Garmin Forerunner 165 /// An Unbiased In-depth Review

Summary

The Garmin 4Runner 165 is an entry-level running watch with a vibrant 1.2-inch AMOLED display, suitable for runners, swimmers, and cyclists, priced at $250. It offers various activity profiles but lacks Triathlon mode and some advanced features like ECG and cycling power meter support. Despite its 4-day battery life and missing dual-frequency mode, it provides solid GPS tracking and heart rate monitoring. The watch also includes sleep tracking, recovery metrics, and Garmin Connect integration, making it a top choice for budget-conscious athletes seeking a feature-packed device.

Takeaways

• 🏃 The Garmin 4Runner 165 is positioned as an entry-level running watch, offering a more affordable option compared to the 4Runner 55.
• 🎶 For an additional $50, the music edition of the watch is available, providing about 2.5 GB of music storage and compatibility with streaming services and MP3 files.
• 🌈 The watch comes in six color options, with the music edition featuring additional vibrant colors like Berry lilac and turquoise aqua.
• 🖥 It features a 1.2-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 390 x 390 pixels, providing a sharp and vibrant image.
• 📐 The watch has a diameter of 43 mm and a slim profile of about 11.5 mm in depth, making it unobtrusive on smaller wrists.
• 💓 Equipped with Garmin's fourth-generation Elevate Optical heart rate sensor, which offers reliable heart rate tracking without ECG functionality.
• 🔋 The battery life is around four days with an always-on display and about 11 days in raise-to-wake mode, but it's not as long-lasting as some competitors.
• 🏞 The watch lacks dual-frequency GPS mode, which can improve accuracy in challenging environments, but the speaker still finds it tracking well.
• 🔄 The watch offers various sports profiles, but notably lacks a specific Triathlon mode, which is available only in higher-end models.
• 📊 It includes features like sleep tracking, heart rate variability (HRV), and recovery metrics, contributing to a comprehensive health and fitness tracking package.
• 📲 Garmin Connect, the accompanying app for the watch, offers in-depth analysis and syncing with other services without a subscription fee.

Q & A

What is the Garmin 4Runner 165?

The Garmin 4Runner 165 is an entry-level running watch from Garmin, designed for runners, swimmers, and cyclists, featuring a vibrant 1.2-inch AMOLED display and a variety of sports profiles.

Why might someone consider the Garmin 4Runner 165 over the 4Runner 55?

The Garmin 4Runner 165 might be considered over the 4Runner 55 because it offers more features and is more affordable, despite the 55 still being technically available.

What are the color options for the Garmin 4Runner 165?

The Garmin 4Runner 165 comes in six color options, with two options (black and slate gray or mist gray and white stone) available in the non-music editions, and additional colors like berry lilac and turquoise aqua in the music editions.

What is included in the music edition of the Garmin 4Runner 165 and why might it be worth the extra cost?

The music edition of the Garmin 4Runner 165 includes about 4GB of total memory, with approximately 2.5GB left for music storage after the operating system's use. It allows syncing music from streaming services or direct MP3 file transfers and can connect to Bluetooth headphones or speakers.

How does the Garmin 4Runner 165 display compare to other watches in terms of size and resolution?

The Garmin 4Runner 165 has a 1.2-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 390 x 390 pixels, providing a sharp image that is considered vibrant but not massive.

What is the battery life of the Garmin 4Runner 165 under normal use?

Under normal use, which includes about an hour of GPS activities per day and always-on display mode, the battery life of the Garmin 4Runner 165 is approximately four days.

How does the battery life of the Garmin 4Runner 165 compare to other watches?

Compared to other watches, the Garmin 4Runner 165 has a shorter battery life due to its bright AMOLED display and lack of space for a larger battery. For instance, Apple Watches typically last one day, while the Coros Pace 3 and Garmin 4Runner 255 can last up to two weeks.

What are the GPS capabilities of the Garmin 4Runner 165, and does it lack any advanced features?

The Garmin 4Runner 165 offers GPS tracking in basic and all systems GNSS modes, providing about 19 hours in basic GPS mode and 17 hours in GNSS mode. However, it lacks dual-frequency mode, which can improve accuracy in challenging environments.

What is the 'Ultra track' mode on the Garmin 4Runner 165, and what are its limitations?

The 'Ultra track' mode on the Garmin 4Runner 165 is designed for multi-day hikes or similar activities, offering extended battery life at the cost of significantly reduced tracking accuracy.

What are some of the activity tracking features available on the Garmin 4Runner 165?

The Garmin 4Runner 165 offers over 30 different sports profiles, including various running, cycling, and swimming activities. However, it lacks a specific Triathlon mode, which is available only on higher-end devices.

What additional features does the Garmin Connect system offer, and is there a subscription fee?

The Garmin Connect system offers deep insights into recent activities, the ability to earn badges, and a redesigned app experience. There is no subscription fee required to use it, as it comes with owning a Garmin watch.

What are some of the limitations or missing features of the Garmin 4Runner 165 as highlighted in the script?

The Garmin 4Runner 165 lacks a Triathlon mode, support for cycling power meters, and certain skiing and climbing activity types. It also does not include a training readiness score, which is reserved for higher-end Garmin devices.

Why might the reviewer suggest that the dual-frequency GPS mode is overrated?

The reviewer suggests that the dual-frequency GPS mode might be overrated because they have observed solid GPS tracking with the Garmin 4Runner 165 without this feature, possibly due to good antenna design and custom firmware that effectively discards bad GPS data.

What are some alternative watches to the Garmin 4Runner 165 mentioned in the script?

Some alternative watches mentioned are the Coros Pace 3, which has a longer battery life and includes a triathlon mode, and the Garmin 4Runner 255 and 265, which offer different display types and additional features.

How does the Garmin 4Runner 165 compare in size to other watches like the Apple Watch Series 7?

The Garmin 4Runner 165 is 43 mm in diameter and about 11 1/2 mm in depth, making it slim and not bulky. In comparison, the Apple Watch Series 7 comes in 41 mm and 45 mm sizes, with the 41 mm option being shown in the script.

What is the reviewer's final recommendation regarding the Garmin 4Runner 165?

The reviewer recommends the Garmin 4Runner 165 for many runners and swimmers due to its affordability, features, and performance, despite some missing features and limitations.

Outlines

00:00

🏃‍♂️ Introduction to Garmin's 4Runner 165

The script introduces the Garmin 4Runner 165 as an entry-level running watch, positioning it as a more affordable option compared to the 4Runner 55. The speaker, a running coach, expresses a preference for this model over its predecessor and outlines its suitability for runners, swimmers, and cyclists. The lack of a triathlon mode and some other features is noted, prompting a deeper dive into the watch's capabilities. The music edition variant is mentioned, with its additional color options and 4GB of memory for music storage, which can be synced from streaming services or loaded directly onto the device.

05:00

📊 Garmin 4Runner 165's Features and Battery Life

This paragraph delves into the watch's features, including its vibrant 1.2-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 390 x 390 pixels, and its slim, non-bulky design. The speaker discusses the watch's heart rate monitor, the Elevate Optical heart rate sensor, and its accuracy compared to a chest strap. The inclusion of a pulse oximeter is highlighted, along with its potential use for tracking blood oxygen levels at high altitudes. The battery life is compared to other watches, with the 4Runner 165 offering about four days of use with an always-on display and up to 11 days in raise-to-wake mode. GPS battery life is also discussed, with up to 19 hours in basic mode and 17 hours in all systems mode.

10:00

📡 GPS Performance and Watch Navigation

The script addresses the watch's GPS performance, noting the absence of dual-frequency mode but arguing that it may be overrated due to the watch's solid tracking capabilities. It suggests that antenna design and firmware may play a more significant role in GPS accuracy than dual-frequency technology. The navigation experience is described as user-friendly, with five buttons for easy access to various functions. The watch's widget area is highlighted, showing recovery time, heart rate variability (HRV), weather details, music controls, and other health metrics. Garmin Pay and a flashlight feature are also mentioned.

15:01

🔄 Garmin Connect Ecosystem and Watch Limitations

The speaker discusses the Garmin Connect app and web application, which are used for syncing data and gamifying fitness through badges. The app's redesign is briefly touched upon, with the speaker's indifference to the change. However, several limitations of the 4Runner 165 are pointed out, such as the lack of a triathlon mode, support for cycling power meters, and certain skiing and climbing activity types. The training readiness score metric is mentioned as a feature reserved for higher-end devices, and a minor complaint about the 'run' button branding on the watch is expressed.

20:02

🏊‍♂️ Final Thoughts on the 4Runner 165 and Alternatives

In conclusion, the speaker reiterates their overall positive view of the 4Runner 165, despite the mentioned limitations, and confirms their intention to recommend it to the runners and swimmers they coaches. The Coros Pace 3, Garmin's 4Runner 255 and 265, and Apple Watch Series 7 are suggested as alternative options, each with its own advantages such as longer battery life, triathlon mode, or superior AMOLED displays. The speaker invites viewers to share their thoughts on the 4Runner 165 and discusses the importance of engaging in various physical activities.

Keywords

💡Garmin 4Runner 165

The Garmin 4Runner 165 is an entry-level running watch by Garmin, designed for athletes who need a device to track their activities. It is the main subject of the video, with the creator discussing its features, benefits, and potential drawbacks. For instance, the script mentions it as 'Garmin's entry-level running watch' and as a 'top choice' for runners the creator coaches.

💡AMOLED screen

AMOLED stands for Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diodes, a type of display technology known for its high contrast and color accuracy. In the context of the video, the Garmin 4Runner 165 features a vibrant 1.2-inch AMOLED screen, which is highlighted for its sharp image and brightness, making it suitable for outdoor use.

💡Battery life

Battery life refers to the amount of time a device can operate before needing to be recharged. The script discusses the 4Runner 165's battery life, noting that it lasts about four days with an hour of GPS activities per day. The creator also compares it with other watches, emphasizing the trade-off between the bright AMOLED display and battery longevity.

💡GPS accuracy

GPS accuracy is a measure of how precisely a device can determine and maintain a location using the Global Positioning System. The video script mentions that despite lacking dual-frequency mode, the 4Runner 165 provides solid GPS tracking, suggesting that other factors like antenna design and firmware may compensate for this absence.

💡Triathlon mode

Triathlon mode is a feature in some sports watches that allows users to track and switch between swimming, cycling, and running activities in a single session. The script points out that the 4Runner 165 lacks this feature, which is unusual given its comprehensive activity tracking options, and is only available in higher-end Garmin models.

💡Heart rate monitor

A heart rate monitor is a device that measures the heart rate, often used by athletes to optimize their training. The video script discusses the Garmin 4Runner 165's fourth-generation Elevate Optical heart rate sensor, which provides reliable heart rate data during various activities.

💡Sleep tracking

Sleep tracking is the process of monitoring and analyzing sleep patterns, which can help understand sleep quality and overall health. The script praises the Garmin 4Runner 165's sleep tracking capabilities, particularly the morning report feature that provides a detailed analysis of sleep and recovery needs.

💡Garmin Connect

Garmin Connect is a mobile and web application by Garmin that syncs and analyzes data from Garmin devices. The script mentions that the Garmin 4Runner 165 pairs with Garmin Connect, allowing users to dive deep into their activity data and earn badges for achieving fitness goals.

💡Music Edition

The Music Edition refers to a variant of the Garmin 4Runner 165 that includes additional features such as music storage and Bluetooth connectivity for headphones. The script notes that the Music Edition comes with extra color options and 4GB of memory, of which about 2.5GB is available for music storage.

💡Optical heart rate sensor

An optical heart rate sensor is a type of sensor that uses light to measure heart rate through the skin. The script specifically mentions the Garmin 4Runner 165's Elevate Optical heart rate sensor, which the creator has found to provide accurate readings, although it lacks ECG functionality.

💡Activity profiles

Activity profiles are pre-set configurations in sports watches that tailor the device's tracking and display to specific types of activities. The script lists numerous activity profiles available on the 4Runner 165, such as outdoor track running, trail running, and various swimming options, but notes the absence of a triathlon profile.

Highlights

Garmin's new 4Runner 165 is an entry-level running watch that offers value for its price.

The 4Runner 165 is more affordable than the 4Runner 55, making it a more attractive option for runners.

The watch is recommended for runners and swimmers, despite lacking a Triathlon activity option.

Six color options are available, with additional colors in the music edition for an extra cost.

The music edition includes 4GB of memory, with about 2.5GB available for music storage.

The 4Runner 165 features a vibrant 1.2-inch AMOLED screen with a resolution of 390x390 pixels.

The watch is slim and not bulky, with a diameter of 43mm and a depth of about 11.5mm.

Garmin's fourth generation Elevate Optical heart rate sensor provides accurate heart rate data.

The heart rate sensor includes a pulse ox feature for measuring blood oxygen saturation levels.

Battery life is approximately four days with an hour of GPS activities per day in always-on display mode.

In raise-to-wake mode, the watch offers up to 11 days of battery life.

GPS battery life can last up to 19 hours in basic mode or 17 hours in all systems gnss mode.

The watch lacks a dual frequency mode for improved GPS accuracy in challenging environments.

The 4Runner 165 has a user-friendly interface with five buttons and a touchscreen.

Garmin Connect is a comprehensive mobile and web application for tracking and analyzing activities.

The watch does not include a Triathlon mode, which is available only in higher-end Garmin models.

Despite missing some features, the 4Runner 165 is still a top choice for runners and swimmers due to its balance of features and affordability.

Transcripts

this is garmin's new 4Runner 165 it's

basically garmin's entry-level running

watch and I say basically because uh

technically Garmin is still making the

4Runner 55 but at this point I don't

really think anyone is going to consider

that as a as a realistic option for $50

more or for

$250 this Garmin 4Runner 165 is perfect

for almost every Runner tons of swimmers

out there and some cyclist and yet it

still doesn't have Triathlon as an

activity option it's also missing some

other features that seem really odd so

let's dig into

[Music]

this okay real quickly if you don't have

a ton of time and you just want to kind

of get my quick thoughts on this watch

uh this is a watch that I'm going to be

recommending to a ton of Runners out

there I actually coach about a 100

Runners uh and this is probably going to

be my top choice for them to consider

you know I don't love recommending

expensive watch devices and this one is

it's at least on the more affordable

side of things at $250 or $300 for the

music Edition and typically I'm not

going to recommend music Edition for

people uh I I I guess I'm just cheap I

don't know uh but I do like the color

options that are on the music editions

of this watch before we we get into how

accurate this watch is or other watches

for you guys to consider or My overall

opinions on this watch I want to talk

about all of the options that you have

to deal with when buying the Garmin

4Runner

[Applause]

[Music]

165 so there are six total color options

to choose from but only two of them are

part of the non-m music Editions so that

is black and slate gray or Mist gray and

white stone then if you're willing to

spend the extra $50 for the music

Edition you've got those same M gray

white stone and black slate gray colors

but you also have Berry lilac in this

turquoise aqua color and that's the the

color that I'm going to be showing

throughout this video now while we're

talking about music the music editions

have about 4 gigs of total memory so

some of that is used up by the watch

operating systems but after that you end

up with about um 2 and 1/2 gigs left for

music storage and you can sync music

over from streaming companies like

Spotify or dieser uh or you can drop MP3

files directly on the device and you can

connect this device directly to

Bluetooth headphones or a Bluetooth

speaker for some reason if you wanted to

do that uh but the biggest and the most

obviously distinguishing feature of this

new 4Runner 165 is easy easily this

extremely vibrant 1.2 in AMOLED screen

it is a very nice display and I wouldn't

say it's like a massive display by any

means but it provides a very sharp image

uh screen resolution is 390 X 390 pixels

here's how this watch looks on my uh

very small but still very manly 165 mm

wrists and here's how it looks on my

wife's wrist just for your reference

it's a 43 mm in diameter and it's only

about 11 1/2 in in depth I always think

that it's the depth of these watches

that really makes them feel big and

bulky and this watch is definitely not

big or bulky um it's just quite a nice

slim little watch we've got here uh the

watch band is also pretty slim it's a 20

mm quickfit compatible watch band from

Garmin uh it's made of silicone I

actually think it's nice it's not

something that I would personally change

out for something different but if you

do want to um these quick fit compatible

bands are really easy to find on Amazon

or wherever you buy your watch bands and

you can probably find one for you know

anywhere from like 10 to 20 bucks I'll

try to find some links for you guys and

leave them in the description of this

[Music]

video but if we actually take this watch

and flip it over we'll see garmin's

fourth generation Optical heart rate

monitor on here uh Garmin actually calls

this their Elevate Optical heart rate

sensor uh and I've actually had pretty

good results with this heart rate sensor

over the past month or two that I've

actually been testing this watch uh I do

actually have watches with garmin's

newer fifth generation heart rate sensor

uh and I've actually tried to to tease

out any sort of slight improvements from

the fourth generation to the fifth

generation I don't know it's it's pretty

hard to tell with these things but this

heart rate sensor doesn't have the

option to perform an ECG uh like the

fifth generation Optical heart rates

have but uh the heart rate data that

I've been seeing has been pretty solid

here have a quick look at this chart in

this case I'm actually wearing three

watches uh one Garmin Epic 2 that's

actually connected to a heart rate strap

and technically using a heart rate strap

like this should be the most accurate

way to actually get heart rate data so I

kind of think of this as like our

control but there might be one spot in

here where it actually looks like it's

reading a little bit High all of these

watches seem to take a little bit of

time over those first two minutes or so

just to kind of lock onto my heart rate

and that's actually pretty typical of

these Optical heart rate monitors uh but

then I see one slight issue here when

running this seven mile where I take a

little break at the turnaround and it

seems like it takes the 165 just a

little bit longer to dip down and catch

that lower heart rate so uh I don't have

a ton of concerns when it comes to the

heart rate data on this particular watch

but this heart rate sensor it actually

does have the option to show you your

spo2 or your oxygen saturation of your

blood actually Garmin calls this their

pulse ox feature it might be something

that you're interested in keeping an eye

on if you are traveling to altitude uh

because that will lower your blood

oxygen saturation levels uh otherwise uh

it really should be in those Upper 90

levels uh you do have the option to turn

that feature off or you can use it in an

all day mode or you can actually just

have it turned on while you're sleeping

uh I actually suggest that you be a

little bit picky about which option you

choose uh just because that feature does

drain the battery a good bit now

speaking of battery life I would say

that the 4Runner 165 it doesn't have the

most massive amount of battery life when

you kind of compare it to a lot of the

other watches on the market here's

another chart for us to look at so this

4Runner 165 is a very small watch with a

very bright and battery intensive AMOLED

display and there's just not a ton of

room for a battery on this thing uh for

me I'm personally seeing about four days

of usage for battery life where I'm

doing uh somewhere around an hour of uh

battery intensive GPS activities per day

uh and I actually use this watch and

it's always on display mode uh but by

default it comes in uh in that raise to

wake mode uh and in that mode you'll see

about 11 days of battery life before

you'll actually need to recharge the

device but comparing this watch to a few

other watches uh that I thought you

might want to consider when you're

considering this watch uh the normal

Apple watches are about one day uh and

then if you're willing to you know give

up on these Amed displays uh the mypp

style displays or memory and pixel

displays they're not quite as sharp as

these they're not quite as bright but

they still look solid Outdoors uh

something like the choros pace 3 which I

reviewed uh just a week go uh is

actually going to go for about 2 weeks

uh similar with the the Garmin 4Runner

uh 255 which is a fantastic option uh

and then there's kind of um two ways to

display battery life so if we zoom in

here we can actually look at GPS battery

life uh again GPS is pretty battery

intensive so if you are interested in

doing something like a 100m ultra run um

battery life on this watch might not get

you there I don't know maybe if you're

really really fast like you're a fast

Ultra Runner maybe you can make that

work uh but you can expect about 19

hours in its most basic GPS only mode or

about 17 hours in its all systems gnss

mode and that's probably the mode that I

would expect you guys to use this watch

in most of the time that's actually how

it's set up by default and that's

actually how I've been testing this

watch recently uh it's basically a

little bit more accurate GPS but either

of these modes whichever one you're

using it's really just a trade-off

between GPS accuracy

and battery life there is an ultr track

mode uh I don't think that you guys will

probably use it unless you're maybe

doing some sort of multi-day hike or

something like that uh the problem with

this mode is you do lose a ton of

accuracy I actually haven't tested it

with this particular watch but in

previous testing uh running with this

mode on I'm seeing you know uh a loss of

about about 177% as far as accuracy goes

when measuring distances but if you need

battery life I think it's nice to know

that you have that as an option in a

pinch now the 4Runner 165 does not have

a dual frequency mode again I know a ton

of you guys are really interested in

that if you're not familiar with that uh

it's the mode where the watch can

actually connect to multiple types of

satellite systems at the same time to

really increase accuracy uh and for the

most part I think it really does kind of

come in handy when you're running next

to like a sheer rock wall or you're uh

running in a dense City and you've got

skyscrapers where GPS signals might

bounce off of different things and cause

issues uh but I'm going to go out on a

little bit of a limb here and and I

actually think that that whole dual

frequency mode is a little bit overrated

definitely you know you guys let me know

in the comment section if you think I'm

wrong uh but I've actually been seeing a

lot of solid GPS tracks with this watch

without that dual frequency mode and I

actually have this sneaking suspicion

that it actually has a ton more to do

with antenna design on these watches uh

the power that they're actually

providing these GPS chips uh and and

maybe the custom firmware that's

actually running on these GPS chips

really like discarding bad GPS data uh

either way like however Garmin is

getting good GPS out of this watch uh

dual frequency or or no dual frequency

um it's just nice to see that this watch

is tracking really well here

now if you are familiar with any of

garmin's more recent devices uh

navigating around on the Garmin 4Runner

165 is going to be pretty

straightforward there's five total

buttons there's this top right one with

the word run engraved in it in here and

it acts as your selection button or from

the home screen it actually pulls up all

of the different activity types that you

can do I think that there's over 30

different sports profiles in here that

you can choose from uh but the bottom

left button navigates the watch down

through any lists or of course you can

use the touchcreen I just generally

prefer to use buttons If I have them as

an option uh that kind of middle button

on the left it actually navigates up on

any sort of list uh there's also a top

button on the left that turns on and off

the full brightness of the AMOLED

display uh if you actually hold that

button it'll actually pull up another

quick menu which is cust customizable

but in here you'll see stuff like um

being able to turn the watch into uh its

sleep mode or you can actually pull up

Garmin pay which is garmin's uh NFC

payment feature it's kind of like uh

Apple pay or Google pay if you've ever

used either of those two features on

your smartphone uh there's also a

flashlight on this menu system in here

so you can use this bright AMOLED screen

as a flashlight with three different

levels of brightness in a red light mode

and going through every single feature

on this watch would definitely make for

a very very long video uh but from the

home screen I do want to show you guys

if we scroll down we can see garmin's

widget area on this device uh in here

you'll see stuff like how long your

watch thinks you need to recover based

on your recent sleep and the activities

that you've been up to uh so on here uh

showing quite a bit of time um hopefully

I'll be able to be fully recovered here

before maybe tomorrow morning's run uh

we'll see uh but there's also an H H RV

metric on here and that means heart rate

variability uh HRV is a fantastic way to

see how your cardiovascular system is

recovering from day-to-day stress uh but

basically you can think of it like um

higher HRV means your body is more ready

to take on like a vigorous workout

whereas lower means that you may need

more recovery time uh the watch has a

weather details widget as well uh

there's also music controls in here uh

there's this body battery metric which

is just kind of another way to visualize

recovery you can think of it like you

get a great night's sleep your score

would be at 100 and then throughout the

day as you do activities and other

stressors your body battery would slowly

deplete uh there's other stuff in here

uh there's just like a general heart

rate widget in here uh you can track

your steps in here uh there's your sleep

score uh and I should actually say that

I really love Garmin sleep tracking in

their morning report in particular uh so

after a night's sleep it will give you

all of these little details uh a nice

full report on how you slept uh probably

how you're recovering it'll show you

your suggested workouts uh and it'll

actually show you the the weather for

the day um all of it's actually

customizable you can go into the setting

section of the uh watch and then look

under notifications and alerts if you

want to customize your morning report so

there's a ton more in here uh it'll

actually track your naps for example uh

there's something new in here called

Sleep coach I don't person put too much

stock in it but it'll try to suggest how

much sleep you might need for that

particular evening and there's a ton

more features within this watch I'm

really only scraping the surface of all

the stuff that you can do with this

watch uh that's not even counting the

actual software part that comes on the

mobile application uh Garmin calls their

mobile application and actually the

accompanying web application they call

that their Garmin Connect system uh and

it's actually quite fantastic uh there's

there's no subscription fee required uh

to use it it's all part of just owning a

Garmin watch with it you can dive really

deep on any sort of recent activity that

you've done you can do things like earn

badges so if you're into kind of

gamifying your Fitness you can do that

uh and Garmin recently redesigned this

Garmin Connect app I know I know at

least some of you guys uh are

disappointed with the redesign uh for me

it's not a huge deal uh for the most

part I'm mainly using it to sync all of

my watch data into the cloud where it

can be picked up by other services uh I

like to use straa for example so I have

a ton of nice things to say about the

4Runner

165 however uh there are a few things

that I really wish were different about

this device we could call this section

we could call it like our like y Garmin

y um but I already talked about this a

little bit uh I actually love all of the

cool color options that this watch has

but it seems to me like they're they're

all kind of tied to the music Edition um

personally uh I don't really need music

uh but I would however love to save that

extra 50 bucks I don't know why Garmin

why uh this watch also has really

fantastic activity tracking you've got

stuff like outdoor track running trail

running ultra running uh you've got

indoor cycling you've got outdoor

cycling you've got lap swimming and even

Open Water swimming uh Garmin has all of

these options on this watch uh but

there's no activity type for Triathlon

you have to bump all the way up to the

4Runner 255 or the 265 the 255 is

actually on sale right now but uh you

have to bump up to the higher-end

devices to get that Triathlon option not

sure why not sure why Garmin uh you've

got all the activity types that are

needed you just kind of have to put them

together for this Triathlon mode uh and

you'll actually see competitive option

from Brands like apple uh both of all of

the Apple watches I think have a

triathlon mode uh the choros pace 3

which I mentioned earlier that's

actually a little bit cheaper than the

4Runner 165 and that includes a

triathlon mode as an option so uh I do

think that Garmin should consider adding

it to this watch uh lastly uh Garmin

includes running power with this watch

uh but not support for cycling power

meters which seems like an odd Omission

to me uh just to be clear this watch has

Bluetooth it has ant plus it has Wi-Fi

connectivity options so it seems like

it's got all of the hardware on here to

support something like uh cycling power

meters uh and this watch is also missing

other stuff too like it's missing

support for all of the different skiing

activity types all of the different

climbing activity types and it has a

barometric altimeter so um my theory is

is that Garmin is just arbitrarily

drawing a little line in the sand at a

given price point and requiring buyers

to just spend more money to get some of

these features and I I kind of

understand that uh you've kind of got to

to somehow separate this watch from the

265 and the 965 uh I just wish that the

limitations were strictly Hardware

limitations so watch a doesn't have an

altimeter it doesn't get things like

stair climbing details or skiing or

watch bad doesn't have enough onboard

memory uh it doesn't get mapping or uh

maybe it does get music as opposed to

what appears to me as some sort of

random decision to leave features out of

certain watches or maybe leaving

features out based on price uh another

example of this actually might be

something like the the training

readiness score which is another

somewhat newer metric from Garmin which

gives you a value of 1 to 100 on how

ready you are to train for that

particular day uh it's basically a

combination of a lot of other factors

like your sleep and your recent

activities and uh how strenuous that

particular activity was uh even factors

like your overall stress throughout the

day uh but it's an odd metric that

Garmin seems to really only reserve for

their higher-end devices uh maybe one

more like minor nitpicky complaint here

uh I don't love the fact that the top

right button has run engraved in it here

um the thing is uh this is probably one

of the best swimming watches on the

market if someone asked me for a

swimming watch recommendation I don't

know I don't really think that there's a

a lot more that I would recommend

besides this watch I think AMOLED

screens do a great job when you're lap

swimming and you want to glance at the

the time or see something when you're

underwater uh and I'll definitely be

recommending this watch to a ton of

swimmers out there and all of this is

just to say uh I think the running

branding on this watch could just be

like toned down just a little bit uh

again definitely weird from coming from

me just a guy who basically spent his

entire life obsessing over the sport of

running uh but maybe after all of this

you think that I that I really hate the

Garmin full Runner 165 after all of my

complaints after all of my suggestions

for improvements uh but that actually

couldn't be further from the truth uh I

do think I'm a little bit harder on

Garmin uh just because I do think that

they make really good watches uh and

with any of these reviews I always try

to find you know potential issues or at

least a few things that I wish would be

changed on any of these devices and like

I said at the top of this video uh I

really do like like this watch a lot

it's a watch that I'm definitely going

to be fully recommending to a ton of

Runners that I coach uh and it and and

probably a fair amount of swimmers that

are out there uh other comparable

watches that might be something that you

want to check out I mentioned the coros

pace 3 a ton of times throughout this

video uh it does have a more battery

friendly uh memory and pixel display uh

it also offers that Triathlon mode which

is nice uh another option might be

something like garmin's 4Runner 255 or

their 4Runner 265 main difference being

that the uh 265 has that nicer AMOLED

display and the 255 has the memory in

pixel display uh both of which are

wonderful watches uh and it might

actually be something that you can find

on sale I'm seeing the 255 on a pretty

good discount at the time of making this

video again I'll leave links to the best

places that I can find all of these

devices down in the description of this

video uh as well as I'll pin a comment

to the top of this video so you can find

it uh just another size comparison here

uh the Apple Watch series 7 uh this is

actually the 41 mm option and actually

uh apple with their series 9 now they're

on the series 9 uh but they're actually

fantastic watches uh heart rate sensors

are excellent they provide very accurate

heart rate data uh and the GPS accuracy

uh is also good on these devices and

like I mentioned earlier uh it also has

Triathlon as an option uh so there are a

ton of other great options on the market

for runners uh so when it comes down to

it you're probably asking you know would

I recommend the 165 over everything else

and of course obviously it does depend

if you know if you're if you're looking

for something with Triathlon obviously

not uh but for a lot of Runners out

there uh the answer is going to be yes

uh does it have issues uh also yes uh

but I do think that most of the issues

are really just you know me uh

complaining or whining about uh some

sort of small feature that's missing

from a very budget friendly device uh

but what do you guys think is the

4Runner 165 something that you would

consider um do you have this device what

do you think of it uh do you think that

Garmin should have left a few more

features in here uh what else do you

guys think people should consider at or

around this price point uh I'm super uh

happy to continue any of these

conversations down in the comment

section of this video uh comment section

uh is just below the like button and the

Subscribe button down there but either

way a GPS watch or no watch at all uh I

really do hope that you guys are getting

out there swimming biking running

rinsing and repeating it all over again

and we will see you guys on the next one

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