Garmin has released solar-powered versions of two Forerunner smartwatches, giving the popular smartwatch extended battery life, which will make it more attractive to long-distance riders, runners and more.
The new flagship model, the Garmin Forerunner 955, now boasts up to 49 hours of battery life in GPS mode, improving 36 hours for its 945 predecessor, and adding a touchscreen to improve the interface with a huge range of features. for health and fitness tracking and card features that are available.
In battery saving mode, Garmin says the Forerunner 955 can last up to 20 days, and the move will be a welcome upgrade for many cyclists, with battery life being a major issue when choosing a bike or smartwatch. The addition of Garmin Power Glass solar lenses brings the Forerunner closer to the current leader in American battery life, Enduro, which boasts 80+ hours, and solar versions of the more premium Fenix watch.
The latest version of the Forerunner retains its sturdy yet stylish look and also comes with a new multi-band GPS feature that filters out inaccurate signals to improve accuracy.
There are several new features to help with preparation and recovery, such as heart rate variability (HRV); and in-ride features such as a race widget – which includes race day time and a countdown clock – and real-time indicators.
Turbo simulator compatibility
Like all the best smartwatches for cycling, the Forerunner 955 can be connected to a power meter, with Garmin offering compatible versions in SPD-SL, SPD and Look Keo pedals with the Rally power pedals. It can also be used with Garmin Tacx turbochargers and, of course, synchronized with the Strava.
Although the added features of the Forerunner 995 will make it more attractive to cyclists, it is still essentially a running watch, Garmin’s announcement comes on World Running Day, but it also has a feature to track swimming strokes, so it’s equally suitable option for triathletes.
However, its flexibility is its strength, and the place where it offers more than, say, Enduro is that it has room to store up to 2,000 music songs. It also retains the Garmin Pay functionality of its predecessor for contactless payments.
Forerunner 255
Garmin Forerunner 255 is available in four different options (Image Credit: Garmin)
Along with the 955, Garmin announced the release of the Forerunner 255, which claims up to 30 hours of battery life in GPS mode and 14 days in smartwatch mode.
In fact, there are four options available in the Forerunner 255, with a music version that can store up to 500 songs, each available in two sizes.
The same HRV status and racing features are available, and both the 255 and 955 have a Garmin Pulse Ox that monitors blood oxygen saturation levels and women’s health features such as menstruation and pregnancy monitoring.
Prices and availability
The Forerunner 955 is currently available for £ 479.99 ($ 499.99), while the Forerunner 955 Solar is £ 549.99 ($ 599.99).
Both Forerunner 255 sizes are priced the same. The standard version is priced at £ 299.99 ($ 349.99), while the music version is slightly more expensive than £ 349.99 ($ 399.99).
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