Garmin

Forerunner 735XT HRM4-Run Bundle

Your high school track coach may have been channeling the '70s by carefully metering water rations to reward grueling hill repeats with sparse drops of sustenance and that old school "no pain, no gain" approach to endurance training, but that doesn't mean you have to be stuck there, too. Hills can still be your frenemies as you welcome new technology with the Garmin Forerunner 735XT HRM4-Run Bundle and stride into a smarter way of tracking progress.

Most notable when compared to other smart watches available, the 735XT incorporates Garmin's new and proprietary Elevate optical sensor at the wrist. Garmin couches Elevate as freedom from heart rate straps on race day and includes its HRM-Run strap in this bundle for precise data tracking during training and additional features such as ground contact time balance, stride length, and vertical ratio running dynamics. While Garmin claims Elevate is appropriate for tracking intense activities and training zones, it may be a good idea to make use of the included chest strap for interval sessions and other key training sessions until Elevate's accuracy is proven, given the issues with many of the other optical sensors currently on the market.

The Forerunner 735XT is GPS-enabled to track routes, distance, speed, and other metrics depending on your choice of activity, and all of that date can be uploaded to Garmin Connect for in-depth analysis. It connects to Garmin's app store, Connect IQ, which opens the unit up for virtually limitless customizability through third-party apps and features. It also brings the usual functionality that we've grown to expect from smart watches and wearables, including text and call notifications, steps taken, calories burned, and sleep patterns so you can stay on top of nutrition and recovery.