We have tested for you the newcomer to Garmin, the Forerunner 55.
The running watch was launched by the US company on Wednesday 2 June, on the occasion of the Global Running Day. Let's find out together.
Garmin and the Forerunner series
Garmin is the world leader in sports watches. The Forerunner series has been a reference point for all runners since 2003 with more or less marked athletic qualities. In addition to particularly advanced models, Garmin in the Forerunner series has always combined entry level products, for runners who are not particularly ambitious or who in any case do not need to monitor a forest of data.
On the other hand, in recent years, even the less sophisticated models of the series contain a series of very useful features not only for those who practice sports, but also for anyone who wants to keep some rather important physical parameters under control.
Garmin Forerunner 55
It is precisely with this in mind that last June 2nd the Garmin Forerunner 55 was launched on the market, a direct descendant of the predecessor Forerunner 45.
Let's see the technical characteristics of a watch that has proved to be an excellent sparring partner for the amateur runner (category to which the person writing the article belongs). It is also a valuable tool to keep an eye on our state of health.
The technical characteristics
The Garmin Forerunner 55 weighs 37 grams, has a case of 42 mm in diameter, anti-reflective screen and soft silicone strap available in 4 colors (and replaceable).
Waterproof up to 50 meters, it has an autonomy estimated in two weeks in smartwatch mode and in 20 hours with GPS activated.
In addition to all the advanced watch functions (including the signaling of the time of sunrise and sunset), the Garmin Forerunner 55 monitors the heart rate directly from the wrist but is compatible with all the most common heart rate bands. The meticulous GPS system is based on three sensors, and thanks to Bluetooth technology the watch can receive smartphone notifications.
Let's now see the main ad hoc functions for the sportsman and for daily life.
Garmin Forerunner 55 per lo sport
The variety of important sports activity monitoring functions stand out in the Forerunner 55. Let's consider just a few by way of example.
Garmin Coach is an application with which you can create a personalized training program for a race, and transfer the planned training sessions to the watch.
LiveTrack allows you to share your location with other users at any time.
Suggested daily training: this is the name of the option that records the various training sessions, assesses the condition of physical stress and proposes a specific training.
Then there are the prediction of the running times, the warnings on the cadence, the possibility of having information on optimal recovery times and the PacePro function. The latter, combined with the Garmin Connect app, studies the training path by suggesting the rhythm to keep in each section, according to the difference in height.
Despite being a product designed for runners, the Forerunner 55 has several sport profiles loaded by default.
Garmin Forerunner 55 for health monitoring
Equally dense are the functions concerning the overview of daily health. The Forerunner 55 allows you to monitor your heart rate at any time of day and night, indicate your stress level and sleep quality, breathing rate and hydration needed.
The watch assigns a minimum number of daily steps based on your fitness and calculates the calories burned.
Among the new features implemented, we point out the measurement of energy levels, with an indication of when is the best time to train and when to rest. And the monitoring of the menstrual cycle or pregnancy, with a range of tips on exercise, nutrition and more.
The test
Let us now come to the funniest part.
We tested the Garmin Forerunner 55 after downloading the Garmin Connect app to our smartphone. As for the monitoring of physical data outside of sporting activity, the watch and app are easy to use, and they report a great deal of metrics. It is a great tool to keep your physical condition under control.
Ma the Forerunnerr 55 gave its best during training. The reasons? Various.
Meanwhile, the accuracy of the GPS, sensitive to sudden changes of gear or direction.
Then, perfect screen visibility and clear acoustic signal at the end of each phase of a workout or after each automatic lap, set by default to one kilometer. Not surprisingly, these are two characteristics mentioned together, because they are exactly the two weaknesses that have been afflicting Polar, Garmin's most authoritative competitor, for some years now.
We end with two options that testify how the Garmin Forerunner 55, before being put on the market, was examined by someone who is certainly not fasting for running.
Meanwhile, you can change the watch face while exercising, showing the data you prefer (and which in our case are the instantaneous pace, heart rate, progressive time and mileage traveled).
Furthermore, the ease with which workouts can be built on the app and transferred to the watch. And vice versa, once the session is over.
Defects? Two, not substantial. Once the data is downloaded, there is no possibility of finding the average heart rate for each kilometer. And, to be picky, the Polar app interface is perhaps more complete and clearer.
Garmin Forerunner 55 (Aqua), Smartwatch running con GPS,...
- INTEGRATED GPS and CARDIO: The data collected by the integrated GPS and cardio sensors provide everything you need to know ...
- TRAINING PLANS INCLUDED: Garmin Coach is a completely free and integrated function in Garmin Connect for the ...
- DAILY TRAINING TIPS: Forerunner 55 gets to know you and gets to suggest, every day, a ...
Conclusions
Given the introductory price of an entry level watch, 199,99 euros, we are faced with a commendable object for amateur runners of a level from beginner to advanced. The running watch turned out to be just as interesting as a litmus test to know one's physical condition.
On the aesthetics, being Garmin, nothing to say: remarkable as usual.
