APPLE WATCH SERIES 3 NIKE+
$430–$520
In just a couple years, Apple has aggressively entered the wearable market. With Series 2, the hardware-maker showed it was serious about running, tucking a GPS unit into Apple Watch. It was a really nice device for runners, with fairly accurate distance and pace readings, arguably the best screen and certainly the cleanest design of any running watch currently available.
Series 3 delivered what we’d all long imagined Apple would do with a smartwatch: You can make and take calls with it, just like sci-fi films have promised for years. Many have questioned the value or need of being able to make a call with a smartwatch. But runners are probably the only people for whom this feature now seems absolutely essential. Think about it: If you were able to take a super time-sensitive call, why wouldn’t you want to have that option? Or, perhaps even more importantly, Apple Watch can now function as a safety device for runners: If you find yourself in an unsafe situation or medical emergency (or you just need a lift home from a bad run), you can now phone it in. And of course, Apple Watch is so much more than just a running device: You can follow a workout routine, prep a recipe or practice meditation with it. And it plays music. It’s a complete package for both runners who can live without some of the finegrain details of your run, and everyone else.