THE LATEST GEAR -TESTED BY EXPERTS
running packs
MEET THE TEST TEAM
HELEN WEBSTER
220’s editor is also a qualified open-water swimming coach.
ROB SLADE
220’s content editor and resident adventure seeker.
MATT BAIRD
Has spent years testing tri kit and accessories for 220.
JACK SEXTY
A strong age-grouper focusing on top-end gains.
JAMES WITTS
He’s a published author writing about sports science.
OUR RATINGS
90+ % BUY NOW A GENUINE CLASS LEADER
80-89 % IMPRESSIVE ONE OF THE BEST YOU CAN BUY
70-79 % GOOD A DECENT PERFORMER
50-69 % AVERAGE IT’LL DO THE JOB WELL ENOUGH
0-49 % POOR SIMPLY PUT, DON’T BOTHER!
GARMIN FORERUNNER 165
£249.99Latest release offers an AMOLED screen for a lower price
One thing we’re not short of as triathletes is choice when it comes to Garmins. In recent years it seems they’ve been breeding like (small, very technical) rabbits and at a quick search on the brand’s website today there are now 18 versions to choose from in the Forerunner category alone. So where does the latest, the 165, fit in?
Putting it most simply, this is a trickle-down option and the main highlight is the AMOLED screen, which we’ve only previously enjoyed on higher-specced Forerunners as well as the top-end Epix and Marq editions. Coming in around£180 less than the next Forerunner with this tech (the 265) it’s an attractive option if the ultra-bright, clear screen and the ability to display things like photos on your screen matters to you. And I’ll be honest – after being lucky enough to try out an Epix last year, I quickly found any other screen I went back to dull and more difficult to read clearly in low light or when swimming – so I count myself in the number seduced by the whizzy tech here!
That aside, the 165 has a nice feel out of the box. Slightly smaller than others in the range with a 43mm screen, it’s unobtrusive and ideal for daily wear, yet still clear enough to see at a glance while training. Like all the AMOLED versions, the battery life takes a hit. It’s 11 days in smartwatch mode (or 20 days in battery-saver smartwatch mode), and down to 17 hours in the all-singing all-dancing all-systems GNSS mode, which should (just!) squeeze you through most events in the endurance calendar, unless you’re planning an ultra-iron distance, of course.
Triathlon is where you hit a snag with the 165, though. The list of
