GPS watches are very useful devices for sports but also for activities such as trekking and mountain hiking. These in fact allow, thanks to the GPS antenna, to keep track of your position, as well as providing many extra functions such as heart rate monitor, pedometer and calorie burned indicator. In this ranking we have collected the best GPS Watches for running, trekking and sports in general.
Best GPS Watches
A GPS watch is a special device that uses the GPS signal to constantly monitor the position and to provide useful data in real time. These can be used both for orientation during walks, trekking and excursions using the many maps available, and for numerous other sports such as running, swimming, gym or cycling. These multisport watchesin fact, they have many useful functions to keep your physical parameters under control by measuring your improvements. Among the most common functions there is for example the heart rate monitor, which allows you to keep track of the beats during the performance or the indicator of calories burned. By combining the GPS antenna with the pedometer it is possible to save the route taken and keep track of your improvements in terms of travel times and kilometers.
Wrist gps often also include functions that concern vital signs such as sleep monitoring, in order to view how many hours you actually sleep during the night, or that which allows you to view the amount of oxygen in the blood. In short, you can use them as multifunction watches, as real GPS navigators and as fitness trackers.
In the last period these watches have literally witnessed a widespread diffusion and just take a tour online to see how many different models there are on the market . In this guide we will see the models of the best brands such as Garmin, and more, with specific reviews for each, in order to help you find the right one for you.
Best GPS Watches | Comparison Table 2023
| Image | Title | Brand | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garmin 010-02064-00 Instinct, Rugged Outdoor Watch with GPS, Features Glonass and Galileo, Heart Rate Monitoring and 3-Axis Compass, Graphite | Garmin | Check Price | |
| Garmin 010-01689-00 Forerunner 35; Easy-to-Use GPS Running Watch, Black | Garmin | Check Price | |
| Apple Watch SE (GPS, 44mm) - Space Grey Aluminium Case with Midnight Sport Band - Regular | Apple | Check Price | |
| Blackview Smart Watch, GPS Running Watches for Men Women and Kids Fitness Tracker Heart Rate Monitor 5ATM Waterproof, Smartwatch Compatible iPhone Android Phones | Blackview | Check Price | |
| TecTecTec ULT-G Stylish, Lightweight and Multi-Functional Golf GPS Watch, Durable Wrist Band with LCD Display, Worldwide Preloaded Courses - Black | TecTecTec | Check Price | |
| Garmin 010-02028-00 Approach S10, Lightweight GPS Golf Watch, Black | Garmin | Check Price | |
| 4G GPS Kids Smartwatch Phone - Boys Girls Waterproof Watch with GPS Tracker 2 Way Call Camera Voice & Video Chat SOS Alarm Pedometer WiFi Wrist Watch Birthday Back to School Gifts for Students,4G Blue | PTHTECHUS | Check Price | |
| Garmin Vivoactive 4, GPS Smartwatch, Features Music, Body Energy Monitoring, Animated Workouts, Pulse Ox Sensors and More, Black | Garmin | Check Price | |
| Timex Unisex TW5M11800 Ironman GPS Black/Gray Silicone Strap Watch | Timex | Check Price |
Prices and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Best GPS Watches | 2023 Products Overview
1. Garmin Instinct Watch with GPS Features
- Rugged GPS watch built to withstand the toughest environments
- Constructed to U.S. Military standard 810G for thermal, shock and water resistance (rated to 100 meters)
- Built in 3 axis compass and barometric altimeter, plus multiple global navigation satellite systems (GPS, Glonass and Galileo) support helps track in more challenging environments than GPS alone
- Monitor your estimated heart rate, activity and stress; Train with preloaded activity profiles. Strap material: Silicone
- Stay connected with smart notifications (with a compatible smartphone) and automatic data uploads to the Garmin connect online fitness community
- Use the trackback feature to navigate the same route back to your starting point; Use the Garmin explore website and app to plan your trips in advance
- Battery life: Up to 14 days in smartwatch mode, up to 16 hours in GPS mode, up to 40 hours in Ultratrac battery saver mode
2. Garmin Forerunner best GPS Watch for running
- Easy-to use GPS running watch tracks how far, how fast and where you run
- Estimates heart rate at the wrist, all day and night, using Garmin elevate wrist heart rate technology
- Connected features: Smart notifications, automatic uploads to Garmin Connect, live tracking and music controls (when paired with a compatible smartphone)
- All-day activity tracking estimates steps, calories and intensity minutes and reminds you when to move
- Automatically uploads your data to Garmin Connect, our free online fitness community where you can join challenges, receive insights and share your progress as you meet your goals
3. Apple GPS watch for kids
- Stay connected to family and friends with calls, texts, and email, even when you don’t have your phone
- Stream music, podcasts, and audiobooks on the go, and leave your phone at home
- Set up and manage Apple Watch for each family member, right from your iPhone, with Family Setup
- Take calls and reply to texts, right from your wrist
- Track your daily activity on Apple Watch, and see your trends in the Fitness app on iPhone
- Track new tai chi and pilates workouts, in addition to favorites like running, yoga, swimming, and dance
- Hike smarter with built-in compass and real-time elevation readings
- Stay on top of your health with high and low heart rate, and irregular heart rhythm notifications
- Apple Watch can detect if you’ve taken a hard fall, then automatically call emergency services for you
- Emergency SOS lets you call for help when you need it
4. Blackview Smart GPS Running Watch
- 【Multi-Function Fitness Watches for Men Women and Kids】 1.3 inch HD touch screen, GPS Activity tracker (pedometer, calories, distance), heart rate monitor, 14 sport modes, sleep monitoring; Call, SMS and APP messages notifications, music control, weather report, sedentary reminder, alarm clock, stopwatch, find phone, call rejection, brightness adjustment, DIY watch faces, and other functions to meet your daily needs.
- 【built-in GPS & 14 sport modes】means that you dont need to carry a phone when you exercise, the watch can save all exercise data independently and can draw your running route and speed.supports GPS+Glonass+ Galilean precise positioning, suitable for outdoor complex environments. provides you with weather status and support 14 sports modes.perfect for beginners or advanced runners and shows your exercise data in the most accurate way: steps, distance, calories burned.
- 【24/7 Heart Rate Monitor & Sleep Tracker】Advanced HR sensor for accurate and effective heart rate monitoring, automatic sleep tracking, and provide comprehensive analysis of your sleep(deep sleep,light sleep and wake up time), focus on and know more about your health.
- 【Smart Watch for Android Phones iPhone】- Get notifications for calls, texts, calendar and apps (Facebook, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter) when your phone connects to the smartwatch, you can even hang up incoming phone calls from your wrist. All functions work well with iOS 8.0 & Android 4.0 above system.
- 【Swimming Waterproof Fitness Watch & 45 Days Battery Life 】 - Blackview smart watches is designed with 5ATM waterproof rating,which, water resistant up to 50M, so you can wear your watch in the shower, pool and beyond. Large capacity and low power consumption design offers longer endurance. That only takes 2.5 hours to charge and can be used for up to 10 days with a standby time of 30-45 days.
5. TecTecTec ULT-G GPS Watch
- : The ULT-G Golf GPS watch includes sophisticated features that will make your works easier. A lot of useful features to take your game to the next level. It features Bluetooth connectivity to connect the watch to your smartphone for free course updates. There are no unusual features that can drain your mobiles battery too fast.
- : Learning to use the ULT-G watch is very simple. There are only four buttons to navigate the screen. Once the initial set-up is complete, with the touch of a button, the device will automatically connect to the satellite and begin displaying course information.
- : Measures distances to the front, back, and middle of the green. Figure out the distance of your shots. Automatic hole progression while you play golf. Access information about over 38,000 courses around the world. There is a clock to tell the time.
- : Comes in a durable design. Water and dust resistance will assist you in hostile weather. Battery power to take you through 2.5 rounds before needing to be recharged. One-year warranty (online registration required), lifetime software support, and high-class customer service.
- : We are providing you a money-back guarantee. Purchase it, and there is no risk for 30 days. If you dont love it, you will get your money back. The cost of the ULT-G watch is the only price youll have to pay—no subscription fees for continued service or updates.
6. Garmin Approach S10 GPS Watch
- Simple, easy-to-use golf watch
- Sleek, lightweight and comfortable with a high-resolution, Sunlight-readable display
- Provides yardages to the front, back and middle of the Green -as well as Hazards and doglegs - on more than 41,000 preloaded courses worldwide
- Keep Score on the watch for a summary of your round, total distance played and total time
- Upload your scorecards to Garmin Express to keep track of rounds
- Rechargeable battery plays up to 12 hours in GPS golf mode
7. PTHTECHUS GPS Kids Smartwatch
- ⌚【 4G Multifunctional Digital Watch 】 In addition to the GPS positioning and SOS function, this smart watch also supports calling, step counting, voice/video chatting, weather checking, camera & album, 3 screen styles, alarm clock, class schedule, contacting friends, flashlight, camera, games, adjustable screen brightness and language. This watch is such fully functional just like a mobile phone! It is perfect for parents who don’t want to buy a mobile phone for their children.
- 【 Video Call & Voice Chat 】kids smart watch is the best cell phone alternative for kids. 4g smart watch phone with 2-way video calling feature, face to face video talk with your child anytime anywhere. The smartwatch not only voice chat but also send pictures. Video and voice chat interactions make communication more interesting and talkative. This is a great design for parents and children.
- 【 Kids Safety Tracker 】 4G Wifi GPS LBS real time positioning, More precise positioning than 2G net watch. Its also can check location history through the day. Know where your children are anytime. In addition, there is a SOS button, if your children are in emergency situation, they can press SOS button for 3 seconds and circularly call 3 SOS numbers you set for help until someone answers it. If you are outside of USA, please check with your carrier for 4G LTE bands.
- 【 Global Network Support 】 This is a phone watch for kids, only need to insert SIM card. It can used in most of the countries with GSM networks. Supported network frequencies: 4G LTE bands 1(2100), 2(1900), 3(1800), 4(1700/2100), 5(850), 7(2600);3G WCDMA: B1/B2/B4/B5/B8, 2G GSM: 850/900/1800/1900. USA customers, please purchase SIM card from T-Mobile or SpeedTalk. Only smartphone SIM, dont purchase smartwatch SIM cards.
- 【 High Quality & Assurance 】The kids smartwatch is made from high quality material, anti-fall and durable. The hand strap is made from soft Silicone, it is very comfortable to wear it and it does not scratch the hand. Perfect gift for boys and girls. If you have any problems about our smart watches, Please feel free to contact us first. We will reply for you within 24 hours.
8. Garmin Vivoactive A most accurate GPS watch
- Keeps track of your energy levels, Pulse Ox (this is not a medical device and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or monitoring of any medical condition), respiration, menstrual cycle, stress, sleep, estimated heart, hydration and more
- Easily download songs to your watch, including playlists from Spotify, Amazon music or Deezer (may require a premium subscription with a third party music provider), and connect with headphones (sold separately) for phone free listening
- Record all the ways to move with more than 20 preloaded GPS and indoor sports apps, including yoga, running, swimming and more
- Get easy to follow, animated workouts right on your watch screen, including cardio, strength, yoga and Pilates
- Battery life: Up to 8 days in smartwatch mode; Up to 6 hours in GPS and music mode
- Personalize your watch with thousands of free watch faces, apps and widgets from our Connect IQ store
- Safety and tracking features include incident detection (during select activities) and assistance (when paired with a compatible device), which both send your real time location to emergency contacts
- Stay connected with smart notifications (when paired with a compatible device) for incoming calls, text messages, calendar reminders and more
- Garmin Coach provides free 5K, 10K and half marathon training plans that guide you to reach your race goal and adjust based on your performance in the plan
9. Garmin Approach S62 best GPS Watch for hiking
- Product 1: Large 1. 3” easy-to-read color touchscreen display (18% larger than Approach S60) with scratch-resistant ceramic bezel and interchangeable QuickFit bands
- Product 1: More than 41, 000 full-color CourseView maps preloaded from around the world
- Product 1: Virtual Caddie suggests club based on typical distance the golfer hits that club, factors in wind speed and direction, and indicates where the golfer should aim on the map
- Product 1: Hazard View allows you to quickly scroll through each hazard on the map
- Product 2: Installed sensor automatically tracks every shot on any club and keeps score
- Product 2: Pairs with compatible Garmin golf watches to automatically track every stroke, including locations, distances and club type
- Product 2: Collects data from each shot and club so you can analyze strokes gained and other stats used by professional golfers
- Product 2: Stats for each club with a sensor installed show up on your compatible Garmin golf watch after pulling the club from the bag
how to choose a GPS watch
After seeing the best models and their reviews it is natural to be slightly confused and not know which product to aim for. Many models have specific characteristics that make them better than others and, in order to choose the best, it is essential to know them.
Precisely for this reason we have collected all the decisive aspects to take into consideration when choosing a best GPS Watches
Satellite or GPS navigation system
The first thing to check is of course that your watch has a valid satellite navigation system . This, also called GPS (Global Positionins System) , is a system that allows your device to always be in contact with a satellite in order to quickly and accurately locate your position. In this, the watches are very different from common smart bands for which we invite you to read the specific guide.
Watches equipped with GPS are therefore used for trekking in the mountains or in areas where the normal telephone signal is poor or absent. The best models also allow you to memorize the roads and paths traveled so as not to get lost.
Some watches also use GLONASS technology (Global Navigation Satellite System) which uses Russian satellites and operates in parallel with GPS for an even better result.
Features for health and fitness
In addition to the GPS system, these watches stand out for the large amount of functions they often provide. Below we will list the most common ones and to look for in a good model.
Heart rate monitor: certainly the most common function allows you to monitor the heartbeat both at rest and during training. Some models use a handy wrist sensor while others use a band.
Pedometer: a function that allows you to monitor the distances traveled, perfect for walking, running or simply to keep an eye on your activity.
Calories burned indicator: another function designed for fitness that lets you know how many calories you have burned during training. Ideal for monitoring your progress.
Sleep Quality: A feature found on the most sophisticated devices. It allows you to track your sleep so you know how many hours you have actually rested.
Compass, barometer and altometer: these functions are often combined as indispensable for those who love long hikes at high altitude.
Water resistance: essential for those who use the watch in the water (eg swimming or snorkeling). Good waterproofing is around 30/40 meters.
Battery and autonomy
A key aspect when evaluating a good GPS watch is battery life . In fact, these devices need to be recharged, like a common smartphone, and autonomy can make the difference when you find yourself away from home for many hours.
Battery life can vary greatly if you use the watch in standard mode or if you activate GPS , which clearly consumes more power. The advice we give you is to focus on models that have an autonomy of more than one day in standard mode and about 20 hours in GPS mode.
Display
The displays of the various watches present in the ranking differ from each other for the characteristics they present. There are some very simple ones in black and white, others in color and others that also include nice animations for the exercises.
Normally a good display should be large enough and easy to use so that you can immediately locate the information you need most. Also consider whether we are talking about touch screens or not as not all watches come with them as standard.
Connectivity
Although connectivity is an important factor in choosing a GPS watch. In particular, most of the models have Bluetooth connectivity so you can easily connect to any device equipped with this technology. Some also feature Wifi connectivity.
The important aspect of being able to connect your watch with your smartphone is that you can view notifications and calls directly from your wrist. In addition, many models have dedicated Apps through which you can view graphs relating to your improvements, set the various settings and adjust the system in order to make it perfect according to your use.
Materials and weight
The best GPS Watches are generally made of fairly durable , waterproof (as mentioned earlier) and hypoallergenic materials. This makes them suitable for practically any user. The thing that we invite you to evaluate is, in addition to the actual resistance, also the weight.
Especially if you use it for sports it is advisable to opt for models that are as light as possible and that, therefore, do not bother you during the activity.
Mark
The brand is a factor that can make a difference. Watches from more reputable brands are often a guarantee of higher quality. Among the best brands we definitely point out Garmin which ranks as the undisputed leader in the sector closely followed by Polar.
Other interesting brands are Samsung , especially for sports-oriented watches, Suunto and Fitbit.
Best GPS Watches | Video Explanation
Price
Finally, let’s talk about the price and how much a watch of this type must cost to be considered of a good standard. The cost of the model you are going to choose will naturally depend on the various functions it presents and on the brand.
In principle, however, there are three different ranges to choose from: the economic models with prices below $ 100 , the mid-range ones (the most recommended) with prices between $ 150 and $ 350 and finally the products of high-end that can even exceed $ 500.
In particular, we recommend the latter only to those looking for specific functions that others may not have.
Leave a Reply