Garmin - Forerunner 45S GPS Watch

Category: GPS Systems


Great entry level running/fitness watch for my girlfriend. GPS feature is accurate. Definitely not garbage as earlier reviews state. The treadmill calibration was off by 0.05 miles for her first 3 mile run but it was fixed accordingly when asked to calibrate. The battery life is also great!


I purchased a Garmin 45S and had great results the first week. The watch worked correctly, it tracked my miles, my heart rate, everything worked well. By the second week, it went off the rails. While running at a hard effort it would only register a HR of 110 during sprint and hill work. Every time I tried to discard a workout, the watch froze. Oh, and I'm UTD on all firmware.


I love this watch so far! It seems to track distance/pace/HR pretty accurately and I really like that I can track my sleep now. It fits well and doesn't overwhelm my small wrist. Also, I'm not sure if this is because I live in Seattle by the flagship store, but I got this in the mail the day after I ordered it! Thank you REI staff for shipping this out so quickly, especially because it's definitely not an "essential item."


Now that I've worn it a while, I've grown even more attached.... LOVE the longer battery life and the quicker GPS readiness. The button controls are new to me (former had touch screen) and they're easier than expected... very intuitive. The added sensors (sleep: REMs and stress) are interesting, though not something I'm interested in. The size is perfect for me as the older forerunners were just too big for my tiny wrist to want to wear daily. This size works well and I rarely notice it's there, even while sleeping. I'm pleased to see Garmin has finally added the emergency alert functionality, though I thankfully haven't needed it. We tested it once for a manual alert and it was easy to use, though since it wasn't an actual emergency, I don't know whether I'd be spearheaded enough to be able to begins the alert (making the automated functionality of it comforting). I've also noticed what I believe to be more accurate sleep monitoring, though I have no hard evidence other than how I feel. Finally, I love that the watch face I use shows my steps and other vitals I'm interested in on the main screen - a quick glance gives me what I want. And the calories show both active and resting calories, also very helpful.


I bought the Garmin Forerunner 45S, in white, as a first GPS watch for running and cycling. After using it for the past month, it's doing what I bought it to do – the GPS is more reliable than my phone for a run or a ride, the heartrate information is a helpful addition. I took this watch on a 3-day bikepacking trip, with quite a bit of rain along the way, and the watch was just fine in those conditions – the physical buttons make use in the rain easier than a touchscreen would have, I imagine.


I got this watch because the Apple Watch kept


Wow! I’ve had only 3 Garmins over the last 10 years because they just keep working. This 45 beeped and died after two days. I did one 50 run and that it. It’s been on my table waiting for tomorrow’s run, but just went blank and now stuck on a pairing setup screen, but won’t do anything. Returning today. Very disappointing.


The pace and distance is so off its ridiculous. Treadmill run at 8mph for 40 minutes, which was 5.42 miles..the watch said I had run 2.55 miles at a 17.4 minute per mile pace. That's just ridiculous!


We wanted a watch to track heart rate and gps track with speed etc to feed into Strava for hikes and bicycle rides. We went through three different fitness monitors: Fitbit Charge 2 and 3 were a very frustrating experience because they use a phone to get GPS data and they can never seem to make and hold onto a Bluetooth connection. It's not much fun to start a hike with five minutes of futzing with a device and then still not be able to record it. Garmin Vivosmart worked when using it as a sensor for a mobile app such as the Wahoo app but needed to be put in broadcast mode. Kind of a hassle.


I previously had another forerunner that inadvertently fell off at my kids daycare never to be seen again. I was so sad. This is what led to the purchase of the updated version. I did a lot of research since it had been several years since I looked at and ultimately purchased a good watch. This had all the features I was looking for: accurate gps that did not need my phone to function, ability to sync with my phone, ease of use. I was impressed with it when I checked it out in store. Even better when I started using it. It displays real time pace, something that my previous watch did not and has vastly improved my times as this gets my competitive nature going. I am still figuring out some of the functions but realtivley easy to set up fast and get going, including syncing to phone. I don't much care for the coaching app but I was pleasantly surprised when the app upgraded to include a " women's wellness tracker" something I thought was cool on some of the other watches (is Fitbit). Now I can track cycles, mood, illness, fitness all in one place instead of multiple apps as before. The only drawback is that the loop that holds the extra band in place doesn't stay put so the band frequently flops about, which is slightly annoying. Overall I love this watch!

COMMENTS

Ed1951

Can wristbands on Forerunner 45s be replaced or exchanged?

Yes, the bands can be replaced. Replacement bands are available through Garmin's site.

Mike

Will a chest strap HR monitor from an older Garmin work with this watch? 

​Yes, the heart rate monitors will work with the current watches.

HLLY

Does this watch work for cycling?

Yes, the 45S can work for cycling. Additional accessories may be needed, see Garmin's site for details.

Clifton P

Can I use this for treadmill running? If I don't move anywhere (GPS reads zero, or very little, distance covered) how will that affect functions?

This watch is a great choice for running on the treadmill. On its own the watch is not going to give you distance and speed because you are indoors and there is not a GPS signal. You can still get information such as heart rate, calories burned and more. If you are looking to get distance and cadence, you can also purchase the Garmin Foot Pod (sold separately) and sync it to the watch.

Patches

Can replace the battery 

​No, the batteries are not designed to be replaceable.

Dirge406

Does this watch have Bluetooth? 

​Yes, this watch uses Bluetooth.

Patty1117

Would this be a good choice for day hikes lasting 8-10 hours?  This listing gives running as the best use.  I just want accurate distance and time.  I don’t need a lot of frills.

This watch has some features that are conducive for hiking, primarily the GPS. Under typical conditions the GPS will offer accurate distance and time (and speed).

SLM11

Is this watch water proof?

​This watch is water resistant up to 50 meters deep.

runinsc

Will this count laps when swimming?

This watch offers multiple features aimed mostly at running and won't calculate laps for swimming or other water based training.

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