Garmin announces the Forerunner 955 Solar running smartwatch with solar charging

Garmin® International announced the Forerunner® 955 Solar, its first dedicated running smartwatch with solar charging. Featuring a Power Glass™ solar charging lens, the Forerunner 955 Solar gives athletes up to 20 days of battery life in smartwatch mode¹ and up to 49 hours in GPS mode². Built for the long run, the Forerunner 955 Solar features an always-on, full-color display that is easy to read – even in direct sunlight – while a responsive touchscreen complements the traditional 5-button design, allowing for fast access to everyday health features, easier control of maps and more.

“Athletes who strive to be the best seek the best training tools, and we are pleased to introduce the Forerunner 955 Solar to our lineup of premier GPS running smartwatches,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of global consumer sales. “With high-end training features and performance metrics, the Forerunner 955 Solar gives you the tools to chase your goals. No matter where, when or why you run, the Forerunner 955 Solar will help you go the extra mile.”

Here’s what’s new

• Solar charging: Power Glass solar charging gives athletes up to 49 hours of battery life in GPS mode.
• Touchscreen interface: Quickly swipe through maps, stats and more. The traditional 5-button design can be used separately or in conjunction with the touchscreen.
• Multi-band GPS: Stay on track in the most challenging environments with multi-band, multi-satellite-system tracking.
• Training readiness: Learn each day how ready the body is to benefit from training by taking into account sleep, recovery time, HRV status and additional metrics.
• HRV status: Track heart rate variability while sleeping to get a better handle on recovery and an overall wellness picture.
• Morning report: When paired with a smartphone, receive the day’s weather and daily workout suggestion, as well as information about last night’s sleep and HRV status. The report can even be customized so athletes can view only the details they want to see.
• Race widget: View race prep information – including a race day-specific performance prediction, race day weather and a countdown clock – all in one widget. Once a race is scheduled, daily suggested workouts will adapt based on an athlete’s race plans.
• Real-time stamina insights: Monitor and track exertion levels in real-time during a run or ride.
• Native running power: When using a Running Dynamics Pod or HRM-Pro™ (sold separately), receive real-time metrics of how much power is being exerted on a run, built into the watch – no app required.

Made for medals

To help athletes chase their next PR, the Forerunner 955 Solar includes key performance and training tools from Firstbeat Analytics™ like VO2 max, training load, performance condition, training effect and more. What’s more, new indicators such as HRV status, recent exercise history and performance will provide athletes with greater insight into their overall training status – and whether they’re training productively, peaking or strained. Daily workout suggestions will provide athletes with an entire week of day-to-day training guidance based on their fitness levels and overall wellness and will even adapt based on race plans that are set up using the new race widget. When using a Running Dynamics Pod or monitor (each sold separately), athletes can track running dynamics such as cadence, stride length, ground contact time and more. What’s more, athletes can track their cycling dynamics, such as seated/standing position, power phase and platform center offset when using a compatible Garmin power meter (sold separately). In the water, the Forerunner 955 Solar will track a swimmer’s distance, stroke, pace, personal records and more.

Runners and triathletes can take their training to the next level by syncing indoor and outdoor workouts automatically from Garmin Connect™, the Tacx training app and other third-party platforms. Furthermore, the Forerunner 955 Solar is compatible with Garmin Coach – free 5K, 10K and half-marathon training plans that adapt based on a runner’s goals and performance.

Go the distance

Whether running on city streets or cycling through densely covered trails, the Forerunner 955 Solar provides athletes with full-color, built-in maps to stay on track and go the distance.

• Follow a route or course with turn-by-turn directions and know ahead of time when the next turn is coming.
• Plan and download routes using the course creator in Garmin Connect, which uses Trendline™ popularity routing to provide the best local paths or create courses on platforms like Strava and Komoot that will seamlessly sync to the watch.
• Prepare for what’s ahead with selected points of interest along a course. Additionally, view performance metrics, split times, distance and elevation data and a summary of upcoming key course points.
• Stay on pace using PacePro™, a tool that provides grade-adjusted guidance as athletes run a course.
• Use ClimbPro on downloaded courses to see real-time information on current and upcoming climbs including gradient, distance and elevation gain.
• Enter a distance to run or ride right on the watch and instantly receive suggested courses that circle back to the starting point.

All-day wear

Designed to be worn all day, the Forerunner 955 Solar includes advanced health and wellness features. Wrist-based Pulse Ox monitors blood oxygen saturation levels providing a clearer picture of sleep and altitude acclimation while Body Battery™ energy monitoring shows current energy levels which can help athletes find the best times for activity and rest. What’s more, women’s health features, including menstrual cycle tracking and pregnancy tracking, let women log symptoms and receive exercise and nutrition education.

^{1Assumes all-day wear with 3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux conditions
2Solar charging, assuming continuous use in 50,000 lux conditions}

About Garmin International, Inc.
Garmin International, Inc. is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRMN). Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. Garmin, Tacx and Edge are registered trademarks and Garmin Connect is a trademark of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries.