Garmin's latest running watch tracks your suffering
The Forerunner 735XT also supports swimming, biking and other sports.
Garmin's latest running watch can track multiple sports, measure your heart rate and even give you a "suffer score," but the price might make you gasp. The Forerunner 735XT now occupies the top of the company's run tracker lineup next to the two-year-old 920XT with the same $450 price. For that substantial sum, you do get a lot: it packs the company's Elevate heart rate monitor and is the first sports tracker with Strava's Suffer Score. That app measures your heart rate compared to a baseline, so casual or serious athletes can see how much they're pushing it.
The watch is compatible with Garmin's Vector pedal tracking and Varia radar accessories that help keep you safe in traffic. It's also waterproof to 50 meters and has custom tracking features for swimmers. Other sports tracked include hiking, cross-country skiing, strength training, cardio and multisport. The latest model is made from soft silicon, has a color display, runs up to 14 hours in training mode and goes 11 days as a regular watch.
The wearable links with Garmin's Connect IQ store, letting you get free apps, watch faces and more. Users can also track workout, sleeping and others stats on the Connect online community, or compete against friends and join larger competitions (then brag about the results, if merited). The device also connects with your smartphone to control your music and can notify you for calls, emails and social network alerts. The Forerunner 735XT comes in black/gray or midnight blue/frost blue and is available for $450. If you still prefer a chest strap, there are two bundles available: A running-only model for $500, and a tri-bundle with a swimming and triathlon strap for $600.
