Garmin Forerunner 245 Watch Review

With its multiple apps and built-in features, the Forerunner 245 was clearly designed for those who partake in a wide range of activities. Runners are able to access up to eleven features that can track their distance, vertical oscillation, stride length, ground-contact time, and performance condition among others.

Cyclists are given time/distance alerts, various courses, and speed and cadence sensors. Swimmers can monitor their stroke types, efficiency, and all of their basic metrics. And those who part-take in outdoor recreation have point-to-point navigation, GPS coordinates, and are able to back track to their starting point.

Even those who perform basic gym workouts have their own profiles for cardio, eliptical, stair-stepping, strength training, indoor rowing, and yoga.

Aside from the date and time the Forerunner 245 comes equipped with all of the same clock features that buyers have come to expect such as an alarm clock, timer, stopwatch, and automatic daylight savings time. Sunrise/sunset times are also included for those who strictly monitor their outdoor training hours.

Its daily smart features prove to be incredibly helpful during both workouts and day-to-day life. These include smart notifications for texts and calls, a calendar, and a built-in weather app.

Of course, its most notable and reliable feature has to be its GPS, as it not only monitors the runner's whereabouts but also enables its more advanced tracking and safety features.

Garmin Connect is considered to be one of the primary apps for the Forerunner 245. Not only does it allow the buyer to personalize their daily workouts, but it also gives access to a personal trainer, allows them to track each of their activities, and monitors their heart rate. They can even connect with friends for encouragement and teamwork during training sessions.

Other health-related features include Body Battery, which monitors the buyer's overall energy levels, and Garmin's Pulse Ox sensor, which measuring blood oxygen levels even during sleep. Women also have the option to track their menstrual cycles with help from Garmin Connect.

Its heart rate features are even able to measure recovery time, give calorie levels, and provide alerts to any sudden changes. And its Live Track and Incident detection apps assure the buyer that they can feel safe and at ease as long as they're connected.

Multiple online reviews have praised the Forerunner 245 for its overall level of accuracy. According to them, it's able to quickly pick up a GPS signal during a run and perfectly tracked the exact route that the buyer took. Should they ever need Live Track or incident detection, this will be more than necessary.

This quality is especially impressive when it comes to its health-monitoring features. Runners claim that they feel better informed during and after workouts, as it even keeps tabs on their progress and energy levels during the various stages of their workouts.

It should be pointed out, however, that this watch does not measure elevation gain or loss. However, based on one online listing, the right Garmin app can provide an elevation profile after completing a route.

Just like several other Garmin smartwatches, the Forerunner 245 is ANT+ and Bluetooth compatible and can work seamlessly with both iPhones and Android models. It walks the buyer through the initial set-up phase, and once their phone is properly connected they will be notified of text messages, emails, and even social media alerts.

This particular quality is also needed for this watch's tracking and safety features, such as LiveTrack or Incident Detection. Live event sharing can only be utilized with an Android smartphone.

The Forerunner 245 already has a number of apps preloaded for assistance during various workouts and activities. As stated before, it includes a number of different tracking features for frequent runners, swimmers, cyclists, and even hikers and trail runners.

Those who perform regular training sessions can take full advantage of fitness trackers such as Garmin Connect and Body Battery, which closely monitors their overall energy. And the LiveTrack provides peace of mind by keeping your contacts up to date on your whereabouts.

Other apps such as Find My Phone or Find My Watch can help buyers stay organized and avoid stress. They can even personalize their watch with the Face It app, which allows them to customize their watch face with any image from their phone's photo library.

The Forerunner 245’s relatively sleek and simple design means that it will be as comfortable for the buyer as it is stylish and functional.

It weighs in at 38.5 grams, or just over eight percent of a whole pound, making it incredibly lightweight and easy to wear during both rugged activities and everyday life. And the use of silicone for the band feels smooth and nice against the skin, meaning that it won’t cut into the wrist even as it’s being tightened.

Athletes can wear this confidently during both training sessions and everyday life without feeling weighed down and constricted or worrying that it might slip off at any moment.

Buyers seem to love the Forerunner 245's simple yet very modern style, especially since it looks almost identical to other sports watches sold by Garmin. It also guarantees that it won't impede on the buyer's activities or pair strangely with a casual outfit. No matter how it's used or where it's worn, this watch is sure to fit in seamlessly in any environment.

It should be noted that this model is available in different colors depending on its features. This particular model is only available in slate grey and berry, while the version that's music-compatible is sold in black, white, and aqua. Either way, there seems to be a suitable version for almost any buyer out there.

As one would expect from an advanced smartwatch, the Forerunner 245 proves to be an incredibly durable model and can be used everywhere from harsh mountainous trails to underwater. The lens is made from Corning Gorilla Glass 3, allowing it to resist scratches and much heavier outside damage. It’s also water-resistant in depths of up to 50 meters, which makes sense considering its swimming features.

The only obvious downside is that the silicone band may wear and tear over time, even though they are noticeably sturdier than a fabric band. Buyers can still find replacements for a damaged band on the Garmin website, or several other online retailers, for a very reasonable price.

The Forerunner 245’s lens is made from Corning’s trademarked Gorilla Glass 3 and is held in place with a fiber-reinforced polymer bezel. Its display size measures in at 1.2 inches, or 30.4mm, in diameter, the average size for most watches. Its resolution is listed as 240 x 240 pixels, making it a lower resolution model that’s still more advanced than most watches on the market.

Buyers are also happy to know that it’s sunlight-visible and transflective, meaning that they can view the screen clearly and operate the watch efficiently without having to worry about glare. It even comes with a built-in back light for use during nighttime or other low-light environments.

Just like all other models within its line, the Forerunner 245 features a band that's made out of silicone. It’s designed to best fit all wrist sizes between 5 and 8 inches, or 127 to 204mm according to its listing on the Garmin website. It also comes with a removable keeper loop this keep it further set into place and prevent it from getting caught on anything that the buyer might run past.

Thanks to its unisex design, and the slits that almost completely line its band, the Forerunner 245 is able to fit an incredibly wide range of wrist sizes. Although, according to its listing on the Garmin website, it’s made to best fit wrist sizes between 127mm and 204mm, or from five to eight inches. Those who have a larger wrist size can easily find a silicone extender online for a very affordable price.

Furthermore, its display size features the average watch measurement of 1.2 inches in diameter.

Those who have purchased and used similar Garmin watches will find the Forerunner 245 very easy to use. On the other hand, those who have never even used a smartwatch before will have a difficult time for at least for the first few days.

Thankfully, as with all gadgets, this model comes with an instruction manual to help newcomers get used to their new device. Online tutorials are also available for those who are visual learners, and the watch itself even walks the buyer through the process of connecting the device to their phone.

After a short time, buyers will be able to use its five-button configuration with ease for everything from timing out their jogs to accessing their emergency contacts.

Like all other smartwatches, every Forerunner 245 comes with a USB cable for both charging and data tracking. All that the buyer has to do is plug it into the back of the watch and then into their laptop or a wall outlet for efficient charging. They could even use a portable charger if they’re constantly on the move.

Once it’s fully charged, which takes about an hour according to one reviewer, it will last up to seven days in Smartwatch Mode and 24 hours in GPS mode. While this is impressive, it should be noted that its battery life is two days shorter than its immediate predecessor, the Forerunner 235. Although most buyers don’t seem to mind, it is a bit disappointing for those who have used both models.

Considering everything that it offers, it shouldn’t be at all surprising to learn how expensive the Forerunner 245 is. It’s listed on the Garmin website, and other online retailers such as REI and Road Runner Sports, for $300. This same price is even listed on Amazon, so there are currently not many opportunities to find good deals.

Of course, those who are way more on the active side would definitely say that this watch is worth every dollar spent. However, those who know that they wouldn’t readily use most, if not all, of its features would be better off looking for something simpler and much cheaper.

-240 x 240 pixels
-Bluetooth connectivity
-Garmin Connect, Garmin Coach
-Body Battery energy monitor
-Live Track, Incident detection
-Face It for customization
-Water resistance in up to 50 meters
-Sunlight visible and transflective
-Corning Gorilla Glass 3 lens
-Silicone wrist band
-7-day battery life in Smartwatch Mode
-24-hour battery life in GPS mode

Multiple reviewers feel that the Garmin Forerunner 245 improves not only their workouts but also their day-to-day lives. They can monitor their overall training whether they're running, cycling, or swimming. They're able to keep track of their heart rate and blood oxygen levels, and its GPS and Live Track app give them peace of mind even while they take on challenging terrains.

Not surprisingly, there are plenty of buyers who are intimidated by its expensive $300 price tag. This is for good reason, since if they don't live an active lifestyle then they won't be able to fully utilizes its features. But those who would use it frequently, and know how to properly care for it, will find that it's well worth the money spent.