Best fitness tracker

[Pippy_T]

Hi all! Soooooo as a runner (ha - still sounds crazy!) I want a smart watch to track my running. Ideally I don’t want to have to take my phone with me (so needs stand alone GPS I believe? 🤷🏼‍♀️) I want it to use with map my run ideally and to have some smart phone features (ie messages and calendar notifications). I currently have an old series iwatch (pre GPS) ... my question is should I upgrade this to a newer version or do you find any others (ie Fitbit) better? I forgot to mention I also want it to look dressy/feminine so if it can come in rose gold it gets bonus points 😆 thank you!

[MarkyD Graduate]

That's simple.

You definitely need the latest Apple Watch. However much we might all love our Garmins and Fitbits on here, you will look at them and find them not as attractive as the Apple Watch. For example I can bore you for hours about my Garmin ForeRunner 235 (which does all of the things that you want) but you'll look at it online and say "meh". Truly the Apple Watch is a thing of beauty.

I suppose a plan "B" is to keep the Apple watch and buy a cheaper Garmin ForeRunner - FR10, FR35 for example - and wear it only when you are running. After the run, the data is uploaded automatically to Garmin Connect website (and can be pushed to mapmyrun as well).

And (this is only my opinion) we should all take our phones with us running. We never know when we will need help.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to MarkyD]

I agree re taking the phone, even though the latest Apple Watch can make calls, it only works on specific networks.

[Pippy_T Graduate in reply to MarkyD]

Thank you! And absolutely agree - have considered the lastest watch that has cellular as I’m on a network that is covered. However the main routes that I run are main roads so in case of injury I’d like to think help would be around. Should I not go cellular I would of course take my phone along on more secluded routes.

[E27M14 Graduate]

I have a Withings (Nokia) watch that is truest a thing of beauty, but really is very basic in terms of smartness and needs the phone for GPS. I recently bought a Garmin Forerunner 235 with the intention of only wearing it to run for all the reasons you want. However, it is so lovely and whizzy I have ended up wearing it nearly all the time 😂

[Pippy_T Graduate in reply to E27M14]

Thank you, a few people have recommended Garmin so will take a look 😊

[Jell6 Graduate]

Fitbit Versa maybe? Pretty sure they do a rose gold tone.

Another Apple?

I'm with MarkyD though, whatever I had on my wrist ( nothing!!) I wouldn't want to be without my phone.

[Pippy_T Graduate in reply to Jell6]

The versa was my other option but it’s connected GPS so believe it would mean taking my phone every time. I run mainly around main roads so if I didn’t get a cellular watch I’d like to think if I was injured I’d be close to help, on more secluded runs I agree - I will always have my phone... do you find a phone clumbersome to get out of your pocket mid-run to check your distance or don’t you worry about checking such details?

[Jell6 Graduate in reply to Pippy_T]

No, I only look at it if I feel I'm near the end of a run and want to stop 🤣🤣🤣

I look at stats once I'm home.

Many people recommend the Garmin, but you suggested that you wanted something a bit better looking.

I did order one, but sadly I had to return it, as it was ridiculously enormous on my wrist!!

I'm not exaggerating, I do have small wrists and hands though.

If they could get all the necessary, into something smaller......

[Pippy_T Graduate in reply to Jell6]

Hahaha my problem too! Tiny little child wrists here 😂 my workmate has the Fitbit charge3 which is smaller and looks really nice!!

[Jell6 Graduate in reply to Pippy_T]

Perhaps the Garmin 235 isn't for you then😶

[MarkyD Graduate in reply to Pippy_T]

The main selling point of a running watch is that it will show pace/time/distance etc on the "Run" screen so there is no reason to get our phones out of our pockets. I have an elderly iPhone6 and it only just fits into the rear pocket on my running tights. So I really don't want to be pulling it out to look at during a run. But my Garmin FR235 shows me everything relevant during the run (and plenty of irrelevant - to me - information on other screens) so I am happy. I take my iPhone for podcasts/music/radio and if I ever needed to make the "come and get me" phonecall).

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

It’s pretty much impossible to beat the Garmin range in terms of running, but you have other requirements there too it seems. The latest Apple Watch is a lot better than previous generations were for fitness, but is always going to be a slight compromise compared to a dedicated device in my opinion.

[Pippy_T Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Got you - think I read somewhere if you want a smart watch with added bonus of fitness tracking - go apple but if you want a fitness tracker with the added bonus of some smart features go Fitbit

[MarkyD Graduate in reply to Pippy_T]

And if you want a smart watch for running, go Garmin ForeRunner

[John_W Graduate]

Garmin Forerunner 235. It's a dedicated GPS running watch with smart notifications.

[Pippy_T Graduate in reply to John_W]

Thank you - going to check out Garmin as it seems a popular choice

[MarkyD Graduate in reply to Pippy_T]

Sorry, I am spamming you Pippy.

DCRainmaker is the "go-to" website for independent reviews of running smartwatches.

[Pippy_T Graduate in reply to MarkyD]

Haha no problem at all - need all the help I can get 😊thank you

[Hidden]

Apple Watch 3 user here too....does the job with ease, and obviously switching the straps can help it look the part too ....

[Pippy_T Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thank you - I have a feeling I’ll not want to take it off so would like it to still look nice and not out of place outside of running!

[damienair Graduate]

When I got started after finishing the C25K plan I wanted to purchase a Garmin GPS watch. However just in case I didn’t keep it up I decided to purchase a cheap second hand watch on eBay. I ended up buying a Garmin Forerunner 15 for under £20. It’s perfect for what I want. I only use it for running, it’s very accurate and links to Garmin Connect and Strava. The Forerunner 35 is nice and neat and could be bought on eBay for around £70.

Damien