Experienced a week-long test of the Garmin Forerunner 970, highlighting 5 favored aspects and 3 areas for improvement.
Heck, buddy! Ever since the 'Garmin Forerunner 935' turned me onto the best sports watches over smartwatches, I've been all about the Garmin 9XX series. This line of watches typically offers all the flagship Fenix features in a lightweight, mostly plastic design that's smaller, cheaper, and easier on the wallet. As a dedicated runner, the 'Garmin Forerunner 965' was my go-to watch when not testing something new.
Enter the Garmin Forerunner 970, an impressive update to the series that adds key features from the 'Garmin Fenix 8' and some completely new ones. I've been putting this bad boy through its paces for our full review, and here are my initial thoughts after more than a week of use.
Forerunner 970: The Display Shines Brighter Than Expected
Garmin promised a brighter display on the Forerunner 970 compared to the 965, but we didn't get the nits details. frankly, I didn't think the 965's display was dim, but the Forerunner 970's upgrade in brightness is noticeable, especially during activities when the white stats on a black background are clearer. It's also a noticeable upgrade when used in bright sunlight. The Forerunner 965's screen is still bright enough, but the Forerunner 970's display has exceeded my expectations.
Forerunner 970: Running Tolerance Helps Avoid Injury
One of the new sports features on the Forerunner 970 is running tolerance, which estimates how many miles or kilometers you can/should run in a week based on your training history. What I like about this feature is that it takes into account the type of runs you're doing, not just the total distance. Instead of simply saying you ran 10 miles, it looks at those miles, and if you've been running quickly or on challenging, hilly terrain, it increases the load factor of that run, logging it as 11 or 12 miles of "impact load." This is a useful feature for runners of all levels to ensure they're adding a safe amount of mileage each week and considering the impact of the harder runs on their plan correctly.
Forerunner 970: Sapphire Screen is a Tough Champ
One major reason to upgrade to the Garmin Fenix line from the Forerunner 965 is the sapphire crystal display available on the Fenix, which is more durable than the glass one used on the Forerunner. I scratched the Forerunner 965 without even realizing it during testing, but having a sapphire screen on the Forerunner 970 gives me peace of mind that I don't need to use a screen protector.
Forerunner 970: Built-In Flashlight Comes in Handy
Speaking of peace of mind, another big reason to upgrade to the Garmin Fenix 8 has been eliminated by the Forerunner 970 getting a built-in flashlight. This feature is incredibly useful to have on your wrist during nighttime activities or when you need a quick light source. During the time I've been testing the watch, I've had two sick kids to get up and see to during the night, so the flashlight has been in regular use.
** Forerunner 970: Step Speed Loss is a Game Changer**
I've yet to unlock the running economy stats on the Forerunner 970, but you can see the new step speed loss measurement during each run if you pair the watch with the Garmin HRM600 chest strap. This measures how much you slow down when your foot hits the ground when running, with a lower value being better - lower braking force on each stride means you have to put less effort into speeding up again. I've been looking at this stat during runs, and you can see how it changes when running at faster speeds - my step speed loss improves when I hit my marathon pace compared to easy run paces, for example. These step speed loss measurements feed into Garmin's running economy stats, but are interesting in their own right.
** Forerunner 970: Chest Strap Cost and Shortened Battery Life are Downsides**
The Forerunner 970 is not a cheap watch, and to unlock some of its most interesting new features like step speed loss and running economy measurements, you also need to buy the Garmin HRM600 chest strap, which is $169. This is a great, rechargeable chest strap, but incredibly expensive for a heart rate monitor - the 'Wahoo TRACKR heart rate monitor' is $89, for comparison. The cost of the bright display on the Forerunner 970 is short battery life. It lasted me just over four days on my first charge with the screen always-on, while the Forerunner 965 lasts me seven days reliably. You can increase the battery life considerably using the screen in raise-to-wake mode, but if you're regularly logging workouts using GPS and the always-on screen, the Forerunner 970 will still need regular charging.
In summary, the 'Garmin Forerunner 970' offers some impressive features like a brighter display, running tolerance, and a sapphire screen, but the need for an expensive chest strap and shorter battery life are downsides. Stay tuned for the full review to see if these pros outweigh the cons.
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P.S. Remember, it's always smart to mix up your workout routine to prevent injuries and boredom. Keep exploring new fitness activities, and remember, consistency is key for achieving your fitness goals. But hey, if you decide to slack off, no worries - eat that extra slice of pizza, my man!
The Garmin Forerunner 970 features a sapphire screen, making it more durable than the glass screen on previous models like the Forerunner 965, eliminating the need for a screen protector.
The Garmin Forerunner 970's new running tolerance feature is a useful addition for runners of all levels, as it estimates the number of miles or kilometers that can be safely run each week based on the type and difficulty of runs.
