Test: Garmin Forerunner 70 and Forerunner 170

The Garmin Forerunner 70 is the new entry-level model in Garmin’s popular Forerunner series of training watches where the emphasis is on running. But it is not alone, but is accompanied by the similar Garmin Forerunner 170. The watches are so similar that they have the same page in Garmin’s webshop. Actually, there are also three models, because there is also a Forerunner 170 Music.

Garmin aren’t known for being particularly cheap, but the Forerunner 70’s price tag of SEK 2,900 puts it in the lower half of the fitness watch price range anyway. Forerunner 170 costs SEK 550 more, and for Forerunner 170 Music the price has gone up to SEK 4,050.

Two clear functions

The simple answer to what differentiates the three is that from the Garmin Forerunner 70 to 170 the option to blip payments is added, and with the Forerunner 170 Music you also get the option to download music to the watch that you can listen to with a connected headset and thus listen to music on a run even if you don’t have your mobile.

If you look a little closer at the specifications for the Garmin Forerunner 70 and 170, you will find a couple more differences. The Garmin Forerunner 70 lacks the barometer, gyro and compass found in the Forerunner 170. This is noticeable, among other things, in the fact that the Forerunner 70 does not count how many stairs you have climbed during the day or the height differences during a run. Forerunner also has slightly more advanced functions for cycling and swimming training.

The overall impression is that the two watches are very similar. The color choices are a little different, and the dials a little differently designed, but otherwise the watches look exactly the same and the weight differs by only one gram.

As is usually the case with Garmin watches, they hardly feel luxurious for the price tag, but robust. It is plastic that applies, and the bracelets have a standard attachment so you can choose any watch bracelet. The watches are not very large and feel light on the wrist.

The Forerunner series harkens back to the days when Garmin watches had e-paper displays and button controls. Now it’s an Oled screen with good brightness that works both in daylight and in the dark, but the buttons have been kept. You can therefore control the watch either entirely with buttons or entirely by swiping on the screen. I find the functions of the five buttons intuitive and quick to learn, so I use the buttons more than I swipe the screen.

Focus on running

The watch face on the screen gives an idea of ​​what to expect from the watches. They are designed slightly differently but both show three bars for the day’s activities. One for the number of steps you’ve taken during the day, one for your current energy level, what Garmin calls Body Battery and which gives an indication of whether you need to rest or are ready for exercise. The third bar shows how far you ran during the day. Only running is counted, not cycling or walking, and you cannot select another measurement on the bar.

You can of course log other forms of exercise as well, and even if there is no alternative watch face pre-installed, you can download others from Garmin’s Connect IQ app store. In any case, it is during running training that you get the most detailed information from your training log. For gym training, for example, I think the training options and logging feel more limited.

The watch also measures heart rate and sleep, and you get nice little morning and evening reports that partly give an indicator of whether you should take it easy or invest during the day, and partly summarize how your exercise was during the day.

If you’ve been sitting still for too long, you’ll get reminders to move. You then get three simpler training exercises to choose from, which vary from time to time. The small training session then lasts for 30 seconds and you receive animated instructions.

Notifications in the watch

You can receive notifications from your phone to the watch, and if you have an Android phone, you can reply to them with pre-selected messages or by typing on the microscopic keyboard. However, you cannot use the watch as a headset for the mobile phone. All models lack a microphone, and can only play simpler sounds through speakers. When I’m out on a ride, I get a beep from my watch, but then it’s my mobile that tells me what kilometer I’m on.

The watch also has vibrator feedback, which can be used, among other things, for smart waking up. You enter a latest time you want to wake up, but if the watch senses that you are sleeping lightly or are half awake before then, it vibrates. I find this function insufficient, I only get a weak vibration that I easily sleep through if I’m half awake.

Garmin gives slightly different information about the battery life of the watches. I get about a week out of the Forerunner 170 and a bit longer with the Forerunner 70. Of course, that depends on how often you log workouts that use the watch’s built-in GPS.

If you want a running watch, the Garmin ecosystem is an excellent option, and the Garmin Forerunner 70 and 170 are good entry-level models. The ability to blip payments is a very useful feature that can definitely be worth an extra SEK 500 if your bank is supported. The difference to the Forerunner 170 Music is also clear. With more expensive models, you get more training features, but you almost have to already know Garmin and its watches to understand the differences.