Garmin Forerunner 255 review: runner’s best friend gets GPS and multisport upgrade

Garmin's latest running watch has been upgraded in almost every way, bringing multisport tracking, more advanced GPS and a bunch of high-end features down to a more affordable price with the Forerunner 255.

The longstanding series is available in two sizes for the first time with the 255 - a small 41mm-wide case and a larger 46mm model, which means it should fit comfortably on a wider range of runners' wrists. But it has very big shoes to fill, replacing the well-regarded Forerunner 245 from 2019.

Both sizes of watch have the same RRP. It is £300 ($350/A$629) for the standard model or £350 ($400/A$699) for a version capable of storing and playing music to Bluetooth headphones from Spotify and others without the need for a phone.

The new watch has a sleeker design, more like 2020's Forerunner 745 than the Forerunner 245. The sharper colour transflective LCD display is super clear in daylight with a backlight for night-time use but it doesn't have a touchscreen, instead relying on five buttons for navigating the interface, which work well for exercise, even in adverse weather.

The watch is snappier than its predecessor, too, making syncing and switching between data screens, activities and watch faces much faster. The watch is thin enough to fit under shirt cuffs while being light and very comfortable to wear all day and night for weeks without charge.

The 255 can be used independently of a phone but works best paired with an Android or iPhone via Bluetooth, which enables the syncing of your data to Garmin Connect and various smartwatch features such as call or message notifications.

Alternatively, you can sync via USB cable to a PC or Mac or via wifi straight to the cloud on music-supporting models.