BRIGHT AND FLASHY

The new Garmin Forerunner 970 is a tracking powerhouse that wants you to run smarter

- Michael Sawh

I've had pretty much every new Garmin watch strapped to my wrist over the past decade, so I'm well-aware of what the Forerunner 900 series is all about. This is a watch you wear if you want the best Garmin has to offer in tracking your runs, dishing out detailed performance metrics and also guide you to make better decisions about your training.

Runner might be in the name and mainly who the Forerunner 970 is built for, but if you're dipping your toes into multisports events like triathlons or want something to take for a swim, it's got you covered there too.

After going colour with its predecessor the 965, the 970 is taking that display and turning the brightness up to 11. A new speaker and microphone equals less time screen tapping and swiping and more time focusing on the training job in hand.

New metrics for runners want to do a better job of making sure you're not overdoing it in a training block or on the comeback from injury. That's all while making sure you're not grabbing the charging cable as regularly as you would do with an Apple Watch.

Those new features improvements come at a higher cost than the 965 and while the extra spend is tough to stomach, what you're getting in return is a slick sports watch performer.

Design

I've recently spent time out at Garmin's Kansas headquarters and having sat in front of its industrial design team, the remit with the 970 is clear; to make things a bit more fun and inspired by the kit and shoes you whip on when going for a run.

The white and yellow colourway I have is just the right side of bold without feeling like it's creeping into tacky territory. We're now getting translucent bands that are all silicone and easy to clip off if you want to put something less sporty in its place.