Garmin has released the new Forerunner 570 and Forerunner 970 smartwatches for athletes who are “out there chasing goals and passionate about their data”.
Focused primarily on running and triathlon, the new smartwatches come with a host of new features, including Garmin’s brightest-ever display, a built-in speaker and microphone, and more health and wellness features.
“Created for every athlete who is out there chasing goals and passionate about their data, the Forerunner 570 and Forerunner 970 include innovative training tools, recovery metrics and connected features to help them perform at their best,” says Garmin’s Susan Lyman.
Garmin has also announced the new HRM 600 heart-rate monitor, which features a rechargeable battery and is said to give athletes new performance data and ways to improve their training.
Garmin Forerunner 570
Described as an ‘advanced training tool’, the Garmin Forerunner 570 features the brand’s brightest smartwatch display to date.
The touchscreen display and five-button design are said to allow for fast, all-weather access to its training tools, health stats and notifications.
The watch includes free triathlon training plans, which will adapt daily to provide personalised workouts based on your performance, recovery and health metrics.
You can also create custom step-by-step multisport workouts in the Garmin Connect app and send them to the Forerunner 570.
If you’re running a course loaded for a race, the watch can suggest trimming data to the finish line if you forget to hit stop.
Costing £459.99, the watch also has a built-in speaker and microphone, so you can make or take calls when the watch is paired with a compatible smartphone. The microphone also means you can control the watch with voice commands, or dictate text messages.
With an eye on health and wellness, the watch will also provide you with an evening report. This includes a reminder of what sleep is needed, plus your workout for the following day, weather forecasts and events.
The watch can also track your skin temperature. Garmin says this can be related to recent activity, sleep environment and potential illness. It can also be used to provide female athletes with improved period prediction and past ovulation estimates.
Garmin Forerunner 970
The Garmin Forerunner 970 has the same new features as the 570, but with some exclusive extras.
The watch has the same bright screen, but it features Garmin’s scratch-resistant sapphire lens technology. It also has a titanium bezel to “withstand the harshest of environments”.
A built-in LED torch can be controlled from the watch’s display.
The extra training features will be of most interest to runners. They include a running tolerance tool, which helps you better understand the impact a run has on your body, plus a running economy feature when used in tandem with the new Garmin HRM 600 heart-rate monitor.
The £629.99 watch can also detect signs of atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm.
Garmin HRM 600 heart-rate monitor
Garmin says its new HRM 600 heart-rate monitor provides accurate heart-rate readings, while tracking heart-rate variability, and it will send that information to compatible Garmin smartwatches, cycling computers or apps.
The heart-rate monitor also has new features, including 'expanded running dynamics'.
When used with the Forerunner 970, the new step speed loss feature will tell runners how much they slow down when their foot hits the ground.
For team sports where a smartwatch can’t be worn, the heart-rate monitor will also record activity data such as heart rate and distance, which you can then view in the Garmin Connect app.
Possibly of more interest to cyclists, the £149.99 HRM 600 can be recharged, with a single charge lasting up to two months.
The heart-rate monitor’s strap comes in two new sizes (XS-S and M-XL) to fit a range of body types.
The HRM 600, and Forerunner 570 and 970 will be available to order from 21 May.
