Running Watches

Which Is Right for You?

For the mountain-summiting veteran Garmin Fenix 5 Series $800 and up

The Fenix isn’t so much the Cadillac of running watches as it is a Humvee. In fact, the only thing this beast can’t do is call in an airstrike. (Although, keep an eye out for future firmware updates?) Although the Fenix will probably be more watch than the vast majority of runners will need, that also means that it does more than any other watch on the market. If you must have the very best, particularly if you plan on getting lost on a mountain, the Fenix 5 belongs on your arm.

Key Features

» Altimeter » 24 battery life with GPS

on (300 without) » Turn-by-turn mapping

and directions (5X only) » Coaching app » Advanced metrics (VO2 max, lactate threshold, resting heart rate) » Saffire crystal watchface

(optional upgrade) » Receives messages from

a phone » Optical heart rate monitor

built-in

Pros

» Best battery life of any

watch we’ve ever tested » Extraordinary set of

options » Fit and finish of a high

end timepiece » Easily detachable strap » Firmware upgrades will only make it more powerful

Cons

» Extremely expensive » Bulky design » Not ideal for roadrunners

For the newbie ultrarunner Suunto Spartan Ultra HR $680

Last year, Suunto refreshed their line of premium running watches with the Spartan Ultra. The heart rate model is a welcomed edition to their flagship set, taking over where the Ambit series left off, but now with a sharper colour screen, more robust feature set and, of course, an optical heart rate monitor. The namesake key feature is the best we’ve tested on a running watch so far, and this fully featured unit is a great fit for ultrarunners looking to navigate their way through the trails for daylong adventures.

Key Features

» Optical heart rate monitor built-in » Supports dozens of different sports » Long battery life, even with GPS and HR engaged

Pros

» The most accurate optical heart rate we’ve tested » GPS is extremely accurate » Slick, minimal styling and colour options » Sizing for smaller wrists » Incredible array of training options

Cons

» Expensive option for

many runners » Still lacking some luxury

options for the price » Heavily reliant on firm

ware updates to improve

For the techie roadrunner New Balance RunIQ $400

After reinventing themselves with the highly successful Fresh Foam midsole and a couple of other brilliant fast road shoe options, New Balance surprised the running world earlier this year with a running watch. It’s a remarkably evolved product, thanks in part to very wise partnerships with Google (for the open-source and ever-evolving Android operating system) and Strava (making it the first watch to truly have the popular run tracking community baked right into the device).

Key Features

» Android OS » Sharp large screen » Strava app native to the

design » A fully thought out GPS running watch in version one

Pros

» The Strava functionality

works perfectly » Beautiful watch face and

overall design » Useful buttons instead of reliance on a touch screen » Because it’s Android it will constantly be evolving and improving

Cons

» It’s rather large » The functionality can be a

bit confusing » If you’re not on Strava, the built-in functionality is annoying

For the BostonQualifying marathoner Garmin Forerunner 935 $680

Garmin has dominated the wrists of most serious roadrunners over the years because the brand tends to nail that sweet spot of functionality, durability and price. With the advent of smartwatches, the pressure was on for the king of the running watch to come up with something that would do a bit better than their previous model, the FR 635. The 935 wowed us. It’s like a baby Fenix 5 in many ways: an impressive feature set (although not all the finer grain stuff like an altimeter), sturdy design and smartwatch functionality. If you’ve got the dough, it’s maybe the perfect running watch for experienced runners.

Key Features

» Smart coaching

functionality » Rugged design

(no plastic) » Smartwatch functionality (reads phone messages, has apps) » Colour screen » Multisport functionality » Long battery life

Pros

» Lighter and smaller than a Fenix 5, but almost as good » Great screen » 24-hour battery life with

GPS » Relies on buttons in place

of a subpar touchscreen

Cons

» Expensive » Still a touch on the thick

and large side » Military styling may not

suit some

For the all-day watch-wearing runner Apple Watch Nike+ $359 and up

Apple’s “Series 2” Watch incorporates GPS, showing that the tech giant is serious about running. The Nike+ version does everything the normal version does, but adds a cooked-in version of the running brand’s popular app/community, and a perforated rubber wrist band. Apart from everything else it does, Apple Watch Series 2 is a strong running watch, with an accurate GPS unit and the Workoute app is wonderfully designed and easy to use. If you like wearing a stylish watch all day and don’t love the conventional “running watch” look, Apple Watch is a well crafted and enjoyable timepiece to wear all day long. And its fitness tracking functionality is the most enjoyable we’ve tested – you’ll become obsessed with “closing your rings.”

Key Features

» Robust app universe » Scratch-proof face » Ceramic back » Interchangeable bands » Waterproof » Multisport functionality » Multiple customizable

screens

Pros

» So much more than a running watch (thousands of apps) » Apple Pay » Beautifully designed » Best touchscreen we’ve

tested » WatchOS is constantly

improving » A good value

Cons

» Must have an iPhone to

make it worthwhile » No Strava support » GPS is good, but

not great

For the new runner Polar M430 $330

The newest member of the Polar family sports a solid GPS unit and built-in optical heart rate, all for a price point that is newbie friendly (or agreeable for the experienced runner who only really wants to track basic stats). The M430 is a solid upgrade on its predecessor, the M400 (most importantly adding optical heart rate and improved battery life. In a market that has few sub-$400 options for a quality GPS running watch, the Polar M430 is a solid option if you’re new to the technology or are looking for good bang for your buck. Sure, it’s missing some of the finer add-ons (apps, music storage, a robust colour screen), but at this price point, the M430 is a strong option.

Key Features

» Optical heart rate sensor » Increased battery life » Enhanced GPS modes for

more accuracy » Sleep tracking » Improved design

Pros

» Super accurate LED

optical heart rate » One-second GPS tracking » Low power mode for

30 hours of GPS use » Good price point

Cons

» Still over $300 » No third party app or

music support » Screen isn’t super sharp » On the large side for a

small wrist