Best Running watches?

MSeel1984
MSeel1984 Posts: 2,297 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I'm looking into options for a running watch to track my activity-any recommendations? My sister swears by Garmin.

Replies

  • _SantaClause
    _SantaClause Posts: 335 Member
    It's going to depend a lot on what you're looking for.

    Want it just to record time?
    Distance?
    Heart Rate?
    GPS?
  • hopingtoloseweightthistime
    hopingtoloseweightthistime Posts: 24 Member
    I think that it really depends on your needs and also which app you are used to using and like (some watches are not compatible with certain apps).
    I personally have a Suunto Ambit 2s which I really love although it doesnt syn with Runkeeper which I don't like about it.

    I would recommend checking out this site. http://www.dcrainmaker.com/
    It has very extensive reviews of each watch which really help you choose the best watch for your needs. The owner of the site goes into great detail and really writes extensive objective reviews for each watch (at least that is the impression that I got :) )
  • amelialoveshersnacks
    amelialoveshersnacks Posts: 205 Member
    i have a garmin... a vivofit as it's my first pedometer and I don't know if I will tire of it soon - I'm fickle tbh. What I did have my eye on is the garmin forerunner xt910 as it's a triathlon watch which I want to do -long term goal.
    It all depends on what features you want
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    It's going to depend a lot on what you're looking for.

    Want it just to record time?
    Distance?
    Heart Rate?
    GPS?

    This.

    I am also a Garmin fan. I want to know pace, time, distance, etc. You can get apps that will tell you that too if you have a smartphone. I've used those but it was a pain because I wear my phone in an armband and can see the screen. Most have voice prompts but that is at set intervals which doesn't always work for my needs when training. Basically it comes down to what you want and need.
    I like being able to get the data at a glance, on my wrist. I can survive with an app but I much prefer the watch.

    As for the brand, Garmin has all the features I want. They have a number of units that vary in price, some very affordable. I have had good experience with customer service and have read a lot of people on forums saying the same. I've had 3 Garmins over the years (two lost and my current one) and never had a complaint.

    This guy does really great reviews on a number of these fitness watches.
    http://www.dcrainmaker.com
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    i have a garmin... a vivofit as it's my first pedometer and I don't know if I will tire of it soon - I'm fickle tbh. What I did have my eye on is the garmin forerunner xt910 as it's a triathlon watch which I want to do -long term goal.
    It all depends on what features you want

    That is my next purchase if I ever get the money.
  • r_kraft
    r_kraft Posts: 27 Member
    Check out the dcrainmaker site, very good reviews. I have the Garmin 220 and love it. I added the heart rate monitor also. My Garmin has not had any issues in almost a year of use.
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
    Another vote for dcrainmaker.

    Be honest about what you want from the watch ... compare the models ... pick the one that does what you want/need at a good price. If you just want to track pace and distance, nothing more, you can find a low end Garmin relatively inexpensive. Some models of GPS watches contain accelerometers that monitor your cadence outside and can track runs on treadmills, indoor tracks, etc (some calibration required for accelerometer based distances). If you want heart rate data incorporated, that's another subset of watches. If you're a cyclist, certain watches handle that activity better than others to include syncing of cadence meters.

    I currently use a TomTom multisport. It meets my needs for running, cycling, and the very basic swimming I do (it can count laps while I gasp for air since my swim form sucks after years out of the water). It automatically syncs with Strava, Runkeeper, Endomondo, MapMyRun and saves the data to my hard drive in a couple of formats such as Training Peaks fit, gpx, and tcx. It isn't the same level as a Garmin xt910 or Polar v800, but I don't need those bells and whistles right now.
  • MSeel1984
    MSeel1984 Posts: 2,297 Member
    It's going to depend a lot on what you're looking for.

    Want it just to record time?
    Distance?
    Heart Rate?
    GPS?

    HRM, Distance, GPS...let's just make it easy and say all of those.
  • _SantaClause
    _SantaClause Posts: 335 Member
    It's going to depend a lot on what you're looking for.

    Want it just to record time?
    Distance?
    Heart Rate?
    GPS?

    HRM, Distance, GPS...let's just make it easy and say all of those.
    http://www.dcrainmaker.com/product-reviews/activity-monitors

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