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REI has been host to hundreds of great deals on outdoor and camping gear over the last month, with markdowns of up to 60% off some of the best hiking shoes, tents, and e-bikes for spring and summer. At the same time, the retailer has had a trove of running equipment on sale, including bestselling shoes, lightweight shorts, and now a top-rated Garmin smartwatch with a battery life that rivals the best in the industry.
The Garmin Forerunner 255 is on sale at REI for $250 right now—a 28% discount on the normal $350 cost, which matches the list price on Amazon. This versatile smartwatch is a top-10 bestselling GPS sports watch at REI after earning over 200 five-star ratings from shoppers who say it's a "phenomenal running watch with great features." It's currently on sale in dark gray and medium blue until Father's Day, but it's not guaranteed to stay in stock.
Garmin Forerunner 255 in Slate Gray, $250 (was $350) at REI
Courtesy of REI
This Garmin smartwatch was built for runners. It does all the basics, including counting steps, tracking heart rate, and acting as an extension of your smartphone, but it also has special features that were intended to make training for marathons more comprehensive. It has widgets that allow you to fully customize a training program that'll get you up to speed for race day with the accuracy of Garmin's GPS systems for precise tracking. Based on what it sees in your performance, it'll even offer suggestions and help devise custom workouts to keep you on track to nail your next PR. And, to top it all off, it tells the time.
There are so many features crammed into this little smartwatch, but what makes the biggest impact, according to shoppers, is the battery life. "I thought [my watch] was joking when it said 11 days," a shopper exclaimed. "Even with 60-plus-mile bike rides and 10-plus-mile runs, nine days of battery life is pretty legit. I also enjoy the 'Morning Report' I get every day as well as the accuracy of the GPS. I could go on about the activity options, as there are many. Let’s just keep it as the best watch I have purchased."
Garmin Forerunner 255 in Tidal Blue, $250 (was $350) at REI
Courtesy of REI
Some who have bought this Garmin smartwatch have compared it to their Apple Watches, and many seem to prefer the former. "I want to say I 'downgraded' from the Apple Watch but, to be honest, this isn’t a downgrade at all," a shopper said. "Fantastic battery life, very easy to start an activity, and great daily reminders and encouragement. I love that it syncs to my Edge 1030 for cycling and HR."
The Garmin Forerunner 255 is already a popular smartwatch pick that's just going to garner more attention now that it's $100 off. If you've been thinking about adding one to your routine, make sure to pick it up soon before it goes back up in price.
