Quite like the idea of a smart watch but they’re all a pretty big investment considering my iPhone phone already provides basic stats (MMR) and music.
So are they useful or a fun luxury? And is Apple v Garmin like iPhone v Android?
I’m tentatively comparing Apple series’ 2/3, Garmin Forerunner 35 and 235. Any thoughts would really help my pro/con list!
Garmins do a lot more about running than Apple Watch. But Apple Watch does everything else. I’ve just got the Apple Watch 3 with cellular so I can put music on it and not take me phone out. I hate carrying things - even in a belt. Also I can phone and text on it, again without having a phone. I wish Spotify would come to it though as Apple Music is a bit cr@p! My Apple Watch does everything that I want it to do relating to running and cadence is coming in an update soon too.
Jay compared them not long ago
healthunlocked.com/couchto5...
BTW you need an EE contract to use cellular with the Watch and it’s an extra £5 a month
Super useful, thanks Tash. I hope the autumn updates are useful as I think i want an excuse to get an Apple Watch.
You’re welcome! Oh and you end up paying for Apple Music too £10 a month 🤷🏽♀️
I’ve only got a Fitbit so far (mainly for pulserate), but am hoping to go for a Garmin Forerunner 35 next time they have a big sale on. (I’m thinking Black Friday - I was undecided when Jay spotted big discounts on Amazon Prime Day!)
I don’t mind carrying my phone for music, but would like to start and stop my running app without needing to keep getting my phone in and out of my waist belt (a right pfaff at the start of Parkruns!) I also fancy sometimes just running with a watch and no phone or music, but want it to have GPS and record distance for me. I think I’ll be happy just with the cheaper Forerunner 35.
On most running apps you can set it to auto stop so when you stop, the app stops and then restarts when you do 👌🏽
I think Runkeeper is supposed to do that, Tasha, but I don’t really trust it to. It suddenly declared I’d stopped running last week in the middle of a fast section of Parkrun, and will always average in any walking before starting or stopping running if I don’t press the button at the relevant times.
My Fitbit should be able to start the Fitbit running app, but my older iPhone model doesn’t seem able to talk to it correctly and use GPS data (it just gives me approx distance based on number of steps taken...)
Tasha99 kindly posted to my brief comparison.
After several weeks’ use I remain with my conclusions: the Apple Watch is a better “smart watch”, but the Garmin (mine is a 235) is a better running watch.
You will spot in the replies to my post that a new version of Watch OS is coming soon and said to have better fitness functionality.
Brilliant review Jay but now I really can’t decide which to get!
Looks like it’d be a good idea to see what the Apple upgrade includes, which gives me time to work out what kind of watch I want/need.
Smartwatches promise everything but generally don't deliver. Running watches don't tend to promise everything but do tend to deliver what you need.
For a running watch the most annoying thing in the world is buggering about trying to get GPS lock, or constantly having to delay your run as you realise your watch only has 10% charge and with GPS use it will last 15mins.
If you want a watch to run with ideally you should insist on 2 weeks or more charge time and near instant GPS lock with proven to be relatively accurate tracking.
I spent a long time persevering with a smartwatch that was full of features and apps that were frankly pointless and useless and just sucked battery life from a sub optimal concept, before getting my fenix 5 and it is night and day. In the future smartwatches may get it right, but currently by running phone style operating systems to support the aforementioned pointless apps, they run too hot/too fast and can't carry enough battery.
It would be so much easier to choose one if they were cheaper. For megabucks I want it to do everything well and to look fabulous. Sigh.
High end Garmins now have music as well as notifications. I love the way my Garmin looks, wear it 24/7and it will track other sports too, including swimming.
I had the Fitbit Ionic and it was terrible to synch and nowhere near as accurate as Garmin. I sent it back for a refund, used the money on a second hand Garmin Fenix 5s on eBay and have never looked back. One huge advantage over the Apple watch is the Garmin only has to be charged about once a week with normal use,maybe a bit more frequently if you are doing more than three runs a week, which I now do. I was lucky and got my Fenix for a lot less than retail price, but there are cheaper and almost as good Garmins. They all have superb running stats and can be customised.they are not smart watches, no touch screen, which is one reason the battery lasts so long.
I like my Garmin f10. Cheaper than most but it gives me the stats I need. You can pay a lot and still not get virtual pacer or auto pause😃
Ive got a tomtom spark 3 music and I’d recommend it to anyone. Of course I haven’t tried all the others out there, but here’s why it’s perfect for me...
Holds 3gb of music so I can leave the phone at home.
Drag and drop on desktop to add music, no crappy iTunes sync process.
Syncs to the tomtom app very easily, never had a problem getting my data, unlike the hassle I’ve had today with garmin connect. Tomtom app links very well with strava too. All the stats I need on the app, and the map/tracking is faultless, even in wooded areas.
Wireless for playing music.
So simple to set up for the workout you’re doing, select run and the options are near limitless, great for the bridge as you can set your goal to be any distance, you can even go on the website and create your own intervals, name the sections and add the pace/bpm/speed your aiming for, then upload it straight to your watch.
GPS is fantastic. Let’s face it, Tomtom and garmin are experts in this field.
Lots of different sport modes, even waterproof for swimming.
You can get a cadence sensor for it if you use a turbo trainer on the bike. Also the watch pops out of the strap so you can fit it to the bike handlebars if you wish.
There are a few options depending on the features you want, I don’t want HR data, so I didn’t have to pay extra for the one with the sensor built in the wrist, Although I could but a chest strap if I change my mind. The one in the link is the top for fitness and includes headphones, although there is a more expensive version with better OS style maps.
Battery life not too bad, I’ll maybe top it up every 4th day and that’s wearing it as a step tracker all day and running every other day.
I got the gps/music version for about £80 back in January. If the one in the link had been this price then I’d have considered that for the headphones and occasion I might have wanted to check my resting HR. Just make sure you don’t go too cheap and get the one without gps. You’ll still need your phone with you then.
It sounds really user-friendly and very good value for money. My concern is that updates may suffer with Tomtom leaving the fitness watch market. But maybe there’ll be some bargains to be had!
I got a Garmin Forerunner 235 the other week, has everything you need as a runner (I think) still wear a Fitbit ad well, love the tech and the statistics!
You wear 2 watches?
Yes, wear a normal watch and a Fitbit, but am thinking of swapping the normal watch for the Garmin, my fitbit account has got years of data on it so don't want to lose that but the Garmin is much better for running
I wear Garmin Xt445s. It cost me less than 459 quid and it’s absolutely brilliant. It reads my speed and distance but it also gives me the full breakdown of my heartbeat before, during and after breakfast as well as lunch and dinner. Crucially, it also reads my mind and its lithium gera charged batteries cost less than a full tank of my 3 litre German car. I can’t emphasise enough the importance of high spend at our level of running given that a battered smart phone offers the same thing. For free. Lol
Garmin 235 here. Absolutely love it, particularly the heart rate stuff which has improved a lot since I started using it. I don’t wear it all the time, but it helps enormously with pace and distance when running.
Intervals on Apple Watch
Don't watch that, watch this!
Impulse buy Garmin watch!
NRC 10k plan Apple Watch not syncing
Running watch - battery duration
