While most associate Garmin either with in-car GPS systems or running watches, the brand has expanded to encompass every niche, activity, and sport imaginable in the past decade. While they’re expensive, Garmin watches make for a lifestyle statement. What’s more, they help keep track of your steps, sleep, heart rate, and any sport or activity that you choose to pursue. In fact, the best Garmin watches at Walmart track activities ranging from cycling, swimming, and running to even more niche activities such as yoga, golf, and even stand-up paddleboarding. But it’s tough to pin down a single watch that works best for everyone since all Garmin watches are known for their many activity-friendly features. So, we’ve run with, exercised with, and tested its current models to put together a list of the best ones for you. To that end, here are the 13 best Garmin watches at Walmart.
Table of contents
- Vivofit Jr. 3 Smart Watch
- Fenix 7
- Swim 2 Smart Watch
- Instinct 2 Solar Watch
- Forerunner 945 GPS Running Smartwatch Bundle
- Vivosmart 5
- Forerunner 255S Music
- Venu 2
- Forerunner 55
- Forerunner 245 GPS Running & Music Smartwatch
- Garmin Vivoactive 4
- Venu Sq. 2
- Enduro 2
- Our Verdict!
- How To Choose The Best Garmin Watches At Walmart?
- Which Garmin Fenix is the best?
- Is Garmin watch better than Apple?
- Can you text on a Garmin watch?
Vivofit Jr. 3 Smart Watch
13
Best for kids. The Garmin Vivofit Jr. 3 Smart Watch is one of the best Garmin watches at Walmart for kids. This mini Garmin is perfect for getting your kids to be more active. It connects to the Garmin Jr. app and tracks their activities. What’s more, they can watch and track their activities on the app, bettering their score and gaining rewards like icons and games. In fact, you can even assign chores through the app, and your children will also be given timers to complete every task, with subsequent rewards given upon completion. You can even see your kid’s sleep and steps and if they’ve reached their goal of 60 minutes of activity every day. But the best bit of all is that, unlike other smartwatches, this watch doesn’t need charging. Watch this detailed YouTube review of this watch by Top Tracking Devices.
Pros
- At 70 USD, it’s a very affordable smartwatch.
- It tracks chores, sleep, activities, and steps.
- The watch is even swim-friendly.
Cons
- The battery needs to be replaced after one year.
Fenix 7
12
Best for the outdoors. The Fenix line is amongst Garmin’s most rugged watches, and the Garmin Fenix 7 is no different. It has a lot of additional mapping features and metrics that make it an ideal companion for outdoor adventures. These include the likes of navigation sensors, a weather barometer, an altimeter for elevation data, and an electronic compass. What’s more, it also has more than 17,000 preloaded golf courses for tee-time lovers.
All this is made all the better with the exhaustive battery life, which is 18 hours in the smartwatch mode and 57 hours when the GPS is on. In fact, if you put it on the battery saver mode, then the battery will last you as long as 57 days! Furthermore, reviewers mention that you need to charge the watch just about once a week after regular use. The large 1.3-inch huge display is perfect for displaying all of its metrics, with the display showing as many as seven data fields at once. This includes a flashlight, which is a lifesaver if you go off the dark trail while hiking. Finally, the watch also comes packed with thorough health tracking metrics and the usual payment, music, and social apps.
Pros
- The watch offers accurate multi-band tracking.
- It comes with preloaded golf courses.
- It has a flashlight and a huge screen.
Cons
- It’s expensive.
Swim 2 Smart Watch
11
The Garmin Swim 2 Smart Watch is one of the best Garmin watches at Walmart, especially for those who swim. While many other Garmins can track your swimming to some extent, this watch goes above and beyond. It can track you accurately in a pool and do so in open water swims, which is a rare feat. What’s more, it provides you with data such as stroke type, stroke count, pace, distance, and even SWOLF (a mashup of swimming and golf). That metric actually gauges how efficiently you’ve been swimming.
Additionally, the watch also has some advanced features that’ll go a long way in helping you stay on log drills and pace. But its most impressive feature is that the battery can last up to 72 hours in swim mode and up to a whopping 7 days in smartwatch mode.
Meanwhile, you might also want to read up on the best kayaking GPS watches.
Pros
- It lasts up to 72 hours in swim mode.
- The watch gives data on swimming accuracy.
- It tracks in pools and open water both.
Cons
- It’s not so great for multi-sport use.
Instinct 2 Solar Watch
10
The Garmin Instinct 2 Solar Watch is perfect for hikers who go hiking in all sorts of remote locations. If you’ve ever wished that you could charge your watch when you’re camping, hiking, or running in the middle of the woods, then this is the watch for you. The Instinct 2 has been designed keeping the avid outdoorsperson in mind, and it shows. For one, it can run in GPS mode for days since charging via solar power is easy through the Power Glass screen. Hence, the solar charging mode gives you almost unlimited battery life in smartwatch mode, assuming you wear it all day.
While the design is a bit bulky, it also means that the watch can take a serious beating. This is especially good news since the watch is practically indestructible as well as waterproof. It’s water-rated to a whopping 100 meters and is also shock and thermal-resistant, thanks to the scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla glass and fiber-reinforced polymer case.
Pros
- Solar screen charging means that you can use it for a long period of time outdoors.
- The ruggedized exterior makes it tough for any weather and destination.
- It has a plethora of in-built sports apps.
Cons
- Its weather data collection is spotty.
Forerunner 945 GPS Running Smartwatch Bundle
9
The Forerunner 945 GPS Running Smartwatch Bundle is one of the best Garmin watches at Walmart. This watch is very popular with sportspersons, especially serious triathletes. Since data is important in all three sports – swimming, cycling, and running – this watch wins brownie points with them. What’s more, this watch bundle with heart rate monitors for water and land ensures that you’re getting the most from your workouts. The performance monitoring features include VO2 max and training status with adjustments for anaerobic and aerobic training effects, altitude acclimation status, and even heat.
Going further, the watch itself has more than 30 activities and full-color maps for navigation and hiking. Thanks to the battery life of up to two weeks, you don’t have to worry about charging the watch every now and then. Finally, the watch has “Garmin Pay,” allowing you to conveniently make payments without having to carry your cards and cash.
Pros
- The watch comes with safety and tracking features, including incident detection.
- You can store up to 1,000 songs on your watch and connect them to your headphones.
- It also offers Garmi’s most advanced physiological features.
Cons
- There are some quality control issues with the heart rate strap.
Vivosmart 5
8
Best value for money. Are you looking for a Garmin watch that’s low-key, smaller, and cheaper? The Vivosmart 5, which costs just 150 USD, is a sleek fitness tracker alternative to the brand’s bulkier watches. It’s a great choice for those who simply want to track their overall health rather than get in-depth data. What’s more, this watch includes blood-oxygen saturation level and REM sleep tracking, besides tracking stress during the day.
It has activity timers for walking, swimming, yoga, cardio, and more. You can get notifications for texts and calls and even respond to texts if you’re an Android user. While the tracker doesn’t have GPS capabilities, you can connect to your phone’s GPS and track your runs or walks there. For this update to the brand’s popular Vivosmart tracker, Garmin sized up the OLED display screen and gave the band an overall sportier, sturdier vibe.
Pros
- It boasts a thin and sleek design.
- It tracks heart rate, activities, and sleep.
- The watch comes in three colors.
Cons
- It doesn’t have an onboard GPS.
Forerunner 255S Music
7
Most versatile. The Forerunner 255S Music is one of the best Garmin watches at Walmart and offers a laundry list of functions. These include a long battery life of 12 days as well as all the standard fitness and health tracking features you can imagine. If that wasn’t enough, it also offers contactless pay, smart notifications, and much more. Besides the usual run training metrics, the watch also comes preloaded with multisport workouts such as Pilates, yoga, cardio, strength, and HIIT. Additionally, there are many available to download from Garmin’s app.
One of the best features of the watch is the triathlon mode that automatically adjusts to the relevant metrics of your current activity. Moreover, it also displays information about your transition times. The GPS system is highly accurate, with the multi-band reception feature receiving two satellite signals at once to produce the most accurate data.
Finally, there are two different screen size options and even a watch version that plays music and one that doesn’t.
Pros
- It plays music directly from the watch.
- The watch supports a triathlon mode.
- It offers accurate dual-frequency reception for accurate GPS.
Cons
- It doesn’t have mapping.
Venu 2
6
The Venu 2 is perfect for those who like the smartwatch look but don’t want something too clunky on their wrists. This sleek and stylish Garmin watch can be worn to the office but is also high-tech enough to be worn on a post-work run. What’s more, it comes in two colors, black, and silver, thus suiting the style of a lot of people. What makes it even better is the bright and easy-to-read AMOLED display. So, you can easily read the watch even while jogging and running.
You’ll love this watch’s tracking and data collection features, which include a heart rate sensor, accurate GPS tracking, and even syncing with compatible gym equipment. Finally, music aficionados will love this watch, as it can store up to a whopping 650 songs, and they can even access music apps such as Amazon Music.
Pros
- The watch boasts a modern and sleek design.
- It has more than 25 in-built indoor and GPS sports apps.
- It has a battery life of up to 5 days with rapid recharging.
Cons
- It lacks a few training insights and metrics.
Forerunner 55
5
The Garmin Forerunner 55 is one of the best Garmin watches at Walmart. If you’re new to running, not so metrics-obsessed, and can survive without advanced analytics such as a barometer and stride length, then this watch is for you. While it can’t hold music and doesn’t have multisport tracking capabilities, it has everything else that most of us want from a smartwatch. This includes advanced workout and pacing metrics, heart rate monitoring, GPS tracker, and smartwatch functionality.
In fact, sacrificing some of the more advanced features you don’t use also saves you serious money, as the 55 costs less than half of a more sophisticated Forerunner. It’s also great for younger runners as it’s slightly smaller than other models. And despite everything, it still has a stellar battery life of 20 hours in GPS mode and up to two weeks in smartwatch mode.
Pros
- It has a great battery life.
- The sporty silicone band is the ultimate in comfort.
- The specialized race predictor considers fitness level to help you work toward your goal.
Cons
- Advanced training options are limited
Forerunner 245 GPS Running & Music Smartwatch
4
There’s little that the Forerunner 245 GPS Running & Music Smartwatch can’t do. This Forerunner 245 allows music lovers to listen to music even when they’re away from or want to be free from their phones. To that end, it can stream music from apps such as Spotify and store up to 500 songs. So, you needn’t lug your phone along for a run.
Moreover, the watch gives you all of the running data you may need, such as distance, heart rate, and even training status. All this is wrapped in a relatively lightweight and decidedly sleek package. While it lasts six hours with the music and GPS features and up to as many as seven days in smartwatch mode.
Pros
- It can stream from Spotify.
- The watch has a six-hour battery life with music and GPS.
- It comes in three color options.
Cons
- The song storage is limited.
Garmin Vivoactive 4
3
The Garmin Vivoactive 4 is one of the best Garmin watches at Walmart. This sleek GPS watch is very popular for its extensive health and sports features. However, that doesn’t mean this isn’t a smartwatch but a highly specialized one. For one, the Vivoactive 4 can pair with smartphones and many apps. And just like other Garmins, this watch can be used with the Connect IQ app store to add software to it. What’s more, this watch has many specialty health monitoring, exercise, and sports functions. These include both pulse oximeter and respiration tracking.
But one of the highlights of the watch is how it looks on your wrist. Firstly, it’s a very comfortable watch to wear, thanks to the slightly thicker standard silicone band. Secondly, it also has a large display, which is very helpful for people who go running and jogging. If that wasn’t enough, it’s a transflective screen, which means that it reflects light. So, you can clearly see the watch screen even on a bright day.
This detailed review by TechRadar will give you a more detailed insight into this amazing watch.
Pros
- The watch comes with a whole stack of stats.
- This full GPS watch boasts great exercise-tracking metrics.
- It has a lower price point than many other smartwatches.
Cons
- The Spotify integration could be better.
Venu Sq. 2
2
The smart, square-faced Venu Sq. 2 watch is a direct rival to the Fitbit Versa 4, but the former has a one-up on the latter. For one, it boasts superior fitness tracking chops, of which we were especially impressed by the dual-band GPS. It catches on super quickly, even in the trickiest of locations, whether it’s with a tree cover or tall buildings. However, the biggest upgrade that the Venu Sq. 2 has as compared to the original Venu Sq is the presence of an OLED display. It looks stunning and makes it easy to check your health statistics in one glance, thanks to clear graphics and text.
There’s no doubt that responsive touch controls are a huge plus, but the Venu Sq. 2 goes a step ahead with the inclusion of two physical buttons on the case. That basically means that you can also operate the watch with gloved, wet, or cold hands without any frustration of the watch not responding or hitting the wrong command.
Pros
- The watch has a lightweight and slim design.
- It boasts excellent GPS tracking.
- With its stunning screen and everyday use, it takes the fight to Fitbit.
Cons
- It has no support for maps.
Enduro 2
1
The Enduro 2 is one of the best Garmin watches at Walmart. This top-quality multi-sports watch makes no compromises and offers the battery life of the Instinct 2 and all training tools of the Fenix 7, and it’s an absolute joy to use. Firstly, it’s bold and big, which is actually necessary for fitting in a large solar cell. However, the enormous 1.4-inch screen is perfect for displaying maps and stats, while the Sapphire crystal lens and the titanium bezel lend it panache, chicness, and style. At the same time, the display is detailed and bright enough to make navigation a breeze.
What’s more, it even packs a bright LED flashlight that’s extremely handy for late evening/early morning runs or even when hiking a dark trail or wandering around a campsite. Finally, it boasts exceptional GPS accuracy, thanks to Garmin’s SatIQ, which automatically switches between satellite tracking modes to maximize battery life.
Pros
- The flashlight is super bright.
- It has excellent GPS accuracy.
- It boasts an exceptional battery life.
Cons
- None.
Our Verdict!
Besides this list, we have some favorites among them based on some specialized criteria, which include:
- Best value for money: Vivosmart 5
- Most versatile: Forerunner 255S Music
- Best for kids: Vivofit Jr. 3 Smart Watch
- Best for the outdoors: Fenix 7
How To Choose The Best Garmin Watches At Walmart?
Tracking and other features
One of the key aspects to consider when purchasing a Garmin watch is the number and kind of activities it tracks. First, you need to consider what activities you plan to use it for. If you’re simply interested in keeping track of your sleep, heart rate, and fitness level, then a more basic model is more than enough for you. However, if you want to track a more niche sport or are a more serious athlete, then you’ll want to look for watches offering more dedicated functionalities. Most Garmin watches collect heart rate, calories, pace, and distance data and provide basic coaching and workouts. Once you decide the type of activities and level of features you want, you can make a better choice.
Besides this, you’ll also want a few smart features, such as seeing notifications for calls and texts. But, some models provide even more, such as music storage and Spotify streaming too.
Battery life
Checking out the watch’s battery life is one of the most important things to do. Basically, you need to check how long the watch can run in and out of battery. Plus, whether you use GPS mode or not will also be more important, especially for endurance athletes. You’ll want to ensure that the watch will last through your races, workouts, or marathon golf tournaments since you won’t be able to stop and charge it.
Style
Finally, look at the build and aesthetics of the watch, especially if you’ll be spending a lot of time wearing it. A lightweight and sleeker design works well for both office as well as casual everyday wear and even for post-work libation. Also, a longer list of features, a longer battery life, and a sturdier build drive up the cost of the watch.
Which Garmin Fenix is the best?
Regarding tracking, the Fenix 7 has the most accurate heart rate monitor to date in the entire Garmin lineup. It also boasts an accurate GPS and has additional multi-band GPS support.
Is Garmin watch better than Apple?
When it comes to accurate GPS tracking, then Garmin is the better choice.
Can you text on a Garmin watch?
You can use the “Garmin Explore” app that can be paired and used with compatible inReach devices.