Features

Overview: The Garmin Forerunner® 255 is a lightweight, stylish sports watch with a high-sensitivity GPS receiver which accurately records the distance, time, speed, and location of your outdoor activities. You can also use it to simply count your steps during an activity or throughout the day. The watch has the Elevate™ built-in wrist heart rate monitor which helps you meet your health goals. The device keeps track of your personal records, and lets you know when you have set new ones. The Forerunner 255 provides constant feedback, including the distance traveled, elapsed time, pace, lap time, speed, and your heart rate. After your run, you can upload your results to the Garmin Connect online community.

Dimensions: The Garmin Forerunner 255 has a 46mm (1.81") diameter case with a fiber-reinforced polymer bezel and a chemically-strengthened Corning Gorilla Glass 3 lens. It comes with Garmin's standard 22mm silicone strap. The watch band fits wrists with a circumference of 5.12" to 8.07" (130-205mm). Dozens of optional interchangeable straps in silicone and leather are available from the manufacturer.

Water Resistant: The Forerunner 255 has a 5 ATM water rating, which means it is resistant to moderate moisture contact. Not only can you run in the rain and wet weather, you can even swim or shower while wearing the device. The device also has a wide operating temperature range of -4° to 140°F.

LCD Screen: The Forerunner 255 features a 1.3" diameter LCD screen with a resolution of 260 x 260 pixels. The display has a backlight timer that can be set to 8 sec, 15 sec, 30 sec, or 1 minute.

High-Sensitivity GPS Receiver: The unit features a high-sensitivity GPS receiver which will stay locked onto satellites, even near tall buildings or under tree cover. By default, the devices uses the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS) to locate overhead satellites. When you're in locations with poor sky visibility, you can use a combination of GPS and GLONASS (Russian satellite system), or GPS and Galileo (European Union satellite system) to obtain a more accurate position. Using GPS and another satellite system together will reduce battery life more quickly than using GPS alone.

Elevate: On the back of the Forerunner 255 is an optical sensor with Garmin's Elevate heart rate technology that shines light onto your skin and measures the amount of light returned. The sensor detects slight changes on your skin as your heart pumps blood and determines your heart rate using a sophisticated algorithm. The back of the watch has a light seal to block out ambient light for accurate results. You can broadcast your heart rate data to other Garmin devices, such as an Edge cycling computer or a VIRB action camera.

Heart Rate Zones: Heart Rate Zones are used by many athletes to indicate the level of activity, and to measure their cardiovascular strength. You can let the Forerunner 255 set your heart rate zones based on your user profile, or manually enter heart rate values and ranges for each zone. The heart rate zones are expressed as a percentage of your maximum heart rate:

Heart Rate Alerts: When using an optional chest-worn Heart Rate Monitor or the built-in wrist-based HRM, you can set the Forerunner 255 to alert you when your heart rate is above or below a target zone or a custom range. Each time you exceed or drop below the specified range or custom value, a message appears on the display. The device will also beep if audible alerts are engaged.

Rechargeable Battery: The Forerunner 255 has a built-in Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery. A 21" data/charging cradle is provided for charging the battery and uploading your training data. It takes approximately 2 hours to charge a fully depleted battery. The estimated battery life is as follows:

• Smartwatch Mode (no GPS): up to 14 days
• Activity Mode:
  • GPS-only: up to 30 hours
  • All Systems GNSS (Default): up to 25 hours
  • All Systems + Multi-Band Mode: Up to 16 hours
  • UltraTrac Mode: Up to 54 hours

Add-on Sensors: The Forerunner 255 can be used with wireless 2.4 GHz ANT+ add-on sensors, such as an optional chest-worn Heart Rate Monitor, Running Dynamics Pod, Foot Pod, Bike Speed, Cadence Sensor, or the tempe temperature sensor.

User Profile: The Garmin Forerunner 255 uses information that you enter about yourself to calculate accurate training data. You can modify the following user profile information: Maximum Heart Rate, Gender, Birth Year, Height, and Weight.

Activities: You can use the Forerunner 255 for over 30 fitness activities, either indoors or outdoors. From basic activity features, such as step counter, calories burned, and distance traveled, to profiles for Gym & Fitness Equipment, Running, Cycling, Swimming, and Outdoor Recreation (hiking, skiing, rowing, etc.) When you start an outdoor activity, the GPS receiver turns on automatically and begins tracking your movements. If running or walking indoors, GPS is turned off to save power, and the built-in accelerometer measures your speed, distance, and cadence. Optional foot pods can improve the accuracy of the data. The Forerunner 255 can also record your data when you swim.

Move Alert: Sitting for prolonged periods of time can be harmful to your health. You can set the Forerunner 255 to simply remind you to move. The Move Alert is a timer that is triggered after one hour of inactivity. When the alert is triggered, the move alert is reset only after a couple of minutes of continuous activity, such as a short walk.

Health Stats Widget: The Health Stats widget gives you instant feedback on your health data. At a glance, you receive your current heart rate, stress level, and Body Battery Level. The stress level is the result of a 3-minute test performed while standing still. The Forerunner 255 measures your heart rate variability to determine your overall stress, expressed within a range of 1 (Low) to 100 (High). If your stress level is high, you'll be prompted to start a relaxation activity. The Body Battery level is like a gas gauge for your car, indicating the amount of your available reserve energy. The device analyzes your heart rate variability, stress level, sleep quality, and activity data to determine your overall Body Battery level. Your level is expressed in a range between 0 and 100, with low (0-25), medium (26-50), high (51-75), and very high (76-100) reserve energy designations. In addition, you can view your heart rate, stress level, or Body Battery level over a specific period, if desired.

Auto Lap: Auto Lap automatically marks a lap after every mile. This feature is helpful for comparing your performance over different parts of an activity. Each time you complete a lap, the device will beep or vibrate, and the lap time is displayed.

Auto Pause: You can set the Forerunner 255 to pause the timer automatically when you stop moving, or when your pace drops below a specified value. This feature is helpful if you have to stop for traffic or to tie your shoe during your run.

Sleep Tracking: If you wear the Forerunner 255 while you are sleeping, the device automatically measures your sleep time and your movements. Sleep statistics include: total hours of sleep, sleep levels, and sleep movement. Your sleep statistics can be uploaded and viewed on your Garmin Connect account.

Garmin Connect: After you complete and save an activity to the Forerunner 255, you can upload the data to Garmin Connect, the online tool for tracking, analyzing, and sharing your health and fitness activities. You can view the results of each activity, along with detailed analysis of your progress. Garmin Connect compiles your weekly, monthly, and yearly averages of your activities and health stats, and earn badges for meeting your goals or other accomplishments. You can also connect with your friends and share your results, or even compete with them in like activities. Garmin Connect is compatible with iOS (requires version 12.0 or later) and Android devices (requires version 6.0 and up). Versions are also available for Windows (Windows 7 SP1 or newer) and Mac (OS X 10.11 or later).

Garmin Coach: Part of your Garmin Connect account includes access to the Garmin Coach where you can download custom training plans to your device. Whether you're training for better overall health or a half-marathon, you'll receive a dynamic training plan designed by a professional coach. Each day's activity is displayed on your device, and prompts you to schedule and start it.

Garmin Pay: Garmin Pay™ is a contactless payment solution that you can use with your Forerunner 255 without having to have your phone or wallet. Garmin Pay works almost anywhere you can make contactless payments, including select major transit systems. To make a payment using Garmin Pay, simply tap your Forerunner 255 on the store's contactless payment terminal. It's private and secure--your credit/debit card number is not stored on your device, or passed to merchants when you pay. Garmin Pay works with many credit and debit cards from major banks, and more are added all the time.

Bluetooth Connected Features: The Forerunner 255 has Bluetooth Smart technology and many connected features for your compatible smartphone or mobile device. The Forerunner 255 is compatible with iOS and Android devices. Some features you can enjoy include: activity uploads, audio prompts, Find My Phone, Find My Watch, smartphone music controls, phone and email notifications, safety and tracking features, social media interactions, software updates, weather updates, and workout downloads.

Watch Functions: When you're not working out, the Forerunner 255 can be used as a basic watch, displaying the time and date, along with an alarm. The time and date are automatically set by the GPS receiver (or manually, if desired), and can be displayed in 12-hour or 24-hour format. You can change the appearance of the watch face by selecting different colors and layouts. Custom watch faces are also available from the online Connect IQ store.