Running has grown popularity in the past few years. There are now more people who understand that having an active lifestyle has a huge impact on our health. Although, there are plenty of exercises and sports to choose from, running is simply the simplest and still the most popular way to get fit.

Why do you need a running watch?

While smartphones nowadays have apps you can use when running, a running watch displays real-time tracking information right on your wrist. Using a running watch not only takes out the hassle of running with a phone in your pocket but also provides you with longer battery life and more accurate running data. 

Running watches basic features include tracking your distance, speed/pace, and calories. Advanced features can be anything from heart rate monitoring and interval session programming, to running dynamics and full-route navigation. Latest models also let you choose from wide range of watch faces and allow you to control music from your phone.

For people who are just starting to run or those who already incorporated running into their lifestyle, a running watch can provide some source of motivation to stay on track by giving you goals to achieve and alert you when you hit a milestone. For runners who have taken this activity seriously to a professional level, like triathletes and marathoners, a running watch will be the best tool to record and analyse running performance. Data gathered during a run can then be used for find ways on how to improve your running form.

Obviously, the more features you get, the pricier the watch gets. But not all of those extra features might be necessary for your running needs. To help you find the best running watch suited for you, here are the top 4 factors you need to consider.

1.) How would you use it?

Choosing a good running watch will depend basically on how you would use it. There are watches for all kinds of runners, from beginners to running enthusiasts, to professional runners who compete in marathons and multisport events.

For running and daily use (Connected GPS only)

For regular runners (Built-in GPS)

For running enthusiasts, professional runners, and marathon athletes

The Forerunner 735XT can monitor your running dynamics including cadence, ground contact time, vertical oscillation, and lactate threshold without a separate accessory. Other multisport watches like Forerunner 245, Forerunner 945, and the Fenix 6 series will need a separate accessory like the Garmin HRM-Tri, HRM-Run, or Garmin Running Dynamics Pod to track running dynamics statistics.

 

2.) Would you use it for sports other than running?

 

Many people prefer to have one watch that can be used for a variety of fitness activities. Sometimes, runners who want to get fit, want to a watch that can also be used for training in other sports.

 

For Running, Cycling, and Swimming

If you want to have a running watch you can use for other sports such as cycling, and swimming, you can choose from the multisport GPS watches below. These watches can track the performance data that most people would need for running and other sport activities.
 

 

For Triathlon and Multisport Competitions

The following multisport GPS watches have multiport mode which allows you to easily change from one sport to another with one click. These watches also make an excellent job in measuring advanced performance data and offer breadcrumb and back-to-start navigation.

 

 

For Triathlons & Outdoor Adventures

If you mostly run on mountains, hills, or forests, you would prefer a watch with altimeter, barometer, compass, routable visual maps, and other naviation features. These outdoor GPS watches listed below are not only excellent multisport watches but they’re also great GPS navigation watches for mountain running, hiking, and climbing. They are designed to withstand the rugged conditions of the outdoor terrains and offer longer battery life in GPS mode.

 

 

3.) Would you like to have a heart rate monitor feature?

All of the running watches mentioned above have built-in optical heart rate monitor and be paired with a separate heart rate monitor (HRM) strap via Bluetooth Smart Connectivity or ANT+ connectivity. Monitoring your heart rate in beats per minute (BPM) during workout session helps you determine if you're exercising at the right intensity to achieve your fitness goals.

 

4.) Would you like to pair it with your smartphone to receive notifications or alerts?

All the running watches mentioned on this article can be paired with your smartphone via Bluetooth Smart Connectivity. This allows you to get alerts on your watch when you receive incoming calls, text, emails, and other notifications. This feature comes in handy during your run since you no longer have to pick out your phone from your pocket to view the information. You just have to view it from your watch.

 

5.) Would you like to play music on your watch?

It's great to listen to your favourite songs while you run or work out. The following Garmin watches have music storage that lets you save songs on your watch and download songs and playlists from your Spotify®, Deezer or Amazon Music accounts (subscription may be required). You can then use wireless headphones (sold separately) for phone-free listening.

 

• Garmin Forerunner 235 Music
• Garmin Forerunner 945
• Garmin Venu
• Garmin Vivoactive 4
• Garmin Fenix 6 (Pro models only)

 

6.) Would you like to pair it with Garmin Running Dynamics Pod?

The Garmin Running Dynamics Pod easily clips onto your waistband to measure the running dynamics. Its internal accelerometer measures torso movement to calculate these 6 running metrics:

 

Cadence is the number of steps per minute. It displays the total steps (right and left combined).

 

Ground contact time balance displays the left/right balance of your ground contact time while running. It displays a percentage. For example, 53.2 with an arrow pointing left or right.

 

Stride length is the length of your stride from 1 footfall to the next. It is measured in meters.

 

Vertical oscillation is your bounce while running. It displays the vertical motion of your torso, measured in centimeters for each step.

 

Vertical ratio is the ratio of vertical oscillation to stride length. It displays a percentage. A lower number typically indicates better running form.

 

Ground contact time is the amount of time in each step that you spend on the ground while running. It is measured in milliseconds.

 

The following GPS running watches are compatible with the Garmin Running Dynamics Pod:

 

• Garmin Forerunner 235 Music
• Garmin Forerunner 735XT
• Garmin Forerunner 935
• Garmin Fenix 6

 

Product Specifications

Here’s the table on how the running watches mentioned above compare to each other.

 

Watch	Physical size	Weight	Water Rating	Battery Life
Withings Steel HR Sport	39.5mm x 39.5mm x 13mm	49 g	5 ATM	Up to 25 days in normal use Up to 5 days in workout mode +20 additional days in power reserve mode (time and activity tracking only)
Garmin Forerunner 35	35.5 x 40.7 x 13.3 mm	37.3 g	5 ATM	Smartwatch Mode: Up to 9 days GPS mode: Up to 13 hours
Garmin Forerunner  45/45S	42 x 42 x 11.4 mm	Small: 32 g Large: 36 g	5 ATM	Smartwatch Mode: Up to 7 days GPS mode: Up to 13 hours
Garmin Forerunner 245/245 Music	42.3 x 42.3 x 12.2 mm	38.5 g	5 ATM	Smartwatch Mode: Up to 7 days GPS mode with music: Up to 6 hours GPS mode without music: Up to 24 hours
Garmin Forerunner 735XT	44.5 x 44.5 x 11.9 mm	40.2 g	5 ATM	Smartwatch Mode: Up to 11 days GPS mode: Up to 14 hours UltraTrac™ mode: Up to 24 hours without wrist heart rate
Garmin Forerunner 945	47 x 47 x 13.7 mm	50 g	5 ATM	Smartwatch Mode: Up to 2 weeks GPS mode with music: Up to 10 hours GPS mode without music: Up to 36 hours
Garmin Vivoactive 4/4S	45.1 x 45.1 x 12.8 mm	50.5 g	5 ATM	Smartwatch mode: Up to 8 days GPS mode with music: Up to 6 hours GPS mode without music: Up to 18 hours
Garmin Venu	43.2 x 43.2 x 12.4 mm	46.3 g	5 ATM	Smartwatch mode: Up to 5 days GPS mode with music: Up to 6 hours GPS mode without music: Up to 20 hours
Garmin Fenix 6/6 Pro	47 x 47 x 14.7 mm	Steel: 83 g (case only: 60 g) Titanium: 72 g (case only: 49 g)	10 ATM	Smartwatch: Up to 14 days GPS: Up to 36 hours GPS and Music: Up to 10 hours Max Battery GPS Mode: 72 hours Expedition GPS Activity: 28 days Battery Saver Watch Mode: 48 days
Garmin Fenix 6S/6S Pro	42 x 42 x 13.8 mm	Steel: 61 g (case only: 44 g)	10 ATM	Smartwatch: Up to 9 days GPS: Up to 25 hours GPS and Music: Up to 6 hours Max Battery GPS Mode: 50 hours Expedition GPS Activity: 20 days Battery Saver Watch Mode: 34 days
Garmin Fenix 6X/6X Pro	51 x 51 x 14.9 mm	Steel: 93 g (case only: 66 g)	10 ATM	Smartwatch: Up to 21 days GPS: Up to 60 hours GPS and Music: Up to 15 hours Max Battery GPS Mode: 120 hours Expedition GPS Activity: 46 days Battery Saver Watch Mode: 80 days
Suunto Fitness 3	43 x 43 x 14.3 mm	36 g	3 ATM	Training mode without GPS: Up to 40 hours With 24/7 tracking and mobile notifications: Up to 5 days In time mode: Up to 10 days Training mode with GPS: Up to 30h with connected GPS
Suunto 5	46 x 46 x 14.6 mm	66 g	5 ATM	In time mode: 14 days With 24/7 tracking and mobile notifications: 7 days Training mode with GPS: 20 hours / 40 hours
Coros Pace	47.20 x 47.20 x 11.8 mm	49 g	5 ATM	Up to 50 Hours in UltraMax GPS Mode Up to 25 Hours in Full GPS Mode Up to 30 Days for Regular Use
Coros Apex	46mm: 47 x 47 x 11.9 mm 42mm: 43.00 x 43.00 x 11.75 mm	46mm: 55.3 g 42mm: 50.8 g	10 ATM	Up to 100/80 Hours in UltraMax GPS Mode Up to 35/25 Hours in Full GPS Mode Up to 30/24 Days for Regular Use

 

 

Feature Comparison

Here’s a feature comparison table of the running watches.

 

Watch	Built-in GPS	Multisport Profiles	Multisport Mode for Triathlon	Swim Mode	Point to Point Navigation / Follow GPS Track	Barometric Altimeter	Compass	Daily Activity Tracking	LiveTrack	Music Storage	Contactless Payment
Withings Steel HR Sport	✗	✔	✗	✔	✗	✗	✗	✔	✗	✗	✗
Garmin Forerunner 35	✔	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✔	✔	✗	✗
Garmin Forerunner  45/45S	✔	✔	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✔	✔	✗	✗
Garmin Forerunner 245/245 Music	✔	✔	✗	✔	✔	✗	✔	✔	✔	✔ (Music version)	✗
Garmin Forerunner 735XT	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✗	✔	✔	✔	✗	✗
Garmin Forerunner 945	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Garmin Vivoactive 4/4S	✔	✔	✗	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Garmin Venu	✔	✔	✗	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Garmin Fenix 6/6S	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✗	✔
Garmin Fenix 6X Pro & Sapphire	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Suunto Fitness 3	✗	✔	✗	✔	✗	✗	✗	✔	✗	✗	✗
Suunto 5	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✗	✗	✔	✗	✗	✗
Coros Pace	✔	✔	✗	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✗	✗	✗
Coros Apex	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✗	✗	✗

 

Which running watch do you think is perfect for you? Comment below.

 

Feel free to check out the buying guides below:

• GPS Watch Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Multisport Watch? [Updated 14 November 2019]
• Infographics: Garmin Fenix 6 Multisport GPS Watch Comparison
• Infographic: Suunto 5 vs Garmin Forerunner 245 Music GPS Watch Comparison
• Infographic: Garmin Forerunner GPS Watch Comparison (2019 Edition)