The Garmin Forerunner 170 has arrived as the successor to the Forerunner 165, slotting in above the entry-level Forerunner 70 and below the 265/570. At first glance, it's easy to write off as a lateral move from the older device: same GPS chipset, same heart rate sensor, and actually a day less battery life than its predecessor. However, after spending some time with the 170, it's clear that Garmin has packed it with features and tools previously reserved for watches costing $449 or more.
Despite being described as "mid-tier" in Garmin's lineup, the Forerunner 170 has the training software that used to be reserved for higher-end models, including full Training Status, Training Readiness, wrist-based running power, running dynamics, and even cycling power-meter support. Whether you're upgrading from a 165 or just want to make sure you're actually using what you paid for, here are five favorite hacks to get the most out of your Forerunner 170.
Reprogram the buttons on your Forerunner 170 so you can instantly lock the screen in bad weather. The 170's buttons are fully customizable, and some useful reassignments include setting "Hold Start + Up" to Touch Screen Toggle, which is a shortcut to lock the screen instantly in bad weather. You can also move Do Not Disturb to the Down button, which can be particularly useful for regular interval runners who want to assign their lap button to trigger auto-pause.
Use your Forerunner 170's "Record Only" mode as a breadcrumb trail on unfamiliar routes. Record Only mode lays down a "breadcrumb trail" of everywhere you've been without the battery cost of turn-by-turn navigation. If you get turned around, you can use those "breadcrumbs" to retrace your own path. Two more navigation features you should set up in advance include Turn Around alerts, which buzz at the halfway point of a route, and Find My Phone, which pings your connected phone with sound and vibration even if it's on silent.
Let your Forerunner 170's "Quick Workouts" do the thinking for you. Instead of manually plugging in a pace and distance, the 170 can build a workout on the fly from just a time range and an intensity level. This generated workout factors in your current Training Readiness score, so "45 minutes, moderate" might look completely different two days in a row depending on how recovered you actually are.
Repurpose the Cycling Coach tool to track your cross-training workouts. Lifestyle Logging is a useful way to track more than just workouts, and Meditation, reading, and other manually logged activities all feed into your overall wellness picture. Cycling Coach doesn't have to be reserved just for dedicated cyclists, and it gives you a structured, adaptive plan based on how well the watch already knows you.
Don't let easy workouts drain your Garmin's battery. If you're on a familiar route, running a familiar workout, turn off Always-On GPS. Your battery health holds up longer, and you're not left scrambling to charge the morning of a big race. In general, it's a good idea to care for your watch's battery the same way you treat your muscles during a training block.
Finally, keep an eye on Garmin Connect update notes, as it's worth checking in periodically rather than assuming you have everything already. And if you have the 170 Music edition, download your playlists the night before a long run, not during your warm-up. Syncing eats battery and needs a solid wifi or Bluetooth connection. Start it early, or you'll be stuck jogging in place, waiting on a progress bar.
One last hack works across most Garmin touchscreen watches, including the 170: Place your palm flat over the entire watch face, and it instantly returns to the main watch face and dims or turns off the backlight, depending on your display settings. This is a neat trick for killing your screen quickly at your desk after checking a notification.
