The Garmin Forerunner 945 is a smartwatch with premium GPS designed for serious athletes. Packed with advanced features and performance monitoring capabilities, this watch is perfect for those who train for rigorous events such as Spartan races, marathons, triathlons, ultras, serious cyclists, combat sports, and more.
As a serious athlete, I was looking for a smartwatch that could help me track my performance and recovery requirements accurately. After using the Garmin 945 for more than 10 days, I can confidently say that it’s the closest thing to an actual coach. The watch accurately predicts my performance and recovery requirements, and its training metrics have helped me train smarter, not just harder. The advanced features, including Vo2 Max and training status, have also helped me avoid injuries by showing me that I tend to do too many hard workouts without enough recovery time in between.
Performance Monitoring Features
Featuring performance monitoring features that help athletes stay on track with their goals, the Garmin 010-02063-00 Forerunner 945 is a premium GPS running/triathlon smartwatch. With Vo2 Max and training status, adjustments can be made for heat, altitude Acclimation status, training load focus, recovery time, and aerobic and anaerobic training effects. This smartwatch also offers advanced performance metrics for running, swimming, and cycling, so that athletes can achieve their best results.The Forerunner 945 is designed to help athletes train smarter, not just harder, with the help of the “coach” feature. It accurately tells users when to train, how hard or how little, and when to take it easy. It also tells them how long to rest. The training load and training focus features are amazing and will help keep training more balanced. This watch is for serious, data-hungry athletes who need more granular metrics for their training.
Garmin forerunner 945: Music
Capable of downloading songs to your watch, including playlists from Spotify, Amazon Music or Deezer (may require premium subscription with a third party music provider), the Forerunner 945 is a premium GPS running/triathlon smartwatch. This smartwatch has a decent sound quality that can motivate athletes during their training sessions. The ability to have music on the watch without having to carry a phone is a major advantage for many athletes.
Safety and Tracking Features
Keeping athletes safe is important when training outdoors, and the Forerunner 945 has the necessary safety and tracking features. The incident detection feature (during select activities) sends the user’s real-time location to emergency contacts through their paired compatible smartphone. This feature ensures that help is on the way in case of an emergency. The Forerunner 945 also features full color, onboard maps that guide athletes on their runs, so they never get lost during their workout. This feature is especially useful for runners who like to explore new routes but are not familiar with the area.
Garmin forerunner 945: Battery Life
With a battery life of up to 2 weeks in smartwatch mode, 10 hours in GPS mode with music or up to 60 hours in ultratrac mode, the Forerunner 945 is a reliable smartwatch. This means that athletes can use the watch for extended periods without worrying about the battery life. The battery life is especially important for athletes who train for long hours or participate in events that last for several hours.
Garmin forerunner 945: Sensor Issues
Although the Forerunner 945 is a great smartwatch for athletes, it has had some issues with sensors not working properly. Some users have reported that their sensors stopped working, including step counting and heart rate monitoring. This is an issue that Garmin has addressed, and they have provided solutions to fix the problem. If you experience any issues with the sensors on your Forerunner 945, it is best to contact Garmin customer support for assistance. They will be able to provide troubleshooting steps or send a replacement if necessary.
Garmin forerunner 945: Garmin Coach
For athletes who want to take their training to the next level, the Forerunner 945 is a great smartwatch option. It offers advanced performance metrics, music capabilities, safety and tracking features, and a long battery life. However, the standout feature of this smartwatch is the “coach” feature. The “coach” feature accurately predicts performance and recovery requirements, making it easier for athletes to train smarter, not just harder. It also shows users when to train, how hard or how little, and when to take it easy. This feature is perfect for serious, data-hungry athletes who need more granular metrics for their training.
Pros:
- The Garmin Forerunner 945 is a premium GPS running/triathlon smartwatch with music that allows you to download songs to your watch, including playlists from Spotify, Amazon Music or Deezer (may require premium subscription with a third party music provider).
- The watch has performance monitoring features that include Vo2 Max and training status with adjustments for heat, altitude Acclimation status, training load focus, recovery time, and aerobic and anaerobic training effects.
- Safety and tracking features include incident detection (during select activities) which sends your real-time location to emergency contacts through your paired compatible smartphone.
Cons:
- The watch is expensive, and it is better to purchase it at retail stores instead of online due to issues with warranty and product performance support from Amazon.
- Some users have reported that the sensor stopped working without warning, which leads to no step counting and no Heart Rate Monitoring.
- The mobile app for the watch is not ranked as high as other features, with a ranking of only 3.3.
Conclusion
Overall, I highly recommend the Garmin 945 for serious athletes who are looking for a smartwatch that can provide accurate performance monitoring and training metrics. The watch is also incredibly lightweight and looks great, making it suitable for everyday wear. While the price may be steep, the features and capabilities of this watch make it a worthwhile investment for those who are serious about their training and performance.
Questions & Answers:
Question: Can you upload new maps to the device?
Answer: Yes, you can change the region of the map on the device. For assistance, we recommend going to support.garmin.com for many FAQ’s and videos on the functions of the device. You may also reach out directly to a product support associate from this link should you need further assistance.
Question: If you buy the watch in the USA, does it include maps for Canada? If not, how would you add maps for Canada?
Answer: Yes, it will include Canadian mapping. Depending on where you are will determine how detailed they are. Please go to support.garmin.com and reach out to a product support associate to assist you with the detail of your area.
Question: Does the Forerunner 945 track weight lifting workouts?
Answer: There is a Strength profile on the device that will track weight lifting workouts.
