Manufacturer Description

  • BRIGHT 1.4-INCH AMOLED DISPLAY
  • UP TO 26 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE IN GPS MODE
  • PREMIUM TRAINING AND RECOVERY FEATURES
  • BUILT-IN MAPS WITH SATIQ TECHNOLOGY AND MULTI-BAND GPS
  • LIGHTWEIGHT TITANIUM BEZEL AND DURABLE SAPPHIRE LENS
  • BUILT-IN LED FLASHLIGHT

RUNNING ECONOMY

Measure your overall energy efficiency while running — using long-term running volume, stride length and step speed loss, which tells you how much you slow down when your foot hits the ground — when you pair your watch with the HRM 600 monitor (sold separately).

RUNNING TOLERANCE

Better understand the impact each run has on your body, and get a recommended weekly maximum mileage so you can keep training effectively without taking on too much.

FULL-COLOR MAPPING

Whether you’re running on city streets or riding densely covered trails, the Forerunner 970 smartwatch provides full-color, built-in mapping — now even more dynamic, intuitive and simpler to follow.

GARMIN COACH ADAPTIVE TRAINING PLANS

Train for an event, achieve a milestone, or improve your fitness with Garmin Coach training plans for running, triathlon, cycling or strength. Select plans adapt daily for personalized workouts based on your performance, recovery and health metrics.

TRAINING READINESS

From the moment you wake up, get a readiness score based on your sleep quality, recovery, training load and more, so you can determine whether it’s a good day to go hard — or take it easy.

BUILT-IN SPEAKER AND MICROPHONE

Make and take phone calls from your watch when it’s paired to your smartphone. Plus, control watch functions with voice command — or use your smartphone’s voice assistant to respond to text messages and more.

PLAN

  • MORNING REPORT: Get a customizable overview of your sleep, training outlook, HRV status, weather and more as soon as you wake up1.
  • EVENING REPORT: Prepare for tomorrow before bed with a reminder of sleep need, tomorrow’s workout, weather and events.
  • TURN-BY-TURN DIRECTIONS: Create or find existing courses in the Garmin Connect smartphone app, or sync from third-party platforms and get turn-by-turn directions.
  • DYNAMIC ROUND-TRIP ROUTING: Enter how far you want to go, and get suggested routes that will bring you back. If you break off course, your watch will map a new one that hits the same mileage.
  • TRAINING STATUS: Using indicators such as HRV status, your recent exercise history and VO2 max, get an easy insight into training effectiveness — and know whether you’re training productively, peaking or strained.
  • DAILY SUGGESTED WORKOUTS: Get workouts made for you. They adapt after every run to match your performance and recovery.
  • RECOVERY TIME: Know how long you need to recover before your next high-effort workout based on your latest training.
  • BODY BATTERY ENERGY MONITORING: Track your body’s energy levels to find the best times for activity and rest1.
  • SLEEP COACH: Get a sleep score and personalized coaching for how much sleep you need. Track sleep stages, and get insights to improve sleep quality1.
  • NAP DETECTION: Automatically track or log your naps to see how they benefit your body and to check the recommended time and duration they should be.
  • HRV STATUS: Gain a deeper understanding of your overall health, stress and recovery through heart rate variability while you sleep.
  • GARMIN ECG APP: The ECG app2 uses sensors to record the electrical signals that control how your heart beats. It analyzes that recording to detect signs of an irregular heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation.
  • SKIN TEMPERATURE: When wearing your watch to sleep, see how your average skin temperature1 changes, which can be related to your recent activity, sleep environment, potential illness and more.
  • WOMEN’S HEALTH TRACKING: Track your menstrual cycle or pregnancy, plus get exercise and nutrition education. With skin temperature tracking while you sleep, get better period predictions and past ovulation estimates3.
  • RACE PREDICTOR: Get an estimate of what your pace could be for a 5K, 10K, half-marathon and marathon if you were to run it today.
  • PROJECTED RACE TIME: This race-time prediction is what your race time and pace could be if you keep training well all the way through to the race date entered.

PREPARE

  • WRIST-BASED RUNNING DYNAMICS: This smartwatch measures crucial running metrics such as cadence, stride length, ground contact time and more.
  • STEP SPEED LOSS: Improve your running form and understand how much you slow down when your foot hits the ground when you pair your watch with the HRM 600 monitor (sold separately).
  • WRIST-BASED HEART RATE: The watch constantly samples your heart rate to help you gauge how hard you work during activities1.
  • MULTISPORT WORKOUTS: Create custom step-by-step multisport workouts in Garmin Connect and send them to your watch to seamlessly switch from different sport types.
  • HILL SCORE: Measure your capability for running uphill, and evaluate your progress over time based on your VO2 max and training history.
  • ENDURANCE SCORE: This feature measures your ability to sustain prolonged efforts to help you understand how training from your athletic pursuits impacts your overall endurance.
  • ACUTE LOAD: Compare your recent training load to the optimal range to help improve your fitness.
  • LOAD RATIO: Track short-term to mid-term load ratio to keep your rate of training growth within bounds that will help you stay healthy and avoid setbacks.
  • PERFORMANCE CONDITION: While you run, get an analysis of your pace and heart rate for a real-time assessment of your current ability to perform.
  • VO2 MAX: See your current fitness level, and track changes over time to set goals, evaluate progress and more.
  • STRESS TRACKING: Find out if you’re having a calm, balanced or stressful day.
  • TRAINING EFFECT: See how your workouts influence your endurance, speed and power.
  • HEALTH SNAPSHOT: Log a 2-minute session to record key health stats, then generate a report to share with your health care provider.
  • PULSE OX SENSOR: Track your blood oxygen saturation while you’re awake or asleep4.
  • CROSS TRAINING: Download free HIIT, strength, cardio, yoga, Pilates and mobility workouts so you can switch up how you sweat.

PERFORM

  • TRIATHLON AND MULTISPORT PROFILES: Automatically record splits with built-in profiles for triathlons, duathlons, brick workouts and swimruns, or you can create your own.
  • WRIST-BASED RUNNING POWER: See how much power you’re applying to the trail or road so you can manage effort and fine-tune training.
  • SATIQ TECHNOLOGY AND MULTI-BAND GPS: Get superior positioning accuracy and optimized battery life.
  • PACEPRO PACING STRATEGIES: Plan race-day strategy with GPS-based pace guidance for a selected course or distance.
  • TRACK RUNNING: Your watch will record accurate lap distances in meters on tracks all over the world.
  • CLIMBPRO: See real-time information on your current and upcoming climbs.
  • REAL-TIME STAMINA: Use this data to help guide you toward your best possible performance and manage your exertion.
  • UP AHEAD: Get at-a-glance awareness of relevant stops along a preloaded course, including aid stations.
  • AUTO LAP BY TIMING GATES: Your watch will recognize when you cross mile or kilometer course points and trigger auto laps there versus GPS-based miles or kilometers when following a course.
  • SUGGESTED FINISH LINE: If you have a course loaded for your race, your watch can suggest trimming your data to the finish line if you forget to stop your timer.
  • BUILT-IN SPORTS APPS: Tap in to 30+ built-in activities, including cycling, open-water swimming, strength training and more.

CONNECT

  • MUSIC: Download songs and playlists from your Spotify, Deezer or Amazon Music accounts for phone-free listening.
  • SAFETY AND TRACKING: If you feel unsafe or if your watch senses that an incident occurred, your watch will send a message with your live location5.
  • GARMIN PAY CONTACTLESS PAYMENTS: Breeze through checkout lines or transit systems with participating providers.
  • SMART NOTIFICATIONS: Receive emails, texts and alerts on your watch when paired with your iPhone or Android smartphone.
  • LIVETRACK: Friends and family can follow your real-time location5 and view preplanned courses.
  • GARMIN CONNECT APP: See your health and fitness information, connect with friends and more.
  • CONNECT IQ STORE: Add watch faces, data fields and apps to your paired watch.
  • GARMIN SHARE: Sync up with friends by sharing saved locations, courses and workouts with other nearby compatible devices.

1. Activity tracking accuracy
2. The ECG app is only available on select Garmin smartwatches with the latest version of the Garmin Connect smartphone app and watch software. The ECG app is not available in all regions; see Garmin's site for availability. The ECG app is only intended for adults aged 22 years and over. The ECG app is capable of recording an ECG similar to a Lead I ECG and detecting the presence of atrial fibrillation or normal sinus rhythm.
3. The menstrual cycle tracking feature should not be used in support of conception, contraception or birth control. This is not a medical device and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or monitoring of any medical condition.
4. This is not a medical device and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or monitoring of any medical condition. Pulse Ox not available in all countries.
5. When paired with your compatible smartphone. For safety and tracking feature requirements and limitations.

What's Included In The Box?

The Garmin Forerunner 970 Soft Gold Titanium GPS Running Smartwatch ships with the following items included:
  • Forerunner 970 GPS running watch
  • Charging cable
  • Documentation

Features

What You'll Love
  • Sleep score and insights: Yes
  • Battery life (smartwatch mode): Up to 15 days
  • Built-in mapping: Yes
  • Pulse Ox blood oxygen: yes (spot-check, and optional all-day acclimation and in sleep)
  • Garmin ECG App: Yes
  • LED flashlight: Yes
  • Garmin Pay™: Yes
  • Multi-band GPS: Yes
  • Music storage: Yes
  • Make calls and send texts via voice: yes (with paired compatible smartphone)
  • Training readiness: Yes
  • Training status: yes (improved)
  • Display type: AMOLED (optional always-on mode)
  • Touchscreen: Yes
  • Water rating: 5 ATM
General
  • Strap material: silicone
  • Lens Material: Sapphire Crystal
  • Bezel Material: titanium
  • QuickFit® watch band compatible: yes (22 mm)
  • Physical size:
    • 47 x 47 x 12.9 (mm)
    • Fits wrists with a circumference of 135-205 mm
  • Weight: 56 g
  • Built-in speaker/microphone: Yes
  • Display Size: 1.4" (35.3 mm) diameter
  • Display resolution: 454 x 454 pixels
  • Color display: Yes
  • Large font option: Yes
  • Battery type: Lithium ion
  • Battery life:
    • Smartwatch mode: Up to 15 days
    • GPS-Only GNSS mode: Up to 26 hours
    • SatIQ (AutoSelect) GNSS mode: Up to 23 hours
    • All-Systems GNSS mode + Multi-Band: Up to 21 hours
    • GPS-Only GNSS mode with music: Up to 14 hours
    • SatIQ (AutoSelect) GNSS mode with music: Up to 13 hours
    • All-Systems GNSS mode + Multi-Band with music: Up to 12 hours
  • Charging method: Garmin proprietary plug charger
  • Memory/History: 32 GB
Clock Features
  • Time/date: Yes
  • GPS Time Sync: Yes
  • Automatic daylight saving time: Yes
  • Alarm clock: Yes
  • Timer: Yes
  • Stopwatch: Yes
  • Sunrise/sunset times: Yes
Health & Wellness Monitoring
  • Wrist-based heart rate (constant, every second): Yes
  • Resting heart rate: Yes
  • Abnormal heart rate alerts: yes (high and low)
  • Respiration rate: Yes
  • Fitness age: Yes
  • Body Battery™ energy monitor: Yes
  • All-day stress: Yes
  • Relaxation reminders: Yes
  • Relaxation breathing timer: Yes
  • Meditation: Yes
  • Breathwork: Yes
  • Sleep: yes (advanced)
  • Sleep coach: Yes
  • Nap detection : Yes
  • Hydration: yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget)
  • Women's health: yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget)
  • Health snapshot: Yes
  • Skin temperature: Yes
  • Jet lag adviser: Yes
Sensors
  • GPS: Yes
  • GLONASS: Yes
  • Galileo: Yes
  • QZSS: Yes
  • BeiDou: Yes
  • SatIQ™ Technology: Yes
  • Garmin Elevate™ wrist heart rate monitor: Yes
  • Pulse Ox Blood Oxygen Saturation Monitor: Yes
  • Barometric altimeter: Yes
  • Compass: Yes
  • Gyroscope: Yes
  • Accelerometer: Yes
  • Thermometer: Yes
  • Ambient light sensor: Yes
Daily Smart Features
  • Connectivity: Bluetooth®, ANT+®, Wi-Fi®
  • Connect IQ™ (downloadable watch faces, data fields, widgets and apps): Yes
  • On-device Connect IQ™ Store: Yes
  • Smart Notifications: Yes
  • Text response/reject phone call with text (Android™ only): Yes
  • View images from notifications on watch (Android™ only): Yes
  • Morning report: Yes
  • Evening report: Yes
  • Calendar: Yes
  • Weather forecasts: Yes
  • Realtime settings sync with Garmin Connect™ mobile: Yes
  • Battery saver (customizable low power watch): Yes
  • Controls smartphone music: Yes
  • Plays and controls watch music: Yes
  • Find My Phone: Yes
  • Find My Watch: Yes
  • Find My Phone during GPS activity: Yes
  • Compatible with Garmin Messenger app: Yes
  • Smart trainer control: Yes
  • Pairs with Garmin Connect™ Mobile: Yes
  • Smartphone compatibility: iPhone®, Android™
  • Stocks: yes (optional Connect IQ app)
  • BLUETOOTH phone calling and voice assistant support: Yes
  • Voice command: Yes
  • Red shift mode: Yes
  • Garmin Share: Yes
  • Passcode: Yes
Workout and Training Plans
  • Daily Suggested Workout - Running: Yes
  • Daily Suggested Workout - Cycling: Yes
  • Garmin Running Coach: Yes
  • Garmin Running Coach Experts: Yes
  • Garmin Cycling Coach: Yes
  • Garmin Coach - Prebuilt Cycling Plans: Yes
  • Garmin Coach - Strength: Yes
  • Garmin Triathlon Coach: Yes
  • Multisport workouts: Yes
  • Cardio workouts: Yes
  • Strength workouts: Yes
  • HIIT workouts: Yes
  • Yoga workouts: Yes
  • Pilates workouts: Yes
  • On-screen workout animations: Yes
  • On-screen workout muscle maps: Yes
Activity Profiles
  • Gym: Strength, HIIT, Cardio, Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Floor Climbing, Indoor Rowing, Jump Roping
  • Multisport: Triathlon, Duathlon, Brick, Pool Triathlon, Swimming/Running
  • Wellness: Walking, Pilates, Yoga, Indoor Walking, Mobility
  • Indoor running: Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running, Virtual Running
  • Outdoor running: Running, Outdoor Track Running, Trail Running, Ultra Running, Obstacle Racing
  • Outdoor recreation: Hiking, Mountaineering, Indoor Climbing, Bouldering, Hunting, Horseback Riding, Golfing, Disc Golf, Archery
  • Cycling: Biking, Road Biking, Mountain Biking, Gravel Biking, Bike Commuting, Bike Touring, eBiking, eMountain Biking, Indoor Biking, Cyclocross, BMX
  • Swim: Pool Swimming, Open Water Swimming
  • On the Water: Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Kayaking, Fishing, Boating, Sailing, Sail Racing, Snorkeling, Sailing Expedition
  • Motor sports: Motorcycling, Overlanding, Motocrossing, ATVing, Snowmobiling
  • Racket sports: Tennis, Pickleball, Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis, Padel, Platform Tennis, Racquetball
  • Snow & winter: Skiing, Snowboarding, Backcountry Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, XC Skate Skiing, Backcountry Skiing, Ice Skating, Snowshoeing
  • Team sports: Basketball, Volleyball, Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Football/Soccer, American Football, Lacrosse, Rugby, Ultimate Disc, Cricket, Softball, Baseball
  • In the ring: Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts
  • Other activity profiles: Inline skating
Safety and Tracking Features
  • Incident Detection during select activities: Yes
  • Incident detection alert on phone for wearables: Yes
  • Assistance: Yes
  • LiveTrack: Yes
  • Spectator messaging: yes (with compatible smartphone)
  • Group LiveTrack: Yes
  • Live Event Sharing: Android™ Only
Activity Tracking Features
  • Step counter: Yes
  • Move alerts (displays on device after a period of inactivity): Yes
  • Auto goal (learns your activity level and assigns a daily step goal): Yes
  • Calories burned: Yes
  • Floors climbed: Yes
  • Distance traveled: Yes
  • Intensity minutes: Yes
  • TrueUp™: Yes
  • Move IQ™: Yes
  • Garmin Connect™ Challenges app: yes (optional Connect IQ app)
  • Automatic rep counting: Yes
Training, Planning and Analysis Features
  • Customizable data pages: Yes
  • Downloadable training plans: Yes
  • Course guidance: Yes
  • HR zones: Yes
  • HR alerts: Yes
  • HR calories: Yes
  • % HR max: Yes
  • % HRR: Yes
  • Recovery time: Yes
  • Auto max HR: Yes
  • Race glance/widget: Yes
  • HRV status: Yes
  • HR broadcast (broadcasts HR data over ANT+® to paired devices): Yes
  • Respiration rate (during exercise): yes (with compatible accessory)
  • GPS speed and distance: Yes
  • Customizable activity profiles: Yes
  • Auto Pause® automatic timer halt: Yes
  • Interval training: Yes
  • Improved interval (includes open repeats, intervals data page, rest screen and auto detection): Yes
  • Advanced workouts: Yes
  • Power Modes - customizable in-activity battery settings: Yes
  • HRM running pace and distance: Yes
  • Auto Lap® interval tracking feature: Yes
  • Manual lap: Yes
  • Rest timer: Yes
  • Configurable lap alerts: Yes
  • Heat and altitude acclimation: Yes
  • VO2 Max (Run): Yes
  • VO2 Max (Trail Run): Yes
  • Realtime stamina: Yes
  • Endurance score: Yes
  • Load ratio: Yes
  • Training load: Yes
  • Training load focus: Yes
  • Training effect: Yes
  • Training effect (anaerobic): Yes
  • Primary benefit (Training Effect labels): Yes
  • Improved recovery time: Yes
  • Custom alerts: Yes
  • Voice alerts: Yes
  • Multisport auto transition: Yes
  • Finish time: Yes
  • Virtual Partner: Yes
  • Race an Activity: Yes
  • Auto multisport activities: Yes
  • Manual multisport activities: Yes
  • Garmin Live Segments: Yes
  • Strava Live Segments: Yes
  • Round-trip course creator (running/cycling): Yes
  • Trendline™ Popularity Routing: Yes
  • Touch and/or button lock: Yes
  • Shortcuts: Yes
  • Auto scroll: Yes
  • Activity history on watch: Yes
  • Physio TrueUp: Yes
  • Unified training status: Yes
Running Features
  • GPS-based distance, time and pace: Yes
  • Running dynamics: Yes
  • Step speed loss: yes (with compatible accessory)
  • Vertical oscillation and ratio: Yes
  • Ground contact time and balance: yes (GCT balance with accessory)
  • Stride length (real time): Yes
  • Cadence (provides real-time number of steps per minute): Yes
  • Running Tolerance: Yes
  • Running Economy: yes (with compatible accessory)
  • Running power: Yes
  • Grade-adjusted pace: Yes
  • Performance condition: Yes
  • Lactate threshold: Yes
  • PacePro™ Pacing Strategies: Yes
  • Run workouts: Yes
  • Hill score: Yes
  • Trail run auto climb: Yes
  • Race predictor: Yes
  • Course- and weather-specific race predictor: Yes
  • Projected race time and pace: Yes
  • Foot pod capable: Yes
  • Run/Walk/Stand detection: Yes
Golfing Features
  • Preloaded with 43,000 courses worldwide: Yes
  • Yardage to F/M/B (distance to front, middle and back of green): Yes
  • Yardage to layups/doglegs: Yes
  • Measures shot distance (calculates exact yardage for shots from anywhere on course): automatic
  • Digital scorecard: Yes
  • Stat tracking (strokes, putts per round, greens and fairways hit): Yes
  • Garmin AutoShot™: Yes
  • Auto CourseView updates: Yes
  • Green View with manual pin position: Yes
  • Hazards and course targets: Yes
  • PinPointer: Yes
  • Handicap scoring: Yes
  • Round timer/odometer: Yes
  • CT10 Automatic club tracking compatible (requires accessory): Yes
  • Pairs with Garmin Golf app: Yes
  • Tournament legal: Yes
Outdoor Recreation
  • Point-to-point navigation: Yes
  • Bread crumb trail in real time: Yes
  • Back to start: Yes
  • TracBack®: Yes
  • UltraTrac mode: Yes
  • Explore Nearby: Yes
  • Up Ahead: Yes
  • NextFork™ navigation: Yes
  • Elevation profile: Yes
  • Distance to destination: Yes
  • Barometric trend indicator with Storm Alert: Yes
  • ClimbPro™ Ascent Planner: Yes
  • Vertical speed: Yes
  • Total ascent/descent: Yes
  • Rest Timer (Ultra Run only): Yes
  • Auto rest: Yes
  • Future elevation plot: Yes
  • Preloaded road and trail maps: Yes
  • Preloaded ski resort maps: Yes
  • Downloadable cartography support: Yes
  • GPS coordinates: Yes
  • Sight 'N Go: Yes
  • Area calculation: yes (via Connect IQ™)
  • Fish forecast: yes (via Connect IQ™)
  • Projected waypoint: Yes
  • Sun and moon information: Yes
  • Expedition GPS Activity: Yes
Cycling Features
  • Courses: Yes
  • Bike lap and lap maximum power (with power sensor): Yes
  • Alerts (triggers alarm when you reach goals including time, distance, heart rate or calories): Yes
  • FTP (Functional Threshold Power): yes (with compatible accessory)
  • Power curve and % FTP workouts: Yes
  • Cycle Map (routable cycling-specific street map): Yes
  • MTB Grit & Flow: Yes
  • Advanced cycling dynamics: Yes
  • Compatible with Vector™ and Rally™ (power meters): Yes
  • Compatible with Varia Vision™ (head-mounted display): Yes
  • Compatible with Varia™ radar (rear-facing radar): Yes
  • Compatible with Varia™ lights: Yes
  • Compatible with Varia headlight camera: Yes
  • Speed and cadence sensor support (w/sensor): Yes
  • Power meter compatible: Yes
  • Power guide: Yes
Swimming Features
  • Open-water swim metrics (distance, pace, stroke count/rate, stroke distance, swim efficiency (SWOLF), calories): Yes
  • Pool swim metrics (lengths, distance, pace, stroke count, swim efficiency (SWOLF), calories): Yes
  • Stroke type detection (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly) (pool swim only): Yes
  • Drill logging (pool swim only): Yes
  • Basic rest timer (up from 0) (pool swim only): Yes
  • "Repeat on" rest timer (pool swim only): Yes
  • Auto rest (pool swim only): Yes
  • Time and distance alerts: Yes
  • Pacing alerts (pool swim only): Yes
  • Countdown start (pool swim only): Yes
  • Pool swim workouts: Yes
  • Critical swim speed: Yes
  • Underwater wrist-based heart rate: Yes
  • Heart rate from external HRM (real-time during rests, interval and session stats during rests, and automatic heart rate download post-swim): yes (with HRM-Swim, HRM-Pro or HRM-Pro Plus)
Kid Activity Tracking Features
  • Toe-to-Toe™ Challenges app: yes (optional Connect IQ Toe-to-Toe™ Challenges app)