{"id":3199,"date":"2020-03-09T09:30:00","date_gmt":"2020-03-09T09:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/?p=3199"},"modified":"2022-07-27T19:22:29","modified_gmt":"2022-07-27T18:22:29","slug":"garmin-forerunner-235-running-watch-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/garmin-forerunner-235-running-watch-review\/","title":{"rendered":"The best running watch: Garmin Forerunner 235 review"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>img#mv-trellis-img-1::before{padding-top:149.92679355783%; }img#mv-trellis-img-1{display:block;}img#mv-trellis-img-2::before{padding-top:149.92679355783%; }img#mv-trellis-img-2{display:block;}img#mv-trellis-img-3::before{padding-top:149.92679355783%; }img#mv-trellis-img-3{display:block;}img#mv-trellis-img-4::before{padding-top:149.92679355783%; }img#mv-trellis-img-4{display:block;}<\/style>\n<p>We expect so much from running watches nowadays. A decent running watch is a must-have for runners who increasingly want to leverage technology to help them on their runs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this Garmin Forerunner 235 review I will share the pros and cons of this popular running watch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the biggest benefits of having a running watch is that everything you need is in one watch all from your wrist. From the ability to track mileage, pace to heart rate and recovery times. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&rsquo;s a lot simpler to track your stats and metrics from your run using a watch as opposed to checking your phone every five minutes during your run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For years I used apps like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mapmyrun.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">MapMyRun<\/a> to track my runs (which I still highly recommend if you&rsquo;re just starting out because they&rsquo;re free and easy to use). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the reason I wanted to switch to a running watch like the one from Garmin is because it offers a lot more features like the ones I described above.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, what exactly is it about the Garmin Forerunner 235 running watch that makes it so popular in the running community?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Following on from my honest review of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/brooks-adrenaline-gts-19-running-shoe\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"3089\">Brooks Adrenaline GTS 19 running shoes<\/a>, here&rsquo;s my review of a runner&rsquo;s next favourite type of gear &ndash; the running watch!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The truth is, this watch has featured on my blog and social media accounts a few times. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before I start my review, just a little disclaimer to say that I bought this watch with my own money and this is not a sponsored post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/12-683x1024.png\" alt=\"Garmin Forerunner 235 review\" class=\"wp-image-3203\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/12-683x1024.png 683w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/12-200x300.png 200w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/12-768x1152.png 768w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/12-735x1103.png 735w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/12.png 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 48px), 720px\"><\/noscript><img loading=\"eager\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%20683%201024'%3E%3Crect%20width='683'%20height='1024'%20style='fill:%23e3e3e3'\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" alt=\"Garmin Forerunner 235 review\" class=\"wp-image-3203 eager-load\" title=\"\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 48px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/12.png\" id=\"mv-trellis-img-1\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/12-683x1024.png.webp\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/12-683x1024.png.webp 683w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/12-200x300.png.webp 200w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/12-768x1152.png.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/12-735x1103.png.webp 735w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/12.png.webp 1000w\" data-svg=\"1\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Garmin Forerunner 235 review: The good<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Design and fit<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Garmin Forerunner 235 running watch is probably one of the more stylish sports watches I&rsquo;ve seen on the market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It offers a slick and minimalist design which I like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I dislike watches that look like little spaceships on your wrist. They&rsquo;re just so bulky and unattractive.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With this Garmin watch, however, you get a crisp colour screen and minimalist design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It comes in a range of colours depending on your preferences (I opted for the all black design). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I have tiny wrists so some watches can look pretty big on me. But the Garmin Forerunner 235 running watch fits well on my wrist and doesn&rsquo;t look too out of place.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The whole watch weighs about 42g so it doesn&rsquo;t feel too clunky on my wrist.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The silicon straps also have a lot of strap holes so I don&rsquo;t have to worry about it jiggling on my wrist.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On all my runs so far, not once have I worried about its fit.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The only downside of it being a lightweight watch &ndash; because Garmin have clearly wanted to reduce the watch&rsquo;s weight &ndash; is that it does feel quite plastic-like.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I personally don&rsquo;t mind this as I&rsquo;d prefer to have a lightweight watch over one that feels expensive any day.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/13-1-683x1024.png\" alt=\"Garmin Forerunner 235 review\" class=\"wp-image-3204\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/13-1-683x1024.png 683w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/13-1-200x300.png 200w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/13-1-768x1152.png 768w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/13-1-735x1103.png 735w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/13-1.png 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 48px), 720px\"><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/13-1-683x1024.png.webp\" alt=\"Garmin Forerunner 235 review\" class=\"wp-image-3204 lazyload\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/13-1-683x1024.png.webp 683w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/13-1-200x300.png.webp 200w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/13-1-768x1152.png.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/13-1-735x1103.png.webp 735w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/13-1.png.webp 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 48px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/13-1.png\" id=\"mv-trellis-img-2\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Usability<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The watch doesn&rsquo;t have a touch screen, but I don&rsquo;t miss this too much as the buttons on the side are really easy to use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Plus, I would imagine it&rsquo;s quite hard to have a touch screen on a watch face that&rsquo;s fairly small.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The only downside is that the backlight seems to work intermittently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I&rsquo;m running at night, it can sometimes be hard to view my stats because the light either wants to play ball or it doesn&rsquo;t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I don&rsquo;t know if this is down to my use of the watch. Perhaps I haven&rsquo;t quite mastered the backlight and how to turn it on and off.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But I would assume this is something quite easy to do considering it&rsquo;s one of the watch&rsquo;s main functions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The buttons on the side of the watch are responsive and easy to use before and during a run.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Wide range of features<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Garmin Forerunner 235 running watch has a range of features. These include wrist band heart rate, GPS, smart notifications, audio prompts and pace alerts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These are a dream if you&rsquo;re the type of runner who likes little prompts on your run to tell you how you&rsquo;re doing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These prompts are customisable with audio and vibrating alerts to help guide you on target pace and heart rate.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It also has distance, time, pace and calorie tracking features as well as cadence and heart rate zone trackers, as explained above.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It makes a world of difference when you can easily see your pace on your wrist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No longer do I have to keep checking my phone intermittently throughout my run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are four sports modes: Run, Run Indoor, Cycle and Other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There&rsquo;s also a handy recovery advisor feature which predicts recovery time, as well as a heart-based assessment of the overall training impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All of these features can be viewed on the Garmin app which syncs all your runs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They can also be synced to apps like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.strava.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Strava<\/a> if you want to share your runs with your running friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Good battery life<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The battery life on this watch is really good too &ndash; lasting up to nine days depending on your activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It also has its own USB charging cable making it easy to charge overnight. I just stick it into my iPhone charger port and let it go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/14-1-683x1024.png\" alt=\"Garmin Forerunner 235 review\" class=\"wp-image-3205\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/14-1-683x1024.png 683w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/14-1-200x300.png 200w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/14-1-768x1152.png 768w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/14-1-735x1103.png 735w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/14-1.png 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 48px), 720px\"><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/14-1-683x1024.png.webp\" alt=\"Garmin Forerunner 235 review\" class=\"wp-image-3205 lazyload\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/14-1-683x1024.png.webp 683w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/14-1-200x300.png.webp 200w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/14-1-768x1152.png.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/14-1-735x1103.png.webp 735w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/14-1.png.webp 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 48px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/14-1.png\" id=\"mv-trellis-img-3\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Garmin Forerunner 235 review: The not so good<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Charging irregularities&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When I first bought my watch, about six months into using it I had issues with the charging cable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I plugged the watch in but it just wouldn&rsquo;t charge despite me turning it on and off again and leaving it for a few days.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I contacted Garmin to understand what the problem could be as the watch was still under warranty.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They were super helpful and sent me a replacement watch within two weeks.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Having researched this online, it doesn&rsquo;t seem to be a common problem for this type of watch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you do encounter issues, my advice would be to contact Garmin as soon as possible and they will sort it for you.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&rsquo;s worth noting that I haven&rsquo;t had any issues since and I&rsquo;m still loving this watch!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>GPS syncing<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Overall, the GPS syncing on this watch is pretty good.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But there are times when I&rsquo;ve noticed discrepancies in the distance that the watch records compared to what I&rsquo;ve actually run.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, I ran an organised 10k race in 2019 and when I finished the race the watch was almost 0.3 miles under the 10k mark. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the whole, these types of issues don&rsquo;t bother me too much as I&rsquo;m not a runner who lives or dies by what my watch is telling me.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But these irregularities can cause issues during training and you&rsquo;re running to a set schedule. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The price<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When I first saw the price of the Garmin Forerunner 235 running watch, I had a mini heart attack.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I had never spent so much on a running accessory. I wanted to make sure I was making the right decision.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before I bought the watch, I did lots of research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Plenty of runners in the running community had recommended it based on their own experiences.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So when it came to parting my hard earned cash, I was confident this would be the running watch for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The watch ranges from &pound;179 to &pound;299 depending on where and when you buy it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As newer versions of the watch come onto the market, you may find you can find a bargain when buying an older version.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My advice to you would be to wait until the watch is on sale at one of the major retailers as they so often are.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/16-1-683x1024.png\" alt=\"Garmin Forerunner 235 review\" class=\"wp-image-3206\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/16-1-683x1024.png 683w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/16-1-200x300.png 200w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/16-1-768x1152.png 768w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/16-1-735x1103.png 735w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/16-1.png 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 48px), 720px\"><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/16-1-683x1024.png.webp\" alt=\"Garmin Forerunner 235 review\" class=\"wp-image-3206 lazyload\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/16-1-683x1024.png.webp 683w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/16-1-200x300.png.webp 200w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/16-1-768x1152.png.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/16-1-735x1103.png.webp 735w, https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/16-1.png.webp 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 48px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/16-1.png\" id=\"mv-trellis-img-4\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Garmin Forerunner 235 review: Final thoughts<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&rsquo;re serious about your training, then I highly recommend you invest in the Garmin Forerunner 235 running watch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do your research and really understand what you want to get out of a watch like this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I agree it&rsquo;s a huge investment for some people, so you want to make sure you&rsquo;re making the right decision. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Overall, I love this watch and I rarely go for a run without it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We expect so much from running watches nowadays. A decent running watch is a must-have for runners who increasingly want to leverage technology to help them on their runs. In this Garmin Forerunner 235 review I will share the pros and cons of this popular running watch. One of the biggest benefits of having a &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3372,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","disable-in-feed":false,"article-schema-type":"","disable-critical-css":false},"categories":[68],"tags":[70,77,69,147],"mv":{"thumbnail_id":3372,"thumbnail_uri":"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/37-300x300.png"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3199"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3199"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3199\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8230,"href":"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3199\/revisions\/8230"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3372"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3199"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3199"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.runwithcaroline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3199"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}