way on Garmin?
That's a cool feature that the Wahoo Rival has but Garmin doesn't have it specifically. There are tools to edit .fit files but it's not as easy and intuitive as what Wahoo offers. You were looking at the Coros Pace 2 also which again wouldn't have this edit feature.
I still think the Garmin 255 is the far superior choice.
@@mlegrand Hey Matt. The reason for Coros Pace 2 is the price and features. I'd be doing hardly 1 or 2 tri events a year but would be taking part in multiple running events. So my plan was to buy something cheap for Ironman 70.3 which is just 7 weeks away and then sell this watch and either go with Garmin 265 or other higher end Coros watches. To be honest, I did use the Garmin watch once and was just annoyed by the app and user interface.
Also, the earlier reason to go with wahoo was the ability to reduce data fields as and when needed with just button press. I have to wear normal glasses when running but due to it, I can't read small text and have to look from under my glasses when reading data on my watch or phone :).
@@HarishChouhan - Sounds like a plan. You can reduce data on a screen with Garmin but it's multiple button presses and not something you want to do mid-race. Best of luck with the upcoming triathlon Harish!
Does anyone know why the distance on the watch is 4km out compared to the distance downloaded onto the garmin app on my mobile? 😮
That’s super odd. Might be a question for Garmin?
hi Matt, great review.
Without music playing, is battery life in training mode identical between music & non music model? in market for Pace 2 replacement and 225s is on my eyes now. Definitely, I don't need music, but I don't like color option of non music model.
Yes, battery life would be identical. I’d look at all of the color options including the larger size. I think you’d get used to and like the bigger edition. I’d also look at the new 165 options. 👌
Hi Matt, looking for a watch so i can track heart rate wile mountain biking, would you recommend 165 or 255, or something more rugged like the instinct 2?
I’m a big fan of the instinct series and they’re due for an update at some point but heart rate tracking from the wrist is extremely difficult on any watch while mountain biking. The 165 doesn’t support power meters on the bike. I’m not sure if that matters 🤷🏻♂️
@@mlegrandI have about a 155mm circumference wrist, would the bigger 255 be to big?
@@carsarecool3426 - similar to my wrists. You can see what you think of my wrists wearing it in this video but would want the smaller edition personally.
I like the watch overall, but it doesn’t auto sync my runs or walks. I have to open the app and play with the sync button and wait several minutes to upload. Kinda buggy!
That's odd. It should eventually connect and sync your data. I would double check that your watch is connecting to the wifi network at your home. But this is really good feedback for people to see when considering this watch. Thanks so much for taking the time to post it!
Some users prevent the app from running in the background to save battery. I do too. Just run the app after a workout and it will sync up within a minute or so.
Can you do a video with the new update on the 255 please version 15.19
What’s new in that release?
I have a garmin instinct, would the 255 be a good upgrade
Yeah, in a lot of ways, it'd be a great update. I think you'd like all of the morning report stuff. What kind of training do you like to do?
@@mlegrand right now running, mountain biking, and road cycling
@@laneharrison3162 - Yeah, I think you'd like the 255. It doesn't have true mapping like the 955 but it has bread crumb trail style mapping.
I ended up going with the 955 for the same price as the 255. Hope I made a good choice
@@laneharrison3162 - Absolutely, You’ll really enjoy this one. 👌
Hello again mate, how do you think which one will stay longer by one charge Coros Apex 2 or Forerunner 255, i know that the apex 2 has 45 hours in gps mode which is 15 more hours than 255, but in just smartwatch mode it's only 3 day longer?
Both Coros and Garmin are doing some tricks to get that really long battery life. For example reduction of HR readings or not showing the seconds on the display because those display refresh cycles drain the battery. I would say that the Coros would get a long battery because of some of these differences. Are you mostly going to use it for running?
@@mlegrand yes, mostly for running but also for gym training. And I also wonder if they are suitable for ultra-runs, say 100 km?
Forerunner 255 vs 945 if the same price which would you guys choose
I’m weird. I’d probably get the 255 but you’d miss mapping.
how is the battery now? after 18 months using, the battery of my forerunner 55 is draining very fast. it is dying. the battery cost is very expensive.
Battery still seems solid on this device. I haven't done a ton of testing on it. But typically these lithium ion batteries start to show real signs of age after 2 years. 😬 I haven't experienced the battery replacement options from Garmin, so I can't speak to that.
@@mlegrand thanks for your comment.
Hi, is the bezel blacn on the slate grey ?
It’s black. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
There is some comments about buttons. How are they comparing with 245 or 45? I like my 245 watch and the buttons are nice. 🙂
Yes, the people have had issues with this watch's buttons. Personally, mine are still perfect and clicky. No problems after having had it for a while. But I trust those that are experiencing that squishy button issue. Hard call. Are you mostly using this for running?
Yes, mainly running, ultra running.
And for everyday usage but that's secondary.
I like my fr 245 but want more battery time and altimeter.
@@anderstoll3736 - Mapping? The Enduro is a massive jump in price but very much designed for Ultras. You kind of have to jump up to the 955 to get mapping. Although now that there is a 965 you might be able to find a discount on the 955.
@@mlegrand If money was not a issue = Enduro 2. But it is too expensive :)
Maps would be nice.
Hm.
@@anderstoll3736 how much time can your 245 stay for on ultra runs?
Hi,I have opportunity to upgrade to 255 music from fenix 5 sapphire,should I do it?thanks
Maybe. The 255 has a cheaper feel to it. It’s more plastic feeling than what you’re used to. I do think you’d like the software advancements of the new device.