Running watch. Rating of sports watches with GPS for running Rating of sports watches with gps and heart rate monitor
Jogging is the main form of physical activity for busy and business people. It is important to understand how the runner's body feels, whether it is necessary to increase the pace or duration of the workout.
Heart rate data and distance measurement help to increase the effectiveness of fitness activities. A sports watch for running will help you with this!.
Benefits of a Suunto running watch
- GPS speed and distance measurement. For example, the Suunto Spartan Trainer Wrist is a compact and handy GPS running watch.
- Touch screen. Suunto Spartan Sport Wrist HR is suitable for multi-training and supports 80 sport modes.
- Saving load data. Suunto Spartan Sport Sakura HR watch with GPS captures and analyzes daily activity and rest data, suitable for running and active walking.
- Tracking the route of movement. Suunto Spartan Ultra White HR finds new routes and keeps you connected if you get lost on the ground.
- Comparison of owner's achievements with community members. Suunto Spartan Ultra Black running watch is connected to Coach control mode.
Buying a sports watch for running for yourself or as a gift is very simple. There are more than 30 models for athletes on our website. We give a 24-month warranty on gadgets, we notify you about promotions and the availability of service centers near your home. Play sports with your Suunto smartwatch and achieve success!
Running watches with a heart rate monitor perform different functions: they act as a personal motivator for “sloths”, they help professionals control their daily performance, and for beginners they are a reason to finally start training. All these people will use different gadgets. But how do you choose a running heart rate monitor when there are as many options on the market as there are cups of water in the ocean? We'll figure out.
Let's cut the redundant: 6 main characteristics when choosing a watch
In order for a watch to be useful, you need to choose it not according to the rating of the newest or most stylish devices. The emphasis should be on needs. Ask yourself: is this gadget for a beginner who needs only counting mileage and heart rate, or for a professional when speed, navigation, and training modes are important? A beginner will unnecessarily overpay for an unnecessary set of functions, and it will not be enough for a master of his craft to simply control the pulse.
So, here is the algorithm that you should follow when choosing a sports watch for running.
- First, decide on the amount that you are ready to allocate for the purchase of the device. But keep in mind that the cheap option is more suitable for a beginner: it can show the result with an error.
- Indicate in what types of training the device will be used. It can be fitness, triathlon or amateur running in the morning.
- Determine how often the sessions will be held: every day or once a week. Consider the time of day: if you run in the evening, it would be better to choose a model with backlight.
- Indicate what is more important: the accuracy of measurements or the compactness of the device? Professionals are advised to pay attention to more bulky options with a chest sensor, and a wristband is also suitable for amateurs.
- For sports under any conditions, it is better to choose a moisture- and shock-resistant model.
- Battery life is also important, be sure to read this information, it will be a shame if the battery runs out before the end of the workout.
Additional features not to be ignored
We considered the main points, let's move on to additional chips that will also help you decide on the choice of a model for running:
- heart rate monitor;
- alerts;
- stopwatch;
- automatic pause;
- the ability to connect a headset;
Studies were conducted at Stanford University, and this watch showed the smallest error in comparison with chest sensors. The smart model measures both distance, speed and pace of running.
The distinguishing features of the gadget are as follows:
- autonomy - 18 hours;
- they not only measure the pulse, but also work like a smart watch: they show notifications that come to the phone;
- there is GPS and Wi-Fi;
- protection against moisture up to 50 m;
- only compatible with iPhones.
Such a device costs $300-700, depending on the color design and model, there are several variations.
The best watch for triathlon
Running plays a key role in triathlete training, but triathletes need a device that is also suitable for swimming and cycling. Here the best choice would be Suunto Spartan Sport Wrist HR.
This watch is known for its multi-sport capability, so nothing better for a triathlon. They do not have a chest heart rate monitor, but this device can be purchased separately and connected via Bluetooth. Heart rate is counted in Suunto Spartan on a continuous basis, even while swimming and sleeping.
Among the features:
- GPS and GLONASS navigation systems;
- pedometer, heart rate monitor;
- moisture protection at a depth of up to 100 m;
- digital compass;
- 16 hours of operation without recharging.
The price of the device is $522.
The best watch for fitness
If a person is into fitness, and it is important for him to monitor his health, calories burned and mileage, you should try Withings Steel HR. There is a heart rate monitor and various counters to help in the classroom. The price of this watch is $200.
The gadget will not cause any inconvenience during training, the display is very compact, and the watch is stylish and comfortable to wear. Battery life is also a strong point of Withings Steel HR, as much as 25 days "in one go". In addition, suitable for, moisture protection allows you to immerse the gadget to a depth of 50 m.
If a person expects to lead a healthy lifestyle, give the body small loads in different areas, Withings Steel HR is the winner in the fitness watch rating.
Athletes have to think seriously when it comes time to choose a smart watch with GPS for running. These devices are a great support and help for runners, tracking distance, pace, heart rate, calories burned and more. But which ones are the best and most suitable?
We have compiled a review of running watches - the top 10 best models with descriptions, characteristics and their pros and cons. Most of them have features for both tracking runs and other sports. With such devices, you can monitor your health, keep data statistics, view the history of physical activity and monitor the quality of sleep. All these are smart sports watches with a GPS tracker that you can choose for yourself in 2019.
- Colored topographic maps
- Music player
- Availability of a pulse oximeter
- Accurate measurements
- Large set of activities
- High price
- No signal selection
- Hand sweats under silicone strap
- The screen is not touch
A sports watch with a heart rate monitor and GPS, as well as color TOPO maps with Trendline popular route calculation, is the Garmin Fenix 5X Plus. They are designed specifically for athletes and outdoor enthusiasts, and the built-in heart rate monitor has a pulse oximeter - a special technology for determining blood oxygen saturation during heavy exertion.
Whether you're in the city or on the highway with the Fenix GPS watch, its mapping and navigation features help you navigate the area and stay on course.
5X Plus gives you access to physiological and running dynamics to track your training statistics and measure your progress. For added motivation, you can download advanced workouts and workout plans using Garmin Connect.
The display here is not touch, and navigation through the menu is carried out using the buttons.
Sport
Watch with GPS navigator Fenix 5X Plus will not only become a reliable partner while running, but also an indispensable assistant if you are fond of multisport. Special pre-loaded activity profiles in the watch are designed for sports such as:
- Swimming
- A ride on the bicycle
- Hiking
- Skiing
- boating
- Kayaking
- And much more
Features and sensors
- Multi-network navigation GPS, GLONASS and Galileo
- Altimeter
- Barometer
- Compass
- Training history
- Sleep monitoring
- Pulse Ox Acclimation Sensor
- NFC (Garmin Pay)
- Smart Notifications
- Music player
Although the Garmin Fenix 5X Plus is an expensive running watch with heart rate and pedometer, it is packed with top-notch features, offering quality materials and accurate performance data.
And this is the most convenient smart watch with GPS maps that fans of jogging in unfamiliar and beautiful places will like.
The price is $814.
- For multisport runners
- Sports recognition
- Accurate indicators
- Lungs
- 24/7 heart rate monitoring
- Waterproof case
- Smartphone notifications
- Expensive
- Signal not adjustable
- Inaccurate readings while swimming
The Garmin Forerunner 735XT heart rate running watch is the ultimate multisport device. They are designed for athletes who need the intensity of their run and accurate collected training data.
The smaller form factor and comfortable strap make it easy to carry all day long. With automatic data uploads to Garmin Connect, you can share your wins and stats on social media.
A feature of this sports watch is the button control. For some, this will seem inconvenient, but due to the fact that fingers often sweat during training, using the watch becomes more convenient without interacting with the touch screen.
Sport
The Garmin Forerunner 735XT GPS running watch is a great companion that accurately shows steps, calories burned, distance covered, active time, as well as speed, heart rate zones and more.
The 735XT also recognizes sports such as:
- Running indoors and outdoors
- Skiing and cross-country skiing
- Rowing
- hiking
- Power training
- Triathlon
In our opinion, Garmin is the best running watch because it recognizes the types of sports activities, as well as detecting heart rate zones, warning you of high heart rate.
Features and sensors
- GPS/GLONASS
- Garmin Elevate Heart Rate Sensor
- Compass
- Accelerometer
- Weather
- Smartphone Music Control
- Calendar
- Change of dials
- V02 Max
- GPS coordinates
- Possibility of use in the pool and in open water
This GPS sports watch is your recovery partner with daily activity monitoring that tracks steps, calories and sleep. And smart notifications automatic download on Garmin Connect and real-time tracking make the 735XT the perfect smartwatch for runners.
The price is $334.
- Good battery life
- Intuitive setup
- Easy use
- Heart rate tracking while swimming
- Great for running
- Not cheap
- Requires frequent recharging during active use
The Garmin Forerunner 935 premium running smartwatch offers advanced features for running and multisport training. They are light, only 49g, and comfortable to wear, so you can wear them with pleasure all day long. They are compatible with any interchangeable straps from the QuickFit series.
With the help of the built-in barometer, they provide height measurement, and the altimeter and electronic compass will help you navigate the terrain.
An important feature of this smartwatch for runners is the evaluation of the training status to determine the level of active load, so that the athlete does not overwork.
Biomechanical measurements such as cadence, stride length, basic contact time and balance, vertical oscillation and vertical ratio are key to understanding a runner's form. In this regard, we have identified Garmin in our ranking of sports watches with GPS and a heart rate monitor.
Sport
- indoor running
- outdoor running
- Cycling indoors
- Cycling
- Swimming (in the pool and outside)
- Rowing
- hike
- Power training
- Triathlon
Features and sensors
- Alarm
- Timer
- Stopwatch
- Barometric altimeter
- Compass
- Gyroscope
- Accelerometer
- Thermometer
- GLONASS
- Heart rate sensor
- Phone notifications
- Smartphone camera control
- LiveTrack security and tracking feature
The Forerunner 935 sports watch with heart rate monitors your training and recovery so you can better prepare for your race or training cycle. Training status is a new performance monitoring tool that automatically evaluates recent training history and performance metrics to let the athlete know if they are training productively, whether they have reached their maximum or exceeded their limits.
The price is $334.
- Precise sensors
- Beautiful and comfortable
- Multifunctional
- Bright and clear display
- Waterproof
- High price
- Short battery life
- Doesn't track sleep
- No support for Android smartphones
- LTE and ECG are useless in our country
The Apple Watch Series 4 is an all-in-one smartwatch for running, everyday use, and just for style.
This is an upgraded fourth generation model with a larger display, improved speaker and an innovative heart rate sensor with ECG readout. Although the last function, along with LTE, does not work in our country.
But even without that, today these smart watch are the best wearable devices on the market, offering a range of accurate sensors for tracking physical activity.
Beautiful appearance, change of straps, suitable case size (40 mm and 44 mm) with a choice of its color and material give the watch versatility and individuality.
Sport
Smartwatch provides metrics for health and fitness tracking:
- UV index
- calories
- Distance traveled
- Pulse
- Number of steps
- Workout time
- Physical activity
Features and sensors
- WiFi module
- Positioning with GPS / GLONASS / Galileo / QZSS
- Bluetooth interface
- Optical heart rate sensor
- Electric pulse sensor
- Water protection 5ATM
- Music player
- Smart Notifications
- Accelerometer
- Ambient light sensor
- Gyroscope
- NFC (Apple Pay)
It is perhaps the best GPS tracker watch, offering beautiful appearance, slim form factor, light weight and the most advanced technology.
The price is from $406.
- Thin and light
- Special for fitness
- Accurate indicators
- Choice of interchangeable dials
- Receive smartphone notifications
- Compatible with Android and iOS
- Nice bright display
- Suitable for both men and women
- No high heart rate warnings
- Limited features for iPhone
- No bezel
When the choice of a sports watch stops at a device with an elegant design, this is also the right decision. The Galaxy Watch Active from Samsung offers a super thin and light design especially for outdoor enthusiasts. The appearance has changed due to the absence of the company's patented rotating bezel, which simplified interaction with the display.
A watch with a heart rate monitor and GPS Active is suitable for athletes who love to run, because thanks to a comfortable fit on the arm and low weight, they are practically not felt during training, and durable Corning Gorilla Glass protects against accidental impacts. You will be able to see data statistics during active activities, and then view it in the Samsung Health app
Running is automatically recognized, so you don't need to search for a special section or widget before running to start your workout. In addition, thanks to GPS, you can track your route. In direct sunlight, information is clearly visible, which is very important for runners who train outdoors during the day.
Sport
In addition to running with the Galaxy Watch Active fitness watch, you can also engage in activities such as:
- Running on a treadmill
- Walking
- hike
- Cycling (indoors and outdoors)
- Swimming in the pool and outdoors
- Circuit training
- Power training
- Stretching
- Much more
The screens are customizable so that you can easily see the most important data during sports, such as goal, distance, speed, pace or calories burned.
Features and sensors
- Continuous reading of heart beats
- GPS / GLONASS / Beidou / Galileo
- NFC (Samsung Pay)
- Water resistance 5ATM + IP68 / MIL-STD-810G
- 4 GB internal memory for music storage
- Sleep tracking
- Rewards and motivation
- User Feedback
- Stress Tracker
- Accelerometer
- Barometer
- Gyroscope
- Heart rate sensor
- Light sensor
The Galaxy Watch Active is a trusted fitness companion that proactively provides advice to keep you motivated, achieve your goals and set new challenges to support your healthy lifestyle.
The price is $250.
Sport
Suunto 3 Fitness has built-in modes for tracking sports such as:
- Swimming
- Bike
- Workouts in the gym
- Much more
While running, you will be able to see information on the watch screen, which includes speed, pace and distance calculated using the accelerometer. Any activity you do will display data on the number of steps and calories burned.
In addition, sleep quality monitoring and fitness level indicator influence adaptive training recommendations.
Features and sensors
- heart rate monitor
- Accelerometer
- Pedometer
- Water resistance up to 30 m
- Connected GPS
- Alarm
- Stopwatch
- Timer
- Countdown timer
- Customizable watch faces
- Phone notifications
- Style options
- Accurate fitness tracking
- Working in the pool
- Storing music in memory (300 songs)
- Long battery life
- Support for women's health monitoring
- Thick frame around the display
- No built-in GPS
- Bulky charger
The Fitbit Versa is a super lightweight running smartwatch with over 15 workout modes. They come in 5 beautiful colors and a slim, comfortable design. 5ATM water resistance allows you to swim without removing the device from your hand.
By connecting your Versa to your smartphone's GPS, you'll be able to get more accurate pace and run time data. In addition, the watch monitors physical activity throughout the day and provides more than 4 days of battery life.
While running, the device detects exactly when you paused for a short break.
In addition to automatically recognizing workouts and recording all the parameters obtained during sports, there is the possibility of monitoring women's health. Periods, cycles and ovulation can be recorded and tracked.
Sport
- Swimming
- Cycling
- Tennis
- Other workouts
Features and sensors
- Sleep phase recognition
- Notifications for calls, calendar events and texts
- 15 workout modes
- Store and play over 300 music tracks
- Bluetooth
- Accelerometer
- Gyroscope
- Altimeter
- light sensor
- Heart rate monitor with heart rate measurement 24/7
The Fitbit app gives you all the information you need to drink water and workouts, set goals and track all your progress.
If you think that a sports watch is just a beautiful accessory, then you are wrong. It's a powerful tool for tracking many aspects of how you feel when you're physically active. This gadget is a must for beginner runners: it will help to control the level of loads, observe the optimal mode and analyze progress. Experienced athletes will achieve more from training if all indicators of activity are at hand (more precisely, on the arm).
This material will introduce you to the best offers from the category of running watches. Here you will find both budget options for the amateur level, as well as advanced ones for serious athletes. But before we get to the actual offerings, let's take a look at the sports running watches that will hit the market very soon.
Coming Soon: Garmin Forerunner 45 / 245 Music / 945
A few hours of running with GPS from the American manufacturer Garmin are on the way. Pre-order on the official website is already open, soon new items will appear in other stores.
Forerunner 45 belongs to the primary category. The watch is equipped with a heart rate sensor, GPS, sleep tracking, Body Battery, and a set of profiles for gym and outdoor activities. They have access to free Garmin Coach adaptive training plans. There are four colors and two sizes to choose from - 39 and 42 mm.
Forerunner 245- The successor to the popular Forerunner 235 model. An innovation was the music options with the ability to listen to streaming audio from Spotify and Deezer services, as well as download tracks to internal storage. Also, the watch is equipped with heart rate and Pulse Ox sensors. The latter determines how well the body absorbs oxygen during exercise. In the next update, the watch will receive a women's health tracking function.
Forerunner 945- Top notch offer. The watch has a built-in media storage, a contactless payment system, an emergency call function and a huge range of various sports modes adjusted for heat, acclimatization and individual human performance.
Garmin Forerunner 935: The best GPS and heart rate watch for running
Price: 29 999 rubles
While the Forerunner 945 hasn't been widely available yet, the best running watches are the Forerunner 935 - light, accurate and incredibly comfortable.
They are designed to track a variety of running activities, including trail running. The heart rate sensor from Elevate provides heart rate tracking not only during exercise, but throughout the day. In addition to heart rate, speed, pace and distance data, the watch collects information about the degree of absorption of oxygen in the body, calculates individual performance indicators and recommended rest time.
The optical sensor demonstrates high information content during moderate-intensity exercises, however, during heavy loads, its accuracy drops. For the most accurate calculations, we recommend using an ANT+ chest heart rate monitor with Forerunner 935. The watch can also work in conjunction with the Garmin Running Dynamics Pod, which detects six running modes, foot-to-ground contact time, stride length, and more.
Forerunner 935 is a sports watch with GPS and a heart rate monitor for the general public. They are suitable for those who are serious about training, and those who exercise from time to time. Non-professional athletes can also look at more budget options like the Forerunner 235 or Forerunner 245, and for marathon runners, the Garmin Fenix 5 will seem an interesting model.
Garmin Forerunner 35: The Best Cheap GPS Watch for Running
Price: 11 790 rubles
Many running watches have impressive functionality and are not cheap. But there are options for those who want a good watch with GPS and a heart rate monitor without Olympic-level stats. One of them is the Garmin Forerunner 35, a wearable gadget for collecting data on running pace, distance and heart rate.
Like the rest of the Garmin lineup, the Forerunner 35 features Elevate heart rate technology. It gives a clear picture of the pulse at loads of low and medium intensity. To get detailed information about the work of the heart during high loads, the watch must be connected to a chest ANT+ heart rate monitor.
The design is simple and neat. The screen contains a lot of useful information. Thanks to its 5 ATM water resistance, the watch can be used in the rain and in the pool. For lovers of swimming, cycling and cardio, appropriate modes are provided.
For about the same price, the next generation sports watch, the Garmin Forerunner 45, will soon be available. In terms of design, they differ in a round dial, but the feature set is about the same.
Garmin Forerunner 235: #2 Best Cheap Running Watch
Price: 17 290 rubles
Now this is one of the most profitable offers: the watch is already 4 years old, and after the announcement of Forerunner 245, the price dropped even lower. This is the first model that was designed with thin wrists in mind, so it is recommended primarily for women.
This running watch uses an optical heart rate monitor from Elevate (the same used in the Garmin Forerunner 935, which are priced at twice the price). Forerunner 235 premium devices have got the technology to change the level of oxygen in the blood. In addition to it, a full set of basic functions is presented, including tracking sleep, number of steps, etc. There are not many cheap running watches with such a set of functions in the Garmin line of sports gadgets.
Garmin Fenix 5S Plus: The Best Women's Running Watch
Price: 61 450 rubles
This wearable gadget looks like a normal one. It is aimed at serious athletes and athletes with thin wrists. With a 42 mm case, the weight is 69 g.
The 5S Plus is a smaller version of the Fenix 5 Plus without sacrificing performance. It has Google Pay contactless payments, a heart rate monitor, built-in storage, color maps, access to Garmin Connect IQ, and an incredible set of stats tools.
There are modes for both popular and specific sports - running, cycling, swimming, golf, kayaking, rowing, etc. The accessory works with satellite systems and Galileo. With always-on GPS, it will work up to 11 hours. In normal mode, autonomy is about a week.
Polar Vantage M: #2 best women's running watch
Price: 19 990 rubles
The stylish Polar Vantage V (pictured below) won't be affordable for everyone. Its closest alternative from the same manufacturer is the Vantage M.
Model M has almost all the features of its expensive counterpart, is distinguished by a convenient design, interchangeable straps and decent autonomy (about 30 hours in active mode).
A smart sports watch not only collects statistics about physical activity, but also analyzes it to help you optimize your workouts and allow enough time for recovery between activities. This is an accessory for those who understand that high sports achievements depend not only on grueling workouts, but also on proper rest.
Polar Vantage V: The best watch for interval training
Price: 34 990 rubles
The 2014 Polar V800 was replaced by the Polar Vantage V. Thanks to an expanded set of statistical tools, the gadget has entered the ranks of professional-level sports accessories.
In addition to heart rate monitoring, the Vantage V tracks running power without the need for additional accessories. Running power is the force applied by an athlete to push off the ground and keep running at current speed. In some ways, this is a more accurate measure of performance than heart rate. When used wisely, running power data helps you use your body's reserves wisely and save energy over long distances.
This is not all. Polar Vantage V is a GPS and heart rate running watch that helps you optimize your rest intervals. 40 hours of battery life is a clear advantage over the Polar V800, as is the design and set of training modes.
Garmin Fenix 5 Plus: The best watch for music runners
Price: 61 450 rubles
To the amateur athlete, the Fenix 5 Plus may seem over-loaded with settings. However, thanks to a recent update, this running watch has acquired a curious feature that will interest a wide audience.
The Fenix 5 Plus is one of the best running watches out there, there's no doubt about it. For all kinds of outdoor activities, they offer specialized modes. There's an option for running, trail running, hiking, SUP surfing, and even skydiving.
Blood oxygen saturation, body recovery time, expected training efficiency and much more can be measured by the built-in optical sensor. Only the Forerunner 935 offers such abundant running statistics in the entire Garmin line, except for the Fenix 5 Plus.
For those who don't get stuck on one route, the watch offers a set of color maps with the ability to download custom routes in GPX format. This is their main difference from the base Fenix 5 model.
The latest update brought the ability to play tracks offline from Spotify. Add to that Garmin Pay support and you have one of the best feature-packed sports watches around.
Suunto 9: the best running watch with a big battery
Price: 33 990 rubles
In addition to running, they offer a huge number of other activities, but the manufacturer paid the most attention to autonomy. In the toughest power saving mode with GPS turned on, the gadget will last 120 hours.
Before starting a workout, the watch will notify the user how much charge remains. You can switch to energy-saving mode right during the workout.
The watch gives amazingly accurate speed readings. The FusedSpeed function is responsible for this: it compares satellite geodata with information received from the acceleration sensor. This is especially necessary when running trails, during interval training, and when the GPS signal is lost due to tall buildings, trees, or other obstructions.
Despite all the interesting features, some users are unhappy with the interface of Suunto 9 and poor mobile application. So if convenience and sports functionality are above autonomy for you, pay attention to the line of sports running shoes.
Apple Watch Series 4: the best smartwatch with run monitoring
Price: from 26,600 rubles
The first were not sharpened either for running or for other sports activities. A lot has changed since then: now watchOS 5 offers everything you need for both work and active pastime.
Built-in GPS-module catches satellites almost instantly. The watch can sync with playlists in Apple Music, and you can also pay with it in stores where there are terminals. The watch has a modification with an LTE module, in this case streaming music playback and mobile communications are supported.
WatchOS 5 is available not only for the fourth, but also for the third and second generation of Apple Watch. It contains many new features that will be useful for runners. The Workout app has added gliding pace (a measure of how long it took you to cover your last mile), average cadence, and automatic run detection.
Apple Services is a pretty good ecosystem for runners, but many still prefer specialized apps designed with athletic needs in mind. With Apple allowing third-party apps access to location data, the watch has become fully compatible with many popular platforms like Strava. The statistics are not the most voluminous - they are limited by the pace, the duration of the race, the distance and the heart rate. The heart rate monitor in the Apple Watch 4 is not medically accurate, but for the consumer class it is excellent: during high-intensity workouts, it lies no more often than Garmin and Suunto sports watches.
Fitbit Ionic: The Best Fitbit Watch for Running
Price: from 15,000 rubles
The Ionic is the only watch with built-in GPS. Like the Apple Watch, it offers a sufficient set of tools for fitness tracking at an amateur level. The main features are the measurement of pace, distance traveled, calories burned. There are not many additional parameters, so this gadget can only be recommended to those who run infrequently and for fun, and not for serious achievements.
Autonomy is decent - about 10 hours with active use with GPS and 4 days in standby mode.
Amazfit Stratos: budget running watch with GPS
Price: 10 990 rubles
Not too popular in the sports environment, the Amazfit brand, owned by the Chinese company Huami, largely copies Garmin. It turns out well.
Amazfit Stratos monitors running, elliptical, cycling, swimming, triathlon, climbing, trail running, tennis, football and skiing. There is support for GPS and GLONASS, synchronization with Strava, you can upload music and your own routes in GPX format to the gadget.
Amazfit has its own analysis system, FirstBeat, which offers similar advanced statistics to Garmin. It includes data on oxygen consumption. The optical heart rate sensor cannot boast of high accuracy, but this is compensated by the fact that Amazfit Stratos is able to work in conjunction with chest heart rate monitors.
It has a lot of functions, but you should not expect something of the Garmin level, although in general it is far from the worst gadget from the category of running watches.
Coros Apex: Budget GPS Running Watch #2
Price: 29 990 rubles
Coros specializes in smart bike helmets. The company's first foray into the sports watch market came in early 2018 with the announcement of the Coros Pace. Coros Apex soon followed.
Coros Apex is available in two sizes - 42 and 46 mm. In technical terms, there are no differences: both versions of the sports watch offer support for GPS and GLONASS, heart rate monitoring, AI load and rest mode analyzer. With geolocation enabled, autonomy is 25 hours for the 42mm model and 35 hours for the larger one.
The companion application is stable and highly informative. It is possible to send data to Strava and TrainingPeaks. If you can't afford the Garmin and Polar ranges, take a look at the Coros Apex. Although this watch has not won millions of fans, it is definitely worth attention.
What should a real sports watch look like? Different athletes will answer this question in their own way. The swimmer will say that the main function of the chronometer is its water resistance, and will choose a special device for swimming. An extreme lover will pay attention to shock resistance and protection from dirt. Well, runners, regardless of their level of training, will exclaim: The watch must have a GPS sensor! Necessarily!
They can be understood. Probably, no technological solution has made the life of running fans easier than the appearance of a satellite navigation system in their wrist chronometer. For "running people" the GPS sensor is no less important than for motorists and fishermen. Runners have become so fond of watches with GPS that they still choose between a sophisticated fitness tracker and a watch, they take the latter for a run. After all, there are the most important “gadgets” for them: a stopwatch, a chronograph and “the same sensor”. What else to dream about?
Today we will tell you about the best GPS watches of recent years: we will focus on user ratings and Amazon sales. But before that, let's figure it out - how do these simple devices turn sports running into a pleasant and convenient activity?
Why do you need a GPS watch?
In fact, the navigation sensor is used in wristwatches for different purposes. In children's watches, for example, they are placed so that parents can keep an eye on restless crumbs. Some high-end men's and women's business-class chronographs use GPS for comfortable orientation in space: it turns out something like a personal navigator. Under this case, people have even come up with good software. But running watches are a different story. Conventionally, they can be divided into three categories: simple electronic watches with a GPS sensor, "smart watches" (they can be connected to a smartphone and tablet) and fitness trackers with a time display. As an exception to all three categories, perhaps the Stryd fitness tracker with GPS, which we have already written about before.
Why are running fans so fond of GPS watches? And for the opportunities and services that these not the most expensive and not the most complex devices offer them.
First, exactly the GPS system allows "runners" to determine the speed of their movement. In most running watches, this function is pumped very well: gadgets provide constant and accurate readings. For professional athletes, this information is important. like air. And in the case of amateurs, the speed indicator is both a good motivator (like - tomorrow you must definitely run faster than today), and an occasion to brag to your friends. In addition, GPS helps to accurately calculate the number of laps completed and the specific distance that the athlete covered during his run. The error will be minimal, especially when compared with a banal pedometer and other accelerometers.
Secondly, today every second model of GPS watches equipped with a heart rate monitor. And it gives a person not fashionable, but vital knowledge. Does your heart take a marathon well? Or is he more comfortable running medium distances? Heart rate analysis protects the runner from unnecessary health issues, points out. when you need to stop training, and when you can run a little more.
You ask - what about navigation? After all, this is the main feature of any satellite system. And in this matter, we will break you off a little. It is VERY RARE to find built-in maps and programs for orientation in space in running watches. Well, why does an ordinary runner need maps in his watch? Is it possible to get lost in your favorite park or city stadium! Another thing - fans of triathlon and orienteering. They are looking for navigation services in GPS watches. They search and find. Although more often this feature is implemented through the "own zone" function. In the watch settings, the coordinates of the location where the person wants to train are set, and as soon as he leaves it, the watch will beep alarmingly. For example, so as not to get lost in the nearest forest :)
How much do such devices cost? Differently. Once upon a time, GPS-watches were considered expensive, but now you can buy them for an adequate price.
Well, what. The materiel was explained, now let's get down to specifics. We present to your attention five bright models of watches with a GPS sensor from manufacturers Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei, TomTom, Garmin and Polar.
TOP 8 best GPS watches for sports and running
8. Samsung Gear S3
The Samsung Gear S3 frontier watch is good helper for people who prefer an active life. The GPS sensor will help you plan routes for jogging. The watch allows you to quickly view and send messages, accept and reject an incoming call, while allowing you to continue working. The model has an AMOLED display, which is constantly in active mode, thanks to its contrast and clarity, mail is easily viewed, the interface is configured. By turning the ring on the dial, you can receive a call, adjust the screen brightness, download the desired application. Thanks to the speaker built into the gadget, you can make a call or hear an incoming voice message.
7.HUAWEI Watch
The HUAWEI Watch GT smart watch, in addition to GPS for running, can interact with smartphones running iOS and Android OS. The model has a universal design, similar to classic solutions, with the help of a comfortable strap, the device is securely fixed on the wrist. You can easily read alerts on it, there is a touch screen of 1.39 inches. The watch is equipped with a fitness tracker that tracks walking, running, cycling, swimming. On the back side there is a heart rate monitor, which provides convenience for sports fans. In the manufacture of the device, steel, ceramics and plastic were used. Battery capacity - 450 mAh is sufficient for 22 hours of operation.
6. Amazfit Stratos
The Amazfit Stratos smart watch is a continuation of the first sports model - it is a new generation of devices that have undergone significant changes. The case has grown in size, the watch is made of carbon, which ensures durability. The main difference from previous analogues is the presence of a VO2max calculation. The parameter reflects the rate of oxygen absorption by the human body, which allows the watch to be used to assess physical fitness. Smart functionality is well developed, in addition to extensive interaction with notifications, the device has built-in memory for tracks, playback via wireless headset. A feature is the level of autonomy, which is seven days at different frequencies of training.
5. Garmin Forerunner 235
Open our TOP not the most expensive and not the most functional, but very popular Garmin Forerunner 10 watch. Garmin generally has a lot of cool chronometers for every taste and budget. The world market leader in GPS navigators managed to make a lot of different and good devices in this area.
The Garmin Forerunner 235 is a standard and pretty option. This is a very light watch with a large and high contrast display. The display is big, but they are tiny. And they are controlled by just two large buttons on the case. That's it. By the way, a line of multi-colored straps and cases has been developed for girls and hipsters: black, orange, pink, light green, purple and gray.
What can they do? They fix and store your coordinates in memory, count the calories spent and record the speed of movement. Compare your results (speed, footage, calories lost) with your original goals. Ran less than necessary or slower - they will scold you for this right during the run. For typical use (with GPS for 30 minutes a day), battery life is 10 days. If GPS is used continuously - only 5 hours. Although, can you stand a 5-hour run? Of the pleasant bonuses - this watch is also suitable for lovers of cycling. But the pulse sensor is clearly not enough for them ... This hits both the image and the functionality of the device.
People love a simple and stylish "top ten". But in the reviews, we were still able to find a couple of comments about them.
"Battery life can be a big issue if you want to use the watch all the time. It's not a watch for home and work. But I'd just use it while jogging! Well, in the office you can recharge it from time to time, if that's how you like it." need all day, writes RnR.
And Cathy S. criticized the problems with satellites in big cities:
"I had signal problems near skyscrapers and even while jogging in Central Park. They disappear sometimes. True, maybe this is the jamb of my particular device ..."
4. Garmin Forerunner 35
Below on the list we have Garmin again. In principle, we could list only Garmins in this list of good watches - they really have models for different tastes and budgets. But we are afraid of suspicion in advertising, so after 310XT we will return to this brand just one more time...
At first glance at Garmin Forerunner 35 you think that in front of you is some kind of miniature on-board computer or space flight control system. Firstly, this is a rare case of using a split screen in a watch (the screen is divided by a frame into three sections, each of which displays separate information). Secondly, these split screens are literally packed digital information- they show online everything they can. A bold decision: competitors' watches prefer to show no more than 2 indicators in parallel, and then if you request them by pressing a button.
But a large screen and an abundance of information is a secondary issue. The most important thing for us is the capabilities of the gadget. Opportunities and its price.
Garmin Forerunner 35 is now available buy for 12,000 rubles. Almost twice as expensive as the "ten", but they have improved many of the shortcomings of their predecessor.
So, the model has a pulse sensor (you can buy without it, for $ 20 cheaper) and water resistance at a depth of 50 meters. Yes, they can already be called watches for swimmers and triathletes! The battery capacity has also increased: it holds up to 20 hours of operation from a single charge with the navigator turned on. The 310th confidently tracks a bike ride (you can buy branded steering mounts), can transmit data wirelessly and “post” them to social media. He inherited the calorie counter, accelerometer and other goodies from the past Vorraner. But they added a couple of extra grams and centimeters of volume (minus), as well as a branded one-year warranty (plus).
These changes have not escaped the eyes of attentive consumers.
Russell K. Jensen writes:
"The functionality is great. But Garmin is too slow to synchronize with the computer, it takes a long time to transfer data ... and the software freezes from time to time."
Ed adds:
"I really like this watch. It's indestructible, which is important for sports. I've dropped it, and hit it, and wet it. And it still works. The accuracy of the data is not in question. But the synchronization and data transfer speed are frustrating. The only problem is which does not spoil the overall impression.
3. Tom Tom Runner
It doesn't have a heart rate monitor or the glory of the Garmin brand, but it does have a lot of nice touches that have made it a super-seller. Creators of Runner they just wanted to make the watch as comfortable as possible for a person - and they did it. All the charm of "Tom-Tom" is hidden precisely behind their small inventions and discoveries.
Firstly, they have the coolest display among all the watches in our rating. It is shockproof and scratch resistant, almost does not glare in the sun and displays only the necessary information. And most importantly - this is a very large and high-contrast display: almost an inch and a half diagonally!
Then management. This is the first GPS watch with a "smart button" moved from the case to the top of the strap. She not only "clicks", but also freely turns into a joystick. With it you can carry out the simplest commands "up-down", "left-right" to navigate through the rich menu of Tom-Tom. Why hasn't anyone thought of something like this before?
We continue. They are two times thinner and much lighter than all Garmins. And significantly cheaper. Judge for yourself how cool its appearance and functions are?
No, the basis, of course, is the same: fixing the speed, counting steps and body movements, calories burned ... Here are just added to them:
- the ability to read all the parameters in training in the gym, for example, on a treadmill;
- accelerated launch of the GPS sensor (no need to wait until it "sees" you - you can turn it on and run right away);
- vibrometron, which will help you maintain the rhythm of running and breathe properly;
- two times more tenacious battery for 10 hours of work with GPS;
And the Tom Tom Runner is already water resistant to 50 meters - just like the Garmin 310! Well, do these advantages outweigh the difference of 16-20 bucks? We think so. But let's hear the opinion of users. They find the only flaw in the model.
S.Beard remarks:
"Huge benefits: a huge display, good infographics illustrating your performance, a convenient button and tracking in the gym. I like to run on the simulator more, and other GPS watches often go dumb on it. One cant is a bad site and network switching. But the developers promised to improve their portal, and I believe them!"
2 Polar M430
Once this gadget was created as a heart rate monitor with the functionality of a GPS watch. But in the minds of the masses, it turned into a cool GPS watch with a pumped heart rate sensor. The irony of fate, which did not prevent the device from achieving good sales figures.
Costs Polar M430 is decent. The price is high, but it is considered professional gadget for triathletes. And almost all the delights of this device are associated with its heart rate monitor.
We warn you: the sensor is attached to the chest of the owner, without causing much discomfort. It's really cool: it tracks your heart rate even underwater, which makes the Polar a worthy choice for any swimmer. Imagine: you came to the pool, swam for an hour, and the gadget told you which lap was the best, how fast you can swim and how your heart feels about water loads. It's awesome!
In addition, the software of the gadget allows its owner to create dozens of sports profiles. They can be used both for sharing with the whole family or a group of friends, and in order not to mix the results of different workouts. You start one profile for the gym, the other for jogging through the forest, the third for swimming. Comfortable enough.
Completes the picture and the first full-fledged coaching program in our review. It tracks the intensity and nature of your workouts, teaches you how to get stronger and more... which puts the Polar RCX5 on par with the best fitness trackers and smartwatches. This is their feature - not only to track, but also to teach.
The main disadvantage of the model is that in the basic configuration it is sold without a GPS sensor: you need to buy it separately. On the Internet, you can find a list of sensors that are compatible with this watch. You just have to configure and switch them yourself. Not very cool, considering how modern users love simplicity and usability. Fans of the model are waiting for an appropriate update from the developers, but they have so far been silent in response to their questions ...
Another fly in the ointment is the abundance of negativity in user observations. Swimmers actively praise the device, but running fans scold it.
Spartacus writes:
"I had this watch for a year and a half. In the pool, they delighted me. Yes, they could make a larger display for them, after all, the water will distort the picture ... But otherwise they suited me. But when I left the pool and went in for sports on the ground, a nightmare began.They do not take into account elevation changes, track activity poorly...they make mistakes...And they also have an ancient site and services.On the good side - only a heart rate monitor and a pool mode.
1. Garmin Fenix 5X watch
We started with Garmin, and we will finish with it. We simply could not pass by this model. Only the price tag caught our attention. Gold, not a watch ... Well, the user rating of this device is very, very high - almost five stars. Apparently, behind these nondescript watches with a mediocre design, something interesting is really hiding?
Comparison chart of GPS running watches
| Name | Main characteristics | Price |
| Samsung Gear S3 | shockproof, waterproof body material: stainless steel steel compatible with Android, iOS scratch resistant glass weight: 63 g | |
| waterproof body material: stainless steel steel, plastic, ceramic compatible with Android, iOS monitoring sleep, calories, physical. activity weight: 46 g | ||
| Amazfit Stratos
|
