Design

Which sports watch looks best and which is the most comfortable?

The Fenix 3, for starters, looks classy. Bond-level classy

The conundrum for the watch maker is getting all this clever tech squashed down into something that’s comfortable and practical on the wrist. But wait – we also need a watch face large enough to clearly read reams of data when we’re running. Oh, and approximately 73 buttons. It’d better look good, too. And by jove, the watches on test here have done it.

The Fenix 3, for starters, looks classy. Bond-level classy. Forged with a scratch-protected, domed crystal and stainless steel, it’s rugged and feels like it would survive an argument with a tank. Other than at The Anti Watch League meet (if they even could meet, without knowing the time), you can’t imagine a situation where it would look out of place. The downside of the Fenix is that it’s large and less comfortable on thinner wrists, though it’s still surprisingly comfortable for its size. The full-colour, LED-backlit, sunlight-readable screen is the best in class, and data layouts make good advantage of the bigger screen.

The Ambit3, in contrast, may divide opinion. The Sport HR is available in some lovely, bright colours that you might not feel comfortable wearing to more sombre occasions. It’s plasticky, if good-quality plastic (polyamide), making it feel like more of a plaything. But the upside is the Ambit3 is the most comfortable of the three, thanks partly to the super-soft and malleable silicone strap. All the watches feel big and awkward at first, but this is soon forgotten about – the Ambit3 quicker than the other two. The buttons, however, often need a couple of presses to get a response. Some will naturally remove the Polar V800 at bedtime (which isn’t conducive for garnering shut-eye data), but the Ambit3 will most likely stay in place unnoticed.

The macho-feeling V800’s aluminium and stainless-steel body is square and compact – and it feels it, unfortunately. Appearance-wise, it also doesn’t quite have that desirability factor. It’s pleasingly simple in design, but just isn’t as compelling to look at as its two rivals.