multisport watches

Best GPS Smartwatches

November 14, 2019 By Emma Morris Leave a Comment

People trekking through fields below mountains

GPS smartwatches have become very popular among the running community as they not only keep you in touch but measure your stats and record your run so that you can map where you have been.

As the market has become more crowded it has become increasingly difficult to decide on which one to buy. We looked at some of the best GPS smartwatches around to help you choose one to meet your needs.

Garmin Forerunner 935

With its strong track record you’d expect Garmin to be the leader in GPS smartwatches. The Garmin Forerunner 935 does not disappoint with its long battery life and quality fitness tracker.

It’s pricey at £389.99 ($500) but if you are an avid sportsman or woman then it is worth every penny. You can monitor your fitness stats and it will even tell you how productive your regime is. The watch can track all your exercises and, as it’s waterproof, can track your swimming too.

The battery life is phenomenal and will last for 24 hours when GPS is in use or up to 60 hours when you put it into saver mode. This watch not only lasts longer, it tells you how your exercise is affecting you. A real contender!

Withings Steel HR Sport

Withings’ watches may not have the pull of the big brands but its smartwatches offer some excellent features and the Steel HR Sport is no exception. The watch boasts an incredible battery life of up to 120 hours when in GPS mode and has a design that is easy to read.

This watch is not really for the sports-mad but it does the basics well and looks good on your wrist. Some of its key features include heart rate monitoring, connected GPS and the watch links to your smartphone to give you your notifications. It can track 30 different activities and at £189.95 it is one of the more affordable GPS smartwatches on the market.

Polar Vantage V

Another pricey smartwatch – starting at £439 ($562) – but it is the perfect choice for serious athletes. Not only is it waterproof but it has a huge battery life that can support up to 40 hours of nonstop training. The GPS tracks where you have been and where you are going so that you can get feedback from your training.

The watch can track a wide range of activities and it gives you personalised feedback on how the exercise has affected your body. The watch can track your heart rate based upon the activity you are undertaking.

One minus is that the watch does not have any music capability but the strengths of this watch far outweigh this negative. Polar claims that the watch has been tested to military standards and passed. It really is a watch that can tell you everything you need to know about your own performance so that you can exercise to your full potential.

Fitbit Ionic

The Fitbit brand has been around for some time and the Ionic is a smartwatch that offers built-in GPS tracking and fitness feedback.

The watch offers lots of features that will help you to understand how your body is working and responding to activity. It also allows you to listen to music if you pair it with your headphones.

The battery life is not great and the watch will need to be recharged every 10 hours or so if you are using the GPS continuously. It lasts longer if you only use the GPS to track runs or other outdoor activities.

One of its best features is that it is waterproof so there is no need to remove the watch no matter where you are or what you are doing. The Fitbit Ionic starts at £249.99 ($319) and is a great choice for keen runners and those who enjoy tracking a range of different fitness activities.

Garmin Forerunner 245 Music

This Garmin watch starts at £299.99 ($383) and boasts a music option so that you can enjoy your favourite tunes when you work out. Garmin is a pro when it comes to GPS tracking and this watch utilises all its expert knowledge and has all the features we’ve come to expect in a smartwatch.

If you want to know whether your training is working or if you are doing the right amount of exercise for optimal results then this watch can tell you. It checks your exercise history and compares it with each work out to tell you if you are being as productive as possible.

The screen is easy to read and displays your key stats clearly so you can focus on exercising. Aside from exercising, the GPS can be used to help you track your routes when out and about and the watch also offers sleep monitoring so you know how good each night’s sleep is.

Summary

There are so many options out there to choose from but we are certain that by combining GPS with the latest smartwatch then you can exercise better and track where you have been along with the type of ground you have covered and the gradient.

Garmin and Fitbit watches are designed for GPS tracking whereas the other watches offer GPS as an extra. It is always a good idea to check how long the battery life is when the GPS is in use rather than the overall time as some models’ batteries can drain quickly when GPS is in use.

Any of the ones listed here come highly recommended and we hope this helps you when choosing your new watch!

Popular Sports Watches for Men in 2019

November 5, 2019 By Emma Morris Leave a Comment

Want to know the which are best sports watches for men in 2019? Here is our run down of the most popular brands to consider to improve your sporting performance

Do you want to boost your sports performance? Or do you just want to gett active? There are some truly impressive sports watches out there which use cutting-edge technology to track all popular sports. They won’t just tell you the distance you’ve covered or the number of calories you’ve burned; they’ll give you an in-depth analysis of heart rate, technique and the effect of your training. Some can even give you coaching as you go!

Whatever you want a sports watch for, there’s one out there to suit you – so how to decide? Here’s our roundup of the most popular sports watches for men in 2019.

1. The Garmin Forerunner 735XT

The Garmin brand is well-known for its high quality devices, and the Forerunner 735XT certainly won’t disappoint. If you’re a cyclist, you’ll particularly love this sports watch since it doesn’t just offer Bluetooth, it also offers ANT+. This means you’ll have the possibility of connecting to a huge range of devices like heartrate, cadence and power sensors.

The battery life is pretty amazing too, lasting for a full 14 hours when using GPS or an outstanding 11 days when used without GPS. Even if you aren’t a cyclist, you’ll still find a lot to enjoy with this watch. It can track indoor events, has a multisport mode if you’re a triathlete and is waterproof for use while swimming.

2. Polar M430

Are you a runner? There’s a host of sports watches to choose from to track your favourite sport, but none is better than the Polar M430. Without the premium price tag of some rival models, this device offers all of the essential features and functions that you’re going to need. It comes equipped with a heartrate monitor and inbuilt GPS as well as the ability to set up a customised workout based on your time, heartrate, distance or pace.

On the Polar Flow app and website you can create a customised training plan to suit your individual needs based on a particular target or your fitness level. That plan will then be transmitted to your sports watch which will then guide you through your workouts. Basically, it’s a tracker and running coach in one handy device. The battery life of eight hours when you have GPS enabled or 20 hours without is long enough to suit any runner’s needs. Furthermore, its waterproofing means you won’t have to worry about rain or sweat.

3. Garmin Forerunner 35

If you want a fully featured sports watch but you’re on a tight budget, you might want to consider the Garmin Forerunner 35. As you’d expect from a device from the Garmin brand, this watch comes well-equipped with almost everything you could need. As well as its everyday sports tracking functions, it also comes with inbuilt GPS, indoor and outdoor running, walking and cycling modes.

You can’t use it for tracking your swims, which is a minor downside, but it is waterproofed to 5ATM so you can wear it confidently in the pool or in the rain. It even comes with a heartrate sensor built in, but it’s also compatible with ANT+ chest straps if you want even more accuracy. Even better, you can pair it with the Garmin Footpod if you want the most accurate indoor treadmill tracking. With a long 13 hour battery life if the GPS is active or nine days without, this watch won’t disappoint, especially at this price point.

4. Withings Steel HR

Do you want a functional sports watch but without the added bulk? The Withings Steel HR is the ideal solution, with a discreet appearance that looks exactly like a regular watch. It may have an unassuming façade but it certainly doesn’t compromise on technology; it has all the advanced tech you could possibly need for tracking your everyday sporting activities and recording basic information about your fitness levels.

This watch can automatically track your walks, swims and runs as well as your sleep patterns. It’ll give you subtle insights as to your progress through its OLED display. It doesn’t offer GPS tracking and there are no in-depth workout statistics, but if you’re looking for style with some fitness tracking functions thrown in you’ll find it an ideal choice. It’s waterproof, features a heartrate tracker and has an amazing battery life of 25 days.

5. Apple Watch Series 4

If you’re serious about your sports tracking and want one of the very best sports watches on the market with the top smartwatch functions thrown in, the Apple Watch Series 4 is hard to beat. Offering you all the benefits you would expect from one of the world’s biggest and best-known technology brands, the Series 4 has a fast processor and one of the best swimming trackers available with automatic lap counting and stroke recognition.

Choose the cellular model and you won’t need to take your phone with you while you train – you’ll be able to take calls, use GPS and stream music right from your wrist. All the top tracking apps are fully supported by this device including Cyclemeter, Runkeeper and Strava and there are plenty of other workout applications to choose from too.

Unfortunately, the battery life isn’t the longest at around 18 hours, but its excellent multi-functional features offset this. However, the watch comes with a high price tag, but you’ll have the confidence of knowing you’re buying a sports watch that’s going to last for years.

These are just five of the very best sports watches for men in 2019. We’re sure you’ll find one to suit your needs, budget and taste!

How Do We Test Smartwatches?

We take pride in the amount of time and effort that we put into testing and reviewing smartwatches. We know that you’re relying on us to give you the key information that you need to decide whether a certain model is right for your needs, and that’s why we put each and every one through its paces with a rigorous approach to testing.

We examine the design of each watch to see whether it’s stylish and appealing while also remaining highly functional and easy to use. Is it comfortable to wear? Does it look good on wrists of all sizes? Does it offer customisation options or interchangeable straps and faces? We examine all of these elements.

We look closely at integrated features and fitness tracking capabilities. Is there GPS? Are there LTE capabilities? Can you make contactless payments? Is there storage for songs and podcasts? Sleep tracking and activity tracking for different sports? We test these elements and look at the effect that each have on the power, processing capacity, memory and battery life of each device.

Then we bring all this information together in an informative review so that you can make the best choice about whether the smartwatch that we’re reviewing is really the best one for your requirements.

Garmin Instinct

November 1, 2019 By Superwatches Leave a Comment

Female rock climbing and being spotted by male partner

Garmin watches are well known for their impressive sports tracking abilities, and the Instinct certainly doesn’t disappoint in this respect. With its wealth of customisation options and its rugged appearance, it’s a great choice for anyone who loves the outdoor lifestyle. It has no shortage of features, but is this the right smartwatch for you? We take a closer look at what the Garmin Instinct has to offer.

The Background

The Instinct follows on from Garmin’s earlier Vivoactive and Fenix ranges combining the former’s lightweight design and the analytical advanced features of the latter.

The Features

The Instinct is a very functional smartwatch, although its five-button control system isn’t very user-friendly. One of the top features of this watch is its customisation abilities. From its 12 pre-loaded watch faces to its customisable data, you can really get a lot out of this watch – once you’ve mastered the learning curve of its controls.

The Design

The Instinct doesn’t have the most stylish design but it does come in a choice of three appealing colors – graphite, tundra and flame red. There’s also the possibility of a little extra customisation thanks to the Quickfit straps.

The Instinct weighs 52g and has a 45mm casing. This makes it less chunky than many of its rivals, including the Fenix. The strap is made from comfortable silicone which makes it easy to wear anywhere.

The monochrome screen is a bit of a let-down when compared with other watches. Its 128 x 128 pixel display offers a no frills experience, even though it provides you with all the information you need to see. However, if you’re serious about an outdoor lifestyle, the simple display could be one of this device’s greatest benefits.

The Fitness Tracking

As you’d expect from a Garmin device, the Instinct has its focus firmly on outdoor enthusiasts who are looking for a quick and simple way to view their vital stats. Hikers, trail runners and climbers will appreciate the effective tracking on this device, although those who participate primarily in a sport which isn’t mentioned above will find that there are better alternatives out there. The activity interface isn’t the most informative or detailed, but it should be sufficient to accommodate most requirements. The strength and gym activity option is difficult to use and, due to its manual management, it makes it just too challenging to be worthwhile.

What Are The Main Advantages?

Water resistant to 100 meters
Slim design which isn’t too bulky for slim wrists
Excellent for outdoor activity tracking
Longer battery life
Easy to read screen, even in low lighting conditions

What Are The Main Disadvantages?

No color screen
Limited features and statistics
Best suited to outdoor sports

Competition

If you find the sports tracking of this smartwatch appealing but want a more stylish option with higher-end look and feel, the Garmin Fenix range could be a better option. It offers many of the same features as the Instinct but looks more appealing.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for wider range of features, such as the ability to make contactless payments, receive your notifications on the go or play your music as you jog, there are better alternatives. The Samsung Galaxy Watch is a good choice for Android smartphone users, while it’s hard to beat the Apple Watch Series 4 if you’re an iPhone user who wants maximum functionality on the move. However, both of these come with higher price tags.

How Do We Test Smartwatches?

We know that not everyone wants the same thing from their devices, so we make sure to look at all the different aspects of each model before bringing you the details you need to know.

First, we look at the design aspects of the watch. We see how comfortable it feels to wear, how attractive it looks and how user-friendly the controls are. Is it a watch that can take you from day to night effortlessly? Will it work on slim or chunky wrists? Does it feel secure?

Next, we look at the various features of each watch. Can it play music? Take calls on the go? Push your notifications? Does it have GPS tracking? What are its fitness tracking capabilities? We put all of these factors to the test, and work out just how much effect each has on the device’s processing power, memory and battery life. Will the battery last as long as the manufacturer suggests? Will the tracking stats stand up to expectations? Does it let you do everything you need it to?

Finally, we collate all of this information and put it all together in a review for you so that you can make a well informed decision about which is the right smartwatch to suit your needs.

In Summary

If you’re an outdoors enthusiast who is looking for a durable, robust and rugged smartwatch to show your vital stats while hiking, mountain climbing or trail running, you’ve found it in the Garmin Instinct. It isn’t the most beautiful watch, and it certainly isn’t the most advanced in terms of its display or functions, but it does the job that it was designed to do – to give serious outdoor sports enthusiasts an efficient way to track their activities – and it does it well.

Popular Sports Watches For Women In 2019

October 31, 2019 By Emma Morris Leave a Comment

Lady dune surfing and wearing smartwatch

Are you a woman who loves sports and the outdoor life? Then you’re going to need a sports watch that can keep up with you! Check the best ones for 2019!

If you’re a woman who loves the sporting life, you’re definitely going to need a sports watch to keep on top of your fitness goals. It’s the best way to hit your targets and make sure you’re doing the most appropriate workouts in the correct way and at the best time.

There’s no shortage of sports watches on the market today, so how do you go about choosing the best one for you? Lots of the options out there are targeted at men, however, and for ladies with slimmer wrists who want a less bulky watch that won’t restrict their range of movement, it can be hard to select a model that fits the bill. That’s why we’ve brought you this list of popular sports watches for women in 2019 so you can make a well-informed decision.

Garmin Fenix 5S Sapphire

Garmin is one of the biggest and best-known sports watch brands out there today, and the Fenix 5S Sapphire is an especially stylish model with a black band and shiny black finish. This watch comes pre-loaded with adventure and sports profiles for use during running or hiking as well as a complete navigation system consisting of Glonass satellite reception, three-axis compass and GPS as well as a barometer and altimeter. It’ll even track the weather conditions and keep you up to date if a storm is on the horizon. Better still, it has a 14 hour battery life even in GPS mode ensuring you won’t have to recharge until you’re back home.

Fitbit Charge 2

Fitbit is another top fitness tracker and sports watch manufacturer. The Charge 2 smartwatch offers some exciting features for women including a heartrate monitor and a calorie tracker. The OLED display boasts high resolution on which phone notifications are shown via Bluetooth. This watch also has a sleep tracker and will even give you your own personalised cardio score so you can boost your fitness level. There’s also an integrated navigation system with compass and GPS ideal for ladies who love to hit the trail!

Apple Watch Series 3

If you’re in the market for a high-end sports watch with plenty of smartwatch functionality the Apple Watch Series 3 won’t disappoint. With its embedded SIM card which works with several carriers, you can make calls from your wrist. It also has both 4G and GPS connectivity with a high-res screen which clearly displays all your notifications. Apps can be downloaded to the device and seen on the screen. With its integrated heartrate sensor and water-resistance to 50m it’s a great choice for tracking all kinds of workouts. That’s not to mention its stylish good looks. With a choice of sizes available to suit the slim female wrist it’s one of the best premium sports watches available.

Samsung Gear Sports Watch

Samsung is one of the most popular electronics manufacturers today and its Gear Sports Watch is an excellent example of its best tech. Boasting some seriously advanced features, this watch can be used with either the iOS or Android platform for maximum versatility. Not only does it have Bluetooth connectivity, it’s also water-resistant to 50m. You’ll receive your text and call notifications on the screen while its 1 GHz dual-core processor is impressively fast. You’ll enjoy accurate measurements of your heartrate and GPS while its durable construction means that you’ll never have to worry about it not being robust enough to withstand your frantic pace or adventurous activities.

The Fitbit Versa

Another excellent sports watch from the Fitbit brand is the Versa. Boasting a strong and stylish aluminium case, it tracks your heartrate and monitors your sleep to keep you in good shape. It also offers more than 15 different exercise modes so you can ensure your routines are achieving maximum benefit. For those who like to listen to music as they work out, the Versa has sufficient storage to accommodate more than 300 tracks while its four-day battery life is hard to beat. It’s also water-resistant to 50m so you can wear it in the pool.

The Fitbit Ionic

Another popular Fitbit sports watch for women is the Fitbit Ionic. Available in a choice of two stylish and attractive colours, this is a great choice of watch if you’re looking for more personalized and dynamic workout routines. With sufficient storage for more than 300 songs, this watch can tell you the time in different time zones around the world and even features an NFC chip so you can make payments wirelessly. The heartrate and pulse tracker will keep an eye on your fitness levels while the coaching feature maximises your workout potential.

Polar V800 Sports Watch

This advanced training sports watch is the ideal choice for women who are really serious about staying in peak shape. Equipped with impressive advanced features, this watch boasts both Bluetooth and GPS connectivity as well as cycling and running sensors and a heartrate monitor. Its durable construction makes this the perfect watch to wear out on the trail while its wireless connectivity makes this a particularly convenient choice if you want to leave your phone at home while you’re exercising. The sensors have been designed to be extremely sensitive for the most accurate measurements while the attractive ergonomics only add to the feminine appeal.

As a woman who wants to stay fit, having a fully functioning sports watch couldn’t be more important these days. However, whatever type of sports watch you’re looking for, whatever your favourite type of workout and whatever your budget, there’s sure to be a model on this list that’s absolutely ideal for you.

How Do We Test Smartwatches?

Best Hiking Watches

August 8, 2019 By Rachael Ban Leave a Comment

During the last decade, hiking has exploded in popularity. This is partly due to the invention of hiking watches. Indeed, hiking watches are great because they help walkers feel safe in the mountains.

So, what are the best hiking watches? Well, a good hiking watch should have a barometer, altimeter, compass, and GPS/GLONASS. Also, it should be durable. The Garmin Fenix 5 and Suunto Traverse are market leaders, but there are a few other good options, too.

Trekking watches cost a premium so think about which features you want. And which you could leave behind! To help you on your way, I’ll compare 5 of the best hiking watches.

Woman hiker checking watch — Hiking watches

What to Look for in a Hiking Watch

A good hiking watch will not only capture your fitness data, but it will also help you navigate and forecast the weather. These additional features will keep you safe in the outdoors. So, when choosing a hiking watch, look for the following features:

Barometer – this detects changes in air pressure so it can tell you if a storm is on the way.
Altimeter – this shows you how high above sea level you are, which is very useful for navigation.
Compass – Again, a compass is useful for navigation. In conjunction with a map, you can use a compass to find your exact location.
GPS or GLONASS – GPS tracks your location. And GLONASS is the most advanced version of GPS available. When combined with an altimeter and barometer, GPS/GLONASS is extremely accurate.
Heart-rate monitor – this allows you to monitor your heart rate (HR) and avoid exertion too early in a hike.
Maps – Most hiking watches display basic GPS maps, but one watch even displays topographic maps (paper-style maps).
Hard-wearing design – Hikers are out in all weathers, so they need a watch that’s built to last. Some watches have a Sapphire glass covering, which is near impossible to scratch.

With that in mind, here are 5 hiking watches that are packed full of useful features.

1. Garmin Fenix 5

When it comes to hiking watches, the Garmin Fenix 5 is the market leader. It is extremely accurate at measuring location and predicting the weather. As such, it can keep you safe in unpredictable terrain.

One of the best features is that you can view pre-loaded topographic maps. This is a distinguishing feature because most hiking watches only display barebones maps. Topographic maps are much better for navigating, so you’re less likely to get lost.

Another great thing about this watch is that it can connect to your smartphone camera. So, you can position your smartphone on a rock, and then gather together for a group photo. When it’s time to say ‘cheese’, you can take the photo directly from your wrist. So, if you have a Garmin Fenix 5, no one needs to be left out of the photo.

Pros

Multi-sport tracking – this watch can track all your hobbies, so there is no need to buy additional devices.
Very durable and hard-wearing – If you are willing to splash the cash, you could even invest in the Sapphire glass model.
Supports GLONASS – as mentioned, this is the latest location-tracking technology. If you want to map your location and altitude with precision, you won’t be disappointed with this watch.
Storm alerts – as you’ll know, weather can change pretty quickly on the mountains. If you download the weather forecast app, you’ll receive storm alerts, so you can reroute or turn back.
3 Sizes – although this watch is quite bulky (to accommodate all the hardware), it does come in 3 different sizes.
Maps – as mentioned, topographic maps are a distinguishing feature.

Cons

Battery life – this watch has around 20 hours of battery life in full GPS mode. This isn’t great, but it is comparable with most other GPS watches.
Buttons – this watch has buttons rather than a touch screen which some people find irritating.
Price – because the Garmin Fenix is feature-packed, it does have a hefty price tag.

2. Garmin Vivoactive 3

The Garmin Vivoactive 3 is not, strictly speaking, a hiking watch, but it can be used to track casual hikes of less than 8 hours. It includes some of the features of the Fenix but it costs less. Like the Fenix, it is a great multi-sport watch, so it’s perfect if you have multiple hobbies.

So, what’s so good about the Garmin Vivoactive 3? Well, it has GPS and GLONASS to track location, distance, and pace. It also has a barometric altimeter to accurately map altitude. As mentioned, this is useful for accurate navigation. Also, the weather app and sunrise/sunset alerts are great safety features.

One of the downsides of this watch is that it cannot display topographic maps. It is also not as durable as the Fenix 5. Finally, because it doesn’t have a dedicated trekking mode, it might not capture/show all the relevant data. But, if you have an android phone, you can download an app like Hike 2 to make sure all your hiking data is captured.

All in all, this watch is ideal if you are a causal hiker with multiple hobbies, and you want a reasonably priced fitness watch.

Pros

Affordable – this is a mid-range fitness watch and offers great value for money.
Multisport watch – so it can track swimming, yoga, running, and gym workouts.
Smartwatch features – this watch offers smartphone alerts and Garmin Pay.
Lightweight – this watch is lighter than the Fenix and many other hiking watches, so it’s an ideal running watch, too.

Cons

Battery life – The battery life is not quite as good as the Fenix 5. It offers 13 hours in GPS mode and 7 days in smartwatch mode. It is fine for the causal hiker, though.
No hiking mode – There is no inbuilt hiking mode with the watch. Although additional apps can be downloaded, people new to fitness tracking might find this difficult.

3. TomTom GPS Multisport

This is a great mid-range watch for outdoorsy people. It has a sleek and stylish design. Also, because it is lightweight, it would not look too bulky on a slender wrist. Although it doesn’t offer as many features as the Garmin Fenix 5, it is easier on the eye, and more comfortable on the wrist.

As you’d expect, it has GPS to measure location and a barometer to measure air pressure. It does not have a GLONASS sensor so it may not measure location and altitude as accurately as the Garmin devices, but it is still pretty accurate.

This watch is great for cautious explorers. This is because you can upload a chosen route and the watch will give you a breadcrumb trail to follow. This is a fun way of ‘navigating’ if you are new to hiking.

Like many hiking watches, it’s a ‘multisport’ device so it can measure lots of sports in addition to hiking. In fact, if you are into skiing and snowboarding, you will find this watch particularly useful. This is because the barometer can accurately measure ski lift versus downhill run time.

So, all in all, this watch is great for outdoorsy types that like hiking and other winter sports. Having said that, if you are very serious about hiking and navigation, you may find the HIKE features a little simple.

Pros

Stylish and lightweight design – so it’s particularly suited to women.
Multisport features – it’s especially suited to winter sports enthusiasts.
Stores up to 500 songs -this is a great feature if you like listening to songs or podcasts on your long walks.

Cons

No maps – to be specific, it doesn’t have topographic maps.
Battery life – again, the battery life isn’t great (up to 20 hours on HIKE mode)
No GLONASS – So, it may not measure altitude and location as accurately as some other devices.

4. Suunto Traverse

Suunto watches are renowned for their accuracy and reliability. Any watch in the Suunto range would make a good trekking watch but the Traverse is particularly good.

Why is this? Well, it has an altimeter, barometer, and GLONASS sensor to map your location and altitude with precision. It also has a compass to help with navigation, as well as a thermometer. The thermometer and barometer can be used to predict weather changes. So, with all these features, you know you’ll be safe in the mountains.

The Traverse isn’t a multisport watch, so it doesn’t offer a bunch of other settings. Neither is it a smartwatch, so it doesn’t offer payment features. But because of all this, the hardware is nice and light, so it has a minimalist and chic design.

If you want very detailed fitness information, you might be better off going for the Suunto Ambit 3 Peak. Similarly, if you want a multisport device, the Suunto Ambit 3 Peak, or one of the Garmin watches will be a better choice.

But, if you are more interested in the joy of hiking than monitoring your fitness, the Traverse offers great value for money.

Pros

Lightweight and stylish design – so, the watch can be worn 24/7 if you want.
Great battery life – up to 100 hours in GPS mode and 14 days in regular mode!
GLONASS sensor – To track your location with precision.

Cons

Minimal fitness tracking – it might not offer enough fitness data for the keen athlete.
Not a multisport watch – so, it’s not great for people with multiple hobbies.

5. Casio PRG-600-1ER

As we’ve seen, one of the biggest problems with hiking watches is the poor battery life (except perhaps the Suunto Traverse which has 100 hours in GPS mode). GPS/GLONASS is such a great feature to have in a hiking watch, but it does run the battery down. So, these watches aren’t that practical for multi-day hikes.

The CASIO PRG 600-1ER doesn’t have in-built GPS. At first glance, you might think it’s not even worth considering a hiking watch that doesn’t have GPS. But, don’t be too quick to judge.

Firstly, this watch is solar powered so it’s unlikely that you’d ever run out of power. This is a huge benefit if you hike for days at a time.

Secondly, it forces you to navigate in the traditional way. It comes equipped with a barometer, altimeter and compass so it’s still a great piece of kit.

So, if you are learning to navigate, or you are already a very confident navigator, the Casio PRG 600 might be a great option for you.

Pros

Solar-powered – this watch charges via sunlight (even dim light) so you don’t need to worry about finding a charge point.
Good quality hardware – Casio watches are very high quality and durable.
Training tool – because this watch doesn’t have GPS/GLONASS, you can practice old school navigation skills. This means you won’t rely too heavily on technology, which is important for staying safe as a hiker.

Cons

Cannot track routes – because there is no GPS, your routes are not automatically stored in the app.
Needs calibrating – in GPS watches, the altimeter is automatically calibrated via GPS. Calibration will need to be done manually, on a regular basis.
Price – considering it doesn’t have GPS, some people consider this watch to be overpriced.

Choosing a Trekking Watch

If you are still feeling a bit uncertain, ask yourself the following:

Do you want your watch to record your routes automatically so you can view them later? If so, choose a watch with GPS/GLONASS, such as the Garmin Fenix 5, Garmin Vivosport, or Suunto Traverse.

When you are hiking, do you want to know your exact altitude? If the answer is yes, the Garmin devices and Suunto Traverse are best for this. The TomTom and Casio may not be as accurate.

Need a watch with great battery life? Choose the Suunto Traverse or Casio. And if you want a multisport device, choose the Fenix 5, Vivoactive, or TomTom.

Finally, if you’d like a watch that displays topographic maps, there is no better choice than the Garmin Fenix 5.

Most people would agree that the Garmin Fenix 5 is the market leader, but it’s not necessarily the right watch for you. Hopefully, this article has opened your eyes to 5 great hiking watches – each promising in their own right. So, which one will you choose?