The best wearables for running, cycling, and more.
Whether you’re a dedicated endurance athlete, a weekend warrior, or just trying to increase your daily step count, a smartwatch is a great way to track your training and overall health. Garmin has long been a leader in all things related to personal GPS tracking, so it’s no surprise that the brand makes some of the most popular smartwatches for athletes. From mountain climbers to hobby joggers, there’s a Garmin product designed for your needs. The question is, which one is best?
WHAT TO CONSIDER
Though they’re extremely durable and accurate, Garmin smartwatches are not exactly cheap, so it’s important to consider the most important features before investing in a new GPS watch. Here’s what to pay attention to when shopping:
- Size: First and foremost, your watch should fit comfortably on your wrist; no one wants the distraction of a large or clunky accessory on the move. In particular, if you plan to wear the watch all the time (which is the best way to maximize your health insights, as you’ll have 24/7 tracking), make sure to choose a watch that you like the look of and can wear during day-to-day activity.
- Activity-Specific Features: If you tend to focus on a specific activity — such as marathon running, hiking, or swimming — look for watch features that support your favorite sports. For example, a swimmer will appreciate a watch that can tell the difference betweenbreaststroke and freestyle in the water, while a trail runner may want to track vertical ascent and speed with accurate GPS.
- Battery Life: Garmin is known for products with impressive battery life, and some are even better than others. If you’re looking for a device to bring on a multiday backpacking trip, a longer battery life will be a big benefit — and even better if it can be solar-powered, as some of the more advanced Garmins can be.
Whether you’re one for land or water sports, we’ve done the research to help you find the best Garmin smartwatch for every kind of enthusiast. Our roundup features the best in class for the brand, so you’re sure to maximize its specs based on your athletic needs.
1
BEST FOR RUNNERS
Garmin Forerunner 945
$10 AT GARMIN
Key Specs
- Case Size: 47 millimeters
- Weight with Strap: 50 grams
- Battery Life (no GPS): Up to 2 weeks
Whether you’re training for your first 5K or your umpteenth ultramarathon, this smartwatch will be your best friend for every jog, long run, and workout.
The watch tracks every important metric, from the basics like cadence and pace to more advanced insights, such as vertical speed, trail coverage, and the overall elevation profile of your run.
When it’s time for recovery, your watch keeps you on track with a sleep score, a pulse oximeter, 24/7 respiratory rate tracking, and even hydration monitoring. The Forerunner also lets you run light and leave your phone at home.
It can store up to 1,000 songs and offers course guidance with pre-loaded trail maps, so you won’t get lost. And for cross-training days, the 945 offers more workout modes than earlier (and less expensive) Forerunner models, including yoga, HIIT, and Pilates.
2
BEST FOR SWIMMERS
Garmin Swim 2
$250 AT GARMIN
Key Specs
- Size: 42 millimeters
- Weight: 36 grams
- Battery Life (no GPS): Up to 1 week
If you’re looking for a smartwatch designed specifically for water-lovers, the Garmin Swim 2 has everything you need. This watch is dialed into your stroke and performance in the pool. It provides constant heart rate monitoring and tracks swimming distance, pace, stroke cadence, and rest.
In fact, the watch can break down your workout into segments of drills and strokes. If you’re chasing goals, this watch is here to help you reach them. It sends pacing alerts midinterval to help keep you on track.
You can also use the Garmin Connect app to upload or create your own swimming workouts, whether you’re hitting a lap pool or the ocean.
The GPS allows you to closely monitor the distance traveled during open water sessions. On dry land, the watch tracks steps, distance, time, and pace for walks, runs, and hikes.
3
BEST FOR DETAILED TRAINING INSIGHTS
Garmin fēnix 7s Sapphire Solar Edition
$600 AT GARMIN
Key Specs
- Case Sizes: 42, 47, and 51 millimeters
- Weight: 58 grams
- Battery Life (no GPS): Up to 11 days/14 days with solar
It’s hard to top the list of features and sensors on this durable, solar-powered smartwatch. It’s built for long days of training, hiking, or adventuring without losing track of your fitness or location.
The extensive battery life and solar power option mean that you’ll rarely have to remove your watch for charging, so you’ll have continuous body metric tracking and insight into important health data, such as V02 Max, sleep performance, and respiratory rate.
The watch offers more activity modes than other Garmin models, including indoor climbing, HIIT workouts, kiteboarding, and bouldering, making this a great choice for well-rounded athletes. On the trails and roads, the advanced GPS offers route guidance and can even create a round-trip route for cycling and running to help you get back to where you started.
Of course, these advanced features come at a price tag, but if you’re looking for a sleek-looking wearable that will help you perform at your peak during any athletic pursuit, the fēnix 7s is the best option.
4
BEST-LOOKING SPORT SMARTWATCH
Garmin Lily Sport Edition
$10 AT GARMIN
Key Specs
- Size: 34.5 millimeters
- Weight with Strap: 24 grams
- Battery Life: Up to 5 days
This sleek, minimalist watch does double duty by matching any outfit and providing fitness tracking insights. It has a classic round face and comes in three colorways with a silicone band that’s practical, comfortable, and stylish.
This sport watch goes beyond your typical timepiece by tracking metrics such as resting heart rate, stress levels, and sleep performance. The watch syncs with your smartphone via Bluetooth to offer calendar alerts, weather data, and media control.
You can dial into a workout mode when you’re breaking a sweat, with options that include weight-lifting, cardio, Pilates, and yoga. The watch will even automatically count your reps for you, so you can focus on making gains, not counting curls.
A built-in GPS is also handy for runners and cyclists who want to wear their watch from the office to the roads.
5
BEST FOR KIDS
Garmin vívofit Jr. 3
$90 AT GARMIN
Key Specs
- Case sizes: 14.11 millimeters
- Weight with Strap: 25 grams
- Battery Life (no GPS): Up to 1 year
This cute, flexible, and soft silicone smartwatch is a great starter wearable for active kids. The watch comes in 11 fun colors and patterns, including Marvel and Disney Princess themes. The no-charge battery lasts a full year and is easy to replace.
It’s built to withstand use by even the most active little ones, including swimmers and climbers. Kids can review their daily steps and distance traveled to start building healthy habits early. And parents can use the watch to set up incentives for household chores and other productive activities that kids earn points for completing.
Each day, 60 minutes of activity will unlock a new game, and the more kids move, the more surprises they’ll get. The watch is even loaded with interactive fitness cards that teach new moves to keep exercise fun and engaging. This watch is for kids 4 and older.