During the process of this Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar review, I went from being somewhat “anti-smart watch” to addicted in a matter of days. Maybe it’s the fact that I just turned 40, or maybe I’ll blame it on some more “scientific” bike review projects I was working on, but either way I suddenly found myself obsessing over what my heart rate and exertion levels were. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been in excellent shape in the past, I’ve even worn a heart rate monitor a time or two, but it was never my thing. I wanted my rides to be escapes from technology, and to let the experience by my guide. So, as someone who regularly made fun of my “XC race boy” friends, the search to find the best smartwatch or cycling watch came with plenty of heckling. Welcome to 40…
THE TECH
Garmin’s Forerunner 955 regularly showed up in my Google searches as the best fitness watch for cyclists. The new Garmin 955 Solar version brings another element of performance to what many consider one of the best smartwatches on the market, adding the Power Glass Solar Charging lens to the screen. This allows the Forerunner 955 Solar to achieve an impressive battery life of up to 20 days in Smartwatch mode with solar charging. In GPS mode, Garmin claims up to 42 hours and up to 49 hours while solar charging. While the solar collection power isn’t enough to “recharge” the battery, it slows discharge down enough to make a difference for those who are outdoors and using the unit for long periods of time.
[Keep reading about the tech in the full written review on the site]
THE DIRT
I’ve had the Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar for about four months now. Garmin’s Forerunner 955 Solar has been on my wrist almost exclusively since I unboxed it, and while the large size was a bit of a concern at first and while looking at it online, I quickly adapted to the size. It’s been almost comical to go from having no interest in data to having my wife say, “Pay attention and stop looking at your watch!” while I’m trying to see how many more steps I need in the evening, or how many more calories I’d like to burn before settling in for the night. To say I’m hooked is an understatement. I’ve found that although I haven’t had a set goal of losing weight, I’ve lost weight because I’m now aware of how much, or little I’m doing every day. The step goals and calorie tracking are motivating enough.
Features are plentiful on the Garmin Forerunner watches, and can honestly overwhelm those who aren’t personal trainers, or total fitness nerds. That said, if a luddite like myself can set it up and have fun, then you certainly can too. I enjoyed being able to customize the watch face and display to what I liked and setting up my quick-reach settings to the most commonly used features from mountain biking, gym, golf and other physiological insights. It allowed for quick startups in gloves or while on the move.
One of the features mountain bikers will enjoy most is the Grit and Flow data. Garmin’s Connect app will take data from your ride and aggregate that from your previous loops as well as the pitch, elevation change, number of corners and other features to rate your performance. It’s a fun little bit of information but wasn’t something I pored over beyond some quick glancing. Instead, I focused on VO2 Max, what the ride did to my stamina, how long I spent in aerobic, anaerobic, threshold and other zones, as well as what my stamina or Body Battery looks like for other future activities. I’ve also enjoyed using the fitness tracking for days in the gym and have even played with the golf app for a few rounds I’ve been able to squeeze in.
The biggest bummer aside from its high price tag, and the only real let down for me, is that it doesn’t work well with tattoos. I’ve found that if I don’t have it in exactly the right spot, it will not read my heart rate, and subsequently, all the other data I now crave will not be captured. Garmin told us they are constantly working on their technology and ways to improve, and this is one of the areas they are aware of, so I’ll hope for an update to my unit down the road.
Garmin has really impressed me with the Forerunner 955 Solar. I love how long the battery lasts, that it is so customizable based on my personal types of activities and looks and motivates me to be more active every day. For those who are really into their fitness and statistics, there’s a whole load more than it can do, and would likely be an excellent tool to assist in hunting those podium spots.
Read the full review on the site here:
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Price: $599
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Get your Loam Wolf gear here:
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Chapters:
Intro and Why: 00:00 - 2:50
Features: 2:51 - 6:00
Impressions and Thoughts: 6:01 - 15:42
#garminforerunner #mountainbike #fitnesstracker #mountainbiking #enduromtb #bikelife
