TO THE FORE
Garmin races ahead of the pack REVIEW
THANKS FOR NOTHING: The Ear buds
GARMIN is a master of fitness-focused wearable tech and its Forerunner 165 is no exception.
It packs all the great features from its higher-end Forerunner models into a cheaper, simpler running tracker with a bright OLED screen and long battery life. It comes in a choice of colours but only one size, with a 1.2in screen and 43mm case.
I tested the vibrant purplelooking Fuchsia/Coral-coloured model. It feels slim, light and compact on the wrist.
The watch is a decent size, and the crisp OLED display is large enough to make it easily readable. It has the same great combination of touchscreen and five buttons as recent Garmin watches.
It syncs your data to an Android phone or iPhone through the Connect app. You can also use a USB cable to your computer, or if you get the 165 Music you can sync direct to the internet through WiFi.
To me, the ability to be able to stream offline music or podcasts from your watch to your earphones is something every wearable should have – it means you can leave your phone at home when out for a walk or run or cycle – so I would encourage you to buy the 165 Music version.
Forerunner 165 isn’t just about running. It tracks a total of 24 sports including various forms of running, cycling and swimming, walking and hiking, gym activities and racket sports.
Laps
For running, it tracks everything you need: time, distance, pace, cadence, laps, running dynamics and power – the latter two would appeal to more serious enthusiasts.
Its GPS tracking is impressive. It doesn’t have dual band GPS but I compared it to the much more expensive Epix Pro Second Gen (which has dual band) and the tracking was almost identical.
Other features include the useful Morning Report, which tells you how well-recovered you are and recommends a workout based on this information, Course Creation and Garmin Coach, which can generate basic training plans that suit your goals.
This wearable does not have offline maps – that’s a feature you will only find on more expensive fitness wearables.
Battery life is about five days between charges with the screen on all the time but if you set the screen to turn on only when you rotate your wrist, this extends the battery life to about 11 days.
A full charge via the USB-C cable takes about an hour.
You don’t get some of the more advanced training analysis of the likes of Epix Pro Second Gen but what you do get for the price is great value for money.
■ The Garmin Forerunner 165 costs €279 from Harvey Norman and Forerunner 165 Music costs €329.