When it comes to Garmins, for a year or so now, my go-to watch of choice has been the Forerunner 970.
Packed full of features specially designed for the runner, both pro and amateur alike, it’s the top-of-the-range running watch from the cult brand that recently clocked record revenue for Q3.
But now, there’s another watch to contend with from Garmin in terms of the best that money can buy: the Garmin Fenix 9 Pro.
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Priced from $1,849, it’s a cool expensive option for athletes, and sure to be at the top of many Christmas lists this year.
But is it worth the upgrade from whatever Garmin you already have and should you be forking out?
I’ve been running and exercising with the Garmin Fenix 9 Pro for the past month or so, and here’s what I think.
Garmin has released a series of Fenix 9 Pro watches. Credit: 7You
Garmin Fenix 9 Pro versus Garmin Forerunner 970
First up, I feel I need to compare the latest and greatest Garmin with my previous (fantastic) watch of choice.
While they are pitched at slightly different athletes (the Forerunner 970 is aimed squarely at runners and triathletes, the Fenix 9 Pro is more of an all-round adventure watch), they do share a lot of similarities.
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And, if I’m totally honest, I feel a lot of people will be weighing up which one of them is best suited to them.
The two watches do look quite similar, insofar as they both have a sapphire crystal screen, built-in flashlight and five buttons.
But the entry price for the Garmin Fenix 9 Pro at $1,849 is significantly more expensive than the Forerunner 970’s $1,399.
For this $1,849, you’ll get a lot more choice and customisation with the Fenix 9 Pro.
On the Garmin website, you can choose everything from the size of the watch face (I opted for the smallest 43mm size) to whether you want inReach connectivity or the regular Fenix, the Fenix Pro or Fenix Pro Solar.
The watch itself also looks more premium than the Forerunner 970, thanks to its titanium case and heavy feel that’s less sporty and more a dress watch that you can wear all day and night.
I’ve been testing the watch for the past month or so. Credit: 7You
The test
When it comes to using the watch, admittedly there are a lot more features to the Fenix 9 Pro than there are the Forerunner 970.
Particular standouts for me include a fantastic LED flashlight (this adds a third green option to add to its black and red tones), a new feature called Garmin Epic, which allows you to string several workouts together into one mega-event, whether that’s a triathlon or ski trip, and improved details in golf mode.
On a recent weekend away, my husband and I were impressed when the Fenix 9 Pro told us how far your putt is away from the hole on the green.
From a running perspective, the Fenix 9 Pro is remarkably similar to my Forerunner 970.
It still has all the features I know and love, including the flashlight for early starts, heart rate data, performance analytics and pace.
That being said, the battery life is much improved and this makes a real-world difference when you’re about to head out on a run and see your watch is on a dangerously low per cent.
One of the biggest drawcards of the Fenix 9 Pro for many athletes if the inReach models, which offer LTE and satellite connectivity.
These allow you to stay in touch with the world without carrying your phone, and I think they could be particularly useful for any trail runs or races in the future.
On the whole, the Fenix 9 Pro is much more suited to the adventurous athlete.
With more than 100 activity profiles of sports to choose from and track in the display — from diving to golf and skiing — it’s an all-round sports watch in every sense of the word, but one that doesn’t look out of place when you’re sat at your desk in the office.
The stats and recovery
As with all Garmin watches, some of my favourite features to track come in the stats and the recovery metrics, and I’m not just talking resting heart rate and HRV (heart rate variability).
Things like Training Readiness, Sleep Score and recovery time are all useful insights into how ready your body is to train and rest on any given day.
I also love waking up and getting a full Morning Report of how I slept and how I should work out that day.
One new feature that Garmin have added with the Fenix 9 Pro is Stamina zones.
Stamina Zones are basically five colour-coded intensity ranges that translate your physiological endurance limits into actionable pace (for running) or power (for cycling) targets.
There are five different zones you can train in that slowly or quickly drain your body: blue is easiest, green is moderate, yellow is comfortably hard, orange is hard and red is maximum.
This is particularly helpful for me while training for a marathon, insofar as I can know how hard I’ve pushed my body in a session and where I might need to pull back or try harder.
The watch has a premium stainless steel finish. Credit: Garmin
The verdict
Overall, this is the most impressive outdoor watch you can buy.
And if you have the money to justify on it, and do plenty of sports and get a lot from your watch, I’d say this is worth the upgrade.
That being said, if you’re just a runner or a runner who does some cycling, swimming and other sports, the Forerunner 970 might be enough for you.
It all depends on whether you want the latest and greatest in smartwatch tech, and you expect to use it.
This is a great launch from Garmin, and it was recently awarded Tech Radar’s best health and fitness gadget of the year.
For more information and to browse it for yourself, head here now.
