Home > Running Gear

WATCH REVIEW: Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE

Garmin has added another watch to the Forerunner family, and runners are going to love it

Photo by: Garmin

To celebrate Global Running Day this year, Garmin released two new watches: the Forerunner 55 and the Forerunner 945 LTE. Canadian Running got the chance to review both watches, and we’ll start off by focusing on the 945 LTE. This watch follows the Forerunner 945, which Garmin released in 2019, but as the name suggests, it comes equipped with LTE connectivity. This means that, wherever you are and whether your phone is with you or at home, you’ll always be connected, which is a feature runners everywhere will be happy to use. The Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE is available now at garmin.com, starting at $849.99. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CQbNBYpriXo/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Built for runners 

The Forerunner 945 LTE, like its predecessor, is a watch not just for runners, but for many different types of athletes. Whether you’re heading out for a bike ride, a swim, a paddle or even a round of golf, the 945 LTE will track your workout. We’re, of course, most concerned with the watch’s running features, of which there are plenty.

RELATED: Garmin launches new Forerunner 55 and Forerunner 945 LTE

Firstly, perhaps the most important feature of any running watch is its GPS system. There’s nothing worse than tracking a workout only to find that your watch has under- or over-shot how far you ran. The whole point of a GPS watch is accuracy, and that’s what you get with the Forerunner 945 LTE (and all other Garmin watches). Whether you’re heading out for a run on the track, hitting the roads around your city or town or hopping onto some trails in the middle of nowhere, your 945 LTE will give you reliable live updates and accurate post-run data. 

The battery life in this watch is also exceptional, just like the original 945. A full charge can last up to two weeks in smartwatch mode, and the watch can remain on for seven hours if you’re using GPS mode, music and the LTE LiveTrack system (which allows your family and friends to track your runs in real time) all at once. Odds are you won’t be employing each of these features at the same time for seven straight hours, so your 945 LTE’s battery will last much longer. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CQJZFAHLfPD/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Another great feature that runners will love in the 945 LTE is its built-in coaching capabilities. If you’re unsure about what to do on any given day, the watch can give you training guidance using information like your fitness level and recent training load. This feature allows you to quit worrying about finding the ideal workout, and you can instead follow the watch’s recommendation.

RELATED: Garmin releases the Enduro, a watch geared toward ultra-endurance athletes

The 945 LTE monitors all your activities, including things you do outside of workouts. This helps it to determine how much recovery you need after each training session – another bonus for runners. Again, you can forget the guesswork in training and listen to your watch. 

On top of these features, the 945 LTE also monitors your heart rate, it tracks your sleep and it can even determine your VO2 max. This watch may be built for all types of athletes, but it’s clearly been designed with runners in mind. 

Smartwatch features 

Of course, the Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE is as a smart watch, too, and it has a number of cool features that will interest runners and non-runners alike. First and foremost, there’s the LTE connectivity, which is not available in other Forerunner watches. As already mentioned, this gives you the option to turn on the watch’s LTE LiveTrack system, which shows your family and friends where you are every step of your run. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CP-_3lbrzMO/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

If something goes wrong on a run, you can use the LTE connectivity to send an alert for help, either to your emergency contact (which you set up on your watch) or to the Garmin International Emergency Response Co-ordination Center, which will locate you and request assistance from local emergency services. This will be of particular interest to trail runners who run in remote areas where they may not have cell reception.   

RELATED: TRAIL TESTED: Garmin Forerunner 945

Like other Forerunner watches, the 945 LTE has music capabilities, Garmin Pay (meaning you don’t have to run with your debit card or money) and more. It’s also super simple to use and navigate, so even the least tech-savvy of runners out there will have no issues figuring out how to start tracking a run, listening to some music and using other features. The Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE is a great watch and an awesome running tool, and it will certainly help you get the most out of every workout and your daily life. 

To learn more about the 945 LTE, click garmin.com.

Check out the latest buyer's guide:

The best trainers in Canada under $150

We curated the best performance trainers under $150 to meet your 2024 running goals, while staying on budget