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- Garmin Forerunner 945: the triathlon watch with music and maps
Garmin Forerunner 945: the triathlon watch with music and maps
Specifications for the Forerunner 945
A quick tour of the Forerunner 945
In-depth review of the Forerunner 945
Our opinion on the Forerunner 945: should we buy it?
Buy the Forerunner 945
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Price (from)
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€ 599 € 529
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€ 599 569.05 € (* 1)
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€ 539
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€ 599 € 460
(* 1) Discount of -5% on this product with the promo code FORM !
Commercial links. Non contractual prices. Please consult the merchant website.
Specifications for the Forerunner 945
Weight50g
Music playerYes
(embed) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjqOn9d0rms (/ embed)
A quick tour of the Forerunner 945
The Forerunner 945 in brief: the ideal watch for triathlon or running
Released in May 2019, the Forerunner 945 is a high-end, lightweight and long-range multisport watch, designed for running, trail and ultra-trail, swimming, cycling and especially triathlon. It is indeed a real multisport watch that knows how to manage several linked activities without having to stop recording to go from one activity to another. It is also suitable for many other sports (hiking, trekking, golf, skiing, kayaking, yoga, elliptical, step, etc.). Garmin offers approximately 35 sports profiles.
Ultra-complete, it embeds the cartography and cycle paths of Europe, a payment system, an mp3 player and many sensors (cardio optical on the wrist, GPS, barometric altimeter, thermometer, blood oximeter, accelerometer). It offers advanced and very complete tools (performance monitoring, statistics, physiological measurements, race dynamics) for the training of runners, cyclists and swimmers. It is also equipped with activity tracking functions, including sleep analysis, and offers smart health connected functions (management of smartphone notifications, camera control, etc.)
There is no better elsewhere to date! This model is even more complete than the Fenix 5 Plus and includes new functions that were only offered on the very recent Luxe MARQ series, all for less!
Who is the Forerunner 945 for?
This watch is aimed at all athletes, from beginners to professionals, who are looking for high-performance tools to train, optimize their performance or have detailed statistics on their activity. It is the most complete watch on the market to date (May 2019). If the budget is not a concern, do not hesitate to choose this model! For outdoor activities, we recommend the Fenix 6 which is more robust and chic but more expensive and also heavier.
Overview of new features in the Forerunner 945
Before making a detailed review of the Forerunner 945, here is a brief overview of the innovations brought by Garmin to the previous model, the Forerunner 935 (see here the detailed description and our opinion on the Forerunner 935).
Features already present on other Garmin watches:
Color mapping of Europe (topographic map, roads) and cycle paths and improved GPS navigation ("around me" mode, future altitude profile, XERO position)
An mp3 player with streaming access to Spotify or Deezer (paid subscription) and a storage capacity of 1000 tracks
Garmin Pay contactless payment system (NFC)
A round trip generator for runners and cyclists
A popular route generator (Trendline)
The ClimbPro function (analysis of the altimetric profile of the course for running, hiking, biking, skiing)
A pulse oximeter for measuring altitude and heat acclimatization and a more complete sleep analysis
More physiological measures, in particular the assessment of the body's energy (body battery function) and the assessment of stress
Compatibility with the European Galileo satellite system (in addition to GPS and GLONASS)
41,000 preloaded golf courses
Autonomy which goes from 24 to 36 h in GPS mode (60 h in Ultratrac mode)
New features:
Incident detection (fall for example) and an assistance function (automatic or manual) with transmission of GPS coordinates to someone
Breathing rate measurement (requires an optional belt)
More complete performance analysis functions (training effect markers, training load objective and main training benefit) and improvements (taking temperature and altitude into account for some VO2max in particular)
Advanced Vector support
A new optical heart rate sensor (the same as the MARQ series) designed to work underwater
Menstrual cycle monitoring functionality on Garmin Connec : all users will benefit. This feature aims to help women make the link between a cycle phase, physical and emotional state, pain, and general well-being.
Buy the Forerunner 945 (currently benefit from a 5% discount from our partner)
In-depth review of the Forerunner 945
The design: identical to that of the Forerunner 935: elegant and light
Garmin retains almost the same design as its successful watch, the Forerunner 935. We are dealing with an elegant watch, relatively thin (13.7 mm), light (50 g against 47 g for the old model and 65 to 96 g for the Fenix 5 Plus) and comfortable to wear.
This model is intended for daily use with activity monitoring. Its strap is easily interchangeable, without tools, thanks to the QuickFi quick-attach system. You can wear it with a light silicone strap for sports or, for the city or the office, a more chic leather or metallic bracelet. Note that the straps of the Forerunner 935 are compatible with those of the Forerunner 945. You can therefore reuse your straps.
Regarding the screen, no news: Garmin keeps a non-touch color screen of 240 x 240 pixels (as on the Fenix 5 Plus) readable in direct sunlight thanks to transflective technology. You can download watchfaces or create them from your own photos.
Autonomy
Garmin significantly improves the autonomy of its triathlon watch, going from 24 hours to 30 hours in GPS mode (but always 60 hours in UltraTrac energy saving mode). The feat was obtained in part thanks to the new GPS chip from Sony, more economical but a bit less precise too (see below).
Unfortunately, recharging is always done by a cable smart health connected vertically to the back of the watch, which does not allow it to be recharged during the race (but it can be recharged without stopping the recording of the activity in progress).
GPS chip
Garmin adopts a new, more energy-efficient Sony GPS chip on its Forerunner 945. It is the same chip that Polar and Suunto use on their latest sports watches (Vantage, Suunto 9). The other side of the coin is a slightly poorer accuracy due to the technology used, the idea of which is to offer a chip that consumes less energy. Software updates can however partially correct this.
This chip is compatible with the American GPS, Russian GLONASS and European Galileo satellite systems. The latter is not yet used by the competition. Garmin has chosen to activate it on its latest models, including the Forerunner 945. This allows great coverage in less-favored areas but also for even faster satellite capture, in theory.
The optical sensor: an oximeter in addition to the heart rate sensor and possible use underwater
The Forerunner is equipped with an optical heart rate sensor. Like Polar and its Vantage V, it will now work underwater. You just have to wait for a software update for that. The watch also supports a cardio belt. Garmin also offers a triathlon pack including a belt HRM-Swim (usable in swimming pool) and a belt HRM-Tri for the triathlon.
Garmin is also adding the famous pulseOX function, a pulse oximeter (or saturometer), to its sports smart health connected watch, which was one of the innovations of the Fenis 5X Plus. These are additional LEDs to complement those of the cardio. The oximeter is used to measure blood oxygen saturation and assess acclimatization at altitude. On the Fenix 5, the oximeter was only intended for use at very high altitudes (mountaineering for example) in order to help the athlete to adapt his effort and prevent the risks of accidents linked to lack of oxygen (hypoxia ). The oxygen level should never drop below 95%. On the Forerunner 945 (and also 245), it is also used to assess acclimatization to heat and assess the quality of sleep.
Oxygen saturation is measured using a sensor that emits red light and infrared light, as in medical oximeters. Hemoglobin captures oxygen from the lungs and then redistributes it, thereby discharging its oxygen along its route. The measurement made at the extremities (hands) makes it possible to check whether the oxygen level is sufficient. The more oxygen hemoglobin is loaded, the more it absorbs infrared light. The poorer it is in oxygen, the more it absorbs red and lets infrared light pass. The watch exploits this property.
Note that the measurement is delicate. To be done in good conditions, the athlete must be inactive or seated during the measurement and the sensor in perfect condition. Poor positioning of the sensor, a scratched sensor, movements or certain pathologies (low blood pressure, heart rhythm disorder, anemia) can distort the measurements …
Other sensors: barometric altimeter, thermometer and more
In addition to the heart rate sensor and the GPS chip, the watch has a barometric altimeter, a compass, an accelerometer (to assess the distance traveled in the gym, on a mat, elliptical trainer, etc.), a thermometer and a gyroscope.
It also supports a number of external sensors via ANT + and bluetooth: cadence sensor (running and cycling), speed sensor (running and cycling), Vector or ANT + power sensor (bicycle), cardio belt HRM-Tri, HRM-Run, HRM-Swim, footpod, Varia Vision, Varia Radar and Varia lights.
Color mapping and cycle paths
Here is a big change that should attract many athletes who like to be able to find their bearings without having a phone or GPS on hand. Garmin has integrated the maps of the country or continent of purchase into its triathlon watch (47 countries in Europe for purchases in France). Topographic maps for hiking, road maps and city maps. The watch also contains cycle paths. You can also acquire and load maps from other countries for a price ranging from € 49 to € 359 depending on the type of map, area, scale. There are thus maps at 1 / 25,000, maps for hiking, nautical charts, etc.
Thanks to these on-board cards, Garmin can offer powerful functions to support the athlete without going out:
GPS navigation : In addition to navigating along a programmed route (does not require maps), the Forerunner 945 allows you to follow a route on the map and know what is nearby (river, point of interest, etc.), all without the need for connectivity. The "around me" function allows you to find a hotel, restaurant, etc. around you. The recalculation of the route allows you to reprogram a route in case of deviation from the planned route (as on a car GPS).
A popular route generator (Trendline function): a function already offered on recent bicycle GPS Edge 530, Edge 830 and Edge 1030. Garmin uses data from billions of kilometers traveled by users since the creation of the Garmin Connect online community to indicate the best on and off-road routes.
A round trip generator (running and cycling): the watch offers loop circuits around you. It suffices to indicate a direction and a distance to be offered routes.
The future altitude profile: the watch builds the altitude profile of your route, but Garmin adds a new function that calculates the profile of the programmed route.
Analysis of the altimetric profile of the route (ClimbPro function): this function analyzes the route and detects the portions where the slope increases. It allows you to know how far the next climb is and its difficulty. Once there, it indicates the average slope, the distance and the slope still to climb. The sportsman can thus manage his effort accordingly (read also our article how to prepare the ascent by bike of a difficult pass. A tool which should help you to better manage your ascents by bike but also in hiking, running and skiing !
An mp3 player and access to Deezer and Spotify
After introducing music on the Forerunner 645 Music (the lower range for runners) and then on its Vivoactive 3 Music (a sports multisport smartwatch aimed at all profiles, sporty or not), Garmin finally seems to extend this function to its other mid- and high-end watches (very recent Forerunner 245 Music and Forerunner 945). We've been waiting for it for a long time on the Forerunner 935! No more transporting the bulky smartphone on your arm to go running. You just need to bring wireless bluetooth headphones to run light and listen to your favorite songs. The watch can store up to 1000 titles in its 4 GB of memory allocated to the mp3 player. You can also listen to music streaming via Deezer or Spotify via a paid subscription.
Garmin Pay contactless payment
Garmin Pay is a contactless payment solution that allows you to pay for small purchases using an NFC (Near Field Communication) chip integrated into the watch (as in smartphones and recent bank cards). More and more sports watches offer this function, a very practical solution to buy for example a snack during his sport. Apple has integrated it into its Apple Watch, Samsung in its Galaxy Watch and Garmin in its latest high-end watches (Forerunner 645, Fenix 6, MARQ series).
Garmin Pay is available in participating stores and provided you have a bank card from a participating bank. Even if this solution is still limited, more and more French banks participate in the system (see the list).
To activate this function, simply configure a Garmin Pay wallet and define a bank card to obtain a unique identifier which will then be programmed into the watch. Payment is made by activating the function on the watch with a secret code and approaching it from the card reader. The function remains active for 24 hours and deactivates if the watch is removed from the wrist or if the optical sensor is deactivated.
monitoring and security (assistance) functions
In addition to the LiveTrack (tracking the athlete on the internet) and GroupTrack (knowing where the other athletes wearing a Garmin watch offering this function) functions already present on the old model, Garmin adds 3 useful functions:
Incident detection: depending on the sporting activity, the watch can detect a fall and send a request for assistance via a smartphone coupled to the watch while transmitting the athlete's name and GPS coordinates. This function had already been integrated on the high-end bike GPS Edge 1030 and, very recently, on the models Edge 530 and 830. Apple, which puts more and more emphasis on safety and health, also had already integrated, on its latest Apple Watch 4, fall detection and automatic calling of an emergency number.
An assistance function: the athlete can ask for help from the watch (call for help) and transmit his GPS coordinates
Sharing events in real time: the watch allows you to share information in real time with the community (position, route, etc.) (on Android only)
Physiological measurements
In addition to the functions already offered on the Forerunner 935, Garmin offers new relevant measures to help athletes better manage their training:
The training load objective: this new tool is really very practical and easy to use. The idea here is to help you optimize your performance and the benefits for your physical condition by varying your workouts so that there is a balance between them: low aerobic training, high aerobic training and anaerobic training . Based on your training load (activity for the last 7 days), the watch evaluates the type of training you need most from day to day and displays the result in the form of 3 colored bars. When a bar is empty, the idea is to train yourself to bring it up. For example, if the anaerobic bar is low and the other 2 bars (low aerobic and high aerobic) are at the maximum, you will need to train more anaerobically to rebalance your training.
VO2max estimation , this performance indicator, is now adjusted according to the outside temperature and altitude. Its assessment is therefore more accurate and avoids surprises when training in one place for a competition planned elsewhere (different altitude or climate).
Assessment of stress level: the watch assesses the stress level throughout the day and offers breathing exercises to reduce it if necessary. This function is part of the activity monitoring functions.
The Body Battery: this function estimates your body's energy level, as you would estimate the level of an electric battery. Basically, the watch assesses your ability to produce an effort. This level decreases with fatigue, stress, work, physical activity. It increases with rest, sleep, relaxation. This new indicator makes it possible to judge whether it is wise or not, at a given moment, to go to play sports.
The respiration rate: this function requires a chest belt for measuring the number of breaths per minute. It will assess progress by comparing the number of breaths for 2 races of similar effort.
The main benefit (Training Effect labels): Garmin does not specify what this new option is. We will indicate this as soon as we know more.
The Forerunner 945 offers many other measures already present on the Forerunner 935 such as race time prediction based on training data, aerobic and anaerobic training effect, evaluation of the lactic threshold, estimation of recovery time. after an effort, the load and the training status, the calculation of the FTP, the EPOC (excess oxygen consumption after exercise. It is the effort that the body produces to recover after the effort ).
Other functions and tools for monitoring performance
The Forerunner 945 includes all the tools already available on the Forerunner 935: running dynamics (contact time on the ground, balance of contact time on the ground, cadence, stride length, vertical oscillation, vertical ratio, running power), download training, Virtual Racer, Virtual Partner, Strava segments, Varia compatibility.
For more details on these features, see our review and review of the Forerunner 935.
Golf: 41,000 on-board courses
Unlike the Forerunner 935, which did not offer preloaded golf courses, the Forerunner 945 has 41,000 golf courses worldwide (such as the Fenix 5X, Fenix 5 Plus series and MARQ series). There are also all the golfer assistance functions already present on the old model: information on the hole (location, distance to the start and bottom of the green), display of obstacles, measurement of distance traveled, distances to '' to layups and doglegs, scores, TruSwing function, odometer, etc. Garmin Enhances Golf Features With CourseView Auto Update
smart health connected functions: access information and control your health home devices
Aside from the addition of Garmin Pay and the possibility of answering a call or refusing a call with SMS (on Android only), the Forerunner 945 takes over the smart health connected functions of the Forerunner 935. GroupTrack lets you know the position of others group members from his watch. LiveTrack allows fans to follow an athlete from the Internet or a Smartphone. The watch displays call and text notifications. Wi-Fi is supported. The watch also provides access to the weather and calendar. It can also be used to control a VIRB camera.
Activity monitoring to stay motivated
For daily use, the watch tracks your activity 24 hours a day: distance traveled, number of steps taken, intensive minutes, number of floors climbed, calories expended, sleep analysis (light, deep sleep, pardoxal and movement analysis) , etc. Garmin adds the "Body battery" function described above.
Our opinion on the Forerunner 945: should we buy it?
The best running and triathlon watch on the market today
We were more than satisfied when we discovered the announcement by Garmin of this new running and triathlon watch. During our review of the Forerunner 935, we had a very positive opinion on this ultra-complete, high-end watch, the best that exists on the market in our eyes for sports such as running and triathlon. Apart from the mp3 player which was lacking (and which at the time was not yet offered by Garmin) and recharging by the back of the watch which does not allow use over very long distances, we found it difficult to tell what was missing from this watch.
A better equipped, cheaper and lighter Fenix 5 Plus
The Forerunner 945 currently offers more features than the excellent Fenix 5 Plus and for a cheaper price of € 100! (a little less depending on current promotions). It is currently, with the Fenix 5 Plus and the Garmin MARQ series of luxury watches, the most complete watch on the market, in terms of sensors, functionalities, physiological measurements, GPS navigation, user friendliness. 'interface. Note that Garmin has released since the Fenix 6 replacing the Fenix 5 Plus. The Forerunner 945 is an excellent choice for sports such as triathlon, running, trail running, ultratrail, ultramarathon or for cycling combined with other sports (for exclusive cycling, we prefer GPS for cycling Edge 1030 or a less high-end model).
Greater autonomy in 1 second recording mode
The autonomy of this new model increases by 50% (36 h) while remaining 60 h for the Ultratrac mode. This should appeal to many sportspeople who practice ultra-deep or ultra-track races and who need a watch that will hold up. However, this is still insufficient for very long races and we regret that Garmin still does not offer a system allowing recharging during the race. You will therefore have to continue removing the watch from your wrist to be able to recharge it without stopping the recording.
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See
More comprehensive and useful tools and metrics
This model does not only provide a few more functions. We appreciate the new metrics available which allow us to further refine assistance for athletes. In particular the training load objective to adjust its planning according to the history of the previous days. You don't have to be an expert to understand the numbers and make the right decisions. This is a very practical function that can help most of them optimize their training.
The Body Battery (energy level) is also an interesting function to locate yourself and know how to stop, take rest if necessary. It avoids the risk of injury or exhaustion.
The oximeter, which on the Fenix 5X Plus had limited interest, becomes interesting with the consideration of the effects of heat on training and an even more relevant sleep analysis. To see if reliability is there, the measures being very delicate and requiring not to move …
Mapping and associated tools: especially for cyclists, outdoor activities and out-of-health home trips
The cartography is a more appreciable way to find your bearings, take unknown routes, in particular if you are going to do sport elsewhere than at health home, on vacation for example. The route generator will allow you to run or cycle anywhere, for example, without having to know the place or take a map with you.
Maps are also an asset for mountainous routes or hiking: thanks to them and the climbPro function, the sportsman can know the profile of the route precisely and anticipate his efforts accordingly. Trail, bike, hike and ski touring enthusiasts will appreciate.
Our only regret is that Garmin still does not offer a touch screen and that the resolution remains low (240x 240 px) for a watch offering mapping. A resolution of 360 x 360 px as on the Samsung Galaxy Watch would have been more suitable.
monitoring and security: a reassuring function
The monitoring and assistance function in the event of an incident is reassuring if you practice a sport alone (skiing, hiking, trail running, cycling). She can be of great help in case of injury (sprain, etc.). However, she asked to carry a Smartphone with you and to have access to the network.
Music and payment in addition!
The mp3 player is probably not essential for pros or triathletes who use the watch in competition, but it will certainly make a big difference for all those who run regularly for fun and who are used to carrying a Smartphone on the arm to listen to their music. After all, the Forerunner 935 is not only reserved for professional athletes but for all athletes, amateurs or not, who are looking for a high-performance watch offering the best tools for training and monitoring its progress.
The same is true for contactless payment, a function that can make a great service for dining without having to worry about taking a wallet or a Smartphone with you.
Should you buy the Forerunner 945 or replace your Forerunner 935?
If you don't already have a running watch, the Forerunner 945 is clearly a good choice if you have the budget and you are looking for a sophisticated watch offering complete performance monitoring, statistics and sports assistance tools. It is the best current watch for triathlon but also for running, trail running and other endurance sports.
If you only need basic functions to run or if you are looking for an ultra-simple watch, turn to a simpler model (entry level Forerunner 45, or, in addition, the excellent Forerunner 245 with or without music, or the Forerunner 645 with or without music).
If you already have a Forerunner 935, it's up to you to see if the new features offered by the Forerunner 945 will really be useful to you. Do you really need maps, the ClimbPro function, the round trip generator, the "around me" function? Do you listen to music while running and are you tired of carrying your Smartphone on your arm? Do you need more metrics and physiological measures to help you with your training? Would the assistance function be useful for you, in the event of an incident when you go alone to play sports? Do you need more battery life with the same recording accuracy for your ultratrail races? If you answer yes to any of these questions and budget is not an issue for you, take the step. This watch does not just bring some improvements or gadgets but real novelties which can make a big difference with the old model, according to your needs.
We liked
More comprehensive and above all easy to use and useful metrics and metrics
Autonomy in 1 second mode (36 h or 50%!)
Color mapping and cycle paths
Route generators (popular, return) and the function around me
The built-in mp3 player
The light weight of the watch and its comfortable screen to read
We'd have liked
A touch screen
Higher resolution (360 x 360 px like the Samsung Galaxy Watch would have been perfect)
Charging during the race without having to remove the watch from the wrist!
Price and availability
The Garmin Forerunner 945 is available for sale at the recommended price of € 599 or € 749 in a triathlon pack version. Take advantage of 5% discount at our partner Lepape with the link below and the code 5A15
Discover it with our partners and take advantage of our coupons.
Buy the Forerunner 945
Trader
Price (from)
Pope
€ 599 € 529
i-Run
€ 599 569.05 € (* 1)
Amazon
€ 539
Rakuten
€ 599 € 460
(* 1) Discount of -5% on this product with the promo code FORM !
Commercial links. Non contractual prices. Please consult the merchant website.
Philippe Baudoin
Reproduction prohibited – Copyright © Sport Passion
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Photo credit: Fotolia.com. This article contains commercial links.
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