ARE YOU TIRED of haphazardly tracking your fitness progress on crumpled pieces of paper or in scattered phone notes?
It’s finally time to ditch the pen and paper and say hello to the world of wearable technology. Not only do these devices provide real-time data on everything from your heart rate to sleep patterns, they also make for the ultimate fashion statement.
It’s like having a personal coach on your wrist, pushing you to achieve your fitness goals and looking good while doing it.
But with so many options available, it can take time to figure out where to start. That’s where we come in. We’ve scoured the latest and greatest in wearable tech to bring you the ultimate cheat sheet for the best Fitness watches out there. So, whether you’re a seasoned fitness enthusiast or just starting out on your journey, let us guide you through the world of fitness watches.
What to look for in a fitness watch?
When hunting for a fitness watch, you must keep your eyes peeled for a few key features that can make all the difference. Naturally, you’ll want a comfy watch that clings snug to your wrist, especially if you’re planning on using it for more high-intensity and cardio purposes.
Battery life should always be considered, as well as smartphone compatibility, to determine whether it supports your favourite fitness apps.
Finding the perfect fitness watch is all about your style and priorities. Whether you’re a seasoned marathon regular, a high-intensity gym junkie, or just beginning to lace up the runners and break some personal records of your own, there’s a watch for everyone.
Watches for everyday fitness and health
Fitbit Charge 6
Sleek and straightforward, the newest release from Fitbit, who pride themselves on being one of the pioneers in fitness watches and trackers. This watch caterers to anyone looking for simplicity to cover the essentials with a price tag that will keep the bank account intact.
Boasting Fitbit’s most accurate heart rate tracker and an ECG app to monitor heart rhythm or any irregularities. Partnered with breathing rates, sleep profiles and wellness reports.
Keep the day moving with all the essential Google features like maps, wallet, find my iPhone and YouTube music. Gone are the days of stopping the workout to check directions. Have tap-and-go peace of mind and turn-by-turn directions from your wrist.
Fitbit Charge 6
Water Resistance: Shallow water resistant
Battery Life: 7 Days
Price: $259.95
Series 9 Apple Watch
Apple has dropped their newest addition to the famous Apple Watch series with a sleek and sophisticated smartwatch boasting new features and improvements over its predecessor, the Series 8. These include a more prominent and brighter display, creating an immersive and seamless user experience. A new always-on retina display means you can check the time and other important information at a glance.
The watch is also loaded with a range of health and fitness features that help users track their step count, calorie levels, body temperature sensing and heart rate details, including an all-new blood oxygen app on demand direct from the wrist and, of course, Siri is only a short “Hey Siri” shout away from being able to text or call while you’re in the middle of a workout.
One of the most compelling features of this fitness timepiece is its fall and crash detection features in case of a sudden emergency, allowing users to call or alert emergency services or family members at the press of a button.
The Series 9 also offers Apple’s most advanced sleep-tracking features, allowing you to monitor your sleep patterns and get insights into your overall health and wellbeing.
Apple Watch Series 9
Battery Life: Up to 18 Hours
Water Resistance: Up to 50 metres
Price: From $649
Google Pixel Watch 2
The Google Pixel 2 watch is an impressive head-turning accessory to add to your next exercise fit check. A versatile companion for your everyday life, it features an incredibly modern design with high-resolution displays that offer crisp and clear visuals and advanced touch controls allowing you to navigate the watch’s features and functions efficiently.
One of the standout features of the Google Pixel 2 watch is its health and fitness tracking capabilities. The watch offers a range of sensors that allow you to monitor your heart rate, track your steps, and even estimate your calories burned.
Feeling stressed? Google Pixel 2 has the features to detect those early warning signs and give you the rundown on managing and calming down in a moment’s time.
Another neat feature is its safety checks, which allow you to set a timer sharing your exact location with chosen contacts when you’re exercising alone in challenging terrain or jogging through more isolated trails.
If you want to stay on top of your social media feeds, track your favourite sports teams, or even order food from your wrist, the Google Pixel 2 watch has that covered.
Google Pixel Watch 2
Battery Life: 24 Hours
Water Resistance: Up to 50 metres, ocean and pool.
Price: From $449
Wearables for Beginner Runners
Looking to begin pounding the pavement and breaking PBs in the new year? These watches are your mobile running coaches.
Garmin Forerunner 55
Garmin is a heavy hitter in wearable fitness tech and has the perfect introductory timepiece for beginners. The Forerunner 55 is a sleek and stylish GPS running watch packed with an unbelievably long battery life, working for up to two weeks in smartwatch mode and up to 20 hours in GPS mode.
It also has advanced training and tracking features, including built-in sports apps, a heart rate monitor, stress tracking and even a body battery energy monitor. Seamlessly syncing with the Garmin Connect app, the watch provides personalised coaching and insights based on your activity levels and goals. Perfect for those who love to lace up and run outdoors, thanks to a built-in GPS, which accurately tracks your distance, pace and routes. Overall, this watch is a beginner’s gem.
Garmin Forerunner 55
Battery Life: 2 weeks in smartwatch mode and up to 20 hours in GPS mode.
Water resistance: Not Specified
Price: $249
SUUNTO 5 PEAK
The SUUNTO 5 PEAK gives beginner runners another option in the world of fitness watches—a perfect companion for the adventurous who love exploring trails and tracks in the great outdoors. Runners are in good hands with its advanced GPS tracking technology, allowing you to easily track your location, elevation and even plan more elaborate routes. Stacked with a battery life of up to 40 hours, you can stay connected even on extended trips.
The watch is not just designed for the outdoors but also for more committed fitness enthusiasts. With a heart rate monitor, sleep tracking, and calorie-tracking capabilities, you have serious health data at your fingertips. And if you’re worried about getting caught in the rain, the SUUNTO 5 PEAK is water-resistant, making it perfect for wet and humid environments.
The sleek and stylish design of the SUUNTO 5 PEAK watch makes it an excellent accessory for any outfit. But don’t be fooled by its fashionable appearance – this watch is built to withstand the toughest outdoor activities.
SUUNTO 5 PEAK
Battery life: Up to 10 days, 40 Hours in GPS mode
Water resistance: 30 metres water resistant
Price: $299
Fitness watches for intermediate/advanced runners and fitness freaks
Apple Watch Ultra 2
Toughness and durability have never looked so good. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is another new smartwatch from Apple offering a range of advanced features for fitness enthusiasts and tech-savvy users. Looking rock solid, with a lightweight titanium case, Apple’s tagline for the watch is, “New Guts. More Glory”.
The Ultra 2 comes with an always-on display 20 per cent larger than its predecessor, making it easier to read notifications and messages on the go. The watch also has improved battery life, lasting up to 48 hours on a single charge, and is water-resistant up to 50 metres, making it perfect for swimmers and water sports enthusiasts.
The Ultra 2 has a built-in GPS that allows users to track workouts accurately and share progress with friends and family. It also has various health-tracking features, including heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and an ECG app that detects irregular heart rhythms.
If you find yourself in trouble, simply activate an 86-decibel siren. That activated siren will be heard from up to 180 metres away.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is available in various stylish designs and colours, making it the perfect accessory for any outfit. Its advanced features and sleek design make it a must-have for anyone looking for a high-tech watch that can keep up with their active lifestyle.
Apple Watch Ultra 2
Battery Life: 36 Hours normal use
Water Resistance: Up to 100 metres
Price: $1,399.00
Garmin Forerunner 265
The Garmin Forerunner 265 is the ultimate fitness tracker for anyone looking to take their workouts to the next level.
With its GPS tracking and heart rate monitor, you can keep track of your runs, bike rides, and even swimming sessions. The watch also includes valuable features like smart notifications, music controls, and run activity tracking.
Who needs a running trainer? This Forerunner 265 offers adaptive 5km, 10km, half and full marathon training plans, pace predictors and audio prompts.
The watch not only pushes you to go nuts while you run but also factors in your body’s recovery, giving insight into optimal rest times after high-effort workouts while tracking sleep patterns and stages. The Forerunner 265 also has a robust and stylish design that will look noble on your wrist.
Garmin Forerunner 265
Battery: 13 days in smartwatch mode
Water resistance: Up to 50 metres
Price: $769
Samsung Galaxy 6
The new Galaxy 6 watch combines stylish design with powerful functionality. With a sleek and modern look, this watch is perfect for any occasion, whether at the office or working out at the gym. The watch features a range of useful apps and tools, including fitness tracking, music control, and messaging capabilities.
The watch’s intuitive interface and easy-to-use controls make navigating its features a breeze. But the Galaxy 6 watch isn’t just a pretty face.
It is locked and loaded with a heart monitoring package that watches over you with a built-in PPG sensor periodically measuring heart rate. Wear the Galaxy 6 to bed; it’ll keep working for you, monitoring nightly sleep and pushing out sleep stage and sleep score data while you catch those much-needed Zs.
The all-important fall detection and SOS emergency call feature is included, giving users extra protection and care in their busy lives.
This Galaxy 6 watch is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a high-quality smartwatch with style and substance.
Samsung Galaxy 6
Battery: Up to 40 Hours
Water Resistant: Up to 50 metres
Price: $699.00 (44mm)
HUAWEI WATCH Ultimate
Fitness meets style. The Huawei Watch Ultimate is a stylish and functional tech accessory for the modern individual. With its incredibly smooth design, the Voyage Blue takes on the inspirational design of a sailboat with its crisp blue and silver touches. This watch seamlessly blends fashion with functionality. It boasts a range of useful apps and tools, including fitness tracking, music control, and messaging capabilities that can be accessed through its intuitive interface.
Jumping into the fitness side of the watch, this HUAWEI locks down up to 100 metres of diving technology in fresh and salt water, allowing users to access expedition mode when diving at more challenging depths.
The watch also shows off 20+ professional and 100+ basic fitness modes, covering all outdoor activities, from hiking to cross-country running to mountain climbing. Precision tracking gives you access to a wealth of data, including calories, distance, route, and beyond, with plenty of tips to enhance scenery.
As a sweetener, this watch also records a myriad of golf swing data, including swing speed, tempo, backswing time and downswing time, giving keen golfers tips and tricks to secretly take their game to a new level.
HUAWEI WATCH Ultimate
Battery: Up to 14 days with typical use
Water Resistance: Up to 100 metres water resistant
Price: $1,399
