Watches

[kermischocolate]

I currently have a 3ish year old Garmin Forerunner 220. There's nothing wrong with it but I fancy a change.

I don't do much running these days but would like something that measures HR, can track my gym activities (crossfit style) and is useful on hikes. Altimeter, compass and GPS would be useful (or would it without any signal??).

I don't want something that plays music or does me emails etc.

The choices out there are a bit bewildering tbh and budget is an issue.

Can anyone help point me in the direction of what it is I want (activity tracker v smart watch?) and then any recommendations as to brands/ models (suunto v garmin v fitbit)?

Please and thank you.

[Sack the Juggler]

I use a garmin vivoactive HR, it tracks my walks, and my heart rate and altitude, doesn't play music and syncs straight to my iphone so I can review my activities.

It also does sleep and steps, but I'm not sure about how accurate they are.

Its easy to use, cheap, waterproof (although I did manage to drown mine, but Garmin replaced it), and the battery lasts over a week if I'm not using the GPS.

If I use the GPS then the battery will last about 13 hours, which should cover most of my walks / runs / cycles / races before a recharge is needed.

Its basically an activity tracker with GPS (that you switch on or off when you record a specific hike), and its cheaper than most garmins.

[Sack the Juggler]

oh, I should add that it gives me alerts when I get a text message and the like on my iphone or when I have a call, and I never thought I'd need this, but it allows me to put my phone on silent at work and still know if I'm getting a call and who its from if I can take it.

and it also has a vibrating alarm that wakes me up, but not my missus in the morning, which is a bonus.

[Sack the Juggler]

I've had it for 2 years and recently thought about replacing it, but after seeing the battery life of the apple phone and even the fitbit iconic, I decided to stick with the vivoactive for a little bit longer.

[kermischocolate]

Awesome, thanks.

Can you download gpx routes onto it or does it just record where you go?

[Sack the Juggler]

Awesome, thanks.

Can you download gpx routes onto it or does it just record where you go?

got no idea about downloading routes onto it, I just record my walks on it

[thand]

Hi

I replaced my old forerunner with a suunto ambit 3 vertical about 4 months ago and love it so far.

does the usual GPS and HR tracking and gives you all the forerunner type details on customisable screens

Has a GPS fused barometer

Can give an OS grid reference and you can upload a GPS route to follow.

Battery is generally 10 days with me running 3 hours a week (GPS tracking only)

Through settings you can change the GPS ping rate for tracking and navigation for different activities to conserve battery (I have running, cycling and hiking all on different presets). I used for a 7.5 hr hike recently and only took 20% off the battery including using the nav function.

On the downside its not as pretty as the garmins and doesn't have touchscreen (I prefer buttons) but is about half the price of the garmin nav watches

[kermischocolate]

Ooh will have a look, cheers.

I too love actual buttons to push!

[ScotFinn65]

I use Suunto Ambit 2. It is a little old now but seems to do what you are looking for.

It newer models have more functionality but l am very happy with mine.

Only issues are: temperature does not work effectively, it tends to take body heat and not air temperature. Secondly, it needs the chest belt if you want HR, not the wrist pulse measure.

Otherwise l can recommend.

[tweedledog]

I've had a Garmin Fenix 3 for a year now. My model does not have a built in HR monitor - you need to bluetooth connect a chest strap or similar - but there is a more expensive version of the Fenix 3 which has a built in monitor. It makes the watch thicker and, I think, runs off its own battery rather than off the main rechargeable.
The watch itself has more functions than there are midges in my garden in summer (well, OK, exaggeration there), many more than I use or need however. I'm not into triathlon, rowing, running, skiing, swimming, et al. Only ever use Walk and Hike really. But they are pretty good and can be tailored in all sorts of ways. All navigation functions that you might expect are here, including the ability to access both GPS and Glonass. I've found it pretty accurate on the whole, giving decent OS co-ordinates and elevations. You can load gpx files into it via Garmin's Basecamp software or via other means. It can be bluetooth paired with a phone (in my case both an iPhone and an iPad) using the Garmin Connect app. This allows your saved activities to be viewed on screen with proper mapping etc.
In practice I don't really use it for serious navigation since I have a handheld Garmin for that, plus map and compass, but it certainly could be used within the limits of what is a small screen area. If you want to check it out I guess you could download the manual from Garmin - it will take you a while to read!
There is the more expensive Fenix 5 as well, but when I bought the 3 I figured that it did everything I wanted anyway.

[rgallie]

My Casio F-91W trumps anything in here

[Caberfeidh]

I have an excellent pocket watch with chain to attach to my waistcoat. I took it with me to work on an oil rig off Israel, where most of the personnel were Americans from the Deep South. They were always asking me what the time was; eventually I figured out it was because I conformed to their preconception of a British Eccentric Gentleman and they loved seeing me take out my pocket watch and announce the time in a strange accent and quaint phrasing such as "Quarter past ten" rather than the American "ten-fifteen". They also laughed at my milk-white legs, but that's another story...