Arianna

Great sidekick in my new fitness journey!

Coming from an Apple Watch, this has been a total game changer.Yes I miss having a multitude of cards for tap pay, texting and taking calls, and all the other super convenient benefits of the Apple Watch. And even the slim profile, being able to fit under sleeves etc quite easily.However, I've gained a fitness tracker that doesn't die after an 8-mile hike. I've gained a coach that suggests when I can push myself and when to take it easy--it even creates strength-training workouts for me! I can track a bevy of health trends at a glance. Even though I've just started this foray into running and fitness, I feel more confident and capable with a watch specifically designed for these areas.As for the hardware itself, it's just about as light as my Apple Watch was (Series 8, 41mm) and a similar, comfortable size on my small (14.5cm) wrist. I ordered a screen protector and case as I did with the AW, but surprisingly kept the stock band as it's actually comfortable in any training situation, unlike the AW sports band that slid around and irritated my skin.The battery lasts a full 10 days even with daily running/gym workouts and a one-a-week 4-mile hike. It also helps to change the settings like sleep-only SpO2, disabling always-on display, using basic GPS for most activities, using a stock watch face, but keeping it on full brightness since I like to see the crisp letters and numbers :)For full context, I first jumped from AW to the Epix Pro Gen 2 (42mm) but returned it after a week since the watch was so heavy and bulky. No matter what workout or how I adjusted the band, it was always uncomfortable. AND the battery only lasted 5 days! This Forerunner 265S was a much better option for my needs.All in all, a great investment and I'm really happy with it!Ver más

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Lili Valverde

28 de agosto de 2025

LOVE

LOVE this product. Garmin has many different options of watch, but as an individual who predominantly weight lifts, jump ropes, and runs, this one does everything I need it to do. I have never had any issues with connectivity to my phone or the Garmin app, it's simple to use once you get used to the immense amount of activities/functions the watch has with a clear and bright display. You can customize the HECK out of this watch from display to activities, creating your own watch face and what info you want at a glance. Batter life is great, I use the watch every day and workout 5-6x/wk, only having to charge about once every 7-10 days. The watch looks more sleek than previous models and you can change the watch bands to dress it up/down. Most importantly, I trust the accuracy of the watches metrics. It gives you the opportunity to score your workouts for perceived exertion so that it can learn how you feel compared to the metrics of exertion recorded, gives a daily summary every morning of sleep score/recovery status/preparation for exercise etc. Great purchase overall. I have loved it so much I've bragged to multiple friends who ended up purchasing the same watch!Ver más

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justin wikle

28 de julio de 2024

Excellent running watch!

This is my first Garmin watch, and I’m very, very happy with it. I had a first generation Apple Watch many years ago and didn’t love it enough to repair or upgrade it when the crown malfunctioned. When I got a fitness tracker last year, it was a Fitbit which I really loved initially but eventually outgrew recently when I decided to focus a little bit more on running. I wanted better functionality for running, but I couldn’t foresee being able to adjust to the battery life of Apple Watch. I read many online reviews for Garmin watches, Fitbits, Apple Watch and Apple Watch Ultra. For my needs, I settled on the Forerunner 265S and have loved it.Priorities for me: easy to use for running, reasonably accurate GPS and heart rate tracking, battery life adequate for sleep tracking, watch face size appropriate for smaller wristsPros:- love the user interface. Makes starting a run so easy. Touch screen is easy to use and the buttons are really functional. The display during a run is easy to read and intuitive. It used to drive me bananas when I glanced down at my wrist during a run to check my pace on my Fitbit Charge 6 and it would give me meaningless arrows of some vague significance or a symbols for my heart rate category, and all I wanted to see was actual run data at a glance.- love being able to choose or build workouts and have the watch give cues during the workout- love the metrics and data it gives (VO2 max, body battery, etc). Although I take them with a grain or salt, it’s fun and motivating to see- so easy to send my heart rate to my Peloton bike so I can see it on the screen. I set up one of the buttons on the watch to broadcast my heart rate, and it such a breeze now.- Battery life is great for my lifestyle. I usually throw it on a charger while I shower, but I know it can last days.- High quality materials. The watch feels substantial, and the silicone watch band is somehow better than other silicone watch bands I’ve worn.Cons:- Garmin doesn’t integrate well with Peloton, other than being able to send the heart rate over via ANT+. I knew this ahead of time and was ok with the limitation before buying the watch. My Peloton workouts don’t import into the Garmin Connect app. It seems like the options would be to add it manually as an activity or to use a 3rd party app. It’s not important enough to me since I’m focusing a bit more on outdoor running right now, but if my primary exercise regimen relied on the Peloton ecosystem on their workout machines, it would be probably a clunkier experience with Garmin.- Limited aesthetic options. I chose the Forerunner 265S for the functionality it offered (GPS, heart rate tracking) and the smaller watch face size, although I initially wanted a metallic casing. It was hard to justify the super high end Garmin models that have stainless or titanium casings for my needs, and the Venu and Vivoactive lines skewed more smartwatch than I was looking for in functionality, so I settled on the 265S, knowing it will always look like a sporty watch rather than have the versatility of looking a little bit more dressed up.- Doesn’t seem to have an option for the alarm to adjust to your sleep stage. I used to set my Fitbit alarm to wake me up during non-deep sleep, and I liked the idea of it. I don’t miss this feature though. I’m not sure how effective it was before anyway.Etc: for my needs, it does notifications and smartwatch functions just fine. I don’t need/want the watch to be a substitute for my phone (e.g., texting/calling). I don’t use the music function (wasn’t planning to) but could foresee the limitations in usability if I did since I mostly use Apple Music

Yeira Estrada

3 de julio de 2026

Incredible screen display and highly accurate tracking features

This smartwatch has completely exceeded my expectations, especially after switching from an Apple Watch. The body battery feature is incredibly accurate and has been a total game changer for showing exactly when I am fully recovered versus when I need to take it easy. The bright display screen is incredibly vibrant and easy to read even in direct, bright sunlight while moving outdoors. The battery life is fantastic and easily lasts for days on a single charge, which is a massive upgrade over what I was used to before. The GPS and tracking metrics are fast and give really useful insights into daily activity and steps without feeling overwhelming to navigate. It is a comfortable, lightweight size that sits nicely on the wrist all day and night without feeling bulky.Ver más

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Jessica

7 de junio de 2025

Huge Upgrade

I was absolutely devastated when the body of my Forerunner 645 music broke... I loved the look, size and functionality and I was pretty attached to it after all the places it's been with me. Finally gave up trying to fix it and spend weeks agonizing over what to get....I was mostly going to use it to track my hikes in NH, as well as my runs and other exercises. Music and altimeter/barometer were important to me. I was afraid to go with AMOLED after only having MIP bc of complaints about not being able to see it in sunlight (and I'm constantly outdoors). Size and weight were important bc I'm 5 ft tall and have really small wrists. The battery had to last bc I often camp and hike and recharging my watch would be annoying.Finally pulled the trigger on the 265S and I absolutely love it. I find that with all the extra data it tracks, I use it more and I'm more in sync with my body and my training. I love the morning report it gives me to tell me how I slept. The training readiness, body battery and stress ratings all give me a solid statistic to how I'm feeling. The size and weight is perfect for my wrist and I don't feel it when I'm wearing it (AKA all day every day except in the shower). The screen is super crisp and bright and I have had 0 issues with being able to see it in the sunlight and the touchscreen is honestly a game changer. I attached my card to it and now that's my favorite way to pay for coffee. I feel like the battery lasts as long, if not longer, than my old watch (on screen off mode).I wanted a solar Fenix for longer battery use, but the sheer weight put me off it for every day use, not to mention the price. Speaking of price and size, for me, the extras on the Forerunner 965 were not worth the price tag (I'm exercising to eat, not to compete) and it didn't come in a smaller size.My one and only complaint is that when the screen turns off (which you can put on screen always on mode but it'll drain the battery faster) and you have to twist your wrist to get the screen on, it's not particularly sensitive and I sometimes have to twist my wrist multiple times or just give up and tap it for it to come on. Definitely an annoyance, but the screen does stay on during exercise. I did get a different watch band, simply for aesthetics.All things being equal, the functionality of the watch, sheer amount of data, and user friendly interface far outweighs the annoyance of the screen wrist sensitivity issue. Highly recommend.

Mauro

Excellent Running Watch – Worth Every Penny

I have been using the Garmin Forerunner 265 for about six months before writing this review, and I couldn’t be happier with it. It has performed flawlessly from day one, and I honestly have nothing to complain about. The GPS is accurate, the battery life is excellent, and all the training and health tracking features work exactly as expected. The display is bright and easy to read, and the watch is comfortable enough to wear all day. Overall, it has exceeded my expectations, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a reliable running watch.Ver más

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