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Garmin eTrex SE vs Garmin Forerunner 970

Weight and specs compared for 2026 — and which one to choose.

Garmin Forerunner 970 is the lighter option — 101 g lighter than the Garmin eTrex SE (64% less weight). If grams matter to you, that is the one to beat.
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Spec Garmin eTrex SE Garmin Forerunner 970
Weight 157 g · 0.157 kg · 0.35 lb 56 g · 0.056 kg · 0.12 lb
Brand Garmin Garmin
Category Navigation Navigation
Garmin eTrex SE
157 g

Rugged entry-level handheld GPS with up to 168-hour battery life in standard mode. Sunlight-readable display with reliable satellite reception for trail navigat...

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Garmin Forerunner 970
56 g

AMOLED multisport GPS watch with multiband positioning, full color topo maps and turn-by-turn navigation for running, hiking and backpacking.

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Garmin eTrex SE vs Garmin Forerunner 970: which should you buy?

If saving weight is your priority, the Garmin Forerunner 970 wins — at 56 g it is 101 g (64%) lighter than the Garmin eTrex SE (157 g). That said, the heavier option may justify the extra grams with more capacity, durability or comfort, so weigh the trade-off against how you'll use it.

See where both rank against everything else in this category on the lightest navigation page, or browse the full gear weight database.

More navigation comparisons