Recommendations for decent running watch

[kirinm]

Does anyone have any recommendations? Really I want to be able to keep an eye on pace / decent GPS but I don't want to spend £300 or so. I'm just back to running and have been using Strava and my Fitbit (for pace) but the results are unreliable and GPS cuts out on my Fitbit.

Garmin Forerunner 55. About £140 new and plenty second hand on eBay/Vinted. Great “basic” running watch

I like my old garmin forerunner 245. Upgraded to a fenix now, which is excellent, but more than £300

Thanks both. I only want to stay at a reasonable price as I'm only just back into running and don't want to spends loads until I know I'm properly committed!

Will check out the garmins.

I've got a Garmin Vivomove which was £45 on CEX. In fact I've got two in different colours, which is very frivolous for me! Same as you I didn't want to splash out before I was committed to running, but I've been doing it four years now and have stuck with my Garmin.

"I'm just back to running and have been using Strava and my Fitbit (for pace) but the results are unreliable and GPS cuts out on my Fitbit."

There's a reason runners call them Shitbit rather than Fitbit!

Buy the best Garmin you can afford .... I'd probably go for a reconditioned one at a higher spec than a new lower spec one (Amazon sell reconditioned ones)...

It's not just the battery, the higher spec ones use more satellite networks so better coverage.

If you have Amazon prime, you can get good offers on prime day too.

I use my Apple Watch. Have had it for the last 4 years and never had an issue with it. DH has a Garmin and it doesn't always connect - we did Dalby Forest parkrun recently and he couldn't record his run. He won't let me tag him because I'm much slower than him 😄

Garmins are good, they have about a million features, but half my running club seem to spend ages faffing about with them before a run. I just press and go.

Garmin can also be quite judgemental after a run 😉

I have the Garmin Venu SQ. It's a mid-range Garmin so not all the bells and whistles but does have GPS tracking including a fall alert and normal features you'd expect from a smart watch including being able to set up your own training plans or download some of the garmin coach ones (if you're that way inclined).

I've had mine for 2 years now and haven't had any issues with it...unlike Strava which loves to deducted 100s of meters off my runs!

I love my garmin forerunner.

I bought a Garmin Forerunner 245 last year and love it, much more accurate and reliable than all the Fitbits I used to own! I use it for swimming, hiking, strength training and other activities too and although it’s at the cheaper end for fitness watches, I’ve been really impressed by the features it has.

Another Garmin Forerunner 245 user here. I use it for swimming and hiking/walking too.

I got mine second hand from ebay, so well below £300

Thanks all. I will have a look at refurbished versions.

I have a garmin forerunner 255, and it's great. I got money off on amazon by picking a particular colour - something I wasn't that bothered about. Agree looking for refurbished is a good shout, I used to have a vivoactive that I got for 40 quid off ebay, and it was perfect for just starting out with a smart watch.

I have a smartwatch that does an ECG and warns me when I go into AF. It also counts my steps - but in reality counts my arm movements - so when I am conducting my choir it tells me I have done 3000 steps, when actually I have barely moved an inch!

What's AF?

Another garmin lover here! And like above said buy a better model that's reconditioned