When it comes to improving your sporting performance, knowledge is power. Elite athletes have teams of coaches and performance experts logging and analysing their every move; for the rest of us, a sports watch is the next best thing.
And you might be surprised by how much these little wrist-borne marvels can do. They use technology that even elites could only have dreamed of a few decades ago, and can track pretty much every popular sport. As well as basic information like training time and distance covered, they can provide in-depth analysis of your technique, heart rate, and training effect, and some will even coach you on the go.
Here’s our pick of the best sports watches for tracking a variety of different activities, along with our buyer’s guide to help you make the right choice.
How to buy the best sports watch for you
The first question is which sporting activity you want to track, as this will determine the core features you want. If you’re a runner or a cyclist then GPS tracking is a must, while swimmers will be more concerned with waterproofing. Triathletes need a multi-sport mode to switch between their different disciplines seamlessly, and those who stick to the gym might well want to monitor different forms of indoor workout, such as weight training and HIIT. Whatever kind of sportsperson you are, your perfect watch is almost certainly out there – you just have to pick it.
What else should I look for?
App support is important: check out how user-friendly the watch’s partner app is, and whether it will sync your exercise record to third-party apps like Strava. You might also want to look for a tracker with a built-in music player, so you can leave your phone behind while still enjoying some audio entertainment during your activity.
Remember too that not all important statistics can be tracked from the wrist. Cyclists and triathletes for example might want to measure their pedalling cadence and power; for this you’ll need a watch that can use Bluetooth or ANT+ to communicate with other monitoring devices attached to your body or bike.
Finally, check battery life, especially if you’re planning to use GPS. Some devices need charging daily, but the majority will get through a few days of training, and the best will last you a week or two without needing to be plugged in.
Should I consider a smartwatch instead?
Almost all general purpose “smartwatches” have some sort of fitness tracking capabilities; some indeed are just as good as dedicated sports wearables. If you want the ability to install apps on your watch, and receive detail-rich notifications for text, email, WhatsApp and many other apps, all alongside sports tracking, there are several great options. They tend to cost more than “dumber” devices, however – and since they’re designed to be worn all the time, you might have to charge them more often than a sports watch that you only wear while working out.
How much should I spend?
A basic sports tracker, without fancy features like location tracking, will set you back between £50 and £100. If you want a decent watch with GPS, expect to pay around £100 and up – and if you can stretch to £150 to £300 you’ll find a range of quality options for every kind of sport. You can, of course, spend even more than that: triathletes and runners in particular will find some great options in the £300 to £500 bracket. For comparison, sporty smartwatches cost around £250-£350.
The best sports watches to buy in 2018
1. TomTom Spark/Runner 3: Best sports watch under £100
Price: £90 | Buy now from Amazon
With built-in GPS, multiple sports modes and everyday tracking, the TomTom Spark 3 is sensational value. Runners will probably get the most out of it – it features accurate distance and pace tracking, plus the ability to follow a virtual breadcrumb trail so you can explore new routes – but there are also cycling, swimming and gym modes.
If you want a few more features, more advanced versions of the tracker are available which add heart-rate tracking, onboard music storage, or both. Those are naturally more expensive than the basic Spark 3, but still great value.
Key specs – Battery life: 9 hours (GPS), 10-14 days (watch); GPS: Yes; Waterproof: Yes; Heart-rate tracking: No; Bluetooth/ANT+: Bluetooth
2. Polar M430: Best sports watch for running
Price: £164 | Buy now from Amazon
Runners are spoilt for choice when it comes to sports watches, and you can spend a lot of money on premium models – but the vast majority of pavement-pounders will find all they need in the Polar M430.
It has built-in GPS and a heart rate monitor, and you can set up custom workouts (based on pace, distance, time or heart rate) and follow your progress on the watch. The Polar Flow website and app can even create an entire training plan for you, based on your current fitness level or a specific target, such as a 10K or marathon. Training is then beamed to the M430, which will guide you through every workout. It’s a running coach and a tracker all rolled into one.
Key specs – Battery life: 8 hours (GPS), 20 hours (watch); GPS: Yes; Waterproof: Yes; Heart-rate tracking: Yes; Bluetooth/ANT+: Bluetooth
3. Nokia Steel: Most discreet sports watch
Price: £90 | Buy now from Amazon
Not everyone likes the overtly sporty look. If you prefer to keep your fitness functions low-key, the Nokia Steel is a great option, as it looks just like an ordinary watch. It also uses a regular watch battery, which only needs changing every eight months – a refreshing change from most sports watches, which need regular recharging.
Yet beneath the unassuming facade sits all the tech you need to track everyday activity and record basic info about your fitness. The Nokia Steel automatically tracks walks, runs, swims and sleep, and gives a subtle indication of how you’re progressing towards your daily step goal through the small subdial. There’s no GPS tracking, heart-rate monitoring or in-depth workout stats, but if you want a tasteful watch with fitness tracking thrown in, it’s the perfect choice.
Key specs – Battery life: 8 months; GPS: No; Waterproof: Yes; Heart-rate tracking: No; Bluetooth/ANT+: None
4. Garmin Forerunner 735XT: Best sports watch for cycling
Price: £285 | Buy now from Amazon
Cyclists often lean towards Garmin, because its devices offer both Bluetooth and ANT+ – meaning they can connect to the widest possible range of other devices such as power, cadence and heart rate sensors.
The Forerunner 735XT is great for cyclists in other ways too, though, starting with its excellent battery life – 14 hours of GPS is enough for even all-day rides. It also features Strava Live Segments, so if you like to compete for KOMs on the popular ride tracking app, you can monitor your progress during the attempt. The 735XT tracks indoor events too, and has a multisport mode for triathlons.
Key specs – Battery life: 14 hours (GPS), 11 days (watch); GPS: Yes; Waterproof: Yes; Heart-rate tracking: Yes; Bluetooth/ANT+: Bluetooth & ANT+
5. Apple Watch Series 3 GPS + Cellular: Best sports smartwatch
Price: £399 | Buy now from Argos
The third revision of the Apple Watch has impressive sports credentials. For a start, it’s one of the best swim trackers on the market, with automatic stroke recognition and lap counting. And if you opt for the cellular version, you can completely untether yourself from your phone while training: stream music, take calls – or just use the built-in GPS and heart-rate monitor to record your workout without worrying about the rest of the world.
Alongside a great set of built-in fitness features, the Apple Watch also supports all your favourite tracking apps: Strava, Runkeeper and Cyclemeter are all here, along with hundreds of other workout apps. The only downside – apart from the price – is that, as with most smartwatches, you have to charge it every night.
Key specs – Battery life: Up to 18 hours; GPS: Yes; Waterproof: Yes; Heart-rate tracking: Yes; Bluetooth/ANT+: Bluetooth