The best GPS watches 2023: for running, hiking, and climbing

We've put the best GPS watches from Garmin, Apple, Coros and more through their paces to help you find the right training tool for you. Whether you're into running, hiking, cycling, skiing, or anything else, this guide will help you pick the perfect wearable.

Whether it’s tracking your pace, calculating your elevation or guiding you through a workout, a GPS watch can be an essential training tool or a way of logging your outdoor experiences. The leading GPS watches can typically be synced with apps like komoot or Strava (see our best navigation apps), where information about hiking, biking, running and other adventures can be stored.

For runners, our pick for the best GPS watch is the Garmin Forerunner 955 thanks to its advanced training tools and super accurate dual-band GPS (though if you're on a budget the Forerunner 255 is also excellent). The Apple Watch Ultra is our favorite GPS watch for hiking, particularly with AllTrails and Komoot installed, and the super tough Coros Vertix 2 is our top pick for climbing.

We're currently testing the Apple Watch Ultra 2, and will bring you a full review very soon to let you know how it compares to its rivals.

The quick list

This list lets you quickly compare our top-rated GPS watches with one another, and lets you easily jump down the page to our full reviews

Written by

Written by

Cat Ellis

Cat has been testing GPS watches for years, having previously worked as fitness editor for Advnture's sister site TechRadar, and can usually be found running or hiking with one on each wrist (though she hasn't resorted to ankles yet).

The best GPS watches we recommend in 2023

The best GPS watch overall

The Garmin Forerunner 955 doesn't look flashy, but it's the best GPS running watch you can buy right now. For us, the biggest selling point is the incredibly accurate multi-band GPS, which can be set to switch to single-band mode in areas with good reception to conserve battery life. During a pre-measured 10km run, it was accurate to within a couple of meters despite the route taking me through two long tunnels.

The Forerunner 955 includes all of Garmin's latest tools as standard, including heart rate variability, training readiness, real time stamina, and much more. It gives you a truly comprehensive picture of your current fitness level, the impact of your workouts, and how you can adapt your training plan to achieve your goals.

Unlike its predecessor, the Forerunner 955 features both a touchscreen and buttons, but it's still extremely tough and so light that you'll easily forget you're wearing it (which is particularly important at night when it's tracking your post-workout recovery).

Read our full Garmin Forerunner 955 review

The best GPS watch for advanced runners

If you're interested in taking your running, cycling, swimming or hiking to the next level, the Fenix 7 Pro is the best GPS watch for you. It's very similar to the original Garmin Fenix 7, but with an upgraded heart rate sensor, an incredibly handy flashlight, and a handful of extra tools to help you train more effectively.

There are all the training tools a runner could wish for, including the ability to easily import workout plans from services like TrainingPeaks, wrist-based running dynamics, and a variety of tools that put your biometric data into a context that's easier to understand. For example, the new Endurance Score features uses various sources of long and short-term data to assess your ability to sustain long efforts, and see your progress over time

GPS proved particularly accurate, and during an intense indoor cycling interval session, we found that changes in heart rate were detected by the Fenix 7 Pro's updated sensor almost as swiftly as a chest strap heart rate monitor.

During my tests we found that the watch's blue backlight tended to make colors look a little muddy, particularly when navigating using the watch's on-board maps and GPS, but that's a fairly minor complaint. if you'd prefer to have a watch with an OLED display, take a look at the Garmin Epix Pro, which is otherwise nearly identical.

Read our full Garmin Fenix 7 Pro review

The best GPS watch for new runners

The Forerunner 265 is a great choice for beginner and intermediate level runners and triathletes thanks to its super accurate GPS, great looking screen, and accessible design that makes even the more advanced training tools easy to understand and use. It's very similar to the Forerunner 255 that launched in 2022, but with a new AMOLED touchscreen that makes it brighter, bolder, and easier to use.

Despite its modest price, the Forerunner 265 has an impressive set of sensors under the hood, and its GPS outshone most other sports watches I've tested this year. On my pre-measured 5km course, it plotted the route to within five meters, which is remarkable considering it's on roads rather than a track. It also gives you wrist-based running metrics, such as ground contact time, vertical oscillation, and cadence so you can see how your form changes as you fatigue, plus heart rate, speed, and elevation. Everything is presented neatly and clearly, with the upgraded screen making graphs easy to interpret at a glance.

The only real downside is that the Forerunner 265 doesn't support full maps, which seems like a shame. There are basic navigation tools, but for really exploring new areas you'll be better off upgrading to the Forerunner 955 or 965.

Read our full Garmin Forerunner 265 review

The best GPS watch for camping

The Instinct 2X takes one of the most likeable GPS watches in Garmin’s range and brings it up to date with a bigger screen, a bright flashlight, multi-band GPS powers and a battery life that goes for weeks. If you like the idea of having a bigger, more rugged Instinct 2 then you’ll have a lot of time for what the Instinct 2X is packing.

In our tests, the newly added multi-frequency GPS really did deliver the improved accuracy you need in places like tall, wooded areas. We used the Instinct 2X alongside the Forerunner 965 and found data by large was very consistent, and the metrics attached to that improved positioning data. It uses more power, but is worth it when you're out exploring, and battery life is still excellent with it enabled.

The new flashlight, accessed via the top left button, is more than just a gimmick, offering a surprisingly bright light to work by. We only wish the Instinct 2X had a higher screen resolution for more detail and proper support for mapping to help us navigate in the wild.

Read our full Garmin Instinct 2X Solar review

The best GPS watch for hiking

The Apple Watch Ultra is the long-awaited rugged counterpart to the Apple Watch Series 8, and it's a pleasure to use out on the trails. Design tweaks like a larger Digital Crown and extra physical button make it easier to operate with cold, wet, or gloved hands, the case is designed to protect the huge AMOLED display from knocks, and there's a choice of bands to suit different activities (we particularly like the Alpine Loop).

GPS is excellent too, locking on incredibly fast even in built-up areas, and if you do find yourself unable to establish a connection, you can find your way back to the trailhead by setting waypoints on the compass app. There's a huge array of third-party apps to download too (Komoot, Strava, and AllTrails are our favorites), which let you easily find, create, and follow GPX routes.

Battery life is the only real sticking point, with the Apple Watch Ultra lasting just 36 hours in typical use according to Apple's estimates (in our tests it was closer to 42 hours). A future software update will add a low-power mode that should extend this by 33%, but if you're camping off-grid, regular charging might prove tricky.

Read our full Apple Watch Ultra review