Technology
The Smart Watches Every Athlete Should Consider
The right watches to get you through a workout or the finish line.
Time for a wrist-check. If you see nothing, then this collection of the latest in sports gadgetry might be just what you need right now. And if your trusted GPS watch is looking a little run down at the moment, we might have found your next upgrade.
Check out these smart watches that should probably go on your wishlist, categorized by the default athlete that you are.
The Runner: The thing we love about choosing a running watch is that there’s about 700-million-gazillion of them for us to pick from on any given day. Sure, that’s a slight exaggeration but you get the gist of it.
The Garmin Forerunner 645 Music is one such option. Also consider the Polar Vantage V, or the Suunto 7.
The Off-roader: The thing about quad racers like Fahad Al Musallam, dirt bike riders, and off-roaders like Mohammed Jaffar, is that they are creatively inclined to solve problems. And so you get a watch that meets your needs by thinking outside the box.
Common favorites for racers include watches like those with a tachymeter. But let’s look at one that isn’t analog, and is the kind of watch you can take out into the desert to track your time, and bring you back to the starting point if you get lost on the dunes.
We’re fans of the Suunto Traverse Alpha for its toughness, having been built to military standards, it is a feature-packed watch that won’t let you down, and won’t want you to baby it either. And when you aren’t caked with mud, use it to track your regular workouts.
The Triathlete: One of the toughest sports, with the most dedicated athletes, the triathlon pushes you to swim, run, and cycle. No compromises, and no shortcuts. Athletes like Lucy Charles-Barclay, Braden Currie and Sebastian Kienle can vouch for it. You’ll need a watch that can do all three, and be set up for quick multi-sport transitions with the press of a button.
A mainstay for triathletes is the Timex Ironman Classic 50, and it just works. It’s the exception here because it isn’t technically a smartwatch, but it gets the job done.
For more functionality than we can list, look into the Suunto 9 Baro, a rugged multisport GPS sports watch that will go as long as you can.
The Step-counter: Your options are simple here. And by that, what we are saying is just go simple. If you aren’t into the whole watch vibe just use your smartphone, but we think the Fitbit is a good fit. (Punny but we stick to our puns. And we did it again.)
We recommend the Fitbit Inspire 2. If you still want GPS, try the Fitbit Versa 3.
The Swimmer: If you want a dedicated watch for the pool or open water, the Garmin Swim 2 is your watch. The other way to go is to try a multisport GPS watch. But, if you don’t need it, then just go with the Swim 2.
The Esports Athlete: It’s finally here, but still something that’s just now starting to catch on among gamers. The Garmin Instinct - Esports Edition will track your stress levels as you game, and you can even upload that data as you livestream for that added twist.
Yes, this is real. Knowing Garmin, they’ll come up with new ways to add even more cool metrics.
The All-rounder: If you’re not really that interested in a fully dedicated GPS smartwatch, and just want something that will get you through a workout, count steps, and maybe use it as a health tracker, then the Apple Watch Series 6 is something you should think about.
The Trail Boss: There is little doubt that the Garmin Fenix 6 is a favorite among trail hikers, and for good reason. Massive battery life, a bevy of features with everything you’d need to get around (and back), and even a few you never thought to think of. This watch will keep you busy enough just learning the ins and outs. Another highly rated watch is the Coros Apex.