Buying a GPS watch isn’t a casual purchase. Most runners are dropping somewhere between $300 and $800 on a device they expect to last years. At that price, you’re not just paying for battery life or training metrics. You’re buying into a promise of reliability, toughness, and support if something goes sideways.
But when things do break — and they do — the story often falls apart. Cracked screens. Busted buttons. Dead batteries. None of these issues should mean a watch is done for, especially given the upfront cost. Yet historically, the repair landscape has been more punishment than solution. Long waits, unpredictable fees, and customer service loops that seem designed to push you toward just buying a new watch.
This isn’t just frustrating — it’s wasteful. As the conversation around the right to repair heats up, runners are becoming more aware of how little control we have over fixing the devices we rely on. Most GPS watch brands still hide behind proprietary components or hypothetical liability to keep repairs locked inside their own ecosystems. In many cases, a broken watch gathers dust in a drawer, and the e-waste problem grows.
So what happens when your GPS watch breaks and the warranty has expired or doesn’t apply? That’s where things get interesting. Some brands are starting to rethink how they handle repairs and replacements. Below is a breakdown of how the major players — Coros, Suunto, and Garmin — are currently handling the reality of broken devices and whether they’re making it easier to repair instead of replace.
Coros Repair Options
The Coros Vertix 2S. Photo: iRunFar/Craig Randall
Coros recently announced an impressive new repair program that is the most simple we’ve seen: It covers batteries (for between $59 and $89) and dials, buttons, and screens (for between $79 and $119).
What makes the program unusual isn’t just the price — it’s the structure. Coros doesn’t actually fix your broken watch and return it to you. Instead, they send out a refurbished replacement as soon as you start the process, shaving days off the downtime most runners have come to expect from warranty filings and service centers.
According to Coros’ Communications Manager Andrew Bernstein, “We’re able to get the repaired watch shipped to the customer much faster because as soon as we’re notified that the device to be repaired is on the way, we ship the replacement out, minimizing the customer’s downtime.”
The repairs themselves take place in Coros’ Chinese factory, but the company is building efficiency into the system by warehousing refurbished units in the U.S. The logistics are deliberately scaled: Damaged watches are shipped back to China in batches, repaired, and eventually looped back into the U.S. inventory stream. According to Bernstein, the whole program is designed to run lean — prices are set to cover costs, not create profit — with the stated goal of keeping devices on runners’ wrists and out of landfills.
It’s a smart solution from a company still small enough to move quickly but big enough now to recognize that repairability isn’t just a customer service issue — it’s a brand value, particularly emphasizing its environmental impact.
How to Repair Your Coros GPS Watch
At the time of publication, Coros only offers repairs on the company’s current products, the Apex 2, Apex 2 Pro, Pace 3, Pace Pro, and Vertix 2S, as well as its Dura bike computer. In addition, repairs are only offered in the United States and European Union, with support coming soon to the U.K.
The Coros Repair Service page has more details on available repairs, or you can jump right to the Coros Repair Program form to submit your repair request.
Garmin Repair Options
The Garmin fēnix 8 AMOLED. Photo: iRunFar/Craig Randall
A little over a year ago, my wife took a hard fall on a rocky beach in Costa Rica. She had our two-year-old in her arms and a Garmin fenix 6S Solar on her wrist. In that split second, priorities were clear — protect the kid. She did. But the Garmin didn’t make it out so cleanly. The screen cracked top to bottom, a sharp, splintered reminder of how quickly things can go sideways — even on vacation.
The watch was a 42-millimeter stainless steel model with Power Glass, Garmin’s solar-harvesting lens tech. Retail in 2020 was $850. After the fall, we filed a repair request on April 3. Garmin’s process was easy enough. They offered a shipping label, and I dropped it in the mail that day. By April 9, they had checked it in. Same day, they shipped out a replacement unit — refurbished, but indistinguishable from new. It landed on our doorstep on April 12. The cost? $195.69.
Garmin didn’t want to comment for this story, but this experience mirrors what we’ve heard from other runners — and what Coros just made official: Don’t expect an actual repair. Expect a swap. Garmin’s term is “recertified.” You send in the broken unit, and they send you back a like-new replacement pulled from their refurbished stock.
Whether it’s the screen, the battery, or a sticky button, the flat-rate cost hovers between $150 and $200. That applies across most models, whether you’re running with a stripped-down Forerunner or a fully-loaded fenix or Enduro. The main difference from Coros? Garmin still wants to inspect your watch before they ship the replacement.
How to Repair Your Garmin GPS Watch
Start the repair process for your Garmin GPS watch in the Garmin Support Center. After entering your product name or serial number, you’ll want to select Chat or Call under Contact Us for More Help.
Suunto Repair Options
The Suunto Race S (right) beside the larger Suunto Race. Photo: iRunFar/Craig Randall
Suunto, like Coros, lays out its repair options with an uncommon level of transparency — something runners don’t always get from the tech companies that make the tools we rely on every day. While Coros ties prices directly to device models, Suunto takes a broader approach: Instead of watch-by-watch breakdowns, it offers average repair costs by issue. When iRunFar asked Suunto for specifics, they responded with numbers that feel refreshingly grounded in reality:
- Battery replacement: $45
- Screen repair: $130
- Pressure sensor swap: $50
- Cosmetic fixes (like new case housing): $100
These prices include parts and labor, with shipping tacked on at the end.
Turnaround time? About nine business days on average, from drop-off to doorstep — on par with Coros’ newly launched service. But unlike Coros, which ships your replacement before even receiving the broken device, Suunto sticks with a more traditional model: The repair what’s broken and return it to the runner. Maybe that’s a product of scale — Suunto being the larger of the two companies allows it to stock more parts and keep the process grounded in repair rather than replacement.
The repairs themselves are handled not by Suunto directly, but by a third-party shop in Addison, Texas, called Chase International. It’s the kind of outsourcing that doesn’t always inspire confidence, but Suunto points to a 2025 Net Promoter Score of 59 for its service center, which is “excellent” by industry standards.
How to Repair Your Suunto GPS Watch
If your Suunto GPS watch needs repairs, you can visit Suunto’s Global Online Service Request page or jump right to their U.S. Service Request form if you’re in the States.
Summary of GPS Running Watch Repairs
A cracked screen. A fading battery. A button that sticks when your hands are cold and wet. It’s easy to think your GPS watch has reached the end — but it probably hasn’t.
As runners, we’re often quick to replace what’s broken. But with brands like Garmin, Suunto, Coros, and even Apple and Polar, repairing your watch is not only possible — it’s practical. The turnaround is usually seven to 10 days. The cost? Somewhere between $100 and $200.
These watches are made from premium materials and built to last well beyond scuffs and cracks. Most companies now offer flat-fee repair or refurb programs, returning to you a fully functioning watch — sometimes even a newer variant of your own model. And with firmware updates continuing well after release, you’re often using the same tools as someone who just dropped $600 or more on the newest version.
Call for Comments
- Have you sent a GPS watch back for repair? What was your experience like?
