Garmin is getting on the bandwagon of health and fitness smart watches. They have just released the Garmin Forerunner 230, the Forerunner 235, and the Forerunner 630, which feature GPS navigation as well as displaying your running data. The brand also released the Elevate Wrist Heart Rate Technology that is included on both watches.
The Forerunners allows you to track your time, distance, pace, and heart rate more accurately without the annoying chest strap heart rate monitor. The watch allows you to sync with the Connect mobile app to play music and track your laps on the go. There is also a community feature that enables you to share workouts on social media with the “Live Track” feature.
As one of the most well known brands of GPS technologies, Garmin has put a lot of features together for the Forerunner 230 ($299), 235 ($329), and 630 ($399). The Forerunner 230 runs up to 16 hours on a charge, while the Forerunner 235 runs up to 11 hours. The Forerunner 630 aims to measure running more efficiently with features like stride length, ground contact symmetry, vertical ratio, lactate threshold, and performance readiness. It does not include the optical heart rate monitor but it does come with a ANT+ device to strap to your chest, that is not included in the price. Garmin aims to engage runners more with their running measurements through these data features.
Garmin has not only added a competitive gadget to the world of wearable technology, but has also transformed the meaning of wearing your heart on your sleeve.