Garmin Forerunner 170 vs 570 for Swimming
Garmin FR170 vs FR570 for swimming: both track pool and open water, but the 570 adds multi-band GNSS, Critical Swim Speed and triathlon mode.
The Forerunner 170 and 570 are the two Garmin watches most swimmers compare. Both track pool and open water, but the 570 adds serious training and GPS upgrades. Here is how to decide.
Forerunner 170 vs 570: quick answer
Both watches track pool and open-water swimming. The 570 is the better pick for triathletes, open-water racers, and swimmers who want on-watch Critical Swim Speed (CSS) and multi-band GNSS. The 170 is the smarter choice for pool-focused swimmers who want reliable distance, pace, stroke detection, and SWOLF without paying for features they will not use.
Spec comparison: FR 170 vs FR 570
Here is how the two watches stack up across the features that matter most for swimmers. The 570 is highlighted as the more capable option for advanced training.
Forerunner 170 — What Pool Swimmers Get
The Forerunner 170 sits in the entry-to-mid tier of Garmin's 2026 lineup. It is a straightforward swim tracker that covers the essentials without the price tag of the 570.
In the pool, the 170 handles automatic lap counting once you set the pool length. It detects freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly, and it logs SWOLF per length — a measure of swimming efficiency that combines stroke count and time. You also get drill logging (to tag kick sets, one-arm drills, or sculling separately) and auto-rest detection that pauses the timer when you stop at the wall.
For open water, the 170 includes a dedicated swim profile with GPS tracking. The GPS specification depends on the regional variant, but the 170 does not include the multi-band GNSS that the 570 offers. In clear conditions with a clear sky view, the 170's GPS is fine for recreational open-water training. The 170's 1.2-inch AMOLED display stays readable poolside and in direct sun.
Forerunner 570 — What You Pay Extra For
The Forerunner 570 is Garmin's mid-to-high-end Forerunner that bridges everyday training and serious multisport. Every dollar of the price difference over the 170 goes into features that matter most for competitive swimmers and triathletes.
Multi-band GNSS for open-water accuracy
The 570 supports multi-band GNSS, which picks up signals from multiple satellite frequencies simultaneously. In open water, this means a cleaner track line with less drift — especially near cliffs, bridges, tree cover, or in urban harbours where single-band GPS tends to wander. For open-water racers and triathletes who want an accurate race distance, this is the most meaningful upgrade.
Critical Swim Speed (CSS) on the watch
The 570 includes a built-in CSS test and pace target field. You run a 200m and 400m time trial from the watch, and it calculates your threshold pace automatically. Once set, you can pace your intervals against CSS targets directly on the wrist. The 170 has no CSS functionality. If threshold-based training is central to your programme, the 570 alone offers it on-device among these two.
Triathlon and multisport tools
The 570 includes multisport activity profiles for triathlon racing — transitions, swim-to-bike-to-run tracking, and sport-specific data screens. It also supports external sensors such as HRM chest straps, power meters, and foot pods for bike and run segments. The 170 is a running-first watch with swim support, not a triathlon device.
3 Questions to Decide
If you are still choosing between the 170 and 570, these three questions will point you to the right watch.
1. Are you a pool-only swimmer on a budget?
If you train in a pool, want reliable lap counts, stroke detection, and SWOLF, and you do not race triathlon — choose the Forerunner 170. It covers everything a pool swimmer needs and costs less.
2. Do you race triathlons or open water?
If you compete in triathlon, need accurate open-water GPS for race distance, or want multisport profiles with transitions — choose the Forerunner 570. Multi-band GNSS is the difference between a clean race track and a zigzag line.
3. Will you use advanced training features?
If CSS test, on-watch pace targeting, structured interval guidance, and training readiness metrics matter to your programme — choose the Forerunner 570. The 170 records your effort; the 570 helps you plan it.
Structured workouts: the shared limitation
Neither the 170 nor the 570 can author a structured swim workout such as 8×100 on 1:45 on the watch itself. Both can load a compatible FIT workout file if the import workflow is supported for your specific model and software. This makes the limitation manageable: build the session before you enter the water.
AquaPlan Premium creates Garmin-compatible FIT workout files with unlimited exports. Build your warm-up, drills, intervals, rest, and cool-down in the AquaPlan workout generator , export a FIT file, and transfer it over USB or use connected-account upload when available. Keep the PDF as a backup on the pool deck.
For the exact transfer steps, see the FIT export guide .
Other watches to consider
The 170 vs 570 decision is not the only choice. The Forerunner 165 is often available at a lower price and still covers pool and open-water swimming — a worthwhile option if budget is the priority. Above the 570, the Forerunner 970 or Fenix 8 add full maps, dive-grade water resistance, and even longer battery life.
If you are replacing a Garmin Swim 2, compare the documented Swim 2 replacements before buying.
Sources and editorial notes
Feature availability is checked against Garmin's published manuals and product documentation. GPS performance varies by conditions, so this comparison does not turn a feature list into a lab-accuracy claim. Prices and regional specifications change — confirm the current details for your market before buying.
Article source
Written and maintained by AquaPlan Team, Swim Training & Product.
The AquaPlan team builds swim-training software for structured pool workouts, Garmin-compatible FIT export, printable workout PDFs, and progress tracking.
Focus areas: Structured swim workout design, Garmin-compatible FIT file export, Pool training plans and workout-library systems, Swim training tools for web, iOS, and Android.
Editorial standard: AquaPlan is built by lifelong swimmers — 20+ years in the water, competitive racing, and countless hours on deck. Our training guides come from that experience, not a content mill.