A high-end, fitness-oriented successor to the 2019 Forerunner 945, the Garmin Forerunner 955 series debuted in early June 2022. Most of the design elements from previous generations are still present, although Garmin has changed some aspects of the configuration. The Garmin Forerunner 955 is available in both regular and solar-powered versions, although an LTE-connected version is not yet available. The only significant difference between the two watches, aside from the solar charging function, is the solar version we tested.
The Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar is one of the best fitness watches we have ever used. The layout and style of the watch are fantastic, and the user experience is typical Garmin. It also comes with a huge amount of functionality. The new Daily Readiness feature is very useful and the solar battery lives up to its reputation. It is perhaps my favorite Garmin to date and is quickly becoming my go-to watch for daily activity.
A new software metric called training bias will now be taken into account in all high-end Garmin models. In addition, running power is officially recognized. Although it seems to be missing an LTE version. Also, some would have requested a different version with AMOLED. The watch, which costs £480 ($500/$800), is the company’s flagship model for running and triathlon. It replaces the £300 Forerunner 255 and comes with additional features such as offline maps, sophisticated training tools, and a longer battery life for discerning runners and triathletes.
Design
With the Garmin Fenix 7 and Garmin Epix 2, as well as with the Forerunner 955, a touchscreen has been added. This is generally a red flag for us, because we have never found touchscreens and wet fingertips to work well together, as we mentioned in my review of the Garmin Fenix 7. With the Garmin Forerunner 955, fortunately, there are no requirements for the touchscreen and most of the time we ignore it completely.
Almost all sports profiles have the touchscreen disabled by default, but Garmin has left the iconic five buttons, three on the left and two on the right, so you can use them to navigate the watch without touching the screen. The 64-color display on the Forerunner 955, the same as on the Fenix 7 series, is featured on both variants of the device.
Although not as bright as the AMOLED displays of the Garmin Epix or Venu series, the watch is still incredibly easy on the eyes, even in the sun. We tested the watch on the hottest day we have ever experienced and found no problems (other than getting sunscreen in our eyes). The 46.5 mm screen of both models, solar and non-solar, is a bit large for the wrist, but with a weight of 52 g for the former and 53 g for the latter, they are both significantly lighter than the Fenix 7 series, which starts at 63 g.
Interface and Controls
The screen now has touch functionality, like other Gamin, including the Garmin Forerunner 955. Notably, the physical buttons have not been sacrificed in the process. The touch screen is disabled by default during activity tracking, but you can still navigate the entire interface using Garmin’s standard 5-button layout.
If you are not a runner, you may not understand this, but believe me when we say that you do not want a touchscreen when jogging. It is definitely unpleasant when you accidentally pause or stop your run because of rain, sweat drops, or contact with your clothes. We often spent days not noticing that the Garmin interface had a touchscreen because the 5-button approach is so simple and straightforward.
Although the touch controls seem simple and immediate, we found the 955’s screen less responsive than the AMOLED displays of the Galaxy Watch 4, Apple Watch SE, and Garmin Venu 2S, especially when the finger was slightly damp. While running with the gadget, the watch too often did not recognize swipe and tap inputs on the first try, making it easier and faster to use the hardware buttons.
Display
Although the Garmin Forerunner 955 is a bit thinner, the 1.3-inch display is slightly larger than the 1.2-inch display on the Forerunner 945. Although the resolution has increased to 260 x 260 pixels, the number of pixels per inch remains unchanged from the previous model. However, the screen has been improved. Compared with the 945, it can be seen that lighting is significantly better and blacks are much deeper. Compare it first with the Fenix 7. Depending on the model you choose, the watch includes a titanium or stainless steel ring around the display.
The same metals are used on the back, and the core is made of reinforced plastic. The Forerunner 955 does not have these glitzy extras. The bezel, bottom, and sides are plastic. There is no feeling of using equipment that top sportsmen might use during training. The Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar is a pleasure to use with its larger screen, higher resolution, and improved clarity. While running, even in direct sunlight and from an angled position, it is easy to see everything on the display at a glance.
Tracking
In addition to Garmin’s outstanding all-around sports tracking, the additional workout analysis tools and improved GPS are fantastic additions. Every sport you can think of has a mode, and the three main sports (running, cycling, and swimming) record statistics in great detail. Although you still need to pair the Garmin Forerunner 955 with a Garmin Running Dynamics Pod or HRM-Pro, you can now view real-time running power on the watch without using an additional app.
Real-time resistance measurement, first seen on the Epix 2 and Fenix 7, is also present on the Garmin Forerunner 955. The Forerunner 955 is a fantastic activity tracker, recording all the standard information such as steps and active calories. Another option is Garmin’s Body Battery Score, which assigns a score of 100 to the user’s energy level based on factors such as recent workout, stress, sleep, and HRV.
Our experience with the readiness score was not adversely affected by sleep detection, which is a little uncertain. A future update aims to improve Garmin’s sleep detection by better identifying nighttime agitation. Although the Oura ring, Fitbit, Polar and Huawei watches can track sleep more effectively, if you are more interested in how sleep affects your ability to train, the 955 provides more accurate data.
Other Features
Like other high-end Garmin watches, such as the Enduro and Epix series, the Garmin Forerunner 955 is packed with fitness features. With multiband tracking available on multiple satellite systems, the GPS first and foremost promises to be more accurate than ever before. For this reason, the Forerunner 955 Solar is capable of using all of Garmin’s advanced GPS features. You can create turn-by-turn routes so you don’t have to stop and think about your next move.
With the included Garmin Connect software, you can set distance and time goals just as in previous Garmin devices. All the smart, health and fitness features available under the sun, including those found in the Forerunner 945, are present in the Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar. These include continuous heart rate monitoring, sleep monitoring, stress monitoring, VO2 max estimates, workout status reports, smart alerts, weather reports, quad sports modes, pedometer, blood oxygen measurements, Body Battery, and more.
The Body Battery and Training Load functions of the Garmin Forerunner 955 are wonderful, but we could not tell you how they affect your body when used together. The Training Readiness function combines everything together and replaces the many separate measurements with a single number, making it easier for ordinary people like us to understand how much we could train.
Battery Life
Garmin offers both the regular Forerunner 955 and a solar variant. The latter allows the gadget to be charged by solar power. We have found in the past that using this feature allows for an extra hour of GPS use when it is light outside. This applies to the solar edition of the Garmin Forerunner 955 that we received for review; however, we will not be able to make intelligent observations about the battery life of the two versions until we receive the non-solar version. When we enter basic mode.
The 955 offers good battery life even without using solar power for charging. During my study period, we had no problem using the device intensively for a whole week. The 955 was used to manage my music, monitor incoming notifications, give me instructions while cycling, and monitor our daily cardio activity of 30 minutes and three 5-kilometer runs.
Price and Configurations Options
This would be acceptable if Garmin’s QuickFit straps were even remotely affordable, but if you want something other than a silicone strap, you have to pay between $149.99 and $249.99 or between $124.99 and £249.99.
Although not all users will experience this problem, it is still an excessive burden; even if you do not experience rashes, you might simply prefer to purchase a nylon or leather band. While the Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar costs $599.99/£549.99, the regular Forerunner 955 costs $499.99 in the US and £479.99 in the UK. The only distinction is solar charging, which is mostly provided by a bronze-colored ring surrounding the 1.3-inch screen.
Final Words
One of the best running watches we have long tested is the Garmin Forerunner 955. It is an excellent choice for triathletes and cardio enthusiasts because it takes many of the best features of the more expensive Fenix 7 and brings them down to a lower price range.
The only drawback is that beginner or casual runners would be better off investing in a less expensive wearable, as its analysis and price make it too much for them. Because the frame is made of plastic rather than metal, extreme sports enthusiasts or more committed athletes will not be able to get away with using the watch.
