The Best Running Watches
for 2023
Who has the best running watch? We compare and review GPS watches
from Garmin, Apple, COROS, and Polar.
Want to just cut to the chase on what's the best running watch for you? Our running watches buyer's guide can help anyone from beginning runners to hardcore endurance runners to multisport triathletes find the right training tool for them.
There's a lot to consider, starting with budget and features. Running features on GPS watches these days are extensive—which is why it is a good idea to check out a review from a serious runner. One of our top guys, Dave from Chase the Summit, is a serious runner who give honest reviews that we can't recommend enough.
Along with the wide range of features on running watches—like GPS, maps, heart rate monitor, running power, build quality, VO2 Max, battery life, advanced training tools, performance data, health-monitoring, recovery recommendations, and smart notifications—there's also the price of a running watch to consider.
So, with all these watches from Garmin, COROS, Polar, and Apple, we'll show you the costs, plus the product specs and features you can expect for that price. Then, we'll point you to a review, if you want to know more.
So, jump to the table of contents below to pick and choose what you want to know. Or put on your running shoes and and grind through this whole collection of the best running watches of 2023!
Best Running Watches Under $200
Garmin Forerunner 55 — Best Running Watch for Beginners
Forerunner 55 Quick Specs
Case Size/Weight: 42 x 42 x 11.6 mm / 37 g
Display Size/Type: 1.04" (26.3 mm) diameter color display—Sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP)
Battery Life:
Smartwatch Mode: Up to 2 weeks
GPS Mode: Up to 20 hours
GPS: Built-in multi-GNSS (GPS, Galileo, GLONASS)
Maps & Navigation: None
Available Colors: Black, White, Aqua
Saftety features: Livetrack, Live Event Sharing (Android only), Incident Detection during select activities, Incident Detection alert on phone for wearables, Assistance
Water Resistant: Yes
Price: $199.99
Looking to start running with an easy-to-use watch? The Garmin Forerunner 55 is the GPS running smartwatch for beginners that goes beyond pace and heart rate stats. Train with personalized guidance and daily suggested workouts based on your training history and fitness level. Plus, you can cross-train with HIIT and breathwork activity profiles. Advanced wellness tracking features, such as all-day respiration monitoring, intensity minutes, and more, will help you learn just how far you can push your body. Count on more runs in between charges, thanks to this Garmin running watch’s long battery life. Download watch faces, apps, and more from the Connect IQ™ Store to extra personalize your run workouts!
This running watch is ideal for the runner who’s just starting out or who might consider the latest technology overly complicated. And the Forerunner 55 price is just right for someone who doesn't want to pay for training features they are not going to use.
COROS PACE 2 Basic Running Watch
COROS PACE 2 Quick Specs
Case Size/Weight: 42 × 42 × 11.7mm / silicone band: 35 g; nylon band: 29 g
Display Size/Type: 1.2” always-on memory LCD
Battery Life:
Smartwatch Mode: Up to 20 days
GPS Mode: Up to 30 hours
GPS: Built-in single-frequency (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Beidou, QZSS)
Maps & Navigation: None
Available Colors: Dark Navy, White, Blue Steel
Saftety features: None
Water Resistant: Yes
Price: $199.99
The superlight and super-affordable COROS PACE 2 GPS is the watch for runners who don't want extra bulk on their wrist. It's the lightest watch out there at only 29 g with a nylon band. Plus, the sleek PACE 2’s battery life is impressively hefty for its size, so you can take advantage of all the available sport modes for running, biking, swimming, cardio, strength, and water. You'll also get lots of third-party integration with apps such as Komoot, TrainingPeaks, Strava, Stryd, and more. This featherlight GPS watch has a barometer and compass on board as well as 24/7 heart rate monitoring. But perhaps the coolest part of this GPS wearable is the running power metrics you’ll get right from the wrist!
This is the budget-friendly watch is for the runner who does not want the extra bulk on their wrist or hit to their wallet—but doesn’t want to skimp on the running and fitness features either!
Polar Pacer Strictly Running Watch
Polar Pacer Quick Specs
Case Size/Weight: 45 x 45 x 11.5 mm / 40 g
Display Size/Type: 1.2” always-on
Battery Life:
Smartwatch Mode: Up to 43 hours
GPS Mode: Up to 36 hours
GPS: Built-in single-frequency (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS)
Maps & Navigation: None
Available Colors: Night Black, Cloud White, Deep Teal, Purple Dusk
Saftety features: None
Water Resistant: Yes
Price: $199.99
If you're a no-nonsense runner, the Polar Pacer might be the perfect GPS running watch for you—with the perfect budget as well! The Pacer offers the modern runner all the essentials, plus some specialized training tools you need to do one thing better: Run. Get the basics: Pace, Time, Distance, Stopwatch, Lap Timer, and Interval Timer. Beyond that, this running watch has an enhanced high-speed processor, bright screen for all conditions, and it’s lightweight with super grippy buttons to avoid false starts.
All that’s missing is for you to get it on your wrist. The Polar Pacer may be the most affordable best running watch for serious runners.
Best Running GPS Watches Under $500
Garmin Venu Fitness Watch—EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT!
Venu Quick Specs
Case Size/Weight: 43.2 x 43.2 x 12.4 mm / 46.3 g
Display Size/Type: 1.2" (30.4mm) diameter color touchscreen with AMOLED display
Battery Life:
Smartwatch Mode: Up to 5 days
GPS Mode: Up to 20 hours
GPS: Built-in multi-GNSS (GPS, Galileo, GLONASS)
Maps & Navigation: No maps or breadcrumb navigation; Back to Start features using compass
Available Colors: Light Sand/Rose Gold, Black/Slate
Saftety features: Livetrack, Incident Detection during select activities, Assistance
Water Resistant: Yes
Price: $199.99–$229.99
Get an EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT on the Garmin Venu—previously a $400 watch—on PlayBetter.com today. Along with the eye-catching AMOLED display, you’ll also be gifting Garmin’s full suite of health and wellness features, wrist-based heart rate, GPS tracking, smart notifications, safety features, activity tracking, 20+ sport profiles, really cool on-screen workout animations, and more!
Cutomize your data pages on this bright display. Get Auto Lap, Manual Lap, VO2 Max for Run, and profiles for running, treadmill running, and track running. And always track your GPS speed and distance, plus heart rate zones.
The Venu smartwatch is perfect for men and women who like a sport- and style-savvy watch on their wrist. We think you’ll like the price too!
Polar Ignite 2 Running GPS Watch
Ignite 2 Quick Specs
Case Size/Weight: 43 x 43 x 8.5 mm / 35 g
Display Size/Type: color touchscreen
Battery Life:
Smartwatch Mode: Up to 5 days
GPS Mode: Up to 20 hours
GPS: Built-in single-frequency (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS)
Maps & Navigation: None
Available Colors: Black Pearl, Storm Blue, Gold and Champagne, Rose Gold/Pink
Saftety features: None
Water Resistant: Yes
Price: $229.95
Want a running watch with gorgeous style that is as confident, smart, and versatile as you are? The Polar Ignite 2 will put a sleek, simple, and smart experience on your wrist and in your life. Use Training Load Pro to understand the load you put on your muscles and cardiovascular system after each session. Then with Perceived Load, you can understand how strained you feel. All this can help you train smarter. Additionally, the FitSpark feature offers a personalized training guide for workouts that match your recovery, fitness level, and training history.
Built-in personalized, intelligent guidance for workouts, recovery, and sleep make the Ignite 2 a beautifully designed running watch that looks and feels good 24/7.
NEW! Polar Ignite 3 Running & Fitness Watch
Ignite 3 Quick Specs
Case Size/Weight: 43 x 43 x 9.5 mm / 35 g
Display Size/Type: AMOLED color touchscreen
Battery Life:
Smartwatch Mode: Up to 120 hours
GPS Mode: Up to 30 hours
Power Save Training Mode: 100 hours
GPS: Built-in single-frequency (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Beidou)
Maps & Navigation: Back to Start
Available Colors: Greige Sand, Purple Dusk, Night Black, Brown Copper
Saftety features: None
Water Resistant: Yes
Price: $329.95
Want a running, fitness, and wellness watch all in one? The Polar Ignite 3 will put a sleek, simple, and smart-training experience on your wrist and in your life 24/7. Use Training Load Pro to understand the load you put on your muscles and cardiovascular system after each session. The FitSpark feature offers a personalized training guide for workouts that match your recovery, fitness level, and training history. Additionally, you get running program, weekly summary, training targets, season planner, voice guidance, and more for your long-term training.
Built-in personalized, intelligent guidance for workouts, training support tools, recovery, and sleep make the Ignite 3 a running watch that can help you tune into your wellness and training readiness 24/7.
Garmin Venu Sq 2 Fitness Watch with Music Option
Venu Sq 2/Venu Sq Music Quick Specs
Case Size/Weight: 40.6 x 37.0 x 11.5 mm / 38.0 g
Display Size/Type: 1.41" (35.9 mm) diagonal AMOLED color touchscreen
Battery Life:
Smartwatch Mode: Up to 11 days
GPS Mode: Up to 26 hours
GPS: Built-in multi-GNSS (GPS, Galileo, GLONASS)
Maps & Navigation: No maps or breadcrumb navigation; Back to Start features using compass
Available Colors: Slate/Black, Peach Gold/Ivory, Cream Gold/French Gray
Saftety features: Livetrack, Incident Detection during select activities, Assistance
Water Resistant: Yes
Price: $249.99–$299.99
With this Garmin watch, you have the option to store up to 500 of your favorite songs on it for phone-free listening during your workouts and daily runs and errands. Featuring a bright AMOLED display, this GPS smartwatch combines daily style with health monitoring and fitness features that will keep you in tune with your mind and body. With up to 11 days of battery life, you get a more complete 24/7 picture of your health—which goes hand in hand with running and working out. With 25 preloaded sports apps for indoor or outdoor activities, you can get moving with running, cardio, strength, HIIT, and more. Plus, your new watch will deliver smart notifications right to your wrist when paired to an Apple® or Android™ smartphone.
If you want a basic and affordable running watch with music, opt for the Venu Sq 2 Music. If not, pay for the model that is $50 less and get all the same great features without the music option.
Garmin Forerunner 255/255S Running Watch with Music Option
Forerunner 255/255S Quick Specs
Case Size/Weight:
FR 255: 45.6 x 45.6 x 12.9 mm / 49 g
FR 255S: 41 x 41 x 12.4 mm / 39 g
Display Size/Type:
FR 255: 1.3” sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP)
FR 255S: 1.1” sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP)
Battery Life:
FR 255
Smartwatch Mode: Up to 14 days
GPS Mode: Up to 30 hours
FR 255S
Smartwatch Mode: Up to 12 days
GPS Mode: Up to 26 hours
GPS: Built-in multi-frequency positioning (GPS, Galileo, GLONASS)
Maps & Navigation: Real-time bread crumb trail, point to point navigation, back to start, TracBack®, up ahead; No maps
Available Colors:
FR 255: Tidal Blue, Slate Gray, Whitestone (Music), Black (Music)
FR 255S: Light Pink, Powder Gray, Whitestone (Music), Black (Music)
Saftety features: Livetrack, Live Event Sharing, Incident Detection during select activities, Incident Detection alert on phone for wearables, Assistance
Water Resistant: Yes
Price: No Music—$349.99, Music—$399.99
As the best Garmin running watch with music option, the Forerunner 255/255S GPS smartwatch is an affordable tool to help them train and recover smarter. It's loaded with features to help you improve, including training status, running power, multi-band GPS, and daily suggested workouts that adapt to your performance and goals. Plus, other new features—such as race widget—help plan your race-day strategy, and morning report with HRV status reveals your overall health alongside the day ahead. The FR255 watch jam-packed with smart features, more than 30 activity profiles—even for triathlon—and the battery life that is sure to go the distance with you.
This is the perfect Garmin watch for men and women, offering a smaller size for smaller wrists. The Forerunner 255 series running watches is the mid-ranged priced answer to a high-end running training tool.
Garmin Venu 2 Plus Fitness Smartwatch for Runners
Venu 2 Plus Quick Specs
Case Size/Weight: 43.6 x 43.6 x 12.6 mm / 51 g
Display Size/Type: 1.3” AMOLED color touchscreen
Battery Life:
Smartwatch Mode: Up to 9 days
GPS Mode: Up to 24 hours
GPS: Built-in multi-frequency positioning (GPS, Galileo, GLONASS)
Maps & Navigation: No maps or breadcrumb navigation; Back to Start features using compass
Available Colors: Silver/Powder Gray, Slate/Black, Cream Gold/Ivory
Saftety features: Livetrack, Incident Detection during select activities, Incident Detection alert on phone for wearables, Assistance
Water Resistant: Yes
Price: $449.99
The Venu 2 Plus is an ideal fitness and running watch for those who want to do more, track more, and know more about their health and wellness—right from the wrist. Make and take calls and text on their watch—and keep your phone in your pocket, whether you're on a run or running errands. This Garmin watch has excellent quality built-in speaker and mic so you can use your smartphone’s voice assistant. Additionally, you’ll get Garmin’s full suite of health-monitoring that is like no other brand, 25+ built-in sports apps, more than ample battery life, and on-watch music storage. It’s the fitness smartwatch that perfectly blends sporty and savvy features in a wearable for active lifestyles.
Garmin Instinct 2/2S (solar & non-solar) Rugged Running Watch
Instinct 2/2S Quick Specs
Case Size/Weight:
Instinct 2: 45 x 45 x 14.2 mm / 53 g
Instinct 2S: 40 x 40 x 13.3 mm / 43 g
Display Size/Type:
Instinct 2: 0.9” x 0.9”, custom, two-window design; monochrome, sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP)
Instinct 2S: 0.79” x 0.79”, custom, two-window design; monochrome, sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP)
Battery Life:
Instinct 2
Smartwatch Mode: Up to 28 days/Unlimited with Solar (solar editions only)
GPS Mode: Up to 30 hours/48 hours with Solar (solar editions only)
Instinct 2S
Smartwatch Mode: Up to 21 days/51 days with Solar (solar editions only)
GPS Mode: Up to 22 hours/28 hours with Solar (solar editions only)
GPS: Built-in multi-GNSS (GPS, Galileo, GLONASS)
Maps & Navigation: Real-time bread crumb trail, point to point navigation, back to start, TracBack®, up ahead; No maps
Available Colors:
Instinct 2: Graphite, Electric Lime, Tidal Blue (solar), Graphite (solar), Mist Gray (solar)
Instinct 2S: Poppy, Deep Orchid, Graphite, Neo Tropic (solar), Mist Gray (solar), Graphite (solar)
Saftety features: Livetrack, Incident Detection during select activities, Assistance
Water Resistant: Yes
Price: $349.99 (non-solar), $449.99 (solar)
The Instinct 2/2S a ruggedly built running GPS watch made to fit your style and tough enough to go where you do. Choose the standard Instinct 2 or 2S for smaller wrists, plus you can pick a solar-charging option for unlimited battery life in smartwatch mode (Instinct 2 Solar only). With this Garmin watch, you can experience a wide-range of preloaded activity profiles, including running, biking, swimming, strength training, and loads more. Impressively, the Instinct 2 lineup includes training tools like VO2 Max for run and trail run, heat and altitude acclimation, training status, training load, training effect, virtual partner, and a whole lot more! Stay connected from the wrist with smart notifications, Garmin Pay, and Connect IQ compatibility. Plus, understand your body better with all-day health monitoring for energy levels, stress, sleep, Pulse Ox, and much more.
COROS APEX 2/2 Pro Premium Multisport GPS Watch
APEX 2/2 Pro Quick Specs
Case Size/Weight:
- APEX 2: 43 x 42.8 x 12.8 mm / silicone band: 42g; nylon band: 53g
- APEX 2 Pro: 46.1 x 46.5 x 14 mm / silicone band: 53g; nylon band: 66g
Display Size/Type: 1.2” (APEX 2) or 1.3" (APEX 2 Pro) touchscreen always on memory LCD; Sapphire lens
Battery Life:
-
APEX 2
- Standard full GPS: 45 hours
- All Systems On: 30 hours
- Dual Frequency: N/A
- Daily Use: 17 days
-
APEX 2 Pro
- Standard full GPS: 75 hours
- All Systems On: 45 hours
- Dual Frequency: 26 hours
- Daily Use: 30 days
GPS:
- APEX 2: All-Satellite Single-Frequency (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Beidou, QZSS)
- APEX 2 Pro: All-Satellite Dual-Frequency (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Beidou, QZSS)
Maps & Navigation: Downloadable landscape and topo maps, checkpoint, back to start, off-route alert,
Available Colors: APEX 2: Coral, Grey, Black; APEX 2 Pro: Grey, Black, Green
Saftety features: Deviation Alert
Water Resistant: Yes
Price: $399.99—$499.99
The COROS APEX 2/2 Pro is purpose-built for go-getters who want route navigation, superb battery life, offline mapping for landscape, topo, and hybrid maps, plus sensors that will help them find their way, get elevation data, get accurate heart-rate monitoring, and blood oxygen saturation levels.
Plus, the touchscreen is scratch-resistant sapphire (1.2"on the APEX 2, 1.3" on APEX 2 PRO), and the bezel is titanium—so we’re talking a tough GPS watch—especially for this price point!
And COROS training mode will let them create, share, and even download workouts from professional athletes and coaches. This premium multisport watch from COROS has what endurance athletes who love rugged environments want.
Polar Pacer Pro Advanced Running Watch
Pacer Pro Quick Specs
Case Size/Weight: 45 x 45 x 11.5 mm / 40 g
Display Size/Type: 1.2” MIP
Battery Life:
Smartwatch Mode: Up to 43 hours
GPS Mode: Up to 35 hours
GPS: Built-in single-frequency (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS)
Maps & Navigation: Bread crumb route guidance, turn-by-turn guidance by Komoot, route and elevation profiles, back to start
Available Colors: Carbon Gray, Midnight Blue, Autumn Maroon, Aurora Green, Snow White
Saftety features: None
Water Resistant: Yes
Price: $299.99
If you think running is life, then you might find the Polar Pacer Pro running watch to be just your speed. Ultralight with integrated barometer that equips serious runners with advanced training tools, this GPS running watch aims to improve running economy and performance, so that every run is a good run. The screen is brighter and more readable on this Polar watch and it’s faster thanks to a new CPU.
But what we’re most impressed by is the running lab it puts on the wrist—and we think you will be too. You'll get VO2 Max, training HR zones, all the basics plus running index, index score, race time predictor, phased training targets, and running power zones. If you're seriously running-focused, this Polar watch might just be your new best friend.
Polar Vantage M2 Multisport Watch
Vantage M2 Quick Specs
Case Size/Weight: 46 x 46 x 12.5 mm / 45.5 g
Display Size/Type: 1.2” always-on color
Battery Life:
Smartwatch Mode: Up to 7 days
GPS Mode: Up to 40 hours
GPS: Built-in single-frequency (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS)
Maps & Navigation: Back to start
Available Colors: Black/Gray, Gold/Champagne, Brown/Copper
Saftety features: None
Water Resistant: Yes
Price: $295.95
The Polar Vantage M2 multisport GPS watch is a great combination of performance, functionality, and athletic attitude. This Polar watch offers guidance and data to help you get stronger and essential smartwatch features to keep you connected.
Get on the road to new PRs with training tools like Training Load Pro, FitSpark, Running Program, and Training Targets. Plus Nightly Recharge and Sleep Stages Plus will let you know how hard to push it during the day.
Polar Vantage V2 Premium Multisport Watch
Vantage V2 Quick Specs
Case Size/Weight: 47 x 47 x 13 mm / 52 g
Display Size/Type: 1.2” MIP
Battery Life:
Smartwatch Mode: Up to 168 hours
GPS Mode: Up to 40 hours
GPS: Built-in single-frequency (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS)
Maps & Navigation: Bread crumb route guidance, turn-by-turn guidance by Komoot, route and elevation profiles, back to start
Available Colors: Black, Silver/Gray/Lime, Red
Saftety features: None
Water Resistant: Yes
Price: $499.95
Looking for a premium multisport watch without a premium price tag? The Polar Vantage V2 is a wise choice for any athlete. This GPS sport watch is engineered to enable runners of all levels to exceed expectations. It integrates minimalistic design with innovative technology for a powerful training tool built on decades of scientific research.
You’ll get a top-of-the-line heart rate monitor, outstanding GPS tracking, Training Load Pro and Recovery Pro to let you know when you’re straining, when it’s time to recover, and when it’s time to go again. In a nutshell, you’ll get the gift of intelligent training with these and other features like wrist-based running power, leg recovery test, training test, and recovery test. Don’t worry, these are tests you’re gonna wanna take!
Polar Grit X Pro Outdoor Adventure Watch
Grit X Pro Quick Specs
Case Size/Weight: 47 x 47 x 13 mm / 79 g
Display Size/Type: 1.2” MIP
Battery Life:
Smartwatch Mode: Up to 168 hours
GPS Mode: Up to 40 hours
GPS: Built-in single-frequency (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS)
Maps & Navigation: Bread crumb route guidance, turn-by-turn guidance by Komoot, route and elevation profiles, back to start, track back
Available Colors: Black DLC, Nordic Copper, Artic Gold
Saftety features: None
Water Resistant: Yes
Price: $499.95
Shopping for a hardcore adventure multisport watch for your outdoor sports junkie life? The Polar Grit X Pro has you covered.
When it comes to the running watch side of things, you can train smarter with features like Training Load Pro, wrist-based running power, FitSpark, and Recovery Pro.
Built for military-level durability with sapphire glass and ultra-long battery life, this Polar GPS watch will equip your wrist with navigation tools, always-on outdoor features, and Polar’s ultimate training solutions so you can go wherever your heart takes you.
Best Watches for Runners $500 & Up
Garmin Forerunner 955/955 Solar Running & Triathlon Watch
Forerunner 955/955 Solar Quick Specs
Case Size/Weight: 46.5 x 46.5 x 14.4 mm / 52 g
Display Size/Type: 1.3” transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) color touchscreen
Battery Life:
Smartwatch Mode: Up to 15 days/20 days with solar (solar editions only)
GPS Mode: Up to 40 hours/49 hours with solar (solar editions only)
GPS: Built-in multi-frequency positioning (GPS, Galileo, GLONASS)
Maps & Navigation: Preloaded topo maps, preloaded road and trail maps, real-time bread crumb trail, point to point navigation, back to start, TracBack®, up ahead
Available Colors: Black (solar and non-solar), White (solar and non-solar)
Saftety features: Livetrack, Group Livetrack, Spectator Messaging, Live Event Sharing, Incident Detection during select activities, Incident Detection alert on phone for wearables, Assistance
Water Resistant: Yes
Price: $499.99 (non-solar), $599.99 (solar)
Push the limits with the Garmin Forerunner 955/955 Solar premium GPS running and triathlon smartwatch that has all the training, maps, performance, health, and smart features that the most expensive Garmin multisport watches have. Plus, in the Solar edition, Power Glass™ for solar charging will extend your battery life too. The training readiness feature shows when you're primed for a productive session—while daily suggested workouts adapt to your performance and recovery alongside the race widget, which provides training tips, course details, and completion time predictions. With morning report, you’ll get an overview of your sleep, recovery, training, and more—as well as a picture of your overall health with heart rate variability (HRV) status (This device is intended to give an estimate of your activity and metrics). Plus, new multi-band GPS and full-color, built-in maps allow you to navigate with confidence. And with traditional buttons and a touch display, it has never been easier to tap into training status and know whether you’re training productively, peaking, or strained.
If you need more rugged wearability or even more battery life—you’ll want to take a look at the more expensive fēnix 7 series or the Garmin Enduro 2.
Garmin fēnix 7/7S/7X Best Trail Running Watch
fēnix 7/7S/7X Quick Specs
Case Size/Weight (titanium in Sapphire Solar edition is lighter):
fēnix 7: 47 x 47 x 14.5 mm / 73–79 g
fēnix 7S: 42 x 42 x 14.1 mm / 58–63 g
fēnix 7X: 51 x 51 x 14.9 mm / 89–96 g
Display Size/Type:
fēnix 7: 1.3” transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) color touchscreen
fēnix 7S: 1.2” transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) color touchscreen
fēnix 7X: 1.4” transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) color touchscreen
Battery Life:
fēnix 7:
Smartwatch Mode: Up to 18 days/22 days with solar
GPS Mode: Up to 57 hours/73 hours with solar
fēnix 7S:
Smartwatch Mode: Up to 11 days/14 days with solar
GPS Mode: Up to 37 hours/46 hours with solar
fēnix 7X:
Smartwatch Mode: Up to 28 days/37 days with solar
GPS Mode: Up to 89 hours/122 hours with solar
GPS: Built-in multi-frequency positioning (GPS, Galileo, GLONASS)
Maps & Navigation: Preloaded topo maps, preloaded road and trail maps, preloaded ski resort maps, real-time bread crumb trail, point to point navigation, back to start, TracBack®, up ahead
Available Colors: Check out the product page to see all 16 watches and their colors
Saftety features: Livetrack, Group Livetrack, Live Event Sharing, Incident Detection during select activities, Assistance
Water Resistant: Yes
Price: $699.99–$999.99
If chasing challenges and crushing goals is what you do, a fēnix 7 multisport GPS watch is built to go strong along with you. With cutting-edge training features, sports apps, 24/7 health and wellness monitoring, and more, this Garmin watch is a legit choice for the serious marathon runner or triathlete.
Use trusted button controls or the new touchscreen to get the features you need. Gain performance insights and metrics that’ll help you manage your exertion and build stamina. Optimize recovery and overall wellness by monitoring heart rate, respiration, stress, sleep and more. GPS and outdoor navigation sensors guide during those outings off the beaten path. And for those tamer days, you’ve got connected features like smart notifications, the most music storage of any GPS watch, and Garmin Pay contactless payments.
For runners, the 7 fēnix series offers morning report, race widget, HRV status, training readiness, heat and altitude acclimation, VO2 Max Run and Trail Run, real-time stamina, Training Status, Training Load, Training Effects, finish time, race predictor, trail run auto climb, and more. This Garmin watch will take all your information combined with your wellness data and help you train smarter and refine your training goals.
This isn’t even the tip of the iceberg—the Garmin fēnix 7 is the running watch that keeps on giving from performance features to durability to battery life!
Apple Watch Ultra Premium Smartwatch
Ultra Quick Specs
Case Size/Weight: 49 x 44 x 14.5 mm / 61.3 g
Display Size/Type: A flat sapphire front crystal, protecting the retina display, which is up to 2,000 nits bright
Battery Life: Up to 36 hours in normal use; Up to 60 hours on low power settings (technology coming in the fall of 2022).
GPS: Built-in dual-frequency L5 GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDou
Maps & Navigation: Compass navigation to find your way back to waypoints; back to start function
Saftety features: Fall Detection, Emergency SOS, Crash Detection
Water Resistant: Yes
Available Colors:
Price: $800.00
This latest version of the Apple Watch series for outdoorsy types, gives you temperature sensing for overall wellness and Cycle features, advanced health features with the ability to take an ECG, car crash detection, and enhanced workouts on the app—PLUS bigger size, brighter display that can show up to 6 metrics at once. It also has an "action button" that can instantly begin workouts and move users to the next interval of a Custom Workout or the next leg of a Multisport workout. Like with all Apple Watches, for serious athletes, outdoor enthusiasts, and those who take their workouts pretty seriously, the Apple Watch Ultra lacks in mapping, navigation, battery life, and training tools that offer more than metrics, like recommendations for recovery and improvement.
Garmin epix 2 Premium Running Smartwatch
epix (Gen 2) Quick Specs
Case Size/Weight: 47 x 47 x 14.5 mm / 76 g
Display Size/Type: 1.3” AMOLED color touchscreen
Battery Life:
Smartwatch Mode: Up to 16 days
GPS Mode: Up to 42 hours
GPS: Built-in multi-frequency positioning (GPS, Galileo, GLONASS)
Maps & Navigation: Preloaded topo maps (Sapphire edition only), preloaded road and trail maps (Sapphire edition only), preloaded ski resort maps, real-time bread crumb trail, point to point navigation, back to start, TracBack®, up ahead
Available Colors: Slate Steel, White Titanium (Sapphire), Black Titanium (Sapphire)
Saftety features: Livetrack, Group Livetrack, Live Event Sharing, Incident Detection during select activities, Assistance
Water Resistant: Yes
Price: $899.99 (Standard), $999.99 (Sapphire)
Get epic features and design on your wrist with the Garmin epix (Gen 2) with stunning AMOLED display. With this premium active smartwatch, you’ll take on every day with advanced training tools, up to 16 days of battery life in smartwatch mode, and a vibrant eye-catching watch face on your wrist. You can train how you want with 30+ built-in sports apps and take it further with performance metrics and Garmin Coach training plans. Plus, you can conveniently download TopoActive mapping via Wi-Fi® connectivity—or get it preloaded on Sapphire editions. Additionally, Sapphire editions support multi-band GNSS technology for stronger, better, more accurate positioning in challenging environments. Get all of Garmin’s best smart features and health monitoring, along with monster music storage of up to 2,000 songs on watch for phone-free listening. The epix 2 is the perfect GPS watch for those who like eye-catching style and fine technology on their wrist that will work for them whatever part of their active day they’re in.
Garmin Enduro 2 Best Ultra Running Watch
Enduro 2 Quick Specs
Case Size/Weight: 51 x 51 x 15.6 mm / 70 g
Display Size/Type: 1.4” transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) color touchscreen
Battery Life:
Smartwatch Mode: Up to 34 days/46 days with solar
GPS Mode: Up to 110 hours/150 hours with solar
GPS: Built-in multi-frequency positioning (GPS, Galileo, GLONASS)
Maps & Navigation: Preloaded topo maps, preloaded road and trail maps, preloaded ski resort maps, real-time bread crumb trail, point to point navigation, back to start, TracBack®, up ahead, NextFork™ navigation
Available Colors: Black
Saftety features: Livetrack, Group Livetrack, Live Event Sharing, Incident Detection during select activities, Incident Detection alert on phone for wearables, Assistance
Water Resistant: Yes
Price: $1,099.99
Ultra runners need not look any further than the Garmin Enduro 2, the ultraperformance multisport GPS watch that can go to the ends of the Earth and back. Solar power on this puppy provides battery life of up to 150 hours in GPS mode with solar charging, which comes standard at this price.
AutoSelect mode uses SatIQ™ technology to dynamically determine the GPS mode necessary to maximize battery life without compromising positional accuracy. The rugged, lightweight design won’t slow you down, and the light UltraFit band offers a secure, comfortable fit during all activities. TopoActive and ski maps will help you find your way, while a variety of built-in sports apps as well as endurance, stamina, and other performance metrics will help take your training to the next level. You can use traditional button controls or the new touchscreen interface to access selections.
Enduro 2 includes an Adventure Racing World Series-approved adventure racing app. Plus, its advanced features, including the NextFork™ map guide, grade-adjusted pace, and automatic rest timer for ultra runs, will help runners prepare to go the distance. A superbright LED flashlight (twice as bright as the fēnix® 7X multisport GPS watch) will even guide you in the dark. If you want to give them “all the things” in a GPS watch, this is it!
COROS VERTIX 2 Ultimate Outdoor Watch
VERTIX 2 Quick Specs
Case Size/Weight: 50.3 x 50.3 x 15.7 mm / 89 g
Display Size/Type: 1.4” touchscreen memory LCD
Battery Life:
Smartwatch Mode: Up to 60 days
GPS Mode: Up to 140 hours
GPS: All satellite dual-frequency (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Beidou, QZSS)
Maps & Navigation: map/navigation support, global offline street and topo maps, bread crumb navigation, checkpoint, back to start, distance to destination
Available Colors: Obsidian, Lava
Saftety features: Deviation Alert
Water Resistant: Yes
Price: $699.00
For adventurers who go to the extreme
- Next-Gen All-Satellite Dual-Frequency GNSS Technology
- Virtual run, altitude mode
- Third-party integration with apps, such as Komoot, TrainingPeaks, Strava, Stryd, and more
- 60 Days For Regular Use/140 Hours In Standard Full GPS Mode
- Landscape, Topo, And Hybrid Global Offline Mapping
- 4-Inch Touchscreen With DLC Sapphire Glass, Titanium Bezel
- Accurate Measurement Of Performance Training And Daily Metrics