Garmin smartwatch users complain about massive issues and criticize Garmin

Garmin is currently getting scolded on Reddit and other online platforms. The criticism now concerns not only the issues themselves but also how the manufacturer has handled problems that were apparently already known. According to more than just one user, there are major issues affecting the Garmin Forerunner 255, Forerunner 265, Forerunner 955, and Forerunner 965 with software version 27.09. 

In a very detailed post, one Reddit user described the problems at length.  Specifically, heart rate tracking is said to be unreliable. Heart rate is especially important for endurance athletes because it effectively indicates the level of exertion during a workout. While an incorrectly measured distance can often be corrected afterward by adjusting a route on a map, that is hardly possible with heart rate data, especially since heart rate is also used to guide training.

In addition, the Reddit user Reeposter reported problems with elevation data, saying workouts completed entirely on flat terrain were being treated as if they involved mountain climbs. The problems apparently stem from the update to firmware version 27.09 and are said to have existed since January. The comments under the Reddit posts do include users expressing similar experiences, though there are also users who say they have not had any issues. As a result, it is not possible to make a reliable assessment of how widespread these major heart rate and elevation problems actually are. In our view, affected users should definitely contact the manufacturer, at the very least to continue drawing attention to the issue.