Customer Ratings & Reviews

This is the perfect watch if you want to improve your running performance and overall fitness with all the coaching and cool tools and data Garmin provides. I am a huge fan of having full routable mapping for runs which this has. The flashlight gets used every day. Very comfortable for all day and sleep wear. The battery with real world use with AOD on and tracking one hour of gps activity per day will last about a week. The only real cons are the garbage watch faces. The only nice one is the 965 face which I am using. That is an area the Apple Watch Ultra wins. You can download more but they honestly all look lame or don’t have the same functionality. This is definitely a running watch, do not buy it as a smartwatch and you’ll be happy with it.

The Forerunner 970 feels tough yet light. Garmin swapped in a scratch-proof sapphire lens and a slim titanium bezel, so the watch weighs about 56 g but handles bumps like a Fenix. You still get the five real buttons Garmin is famous for—easy to press when you’re sweating.A built-in LED flashlight (white and red) is hand. Inside, the latest optical heart-rate sensor supports ECG and skin-temperature tracking, and dual-band GPS locks on quickly for accurate pacing. There’s a speaker and mic for phone-free calls or audible pace alerts, plus 32 GB to store maps and music. Battery life stays strong at roughly 15 days with aod off.

This new Garmin watch has surprised me in the best way possible. I knew it would track workouts, but I didn’t expect the level of depth behind every metric. Each day I learn about a new feature—training readiness, recovery time, real-time stamina, pace guidance, altitude acclimation—the list just keeps going. It doesn’t just measure my activity; it helps me optimize it. I can see how well I slept, how stressed I was throughout the day, and whether my body is primed for a hard workout or needs rest. Pair that with accurate GPS, long battery life, and a crystal-clear display, and it feels like an entire coaching team shrunk into a wristwatch. Garmin really delivered something special here. It’s powerful, intelligent, and incredibly motivating.

Previous Apple Watch user for years and I am so glad to make the switch to Garmin! The battery life alone is worth it. This thing weighs a fraction of what the Apple Watch does. I started running again and the Garmin tracks so much more. It also gives me more of a break from the all of the “smart watch” distractions while still keeping me in the loop with call, text, and email notifications.

Had to say, I was a little apprehensive about spending 750 for a smartwatch, but honestly, Im happy I did. I do some running on weekends and I am amazed at how accurate and intuitive the biometric features are. I bought this thing about a week ago, I've yet to charge it and the battery is still at roughly about 33%. The display is bright, crisp and crystal clear. There are plenty of features to explore, this gadget definitely keeps you busy. I was doing some network cabling and needed a flashlight guess who came to the rescue...again the price tag is a bit high but you will appreciate all the fr970 has to offer.

So far its a great fitness tracker. Garmin gives you a lot of health stats but there have been some bugs. It missed a 4hr nap/sleep I took and that was very disappointing. My Samsung ring recorded the nap but the Garmin didn't and because it missed it, Garmin connect thought I wasn't getting enough sleep and gave me a low energy score. The google assistant a doesnt work well. Also the lagging is hard to work with especially since most high end devices improve their performance each year. The battery life is great of course because it's Garmin but I usually have to reset the watch if i see the battery draining faster than normal. This usually fixes any issues. Nice watch but there are so many cheaper and possible better options out there.

Best watch I ever bought. Durable, chock full of features, and looks clean

Currently training for an Ironman and this watch does exactly everything i need it to do. The flashlight during those early morning runs are amazing to use for safety concerns. Music speaker is nice quality and loud. I mean if you are running and training daily then this watch is perfect1

We've been Galaxy Watch users for about 7 years. Recently, my wife took up running seriously and is training for a half marathon with a goal of 2:10. We wanted to find a way to coach her, safely, to that goal time and distance. The Forerunner 970 has everything you could need. Morning and evening reports to sum up your day and set expectations. Advanced running metrics galore. Overall health monitoring. And la pièce de résistance: Garmin Coach. The coach tracks your training and suggests workouts that build you appropriately based on a goal. Her goal is that half marathon and it knows the date. It suggests runs (base, tempo, threshold, sprints, long runs, etc) as well as core strength and stability workouts. It's building her up as it learns about her. Along with that, you've also got courses with full color maps, video guidance for body weight exercises, phone integration for call/text/notifications, a real LED flashlight (excellent for night runs), and a SUPER long-lasting battery. I can't say enough good about it. 100% recommend this watch for anyone with a fitness goal.

By far the best watch ive ever own. If its just casual or runs this watch does it all. And the battery life is amazing! Beats apple watshes

Great watch for athletes. Love the flashlight feature and tacking. Definitely recommend if you like to see your health data. Battery last FOREVER. had it for a month and only had to put it charge twice.

Ive been training for a marathon and had been an apple watch user for years. I wanted to get somthing that helped me with my live pace to better my running sessions and couldnt be happier. I love thay thay battery lasts for DAYS! And i love the info i can get from the watch while running and also the insights it gives me about my running preparedness and revovery as well. I also use the Runna training program and this watch works seamlessly with it! Extremely satisfied!

Switched from Apple Watch. Glad I made the switch Scary at first but love it .

Very glad I went with this watch instead of the new Apple Watch. The battery last a long time. At least 2 weeks. Still learning it, but so far I’m impressed.

Well price is pretty high, but it is better than the 965, i didn't think the light was a big deal until i really started to use it on night runs and night range. weight is perfect i did add a case.

Excellent in all steps, chose, order and pick up! I intend to keep buying here!

I have all the information i need when running. All in 1 watch. Easy to use and so much data

If you want a watch that feels like it’s cheering you on from your wrist, the Garmin is your new best friend. This thing doesn’t just track your workouts — it practically high‑fives you for doing them. Whether I’m running, hiking, biking, or just pretending I know what “VO₂ max” means, my Garmin keeps up like a champ. The battery lasts so long it feels like it’s powered by pure determination. And the GPS? Laser‑accurate. It’s like having a tiny satellite dedicated just to me. Garmin doesn’t try to be a mini smartphone on your wrist — it’s a performance machine. It’s rugged, reliable, and built for people who actually go outside on purpose. If you want a watch that pushes you to be your best without needing a daily recharge, Garmin is the way to go.

The dial is larger and more crisp to view than my old Epix pro 2. The forerunner is easier to use when tracking reps for exercising and more sensitive with tracking each one. The weight of the forerunner is so much lighter than the epix, which makes is more comfortable to wear at night for tracking sleep. I have enjoyed the nighttime day review to let you know how much sleep is recommended to restore for the next day. Overall very happy with the update in system and weight and size in comparison to the epix pro.

I have always been an Apple watch user (8+ years), but as I have gotten into running more I wanted to give Garmin a chance. I have been using the Garmin- Forerunner 970 for about a month now and I Love it! I have only had to charge it twice over that span whereas the Apple Watch Ultra 2 I was charging basically everyday. Where I was blown away was the functionality and versatility. The Forerunner 970 gives you countless options of customization on the home screen and don't even get me started on the data it can provide. I am still trying to learn all of the data/ tracking it provides in the Garmin- Connect app, but I appreciate the attention to detail provided. Not only is it a step up when it comes to tracking running, cycling and swimming, but it also has a very nice way to track your strength workouts. You can customize your workouts and create your own workouts with sets, reps and rests included (very cool features). All and all I would highly recommend giving Garmin a try, especially the Forerunner 970. - From a former Apple Watch user.