Tried & Tested
A helping hand for tracking your fitness
The fitness fiend’s go-to smartwatch, the Garmin Venu 2 Plus has had a suitably stylish update, but how does it fare on the run?
What is it?
First, a disclaimer: I am not much of a runner. Nor a cyclist. It’s not that I don’t enjoy cardiovascular exercise, but I usually run only two or three times a year, normally in the first flush of spring, before reverting to type and spending hours a week inside a joyless fitness facility (I am, as it happens, an over-active wearer of Lycra leggings on WFH days, though). Niche fitness trackers, therefore, have never been at the forefront of my mind, nor the top of my wrist.
In light of this, it’s fair to say that the Garmin Venu 2 Plus was never going to turn me into an ultra-marathon runner – nothing short of the promise of world peace could, to be honest. But Garmin’s newly buffed health and wellness functions have certainly nudged me to be more active, even on days when I really didn’t fancy it. It is, at heart, true to the brand’s running, cycling and swimming metrics soul, but the genuine smartwatch functions of music, payment and now a microphone to take and make calls on the hoof make it much more suitable for the aspiring 9-5 athlete with more important things to do than to obsess over their splits.
Why do you need it?
Well, actually, for obsessing over your splits. The Venu 2 Plus tracks more things than you imagine are necessary. Yet, before you know it, they are all absolutely vital to your existence. The thought of doing the school run without it on leaves me jittery. If you’re not logging your activity, does the activity really happen at all? It’s the Schrödinger’s cat of health and fitness and I’m here for it.
The watch face is bright and legible at a glance, with a silicon strap that is water-/sweat-/rain-resistant and the size sits somewhere beneath ‘chunky’ and well above ‘petite’, making it a durable statement that you can comfortably wear 24/7. With some of the more battery-devouring functions disabled, such as an always-on display, it didn’t need charging for six days. Even then, my nagging fear of ever being below 25% on any electrical device resulted in me plugging it in every day.
What sort of things does it measure, exactly?
Deep breath in everyone: stress, sleep, hydration, respiration rate, energy levels, blood oxygen saturation and, for women, menstrual cycle and pregnancy. And, breathe out… Oh, it offers a guided mindful breathing function, too, come to think of it.
On top of the new wellness functions, there are the dependable standards of steps taken, stairs climbed, calories burned and hours spent standing. On the fitness tick, the Garmin is known for accurate GPS tracking, which, combined with your speed, splits, cadence, heart rate and more means you get the data you want mid-session, plus a post-workout analysis that’s deeper than most will be prepared to dive into.
The metrics that matter
Motivational coachingPick a running distance (5k, 10k, half marathon, marathon) and your timescale, then get a personal plan plus active coaching during sessions – which proved genuinely helpful on cold mornings.
Easy to use Smartwatches are fiddly when you first get them, yet after a few days of exploration my fingers knew their way round. In short, you’ll find features when you need them, so don’t fret.
Value for moneyAt £399, the price is in line with other fruit-based, space-themed smartwatch brands, but the bulked-up lifestyle elements mean Garmin’s Venu 2 Plus comfortably holds its own against the competition.
Is it worth it?
Yes. It’s a smartwatch that’s as clever as you want it to be – I can see how you can grow into the more full-on features as your fitness improves. Something you wear on your wrist can’t do the workouts for you, but the nudges to move more often, get better sleep and exercise at the right intensity are subtle enough to let you think that you’re getting fitter and healthier all by yourself, that you are a go-getter who can rise ’n’ grind towards their #goals. Or at least you will be, starting Monday.
