You must have thought of going on a morning jog, structuring your workout routine and contemplate whether you should join the next local marathon coming up soon. But either your motivation lacks in essence or you don’t have adequate resources, one way or the other you let go of the thought completely.
Achieving the most basic goals of exercise require a lot more than the effort you put into that. Whether you have to streamline your workout session or need numbers to judge your progress so far, a fitness tracker won’t do rather a GPS running smartwatch is what you need.
From tracking your real-time movements while you jog to analyzing your heart rate, smartwatches integrate features that encompass an individual’s health and fitness in-depth.
If you have considered this option already and the high price tags on smartwatches made you skeptical then do not fret. This list of the top 5 smartwatches for runners has been carefully curated so you can find the right one at a price that fits your budget.
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1. Suunto 9 Baro
For those who love long and slow runs there is good news. The Suunto 9 Baro has a battery life of up to 10 hours. If not in a power-saving mode, Suunto 9 always stays connected. However, it has a smart battery optimization feature, which notifies you beforehand if a certain mode is consuming battery.
Once you activate GPS tracking, you can record your real-time location every two minutes. A heart rate tracker is incorporated into the wristband and uses sensors to pick your pulse.
You can even choose to connect the watch to your smartphone and get all your notifications. So the next time you go on a run and need quick updates, your smartphone will be synced at all times.
Release Date: September 2018
Price: $599
Learn more or buy here.2. Polar M430
For simpler smartwatch options, Polar M430 is a great choice. The older Polar M400 model was a best-seller in Europe so Polar did not choose to wrong its roots and only proceeded to upgrade M400 with new features and launched the M430.
The new upgrades include a heart rate monitor, sleep tracking and smarter notification features. Now there is also the option to add smart coaching which helps you know what workout or jog session to continue with.
The exterior and the interface design is simple with no incorporation of confusing elements. The watch is not only lightweight but its battery life may exceed the expected 30 hours maximum.
Release Date: June 2017
Price: $229
Learn more or buy here.3. Fitbit Ionic
Fitbit doesn’t lie when it says fitness is at its core. Solely designed for fitness enthusiasts, Fitbit wristwear has been renowned for its smartwatches for years. Fitbit Ionic is just a new addition to the list of their ever-growing digital fitness gear.
Its battery life runs for multiple days so that should not be your concern. Additional features include a heart-rate and GPS tracker but the one feature that steals the spotlight is the availability of offline music.
So, if you are someone who appreciates good music on a jog, Fitbit Ionic is the best purchase to make. Just connect your Bluetooth headset to the watch and listen to your favorite tracks on the go. Those who are still new to working out shouldn’t worry as the watch consists of a built-in training tool in audio formats.
Release Date: September 2017
Price: $299.95
Learn more or buy here.4. Samsung Galaxy Watch
With an appealing exterior and user interface, Samsung Galaxy Watch is a worthy mention. While the smartwatch is integrated with features every fitness tracking watch has, its impressive feature of four-day battery life is what makes it stand out.
The watch is lightweight with a rotating bezel to navigate the interface menu with utmost ease. Samsung Galaxy Watch Active, its prior version, didn’t have this feature.
The watch can track your jogging and workout session automatically. It is perfect for you if you own a Samsung smartphone since the features and app add-ons for iOS are fewer.
Release Date: August 24, 2018
Price: $329 – $349
Learn more or buy here.5. Apple Watch 4
If you are a fitness enthusiast who wants to go lightweight while running, Apple Watch 4 is the one for you. Design wise, the smartwatch has a bigger display compared to older models. An improvement that renders the hassle of slow navigation trivial simply because of more visibility permitted by the design.
New features include automatic exercise detection allowing you to start your workout if not already started manually. The only visible con is its battery life. As compared to Samsung Galaxy Watch, it only offers 18 hours of battery life, which is significantly lower. But if you want third-party app support, better storage options and an in-built ECG monitoring system to track your heart rate, it is a good purchase.
Release Date: September 2018
Price: $399
Learn more or buy here.How to set up your smartwatch
So you bought a smartwatch. What next? You will be able to set up your watch in one go since the steps required are very basic. You only need a stable internet connection before pairing the watch with your phone. While the options are aplenty you need one that keeps your Wi-Fi connection stable at all times.
Internet providers such as the ones on buytvinternetphone can surely be relied upon. Choose an internet service option that fits your needs making sure it is quick enough to help you readily set up your smartwatch. Once set up, every smartwatch has different customization options, which you can organize accordingly.