5 Best Garmin Running Watches For 2020 | Find The Right Fit

What’s So Great About Garmin Running Watches?

When I hear the name Garmin a few things come to mind. GPS, boat radars, and their many handheld devices and accessories. Garmin has been an industry leader in many of these categories for a long time. The following is our offering of some of the best Garmin Running Watches available to you today.  Garmin Running Watches have been at the top of the market for some time now due to their exceptional quality, design, look, feel and functionality. Garmin is now making fabulous and affordable watches for runners of all experience levels. 

Garmin believes that no two runners are the same and that they have a Garmin running watch for everyone. Whether its the casual jogger, or the intense marathon runner, Garmin running watches encompass all lifestyles and needs. They do so by offering a variety of watches that fit into several categories. 

They have economical watches and luxury watches. They have sleek and stylish or bold and brilliant. Garmin also provides different sizes and weights to accommodate every athlete. 

Garmin’s Designs Are State Of The Art

Their watches go beyond running. They can be used to workout, for skiing, surfing, golfing and so many more athletic activities. These watches are truly head and shoulders above the competition and deliver an impactful message. 

Having one of the best Garmin running watches is almost a necessity for anyone who runs. Having a watch on your wrist that has GPS, stores music, keeps track of vital statistics, etc. is so much more impactful than say carrying an iPhone in your pocket. 

Garmin designs all of its running watches with runners and people working out in mind. Smaller, lightweight, and ultra durable is what sets these watches apart. This article will touch on picks as The Five Best Garmin Running Watches for 2020, and what features they provide for the owner. It will give you a variety of Garmin watches to inform you and hopefully educate you on the product and its versatility assisting you in making an informed decision in purchasing a GPS Smartwatch for running.

5 Best Garmin Watches For 2020#1
Image Credit: Garmin

Here Are Our 2020 Choices!

Garmin Forerunner 245 Music

Garmin Forerunner 245 Music GPS Running Smartwatch - 2020
General Overview:

The Garmin Forerunner 245 Music is one of the most popular and versatile watches in the Garmin running watch line. With so many features and capabilities, this watch has something for everyone. 

This particular watch has music storage of up to 500 songs, right there on your wrist and also has syncing capabilities with both iPhones and Androids. This watch also boasts GPS battery power of 6 hours while in continuous music mode. 

The Forerunner 245 Music will learn you as a runner and your pace. The watch will learn your music and play for you what it feels is the right song at the right time. 

This watch has so many features and monitoring systems, like most of the Garmin watches, they are too numerous to list here. What makes the Forerunner 245 Music one of the top 5 is its long list of capabilities for the price!

 

Standard:

  • Built-in Sports Apps
  • Wrist-Based HRM
  • Built-in GPS
  • Connect IQ Store
  • Syncs With Garmin Connect
  • Body Battery Energy Monitor
  • 5-7 Day Battery Life

Bells & Whistles:

  • Running Dynamics
  • VO2 Max
  • Pulse OX Sensor
  • Training Status, Training Effect, Training Load
  • Menstrual Tracking
  • Smart Notification
  • Safety and Training Features
  • Music On Your Wrists

Overall Review Recommendation of this model:

This is Garmin’s mid-range Forerunner model offering.  If you’re a fan of the Forerunner but looking for more options and accessories we recommend this model for you.  It is a fantastic combination of technology for the price point.  A great choice.

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Garmin Vivoactive 4 Series

General Overview:

The Vivoactive 4 series is one of the most popular Garmin watches for its size and capabilities. What really separates this watch from the rest is how small it is. Its great for very active trainers who do not want to be weighted down by other watches. 

The Vivoactive 4 has many amazing features like 20 pre-loaded sports apps, full workouts with animations, and all the health stats you can handle. 

Another Garmin watch that allows you to go phone free, this watch also allows you to go wallet free. Easy access to smart pay features and apps like Spotify, this watch is a do it all type device. 

Sleek and stylish, this watch can go anywhere and do anything for its owner. Size does not matter when purchasing this particular watch.

 

Standard:

  • Built-in Sports Apps
  • Wrist-Based HRM
  • Built-in GPS
  • Connect IQ Store
  • Syncs With Garmin Connect
  • Body Battery Energy Monitor
  • 5-7 Day Battery Life

Bells & Whistles:

  • Garmin Coach
  • Pulse OX Sensor
  • Stress Training
  • Menstrual, Hydration, Respiration Tracking
  • Advanced Sleep Monitoring
  • Mindful Breathing
  • Animated, On-Screen & Custom Workouts
  • Water Rating
  • Music on Your Wrist
  • Smart Notification
  • Safety and Training Features
  • Garmin Pay

Overall Review Recommendation of this model:

This model is Garmin’s latest Vivoactive offering.  While very similar in many ways to their Forerunner & Venu models, it is a nice alternative in what amounts to the same price range.  Lots of options for you to choose from.

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Garmin Venu Series

Garmin Venu GPS Smartwatch - 2020

General Overview:

The Garmin Venu Series of watches fall into the great value category. The Venu watches are on the lower side of the Garmin price range, but with most of the features that make Garmin such great smart watches. 

Features like stress tracking, pule monitoring, and hydration and respiration monitoring, this watch can do it all. A battery life of 5 days will ensure you watch never dies when you need it most. 

The Venu watches are also very sleek in design, and can be worn day and night, in any setting. 

Whether designing your own workouts, or getting an advanced sleep monitor right on your wrist, the Venu series, like all the Garmin watches, are packed with helpful apps and information. 

The Venu watch has many great features and can perform some great functions. All of this while showing the style and class that the Garmin Venu Series is all about.

 

Standard:

  • Built-in Sports Apps
  • Wrist-Based HRM
  • Built-in GPS
  • Connect IQ Store
  • Syncs With Garmin Connect
  • Body Battery Energy Monitor
  • 5-7 Day Battery Life

Bells & Whistles:

  • Garmin Coach
  • Pulse OX Sensor
  • Stress Training
  • Menstrual, Hydration, Respiration Tracking
  • Advanced Sleep Monitoring
  • Mindful Breathing
  • Animated, On-Screen & Custom Workouts
  • Water Rating
  • Music on Your Wrist
  • Smart Notification
  • Safety and Training Features
  • Garmin Pay

Overall Review Recommendation of this model:

This watch is a quality mid-range Garmin offering.  It’s a good choice for serious runners who want many of the elevated features that Garmin provides along with a sleek and streamline stylish look.  Looks as good as a running watch as it does with evening wear.

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Garmin Forerunner 45 Series

Garmin Forerunner 45S GPS Running Watch - 2020

General Overview:

The Garmin Forerunner 45 Series falls into the category of most economical. It is one of the least expensive watches Garmin has available and is great for beginner and casual runners. Just because it is cheaper than other Garmin watches, does not make it any more inferior. 

This watch can do some amazing things, just like all the others. The first thing everyone will notice about this watch is the fun and vibrant colors available. This is followed by a 7 day life span, and constant hearing t rate monitor. 

Once synced with your smart phone, your Garmin watch will keep you updated with notifications so you will not miss an important text or call while you are out running. Being smaller and more lightweight, this watch is designed specifically with runners in mind. 

If you are looking for top performance on a budget, the Forerunner 45 Series running watches may be the right fit for you.

 

Standard:

  • Built-in Sports Apps
  • Wrist-Based HRM
  • Built-in GPS
  • Connect IQ Store
  • Syncs With Garmin Connect
  • Body Battery Energy Monitor
  • 5-7 Day Battery Life

Bells & Whistles:

  • Garmin Coach
  • Stress Tracking
  • Fitness Tracking
  • Smart Notification
  • Safety and Training Features
  • Music Controls(w/ phone)

Overall Review Recommendation of this model:

This watch is a great entry level model for those folks who want an economical solution to their running needs.  Nothing fancy but the usual high Garmin quality with all of the essentials one needs to strengthen their running regimen.  Can’t beat the price!

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Garmin Fenix 6 Series

General Overview:

The Garmin Fenix 6 Series is the most high end of the Garmin watches. This running watch falls into the luxurious category of watches available by Garmin. These watches are the most stylish and durable in the line. 

The water resistant display is tested to military standards and you can have your choice of premium materials. These materials include titanium, stainless steel, or DLC coated bezels. 

Whether you are in the heat of summer or the cold of winter, this watch has it all. A surf ready app so you can view the wave you just rode to see how you did. There is also backcountry ski which can distinguish between skiing downhill and the climb back up. 

You can even access full color versions of golf course holes through the Fenix 6 Series so you know the layout of the course before playing a single round. If you want to reach the pinnacle of Garmin running watches, you can get the Fenix 6 Series in a solar model. 

This watch now runs and recharges it battery using solar power so you will never have a completely drained running watch again.

 

Standard:

  • Built-in Sports Apps
  • Wrist-Based HRM
  • Built-in GPS
  • Connect IQ Store
  • Syncs With Garmin Connect
  • Body Battery Energy Monitor
  • 5-7 Day Battery Life

Bells & Whistles:

  • Garmin Coach
  • Pulse OX Sensor
  • Stress Tracking
  • Fitness Tracking
  • Smart Notification
  • Safety and Training Features
  • Music Controls(w/ phone)

Overall Review Recommendation of this model:

This is as good as it gets. Top of the line entry for Garmin watches.  We recommend this watch for you if you’re seriously committed to your craft and willing to make the financial commitment to track your workouts at the highest level.  This one has all of the bells and whistles but they come at a price.

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Well there you have it – – a good rundown of our thoughts on Garmin’s 2020 GPS Smartwatch Running Watches.  Whatever your level of interest, commitment, or budget numbers there is a quality product for you.  We here at Shamrock77 Sports are making the same consumer choices as you are and hope that our opinions here can help you gather the necessary information in order to make the best purchasing choice for you.

Carpe Viam (Seize the Road!!!)

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