Seeking Runner’s Watch Recommendations (from Actual Owners)

GordonR on 02/04/2018 - 10:26

Wife’s running getting serious enough that she wants a watch/band for logging, monitoring etc.

Must haves: GPS, optical heart rate continuous monitor, small size (thin wrists), and easy-to-use companion app (IOS)

Apple Watch probably meets her requirements, but is overkill and requires charging too often, so I’ve been looking at devices around the $200-250 mark.

There are many watches available with these features, but mostly the websites just list features with no indication of how they are implemented, whether they work well or are clunky etc. Sometimes the websites almost lie - wiggle list a TomTom Spark 3 fitness watch at $128 and claim it has a heart-rate monitor, but this appears to require a chest strap that is not supplied.

So I looking for real user experiences with their watch / band along with what to avoid etc.

Thanks in advance

Sports & Outdoors

Comments

  • frondono on 02/04/2018 - 10:39

    JB Hifi seems to be having the deals on them lately. I use a samsung gear s2 for my activities and it does the job good enough.

  • frondono on 02/04/2018 - 10:41

    https://www.jbhifi.com.au/?q=watch&idx=PRODUCTS_price_low_high&dFR[Categories.Name][0]=Smart%20watches&dFR[Categories.Name][1]=Sports%20watches&

  • ihbh on 02/04/2018 - 11:07

    FR235 on sale easily meets all your requirements.

    • GordonR on 02/04/2018 - 19:17

      Sounds good, but I can only find it at well over $400 from Aus stores… even the FR35 is $299.

  • Diji1 on 02/04/2018 - 11:11

    requires charging too often

    Using GPS and continuous HR monitoring uses a lot of power. I doubt you'll find anything much better than Apple unless you have a larger, less stylish device. The extra battery has to go somewhere.

  • IgG on 03/04/2018 - 00:02

    I'd second trying to find a Garmin 235 on sale, or even splurge for the Garmin 645 with the Bluetooth music, would be my next watch if it did the triathlon features. I've got a 935 and love it, can't really think of much it's missing besides some GPS maps and the music feature from the Fenix series and 645 respectively but I'm not too fussed about that stuff TBH.

    My brother had an Apple watch for a while but sold it as it didn't do any running / exercise features as well as the Garmin did. HR accuracy was iffy during a run and the screen was hard to use when sweaty or raining. Battery life is also a lot worse. General consensus is that Garmin's are the way to go, they just do running a whole lot better, are more accurate in terms of HR (but chest straps definitely are better during a run, even compared to Garmin's with optical HR) and have way more advanced features.

    As a bonus the newer Garmin's also have swappable straps and are a lot smaller than the Apple watch, and look less dorky than the standard fitness watches (i.e. TomTom which are not all day watches and have not had an update in years)

    DCRainmaker.com is the website to visit to compare watches. It's literally his day job to do this stuff! Interestingly he reviewed the latest Samsung Gear watch as basically concluded it was a dud that struggled to get GPS at the best of times, so do your research on whatever you decide!

    • GordonR on 03/04/2018 - 09:12

      Thanks IgG - just what I'm looking for…

  • Euphemistic on 03/04/2018 - 07:45

    I have a Garmin 235 and quite like it. Works well. Battery last for a week, reasonably accurate tracking. It is a fairly big face though for a small arm.

    My son has a tom Tom spark with HRM. Afaik it works well too and is a little cheaper.

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