Best Garmin watch for running in 2024

Runners have no shortage of smartwatch options to choose from, with all the major smartphone brands encouraging their users to buy their smartwatches. Apple, of course, has the Apple Watch, and there are a number of smartwatches from both household smartphone names and third-parties on Amazon with questionable quality and obscure brand names. The choices seem endless.

But even with so many options for smartwatches for runners, Garmin continues to be the go-to for a lot of people. From increased smartwatch battery life to better fitness tracking, Garmin’s running watches are utilitarian powerhouses, whatever the price range.

The top Garmin running watches

As our top pick, the Garmin Venu 3 offers nearly everything you need in a robust, well-rounded smartwatch that’s durable enough for outdoor training and balanced enough for everyday use.

The Venu 3’s array of sensors keep tabs on your pulse ox, heart rate, and other important data to offer in-depth insights after every run. We also have to give points for a solid battery life, as it can last 28 days in the most power-conservative mode, but average smartwatch use grants around 2 weeks of battery life.

Understandably, the more you activate the Venu 3’s premium features, like satellite positioning for tracking your runs, or streaming music directly from the device, the more you’ll see its battery life diminish. Keeping GPS engaged around-the-clock only affords about 21 hours of use, which is still a competitive duration, especially when runs don’t (or at least shouldn’t) stretch nearly that long.

Beyond the gas tank, the Venu 3 has a lot to offer, whether you’re a casual jogger, serious athlete, or just a busy person who wants a wristbound smart companion. It’s waterproof-rated up to 5 ATM, so you don’t worry about taking the watch off for your post-run dip in the pool or shower; Garmin’s health- and fitness-focused companion app is also at your disposal, while the GarminOS interface makes for a clean, mostly-easy-to-navigate user experience.

Women and folks with smaller wrists can consider the smaller alternative to this somewhat bulky watch, the Venu 3S, but keep in mind that the more petite version comes with a smaller battery.

With Garmin’s budget-range and midrange watches still offering at least three-quarters of what their premium siblings offer, there’s a strong case for the Vivoactive 5. You’ll get all the vital data you need to analyze your runs, including oxygen saturation and your heart rate.

As a downside, many affordable running smartwatches are made so because they lack the ability to track your location independently of a smartphone, meaning you’re forced to carry your phone to plot out runs and walks. Indoor or treadmill runners won’t miss this feature as much, but outdoor runners may not want the extra weight of their smartphone.

All in all, though, the Vivoactive 5’s fitness tracking capabilities are on par with Garmin’s more expensive options, both in accuracy and versatility. There are over 30 built-in fitness activities, including running, to make tracking your workouts easy, and with up to five days of battery life (with always-on display enabled, or 11 days with it turned off), the Vivoactive 5 can keep pace with your runs all week.

You may balk at the price tag on this one, and we can’t argue with that. A smartwatch that’s near or over $1,000 should accurately track important run data, have a battery that doesn’t quit, and, at this rate, include a tiny fan that blows a cool breeze across your face mid-workout. We’re still waiting for that last not-at-all-unrealistic feature, but the Epix Pro 2nd-gen has you covered on the first two.

The second rendition of the Epix Pro is a great companion for marathoners and outdoor runners, thanks to its ability to store regional map data. Once a map is uploaded to the watch, runners can add their courses, either manually picking each road and turn, or letting Garmin pick a round-trip route based on the distance you wish to travel and the direction you’d prefer to head in.

You can also select routes that other Garmin Connect users enjoy if you’d like to use a popular route. Capitalizing on this strength of the Epix Pro may take some time and finagling, but once it’s up and running, it’s a fantastic feature to use as an outdoor runner.

It’s important to keep in mind that the Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2) is no unobtrusive smartwatch. Its smallest size is 42 mm, so runners with smaller wrists or who prefer a more understated wearable should consider Garmin’s other options. However, the Epix Pro (Gen 2) is as durable and rugged as it looks, with a scratch-resistant Sapphire display (on select upgraded models), a steel or titanium housing depending on your model, and water resistance up to 10 ATM.

If you’d like an AMOLED display, but don’t want to fork over the cash for the Epix Pro Gen 2, the Forerunner 965 is the best pick. You could indeed go for the Forerunner 265 if you’re only looking for the AMOLED display, but the 965 is brighter. More importantly, it provides way more smartwatch features, a 23-day battery life, and a generous 32GB of storage space. It may not withstand 100 meters of water, but this is, first and foremost, a running watch.

The 965 includes all the maps you need, from trail to topographic, and you can always add more through the Garmin Connect IQ app store. Like all the other running watches, this watch comes with training tracking and training apps, too. Additionally, the 965’s Training Load Ratio gives you an easy way to monitor and anticipate potential exercising mishaps like overexertion and fatigue.

Multi-sport enthusiasts hunting for a rugged smartwatch should consider Garmin’s Instinct Crossover. The reinforced polymer casing, stainless steel bezel, and chemically strengthened glass are durable enough for outdoor adventures like hiking, climbing, and hunting. Similar to the watch’s enduring construction, the battery lasts as long as 71 days in battery-saver mode, or 28 days in smartwatch mode.

Given the Instinct Crossover’s rugged build, it’s surprising it doesn’t come with an LED flashlight. Nevertheless, it’s waterproof up to 100 meters, and the analog hands are a great bonus, with Garmin’s RevoDrive ensuring those hands keep time whenever and wherever your treks take you.

App-wise, the Instinct Crossover includes many preloaded apps for indoor and outdoor activities. Tracback Routing is one standout feature that uses the onboard GPS to track your path, so you return to your starting point without a hitch. Additional navigation tools like GLONASS, Galileo navigation, and built-in ABC sensors are also included.

Garmin’s Lily 2 smartwatch is designed with small wrists in mind. Plus, it doesn’t have the sporty style most running watches have, so it blends in even as you clean up from your afternoon run and prepare for an evening out. If there’s one downside, though, it’s that this watch is not built for durability — its aluminum bezel won’t take too many hits. Thankfully, the Lily 2’s lens is made with Gorilla Glass.

Beyond that, the silicone strap should feel pretty comfortable during runs and workouts, and with how easily swappable the bands are, you can always opt for leather if you’d like a more sophisticated look. Keep in mind that leather and sweat are not friends, so if you want to use Lily for intense cardio, stick with the silicone band.

While Lily’s features may not be as robust, there are plenty of pre-installed sports apps for running, swimming, strength training, etc. You’ll also find the Body Battery app for energy level tracking and the Pulse Ox Sensor for blood oxygen monitoring. The Lily 2 can even track menstrual cycles and pregnancy progress.

Unsurprisingly, there’s no GPS, so you’ll have to connect to your smartphone for that. And speaking of connections, you can’t sync with the Garmin Connect IQ app store. Will some find this limiting? Perhaps, but given the good looks and included features, it might not be a dealbreaker.

When you think of a running watch, you generally don’t envision anything with an analog display. The Vivomove Sport is just that — a running watch with a more classy vibe. Its stylish design looks just as lovely with your favorite out-on-the-town outfit as it does with your jogging shorts. And there’s more to this watch than meets the eye.

For one, this analog watch includes some digital features, like a hidden touchscreen. Simply double-tap the lower part of the watch to reveal a host of widgets that monitor steps, stress, heart rate, and more. You’d think all this minimalism would add more juice to the battery, but in smartwatch mode, it lasts only about five days with one charge. In watch mode, battery life extends to another week, but the watch’s smart features can’t be used.

Also, it’s not the brightest display, but it gets the job done. And you can monitor your progress through your smartphone with Garmin Connect.

Many runners have a trusty running playlist to keep them motivated while out for a jaunt, or to just help the miles go by faster. If music is a necessary tool for your jogs, check out the Forerunner 255S Music. It covers all the desirable smartwatch basics, and then some.

Along with the Spotify integration, the standard features you need in a running smartwatch are covered here, including a heart rate monitor and onboard GPS to map your running data. You can also store 4GB of music on this watch for easy access, although using this feature will up the watch’s battery consumption.

Keep in mind that this isn’t one of Garmin’s more durable watches. The Corning Gorilla Glass 3 lens will scratch and ding if you put this watch through some rough challenges, and the polymer bezel won’t hold up as well as the metal bezel of other varieties. The 255S Music also doesn’t have a touchscreen, but the five physical buttons around the crown cover everything you need for navigation.

Lastly, the Garmin Connect app is a must-have companion to this watch, as it’ll make viewing and sorting your fitness information much easier. The watch’s shortcuts are highly customizable, too, which should make navigating the touchscreen-less display easier.

Finding the right pace with Garmin

Ultimately, it all comes down to your personal preferences and needs. That said, the Venu 3 will likely check a lot of boxes. Runners can utilize all their favorite apps, like Garmin Connect and Strava, and enjoy a beautiful AMOLED display. It’s a well-balanced pick suitable for serious and casual runners alike.

Although, while the price of the Venu 3 is reasonable, considering what’s under the hood, it’s easy to understand why newbie runners and budget-minded buyers would go for the Vivoactive 5. It’s a simplified, yet still efficient, sibling to Garmin’s more sophisticated watches, and you still get all the essentials to hone your runs, like heart monitoring.

At the other end of the spectrum, the Epix Pro Gen 2 offers a bright screen, sturdy casing, and preloaded apps galore. Yeah, it’s pricey, but if you have the budget for it, you’ll get a lot out of it. Then there are several other models to consider, like the Vivosmart Sport with its digital tracking masked by an analog display.

This is all to say it might take a minute to decide. Several models offer differences so nuanced, especially with software, and in some cases, your final decision may come down to price, battery life, and aesthetics. Whether you want something fashionable, functional, or a bit of both, there’s certainly no shortage of options.