Best fitness watch?

jenniferbowes49

Interested in the best fitness tracker that I can wear.
I have been using a FT4 for ages and I have loved it. But the idea of going without a band around the chest (plus, as the batteries die, I have to order new bands, and since they aren't making new bands for it, they are all sitting around with old batteries that don't live a long time once they are activated).
I prefer waterproof. I want it to track heart rate and calories spent. That's all I need. I saw that the Fitbit is having a waterproof watch coming out - but it's $300! If I can find a more inexpensive option, I prefer that. I do not need anything to sync with a phone.

NorthCascades

The best and the most inexpensive are rarely the same thing. The best fitness watch right now is Garmin's Fenix 5X. Yes, waterproof, it counts laps at the pool.

What's your budget? What kind of exercise do you do?

jjpptt2

I have no suggestions for you that meet both the "best" and the "more inexpensive" criteria. I guess in terms of bang for your buck, I'd look at previous generation Garmin watches. Something like a Fenix 3 or 920xt maybe?

DX2JX2

NorthCascades wrote: »

The best and the most inexpensive are rarely the same thing. The best fitness watch right now is Garmin's Fenix 5X. Yes, waterproof, it counts laps at the pool.

What's your budget? What kind of exercise do you do?

I'd counter with the Fenix 5S if you don't need the mapping function. Form factor is so much better. It's an actual watch instead of a gigantic bulbous lump.

I originally bought the 5 but returned it for the 5S after a couple days of trying to wear that behemoth on my wrist (and most of my non-fitness watches are between 40 and 47mm wide, so it's not like I'm a huge fan of small watches or anything).

NorthCascades

I loved my Fenix 3. Its bread crumb trail "map" can be effective hiking in the backcountry if you add some waypoints when you still have computer access. Wouldn't hesitate to use a 5s either. Obviously I other having maps, and the larger battery capacity, and I'm a bigger guy so the X fits my wrist well. But they're both great.

AnvilHead

DX2JX2 wrote: »

NorthCascades wrote: »

The best and the most inexpensive are rarely the same thing. The best fitness watch right now is Garmin's Fenix 5X. Yes, waterproof, it counts laps at the pool.

What's your budget? What kind of exercise do you do?

I'd counter with the Fenix 5S if you don't need the mapping function. Form factor is so much better. It's an actual watch instead of a gigantic bulbous lump.

I originally bought the 5 but returned it for the 5S after a couple days of trying to wear that behemoth on my wrist (and most of my non-fitness watches are between 40 and 47mm wide, so it's not like I'm a huge fan of small watches or anything).

Or the 935, which is the Fenix 5 internals in a polymer case instead of the Fenix's metal case.

I agree that "the best" and "most inexpensive" are rarely the same thing. I also agree that recommendations could be more easily tailored by knowing what the OP's intended use is (i.e., what kind of workouts she does).

AnnieLewandowski302

I use the Garmin Vivosmart HR+. Tracks heart rate, calories, steps, waterproof, gps for running, and it syncs with the garmin connect app which also syncs with myfitnesspal. Bought it a few months ago at Best Buy for $150. Really like it so far. I haven't tried it in water, because I'm a runner, not a swimmer. I do sometimes feel like I've stepped out of a pool after my marathon training with all the sweat and the watch hasn't had any negative effects.

Kollane

Why not new Polar? If you don't need GPS, then A370 or 360 for example. 370 can get GPS through phone, A360 can't.
https://www.polar.com/us-en/products/sport/A370-fitness-tracker