51 thoughts on “Garmin Forerunner – FR955 and FR255 set for 1st June Launch”

1. You rock! Thanks for this intel.

2. Finally! I was hoping May, but then again I’ve been hoping for months now.

   1. i was hoping January!

3. Blatant money grab to require a pod for power. Garmin losing their way. COROS or Polar here I come

   1. i’ve clarified my comments above.
      I would expect ciq power (free) is still an option and, indeed, there may be no power po

4. do the dance the happy dance and watch videos from fgh/dc/and read the feedback from 5k and decide which I shall buy. Love you all

   1. yes, I’m currently doing the conga. don’t know why. my partner thinks it’s part of the training
      share and share alike…dcr doesn’t need that final click

      spread the love with the affiliate click too please 😉

5. I don’t think so. “Power” (metabolic cost of work) is already difficult to calculate using a foot pod or a chest strap. I’m not impressed that any of the power from the wrist solutions are serious. Pace and distance from the wrist on a treadmill is not very good. Why would power from the wrist work properly when you are compounding the errors. I mean even HR form the wrist is sketchy.

   1. https://blog.stryd.com/2018/12/19/using-appropriate-mathematical-and-physiological-analyses-shows-that-stryd-power-is-strongly-correlated-to-metabolic-rate-across-speed/

6. Readiness to train makes sense. It’s a small step from Body Battery to that.

   I wonder if there will be a firmware update to the HRM Pro to enable it as a power sensor for running. I think they already did that for XC skiing? If the Stryd cannot integrate into Garmin native power support, I will be very put out. Surely it will?

   1. the non-wrist accelerometer data comes from the external device.
      I know hrm-pro wasn’t around at the launch of Garmin’s CIQ power. are you sure hrm-pro isn’t a valid input? i’d be very surprised if that’s the case (haven’t checked)

      yes there was a ski power thing but that was an additional feature to running power i thought

7. ‘ I’m not impressed that any of the power from the wrist solutions are serious. ‘

   Coros wrist based power tracks almost identically to Stryd.

   1. it does superficially seem to track in several examples I’ve seen

      yet coros officially say that stryd is more accurate.

8. So, in your opinion Garmin will release a new rd-pod like thing or just activate running power on HRM-Pro?

   1. no pod

      at least your edge has enough battery to start up. you should be grateful! (hmmm)

9. What about the new Edge 1040/840/540? I’ve read rumors on the Garmin forum that something should be coming out 1st week of June, but what are the chances of this happening at the same time as releasing new Forerunners? Desperately waiting for a new Edge, as my 820’s battery only last for 2 hours now, and the racing season is upon us.

   1. i have heard the edge 1040/1040 solar and 1040 explore (and a power meter enabled version) are coming out later in July.
      July is a bad month to release stuff tho. June makes more sense but my intel disagrees

10. No. I think the HRM Pro most likely will be a valid power sensor.

    1. movement sensor input to a power calculation

11. Hi, i have FR745 + HRM Pro right now and running power works fine with running. I dont understand how it would be upgrade for FR955.

    1. which running power do you have?

12. I have tried all Garmin running power fields but right now i have Combo power installed and added as a data field when im running. Works fine with my hrm pro strap.

    1. ok so you are using the garmin ciq running power (free)
       1. it’s possible this could change so that garmin running power is native in the ecosystem ie requiring no ciq app. that is a big upgrade but hard to simply explain
       2. an external, new hardware pod that achieves the same end result is also possible but much less likely.

       if you have a 745 i expect any new software feature linked to running power to go to your device. if it needs new hardware then you’ll have to buy that

13. 1. Its possible. Right now it is more like just a number for enthusiasts. Watch doesnt take it into account for any of its algorithms.
    2. I too believe its very unlikely. CIQ field works with hrm run, hrm tri and dynamics pod too. New pod would mean they basically abandon all 4 older ones.

    1. yes. For running power to become native it would have to be integrated into many charts; into firstbeat algorithms; into the coaching, plans, alerts, targets and more. There is vast amounts of work to do. Maybe Garmin has started that or fully finished working off their own unofficial Running Power ANT+ standard. IDK.

       It seems strange that Garmin would merely announce that FR255 is not able to display a CIQ running power field just like many other watches have for many years.
       Hence, and combined with other intel, I think native power is happening. but IDK for sure.

       An alternative to stryd could be constructed in many ways. ultimately it needs a wind detector, access to a barometer and an accurate accelerometer. And essentially it probably has to be another pod to properly compete.

       Add to that, Garmin has updated all their sensors to dual BLE and ANT+ except Tempe (which doesn’t sell well) and the running footpod, then you might think an updated BLE/ANT+ footpod is due and hey why not give it awesome battery life, accurate accelerometer etc and make it a competitor to stryd at the same time.

       BUT keeping the calculation needing something from the worst keeps the sales of those expensive watches going and gives people a reason to upgrade to them. That’s perhaps why a wrist accelerometer is preferred to a foot based one – commercially best rather than technically best.

14. Would you expect any software feature linked to running power to be updated for the FR 945 (non-LTE)?

    1. I hope for a big bang (native running power), it might be a short-lived fizzle (FR255 has a barometer and supports running power ciq)

       to answer your question. if its the big bang then YES, if the fizzle then NO.

15. Thank you!

16. I own the FR645M along with the RD-Pod but I found running power and the metrics not very worthwhile so I stopped clipping it on. I guess I simply didn’t embrace running power and my running dynamics data was very bland.

    But at this generation, competitors like coros and polar already have running power built-in, it should be included in 255/955/Fenix/Epix type watches at this point.

    The Garmin pricing is getting a bit premium and I’ll have to think twice what to do for my next watch.

    1. garmin getting premium: Quite!

       Garmin would argue that running power is built-in for ‘free’ now (providing you have one of the external accelerometers!). but i think most of us don’t agree with that because something else IS required but also because native power has been implemented by Suunto, polar and coros already.

       usage: i think you need to persevere with power but forget the running dynamics stuff. even if you don’t properly digest then at least use some form of GAP/NGP (pace adjusted for the grade) in a CIQ data field. there must be lots. (Or look at PacePro but I’m unsure if that works on your watch)

17. The morning report could just be the same as the one presented on the Lily or the vivosmart 5. Though they differ in detail, they sum up a bunch of metrics and present them at the start of the day.

18. A decent jump in battery would be a biggy for me. I’d like to be able to reliably, and with a comfort margin, to be able to use navigation for 15hrs +. That would get me through a 100k without worrying about a recharge, and with some room to add a bit of music towards the end.
    Any idea what the F7 manages with navigation? All of the battery stats I have seen (from DCR etc) show battery with music – but not nav.
    I’d also like it to look ‘just like’ the 945… But maybe a slightly smoother and slicker case (like a fenix s), and a thinner bezel – but not different enough to be that noticeable to the financial controller! 😉

    1. I didn’t do any long navs, sorry.
       Even then it would depend on exactly HOW you were navigating. Going off course, popping up frequent TBT, beeping and so on would materially change the experience to a 100-mile navigation along the Nullabor. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nullarbor_Plain#Road

       I’m hoping it will look near-identical but with a larger display

19. Having a déjà-vu here. Was hyped for the FR745 until I saw the price tag. Same with the 255.

    Bloody 400€? For device not even having a multisport mode?!

    Makes you wonder if Garmin is aware of the Pace2 and the Pacer Pro.

    Disclaimer: I might be weird as I don’t care for fancy stuff like pay, LTE, solar, metal bezel or music on my SPORTS tracking gadget. Or running stuff as my knee doesn’t like running one bit but I do like some swim-bike stuff.

    1. Garmin sells tonnes. People clearly DO pay the money.
       FR255 will not be a true tri watch. there’s the 745/755/945/955 premium to pay for that. I’ll pay it (tho i agree its expensive)
       Swim+bike – for the swim you just need a logger, anything will do. get a 935, HRM-PRO and FORM goggles…sorted. For biking forget a fancy watch and just get a larger and more superior bike computer. they’re literally built for the job!

       you’re not weird! all the smarts are just Garmin trying to fend off apple watch slowly encroaching on their territory.

20. Thanks for your reply mate. You guys and Jerome are my go-to’s for in-depth sports gimmickery reviews. Especially less Garmin biased ones. 😉

    Already been using an Edge 520 that got recently replaced by a 530. Bought both for a reduced price after their successors were announced.

    Really wanted something for swimming and the occasional holiday activities like openwater swimming, hiking and skiing.

    Didn’t want to buy a 735XT at it’s EOL. Got disappointed by the 745 price tag. So I got a Vantage M1 for a good deal but been eyeing the 245 for some time and the 255 with barometer looked intruiging but the pricing doesn’t now.

    I really like the Vantage M and Polar Flow actually prefer it over Connect too but I am weird in a way that I like to plug stuff into my desktop PC and access it from there. All without needing my phone!! Guess it’s an early PC adopter thing or me being backwards and not wanting to accept the new mobile device reality.

    Tend to upload my data to Golden Cheetah too so getting the .fit-file from Suunto or Polar is just cumbersome.

    Might keep my eyes peeled for some 245 blow-out deals or maybe even a used 945 once the 955 hits the market.

    BTW Did you see the Decathlon watch made by Coros? No frills sport watch, sounds like something you might appreciate for it’s price point.

    1. “to my desktop PC and access it from there. ” me too! hence the 935
       i did see the decathlon watch but i think it’s just a rebranded Pace 1? i never got any further than that assumption
       pacer pro has now superseded vantage m2
       i like polar too. maybe if i didn’t do this blog and only ran i would use polar exclusively?

       1. Sorry for the late reply. Went back to some reviews of the Decathlon Coros watch to check it.

          First of all it seems that Decathlon or Coros deactivated ANT+ and Stryd support on it while the versions in those reviews still had it. So it’s not that much of steal for serious training anymore.

          (Won’t say where those quotes come from as I don’t wanna advertise for competitors of yours but they are credilbe sources in the sport tech review realm.)

          The Kiprun got some revised or updated internals:

          “Les caractéristiques électroniques ont été revues pour permettre à la montre de Kiprun d’intégrer les fonctions EvoLab”

          -> The hardware has been revised to allow the integration of the EvoLab functions.

          “J’ai donc demandé à Décathlon si les composants à l’intérieur du boitier étaient les mêmes que ceux de la Pace. Il m’a été répondu que la Kiprun 500 intègre une nouvelle électronique pour améliorer la fluidité de navigation.”

          -> I asked Decathlon if the internals were the same as in the Pace. They told me that the Kiprun had new electronics (my french is not that well, could mean hardware or components) in order to improve the ease of navigation.

          Also it got no barometer like the Pace1 did.

          If you wanna nitpick it’s not a Pace 1. But if you are more lenient it basically is a Pace 1. 😉

          Oh and I apologize for hijacking this Garming 255 and 955 article.

       2. no need to apologise, it’s an interesting and informative distraction
          ty for the info about PAce 1. i didn’t know all that.

          I think it’s Jerome’s review? I vaguely remember him doing one and wondered why he’d done it. Decathlon (French) was the obvious link.

21. Yeah one source is Jerome’s review, the other is Nakan, french swiss triathlet gadget reviewer. French swiss as in from the french speaking part of switzerland. Don’t know the english term. Franco swiss?

    1. hi, i know them both. many of the bloggers have back channels (there could be a joke there, I’ll leave that to you)

22. 😉

    So no physical secret sports tech bloggers HQ? Budget cuts all around huh?

    I only know like a handfull. Well maybe one more but I don’t speak spanish so I stick to the ones whose language I can understand.
    And also you gotta limit your cross-references at some point. And you guys kinda stuck for qulity reasons.

    “…wondered why he’d done it. …”

    Well Decathlon is way more recognized as a serious supplier of sports gear in France though.
    Got more of a discounter for sports gear image over here. Like Lidl for sports stuff.

    1. 😉
       i wondered why he’d reviewed the watch as i thought it was no different to PAce 1.
       I appreciate the commercial position of Decathlon in France ( and the UK too for that matter, I even sometimes shop there)

23. No new intel/ confirmation about the launch June 1st? I can’t wait for the fr255 🙂

    1. june 1st is not from me tho I’ve written about it.
       I’m expecting later (but not much later for the fr255)

24. So we can probably continue use Stryd as external device to detect power , and see the data Natively on the Watch ?

    1. a standard would need to be defined for ANT+
       there isn’t a running power standard AFIK
       if one is agreed I’m pretty sure stryd would support it
       so then, YES to your question.
       no need for stryd apps or data fields at all. though they should still work.
       the worst case reading of the leaked info is that fors the first time a forerunner 2×5 model can support garmin ciq running power.

25. FCC fillings for 955 (IPH-04244) and 255 (IPH-04308 / IPH-A4308) have appeared. Both 255 variants will have Garmin Pay. The question is whether 255 will include altimeter, multi sport mode and cycling power support? If yes, it can be a replacement for 745.

    1. well spotted
       other rumours confirm the barometric altimeter.
       i doubt the watch will be multisport focssed. so garmin will remove ‘something’ that will probably be either or both of the things you suggest
       there is an easy workaround for bike power a you use a CIQ data field that links directly to a power meter (but then it wont be native)
       eg i use this one: https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/developer/478692d9-e08c-40c2-bc49-f80e2b4c6eca/apps

26. ty. so 255 will be similar to 645 – hardware capable but software limited

    1. yes almost certainly. but the hardware will be/is significantly superior to 645. i’m not sure if garmin will ever replace the 645 per se. Enduro and 9×5 seem to cover its target markets.

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