Garmin Forerunner 935 replaced the obsolete Garmin 920 and 735. The number 9 in the title indicates the triathlon orientation of the gadget (Garmin 910, 920).
The manufacturer presented the watch as follows: “Garmin Forerunner 935 is a modification of our successful Fenix 5 model with an updated design and improved functionality.” The company did not stint on updates:
- improved the color scheme of the display, increasing by 4 times the number of colors (from 16 to 64);
- added data transfer over Wi-Fi;
- increased battery life. After the update, the smartwatches 24 hours in active mode and 336 hours in standby mode;
- added UltraTrac power-saving mode, which lasts for 50 hours of active work;
improved altimeter and gyroscope to increase measurement accuracy
updated heart rate monitor; - added the function “Find my phone” to search for a cell phone in a house, car or a stuffed backpack.
Garmin developers have made a real sports computer for a triathlon, running, swimming and other cyclic species. To master all the features and improvements of this smartwatch, you will need a lot of time. In the swimming mode alone, you can find 18 functions – determining the type and length of the stroke, calculating the distance to the edge of the pool, etc. In other modes, there are even more functions.
Appearance, equipment, screen
The watch is perfect for daily wear. They look great on the hand, go well with a suit and sportswear. The watch comes with a black classic silicone strap.
If you suddenly want brightness and variety, the strap changes easily – the model is compatible with QuickFit quick-change straps. If desired, you can buy straps made of colored silicone, leather or metal.
The watch case is made of reinforced black plastic. Thanks to the watch weigh only 1.7 oz. They are not felt on the hand and do not squeeze the wrist. Silicone strap tightly presses the heart rate sensor for accurate measurements, while not creating discomfort.
The round color dial with a resolution of 240 × 240 is made of mineral glass with scratch protection. It does not glare and remains bright even on a sunny day.
You will find a watch, a charging cable and a user manual as standard. In a complete set, the HRM-tri and HRM-swim heart rate sensors and accessories for a triathlon will be added to the watch and cable.
Battery life and battery
Forerunner 935 can work 24 hours in active mode, and in standby mode – about 2 weeks. For long training and competitions, there is an UltraTrack mode – in it hours will work up to 50 hours with GPS. This is one of the best indicators among similar watches. Charged with a special cable that comes with the kit.
Compatibility
Smartwatches can be easily synchronized with Android OS version 4.0 and higher, iOS 8.2 and higher, and Windows-based phones. Everything works quickly and without freezes. The response time is almost instant.
The gadget also works over Wi-Fi, so now the exchange of data between the watch and phone is carried out automatically. You don’t even have time to take off your sneakers after a run, and the phone will already download and process the sports results.
The watch supports various additional sensors via the ANT+ and Bluetooth Smart protocols, for example, cadence and power.
Installation and setup
The first launch of the watch is very simple: register in the application and start synchronization with the smartphone. After twenty seconds, the watch will be ready for use.
Forerunner 935 uploads all sports stats to the Garmin Connect online community. Here you can check your progress, get useful tips and share achievements with friends on social networks.
Some users scold the application for cumbersomeness. However, this can be considered a plus – the application has many subtle settings (for example, among sports modes you can even choose snowboarding, hiking, and yoga). It is worth spending an hour of free time to fully customize the watch for yourself.
The app store will also be useful for the user. Through it, you can download free watch faces, maps, and other useful information.
The gadget allows you to receive notifications from other applications on your smartphone, whether it be Facebook, Instagram or a task scheduler. The gadget even supports emojis.
Main functions
The model has a huge number of advanced settings. With the purchase of a chest heart rate monitor, a large field of statistics opens up. The gadget allows you to get advanced statistics for running, cycling and swimming, including contact time with the ground, frequency and step length, coefficient of vertical vibrations.
The watch will also calculate your VO2max – the maximum oxygen consumption by the body and the lactate threshold, make a forecast for the finish time and give recommendations for recovery.
It is also a waterproof smart watch with which you can dive to a depth of 50m. At the same time, the gadget has two modes: for swimming in the pool and for swimming in open water.
In general, the watch functionality meets the requirements of an athlete of any level.
Navigation
For navigation, GPS and Glonass are used. The watch has a function of moving along the route from point to point and returning to the starting place. The trajectory of the route is shown on the display, and the arrow shows the direction of movement.
Heart rate measurement
Heart rate recording depends on the mode selected. The optical heart rate sensor is configured to measure heart rate around the watch every two seconds. Weekly recording history is saved in the application. For more accurate statistics, use the optional HRM-Run (for running), HRM-swim (for swimming in the pool) and HRM-Tri (for open water swimming, running and bicycle) chest heart rate monitors.
Thanks to them, you will receive serious statistics on a professional level. The most universal, of course, is HRM-tri, but it will subside in the pool, but under a triathlon suit, it is an ideal option. HRM-swim has a more sticky surface and fits better to the body, but does not measure running performance.
Total
Garmin Forerunner 935 is a universal watch for lovers of running, cycling, swimming, triathlon, and ski racing. At the same time, they will adequately replace everyday smartwatches. Garmin 935 contains all the possible functions for meaningful training and thorough observation of the state of the body.
We recommend this model to all lovers of cyclic sports, except for tourists and climbers. If this is about you, look at Suunto 9 or Garmin Fenix 5 Plus – they have full-fledged navigation functions on the ground.