Among sports watches, runners’ watches are some of the most in-demand today. Running is the ultimate cardiovascular exercise, letting you burn calories and push your physical limits while also letting you see much of the outside world, from your local neighborhood to the great outdoors.
With that in mind, runners’ watches are crucial for tracking your running time, heart rate and so on. You want a runner’s watch that’s durable, easy to read and has the features you need. It can make your running a lot more enjoyable with a lot less guesswork.
For running enthusiasts out there, here are five of the best runners watches you can find in the market today.
1. Polar M430
POLAR M430 GPS Running Watch, Black (90066335)
Features
- Optical heart rate monitor - continuous, accurate heart rate without a chest strap via a 6 LED optical sensor
- Integrated GPS - running watch tracks speed, distance, pace and routes. Display resolution: 128 x 128
- 24/7 activity tracking - Track your daily activity, including steps, calories and sleep with the guidance to help you reach your activity goal
- Vibration alerts - be alerted with vibrating notifications of incoming calls, messages or during training and periods of inactivity
- Rechargeable Battery - three different GPS watch recording options to choose from allow for 8 hours to nearly 30 hours of training time. Rechargeable 240 mAh lithium polymer battery.Combining a best-in-class GPS watch with advanced running metrics and the freedom of optical heart rate technology, the Polar M430 stands as our flagship running product. With a personalized running program to support your goals for the season and enhance.Resolution: 128 X 128; Water Resistance: WR30. Connectivity-Custom USB cable for data sync with PC or Mac. Bluetooth Low Energy with mobile and sensors
From the brand that brought the world the first ever wireless heart rate monitor, the Polar M430 makes for a solid runners watch. Not only can it track your heart rate, but it also has a 24/7 activity tracker and an integrated GPS that can map out your running route. It also has an innovative Polar Fitness Test that allows the wearer to assess their aerobic fitness level hassle-free in just 5 minutes!
If you just need the essential metrics for your running performance and overall health without the hefty price tag, this runners watch should be right for you.
2. Garmin Forerunner 235
Garmin Forerunner 235, GPS Running Watch, Black/Gray
Features
- GPS running watch with wrist based heart rate and display type is sunlight visible, transflective memory in pixel (MIP)
- Customize your watch and your training, larger screen a 44 percentage larger screen than the 225 but the same physical size
- Audio Prompts: Receive Audio Prompts from your connected smartphone that include laps and lap times. Smartwatch mode: Up to 9 days. Gps mode: Up to 11 hours
- Smart notifications: See incoming email, text messages, call alerts, calendar reminders and more from your compatible smartphone. Display size: 1.23 inch diameter
- Battery life 11 hours training, 9 days watch, activity tracking, notifications plus heart rate. Refer user manual below
The Garmin Forerunner 235 is great for runners who need a brighter display to see the time, their heart rate, and other metrics. It also has audio prompts for connecting it with your smartphone to notify you when you’ve completed a lap. It can also give you smart notifications, so you’ll know if you’ve received an email, a text message or a call.
This watch has a built-in GPS that makes it easy to plan your running route ahead of time. This running watch certainly brings the benefits of a smartwatch right into its design, and it’s no wonder why this model is such a customer-favorite.
3. Garmin Vivoactive 3
Garmin Vivoactive 3, GPS Smartwatch with Contactless Payments and Built-In Sports Apps, Black with Silver Hardware
Features
- Garmin Pay contactless payment solution lets you pay for purchases with your watch (available for supported cards from participating banks)
- Personalize your watch with thousands of free watch faces, apps and widgets from our Connect IQ store
- More than 15 preloaded GPS and indoor sports apps, including yoga, running, swimming and more
- Monitor your fitness level with VO2 max and fitness made estimates, plus keep an eye on how you handle stress
- Get connected features such as smart notifications, automatic uploads to Garmin Connect, Live Track and more when paired with a compatible smartphone
Another great runners watch from Garmin is the Garmin Vivoactive 3. If you’re looking for tons of features, this is a good value for a runners watch with its package. You get to personalize this watch with apps and widgets, which are available in the Garmin Connect IQ store. But if you just want the basics, it already has more than 15 preloaded GPS and indoor sports apps, so it’s good for running and many other sports.
Connecting this with your smartwatch easily notifies you of incoming calls and messages without having to reach for your phone while in the middle of a workout!
4. Suunto Ambit3 Peak HR Running Watch
SUUNTO Ambit3 Peak HR Monitor Running GPS Unit, Black
Features
- SUUNTO Ambit3 peak delivers stable and accurate altitude and weather information with full navigation in a robust casting
- Includes built in altimeter, barometer, compass and GPS with 100 meter water resistance
- One of the most competitive battery hours in the market, 200 hours with 1 minute accuracy. Case material: Polyamide
- Connect Ambit3 peak to your smartphone for syncing your activities, customizing on the go and seeing calls and notifications on the watch
- Add Photos in movement and create a SUUNTO Movie with the highlights of your adventure to share with your friends
The SUUNTO Ambit3 is a pretty good runners’ watch for those who like to have basic GPS tracking among the features. It features a pretty basic LCD display, but that means it doesn’t take that much battery life to make up for the power drawn by its main features. It also has a route planner with a topographic map, so you can plan out your run and track your path in real-time.
One feature that we love about this watch is its 100-meter water resistance which makes it a flexible watch to wear not just for running, but for swimming as well.
5. Polar Vantage V
POLAR VANTAGE V – Premium GPS Multisport Watch for Multisport & Triathlon Training (Heart Rate Monitor, Running Power, Waterproof), Standard Edition, Black
Features
- ULTRA-LONG BATTERY LIFE: The Polar Vantage V Multisport Watch has up to 40 hours of training time with GPS active. As a premium, durable, and waterproof watch, the Vantage V can stand up to your toughest training and gruelling races.
- POLAR PRECISION PRIME HEART RATE: Polar’s heart rate monitor watches redefine the gold standard in optical heart rate accuracy by combining the latest in bio-impedance electrodes and optical sensors.
- ADVANCED RUNNING POWER: Accelerate the effectiveness and precision of your training with running power. Captured for the first time EVER directly from the wrist, the Vantage V can help fine-tune your effort. This is the ultimate activity tracker.
- TRAINING LOAD PRO: The Vantage V is the ultimate fitness tracker, separating cardio load, muscle load and perceived load. Polar’s Training Load Pro provides an unparalleled look into how your training affects your body.
- RECOVERY PRO: Recovery Pro allows your fitness watch to take into account factors outside of training that can influence recovery, providing a holistic view of not only what you've done, but what you can do next for optimal results.
Polar has another great entry on our list, which is the Polar Vantage V. Considered as their best all-around sports watch, this can serve as a great runners’ watch due to its solid design and wide set of features. Not only does this one have long battery life and the patented Polar Precision Prime heart rate monitor, but it also has the Advanced Running Power feature for tracking your progress as a runner and fine-tune your running. There’s also the Training Load Pro and Recovery Pro features that let you see what else you can do to optimize your athletic performance.
Looking for more cool watches for your exercise and sports activities? Check out these reviews of our favorite cycling watches, dive watches and biking watches!
Here are some super useful tips from a runner on getting the best running watch in 2021:
