Five things to consider before buying

01 WHY ARE YOU BUYING ONE?

Would you like to upgrade your current running watch or are you planning on getting your first proper smart fitness wearable? If it is an upgrade, have a look at newer models of the watch you use now – you are probably more familiar with the button layout and the user interface. If it’s a new purchase, you might be new to sports overall and therefore don’t need the high-end model with the premium features and price tag.

02 OLD OR NEW?

The best running watch from last year is still not the worst option this year. Many features of newer models trickle down to older ones through software updates. Especially if the new model came out very recently, the older models will provide more stable performance (at least at the beginning).

03 WHICH FEATURES DO YOU NEED?

Offline maps are great but not many people will use them for their daily runs, unlike hikers, who could benefit more from being able to use maps in areas where there is no phone signal.

04 BATTERY LIFE

Battery life varies wildly from one watch to the other and it also depends on how you will use it. If you exercise outdoors often, get a watch with a good ‘with GPS’ battery life: ‘20 hours of tracking with GPS’ means you won’t have to charge the watch more than once every other week. Larger, always-on screens also tend to consume more battery power.

05 FIT AND ERGONOMICS

If you have a smallish wrist, putting a large watch on might skew your heart rate readings because the sensors aren’t properly fitted against your skin. Take ergonomics into account, too: some running watches come with touch screens, others don’t; it’s best to try before you buy to see which version you prefer the most.