The eight year old Garmin Forerunner 235 is the most popular running watch on Strava

Strava's Year In Sport report for 2023 reveals that the Garmin Forerunner 235, launched in October 2015, remains the most widely used fitness watch among athletes globally.

Athletes logging into Strava throughout 2023 have shown a continued preference for the Garmin Forerunner 235, according to the popular fitness tracking and training platform that serves more than 120 million users. Despite being an eight-year-old model, the Forerunner 235, featuring built-in GPS and the first-gen Elevate HR sensor, continues to lead the pack. 

In the United States, the 2019 Forerunner 245 Music claims the top spot, indicating a preference for a more modern yet still slightly outdated option compared to the current Forerunner 255 model. The Forerunner 245 boasts advanced features such as Garmin Coach, Body Battery, Performance Condition, Training Effect and Load, daily suggested workouts, post-run recovery time suggestions, blood oxygen data, and an upgraded 3rd-gen HR sensor.

The report also highlights the most-used bike computers, with the Garmin Edge 530 leading globally and the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt taking the top spot in the United States. The former came out four, and the latter six years ago. 

Amazon currently lists the refurbished Garmin Forerunner 235 for $169.95. It provides basic functionality for fitness tracking, including heart rate and steps.