When considering the best Garmin running watches, the Epix Gen 2 is probably not the one you would immediately gravitate towards. The Epix line is designed for people who participate in multiple sports, oftentimes in events lasting multiple days, but who also love the clarity and brightness of its AMOLED display. Runners naturally lean toward the Forerunner series (excellent marketing there, Garmin). But the Garmin Epix Gen 2 (and Fenix series) is Garmin’s flagship model and, as such, is jam-packed with a plethora of advanced features. The Epix/Fenix has much to offer runners, particularly those interested in pursuing the marathon distance and beyond. Here’s why I think the Epix Gen 2 should be top of your list if you’re looking to purchase a new fitness wearable.

Overview of the Epix Gen 2

The Garmin Epix Gen 2 will not be a new name to those familiar with Garmin’s lineup. Released in January 2022, the Epix Gen 2 was Garmin’s attempt to modernise the Fenix, replacing the trusty MIP (memory in pixel) display with a shiny AMOLED one. MIP has been Garmin’s technology of choice for years, and for good reason.

MIP displays offer unbelievably low power-consumption compared with AMOLED, partly explaining why Garmin is able to offer outstanding battery life even when used to the max. What’s more, MIP displays are in their element when they’re … well … in the elements. Clarity only improves in daylight, so there’s no wonder Garmin have pursued said display for so many years.

The issue with MIP is the huge sacrifice in colour vibrancy. They’re often described as appearing “dull.” In a world dominated by bright, vibrant, 4K, or even 8K resolutions, receiving an item with a MIP display in 2024 may feel a little disappointing. This is only exacerbated by the hefty price tag of top of the range Garmin’s. For some, however, this is a major advantage of MIP displays. We’re exposed to bright screens every single day. Do we really need our fitness watches contributing further?

Despite the cult following of the MIP display, Garmin clearly felt it necessary to create a watch to meet the demands of those with a preference for AMOLED. When competitors, notably Apple, make strides with fitness features and a longer (though still pitiful) battery life, Garmin needed a way to keep up. Enter the Epix Gen 2.

On last checking, the base model of the Epix Gen 2 retailed for around the £700 mark. Unlike Apple, however, It’s possible to find it much cheaper, with prices regularly under £500. I managed to pick one up for £370 during Black Friday sales – an absolute steal.

Epix Gen 2 Battery Life

When it comes to battery life, Garmin leads the pack. The only other watches that offer comparable battery life are those by Coros. While I’ve tried and tested a number of Garmin and Apple products, I’ve unfortunately been unable to test the Coros. I have, however, heard great things, particularly about the Coros Pace 3, and the Apex 2 Pro.

While the Apple Watch is not strictly a directly comparable product, being a smart watch with some fitness features, rather than a fitness watch with some smart features, they’ve certainly marketed the Apple Watch Ultra and Ultra 2 as capable fitness-related products. Though I’m sure the fastest athletes out there could use the Apple Ultra for its namesake, the majority of us would likely worry about its ability to make it through. The Apple 26.2 perhaps makes more sense – and even then, you might have to be quick!

When comparing fitness watches for the purposes of sports and adventure, the important figures to look at are those relating to GPS. All companies, including Garmin, are pretty devious in their advertisement of battery life. The Epix Gen 2 is advertised to have 16 days battery life. While this is somewhat accurate, it’s certainly bending the truth. These figures relate to very minimal use. Let’s be honest, anyone buying one of these is either active (or at least intends to be) and are using them to track their runs, rides, or hikes with the most accurate GPS to maximise Strava kudos.

The base model Epix Gen 2 has two types of GPS: 1. GPS Only – 42 hours in gesture, 30 hours AOD, and 2. All Satellite Systems – 32 hours in gesture, 24 AOD. All Satellite Systems means the watch is switching between a multitude of satellites based on the quality of their signals, determining which to use. Theoretically, under All Satellite Systems, the GPS will have improved accuracy. By comparison, the Apple Watch Ultra is capable of around 12 hours of GPS tracking, increasing to approximately 16-18 hours in low-power mode. When it comes to the fitness enthusiast, the Epix Gen 2 wins easily.

Garmin Epix for Runners?

When looking at Garmin’s watches as a runner, you’d be forgiven for making the obvious choice. You know, the one that quite literally says it’s for runners in the name (Forerunner, if you didn’t quite catch that). So why would I recommend the Epix Gen 2 to a runner debating a fitness watch?

The Epix and Fenix line of watches are designed for multi-sport, adventure athletes. When I purchased the Epix Gen 2, I was preparing for spinal surgery and knew (or at least convinced myself) that a fitness watch would be an essential aide in my recovery. Consequently, I wanted a watch that could provide some key health metrics, such as HRV, HR, sleep data, and body battery. Furthermore, I wanted the ability to map out running and hiking routes and follow them using only the watch, which the Epix Gen 2 achieves seamlessly. Additionally, as I knew at this point that I wanted to get into running, I wanted Garmin’s latest running-specific metrics, as well as their core recovery data.

While the majority of the Forerunner range are capable of most of the above metrics, one thing that sets the Epix and Fenix lines apart are the latter’s mapping capabilities. This can be achieved on Garmin’s newest Forerunner, the 965. Nonetheless, while the 965 is a fantastic watch, it lacks the rugged build-quality of the Epix Gen 2, and certainly feels like less of a premium offering. As such, if you’re a runner that likes hiking or multi-day multi-sport adventures, I’d certainly opt for the Fenix or Epix. What’s more, because the 965 is a newer watch, you can often find the Fenix or Epix for significantly less than the 965, so it’s win-win really.

Running Features

When it comes to running features, the Epix Gen 2 is jam-packed with them (I believe the Epix Gen 2 shares all the same running features and metrics as the Forerunner 965). Instead of listing off all the features, I thought I’d provide a brief overview of the ones I’ve found most useful as a new runner, starting with the Daily Suggested Workouts and Race Calendar.

Race Calendar and Daily Suggested Workouts

With the Race Calendar, you simply input a race into Garmin Connect (this doesn’t need to be a real event, but can be a target distance on a specified date) and the watch will automatically build a plan for you. Your plan is then delivered to you in the form of daily suggested workouts which can be targeted via pace, or heart rate. You’ll typically start in the Base Phase, and progress to the Build, Peak, and Taper phases. The plan is adaptive, so if you skip a workout for any reason, it will automatically adjust the next day’s activity.

The plan is built around the target time you enter for said future race. As you complete each workout, Garmin will continuously alter your predicted time based on your performance. It’s an excellent tool, particularly if you’re new to running and need a little more guidance.

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Training Status

The next metric, or tool, I’m a fan of is Training Status. There’s a few elements to this tool, one of which is the 4-week load focus. This essentially separates your activities into three categories: low aerobic, high aerobic, and anaerobic. It tells you where you’re lacking and therefore where your energy is best focused for future training sessions. At the moment, and actually for the last four or so weeks, Garmin have told me that my training is unproductive. This isn’t something I’m particularly concerned about as I’m not able to run in Zone 2 as a newcomer to the sport (and therefore lack low aerobic runs). Nonetheless, I can see the utility of this tool for future training, particularly when I’m not following a plan.

Training Readiness

So, I don’t necessarily advocate relying on your Garmin to tell you when you’re feeling up to training. Naturally, irrespective of what your watch tells you, you should be making that decision based on how you feel.

But the great thing about Training Readiness is that it considers a multitude of factors from sleep, recovery time (from last activity), HRV status, acute load, sleep history, and stress history. It therefore paints a pretty accurate picture of whether you should be heading out for a run, and, if you should, the intensity of said run.

As noted above, it’s important to make your own decisions where training is concerned, but I do like to look at this metric almost as confirmation of how I’m feeling.

Post-Run Data

When you’ve completed an activity, you’ll be presented with more data than you know what to do with. From basic information you’d expect from such a device, such as heart rate, average pace, and elevation, to more complicated running dynamics (cadence, stride length, vertical oscillation, and ground contact time). Collectively, this information can help you to improve as a runner and reduce injury (for example, maybe your stride length is too long, or cadence too low).

Conclusion

While it might sound dramatic, the Epix Gen 2 has contributed to the implementation and maintenance of a number of positive behaviour changes over the last three months.

When you’re able to see the impact of certain behaviours, foods, and beverages on factors such as HRV and sleep, you start to question your choices in an effort to maximise wellbeing. Not everyone needs to see these metrics in order to make healthier lifestyle choices, but if you’re the type of person (like me) that benefits from exposure to real-time physiological data, then I highly recommend investing in one.

As I’ve progressed with running, I’ve seen certain metrics such as HRV increase. I’ve seen my average HR decrease on runs of the same RPE, and I’ve seen my resting HR decrease too. This, in tandem with the real-time alerts the watch provides on runs, the ability to listen to music via Spotify (therefore negating the need to bring a phone on runs), and the handy safety (emergency) features such as crash detection, makes the Garmin Epix Gen 2 the ideal training companion for any runner, new or experienced.

For an alternative to Garmin, check out our recent (July, 2025) review of the Suunto Race S. Suunto’s approach to running is a clear contrast to Garmin’s — and depending on the kind of runner you are, one might suit you better than the other.

If you’re thinking of picking something up from Harrier, you can get 10% off with the code GRITTY10 (or by heading there via our links).

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