Forerunner 265S GPS Smartwatch for MultiSport - Running, Fitness, & Wellness
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Web ID: 18955023187 reviews
Love it
Great addition to my MTB kit. I have always shied away from wearing a watch, but the janky GPS signal from my phone when recording Strava made me consider a Garmin. Since I've gotten it, I've completely adopted it's functions into my life, and find great benefit from tracking my sleep quality, fitness metrics, HR, and more. It also serves as a great link to my phone, saving me the trouble of pulling out my phone every time I get a notification. Excellent product.
Customer review from ExpertVoice.com
Great watch for running
The 265s has been extremely helpful and motivational in getting into a regular workout routine (from 0 to 3 workouts per week). The charts and metrics are helpful. Before I was always running race pace and not sticking with a set running plan. Now I use the running zones and try to stay in zone 2 or 1 for 80% of weekly workout plan so I get more running in and build up my endurance. Also, the watch allows you to setup interval runs and setup custom pace target ranges for your workout. For example on my easy run, I setup pace for 10 to 11 min per mile and it gives audible alerts in real time to you when going outside of target pace range while listening to offline music at same time. It also features a trainer program that builds a custom training plan for you based on an upcoming marathon, etc. The features I am using are barely breaking the surface of what is available on the watch. I rarely take time to write reviews but have been thoroughly impressed with this watch.
Customer review from Garmin
Unreliable heart rate readings
I bought this as an upgrade to my FR45 and was excited for the brilliant screen and advanced features. Unfortunately, that excitement has been replaced with disappointment and annoyance. Two of the key features are complete fails: The optical heart rate and the Bluetooth headphone connection. Allow me to elaborate. The OHR is completely unreliable. During activities, it often displays a heart rate I know is grossly incorrect just from feel. Sometimes I'll take the watch off and immediately put it back on and the HR will jump up 10-20 beats in a matter of seconds. If I want HR with any degree of accuracy, I have to wear a chest strap, which is unfortunate. If you read the Garmin forums, there are many other users plagued by the inaccuracy of the OHR on this watch, and everyone is frustrated by it. Second issue is the Bluetooth connection to headphones randomly and repeatedly dropping. The main reason I bought this watch was for the music functionality (so I could leave my phone behind during runs), but it's so bad, it's useless. I have to run with either my phone or a separate MP3 player if I want to listen to music. If I had to do it all over, I would not have bought this watch.
Customer review from Garmin
Response from Garmin
I'm sorry to hear this has been your experience with the Forerunner 265S. Our support team would be more than happy to look into these for you. Please reach out to us at http://ms.spr.ly/6424sYsNm
Wear it everyday
I have used this watch for triathalon, running, biking, paddling (the sup feature), pool and open water swimming and I love it! I think it’s a lot cuter/fits better as a “S” than the normal sized garmins. I like the white and teal too. Activity tracking seems accurate and it has way more metrics than I could ever want. I also like that it has tap to pay. I’ve never been able to set up the Spotify features, but I think that’s user error. The heart rate monitor is nice and it does a great job projecting heart rate to my bike computer (Garmin) and to my bike trainer (wahoo).
Customer review from ExpertVoice.com
Perfect running watch (and everyday watch)
The battery life is amazing. The OS is very intuitive and the app it connects to is great. I use this for running & everyday wear. The gps & all health metrics are extremely accurate. Could not ask for a better watch.
Customer review from ExpertVoice.com
Not Sure Yet
The battery doesn't last a week. I like many of the features so far. Some of the running lap features are irritating because the watch gets stuck, and it is too hard to get it off the loop. The instructions are complicated. I find the watch difficult to use. I don't care about the watch color. Far cry from advertised. I don't know.
Customer review from Garmin
Very different from my other Forerunner
I'm still learning how to use this watch and the features of it. Change is hard and there is so much more to this one than the 235 I had. I really like that I can see my heartrate when I run, along with my pace and overall time. I don't like the charging cable. It is not USB compatible. Thankfully we have a portable battery pack that accepts the cord. Garmin could do better with that.
Customer review from Garmin
Easy to use and good features
Not sure why I took so long to get a Forerunner. Love everything about it. The features have helped me work on my running in new consistent ways the past couple of weeks! Also, I love that I can connect so easily to apps like Strava and runna.
Customer review from Garmin