Garmin Fitness Watches Have so Many Deals This Black Friday
Garmin watches are among the millions of items sold on Black Friday this year. If you’re interested in the best tech on sale today, check out our Best Black Friday Tech Deals page for a broader look at all the best discounts you can get right now. Prices are correct at the time of writing, but you can expect them to fluctuate and stock to sell out, so don’t hesitate if you see a sale that interests you.
Black Friday shopping has begun and you can find a ton of great deals on Garmin watches in particular. Models from the Forerunner, Instinct, Vivoactive and Venu lines are on sale today with a 20% discount or more. There are also older models on sale. Here are my favorites to buy while they’re on sale.
The Venu 3, Venu 3S and Venu 2 Sq are over $100 off.
The Garmin Venu 3 smartwatch (and its smaller 3S version) aren’t just great fitness trackers, they also include true smartwatch features like the ability to make Bluetooth calls and send voice texts. The Venu 3 (45mm) and Venu 3S (41mm) retail for $349.99, more than $100 off their regular price.
The Venu Sq 2 , which has long been a favorite of Fitbit users switching to Garmin (thanks in part to its square screen), is also on sale today for $149.99. It’s an older model and doesn’t have as many fancy features as the Venu 3 (no voice calling, for example), but it’s still a very good smartwatch at a great price.
Vivoactive 5
If you don’t need voice calls, the Vivoactive 5 is a great and cheaper alternative to the Venu. (I wore it recently to test an upcoming review, and I’d say it’s one of the best all-around fitness watches.) The Vivoactive 5 is now $199.99, which is $100 less than its regular price.
Forerunner 55 is $50 off.
If you’ve been waiting for a great deal on a Garmin Forerunner running watch, now is your time. Older models (most of which end in -55 or -45) have already seen some price reductions, and as of today, newer Forerunners (most of which end in -65) are priced $50 to $100 below regular prices.
The Forerunner 55 is a great basic running watch with GPS and heart rate tracking, as well as sleep tracking. As with all Forerunners, it has physical buttons that let you stop and start laps without fiddling with the touchscreen, as well as running-specific features like race forecasts and PacePro screens that can give you specific race finishing times. The Forerunner 55 still has the old style MIP screen that reflects sunlight, but uses a backlight (which can turn on when you flick your wrist) to show the screen at night. It’s now $149.99, $50 less than usual.
The Forerunner 165 is also $50 off.
The Forerunner 165 is for runners who want something a little better than the 55, but still want a watch that’s fairly affordable. The 165 features an AMOLED touchscreen that is bright and high resolution. It has a built-in compass and altimeter, can measure your HRV , and contains a wealth of running analytics such as training effect and running dynamics. It also has crumb navigation features. The Music version costs $199.99 or $249.99, which is $50 off the regular price.
Forerunner 265 and 265S are $100 off.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: this is a great running watch . It has everything the 165 has, plus additional analytics that runners will love, such as training status, training readiness, and training load. It also features multi-band GPS for greater accuracy and has the ability to store and play music as standard. It comes in two sizes: the Forerunner 265 is 46mm, and the Forerunner 265S (S for small) is 42mm. Both are now $349.99, which is $100 off the regular price.
If you’re happy with the old screen style (MIP, non-touch) and don’t need built-in music, the previous Forerunner 255 and 255S retail for $249.99.
The Forerunner 255 is over $100 off.
The 255 is an older version of the Forerunner 265 and has most of the same features. The biggest difference is that it has a MIP (reflective, low power, low resolution) screen. Some Garmin fans like the MIP screens, especially in bright sunlight; some prefer the new AMOLED screens. I can’t tell you which you’ll like more, but I can tell you that the Forerunner 255 Music is now $293.80, down from $399, and still more than $50 less than its new brother.
All 265 models can store and play music, while the 255 costs extra for this feature—something to keep in mind when comparison shopping. There is also a 255S model with a smaller screen for $249.99, but without music. As with many older model tech items, it can be difficult to find the right combination of features on a model that’s still in stock. The only 255S with music I see is the $269.80 refurbished model , but there may well be others.
Forerunner 965 is $100 off.
Garmin’s top-of-the-line Forerunner, the 965, is also on sale now. The 965 has everything the 265 has, plus additional analytics such as endurance and – this is a big deal for many of its fans – built-in maps. Battery life is also off the charts: While most Garmin watches last between one and two weeks on a charge, the 965 gives you almost a month. (23 days versus 13 for the 265, according to official Garmin data.) The Forerunner 965 is currently on sale for $499.99, which is $100 less than usual.
It also has an older version available. Buy the Forerunner 955 with the old MIP display for just $399.99, or the solar-powered version (!) that charges with sunlight for $499.99.
Forerunner 955 is $100 off.
Just as the 255 is different from the 265 (older, with a different screen, but still a great watch), the Forerunner 955 is different from the 965. If you’re looking for a budget version of this watch, you can get the Forerunner. 955 for $399.99, which is $100 off the original price.
Instinct 2 Solar and Instinct 2X Solar are $100 off.
The Instinct line of watches is rugged and designed for outdoor activities, popular with avid hikers, and also sold to military personnel. Solar models are exactly what they sound like: they have unlimited battery life as long as they get enough sunlight each day. (Without solar charging, they both still retain an impressive amount of charge – 28 days for the 2 and 40 for the 2X).
The display is black and white and non-touch. The 2X has a built-in LED flashlight, and both can give you sun, moon and tide information. The Instinct 2X Solar is a larger watch, measuring a whopping 50mm, while the 2 Solar measures 45mm. They’re currently priced at $349.99 and $299.99, respectively—that’s $100 off the regular price each.
Garmin InReach Mini 2 is $100 off.
It’s not a watch, but it’s worth mentioning if you often walk in remote places and your loved ones are worried about you at home. The Garmin InReach Mini 2 is a small walkie-talkie-like device that can work even in areas where there is no cell signal. It can help you navigate maps so you can get back to your starting point, but more importantly, it can work in conjunction with a satellite data plan so you can call a rescue team in a life-or-death situation. The InReach Mini 2 is now $299, down from the regular price of $399.