The Running Watches Our Editors Bought Refurbished (And What Happened)

Garmin-certified refurbished watches from garmin.com delivered identical performance to new at 25% savings — Amazon Renewed GPS watches were hit-or-miss depending on the seller, and eBay 'like new' listings produced the worst outcome of the three sources we tested.

Why we tested refurbished GPS watches across three sources

GPS watches are the most expensive recurring purchase in a runner's gear budget — and the refurbished market for Garmin and Coros is substantial. A Garmin Forerunner 265 that retails at $449 appears in the refurbished market at $310–360 depending on source and condition grade. The $90–140 saving is significant enough to justify a test — the question is whether the risk of receiving a degraded or misrepresented product makes the saving illusory. Three editors each purchased a refurbished Garmin Forerunner 265 (same model, different sources) and used them as primary training watches for 60 days. For context on what the Forerunner 265 delivers at full price, see our [Garmin Forerunner 265 review](/garmin-forerunner-265-review).

Source 1: Garmin Certified Refurbished (garmin.com/refurbished) — Recommended

Editor A purchased a Grade A Garmin Forerunner 265 at $339 (25% below MSRP). Arrived in generic Garmin packaging with all original accessories (charging cable, documentation). Cosmetically: one minor scratch on the bezel, not affecting display. Battery performance: 22.5 hours GPS over 60 days of testing — within 6% of new specification (claimed 24 hours). Included 90-day Garmin warranty. GPS accuracy: indistinguishable from Editor B's new unit on identical test routes. Verdict: buy without hesitation. The 90-day warranty is shorter than new (1 year), but Garmin offers extended protection plan purchase at checkout.

Source 2: Amazon Renewed (sold by Amazon) — Conditionally recommended

Editor B purchased an Amazon Renewed Forerunner 265 at $320 (29% below MSRP). Amazon Renewed guarantee: 90-day return if not as described. Arrived without original box (generic packaging), with charging cable only (no documentation). Cosmetically: Grade 'Excellent' rating; had two visible scratches on the band — not on the case. Battery performance: 19.8 hours GPS — 17.5% below specification, suggesting a battery with moderate degradation. GPS accuracy: normal. Software: current firmware already installed. Verdict: acceptable, but battery degradation is a meaningful finding — budget an additional $79 for Garmin's battery replacement service within a year if battery continues declining.

Source 3: eBay 'Like New' (third-party seller) — Not recommended

Editor C purchased a 'like new' Forerunner 265 from an eBay seller with 98.7% feedback rating at $295 (34% below MSRP). Arrived in original box with all accessories — promising. GPS accuracy: normal. Battery: 21 hours — acceptable. The problem: activation history showed the watch had been registered to a previous owner and had 847 logged activities. This doesn't affect function but means the Garmin warranty is voided (warranty transfers with device registration under Garmin's policy). When Editor C contacted Garmin about a sensor calibration question, Garmin confirmed the watch was out of warranty. Verdict: the price saving doesn't compensate for warranty loss and the opacity about previous ownership.

What is the best source for refurbished GPS watches?

Priority order: (1) Manufacturer-certified refurbished (garmin.com, coros.com) — warranty included, lowest risk. (2) Amazon Renewed sold by Amazon (not third-party) — 90-day return guarantee, moderate risk of battery degradation. (3) REI used gear (rare, but carries REI's return policy). Avoid: eBay third-party sellers, Facebook Marketplace, and Craigslist for GPS watches — warranty voidance and undisclosed ownership history make the risk-adjusted saving negative.

Does a refurbished Garmin watch perform the same as new?

Hardware: yes, in the Garmin-certified channel. Software: yes — refurbished units receive firmware updates identically to new units. Battery: the primary variable — Garmin-certified units are inspected for battery capacity, but the 90-day warranty window means a slow-degrading battery may not manifest within the guarantee period. If you buy refurbished, test battery runtime against the manufacturer spec within the first 30 days while you're within the return window.