Garmin Forerunner 645 Music

PRICE: £349.99 | garmin.com

middle-of-the-road

A GREAT watch for runners who want more than the basics, the Forerunner 645 has wristbased heart-rate monitoring, multisport training modes, VO2-max tracking, suggested recovery times, plus aerobic and anaerobic training effect. As with most Garmins, you can also load training plans from Garmin Connect onto the watch, so this a great option for those looking for a watch to help them prepare for a race.

Garmin’s main selling point with the 645 Music is its ability to load music and podcasts onto the watch, as well as being able to stream music from Spotify.

In theory, this means runners can leave their phone at home. In reality, it can be fiddly, while music, audiobooks and podcasts need to be manually added using a computer, which feels like an extra step.

Music aside, the watch is easy to navigate around and the GPS locks quickly, even on the most remote trail. Design-wise, it doesn’t look like a sports watch – it is one of the more attractive models in the brand’s stable. The screen is easy to read when you’re running, especially in low light, as the screen lights up whenever you raise your wrist – a nice touch.