Running watches have become very popular nowadays. They look good and are very helpful in displaying important information such as time, distance, heart rate, etc.
When you start running, you don’t want to bother yourself with anything. You want to be as much relaxed as possible, listening to music and enjoying the surroundings.
When it comes to choosing a running watch it can be a bit difficult. You would feel in the same position if you had problems choosing what pair of shoes to get. There are many brands with different options. Further on, you can find tips on how to choose a running watch.
Know Yourself
First of all, you need to understand why you need to have a running watch. What type of sport or activity are you focused on? Are you planning to become a professional athlete, running a half marathon, or just casual sports activities?
Most new watches are made to fit many sports, be it running, swimming, or cycling. However, you might want to consider older models with lesser options if you have a limited budget.
Running Watches Buying Guide
Brands
As said earlier, there are many brands with different options available. Knowing the brands and what they offer can be helpful or the opposite.
You might get stuck in between a couple of choices. However, it’s much better to know them all and then carry on with an elimination method rather than buying one just to find out that another watch would fit way much better.
Some of the top brands are:
- Garmin
- Coros
- Fitbit
- Polar
- Apple
Cost
You can skip this part if you don’t have a budget limit. However, if you don’t want to spend much money it is important to get the most out of it. Not necessarily you have to buy the newest or the best full option watch.
You want to start with ticking the services you want whether it’s distance, pacing, heart rating, waterproof etc. Remember that older versions can still be a good choice to get you what you need.
Generally, the prices vary from
- £150 up to £200 for a decent running watch
- £350 up to £400 for a good running watch
- £550 up to £600 or more for the best running watches
In the end, it’s entirely up to you what you buy, however, something to keep in mind is that cheap watches (i.e. those under £100, unless it’s a special deal from trusty brands) are not worth investing in. They are more likely to not show accurate data, not work properly or have battery and recharging problems.
Available Features
Running watches are becoming very popular. Since the moment they were introduced and so far they have become more and more powerful with a variety of features.
Some of them are:
- Clock
- Measures distance, time, the pace of running. (Some watches can save data and transfer it to another device)
- Display settings. You can set the information you want to see
- Heart rate monitor. Most of the watches nowadays come with HRM. This is very helpful in letting you know how hard your training is or how much more you can carry on. Using this data, you can track your peak performance and analyse your training results.
- Calories burned.
- Track your sleeping cycle.
- GPS. Provide coordinates. Some advanced watches can display maps and routes taken.
- Altitude
- Music. Some of the newest watches can store music.
- Waterproof
Battery life
A very important part of the watch. Most watches are displayed with two different battery lifespans. They display the battery life with GPS on and off. Most of them come with a minimum of 5 hours with GPS on. However, you want to check it out first just to make sure. Ideally, you want to go with the best battery, considering the budget limit and the type of sport you do.
Easy to work with
A watch that is easy to work with can be very helpful. Most of them are designed in that way, however, some are far better than others. You want to access information, or apps easily and quick. In the end, it’s a personal choice which one fits you best.
So I suggest having a look at them physically or checking them online before purchasing one. When it comes to a tight list from the elimination method, “easy to work with” feature can give you the winner.
Colour
Some say that colour does not matter. But, this is a very important part of the watch. You don’t want to pick a watch with a colour you don’t like. The companies pay significant attention to the design of the watches. No matter how good it can be, if the look of it doesn’t fit with your likes or personality, you are less likely to wear it.
Size
Same as the colour, the size of the watch is important. Some of them are quite bulky while some of them are very slim. Personally, I prefer a slim watch, easy to carry and it goes well with my clothes.
Final Thoughts
Running watches are quite helpful and recommended for anyone who wants to track their training progress. Features such as HRM, pace, time and distance tracking are very important.
Furthermore, you can save and upload these data to other devices, analyse them and come up with results whether your training is being productive or not. Whether you need to change something or keep pushing for higher results.
If you have a limited budget, it’s important to spend some time researching the brand and its offers. Then you can go with an elimination method considering the above features. If you want to dig deeper, you can search forums for reviews.