Key Points
- Garmin Forerunners are expensive, with prices upwards of $600.
- Garmin Forerunners can be complex and intimidating for new users.
- Garmin Forerunners have a bulky design and may not be suitable for those with small wrists.
- Garmin Forerunners have limited versatility and integration abilities with third-party apps.
- Three alternatives to Garmin Forerunners are the Amazfit GTR Mini, Fitbit Inspire 3, and Apple Watch SE.
You may want to buy a fitness tracker or a GPS-enabled smartwatch for many reasons. For example, you can use them to track your marathon training, record your nightly sleep patterns, and even monitor your heart rate and blood oxygen levels. That’s where watches like those in the Garmin Forerunner family come in. However, if you’re looking for a way to track your steps and don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on a wearable device, you may want to avoid a Garmin Forerunner.
This article will explore the top four reasons to avoid a Garmin Forerunner today. Also, we’ll take a look at three of the best Forerunner alternatives available.
Garmin Forerunners Are Expensive
Garmin watches offer a lot. They have many features and included options. Also, they are quality built to be durable to withstand your time out of doors. However, with all those feature options and rugged durability comes a higher price. Garmin Forerunners can cost upwards of $600. That’s a big chunk of change for a wearable. Especially if you only need some of the features the watch offers.
Garmin Forerunners Are Complex and Intimidating
If you’re new to smartwatches, GPS trackers, or wearables in general, the first time you see a Garmin Forerunner may be overwhelming. The watch interface, navigation settings, and setup may be too confusing for some folks, especially if you’re unsure what to track during your workouts. If you find this is the case, you’ll want to find something a little less cumbersome regarding the learning curve.
Garmin Forerunners Have a Bulky Design
Yes, Forerunners are bulky. So, if you have a small wrist or prefer not to have a gigantic, almost computer strapped to your arm, you’ll want to look elsewhere. Most Garmin Forerunner models are rugged, meant to stand up to accidental contact with hard objects such as rocks or walls. They also feature many buttons, which can add to the bulkiness. Finally, it is easy for your wrist to accidentally hit a button on some Garmin watches, which may start tracking and could cause a shorter battery life.
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Garmin Forerunners Have Limited Versatility
Some watches allow for multiple third-party app integrations. However, Garmin Forerunner has limited integration abilities. This lack of seamless integration means apps like Strava and MyFitnessPal may only get some of the data points you want from your Forerunner. Additionally, you may find you need to manually upload saved activities to a third-party app, which can be a stressful experience.
3 Alternatives to Garmin Forerunners
So you’re looking to avoid a Garmin Forerunner, we’ve got you covered. Here are three great alternatives if you’re in the market for a GPS smartwatch with similar features, but without the price, bulkiness, and complexity of a Forerunner.
Amazfit GTR Mini
- 14-day battery life
- More than 120 Sports Modes
- Heart rate, SpO₂, and stress monitoring
- Slim and lightweight at 9.25mm and 24.6g
- Compatible with Android and iOS
If the bulkiness of Garmin Forerunners is your biggest gripe, consider the Amazfit GTR Mini. This Mini says it’s for women, but the Amazfit GTR Mini also comes in a men’s version. (The difference between the two is the size of the bands). This version is slim and lightweight at only 9.25mm and 24.6 grams.
The Amazfit GTR Mini is an excellent Garmin Forerunner alternative because it’s less expensive but boasts a long battery life of up to 15 days. In addition, the Amazfit GTR Mini has Alexa built right in, so it’s like having a virtual assistant on your wrist, ready to set reminders or complete other tasks with the ten min-apps available. Also, we like how easy it is to view your health stats on the water-resistant screen. Since the watch is water resistant up to 50 meters, it’s a great option for swimmers.
One drawback to the Amazift Mini is that it works best with an Android phone. Based on reviews, the features and included app is not as user-friendly on an iPhone.
Fitbit Inspire 3
- 20+ exercise modes with automatic exercise tracking
- Heart rate and SpO2 monitors
- Automatic sleep tracking
- Color touchscreen with customizable clock faces
- Water resistant to 50 meters
- Up to 10-day battery life
If the Forerunner’s AMOLED display catches your eye, consider its less expensive alternative, the Fitbit Inspire 3. The Inspire 3 fitness tracker features a highly customizable, color AMOLED touchscreen that lets you choose the watch look and widgets.
While the Fitbit doesn’t have a battery life as long as more Forerunners, it boasts up to 10 days duration, which is more than enough for most of us.
Finally, the Inspire 3 has many features that allow you to track your fitness, health, and sleep patterns for an insightful view of your overall health. This includes all-day activity tracking, a 24/7 heart rate monitor, over 20 exercise modes, and a daily stress management score, among other features.
Apple Watch SE
- Crash Detection, Fall Detection, and Emergency SOS
- Fitness, heart rate, and sleep trackers
- Water-resistant up to 50 meters
- Send texts, make calls, and listen to music
- Increased performance through Apple’s S8 processor (20% faster)
One of the best things about the Garmin Forerunner is its ability to work well with iPhones. However, if you’re looking for an alternative that works just as well with your iPhone, consider the Apple Watch SE. The more affordable price tag and its compatibility with iPhones aren’t the only things the SE has going for it.
This watch has a heart rate monitor, accurate GPS, and a low-power mode to help combat its short battery life of about 18 hours. We also love the crash and fall detection, plus the heart monitor that will alert you should your heart rate become irregular.
Finally, the watch features an easy-to-read, bright, and customizable display that will support most features that more expensive Apple watches offer. This includes sending texts, making calls, and listening to music right from your watch.
Why You May Still Want to Buy a Garmin Forerunner
While many people will be happy with a less technical GPS watch, others will love all the features that a Garmin Forerunner offers. Some examples of helpful features include heart rate monitoring, contactless payments, and music playback. Garmin Forerunner watches also boast a long battery life and are customizable. However, it’s the abundance of features that most people don’t need or want that make the Forerunner an unattractive fitness tracker.
4 Reasons to Avoid a Garmin Forerunner Wrap-Up
Garmin makes excellent watches, and Forerunners are no exception. However, for most people, the watch has so many features and such a complex user interface that it’s not the most cost-efficient watch. You may want to avoid forking over your cash for a Garmin Forerunner.
Instead, you can consider less expensive and bulky options like those from Apple, Fitbit, or Amazon. These watches may offer just the features you need to complete your daily steps or measure your heart rate without all the other bells and whistles you may never use.
When shopping for a GPS tracker or sports watch, weigh all your options before purchasing. You’ll want to consider the watch’s features for your favorite sport, battery life, and compatibility with your current phone and other devices.
The Best Alternatives to Garmin Forerunners
| Watch Name | Comparable Top Features |
|---|---|
| Amazfit GTR Mini | It’s a less expensive option with a long battery life and built-in Alexa. |
| Fitbit Inspire 3 | The watch has a highly customizable AMOLED touchscreen and a long battery life. |
| Apple Watch SE | It has a more affordable price tag and is a better fit for iPhone users. |
- $119.99Buy Now
- 14-day battery life
- More than 120 Sports Modes
- Heart rate, SpO₂, and stress monitoring
- Slim and lightweight at 9.25mm and 24.6g
- Compatible with Android and iOS
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
11/30/2023 03:11 pm GMT - $98.95Buy on Amazon
- 20+ exercise modes with automatic exercise tracking
- Heart rate and SpO2 monitors
- Automatic sleep tracking
- Color touchscreen with customizable clock faces
- Water resistant to 50 meters
- Up to 10-day battery life
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
12/01/2023 09:11 am GMT - $241.35Buy Now on Amazon
- Crash Detection, Fall Detection, and Emergency SOS
- Fitness, heart rate, and sleep trackers
- Water-resistant up to 50 meters
- Send texts, make calls, and listen to music
- Increased performance through Apple’s S8 processor (20% faster)
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
11/30/2023 03:33 pm GMT
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