At A Glance: Quick Ratings
Heart Rate Functions
Fitness / Sport Features
Ease of Use
Battery Life
Where To Get It
A Deep Dive Into The Garmin Forerunner 610
Thank you for visiting our review of the Garmin Forerunner 610 – product tested by Tristan Haskins.
NOTE > the Forerunner 610 was REPLACED by Forerunner 620 in Sept 2021 and then again by the Forerunner 630 in Oct 2021. The Forerunner 630 features Bluetooth connection to smartphones running the Garmin Connect app (iOs or Android).
It also features a 24/7 activity tracker and an all colour display. For the elite athlete the 630 also boasts detailed Running Dynamics feedback, everything from ground contact to stride length.
Read more about the 630 here!
Video Review
It’s for the RUNNER who wants to know how hard they are training, lap by lap performance monitoring and the ability to run / race towards a preset goal (i.e 10K in 40 mins).
The Garmin Forerunner 610 just tipped off a whole new race. With a touch, tap or swipe, the Garmin Forerunner 610 lets you get on with your run while it tracks all the details. The Garmin Forerunner 610 watch allows the user to see precisely what they need to see while training, and post session via upload to Garmin Connect.
Confused by the Forerunner watch range? You’re not the only one with over a dozen models released in the last 10 years. To help you make the correct choice I’ve produced this guide to the Forerunner watches to help you get the latest and most appropriate model for your needs and budget.
Sleek and Low Profile GPS Sports Watch
One of the smartest, sleekest GPS heart rate monitor training watches on the market. The Garmin Forerunner 610 is a super powerful but easy to use GPS training computer.
The touchscreen enabled Garmin Forerunner 610 has all the features of past watches, plus packing in new functionality like the Virtual Racer and Walk/Run alerts.
The Garmin Forerunner 610’s Virtual Racer allows you to race previous bests on a given course (including ones downloaded from Garmin Connect), while the Walk/Run alert system helps those using the popular Galloway method which focuses on finishing with a alternating walk/run technique.
The touchscreen of the Garmin Forerunenner 610 works well in both rain and with gloves, so there’s no concern about being unable to use the watch in adverse conditions.
The Garmin Forerunner 610 packs an 8 hour battery life while in use, but can be used as a regular day to day watch for weeks at a time without charging.
Monitor Training Load and get your recovery right
For us at HEARTRATEMONITOR.co.uk – the most dramatic new feature for this Garmin Forerunner 610 is TRAINING EFFECT. Louise Barby (BHIP Director) is using the Garmin Forerunner 610 for her Great North Run Training – and loves it.
Those who’ve visited us before will know how keen we are on FIRSTBEAT Technologies Training Effect – previously only found on the Suunto range. Not anymore. The new Garmin Forerunner 610 has full TRAINING EFFECT analysis, showing you clearly when you are OVER or UNDER training.
A Touch Faster
The Garmin Forerunner 610 gives you several ways to get in touch with your training data. The Garmin Forerunner 610’s swipe and scroll action makes it easy to adjust settings, review your run history and more. A quick tap of the screen is all it takes to advance to the next training page so you can see more data.
The Garmin Forerunner 610’s sleek touchscreen is as rugged as it is functional, proving it’s more than just a pretty face. The 610 can stand up to rain, sweat and splashes, yet it’s sensitive enough that you can operate it with running gloves. Leader of the Pack.
Behind that smooth glass surface is a watch that’s ready to work as hard as you are. The Garmin Forerunner 610 provides accurate distance, pace, GPS position, heart rate, calories and more. The Garmin Forerunner 610 can even guide you back to the starting point of your run, giving you the freedom to explore new routes and always find your way back.
Advanced Features
The Garmin Forerunner 610 is packed with training tools like the new Virtual Racer™ can turn any workout into a virtual matchup.
This feature of the Garmin Forerunner 610 lets you race your previous bests or challenge any activities uploaded to our Garmin Connect™ site. Virtual Racer accounts for varying speeds and real-time conditions, so it’s truly you vs. your opponent.
Or, use the Virtual Partner® function and see how you measure up to a static pace you set. The Forerunner 610 also offers vibration alerts, which you can customize for time, distance, calories, heart rate or cadence. So, when you reach your targets, you’ll feel a gentle vibration.
Training Effect
The Garmin Forerunner 610 is Garmin’s first sport watch with the Training Effect capability from Firstbeat. Training Effect measures the impact of an activity on your aerobic fitness, essentially helping you train more efficiently.
Training Effect is calculated based on the user profile, your heart rate and the difficulty of the activity. The Garmin Forerunner 610 also offers customizable heart rate zones, alerts and heart-rate based calorie computations.
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Top Alternatives
Next Model UP
The next model up is the model that replaced the 610, the Forerunner 620 with colour display.
The 620 also features a built-in accelerometer that tracks distance and pace when you’re running on an indoor track or treadmill.
It also features a Bluetooth connection allowing you connect with your Smartphone (and Garmin APP) and stay connected with automatic uploads to Garmin Connect for live tracking, social media sharing.
Next Model DOWN
The model below this is the Forerunner 220.
The 220 does NOT have the training load indication, neither does it feature the touchscreen of the 620.
The main difference is the loss of recovery and training effect metrics.
