My job as Wearables Editor is to review one smartwatch or fitness band after another, swapping from one ecosystem to the next. Because of that, I'd rarely wear the same watch for longer than a few weeks. Then I tested the Forerunner 965...and now I wear two watches during reviews, no matter how silly I look to passersby.
The Garmin Forerunner 965 is the best running watch I've worn, I never want to take it off, and it's currently the lowest price ever ($50 off) for Black Friday.
I reviewed the Forerunner 965 this August, but only after wearing it for a couple of months, slowly working my way through the dozens of software tricks it offers. I ended up giving it a rare 5-star review, calling it "better than the best" running watches out there. No watch I've tested before or after has measured up yet.
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Even though it's still expensive at this price, the Forerunner 965 is essentially Garmin's flagship watch for runners, and any new software features from future models should trickle back to it. It keeps excellent track of your running progress, and guides you on whether to focus on low aerobic, aerobic, or anaerobic runs, and how long to recover before your next workout.
You're making an investment in your health and fitness; in my case, I've written about how following my Forerunner 965's workout recommendations paid off in a boosted VO2 Max score. I've gone from 46 to 49.3 in just a few months, without any proper coaching or running groups. It's perfect for self-motivated runners, and it's why I keep wearing it over other brands.
That said, even if the Forerunner 965 is my favorite running watch, there are better Black Friday options if price is your first priority.
First, I'll point you to the Forerunner 955. This watch essentially is the Forerunner 965, only with an MIP display instead of AMOLED. I prefer AMOLED to MIP, and the Forerunner 965's Gorilla Glass DX has a great anti-reflective coating, but plenty of runners will happily accept a display that's fully visible in direct sunlight and preserves longer battery life. And at 20% off, you'll save $150 compared to what the 965 costs with the same software experience.
Your other premium Garmin Black Friday option is the Garmin Epix Gen 2, currently a whopping $350 off for the Steel version.
With the Epix, you get a more stylish finish than the plastic 965, but it weighs about 23g more. It has an AMOLED display, but it's only 1.3 inches instead of 1.4. It has more sports modes and specific tricks for golfers, plus the option to subscribe to Outdoor Maps+, but it uses an older UI than the Forerunner 965. Its GPS battery life is fairly comparable, but it doesn't last as long in smartwatch mode and doesn't have dual-band GPS, only all-systems GNSS.
If you still want a cheaper Black Friday Garmin deal, that link will take you to my general guide on the best Garmin deals. Other great watches like the Forerunner 265, 255, and 55 all have slashed prices this Black Friday, so you can pay as little as $169 to get running guidance.
