Gps Running Watch Best Buy
Ultimately, we landed on the 21 contenders that were the most road-running-specific or that offered multi-sport functions (typically including swimming and biking for a triathlete). All of the watches we tested had onboard heart-rate monitoring and a street price under $600. We opted not to test more mountaineering- or trail-oriented watches, which offer some similar features but have advanced navigation and additional sensors for elevation detection. Those models seemed unnecessary for anyone working toward a half-marathon or marathon and doing most of their training runs and races on paved roads.
gps running watch best buy
We took each watch for a run, noting the visibility of the display, as well as how easy it was to start and stop a workout, insert a manual lap, and find the data we wanted to see at a glance. We gave a watch bonus points if we could customize its face and data screens, and we also favored good looks and readability.
We also dug into the apps, reviewing how data appeared and how easy it was to find what we were looking for, whether it was a running metric or how to change a setting. We also noted whether we needed to use the manual or Google to figure out how to set up a feature or customize a setting.
Also, while Chris ran with each watch separately, he compared the distance recorded with a race-course distance (a certified half-marathon, for example) or with known-distance routes he runs regularly with Team Red Lizard in Portland.
Accurate heart-rate tracking during a workout can help you estimate your effort, as long as you set your max heart rate manually and accurately in your device settings, rather than just relying on an age-based estimate (which most watches use by default). Further, these watches use that data to inform other metrics, such as estimated VO2 max and recommended recovery time between workouts.
Forerunner 255 series watches come in two sizes (41 mm and 46 mm), as well as the Forerunner 255 Music. We tested the 41-mm Forerunner 255S Music and believe the 255 series will please a variety of runners who want dependable on-the-run data and handy smartwatch features like notifications and the ability to sync to your calendar.
The Forerunner 255 includes triathlon and multisport support, optional multi-band GPS (for increased accuracy), and a longer battery life: 14 days in smartwatch mode for the 46-mm size (which is twice that of its predecessor) and 12 days in smartwatch mode for the 41-mm size. After two full days of wear (including a run), the battery dropped to 79%.
The Forerunner 255S Music performed exceptionally well in our heart-rate assessments. On the run, its five, traditionally placed control buttons are easy to access and we appreciate its clear data screens showing real-time metrics. (The Forerunner 255 does not measure running power, as the Coros Pace 2 does.) The majority of our runs with the Forerunner 255S Music deviated from our control distance by less than 2%. For a 10K race, the watch came in one-tenth of a mile over the distance; on a 4.04-mile measured loop in Central Park, it registered .03 of a mile more than the distance. The Forerunner 255 is comfortable enough to wear all day and night; it tracked our sleep reasonably well. The watch impressed less on all-day step counts, inflating the step totals while worn on both our non-dominant and dominant wrists by 21.6% and 48.2% respectively. Its accuracy fared better in our 1-mile treadmill run test, recording just 13 steps under the control count. (It measured the distance at 1.05 miles, which was a bit high.)
The Forerunner 255 produces a daily recovery score based on your daily activity and sleep, as well as heart-rate variability (HRV) data after three weeks of regular nighttime wear. Each morning, a daily report consisting of our recovery score, sleep data, and weather report popped up on the display. It has more than 30 activity modes, including trail running and hiking. (The Pace 2 has only 17).
During our heart-rate tests, the Forerunner 45 did well on a five-minute steady-state run, but it jumped around on walk/run intervals, missing some rises and falls. Using a separate chest strap with the watch can help improve accuracy.
Amy Roberts is a certified personal trainer (NASM-CPT), a running coach (USATF Level 1), and a regionally competitive runner. She also served as a staff writer for the Good Housekeeping Institute for nearly five years, working closely with the engineers and other scientists to interpret product test results.
Whatever your fitness goals are in 2023, investing in one of the best GPS sports watches is definitely worthwhile if you're getting serious about your training. They can help you track your activities, steps, calories consumed, and more, but also some will have helpful safety features. Extra features, such as altimeters, preloaded maps, advanced metrics, and music storage can come at a premium.
While many of the best fitness trackers and best smartwatches incorporate location-tracking on the device itself to accurately log outdoor workouts, dedicated sports, also known as GPS watches, have features that can provide you much more data about what you're doing, and last much longer on a charge.
While the majority of the best GPS sports watches are aimed at runners, there are specialized models for triathletes, golfers, endurance athletes, and those who go hiking and skiing. To help you choose which device is best for you, we've selected the top GPS watches in various categories. We've put them to the test over a number of workouts, judging them based on performance, ease of use, and design.
Garmin hit a home run with the Forerunner 265 with its bright, beautiful AMOLED display and touchscreen, that makes it easy to navigate around the watch when you're not running. It's an upgrade to the popular Garmin Forerunner 255 which was previously our best sports watch, and if you're looking for a bargain, now is a good time to buy the cheaper Garmin, which is on sale at a number of retailers.
If you're on a budget, now is a good time to buy the Forerunner 255, which won the best running watch title in our January 2023 Tom's Guide Fitness awards because we were seriously impressed with this watch.
Compared to the original T-Rex, the second iteration of the Amazfit watch comes with a slightly larger screen, a longer battery life, and dual-band five satellite positioning, making it the better choice if you're heading out on an adventure.
The Garmin Forerunner 55 is the best sports watch for those on a budget. It's an affordable, yet accurate, GPS watch that tracks distance, speed and pace, and it has some of the more technical features of Garmin's more premium watches, for a fraction of the price.
The Fitbit Sense 2 is the company's premium smartwatch that comes with more advanced health and wellness features that the Versa line. Not only does it have an FDA-approved ECG sensor and blood oxygen reading, but the Sense has the ability to measure electrodermal activity and skin temperature, too. Compared to the original Fitbit Sense, the Sense 2 features an upgraded design, interface and EDA sensor, making for Fitbit's most holistic smartwatch yet.
Like all of the best Fitbits, the Sense 2 has built-in GPS, which allows you to track your runs and rides from the watch itself. The watch connects to the Fitbit app, which allows you to view all of your activities in one place.
The Garmin Forerunner 955 is the upgraded version of the Forerunner 945. It's a top-tier running watch, and possibly the best Forerunner we've ever tested. If you're trying to decide between the newer model and the older version, read our Forerunner 955 vs Forerunner 945 face-off here.
On the run, the watch was easy to read and navigate around. Off the run, Garmin has added a touchscreen to make the watch feel more like a smartwatch. There's also a bunch of impressive training metrics, including Garmin's new Training Readiness metric, which shows you at a glance how ready you are for a difficult day of training based on sleep, recovery time, HRV status, acute load, and stress.
On the left side of the Apple Watch Ultra is an added action button, which can be programmed as a quick launch for an assigned purpose. The Apple Watch Ultra's GPS is supercharged with the latest L5 frequency, which should result in the most accurate GPS system of any Apple Watch. Plus, for the first time, the Apple Watch Ultra has a battery life to compete with some of the best GPS watches on this list. The Apple Watch Ultra's 36-hour rated battery life sounds pretty spectacular. Apparently, the Apple Watch Ultra can last up to 60 hours, leveraging a new Apple Watch low power mode coming to Apple Watch Series 4 and newer, including the new Apple Watch SE (2022).
Because sports watches span a wide range of outdoor activities, you want to pick a sports watch based on what it is you plan to do. Runners will want a sports watch that's light and easy to read while your arms are pumping back and forth.
If you're into other activities, such as cycling or triathlons, you'll want a sports watch that can track swimming, and be paired with the ANT or Bluetooth sensors on your bike. It goes without saying that it should be waterproof.
Those who do more extreme sports, like endurance runs and alpine skiing will want to look for a sports watch that's not only durable, but has extremely long battery life. Some of the best sports watches for outdoors, like Garmin's fenix series, let you adjust the frequency at which their GPS pings a satellite, which can extend their battery life to days, and not just hours.
Similar to fitness trackers, the line that separates great sports watches from the best smartwatches is blurring with the arrival of devices that incorporate smartphone notifications with GPS, step, distance and calories counts, plus heart rate measurements.
GPS is absolutely key to a dedicated running watch; if you go for a cheaper fitness tracker, the accuracy of the accelerometer is crucial. The ability to monitor your heart rate while running is another popular feature, especially if you want the tracker to create guided running workouts based on your personal fitness levels. 041b061a72