Garmin Forerunner 735xt | Test and review

Garmin Forerunner 735xt – an activity and heart rate watch from Garmin that covers the whole spectrum. It doesn’t matter whether you are a casual runner or a top athlete, you will be able to get something useful out of the Garmin Forerunner 735xt. Read our test below and find out whether the watch is for you or not.

Garmin Forerunner 735xt review

The watch used for the test is the Garmin Forerunner 735xt.

Some features and descriptions will only work with additional equipment, such as special heart rate belts or similar. As far as possible, we have tried to keep our review of the Garmin Forerunner 735 at a level where everyone can participate.

The watch is part of the Forerunner series (read more in a later section) and is one of those watches that even a top athlete will lick their lips when they hear about it. The 735xt watch is a GPS-controlled heart rate watch with optical heart rate measurement via the wrist, so you are not actually dependent on having to buy a separate heart rate monitor for your Forerunner 735. But if you want the “full package” then you have to buy special heart rate belts. It is also via the optical heart rate measurement at the wrist that the watch keeps an eye on your “condition” within, among other things, stress level, sleep level, activity level and your general shape. So if you don’t like monitoring, forget about the watch right now. Joking aside, you decide for yourself how much info you want to receive.

The Garmin Forerunner 735xt is the obvious choice for those of you who want to have control over everything related to your training. But the watch is just as suitable for those of you who are about to start running and want to work from data and get the right load/improvement. If you are completely new to heart rate monitors, you probably think that you should stay away from the Garmin Forerunner 735xt. You basically don’t need to if you ask me. It is easy to figure out, easy to control and easy to set up. The only thing I can see, in relation to choosing another watch, is that you will pay for a lot of functions in the Garmin Forerunner 735. Functions that you as a beginner will not use at all.

NOTE: Find the shoe through iloebesko andsave 1.001 crowns. Normal price: 2,500,- kroner, so there are great deals right now. Find it at one of our partners.

Watch our video review of the Garmin Forerunner 735xt

Price comparison Garmin Forerunner 735xt

Reseller	Leveringstid	Country	Total price	Read more
	1-2 dage		1,499 DKK	Til butik
	1-2 dage		1,499 DKK	Til butik
	1-3 dage		1,558 DKK	Til butik
	1-3 dage		1,618 DKK	Til butik
	1-2 dage		1,699 DKK	Til butik
	2-5 dage		2,027 DKK	Til butik

6 Great Features of the Garmin Forerunner 735

Here I have missed some of the features in the Garmin Forerunner 735 that I think you should look at.

Running dynamics:
You can (in my world) pull some absolutely crazy data out of the watch in terms of running dynamics and running economy. These are things that, if you bother to sit down and geek out on, you can become a significantly better runner. It’s a bit crazy that you can pull out so much data from a watch (+ heart rate belt). You can, among other things, see how you move your upper body vertically, you can measure how long you are in contact with the ground and of course also see your stride length.
(This feature requires a Garmin Tri or Run heart rate monitor)

Triathlon function:
When you are a trial athlete, or for that matter a duathlete, you know that you don’t want to waste unnecessary time changing sports on your heart rate monitor. And you don’t really want to let the watch run on the same sport and then just press “New Lap” because then you won’t get all the settings that you are used to in your regular settings for each individual sport. But the Garmin Forerunner 735 has a “tri function” so that you can switch from swimming to cycling with just a single press.

Battery life:
Surprisingly long battery life. Even if you use GPS regularly. With normal use, and here I mean running 2-3 times a week (where GPS is in use) I think I would have to charge my watch about every 8 days.

Possible for pulse under water:
It’s a great feature that you can measure your heart rate underwater. If you’re into swimming, whether as a simple sport or as part of a triathlon, ironman competition or similar, you also have the option of keeping an eye on your heart rate in the water.
(This feature requires a Garmin Swim or Tri heart rate monitor)

Refund recommendation:
So it’s a bit of a bummer to have a “virtual coach” to monitor your day. A training partner who constantly monitors your performance and your body. And based on this data, it comes up with recovery recommendations for you after your workout. Recovery is important, this is where you get better and stronger..

Garmin Connect:
I think a large part of Garmin’s success in sports and GPS watches can also be attributed to Garmin Connect. A user platform where you can not only see your activities and geek them out, but you can also build the most advanced training yourself (in an easy and clear way) and then transfer it to your device and perform it.

These are the 5 features I use the most in the Forerunner 735

Wrist pulse:
When you, like me, feel confined with a heart rate belt around your chest. Then optical heart rate measurement via the wrist is an eternal gift. However, I personally have the opinion that measurement via the chest is more accurate, but I live fine with the small margin there is, to avoid the claustrophobic feeling that I find it.

Own screens:
It seems like a very small thing, but I actually don’t think it is. I’m the type who, when I get tired, can get completely burned out if I have to run around looking at all sorts of information on my watch. With the ability to only display the information that I actually use, I get more peace of mind. And then I can throw the other information onto the screens behind, and if I need to use the information, it’s an active choice I make.

Own interval programs:
Many people fear interval training. Both because it is hard, but I also think it is because it can seem confusing. That is why the opportunity to build your own programs is perfect. Then you just have to clear your head and listen to the clock when you train intervals. That way you have a better chance of building the right program that suits you. And it is easier for you to follow the program, then it will not be different from time to time.

Notifications on the watch:
In a world where you are always on the go, and where you have to be online all the time. So this feature is really nice. However, I would like to highlight it in such a way that it is nice that you can control exactly which notifications come to the watch. It is easy to distinguish between important info and pastime.

Race against yourself:
When you run to get better and faster. Then it’s good to have someone to compete against. But why not do it against yourself. You actually have that option. So that you compete against a virtual version of yourself and your own performance.

Advantages and disadvantages of the Garmin Forerunner 735

Below I have listed some brief advantages and disadvantages of the watch.

Forget your Garmin Forerunner 735 manual

I’m not going to decide that, of course I’m not going to. But one of Garmin’s absolute strengths is the way they build the user interface and their dashboards. That’s why I think you can easily throw away the manual for the Garmin Forerunner 735 and still find your way around the watch’s many functions. It’s easy, and it’s logically structured.

Garmin Forerunner 735 vs 945

If you are torn between choosing the Garmin Forerunner 735 or 945, there are a few advanced features and some less advanced features that you get in the Forerunner 945, but can’t get in the Forerunner 735xt.

Of the less technical details, the Forerunner 945 has a metallic finish on the watch bezel. And you also have the option of Garmin Pay. If you want to have music from Spotify on your watch, that’s also possible on the Forerunner 945.

Of the more “technical” features, the Forerunner 945 allows you to track both aerobic and anaerobic training effects. You only get AEROB in the Garmin Forerunner 735. You also find both training status and training load in the Garmin Forerunner 945, but not in the 735xt.

Garmin Connect vs. Forerunner 735xt

A big part of my love for Garmin’s products lies in their training portal Garmin Connect. It’s the gift that keeps on giving. A system that is super easy to figure out and set up. And as an athlete, you are always sure that you will be considered. Garmin is developing lots of cool features for their training forum. Among other things, it is possible to connect to Garmin Coach. An exciting initiative where you can be coached through your running programs by professional athletes and trainers.

Garmin Forerunner series

The Garmin Forerunner 735xt is part of the very popular Forerunner series from Garmin. This series is probably the one most runners use, unless you run ultra-marathons or want to combine your activities with outdoor challenges, then you might have your eyes more on the Garmin Fenix ​​series..
But the Forerunner series also contains a lot of gold, but if you ask me, it’s not just runners. It’s for all athletes. And although Garmin has their own bike series, the one called Edge, the Forerunner series also covers a lot of cycling. Among other things, with the bike settings you can get in the Garmin Forerunner 735xt, but probably primarily in the Forerunner 945 (900 series). The Edge series, which is aimed at cyclists, is a bike computer, where it is intended to be mounted on the bike. There is a Forerunner watch that is a little more flexible.

Alternatives to the Garmin Forerunner 735xt

The direct alternatives from the Forerunner series are probably primaryGarmin Forerunner 645 (music) or Garmin Forerunner 945. If you want to go up in terms of features, then you should look towards the FR 945. On the other hand, if you want to go towards some other features, such as music on the device, then you have to look down towards the Garmin Forerunner 645. Or it is wrong to write down, but by definition, the Garmin Forerunner 735 is higher in the Forerunner hierarchy than the 645 is.

You can of course also move over and look at a Garmin Fenix ​​watch to some extent. There you also move up the scale in terms of number of functions and options. but you also do so to a certain extent in terms of price. The Fenix ​​watches from Garmin are therefore somewhat higher in price than a Forerunner heart rate monitor.

Garmin Forerunner 735xt offer

Why pay too much for your Garmin Forerunner 735? We have collected some of the best prices on the watch for you below. If you shop Garmin heart rate monitors online, there is always a guaranteed good deal to be found. Luckily for you, there is always a lot of competition to win over the “electronics customers” and that is usually the deciding factor in the price. So you don’t have to wait for the Garmin Forerunner 735xt to go on sale or anything.

Price comparison Garmin Forerunner 735

Reseller	Leveringstid	Country	Total price	Read more
	1-2 dage		1,499 DKK	Til butik
	1-2 dage		1,499 DKK	Til butik
	1-3 dage		1,558 DKK	Til butik
	1-3 dage		1,618 DKK	Til butik
	1-2 dage		1,699 DKK	Til butik
	2-5 dage		2,027 DKK	Til butik

Other great deals on Garmin watches

We sometimes test new watches from both Garmin and other heart rate watch brands such as Suunto and Polar. If the Forerunner 735xt wasn’t quite the watch you were looking for, check out our other Garmin watches.

Price comparisons on Garmin heart rate monitors – it is here