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Forbes
a day ago
- Business
- Forbes
Garmin Slashes Fenix 8, Forerunner Watch Prices In Major Sale
Garmin watches Garmin has dropped prices across several of its key watch lines as part of its Father's Day sale. Among the discounts are some of the watches I tend to recommend the most often, including the brilliant Forerunner 165 for $199.99, or $249.99 for the Music Edition with on-board storage for downloaded tunes. Deals are not limited to the lower-end lines either. The Garmin Fenix 8 is on sale at $200 off across the board, meaning the Fenix E now costs $599.99, while the highly recommended 47mm edition of the AMOLED Fenix 8 costs $899.99. The Garmin Instinct 3 is also worth a look, selling at $50 off. This means the range now starts at $249.99 for the non-OLED Instinct E, while the 45mm AMOLED version is $399.99. None of these three quite fit the bill? You'll also find discounts on the smartwatch—like Garmin Venu 3 family, the super-long-lasting Garmin Enduro 3, the Forerunner 265. And 2023's best all-round running watch from Garmin, the Forerunner 965. There are also discounts on the golf-specific Approach S70 and S12 watch lines. Those in the UK should also check out Garmin's discounts for Global Running Day, although most of these are roundly comparable with what we see for Father's Day in the US, with a few little additions. For example, the basic Garmin Forerunner 55 is on sale for £119 in the UK, where those in the US still have to pay $199.99. One factor to bear in mind here is older-generation Garmin watches frequently go on sale during other sales periods, such as Black Friday and Amazon's various Prime sales events. However, plenty of the watches in this sale remain the newest of their particular type, notably the Fenix 8, Instinct 3, Enduro 3 and — a personal favourite of mine as a sound buy — the Forerunner 165. And some, like the Instinct 3, are only a few months old.
Tom's Guide
29-05-2025
- Tom's Guide
I hiked up New York's highest waterfall with the Apple Watch 10 vs Garmin Instinct 3 — 5 things I learned
Kaaterskill Falls is the tallest cascading waterfall in New York State, with a height of 260 feet. This fantastic two-part waterfall is located in the Eastern Catskill Mountains, roughly 120 miles north of New York City. And it was positively raging when I hiked to it earlier this month while on a press trip with AllTrails (where I tested the app's promising new Custom Routes tool). Of course, when life hands you an epic hike to an incredible waterfall, what do you do? Why, record the trek on as many devices as you can muster and compare all the data, of course! And that's exactly what I did. Not only did I capture the journey on not one but two smartwatches, I also recorded it using the Strava app on my iPhone, along with the AllTrails app. This isn't the first time I've pitted the Apple Watch Series 10 against the Garmin Instinct 3. Oh contrare. And it certainly won't be the last. After all, these are two of my favorite smartwatches currently on the market. I appreciate the Instinct 3 for its impossibly long-lasting battery, playful and durable design, accurate fitness tracking and helpful training tools. Meanwhile, the Apple Watch Series 10 is my go-to full-featured smartwatch, thanks to a delightfully vibrant and easy-to-read display, lightweight case and access to more apps than I have time in my life to try out (though here are some favorites from the Apple Watch app store). The latest Apple Watch is also a reliable fitness tracker, even if the Instinct 3 proved more accurate in the last walk test showdown between the two. The Apple Watch Series 10 is a pleasure to have on the wrist thanks to a slender, lightweight case and immersive display. It's also jam-packed with useful smart tools, like on-wrist translations and global tide tracking. Plus, the Series 10 is compatible with a seriously enormous range of third-party apps, making it easily one of the best full-featured smartwatches you can buy today. The Garmin Instinct 3 is a super-rugged and sporty smartwatch with class-leading battery life, support for an enormous range of workout types (including lots of extreme sports), impressive training tools and super-accurate location and holistic tracking. It also boasts a handy and unique onboard "torch" LED flashlight for navigating in the dark. Despite heavy rain and rough terrain, I enjoyed every moment of my roughly four-mile hike in upstate New York. This was partly because the Timberland Motion Access hiking sneakers I was testing kept my feet bone dry. However, gorgeous surroundings and quality company all contributed to a grand time. Oh, and the giant waterfall. I can't forget the giant waterfall. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. And with that, on to the hike data and takeaways. Apple Watch 10 Garmin Instinct 3 Strava app AllTrails app Distance 3.8 miles 3.5 miles 4.4 miles 3.9 miles Elevation gain 2,011 feet 673 feet 638 feet 650 feet Steps no data 8,690 steps 8,082 steps n/a Average heart rate 123 bpm 121 bpm n/a n/a Max heart rate 157 bpm 156 bpm n/a n/a Calories burned 815 calories 711 calories n/a 1,000 calories Distance data is a little bit scattered, with nearly a mile separating the shortest distance of 3.5 miles (Garmin) from the longest of 4.4 miles (Strava). Meanwhile, the Apple Watch 10 and AllTrails app measured roughly the same ground covered at 3.8 and 3.9 miles, respectively. The average of these four distance values equals 3.9 miles, suggesting that, indeed, Garmin likely undercounted by roughly a half mile and Strava probably overcounted by a slightly less egregious amount. It's worth noting that I was careful to start and stop tracking all four methods without taking any additional steps. So, no, user error is not a factor here. While Garmin, Strava and AllTrails each noted elevation gains in the neighborhood of 650 feet, give or take 25 feet, the Apple Watch Series 10 measured my climb as roughly three times that amount. When it comes to calculating elevation gain, the best Apple Watch models tend to be fairly accurate; in a recent walk test between the Series Watch 10 vs Instinct 3, only 5 feet separate Apple's climb data from Garmin's. So what in the world happened here? The short answer is, I have no idea. Clearly, something severely skewed Apple's data well beyond reality for this hike, which is a great reminder that even the top fitness trackers and best smartwatches sometimes muck up fitness data. Note: I won't stop mentioning this until Cupertino addresses my grievance. Apologies in advance for sounding like a skipping CD. The latest watchOS 11.4 software still doesn't support step count tallies for individually tracked workouts. Sure, your Apple Watch provides a daily step count total, but that's not enough. I want to know exactly how many steps I took during my afternoon walk or epic weekend hike. In 2025, Apple is one of the only major brands that restricts step-count data to daily totals. Meanwhile, Amazfit, Fitbit, Garmin, Google, and Samsung all provide both individual tallies for exercises like walks and hikes, along with daily totals. Perhaps Cook and Co. will bring the Apple Watch up to speed with the competition when watchOS 12 debuts later this summer. All we can do is hope! With step count data from just the Garmin Instinct 3 and Strava, I can say for certain that I walked at least 8,000 steps during my hike to and around Kaaterskill Falls. Unfortunately, what I don't know is whether my actual total is closer to 8,100 steps as recorded by Strava or 8,700 steps as noted by Garmin. A difference of roughly 600 steps over a four-mile hike is significant. For example, when I last pitted the Instinct 3 vs Apple Watch 10 in a 5,000-step walk test, Garmin's step count total was just six steps off from Strava's and four steps away from my actual (manual) count. However, in a more recent hiking comparison between the Apple Watch Ultra 2 vs Garmin Instinct 3, more than 500 steps separated Garmin's tally from Strava's, a result more in line with this hike's data. With so much conflicting data, it's reassuring to see nearly identical average and max heart rate data between the Apple Watch Series 10, which I wore on my right wrist, and the Garmin Instinct 3, worn on my left. Looking ahead, I'd like to rerun this test on a similar-length hike. However, this time I'll manually count my steps to know for sure which device is most spot-on. I'll also be sure to carry but not wear the Apple Watch 10 until I get to the trailhead, and then note my day's step count total as soon as the hike has concluded. With that, I should be able to say for sure which of these two popular smartwatches is more accurate for tracking hikes. Until then, the Instinct 3 remains my top choice over the Series 10 based on its prior victory over Apple. Now the question is, can the Series 10 reclaim that title? Stay tuned.
Tom's Guide
26-05-2025
- Tom's Guide
I test smartwatches for a living — and these are my 5 favorite models when I go hiking
You don't need to break the bank to score a solid smartwatch for tracking hikes and other outdoor adventures. Models like the $99 Amazfit Active 2 have all the basics like onboard GPS, offline maps and solid battery life. However, higher-end models like the Garmin Instinct 3 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 bring exceptional durability and other nifty features — including a built-in LED flashlight on the Garmin — into the equation. Want something supremely comfortable and reliable? The Garmin Forerunner 165 might be your jam. Having tested dozens of smartwatches while hiking the mountains of the U.S. Pacific Northwest, I know firsthand which models are primo trail companions and which are better left in the car. With that, here are my five favorite smartwatches for hikers in 2025. The Garmin Instinct 3 is one of my favorite smartwatches currently available. This is thanks to its rock-solid location tracking, range of useful wellness tools, support for tons of outdoor activities, and, perhaps most importantly, its long-lasting nature. The Instinct 3 comes in several varieties, including with optional solar charging capabilities. With enough time in front of the sun, the Instinct 3 Solar can, in theory, last forever without needing to visit a wall outlet or USB slot. The standard AMOLED model, meanwhile, will keep on ticking for well over two weeks. The device is also built to take on whatever the outdoors can toss at it, with 100 meters of water resistance and an oversized metal reinforced bezel to protect the screen. The Garmin Instinct 3 starts at $399 for the smaller 45mm Solar model and increases to $449 for the larger 50mm Solar edition. The 45mm AMOLED model is $449, and the larger 50mm AMOLED version is $499. The Garmin Forerunner 165 is technically a mid-entry-level running watch, but all the things that make it great for first-time marathoners also make it exceptional for hikers Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Stacked with some of Garmin's best workout training and recovery tools, not to mention impressive sleep tracking capabilities, it's also an exceptional value, easily found for under $200. For hikers, in particular, it keeps tabs on key metrics like elevation gain, pace and distance. It also has safety features, including LiveTrack and Incident Detection. Battery life when using GPS tracking should also be good for even the longest day hikes, up to 19 hours. It also comes in two lightweight, easy-wearing sizes and boasts a bright AMOLED touchscreen paired with physical buttons for when your hands are extra sweaty mid-hike. The Garmin Forerunner 165 starts at $249 but can often be found for $50 off. There's also a Music edition of the Forerunner 165, which has, you guessed it, onboard storage for tunes. That model will cost you an extra $50, but like the standard model, it often goes on sale. If you want a super-rugged smartwatch that'll take a licking and keep on ticking (okay, that's an old Timex slogan) without spending Apple Watch Ultra 2-type cash, then the Amazfit T-Rex 3 is worth a look. This oversized beast has a massive 1.5-inch AMOLED touchscreen that maxes out at an impressive 2,000 nits. This is paired with a whole bunch of physical buttons, all tucked nearly into a rather cool-looking octagonal case with a big ol' stainless steel bezel. Battery life with GPS tracking should easily get you through 36 hours or more of hiking. With 100 meters of water resistance, dual-band GPS, and even support for offline navigational maps, it's kind of amazing that the T-Rex 3 can be yours for around $250. The beastly Amazfit T-Rex 3 is priced at $279 but can easily be acquired for between $25 and $50 off. It only comes in one size, and though the nearly 49mm case won't be for everyone, the T-Rex 3 is a mighty-fine alternative to the Apple Watch Ultra 2. The Amazfit Active 2 has nearly all the same bells and whistles as the T-Rex 3, just squeezed into a more streamlined, easy-wearing case. Starting at less than $100, this admittedly handsome-looking smartwatch has onboard GPS, supports 160+ workout types, sports a bright AMOLED touchscreen and can track a hearty day's workout with plenty of battery to spare, making it one of the best bang-for-your-buck wearables in 2025. However, the most shocking feature, given the price, is support for offline navigational maps. While a little rough around the edges and somewhat limited in capability compared to, say, Apple, Garmin and Google's take, this is a tool ordinarily only found on far pricer smartwatch models. Also worth noting: Amazfit is very good about responding to user feedback with firmware updates, and even within the few months that have passed since I reviewed the Active 2, it's already seen several enhancements. The Amazfit Active 2 comes in two variants. The standard $99 model has an aluminum case and glass screen. The higher-end Active 2 premium edition ups the ante with a tougher sapphire crystal screen and stainless steel case for an extra $30. Neither Garmin nor Amazfit makes smartwatches with cellular connectivity. Fortunately, brands like Apple, Samsung and Google do. My favorite cellular-connected smartwatch is the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Similar to the best Garmin watches, the Ultra 2 is jam-packed with impressive safety features, like fall and crash detection, along with Emergency SOS. It also makes for a mighty good hiking partner thanks to a long-lasting battery — up to 35 hours when tracking a hike with GPS enabled — a tough-built design with 100 meters of water resistance, and accurate location and holistic tracking. You also get a sweet, customizable 'Action' button (plus, a side button and digital crown) along with a super-bright and immersive touchscreen. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 comes in a variety of case colors, including black (shown here), each for $799. Cellular connectivity comes standard, though you're not required to have a data plan to use the Ultra 2.
Business Mayor
26-05-2025
- Business Mayor
Your Garmin watch just got a big free update – here's what's new
Though the Apple Watch may still rule the smartwatch roost when it comes to public consciousness and bestseller charts, those who prioritise fitness and health in a wearable gadget may well have a Garmin smartwatch strapped to their wrists. Garmin watches come in several different price points with features aimed at runners, hikers, cyclists, golfers, triathletes and more, and the company has just announced a huge software update that's being pushed out to several smartwatches that could benefit you. Rolling out now to all compatible devices, the notably large update brings some key new tools to several modules including the Fenix 8, Instinct 3, Lily 2, Venu 3 and multiple Forerunner and Active watches. You can see the full list of updates and respective Garmin watches here. The update coincides with the release of the new Forerunner 570 and 970 watches, as well as the recent Vivoactive 6. All three of these watches include an Expanded Morning Report, an update to the excellent overview Garmin watches can give you at the start of your day. The Forerunners also have three new tracking features at launch: breathing variations, rucking activity and pack weight. These can record shifts in your breathing patterns, more accurate tracking of load-carrying exercises and the ability to enter your pack weight when training or trekking for more accurate VO2 max estimates. But you don't need a new Garmin to get these tools. Breathing variations are coming to most existing Garmin watches, while Instinct and Fenix models are getting the rucking and pack weight updates. Granular tools like this highlight how Garmin really does cater to more specialist training needs than the average Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch. The free update, which can be downloaded via the Garmin app for iPhone or Android and pushed to your watch, could also bring a passcode option to your watch, as well as a stage timer and also premium golf features, though some of these require a Garmin Golf Membership. Garmin also said it had introduced its new Garmin Trails feature, though this is locked behind a paywall for Connect+ subscribers. It's good to see these updates aren't just for the newest Garmins, too. Older models such as the Forerunner 165 are seeing some new features, as are the Vivoactive 5, though there's not much luck beyond that. Apple, Samsung and Google can be better at bringing the newest updates to the oldest watches, but then again, they lack many of the specialist tracking smarts of most Garmin products. READ SOURCE
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
Garmin adds rucking, trail maps and more to these smartwatches — what you need to know
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Some of the best Garmin watches just got an upgrade, thanks to a new software update that adds more tools for tracking sleep, training with weighted gear, and exploring outdoor trails. The update is now rolling out to devices including the fēnix 8, Forerunner, Instinct 3, Lily 2 Active, and Venu 3. New additions include sleep breathing tracking, a rucking activity mode for carrying weight, a stage timer for shooting practice, and premium golf and trail features. To access the new tools, users need to sync their watch with the Garmin Connect app or use Garmin Express. Most of the new features in this update are free for all users of the compatible Garmin smartwatches. However, a couple — including premium golf features and expanded trail filters — will require a subscription to Garmin's new Connect+ paywall. This new feature uses Pulse Ox sensors to track changes in your breathing patterns while you sleep to offer deeper insights into your respiratory health. A brand-new activity profile designed for weighted hiking. You can manually input your pack weight to get more accurate metrics like pace, heart rate, calorie burn and VO2 max. A broader feature that lets you add pack weight to existing activities like running, hiking or walking. This helps ensure your VO2 max estimates aren't thrown off when you're carrying extra load. A timer designed for competitive marksmen. It provides audible alerts through your paired hearing protection or watch speaker to let you know how much time remains in your current shooting stage. An added security feature that lets you set a passcode to protect sensitive smartwatch data. The watch can detect when it's removed from your wrist and lock itself automatically. Garmin Trails is a new subscription-based feature available through Garmin Connect+. It's designed to help outdoor enthusiasts find and filter trails based on details like terrain, steepness, dog-friendliness, or natural features such as waterfalls and rivers. You can also view community reviews, save trails for offline access, and edit them with custom waypoints. A 30-day free trial is available for new users. Venu 3 users with a Garmin Golf Membership can gain access to advanced golf tools like full-color CourseView maps, touch targeting, PlaysLike distance, and Green Contours. These features were previously only available on Garmin's premium Approach golf watches. Memberships cost $9.99/£8.99 per month or $99.99/£89.99 per year, with a 30-day free trial. Before getting started, make sure you have one of the compatible devices listed above because only those models will receive this update. To access the new features, simply update your smartwatch by syncing it with the Garmin Connect app on your phone or using Garmin Express on your computer. You can also enable automatic updates on your watch to help ensure you get new features as soon as they roll out. Garmin Forerunner 265 vs. Forerunner 570 — which running watch should you buy? I ran a half marathon with the Garmin Forerunner 570 vs. Garmin Forerunner 265 — here's the winner My Garmin watch alerted me to a heart issue I didn't know I had — here's how
