Garmin Forerunner 570: first impressions 

In 2024, Strava's Year in Sport review revealed one clear winner when it comes to GPS watches: the Garmin Forerunner. While this Garmin range has earned its reputation as one of the brand's most dependable, there's always room for improvement, and ever since the 570 was announced as the official successor to the 265, we've been excited to see what's next.

The 265 was already an excellent entry-level triathlon watch with an AMOLED screen and was the first smaller Forerunner to feature touchscreen functionality. The 570 has taken that winning formula and added an even crisper screen, smartwatch functions similar to what you'll find in the Venu 3, so you can take and make calls from your wrist, and a new heart rate monitor, the Elevate v5, which provides really excellent tracking.

There are two sizes available, with the choice of a 42mm or 47mm case size and several fun colorways of silicone strap including Raspberry, Cloud Blue and Lemon Yellow, in addition to the bog standard black and grey. The aluminum bezel is a welcome upgrade that both looks and feels more robust, and the watch manages not to be too heavy despite it, weighing only 1.76oz (50g) for the larger size.

The design has no surprises: there's a Start/Stop and Back/Lap button on one side and Up, Down, and Light on the other, and Garmin has even been so kind as to label them, which is fantastically helpful. It's a high-profile watch, and by that we mean pretty bulky – enough that you'll find it annoying to wear with long sleeves – but really quite comfortable on the wrist.

Almost no matter what you're doing and how cold your hands are, it's easy to operate between the responsive touchscreen and voice commands, and the interface is really intuitive for a watch that has many options.

For features, there's not nothing here that we haven't seen before on another Garmin watch, but that doesn't mean it isn't feature-packed and everything works brilliantly. The new heart monitor is pristine, as is the GPS tracking, and it supports a ton of different activity modes, with a few intriguing additions like gravel biking and skate skiing. Though it's not a dive watch, you can take in the water for swimming and kayaking.

It's probably more helpful to talk about what's missing than what's included. For starters, the Forerunner 570 still lacks proper maps, and while the line-and-pointer navigation does work, we think that with such a great screen and such a high price, it would be a great time to have added that function for outdoor adventurers.

There is no LED flashlight (Garmin saves that for the newer Fenix and Enduro models), but there is the possibility of a white and red light screen for late-night rooting around.

It also still doesn't have ECG functionality, which again seems like it could have been an easy win, what with the updated HR monitor and price tag. Outside of that, you can expect all the metrics and tracking you've probably come to expect from Garmin, including Training Readiness Score, Training Status (which Garmin says is improved), Body Battery and Sleep Tracking.

The official battery life is up to 10 days in smartwatch mode and up to 18 hours in GPS mode. We turned off the Always On display, and even when using it in GPS mode for nearly 10 hours we got about a week out of a single charge.

All in, this is an improvement on its already-celebrated predecessor, and if you've been running with an old Garmin watch, you'll be thrilled with this watch's performance. That said, it is $200 / £150 more expensive than the 265, so it's starting to inch into the premium pricing zone. At that price, you might expect one or two extra bells and whistles, and if you already own a newer Garmin, we probably can't make the case for an upgrade.

Garmin Forerunner 570: in the field 

I've been testing the Garmin Forerunner 570 on the trails (and in the pool a couple of times) for the past three weeks, clocking up a fair amount of miles between hiking and trail running in Scotland and in the Ashdown Forest of England. I've been wearing it on my right wrist and my Coros Pace 3 on my left wrist to see how the two compare in terms of metrics.

Here’s how it performed:

Design

I tested the 47mm case, which really does look massive on my wrist, and it's almost as high profile as the big and bulky Fenix 8 at 12.9mm thick. If I were to choose, I'd certainly opt for the smaller case, but I think the watch will look big on just about every wrist.

That did mean I couldn't comfortably sleep with it on my wrist, which meant I missed out on some data. However, I really am surprised at how comfortable this watch is to wear. I don't usually get on with silicone straps all that well, but this one manages to fit properly and feel quite light and friendly on my wrist.

I've been testing it during summer, so I haven't had to struggle to wear it with long sleeves, but it is still annoying when I'm trying to pull my backpack or running vest on, and I'm sure winter would be a different story.

The flip side of that is that with the new aluminum case, it has a really robust build and feels like the high-quality watch that it is. I accidentally whacked it against the sharp edge of a metal trash can in London a few weeks ago while I was walking down a busy street, and, thankfully, it didn't leave a scratch.

Features

This watch is packed with features, having kept everything from the Forerunner 265 and added more. When compared to other watches I've been testing, the new Elevate v5 heart rate monitor really is super precise.

You can scroll up from the home screen and quickly check Glance Folders like Training Readiness and Status, and the weather, and of course, this information is also delivered in a friendly morning and evening report, which I quite like.

Though I really wish it had proper maps, I used the line-and-pointer navigation on downloaded maps several times and found the GPS to be excellent. Other functions I used regularly on the trail are the Back to Start function, which gives you the option of retracing your steps, or going in a direct line, which could be risky in the wilderness, but elsewhere is a nice option if you need to get home fast. I also really appreciated that when I'm out on the trail, I can easily see how many hours I've got left until sunset.

Rather than the LED flashlight which I loved on the Fenix 8, it's just got a white and red light screen, which is somewhat useful for finding things in the dark when I'm getting ready for an early run, but not something that would provide much assistance on the trail.

The voice command works great and means that I can just double-press the Start button and say "start trail running" which works every time and means I never have to scroll to find the activity I want to do, and the touchscreen is really responsive.

I'm not so interested in the smartwatch functions, but I did test out the taking of a phone call, which is weird, but works, and there's music playback if you like to run to tunes.

Performance

Once again, the 570 manages to have a really intuitive interface and I think the labelling of the buttons is just genius, so I didn't have to spend any time at all getting to know this watch. The big bright screen really is a joy to use no matter whether I'm running in blinding sunshine with polarized sunglasses or through the Scottish mist and rain.

I primarily use sports watches to navigate on the trail and to track my adventures, so I downloaded a few maps from AllTrails to test this functionality. It was all very straightforward except that on my first run in the Ashdown Forest, I had foolishly downloaded two possible routes the night before. The morning of, I hit start on the trail I intended to run on my watch, but then pulled up the other, longer route on my phone, and pretty quickly was wondering why the two devices were giving me different information. I was worried the GPS was off on the watch, but in fact it was entirely user error, and I was really pleased with how quickly the watch buzzed to let me know I was off route, and got me back to where I intended to be.

The next time, I got it right and tested it out on a trail I knew and confirmed that it is very precise. I used the Back to Start function several times on new routes through the trees and really love that function. For trail running, when I get ready to start the activity, I like that it gives me the option to select the day's suggested workout (e.g. Base Run or Tempo Run).

Because the watch has a brighter screen, the battery life is a little less than the 265, but compared to some other watches I've tested lately (ahem, Suunto Run) I was quite satisfied. After a full charge, I was able to wear it for a week that included nearly 10 hours on the trail and two pool swims before I needed to charge it again.

Value

While this is an undeniably brilliant Garmin watch, the real crux of the 570 is its hefty price tag. While it's not in the same realm as the Fenix 8 or Enduro 3, it's really creeping up there in terms of price, and even though it delivers a lot, I think it's reasonable to wonder why it doesn't have some features like proper maps.

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You can find a round up of some of the other top Garmin deals in Amazon's spring sale 2025 here. We'll be updating it regularly between now and March 31 so that you don't miss out on the best offers.

Amazon's spring sale is here, slashing prices on thousands of products, including some of the best Garmin watches. Alongside loads of great deals, we've found the Garmin Forerunner 955 available for just $349.99 - $150 off its normal list price.

This high-end model is the perfect companion for multi-sport athletes who want to improve their performance, thanks to its wide variety of training modes and insightful health monitors. It's well-suited to long adventures in the wilderness, with up to 15 days of battery life, a fiber-reinforced polymer case, and a rugged corning gorilla glass lens.

In her review for Advnture, former editor Cat Ellis was immensely impressed by this super-smart Garmin, calling it "a top-tier multi-sports watch that's solidly built and packed with the best location-tracking tech and biometric sensors Garmin currently has to offer".

Cat was particularly keen on the Forerunner 955's accurate GPS, which tracked her movements with pinpoint accuracy on the trails.

"It establishes a lock extremely quickly, even in built-up areas where many devices tend to struggle, and my pre-measured 10km route was tracked to within a couple of meters," she said.

The ultra-bright touchscreen AMOLED display also deserves a mention. It remains visible on super-bright sunny days and offers a colorful, vivid picture.

Not in the US? Look below for today's best deals on the Garmin Forerunner 955 where you are:

• The best GPS watches: feature-packed timepieces to keep you on course
• The best cheap GPS watches: log your adventures without depleting your savings

Garmin Fenix 8: first impressions 

The Fenix 8 was one of the most eagerly anticipated drops in Garmin watch history when it finally landed last summer, and that says a lot about the success of its predecessor. The Fenix 7 is already a top-tier GPS watch with tremendous battery life and great training tools for trail runners, and the Fenix 8 has taken that winning formula and added more navigation tools, the option of a crystal clear AMOLED display, voice commands and more smartwatch functions like the ability to take and make phone calls.

There are tons of options to pick from with this rugged watch that's purposely built to withstand the grime and bashing of your outdoor adventures. Choose between a 43mm, 47mm or 51mm case size and a bright AMOLED display or solar option which doesn't have as bright a display. There's also the Fenix E which has the AMOLED display but a stainless steel case and is missing a few of the features, such as the flashlight and dive buttons.

In design, this watch looks a lot like the 7, with five buttons to operate it: a Start/Stop and Back button on one side and Up, Down and Options on the other. It's a high profile watch, and by that we mean pretty bulky – enough that you'll find it annoying to wear with long sleeves.

As for features, there are so many it's hard to know what to talk about, so let's start with what's new. Both the heart rate sensor and GPS tracking have been updated for improved accuracy, and Dynamic Routing means backcountry runners and hikers can now access really nifty functions like being guided back to your starting point.

If you're following a preloaded route, the topographical maps are brilliantly clear, even on the smallest case, though we did find we sometimes had to open the Garmin Connect app to get it to refresh. Once you're out on the trail, the GPS is super sharp and responsive if you get off route.

If aquatic adventures are more your thing, the case is 40-meter dive-rated and has leakproof metal buttons and support for scuba and apnea dive activities, all tested to U.S. military standards for thermal, shock and water resistance.

Almost no matter what you're doing and how cold your hands are, it's easy to operate between the responsive touchscreen and voice commands and the interface is really intuitive for a watch that has so many options.

The battery life is said to be improved, with the official specs claiming up to 21 days in smartwatch mode (28 days with solar) and 67 hours in GPS only. Crucially though, it offers up to 48 hours if you're using it in All Satellite Mode which means greater accuracy but a faster drain on your battery, and it does have an energy saving mode. In our field tests, we had to charge it every five or six days when using it to track a run, hike, swim or yoga for typically at least 90 minutes a day.

There's a whole suite of data and performance tools you can pull from this watch, such as Training Readiness Score, Race Predictor, Running Lactate Threshold, Body Battery, Abnormal Heart Rate Alerts and of course, VO2 Max. It's impossible that you could ever use them all unless it's your full-time job, but also unlikely that you'll ever think of something it doesn't have.

The flashlight is the same as on the Fenix 7, operated by the double click of the Options button, and it's still one of the best features. It's bright enough for night running, plus the red light mode is just brilliant for not blinding your run club friends and getting dressed in the dark without annoying your partner.

All in, this is one of Garmin's best watches yet and a fun toy for those who love the outdoors with some excellent training tools, but there's no denying that many people will be priced out of this one. You're unlikely to not have a lot of fun with it, but it remains to be seen whether there's a a big enough market for those who want a truly rugged watch like this with so many smartwatch functions.

Garmin Fenix 8: in the field 

I gave Garmin Fenix 8 an initial three-week test during which time I used it for six trail runs (two in remote mountainous terrain), one road run, three hikes, two pool swims and nine yoga classes.

I then wore it on my trek to Everest Base Camp, and more recently on a five-day thru-hike in the Lake District National Park.

I've been wearing it on my right wrist and my Coros Pace 3 on my left wrist to see how the two compare in terms of metrics.

Here’s how it performed:

Design

I tested the 43mm case, which is the smallest size, but it is still surprisingly high profile. It's a big, bulky watch and takes up my entire wrist. I'm on the small side, sure, but not tiny so if you have more of a birdlike physique, I don't think you can wear this watch (try the Fenix 7S instead).

For the first couple of days I found I had a slight bruise on my wrist bone from wearing it. I got used to that, but I do find that this watch is a little awkward to wear and I wouldn't be able to sleep with it on, so I'm missing out on some of the training tools.

I've been testing it during winter, so when I'm trail running and hiking I typically have multiple layers on, all with long sleeves. The size of this watch means that clothes are both difficult to get on and off when wearing it, and also that it's exceptionally difficult to pull up my sleeve to check the map. For that reason, I've mostly resorted to pulling all my sleeves up over it and hiking or running with a cold right hand. I'm sure it's great for people who run in T-shirts in summer.

The flip side of that is that it's a really robust build. Not only can it withstand being dropped and bashed around, I don't find myself accidentally pressing buttons and pausing it when wrestling with my sleeves.

Features

This watch is brimming with features, having taken all the best ones from the rugged Fenix line and added more smartwatch features, so I'll just focus on the new ones and the ones I used the most. The GPS has been updated and had some new functions added, so as a mountain runner and hiker I was most excited to explore these.

I started off with the Back to Start function, which I think is genius for people like me who quite like to just hare off into the hills without a plan. To be on the safe side, I used it in a huge, meandering country park where I never seem to be able to create the same running route twice, but was sure I wouldn't end up too lost. Instead of trying to figure out my route or memorize my return, I just ran until I reached about 4k, then hit Back to Start and followed my watch the way I came. It's so easy.

The other big new update is the dive function, but since I'm not a diver I haven't been able to test this. That said, I did make sure to get into the pool for a couple of 1,000m swims and I noticed that the homescreen cycles through different data, so it wasn't always easy to see how far I'd swum without stopping. Ordinarily, I like to just swim without counting and check my watch every so often to see how far I've done. There may be a way to edit this, but it seems obvious to me that it should be a default. I noticed that when I finished, it prompted me to make sure I drained the speaker of water, which I thought was smart.

The voice command works great and means that I can just double press the Options button and say "start trail running" rather than having to scroll through the menu. I also found I really liked the touchscreen, something I had disabled on my Coros.

I'm not so interested in the smartwatch functions so I can't say I spent a lot of time taking phone calls on my watch, though I tested it out for journalistic purposes, and I also don't listen to music when I run so I didn't go through the process of adding Spotify and pairing my headphones, but this is something you can do.

As for training tools, there's practically an infinite suite now, many which you'll find on the 7. Because of the watch's large size, I wasn't able to sleep with it on for three nights, which is required to get a Training Readiness score and HRV (although in my interview with Michael Crawley, he explains that 24-hour use isn't actually required for accurate readings so I hope they rethink this). Anyway, I really like accessing the other metrics like VO2 Max, Hill Score and Running Lactate Threshold and I noticed these got updated as I logged more workouts.

Finally, even though it's available on the 7 and the Enduro, I need to mention the flashlight because it's just such a great feature. I was having issues with my headlamp on a night run and the flashlight function on this watch absolutely saved me. It's really bright (and adjustable) and is surprisingly good at lighting up the path even though it's on my wrist rather than a focused beam. It also means I always have a secondary light source for backup when I'm fiddling with my headlamp.

Best of all, when we stopped to enjoy the stars I could quickly turn it down to red light to avoid dazzling my friends. I also use the red light function regularly now when I get dressed in the dark for my 6:30am yoga class so I don't disturb my boyfriend and I'm going to be very sad to go back to a regular watch that doesn't have this.

Performance

This was my first time using a Garmin – I've been wearing the Coros Pace 3 for over a year, and I was a bit worried that it would be overly complicated to use when I saw it had five buttons compared to two on my Coros. However, as soon as I fired it up I got a handy graphic from Garmin showing me what each button does what and I was away. The touchscreen function helps, but I found the whole interface to be instantly intuitive, even if there are myriad options, which was a relief.

To test the updated GPS, I first used a preloaded map during an 11k night run in the Campsies, which are hills not too far from Glasgow where I live. These hills are well-traveled by hikers, but they're not known for great paths, so I was keen to see how my watch would handle them. Even though I'm familiar with the area, I downloaded the map from AllTrails to follow, a process which I found fairly painless, although it did require me doing it via my laptop and I'd prefer to be able to do it all on my phone.

Once I got going I could tell almost instantly that the GPS was spot-on, giving me an alert if I veered off route, which I did once or twice to avoid boggy areas. Next, I made sure to test this on a route I'd never hiked before, and it was a tricky enough route I don't think I'd have managed it without my watch, which kept me right the whole way.

I love the maps function so much that I decided to bring it along on my recent five-day long-distance hike and I was so glad I did. The 75-mile trail really wasn't that well waymarked and the weather wasn't great either. Because I had pre-downloaded the GPX file to my watch, I was able to breeze past every confusing trail junction which saved me a lot of time and gave me a lot of confidence in remote areas.

Just out of interest, I also tried doing a Zone 2 trail run to see how well it worked. It was pretty straightforward, alerting me every time my heart rate got too high and then again when I was back in Zone 2. That part worked brilliantly, with the only real issue being that it's impossible to run in Zone 2, but that's another article.

The problem with this was that for my next run, which was a four-hour mountain run with a group, I just went back to Trail Running and hit start, not realizing that it had saved my previous options. The result was my watch beeped at me annoyingly every 30 seconds, even when I was eating lunch (surely if I was stationary it would know I wasn't trying to be in Zone 2?). I was the least popular person on the trail that day and although I accept it must have been user error, I think it would be better for it to default back to regular settings than assume you want to run in Zone 2 until you die, since I still haven't figured out how to turn it off.

One other slight quirk I noticed is that the map doesn't always update, so sometimes when I'm at home it thinks I'm still 40 miles away until I open the Garmin Connect app on my phone. That's not ordinarily a problem, but it could be if you were out in the wild and you lost your phone.

Garmin says the heart rate sensor has been updated too, which is the main reason I wore this watch in tandem with my Coros Pace 3 for every activity. After interviewing Crawley about GPS watches, and learning that his experiments sometimes showed different watches to be as much as 40bpm apart, I was expecting I might see a big difference between the two watches. However, in every activity the two watches were only about three beats per minute off, which I think is a good sign they're both pretty accurate.

Finally, battery life. This is a complicated thing to estimate because how long you get out of any watch all depends on which version you buy and how you use it. Basically, I used mine for an activity or two every day, usually for a minimum of 90 minutes, often with GPS, sometimes without (as in yoga) and sometimes with the battery-draining flashlight I love so much. What I discovered is that with this level of use, I had to charge every five or six days. That's a lot more frequently than my Coros, but miles better than an Apple Watch. If you wear yours for a more moderate 30 - 60 minutes five days a week, I reckon you'll get more like twice that, and if you're training for an ultra or doing a long distance hike, you'd better bring a portable charger.

Speaking of chargers, this one requires Garmin's proprietary plug charger, not a standard USB, which I don't own, but luckily I could charge it on my laptop.

Value

There's no denying that this is a phenomenally expensive watch. At $999 for the 43mm and $1,199 for the 51mm, it's even more than the Fenix 7, which we thought was expensive when it came out, and more in line with the Enduro 3. Will you get one of the best-performing smartwatches on the market for that price? Undoubtedly. But do you really need so much functionality? That's really up to you. I can't help but think the overlap between people who really love smartwatch functionality and rugged outdoors features might be small, but then again, there's a big market of people who just like great gadgets.

There is one workaround that's worth knowing about, and that's the Garmin Fenix E, which comes in 47mm only for $799. It has an AMOLED display but a stainless steel case, a shorter battery life, no flashlight and lacks the Dive-proof buttons.

Garmin Fenix 8: the bottom line 

After years of saying I'm not a Garmin person, it turns out I could be a Garmin person if there's a flashlight and excellent navigation thrown in. If you love adventuring in the backcountry, fancy gadgets with tons of tech and have a wad of cash burning a hole in your pocket, this watch is definitely for you, and clearly one of the best from Garmin yet, but it is big and bulky which can be a pain at times.

Also consider

Comparison table

• How Advnture tests products

Fancy hitting the trails with a high-tech GPS watch, but don't want to fork out several hundreds of dollars? Right now, you can get your hands on the Garmin Forerunner 55 for just $149.99 at Garmin, a sizable 25% reduction off its list price of $199.99.

Despite its low price, the Forerunner 55 boasts many of the same high-tech health trackers and GPS features as its pricey counterparts. An accurate wrist-based heart monitor is one of many ways that you can track your fitness, while pinpoint GPS monitors your location at all times.

The Forerunner 55 is a great option for running but can be used for so much more, thanks to its multiple sports modes.

We ranked it as our favorite value model in our guide to the best Garmin sports watches.

"You're getting a huge amount for your money here," reads our expert guide.

"It's a very accurate GPS watch with impressive heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, recovery stats, and training tools, including workout suggestions and recommended recovery periods."

The Forerunner 55 is available on the Garmin website in Black, White, and Aqua colorways.

Look below to see today's best Garmin Forerunner 55 GPS watch deals where you are:

• The best running watches: tech to help you outpace your PB
• The best GPS watches: feature-packed timepieces to keep you on course

Ultra runner Elsey Davis has revealed she lost her GPS watch early on in the 50-mile Arc of Attrition race last week – but it didn't stop her from setting a stunning new record on the course.

The British runner completed the Arc50 race, which follows the Cornish section of the South West Coast Path in England, in an astonishing seven hours, 55 minutes and 48 seconds, shaving more than 25 minutes off the previous record, but she shared on Instagram that her victory was not without a few obstacles.

At mile 10, Davis says her sleeve got stuck on a gate latch and it must have been then that she accidentally shed her watch.

"I only realised a mile later that my watch had got caught too and had fallen off.. so I ran 40 miles without a watch," says the new mum, who reveals that during a race she uses her watch primarily for nutrition alerts and navigation.

Things could have gone horribly wrong, but Davis' wealth of experience came into play – she explains she knows the route well and had plenty of running gels at her disposal.

"Thankfully the course is very familiar to me and I guessed when I needed to take a gel which worked out well - I ate 17 40g carb gels in the 8 hours! But sadly no Strava data."

Other than the lack of Strava kudos, a "small puke" at the finish line and some gnarly toenails, Davis managed to clear the tech hurdle like the pro that she is in her North Face Vectiv Infinite IIs.

She didn't reveal which watch she was running with, but she has been using a Coros watch for several years – perhaps she's upgraded to the Pace Pro? Whichever model it is, she's happily reunited with it thanks to a good Samaritan who turned it in after the race.

Davis is a medical doctor who has competed for Team GB multiple times as a cross-country runner. She has previously set records in the Bob Graham Round at the UTMB Nice Cote d'Azur 100k.

Over in the men's race, Davis' coach Tom Evans also set a new record, becoming the first runner to finish in under seven hours.

• The best Garmin watches: across the price range
• The best cheap GPS watches: track your progress without breaking the bank

Garmin lovers can now hit the trails with a new piece of GPS kit as the sports tech specialist has just launched its latest range of handheld navigators.

Combining Garmin’s popular GPS tech with immersive maps and several new navigation features, the new Montana navigators - named for the Big Sky state in the US - come in three different models.

Featuring a five-inch, glove-compatible color touchscreen, the Montana 710, 710i, and 760i satellite communicators are designed for rough use during backcountry activities like hiking, trail running, and mountain biking. They’re thermal, shock, and vibration resistant and claim an IPX7 rating for water resistance, which should allowing them to continue functioning at up to a meter of depth for 30 minutes.

All three use Garmin’s TopoActive mapping technology, which provides detailed visualizations of rugged terrain, coastlines, and summits. Alternatively, you can plot routes with downloadable satellite image maps, which Garmin claims are ‘high resolution’ and ‘photorealistic’.

Alongside tracking your journey, the Montana range aims to provide valuable insight into your progress with its navigation sensors. Among others, the built-in altimeter provides relevant data on your elevation, while a barometer measures the weather and a three-axis electronic compass keeps you on course.

All three models are powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which provides 24 hours of life in GPS mode and 440 hours in expedition mode.

Suitable for remote backcountry adventures, the 710i and 760i models feature Garmin’s InReach satellite technology. Not reliant on phone signals, InReach tech can be used to communicate from all manner of remote locations, helping hikers call for help in extreme circumstances.

Life-saving on several occasions, Garmin InReach devices have been used to call for emergency help more than 10,000 times since 2012. In October, a hiker stranded on a Colorado mountain was rescued after calling for help using his InReach device. Only the previous month a Canadian hiker who’d been mauled by a bear was rescued thanks to his InReach device.

Despite its life-saving capabilities, InReach tech can be costly, requiring a monthly satellite subscription priced between $11.95 / £14.99 and $79.95 / £49.99 depending on your chosen features, as well as the initial upfront cost of the device itself.

Top of the Montana range, the 760i model also includes an 8-megapixel camera which automatically geotags images so you can return to your favorite spots later.

“No matter your adventure, the new Montana series can guide you and keep you connected, even when exploring off the grid,” claims Dan Bartel, Garmin’s Vice President of Global Consumer Sales.

Now available on the Garmin website, the Montana 710 has a list price of $649.99 / £549.99. Its satellite-capable alternative, the 710i, costs $799.99 / £729.99.

With both InReach tech and a geotagging camera, the top-of-the-range 760i costs $899.99 / £799.99.

• The best Garmin watches 2025 make the right choice for the sport you love
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A US-based ultra runner has revealed she was arrested in India earlier this month for carrying a popular satellite communicator used by hikers and trail runners to stay connected in the backcountry.

Posting to Instagram, Tina Lewis, who is from Canada but lives in Colorado, says she had been traveling with her Garmin InReach in India for 2.5 months without any issues.

"I brought my Garmin InReach device as I do for many of my international trips for camping, possible mountain adventures, and to use when there is no cell reception for safety as a solo female traveler."

The InReach allows backcountry users to exchange messages with friends, family and rescue officials even without cell service. However, when Lewis arrived in Goa in early December, officials detained her on the basis of the 1933 Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, which states that possessing wireless telegraphy equipment without a proper license is prohibited.

"I was not aware a GPS device was illegal," says Lewis, who shares that she endured "hours of investigation" and days in court before being released and cleared.

The runner, who won the Leadville 100 in 2012, has continued her travels despite the experience and is now in Kerala, writing: "I’m not sure I will feel the same way about the country as I did before but I’m willing to at least leave with a better experience, and some good stories. I am most certainly getting the entire India experience."

She also claims that since her arrest, at least two other foreign tourists have been arrested for carrying the device, including an American and a Czech cyclist.

Garmin InReach devices have saved many hikers' and skiers' lives and have been used in over 10,000 successful rescue missions across the globe. Small, rugged and lightweight, this satellite communicator enables two-way text messaging using GPS technology, even in areas with no cell coverage. However, in Garmin's information page about using the device internationally, the company does issue the following warning:

"iIReach devices operate on the Iridium satellite network, which provides 100% global coverage. However, some countries require prior permission or a government-issued registration code to activate or use satellite communication devices. Other countries completely prohibit the use of satellite communicators. In addition, United States embargoes prohibit providing satellite communications products and services in some countries."

The following countries may prohibit or limit the use of your satellite communicator:

• Afghanistan
• Crimea region of Ukraine
• Cuba
• Georgia (SMS)
• India
• Iran
• North Korea
• Myanmar
• Sudan
• Syria
• Thailand
• Vietnam
• China
• Russia

If you are planning on traveling abroad with your InReach or a similar device, you can learn more about countries that may prohibit their use here.

• The best Garmin watches: all the latest devices tested and rated

Garmin has now rolled out its Strength Coach feature on older smartwatch models, including most watches in the Forerunner series.

The feature, first released in August, was originally exclusive to the Fenix 8, Fenix E, and Enduro 3 on their launch, considered some of the brand's best GPS watches Thanks to a beta software update, the coaching plans are now compatible with the Forerunner 965, Forerunner 955, Forerunner 265 and Forerunner 255.

As well as the Forerunner models, Strength Coach is also now available on the Vivoactive 5, Venu 3, and Venu 3s. (And if you're in the market for a new watch, there are plenty of Black Friday Garmin deals to shop.)

Garmin first released running coach plans in 2018, with cycle coach programs following later. These plans help users train more efficiently with structured workouts to help them reach targets.

Earlier this year, the plans were made adaptive by measuring real-time metrics like VO₂ Max, Sleep Score, Training Load, and Readiness to adjust to users based on their performance and recovery. Strength Coach was also released, a feature providing strength-focused training plans that improve fitness through personalized workouts. However, users were disappointed upon finding out that it would only be available on new Garmin models.

Now, though, the latest Garmin update (the Beta version 21.018 ) allows Garmin owners to upgrade older models, rolling the feature out to some of the most popular and ubiquitous smartwatches by the brand. The new coach plan is currently being rolled out through firmware updates, but these aren't yet available on the Forerunner 165, the Fenix 7, or the Epix series.

The coach feature has some great offerings, including the recently launched Get Fit plan, a set of workouts aimed at beginners. Other existing training plans include Push and Pull Day Workouts that target different muscle groups for a balanced workout plan, and De-load Weeks to aid in recovery.

If want to upgrade to Strength Coach, you'll need to sign up for Garmin's beta software program through your Garmin account, but expect a few teething issues at this stage before the final alpha release.

• The best Garmin watches make the right choice for the sport you love
• The best cheap GPS watches to track your progress without breaking the bank

It might seem early to be shopping for Christmas tech, but you can snag this Garmin watch from Best Buy right now for almost $100 off, so why wait? The highly rated Fenix 7S smartwatch from Garmin is just $552.99, a massive reduction from its list price of $649.99.

This compact GPS watch is an excellent companion for athletes partaking in all manner of sports with more than 30 built in sports modes. In addition, the Fenix 7S allows it's wearer to track their all aspects of their health with heart rate, respiration, stress and sleep monitors. On review, we were wowed by the Fenix 7s 'top tier' fitness tracking, which gives wearers interesting and useful insights into their own performance and fitness. 

Suitable for backcountry adventurers, this durable Garmin watch is made to last with a battery life of 11 days in smartwatch mode, 37 hours in GPS mode and a whopping 26 days in expedition mode. It's also tough, encased in fiber-reinforced Polymer to maximise durability and minimise internal damage. 

Not in the US? Scroll down to the bottom of this article for today's best deals on some of our favorite Garmins near you.

Not in the US? Here are today's best deals on Garmin Fenix 7S smartwatches where you are.

• The best Garmin watches 2024 make the right choice for the sport you love
• The best GPS watches 2024 tested by our experts

If you're a runner or other kind of athlete, the first thing you probably do after you complete a workout is check your GPS watch. The second thing? Probably scratch your head and wonder what all those stats actually mean.

From the Garmin Enduro to the Coros Pace 3, running watches give us more information than we know what to do with these days, and beyond data like how far and fast you went, it can be tricky to know what to do with it all. Now Strava has launched a new feature that analyzes your workouts and gives you meaningful insights and guidance that you can understand and use to improve your performance.

Athlete Intelligence, Strava's AI-powered feature, provides personalized insights based on your activity data and is available now as a public beta to subscribers. This new subscriber feature takes all the metrics from your workouts and provides it in a more meaningful context. 

Now, instead of just knowing how much time you spent in each heart rate zone, you might receive a helpful prompt telling you what to do with that information, like a message that reads something like: "you're nailing endurance with most of your workouts in Zone 2. Dabbling more in zone 3 could bring some exciting gains."

“With more than 10 billion activity uploads on Strava, the data illustrates a unique picture for each user and represents their authentic effort," says Matt Salazar, Strava’s Chief Product Officer.

"By distilling it to be more conversational, the goal of this feature is to help users better understand their performance.” 

Athlete Intelligence draws on your activity over the previous 30 days to spot trends, gives you personalized tips for your next workout and even gives you motivational praise to celebrate your wins.

As of today, all you need to do to access the insights is tap on your activity once it's uploaded. You can opt out of Athlete Intelligence at any time by clicking the "Leave the beta" button within the feedback module. 

• The best Garmin watches: across the price range

I’ve never been at the forefront of technological advances. I didn’t set eyes on the World Wide Web until I started university and when everyone else was getting their second iPhone, I was still dialing friends up from my Samsung flip. I’m not against technology in the slightest, I’m just always late to the party because I’m usually out on a mountain marveling at nature.

A year ago, long after most people had subscribed to the sports watch trend, I finally got my hands on my first GPS watch. I had loads of friends who extolled the benefits of them and there’s research too, including a 2019 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Development which suggests that wearable technology like watches, heart rate monitors and rings can increase physical activity. That in turn can cut down on healthcare costs. So I decided to have a go.

Perhaps unusually, I didn’t get myself a Garmin watch but instead, the rather more budget-friendly Coros Pace 3. Coros is based in China and is relatively new to the sports watch scene, launching their first watch, the Pace, in 2018. Since then, they’ve got their watches on the wrists of athletes like marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge, this year’s UTMB winner Vincent Bouillard and ultra running great Kilian Jornet, so they’re making waves.

I own a lot of pairs of trail running shoes and I get out on the trail several times a week, but that’s about where the similarities between me and these world-class athletes ends, so I didn’t have any idea what to expect from wearing a running watch. Now, after a year of wearing it consistently and logging about 1,200 km on it, I can honestly say it’s improved my running habits and fitness. Here’s how.

1. I’m more consistent

The most noticeable way my watch has improved my running habits is that I’m far more consistent in my approach. I’ve always loved getting out on the trails as much as possible, and when I lived in the Colorado Rockies I could head out my back door and up a mountain daily. These days, with work and a family, my free time is often a bit more limited.

In recent years, I’d try to get out for a couple of big efforts each week then feel exhausted for a few days in between, when I’d do hardly any exercise. Once I was able to track my activities across the week with the Coros app, I could suddenly see how inconsistent I’d become. I set a daily active calorie target and on days when I don’t have much time, I still make sure I do something – interval training, yoga, a short hike or a swim workout – to meet that minimum goal between runs. 

I was also guilty of only getting out on the trail when I had the time to go for a long run, but I’ve learned to embrace the value of shorter runs too, especially now I can see their overall impact so I’m racking up more miles throughout the week but often in more frequent, shorter efforts. I’m far more consistent now with both my running routine and getting daily movement in, and am seeing my base fitness improve as a result.

2. I do way more zone 2 training

I hold no aspirations to compete in a trail running event – I just love dashing through forests and across mountains – so for the first few years, I just went out every time and ran at a pace that I felt was challenging but sustainable. Basically, I did the same thing every time and tried to go as fast as I reasonably could without stopping. After an initial increase in my fitness levels, nothing much changed. Some days felt good, others not so much.

When I got my Pace 3, I was able to see what heart rate zone I was running in both while I was in action on the trail, and after my run, and it turned that I was basically  always in zones 3 and 4. I’ve written about the different heart rate zones in more detail but the short version is that I was nearly always running in the threshold between aerobic and anaerobic zones which is often called “marathon pace” and when you stay there, you tend to feel tired a lot and may experience a plateau in your fitness levels.

After learning more about heart rate zones, I discovered that faster and harder wasn’t necessarily better. According to a 2019 study in the International Journal of Exercise Science, I needed to be spending the bulk of my running time in zone 2 to improve my VO2 max, which meant I needed to be going slower and easier. It took me a little while to get used to running so slowly, but I’ve learned to love how much more comfortable I am here, and it means I can get out there for longer and enjoy more beautiful scenery in whatever setting I’m in. 

3. I'm better at recovering

Before I got my watch, I’d usually take a couple of days off between every run to recover. That gave me at least 48 hours between runs, and made it easier to schedule long runs with other life commitments. On average, I’d say half the time my runs felt euphoric, and the other half I felt like I had a piano strapped to my waist and was trying to haul it up a hill. Pure misery.

When I first started using a watch, I was surprised at how much recovery time was being suggested after each run. It was often much longer than my standard 48 hours, which helped explain why so many of my runs felt like absolute hell. 

Recovery suggestions aren’t an exact science, but paying some attention to how much time my watch said I needed and spending more time in lower-intensity heart rate zones has meant that I virtually always hit the trail with fresh-feeling legs, and can’t remember the last time I had a really bad run. That in turn means I generally feel like getting out on the trail more often and enjoy my time more once I’m there.

• The best cheap GPS watches 2024: improve your running without the cost

In the market for a durable GPS watch with a wide range of features and a super bright AMOLED display? Then look no further, as the top of the range Garmin Epix Gen 2 Premium GPS sports watch is drastically reduced on Amazon.

Perfect for active adventurers, the Gen 2 Premium features a wide range of fitness tracking technologies to monitor and improve your performance. Among other metrics, this super smart watch monitors your pulse, heart rate, respiration, stress and sleep, helping you stay healthy at all hours of the day. 

Encased in a tough titanium outer, we think the Gen 2 Premium is as stylish as is it durable, while state of the art GPS tracking ensures you can keep on track when running, cycling and hiking. 

At $580, the Garmin Epix Gen 2 Premium has been greatly reduced, down 36% from it's list price of $899.99. You can snag one now on the Amazon website. 

You can save big on the sleek titanium version too, which has been knocked down to $599.99, cutting a quarter of its original list price. 

Not in the US? Not to worry, the Garmin Gen 2 Premium GPS sports is available for £424 on Amazon UK. That's a whopping 32% off its list price of £619.00.

• The best GPS watches 2024 tested by our experts
• The best Garmin watches 2024 options for every sport

Right now, you can save $100 on Garmin’s toughest GPS watch yet, the Instinct 2X Solar - Tactical Edition, which has been reduced drastically on Amazon.

Made to last, this high-tech wearable is encased in a rugged polymer outer, built to US military standards for temperature, shock and water resistance. Feel free to take the X2 out on treacherous trails, or for an icy swim without worrying about damage. 

The X2's survivor credentials are boosted by its ‘infinite’ battery, which requires just three hours of direct sunlight exposure per day to remain completely charged. 

Not just durable, the X2 is also incredibly smart. Including several sports modes, this GPS watch can track everything from hiking to kayaking, while monitoring your sleep, heart rate, respiration and pulse. Navigation is also very advanced, with built-in sensors tracking your every move and GPS maps guiding the way. 

When our expert tester Michael Sawh put it through its paces, she was taken aback by the reliability of the X2’s long-lasting battery life and durability, describing it as ‘the best that the latest instinct series has to offer’, appealing to hikers, trail runners and climbers ‘who like the idea of a bigger, bolder Instinct.’

Discounted by 20%, the Instinct X2 Solar - tactical edition is available in Coyote Tan and Black.

• The best GPS watches 2024 tested by our experts
• The best Garmin watches 2024 options for every sport

The year's UTMB champion Vincent Bouillard caught us all off guard at the end of August when he broke ahead of the pack overnight and came into Chamonix in 19:54:23, making him one of just four men to finish the epic race around Mont Blanc in under 20 hours.

Overnight, Bouillard went from under-the-radar runner to the top of the trail running game, and naturally, we all wanted to know how he did it, and what gear used. Turns out he's a shoe engineer at Hoka, so it didn't take us long to figure out which trail running shoes were on his feet (the Hoka Tecton X 2.5). Next up, we wanted to know what GPS watch he used. 

Would it be the Garmin Fenix 7 that's been favored by ultra runner Tom Evans in the past with its excellent training tools? Or what about the top-of-the-line Garmin Enduro 2, which was coveted by Jake Catterall on his recent record-setting run across the Alps? Could he have gone with the undeniably expensive Garmin Forerunner 955 with its super-accurate GPS?

Turns out, the ultra runner didn't go with a Garmin at all. For his runaway success, Bouillard has revealed that he trained and ran with the Coros Apex 2 Pro in addition to the Coros Heart Rate Monitor. This watch has previously been on the wrists of other UTMB champs, such as Kilian Jornet in 2022, when he became the first runner to finish the race in under 20 hours and Mathieu Blanchard who came in five minutes later in second place.

We took this watch out on the trails ourselves last year and found it to be a tough watch packed with features, with landscape and topographical maps already loaded. The battery life and storage is the best the brand has offered and all for a lower price tag than other major brands.

Coros recently shared how Bouillard used the watch to prepare for his win, and stay the course once he hit the trail. Read on for the four main tools Bouillard used, plus his overall stats from his victory.

1. Consistent but flexible training plan

Bouillard might have said that winning was beyond his wildest dreams, but that doesn't mean he didn't set himself up for success by training for most of 2024. Bouillard says he used the Apex Pro's training plan tool to create a plan that could be consistent, but flexible – he does have a full-time job after all.

"It doesn’t matter what day I do my intensity or cross training as its blurred into the bigger picture, but I can adjust as needed. I can shift this around as needed to accommodate my schedule and how I feel," says Bouillard.

According to Coros, this entailed cross-training on his bike, one or two sessions of interval training (8 - 20 minutes total) and one strength/stretch training a week. Other than that, it looks like a lot of zone 2 training with an aim to increase his training load by 10 percent each week.

"I use the Training Load Metric to make sure that I'm actually increasing my fitness each week. I will work backwards from my key event, and map out a target training load for each week that I aim to hit."

2. Sleep and recovery monitoring

The Apex Pro gives estimated recovery times and sleep tracking and Coros reveals that Bouillard checked these stats regularly to help him avoid overtraining and injuries in the run-up to the main event.

As we've previously written, the recovery times on your watch may need to be taken with a pinch of salt, but Bouillard says he used these as a guide, not a hard-and-fast rule.

"I don’t take it as 100% I should do what my watch tells me, but I use it as an indicator. I treat it like a friend telling me, you look tired. It’s been far more precise as my training has been very consistent."

3. Detailed route planning

Unlike some UTMB events, the Mont Blanc circuit is a well-marked course, but that didn't stop Bouillard from using the Coros Route Planner and he was quite crafty in his approach. 

The ultra runner entered the entire course into the route planner, and then marked all of the waypoints with the aid stations along the way plus his time goals for reaching each one. He even made codes for his fueling plan based on previous runs where he had been really strong so he could stay on top of nutrition.

4. Power over pace

Once he hit the 106-mile course among 2,700 other hopefuls, Bouillard says he didn't want to know what pace he was running at, preferring to look at his wattage instead.

"Having pace on my watch isn't something I wanted during this race. I have such a long history in the sport that If I look down and see a number, it can play games with my mind.

"Power however feels more relaxed to me, and gives me a better indicator on the consistency of my effort. So even though my heart rate was high early due to the excitement, I knew that it was okay because my power was in the range I wanted."

Even when he began to tire during the last couple of climbs in the race, he could see his power was remaining consistent, which he says motivated him to keep moving. Learn more in our article on running power and how to harness it to get better on the trail.

Vincent Bouillard's overall UTMB Stats:

• Total time: 19:54:23
• Average heart rate: 134 bpm
• Maximum heart rate: 174 bpm
• Average power: 207 watts

You can see more details of Bouillard's training approach, plus graphs provided by Coros at Coros.com. 

• The best running watches 2024: tech to help you outpace your PB

Right now, you can snag this long-lasting, super smart GPS watch for $349.99 on Best Buy. That’s $100 cheaper than its original list price. 

Released in 2023, the sports watch features a crisp, touch screen AMOLED display, visible in all manner of conditions. Well suited to runners, swimmers and cyclists, the 265 is extremely easy to use, tracking a wide array of complex data in a straightforward, understandable manner. 

The Garmin Forerunner 265 comes highly recommended. On review, we found the watch to be very lightweight and comfortable, with an excellent GPS and high quality display. A perfect entry-level purchase, the Forerunner 265 was ranked as the best GPS watch for new runners in our 2024 buying guide. 

Right now, you can save 22.2% on Garmin Forerunner 265 in Black, Black/Whitestone and Black/Aqua colorways.

• The best GPS watches 2024 tested by our experts
• Garmin Forerunner 265 review the excellent entry-level triathlon watch gets a new screen and touch controls 

Polar have been injecting some Scandi design cool into wearable sports tech for nearly 50 years now, and if you fancy one of the Finnish brand’s most popular fitness tracking / GPS watches on your wrist from now until Sunday is an ideal time to make the purchase. Because Polar’s Labor Day / end-of-season (delete according to your geographical location) sale is now on, offering some of its top watches at a massive 30% discount.

That means over $150 (US) / £130 (UK) off  the top-of-the-range Polar Grit X Pro, and over $45 (US) / £40 off the lowest priced watches – which are still bursting with great features.

Here’s what’s on offer:

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Coros, best known for its range of GPS watches, has launched a new bike computer that offers super-long battery life for multi-day adventures. The Coros Dura provides 120 hours of continuous battery life on a single charge, with solar charging to provide an extra two hours of power for each hour spent on the bike. For comparison, the entry-level Garmin Edge Explore bike computer lasts 12 hours on a single charge, while the high-end Edge 1040 lasts 45 hours.

The device is operated using a 2.7in memory-in-pixel touchscreen display, which features an adaptive backlight that automatically adjusts in brightness depending on the ambient lighting conditions. If your fingers are wet, cold, or gloved, you can also scroll through menus and select options using a chunky scroll wheel and button on the side.

The Dura offers dual-frequency GPS, which should more accurately pinpoint your location than a device that only operates on one frequency, particularly in tricky locations like densely built cities where tall buildings can lead to GPS drift. 

You can create routes to follow using the Coros app, which received a huge overhaul last year that added the ability to create courses with turn-by-turn navigation. Alternatively, you can transfer a route made using a third-party tool like Strava or Komoot. If you wander off course, or have to follow a diversion, the Dura will re-route you using live data from Google Maps that takes into account road conditions and seasonal closures.

The Dura can connect to your GPS watch, and accessories like cadence sensors and power meters, and includes a set of useful training tools for use outdoors or with indoor an indoor bike trainer. It works together with the Coros app on your phone and the Coros Training Hub on desktop, letting you create and follow training plans, monitor training load, and even get feedback from your coach.

The Coros Dura is available to order now direct from Coros for $249/£149, with shipping expected to start on July 15, and its specs are impressive for the price.

• The best running watches: our top recommendations

Every mountaineer hoping to scale Mount Everest must now do so wearing a tracking chip, Nepal's government announced this week. The move follows a deadly 2023 climbing season, which saw 18 deaths on the world's tallest mountain, according to the Himalayan database, and comes just days after we reported a major crackdown on facilities like bathrooms and dome tents at Base Camp.

Starting this season, everyone attempting Everest must rent a microchip from the Nepalese government which uses the same GPS technology found in gadgets like your Garmin watch. In an interview with CNN, Rakesh Gurung, director of Nepal’s department of tourism explains that the chip costs each individual approximately $10 - $15 and will be sewn to the inside of their jacket, then removed and returned after their expedition. In the event of an avalanche, injury, or the climber being unable to continue, the chip will allow mountain rescue to more easily locate them.

“It will cut down search and rescue time in the event of an accident," says Gurung, who explains that the practice is already in use among more reputable expedition guiding companies.

Even if you're not planning to climb Everest, if you're heading into the backcountry, climbing a 14er or a higher peak, you can allow your loved ones to track your location using technology that's often built in to GPS watches, such as the LiveTrack feature in Garmin's watches.

As we explain in our article on the world's most dangerous mountain, in a typical year around 800 permits are issued for Everest and one percent of climbers who attempt to summit die. However, last year just 478 climbing permits were issued, but the death rate was nearly four percent.

Though the chip adds a little cost to the price tag of an Everest expedition, it's a mere drop in the bucket compared to the overall bill – an expedition is estimated to cost more than $35,000 and usually takes a couple of months.

In other changes to the Everest experience, we reported last month that Everest climbers will now also have to pack out their poop in an attempt to clean up the mountain after Nepalese officials reported they were "disgusted" by the conditions on the mountain.

• The best avalanche beacons 2024: emergency transceivers that save lives

Even if you don’t own one, you’ll no doubt have heard all about the benefits of wearing a GPS watch by now. Whether it’s your co-workers discussing their sleep tracking round the water cooler or studies about how wearable technology can improve your physical activity, you’re bound to have heard that wearing a sports watch can be a great tool to track your progress on the trail or even at the gym, and help you get fitter and faster.

But what if you’re not a pro runner, or a cyclist? What if you’re not interested in metrics like pace, heart rate zone and recovery times because fitness is just a nice side effect of your favorite activity? Maybe your footwear of choice is in fact a pair of hiking boots and you prefer to move at a slower pace, soaking in the views and, perhaps most importantly, getting a bit of a digital detox. Do you really need a GPS watch for hiking?

As a lifelong hiker, I’ll cut straight to the point here – of course you don’t need a GPS watch for hiking. But you might want one. I finally started wearing a running watch about six months ago and, since it’s on my wrist and I’m a generally curious person, I’ve been using it to track my hikes as well as my runs, swim sessions and, thanks to a recent software update, even my yoga practices. 

Unplugging and getting back to nature is undoubtedly one of the major selling points of hiking, and it may be the main reason you’re holding back on investing in a watch, and I get that. I never thought I’d be a person who wears a sports watch or even writes about the benefits of one, but I have to admit, there are some good arguments for wearing a GPS watch for hiking. Read on for some of the top benefits of wearing a GPS for hiking, and our recommendations for the best GPS watch for hikers.

Benefits of wearing a GPS watch for hiking

If you’re not in training for a marathon or some similar type of event, you obviously don’t need access to data like calories burned, training load and cadence (though I warn you, when it’s available, it’s tempting to look) but a GPS watch can have some good, interesting and practical benefits for your hikes. Here are my top three reasons for using a GPS watch on your hikes:

1. Saves phone battery

I don’t know about you, but for years before I got my watch, I still used GPS to track my hikes – I just did it briefly using a Garmin GPS device (before they came up with putting that technology in a watch) and then via an app on my phone. It worked well enough, except that it also sucked the life out of my phone battery. I lost track of how many times I pulled my phone out of my pocket on a mountain top to take photos and it instantly died, leaving me with no backup means of communication if I got stranded.

Luckily for me, I never sprained an ankle or got lost on those adventures, though I did have a few experiences where I nearly missed the last bus or train home and would have been in a sorry position indeed if I wasn’t carrying a portable solar charger. With a GPS watch, however, I can track my hike on my watch and save my phone battery for taking photos and calling mountain rescue (touches wood).

2. Real-time tracking

Disconnecting and spending time in nature is the main attraction of hiking for me, but I’d be lying if I said I don’t find the real-time tracking of each hike really useful, for practical reasons. If I’m following a route that I’ve only read about, and I know that I’m looking for a turnoff at the three-mile marker, it’s really handy to be able to see how far I’ve gone. I like knowing how many miles I have left till I reach the summit, which helps me to conserve energy on a tough hike and if I’m using public transportation to navigate to and from the trailhead, it’s helpful to know my current distance and overall pace so I can estimate when I need to turn around.

Having a device that tells you what altitude you’re at can also be helpful as well as interesting. Twice last year I was able to get myself out of a sticky situation – once when I was bushwhacking my way up a Munro in the fog and again when I got lost night hiking in the Alps – because my watch told me what elevation I was at, and I had a map to tell me what elevation I wanted to get to.

That said, there are plenty of hikes where I don’t look at my watch once until I get back to the trailhead, but it’s nice to know the data is there if I want it.

3. Log your adventures

In my opinion, probably the best reason to wear a GPS watch on your hikes is to have a record of your adventures. Yes, you could write everything down in your diary the old-fashioned way and keep track of details like how long a hike took you, but then you have to actually remember to do that when you get home and you’re really just thinking about running a hot bath.

Having the work done for you and stored electronically is clean and easy and if you’re anything like me, that record can be really useful. I frequently repeat hikes and rarely do I not check out my last visit to a trail to see how long it took me, which helps me determine factors like whether I have time for it and what time I need to leave to make sure I’m hiking in daylight. 

4. Backup navigational aid

I put the word “backup” here because in truth, I don’t tend to use my watch to navigate, and I think relying on a map and compass in general is probably wiser. That said, downloading GPX maps is a function on many GPS watches that may be really appealing for you. Once you’ve added a map to your watch, you can use so-called breadcrumb technology and your watch will vibrate every time it wants you to take a turn, which could take the effort out of navigation.

A few months ago, I went on a group hike in the Lake District and the fellow who was guiding us had found the route online and was using his watch to navigate. I have to admit, it worked great. 

Best GPS watch for hiking

What type of hiker you are will determine what type of GPS watch you need. We rated the Apple Watch Ultra as the best GPS watch for hiking overall, with its excellent mapping and emergency SOS siren in case you fall into difficulties (this function has saved the lives of several hikers recently, such as a Georgia hiker who suffered serious injuries after a fall on the trail). 

However, if you’re just looking for something to store details of your day hikes, you’ll probably be happy with the Garmin Forerunner 265 which has really accurate GPS and a good battery life. If you’re thru-hiking, consider something more rugged like the Garmin Instinct 2X Solar which goes for 40 days without need charging, boasts a GPS which shines even in heavily forested areas and has a nifty flashlight.

• Can you rely on a budget sports watch?

It can be hard to keep up with the ever-advancing technology on GPS watches such as your Apple Watch, and skiers are discovering one feature is making unwanted calls on their behalf. Idaho public officials issued a warning to skiers this week after seeing an uptick in 911 calls made from Apple Watches.

In a Facebook post, the Boise County Sheriff’s Office issued a call for caution after receiving "an alarming number of such calls," primarily from the Bogus Basin ski area in Boise.

"While our dispatchers are adept at discerning false alerts by assessing the situation over the call, each incident requires the same level of response and resource allocation as a genuine emergency. This influx of calls poses a significant challenge, potentially diverting resources from actual emergencies."

The feature in question is the fall detection feature, which alerts emergency services if it detects you have fallen with impact. Fall detection has saved some hikers' lives in recent months, deeming it worthy for outdoors enthusiasts, but of course, skiers fall much more often than the average mountain user. 

When you go down hard on an icy black and your watch starts chirping, you have a one-minute window to cancel the call, however the sheriff's office has observed that all the layers associated with skiing, such as the ski jacket and fleece covering your wrist plus a helmet covering your ears, might be hindering your ability to detect the alarm. "It has been observed that many users, especially in winter attire, are unable to notice or deactivate the alarm in time, resulting in inadvertent emergency calls."

If you are skiing with an Apple Watch, officials urge you to familiarize yourself with your device's settings and help spread awareness about this issue to help ensure that emergency services are not overwhelmed by false alarms and can respond effectively to real emergencies. If you realize your fall detection feature has activated and you've missed the one minute window, stay on the line with emergency services until the matter is resolved.

• Apple Watch Ultra vs Apple Watch Ultra 2: all the differences from box to processor

Casio has unveiled its first new G-Shock watch of 2024 – an updated Rangeman with GPS and a heart rate monitor, plus a shock-resistant and mud-resistant case for adventures in extreme environments.

The new Casio G-Shock GPR-H1000 is a true sports watch, with profiles for tracking activities including trekking, running, walking, biking, and swimming. It's also equipped with Casio's Tripe Sensor, which measures compass bearing, altitude/barometric pressure, and temperature – the latter of which is missing from most GPS watches currently on the market, and which is particularly useful for acclimatizing to training in hot conditions.

The optical heart rate sensor also detects blood oxygen saturation (how much oxygen is currently circulating in your blood compared to its maximum capacity), which can be affected by factors including your overall health, activity, and altitude. It's not intended for use in diagnosing illness or as a medical device, but can be a useful tool for helping maintain general health.

Rest is an important part of training, and the GPR-H1000 can monitor factors including sleep status, sleep recovery status, and autonomic nerve status (which gives a good indication of how well your body has recovered from your daily activities).

You'll also be able to see notifications from your phone via Bluetooth (including details of incoming calls, emails and text messages, social media posts), plus tide graphs and time zones.

Battery life is very impressive too. Real world performance will depend on how you use the watch, but Casio gives maximum times of around 14 hours in high rate mode (with continuous GPS and heart rate monitoring), and two months in watch mode with heart rate monitoring. 

The watch comes in two colors: the black GPR-H1000-1 and the yellow GPR-H1000-9. Both will be available to order direct from Casio on January 19, with a list price of £450.

• The best field watches: tough timepieces tested and rated

Right now, you can pick up the new Garmin Instinct 2X Solar for just $349.99 at Amazon – a saving of $100 and the cheapest it's ever been. 

The Garmin Instinct 2X Solar is significantly bigger than the standard Instinct 2, with a 1.1in display, dual-band GPS, and new LED flashlight. When we reviewed it, we were pleasantly surprised by its light weight despite its new, larger case, and the accuracy of its sports tracking.

If you're not in the US, scroll down to the bottom of this article for the best deals on the Garmin Instinct 2X Solar near you. You might also be interested in our roundup of the best cheap GPS watches, which includes lots of budget-friendly devices for tracking your workouts.

It's a likeable watch, and a great choice if you're looking for something seriously rugged that can go weeks between charges. Our only real complaint is that it's not as well suited to maps and navigation as a watch like the Garmin Enduro 2, but it's otherwise hard to fault.

At the time of writing, you can get the watch delivered free for Christmas Eve, or get it by December 20 if you opt for premium delivery.

If you don't live in the US, here are the best deals on the Garmin Instinct 2X Solar near you. 

• Best Garmin watches: all the latest models tested and rated

Right now, you can pick up the brilliant Amazfit GTS 4 for only $169.99 at Amazon. It's number one in my roundup of the best cheap GPS watches, and with $30 off for Black Friday, it's even easier to recommend.

I've been reviewing GPS watches for years (first as fitness editor on TechRadar and now on Advnture), and I'm pretty picky about them, but sometimes I find one that seems almost too good to be true, with features you'd expect to find in a device costing several times the price. The Amazfit GTS 4 is exactly that.

Not only does its screen look great (it's a crisp AMOLED display that's great for text and graphs), the interface is intuitive, with touch controls that work wonderfully with the simple crown dial. There's an impressive range of workout tracking modes (particularly for runners) and GPS accuracy is comparable with watches costing several times as much.

If you're not in the US, scroll down for today's best deals on the Amazfit GTS 4 where you are. You might also be interested in my roundup of the best Black Friday Garmin deals, with offers in the US and UK.

If you're looking for an entry-level fitness watch, or are considering upgrading from a Fitbit to something more specialized, it's a great option.

My main criticism of the Amazfit GTS 4 is that the black version I tested is rather plain in terms of design, but this deal also applies to the autumn brown, misty white, and rosebud pink colorways, all of which have a soft metallic bezel to co-ordinate with the band, so you should be able to find a look you like.

If you're not in the US, here are today's deals on the Amazfit GTS 4 near you:

Garmin has launched its first handheld GPS navigator with solar charging, letting you explore off-grid for much longer – possibly forever. It's been a busy week for Garmin, with the launch of the Descent Mk3 and Descent G1 dive computers on Tuesday, and the Quatix 7 Pro on Wednesday, but this will be the most exciting new release for hikers, campers, bikepackers and geocachers.

Much like Garmin's Instinct Solar and Instinct 2 Solar GPS watches, the eTrex Solar could run indefinitely on a single charge in the right conditions. Even when you don't have 75,000 lux shining down on you, it'll keep you on track for over two months of solid adventuring. In Expedition Mode, the eTrex Solar will run for up to 1,800 hours without using its embedded solar charging at all.

Multi-band GPS helps the device pinpoint your location more accurately, even in tricky locations like under dense tree cover and near cliffs where it can be hard to get a clear line of sight to a satellite. There's also a built-in digital compass to give you an accurate heading even when you're standing still (see our guide how to take a bearing).

The eTrex Solar connects to the Garmin Explore app on your phone, which lets you create routes and then sync them to the device. There's unlimited cloud storage for them, so you don't need to worry about having to delete old ones. You can also receive smart notifications from your phone when it's connected to the eTrex Solar via Bluetooth.

Into geocaching? You can get automatic cache updates, including descriptions, logs and hints right on the device. Each cache you find will automatically upload to a saved profile when the eTrex Solar is connected to your phone.

Rather than peering at a tiny watch screen, you can follow your route, see waypoints, track your location, and find your way back on a 22in high-contrast display that's easy to read even in bright sunlight.

It's built like a tank too. It's rated IPX, which means it can be submerged in up to a meter of water for up to 30 minutes without damage, and has a tough case designed to shrug off knocks and drops.

The eTrex Solar is available now direct from Garmin for $249.99.

• We're rounding up the best Black Friday Garmin deals all in one place

Most days, the main function of your GPS watch is to record your adventures. When you get back to the trailhead, you can look at your workout and see where you went plus other details like how long it took you, your average pace and heart rate. Hopefully you feel pretty good about yourself and often you identify areas where you need to train.

It’s all handy stuff, but sometimes you might want to use the GPS technology on your watch proactively – as in, to actually help you navigate from A to B. Though it might seem impossible using something as small as a watch face, so-called breadcrumb navigation can help to guide you along a route safely in certain situations. Read on to find out what breadcrumb navigation is and when to use it.

What is breadcrumb navigation on your GPS watch?

The term “breadcrumb” predates your GPS watch and indeed GPS technology by a couple of centuries. It comes, as you probably recall, from the Brothers Grimm fairytale Hansel and Gretel, in which an attempt to lead two innocent children deep into the forest where they won’t be able to return home is foiled by the ingenious idea of leaving a surreptitious trail of breadcrumbs. The children are then able to follow the breadcrumbs back and find their way home.

Of course, in real life we all know that dropping breadcrumbs on the forest floor as a navigational aid is a terrible idea. Your mapping would quickly get scoffed up by birds or raccoons or entice a peckish bear to follow you through the woods, plus nobody wants to hike or run carrying a bag of stale breadcrumbs anyway.

However, the idea is a solid one and it’s the inspiration behind the breadcrumb navigation feature that’s available on most good GPS watches these days, like the Garmin Instinct 2X Solar, Coros Pace 3 and Suunto 9 Peak Pro. On these and other watches, breadcrumbs help you retrace your steps without having to get a giant paper map out.

Breadcrumbs capability varies slightly from watch to watch. In some cases, like the Pace 3, to use breadcrumbs you’ll need to download a map to your watch. Once it’s on your watch, you can essentially hit Start and follow it.

Many Garmin watches like the Enduro 2 have a TracBack feature which means you can use breadcrumbs to return to your starting point even if you didn’t initially download the map.

When you’re using breadcrumbs, the map won’t offer you all the topographical information and details that you’ll get from using a paper map or even a GPX map on your phone; rather, it will show a line indicating the trajectory of the trail, or course, and a chevron indicating where you are on the course, and what direction you’re heading in.

In many cases, when you deviate from the trail by a certain distance (usually 10 to 20 meters), your watch will vibrate to alert you and you can take a look, zoom in if you need to, and get back on course. In all honesty, it looks a lot like following the SatNav or Google maps on your phone when you’re driving your car or navigating an unfamiliar city.

When should you use breadcrumb navigation?

As you can probably tell, breadcrumb navigation works best when you have a predetermined route in mind, whether it’s one that you’ve created yourself or one you’ve found online, but with some watches it can also be used if you get lost and don’t have a map and compass (you watch should have a compass of course, but it's always good to have a backup that doesn't rely on a batter). 

That said, it’s not a failsafe approach to navigating in the wild and when it comes to following unfamiliar routes, it’s still important to do your research and have backup tools, so you don’t end up like the hiker who recently required mountain rescue to get him off a dangerous cliffside after following a non-existent path.

• What is Ultra-Max GPS mode on your COROS watch – and when should you use it?

These days, GPS watches come with such a mind-boggling array of functions that it would be impossible to use them all in one lifetime, never mind understand what they all mean. Sometimes, however, it’s worth doing a little research to uncover what different modes and functions do, and when you might want to use them.

Take, for example, the Coros Apex 2 Pro and Coros Vertix 2. Both watches have built-in GPS, which is ideal for when you want to track your outdoor workouts. But as you’ve no doubt realized, while these watches can last for weeks without needing to be charged when you’re not using GPS, the moment you turn on GPS your battery starts draining much faster.

These two watches both have a function called Ultra-Max GPS mode that allows you to use GPS while preserving your battery, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you want to have it turned on all the time. Read on to discover what Ultra-Max GPS mode means on your COROS watch, and when you want to use it.

What is Ultra-Max GPS mode on your COROS watch?

When you’re using your GPS watch to track activities like hiking, running, cycling and even open water swimming, GPS mode becomes more important than if you’re just using it for working out at the gym.

On your watch, GPS mode helps you to actively track how far you went on your adventure, where you went and how long it took you to get there. This isn’t just a matter of keeping a personal record or for self-congratulations purposes; this information can in turn be used as a training tool to track your progress. It can motivate you by helping you to form goals for your next workout and of course, if you’re a little unsure on how to get back to the trailhead, you can use breadcrumbs to get you there.

On your Apex 2 Pro and Vertix 2, if you’re poking around in Satellite Systems Mode, you’ll notice that there are several GPS settings, one of which is called Ultra-Max. Basically, Ultra-Max GPS Mode is a battery-saving mode.

Your watch is probably set to Standard GPS Only, which takes one GPS reading per second to map out your adventure, and works well so long as you aren’t running under a dense tree canopy or rock roof that might impede GPS. If the sky is blocked, you might switch to All Systems On, which still takes one reading per second but uses two or three satellite navigational systems in addition to GPS, such as GLONASS, Galileo, Beidou and QZSS. This basically just increases your chances of accuracy when GPS might be limited.

When you switch your watch to Ultra-Max GPS mode, instead of taking a reading every second, GPS is switched on for 30 seconds out of every 120 seconds. In between those times, your watch uses motion sensors and algorithms to fill in the blanks and predict your pace and distance. Needless to say, this mode is going to be less accurate than either Standard GPS or All Systems On, but what it does is roughly double the battery life of your watch, which can come in handy in certain situations.

When should you turn on Ultra-Max GPS mode?

When you’re using your Apex 2 in GPS mode, you can expect about 75 hours from your battery while the Vertix 2 boasts around 140 hours with continuous use, so as you can see, Ultra-Max GPS mode isn’t necessarily useful for your average run, ride or hike.

Where it does come in useful is for multi-day adventures where you might have limited ability to charge your watch. That could mean a five-day fastpacking adventure where you don’t want to carry a solar charger, or a longer thru-hike lasting weeks or months. In these instances, you can sacrifice a little accuracy and switch to Ultra-Max to save the battery life on your watch.

• How does Garmin's nap detection work – and what does it tell you?

A seriously injured hiker crossed two canyons on foot on Tuesday before he was able to find a signal and call mountain rescue for help. The unidentified male hiker reportedly fell of a cliff in western Idaho and was knocked unconscious for an unknown amount of time.

According to a Facebook post by the Idaho County Sheriff's Office, the following morning he set off on foot in search of help, despite a severe head injury and injuries to both ankles, one knee and one hip.

"He found his gear and his pack the next day and walked over two canyons to get to Indigo Lake, where he activated his SOS," writes the Sheriff's Office.

His SOS alert was received at around 12:00 p.m. and though Life Flight responded, they were unable to land due to poor weather conditions and difficult terrain. Rescue crews from various emergency units were able to deploy on foot and meet the injured party at the Slate Lake Trailhead more than six hours later. 

After locating the injured man, he had to walk for another four miles, which took five hours, before the crew were able to get him into a rescue vehicle. 

Backcountry hikers are advised to carry a satellite communicator such as the Garmin InReach, which will allow you to relay messages and signals via GPS, rather than cell service. They are more reliable than smartphones both in terms of their ability to remain operational in tough conditions and in terms of finding a signal to get your messages out.

• Best emergency blankets, bags and shelters

Polar has launched a fully revamped version of its Vantage sports watch, with a new biometric sensor package (Polar Elixir), AMOLED display, and upgraded navigation.

Thanks to Polar Elixir, the new Polar Vantage V3 can monitor factors including heart rate, overnight body temperature, and blood oxygen saturation, and use them to give you deeper insight into your health and the effects of your training. There's also a new wrist-based ECG app to detect potentially abnormal heart rhythms.

For hikers, trail runners and mountain bikers, this is the first Polar Vantage device to support offline maps for navigating without a Bluetooth connection to your phone. It's compatible with major apps like Komoot, so you can easily import routes in GPX format, with turn-by-turn directions.

Maps are bright and detailed thanks to the AMOLED display (another first for the Polar Vantage series) topped with a curved Gorilla Glass lens. Dual-frequency GPS should ensure better accuracy, even in tricky areas under dense tree cover and close to cliffs.

In addition to touchscreen controls, the Vantage V3 also has a set of textured buttons that are easy to operate with wet, cold, or gloved hands. This is a feature we're seeing more and more frequently (as with the Apple Watch Ultra's knurled Digital Crown) and it's always a welcome addition for adventure sports.

The Polar Vantage V3 has a battery life of up to 61 hours with standard GPS and wrist-based heart rate enabled, up to 47 hours with dual-frequency GPS and heart rate, and up to eight days in smartwatch mode with continuous heart rate tracking. There are also various power-saving options that let you extend battery life to up to 150 hours in training mode.

The Polar Vantage V3 is available to pre-order now direct from Polar for $599,90 in three colors: Night Black, Sky Blue, and Sunrise Apricot. It's expected to start shipping on October 25.

• The best GPS watches: our top recommendations to help you train smarter

Amazfit Cheetah Pro: first impressions

The Amazfit Cheetah Pro is a smart-looking GPS watch with a bright display. Although it has a large watch face, it’s relatively slim and feels lightweight on the wrist. There’s a smaller, regular watch too – the Amazfit Cheetah (Round) – but that lacks some of the Pro features, such as a speaker.

The watch is hard-wearing thanks to a titanium alloy bezel and a 'fiber-reinforced polymer middle frame' – in other words, plastic. The face has a Gorilla Glass 3 protective layer to prevent scratches, which is unlikely to be as durable as watches designed with sapphire crystal, but it should prove resistant to many knocks and scratches.

The 22mm wide nylon strap is easy to adjust and allows you to get a comfortable fit. It suits wrists between 150mm and 215mm.

There are only two function buttons: one is a digital crown that you dial and press to select different modes and features, while the other is a press button for going back a screen or feature. There is touchscreen, too, for further ease of selection, and that allows you to select screen menus and scroll.

As is normal with most new sports watches, it takes a while to work out where modes and features are in the watch system. I found it easier to scroll through with the crown dial because the touchscreen is sometimes too sensitive; it kept taking me off into areas I didn’t think I’d selected.

There are dozens of different watch faces to add via the app, and many are free. There are also lots of apps included, such as Amazon Alexa, weather, world clock, alarm and calendar, plus an offline maps download option (more of this later).

In addition, you can install further Zepp apps on the watch, such as a stretching routine, timer and a body temperature recorder; Zepp is a digital health management solution developed by Amazfit’s parent company.

Battery is an area that many runners will be keen to know about. Amazfit states the battery will offer 14 days of basic use; up to 24 days in battery saver mode; up to 45 days in clock mode; up to seven days of heavy use (I’m not sure what heavy use means, exactly); up to 26 hours in 'accuracy' GPS mode; up to 44 hours in automatic GPS mode; and up to 54 hours in power-saving GPS mode. 

This amounts to a lot of different battery scenarios and requires a lot of fiddling about with watch settings to make accurate assessments. For this review, I kept track of the watch in typical usage, which was using it as a watch and doing shorter daily activities, such as an hour’s run. I also used the watch on longer mountain outings in accuracy GPS mode. 

There are more than 150 sports modes and functions, plus plenty of physiological metrics, such performance readiness”, recovery and VO2 max, as well as 'workout impact'. It also has AI run coaching, music capability, voice recording and many more features.

Amazfit Cheetah Pro: in the field

The Amazfit Cheetah Pro GPS watch is easy enough to use – you simply scroll to your chosen work out and start. There are many workout choices and I question the need for so many modes, including hunting, ATV and “off-road motorcycle”. You can even log your “artistic swimming” training, 16 different dance modes, 12 “combat” modes and 31 “ball” workouts. How about tracking your game of chess or poker, too? Do we really need all these modes I wonder?

It’s possible to set up different data screens for each activity so that you can see and track what you’re most interested in. For example, when mountain walking I want to know the time elapsed, distance, elevation gain, altitude, etc. Strangely, when I set this up, the time showed seemed to be the time I was moving rather than total time elapsed. This could be my mistake with the setup but I couldn’t see how to change it.

When starting a workout, the watch asks you to wait 10 seconds while it finds a satellite position. While 10 seconds might not seem like a long time, you do need to think ahead if you’re heading out with friends and don’t want to be left 10 seconds behind. 

The battery life was okay although this is where the watch lags behind other brands, such as Garmin and Coros. Used as a watch, the battery lasts more than a week but not 14 days. If you want the watch to track activities with GPS, the battery starts to drain quite quickly. I used the watch in 'accuracy' GPS mode for different trail and mountain outings. On two of the mountain hikes of around six to seven hours and with plenty of elevation, the battery drained more than 50%. This doesn’t tally with the expected 44 hours.

I needed to charge the Amazfit watch much more regularly than other sports watches such as Garmin Enduro and that seems quite old-fashioned these days because I’m used to a watch that last for weeks.

GPS data recording accuracy

Let’s take a look at GPS data recording accuracy. I compared this to a number of other watch brands, including Coros, Garmin and Suunto. Apparently, “The Amazfit Cheetah Pro can pick up L1 and L5 satellite signals for pinpoint dual-band GPS tracking, and supports six satellite positioning systems for reliable coverage2”. You might imagine this is very accurate. 

The activities recorded on the Cheetah Pro showed a little less distance than on other comparable watches and mostly the same elevation. The distance was generally around 8% shorter (this was over a long hike of about six hours), while on most occasions the elevation was around the same as recorded on other watches, although sometimes up to 100m more. I can’t tell you if the other watches are more accurate than the AmazFit or vice versa, but there were consistent differences with the Chetah Pro regularly showing extra elevation and reduced distance.

A strange glitch occurs when the Zepp app syncs with the Strava app (many athletes keep records of their activities on Strava). Strava showed up to 33% less elevation gain. I Googled this issue and I discovered that Strava might not record the same as your watch if there is “bad GPS data”. However, my friends all did the same and synced their watch data with Strava and it showed the same as their watches. When I use my Garmin Enduro, the watch data also matches the Strava data on most occasions. This is an issue with the Cheetah Pro that more serious athletes might find very annoying. 

The heart-rate tracking also seems inaccurate. It is tracked via a wrist monitor and these are never as accurate as a chest strap but usually fine for keeping tabs on like-for-like rates each day and comparing across activities. The Amazfit tracks my heart rate at 20 beats a minute faster than my Garmin Enduro, which tracks at some 10 beats per minute higher than actual heart rate at rest.

Maps

The maps are glitchy overall but fairly useful if you can get them loaded and working. You can only download one section of map via the app and using wifi. The sections are large, from 45km x 28km to 315km x 200km (this is almost the whole of northern Scotland). 

On the first go, I found it tricky to get the wifi to sync – it took about seven tries – but after this, syncing was much more straightforward. For larger downloads, it can take up to five minutes for syncing. 

You can also upload a GPX route file via the app. This is fairly straightforward and similar to other brands such as Garmin. 

To use the route and map you just look for navigation in your workout choice. However, it is only available on some of the workout settings such as trail running and walking. It’s not an OS map or Google Map, but a very basic map; you can see land and water, roads and your breadcrumb route but no feature contours. I question the usefulness of this in rural areas. I have a breadcrumb-only feature on my Garmin Enduro watch and it’s of limited use but still good to have. The Cheetah Pro is the same but with more colors for land and water.

The maps are slow to react when I tried to enlarge or reduce them and it’s very slow to move around on the map. The maps seemed a bit glitchy, as if they were taking up too much brain space on the watch. Also, when I tried to exit the map and go to another screen, the watch stalled and hiccupped but eventually did as I wanted.

In the middle of this, the watch music came on. This wasn’t the first time it had happened randomly. I spent a frustrating few minutes trying to exit the map turn off the workout and stop the music.

All of which left me wondering if the watch capacity is a bit too limited for the map upload.

This brings me to another issue with the Amazfit Cheetah Pro. Sometimes it automatically syncs with the phone app and sometimes it needs to be prompted to do so. I confess this could be something to do with my home broadband but overall it seems to be a bit hit and miss.

The Zepp app does offer plenty of linked data information. This is not as all-encompassing as Garmin Connect, for example, but offers enough information to cover all the essentials of training, such as pace, speed, cadence, elevation, distance, calories, heart rate, etc. 

Strangely, the elevation information on the app is very lacking and inaccurate. On one hike where I had a total elevation gain of more than 1,400m according to my watch, the app data showed elevation gain as 447m and max elevation as 193m, when in fact I spent most of my time well above 700m.

There is also a reading for PAI, which is claimed to give an overall physical condition rating. The PAI apparently reveals whether your health and exercise – or lack of – will contribute to a higher risk of hypertension, heart diseases and Type 2 diabetes. I took all this information with a pinch of salt, especially when it gave me a predicted age of 22 and I am aged 55! I am fit but not that fit!

By default, the Amazfit Cheetah Pro speaks to you, telling you what you’re doing during an activity. I had to mute this on the app because it was very annoying to me and my fellow runners and walkers. I guess this would be more useful if you are following a training session, in which case it would be helpful to have a voice telling you what to do. 

The watch apparently records sleep time but it wasn’t very accurate and appeared to tell me I had been asleep when I was awake at night. 

Another small negative is that when the fabric strap gets wet, it stays wet for a while. I imagine you could change the strap for a silicone style one if you wanted.

The Amazfit Cheetah Pro GPS can take Bluetooth phone calls, utilize voice assistant and give you access to Alexa. I set up the Alexa access via a long hold on the crown dial. Alexa was a bit glitchy at first but answered most of my simpler questions. I liked the weather report, which was fairly accurate although it did say there was a flood alert in place nearby, which I found strange for such a sunny and dry day. When I asked Alexa where I live, the reply was, “I am a bit concerned you don’t know this.” This is a great reply!

There is also music storage on the Cheetah Pro, which allows you to transfer songs and listen to them using a pair of Bluetooth running headphones.

In addition, there’s Zepp Coach AI, which provides workouts based on your recent activities and current fitness level. You have to okay a disclaimer about health and exercise; after this the 'coach' creates training plans for you.

I was interested in how this works. Apparently, the Zepp Coach AI Chat feature “uses the power of generative AI and applied large language model (LLM) to decode your fitness queries. Whether you’re wondering about the best exercises to support your running goals or seeking advice on improving your marathon time, ask the Zepp Coach AI Chat via voice or typed command, and it will understand your natural language descriptions and deliver answers that hit the bullseye for all your sports-related questions.” 

In layman’s terms, the app’s AI coach will design a training plan tailored to your goals and personal circumstances. For example, you can tell it your goal, such as a 5k, 10k, half-marathon or marathon; your hoped for time; your available time, etc. The 'coach' bases your aspirations on the available data you have already recorded and also on what it gleans through AI. 

I tried a plan for run a 10k in 45 minutes within a six-week programme. The AI coach told me this wasn’t realistic based on the information it had on me. This is fair enough, actually, because the runs I’d recorded while testing the watch were not fast and I don’t have much of a history of fast 10k running according to the app.

Conclusion

The Amazfit Cheetah Pro GPS is a very affordable GPS watch, although it might not suit all athletes. If you’re looking for a very long-lasting battery then you’ll want to stick with other brands, such as Garmin or Corus. If you are happy to recharge the watch at least once a week and before – and after – longer outings then it might still be for you.

The watch records a little short on distance but appears to be quite accurate for overall elevation, except you need to check the watch data for the latter information and not the app data. When syncing data with Strava, for example, some GPS info is lost for some reason.

You can use the watch for more than just running, such as to keep a check on incoming SMS and emails, bluetooth calling, Alexis and voice memos. There are tons of different looks for the watch, as well as apps to upload.

The AI coaching is better than I thought it would be and offers fairly sensible advice and plans depending on the information it has stored on your health, fitness and current training.

Overall, this is a brand worth keeping an eye on because I’m expecting they’ll listen to feedback and bring out another, updated GPS sports watch with even better uses, accuracy and features.

• How Advnture tests products

Polar Ignite 3 Titanium: first impressions

The Polar Ignite 3 Titanium, much like the original Ignite 3, has a slim, dinky, minimalist look that doesn’t scream that it’s a GPS watch built with hikes and mountain biking in mind, but does include sports profiles that can cover those outdoor pursuits and more. It also has some features you won’t find on Polar’s more outdoor-centric Grit X watches to give it that added prowess.

Like the non-titanium Ignite 3, you can pick this watch up with the same 43mm-sized case now with a titanium bezel instead of a stainless steel one. The two Ignite 3 models look nearly identical and weigh the same, so it’s really about how much you care about the look of the metals and value something that might be a bit tougher on the protection front.

It’s a very slim and light watch to wear with just a single physical button breaking up a design that’s slimmer than an Apple Watch Series 8 and has a look that feels more smartwatch than sports watch, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Adding titanium sees the Ignite 3 leap from $329.95 / £289 to $369.95 / £324, so that’s quite a substantial jump up in cost and puts it up against watches like the Garmin Forerunner 255, but is still a cheaper route to owning an AMOLED-packing sports watch compared to the Garmin Forerunner 265.

On the screen front, it’s the same 1.28in, 416 x 416 resolution AMOLED kind used on the Ignite 3 and remains the only watch in Polar’s collection that offers a full color AMOLED touchscreen. On closer inspection you will find a black bezel around the edges, so it’s not an edge-to-edge display, but does offer a vibrant place to look at your metrics or smartwatch features like notifications.

Polar pair that titanium bezel and AMOLED with a 20mm silicone strap, which uses a pin mechanism around the back to make it easy to quickly take the watch off. From the outside, it’s patterned to look less sporty, but it’s undeniably a watch strap that’s built for exercise. Polar offer optional strap colors and materials to let you play around with that look.

Around the back is Polar’s Precision Prime optical sensor technology to deliver heart rate data and below that lies a magnetic charging port where you’ll need to plug the slightly fiddly proprietary charging cable into to power the Ignite 3 Titanium up.

It remains a watch you wear swimming too, with a WR30 water resistance rating making it safe to submerge in water up to 30m depth with support for pool and open water swim tracking.

Polar Ignite 3 Titanium: in the field

It’s fair to say the Ignite 3 Titanium doesn’t scream outdoors, but it has the sensors on board, the training and analysis features, and the supported tracking to spend some time away from the gym.

That includes a dual-frequency GPS mode that has yet to be included on one of Polar’s Vantage series or Grit X watches. That dual-frequency mode aims to improve outdoor workout tracking from the supported satellite systems when you’re near tall buildings or heading out in bad weather. Polar claim it can deliver a reduction in positioning errors by double compared to single-band GPS tracking.

Polar aren’t alone in offering dual-frequency GPS and having tried similar modes on watches from Garmin, Suunto, Apple, Huawei and Amazfit among others I’d say that the performance of it isn’t quite up there with Garmin, Apple, Suunto and Amazfit in terms of reliability. I mainly used it against Garmin’s Forerunner 965, Instinct 2X and the Apple Watch Ultra and the mapped data wasn’t as spotless in comparison. It’s fine overall, but if you want the best most accurate dual-band support, there are better watches out there.

When you jump into training mode Polar do offer a good collection of sports profiles with scope to add more from its Flow app. Everything from canoeing, climbing, kayaking and skiing have profiles, though the level of metrics you can enjoy varies across profiles. So you’re going to get more metrics when running or cycling than you will by switching it to HIIT mode where heart rate is the key metric.

I’ve mainly run, done longer walks, hikes and swam in a pool with the Ignite 3 along with testing out its abilities for tracking indoor workouts like rowing, HIIT and fitness classes. The experience on the whole is pretty solid. The screen displays real-time metrics in a really digestible way and for most workouts and training the data has been pretty reliable.

Heart rate is a core part of the Ignite 3 and Polar’s ecosystem in general and the watch’s small size helps in this regard: it fits more snugly against the wrist than a big watch, and doesn't move around so much, and as a result delivers more reliable heart rate data. I’ve used it against a heart rate monitor chest strap for a bunch of workouts outdoors and indoors and it’s even held up well at higher intensities with scope to pair and external heart rate sensor here too.

Polar don’t include any sort of navigation or mapping support, reserving that functionality for its pricier watches, so you’re relying on features like its FuelWise fueling recommendations when it comes to using the Polar Ignite 3 Titanium for long days in the wilderness. 

There are definitely more features for indoor workout time as opposed to time spent outdoors, such as FitSpark workout recommendations and a new Work-Rest-Guide mode that’s designed to tell you how much rest you should take in between workout sets based on your real-time heart rate.

It doubles as a fitness tracker to monitor your daily steps and track heart rate continuously with a big emphasis on sleep tracking and capturing a myriad of stats that can better inform your recovery. That now includes a nightly temperature measurement, which takes three days to register and is then displayed in the Flow app to help identify trends (which all sounds a lot like Garmin’s Body Battery energy monitor).

One of the big benefits of having an AMOLED screen on the Ignite 3 is that it can start to feel more like a smartwatch. It works with both Android and iOS; I’ve used it across both platforms and the app experience is pretty much the same. You’re getting the ability to view phone notifications and there’s music playback controls, which are accessible during workout tracking, while Polar’s watch faces and general UI is starting to feel a lot more polished. It’s still not the best smartwatch experience you’ll find on a sports watch, but things are going in the right direction.

In terms of viewing your data off the watch, you’re dealing with what I’d describe is the very busy Polar Flow app. It’s available as a phone app and web app and across both it’s not the most intuitive experience. There’s a lot of menus and data, and it doesn’t really lead you from one section of the app to another in a sleek fashion, so it pays to spend some time getting to know where things live and what you can actually adjust and tinker with.

Something that hasn’t changed from the first Ignite 3 is battery life. There’s a 215mAh capacity battery that gives you up to five days in smartwatch mode, 30 hours of GPS battery life and 100 hours in the low-power training mode where heart rate monitoring is disabled when tracking a workout. You can use it with the AMOLED set to always-on, but that severely reduces battery and it gives you just over a day depending on what features you use during that period. It definitely can’t stretch to a full week and generally falls a little short of those five days, especially if you’re using the GPS tracking, while sleep monitoring sucks battery as well. I don’t absolutely love the charging cable here either, and it would certainly benefit from something that locks more tightly to the back of the watch.

Overall, the Ignite 3 Titanium is a very likeable GPS watch and definitely has the capability to track your outdoor workout time in a reliable fashion. That being said, it lacks the navigation features you can find on Garmin’s watches which also offer better pure sports tracking features. The Polar Ignite 3 Titanium definitely feels more of an indoors watch than an outdoors one, but if you like the idea of a sleek Polar watch with an AMOLED screen, then it might just appeal.

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Coros has launched a new version of its super lightweight Pace sports watch, with upgraded GPS, improved battery life, and turn-by-turn navigation.

The Coros Pace 3 has a redesigned satellite chipset, with optional dual-band GPS for improved positioning in tricky areas, such as woodland and densely built cities where you might otherwise struggle to get a lock. 

The Pace 3 also offers breadcrumb navigation and turn-by-turn alerts, which work together with the new route planner in the upgraded Coros mobile app. When you want to explore somewhere new, you can draw a route on your phone or tablet, adding waypoints if you like, then transfer it straight to your watch.

The Pace 3 has an array of new outdoor workout tracking modes, including hiking, trail running, skiing, cross country skiing, and snowboarding, so you can roam off the beaten track. There's a new heart rate monitor too, allowing the watch to more accurately track your heart rate during and between workouts.

If you want some entertainment, the new watch also offers music playback, so you can transfer your favorite songs, then listen to them via a Bluetooth speaker or your favorite running headphones.

The Pace 3 has an upgraded transflective display, which should be easier to read in all lighting conditions, plus a night mode for workouts after dark.

Despite these improvements, the Pace 3 offers much longer battery life than its predecessor. The new watch will give up to 38 hours of continuous GPS tracking on a single charge, which is eight hours longer than the Coros Pace 2. In ordinary daily use, you can expect it to last around 24 days – four days longer than the Pace 2.

The Pace 3 weighs just 30g – exactly the same as the Pace 2. When I reviewed the Pace 2 for Advnture's sister site TechRadar back in 2021, I was particularly impressed by how light and comfortable it was while running, so it's good to see that the new watch is just as unobtrusive.

The Coros Pace 3 will launch in five variants: white nylon, black nylon, white silicone, black silicone. These are available to order now direct from Coros, authorized dealers, and Amazon for $229 / £219. Shipping of these models is expected to start next week, and a special red Coros Pace 3 Track Edition will be available from October.

Advnture staff writer Julia Clarke is testing the Pace 3, and will bring you a full review very soon.

• The best GPS watches: all the latest models tested and rated

Right now, you can pick up the Garmin eTrex 32x handheld GPS navigator for just $229.99 at Amazon. That's a saving of 23% off the list price, and the cheapest this super portable unit has ever been.

The eTrex 32x is built specifically with hiking in mind, with a generously sized 2.2in display that's easy to read even in direct sunlight and is much easier to use than a GPS watch. It comes with TopoActive maps preinstalled, which are optimized for outdoor activities and include walkable trails, summits, National Parks, lakes and rivers, coastlines, natural attractions, and much more besides.

If you're not in the US, scroll down to the bottom of this article for the best deals on the Garmin eTrex 32x near you.

There's support for both GPS and GLONASS, plus a three-axis compass and barometric altimeter to keep you on track. It takes two AA batteries that you can replace in the field, so there's no need to worry about recharging at camp, and each pair of batteries should give you 25 hours of GPS navigation.

If you're not in the US, here are the best deals on the Garmin eTrex 32x where you are, with prices updated daily:

• Best Garmin watches: all the latest models tested and rated

Two men are due to appear in court after driving off-road at Death Valley National Park and getting their car stuck in a mud flat, where it remained for three weeks.

In a press release, the National Park Service (NPS) explained that the incident happened on 4 July, when the pair got lost while trying to navigate using GPS. After taking a wrong turn, they spent three hours driving up and down a gravel road before giving up and deciding to try driving straight across the salt flat to avoid running out of fuel.

Driving off-road at Death Valley is illegal and causes serious environmental harm. Although the mud flats might look lifeless from a distance, they are delicate ecosystems that are home to all kinds of plant and animal life. Driving off-road leaves lasting scars on the landscape, compacts the soil, can lead to water pollution, and can destroy federally-designated wilderness.

Off-roading can also leave drivers stranded far from help. The men's car became stuck in the salt flat after about a mile, leaving them to walk the rest of the way to the road. They then walked another 12 miles before splitting up to find help. By this point it was 3am.

One of the pair walked north until 8am, when he was picked up by a visiting family, who took him to Furnace Creek so he could call for help. The family then headed out and picked up the second man, who was found suffering heat illness and taken to hospital for treatment.

The car stayed stuck in the mud for three weeks until officials could safely remove it with a skid-steer loader to avoid further damaging the landscape. The pair have been issued a mandatory court appearance, and are likely to face charges and fines.

"Death Valley is an awe-inspiring place that demands our utmost respect and preparedness,” said park superintendent Mike Reynolds. "We urge visitors to exercise caution and adhere to park rules. Don’t drive off established roads; this damages the environment and can turn deadly."

• Get a free 148-page ebook celebrating the world's greatest National Parks

Right now, you can get the Garmin GPSMAP 86sci handheld GPS navigator for just $519.64 at Amazon. That's a saving of 20% off the list price, and the cheapest this marine-focused navigator has ever been.

Garmin makes GPS navigators for all kinds of sports, and the GPSMAP 86sci is specifically make for boating and fishing. It comes with BlueChart coastal charts pre-loaded, and syncs with Garmin chartplotters and instruments to give you real-time boat data in your hand. You can also use it to control your boat via its autopilot app, changing heading, adjusting pattern steering, and following a GPS route.

If you're not in the US, scroll down to the bottom of this article for the best deals on the Garmin GPSMAP series where you are.

This particular model has Garmin inReach satellite communication built in, which means you can send an interactive SOS to Garmin's control center, even when you have no cellphone signal, and receive help from local emergency services anywhere in the world provided you have an inReach subscription.

If you're not in the US, here are the best deals on the Garmin GPSMAP series near you:

• The best Garmin watches: all the latest models tested and rated

Right now, you can pick up the Garmin Vivoactive 4 watch for just $169.99. That's an Amazon Prime Day saving of almost 50% off the list price, and the cheapest this stylish GPS watch has ever been. You'll need to act fast though – Amazon has already put the smaller Vivoactive 2S back up to its regular price, and the standard version might follow suit.

The Vivoactive 4 is a great all-rounder, and packs impressive sports tracking features for a very modest price tag. It has impressive GPS, 20 preloaded activity tracking modes (both indoor and outdoor), and is compatible with Garmin Coach to help you smash your fitness goals. It also offers animated on-screen workouts, which was one of my favorite features of the far more expensive Garmin Epix (Gen 2).

If you're not in the US, scroll down to the bottom of this page for the best deals on the Garmin Vivoactive 4 and Vivoactive 4S where you are. Looking for something different? I'm rounding up all this year's best Amazon Prime Day Garmin deals, so take a look and see what else is on offer.

If you're not in the US, here are today's best deals on the Garmin Vivoactive 4 and Vivoactive 4S where you are. You might also want to check our our guide to the best cheap GPS watches for more budget-friendly options.

A newly registered patent explains how next-generation Garmin watches could offer more accurate GPS than ever, enhanced battery life, and cases crafted from single pieces of metal.

The document (ID US 20230187822 A1) was published by the US Patents and Trademarks Office (USPTO) this week, and describes a way of integrating radio antennas into a photovoltaic layer covering the watch's screen.

Photovoltaic material converts energy from sunlight into electricity, and is already used in the lenses of many of Garmin's watches to extend battery life. The company calls its own photovoltaic materials Power Glass and Power Sapphire.

How it works

So why make things more complicated? Well, right now the aerials for most GPS watches are located in the edge of the housing. This keeps them as far away from one another as possible, which helps to reduce signal interference.

The problem is that watch bezels are often made of metal, which is strong and looks attractive, but can interfere with the GPS signal or reduce its strength. Rather than shift to fully plastic cases, Garmin's patent suggests using the photovoltaic layer to form an aerial for location positioning, moving it away from the watch housing.

"The solar cell includes a substrate and a photovoltaic layer, the photovoltaic layer including a mesh of electrically conductive material positioned on the substrate and a first opening," explains the document. "The first antenna is formed by the first opening of the photovoltaic layer."

The patent goes on to suggest that "The housing of the electronic device may have a unibody construction and may be formed of electrically conductive materials, such as a metal, a metal alloy or a combination thereof."

Of course, a patent is no guarantee that this technology will eventually make its way into a consumer product (just look at how many patents Fitbit and Apple have registered for devices like smart rings). However, it's certainly interesting, and any advances that make location tracking more accurate are welcome in our books.

• Best GPS watches: the latest models from Garmin, Apple and more tested

Garmin has launched a pair of new multi-sport GPS watches – the Fenix 7 Pro and Epix Pro. Both include a brand new heart rate monitor, plus new activity tracking modes, weather map overlays, and a new endurance score to help you track your ability to sustain prolonged efforts, whatever your sport.

Like the original Garmin Fenix 7, which launched last year, the Fenix 7 Pro comes in three sizes: 42mm, 47mm, and 51mm.  All three sizes have solar charging for boosted battery life, and you can choose from toughened Gorilla Glass, or scratch-resistant sapphire crystal for the lens.

All three also have a built-in flashlight, which is great news for wearers with smaller wrists. Garmin's flashlights have been well received, but until now, have only been available in large watches like the Enduro 2 and Fenix 7X. That's all changed now, and even the small Fenix 7S Pro provides you with a bright LED torch that can be accessed with a quick double-press of the backlight button.

Turning over the watch, there's a new biometric sensor array featuring four green LEDs rather than two. According to Garmin, these 'more spatially diverse' sensors, together with sport-specific algorithms, make it easier to understand how your body is responding to exercise. There's no support for Garmin's ECG app right now, but if the new sensor includes the necessary hardware then that might be a feature that's unlocked via a firmware update in the near future. We'll have to wait and see.

New activity tracking modes include whitewater rafting, motocross, and overlanding. For runners, a new hill score measures your running strength on steep climbs, and running endurance on long ascents, and lets you check your progress over time based on VO2 max and training history.

There are also new weather map overlays, which make it easier to see changing conditions in advance, and relief shading. 

It's available to order today direct from Garmin, with prices starting at $799.99. I'm currently testing the smallest version, the Garmin Fenix 7S Pro, comparing it to last year's Fenix 7S, and will bring you a full review very soon.

Garmin Epix Pro

The Garmin Epix launched with a bang last year as the company's first multi-sport watch with an AMOLED display, but only came in one size. The Epix Pro is available in the same three sizes as the Fenix 7 Pro, and again, all three have a flashlight built into the top of the case.

Its feature set is fundamentally the same as the Fenix 7 Pro, but with the addition of a red shift mode for night time, which changes the usual screen colors to shades of red to help avoid disturbing your natural sleep patterns. 

The Epix Pro is available to order now direct from Garmin in standard and sapphire editions, with prices starting at $899.99.

• Best Garmin watches: all the latest models tested and rated

New documents published by the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) suggest that Garmin may be about to release a new handheld inReach satellite communicator – just in time for the summer hiking season.

Before any device capable of transmitting wireless signals can be sold in the US, it must first be tested and approved by the FCC to make sure it meets the necessary standards. The FCC publishes a database of recently approved devices, including test results. These documents are heavily redacted to protect intellectual property, but can still give us an insight into future releases.

On May 11, the FCC gave the green light to a device with the reference IPH-04659. 'IPH' is the FCC's own ID code for Garmin, and the remaining digits were chosen by the company itself to identify this particular product.

As usual, early details are scant (any reference to the device's name has been purged), but it is described as a 'portable transceiver', and the compliance label that will be included on the packaging states that it is a "handheld with rechargeable Li-ion battery pack, belt clip, AC adaptor, USB cable [and] documentation."

Most interestingly, there is also a disclaimer that "some jurisdictions regulate or prohibit the use of satellite communication devices. It is the responsibility of the user to know and follow laws in the jurisdiction where the device is intended to be used."

Get connected

Satellite communicators can be life-savers for hikers, climbers, and other explorers in an emergency, allowing them to send an SOS anywhere in the world, even in places without cellular connectivity. Garmin's inReach service is one of the best known, and can connect users to a central communications center that works with emergency response services to get users the help they need.

The company has released several new inReach devices in recent months, including the tiny inReach Mini 2 and inReach Messenger, the latter of which connects to your phone and allows you to send text messages.

Unlike these two devices, the IPH-04659 will also have Wi-Fi connectivity, which would allow users to download maps through Garmin's Map Manager. This suggests it will likely be a larger device with a screen.

Back in March, Garmin launched two new handheld GPS navigators, including the GPSMAP 67 and 67i, both of which have inReach technology built in. It would be strange for the company to release another similar device so soon.

It's possible that this may in fact be a marine navigator to follow the GPSMAP 86i, which launched back in 2019. We'll just have to wait and see. I'll keep my eyes peeled for more details, and bring you further information as soon as I have it.

• Best Garmin watch: all the latest models tested and rated

Suunto Vertical: first impressions

The Suunto Vertical is a big, rugged GPS watch that's just begging to be taken on adventures. It's clearly designed as a rival to the Garmin Enduro 2 and Apple Watch Ultra – and if you're a keen hiker or trail runner, it's highly recommended.

The Vertical is available in stainless steel and titanium versions. I tested the grade five titanium model in the canyon colorway, which is very similar to international orange. If you'd prefer something more subtle, you can also opt for black, sand, or forest. The stainless steel version comes in black, sand, lime, and ruby.

The titanium model has solar charging to extend its battery life, but the stainless steel version does not.

At $629 / £545 for the stainless steel version or $839 / £725 for the titanium, the Vertical is roughly the same price as the Apple Watch Ultra, and a little less than the Garmin Enduro 2.

Whichever variant you choose, the case is 49mm in diameter and 13.6mm thick. That's a shade smaller than the Enduro 2, but much bigger than a typical sports watch. It might take some getting used to if you're moving up from a more petite device, but a larger case means a larger screen, and when you're using maps for exploring outdoors, you need all the real estate you can get.

The Vertical is Suunto's first watch with maps pre-installed, and you can download extra ones through the mobile app to use offline (more on that shortly). The extra-large display means you can easily see the next turning well in advance, and there's plenty of space to pan and zoom using the buttons or touchscreen. It's a system that works well, and I appreciated the option to pick which controls worked best for me.

Sometimes I noticed a slight lag when using the touchscreen to swipe between menus, but it wasn't anything major and could be fixed in a future firmware update.

There are three physical buttons on the right-hand edge of the case, two of which have resin bumpers to protect them from accidental knocks and presses.

The display is a color memory-in-pixel (MiP) panel with a bright backlight. It's less striking than the OLED display of the Apple Watch Ultra or Garmin Epix, but it's easily readable even in bright sunlight, and opting for a less striking screen really pays off in terms of battery life. More on that later.

It's supplied with a magnetic charger that attaches easily to the back. Sadly there's no Qi wireless charging, but you honestly won't be charging it all that often.

The Vertical comes with a silicone rubber wristband, which is secured using a metal buckle (to match the case material) and a small peg rather than a traditional strap keeper. This keeps the end of the band neatly out of the way and prevents it catching on cuffs or rocks.

The Suunto Vertical is water resistant to depths of 10m, making it suitable for swimming and snorkelling, but not diving.

Suunto Vertical: in the field

The Suunto Vertical is a joy to use on the roads, but it really comes into its own when you're heading off the beaten path. Maps and navigation are fantastic, with the watch and mobile app working beautifully together to guide you in the right direction.

To get started, place your watch on its charger, tap the watch icon in the Suunto app, and grab the relevant map for the area you want to explore. They are divided up into county/city sized chunks, and the app will automatically find the one for your current location, which is a fantastic time-saver.

It can take a little while for the map to begin downloading, and Suunto warns that large ones can take several hours depending on your connection. In my tests, downloading one for the UK county of Somerset took about 20 minutes, which was a little longer than I might have expected, but perfectly reasonable.

You can let the map download while you're lacing up your trail running shoes and preparing your hydration pack. Once it's synced, head outside to get a GPS connection, and the map should be ready to use.

Sports watch companion apps often come with a steep learning curve – Garmin Connect being a prime example. The more features are added, the trickier it becomes to figure out where all the settings and stats are hidden. To get around that problem Suunto has redesigned its app, and everything is now arranged into just four main pages: home, calendar, training zone, and map.

The first three allow you to scroll through past activities, check your training schedule and delve into your health stats (such as sleep and heart rate tracking). but the last page is where the magic happens.

The standout feature is the ability to create your own maps by tapping on waypoints. The resulting GPX files are then synced with your watch automatically, so they're ready for you to use next time you head out.

It's incredibly simple, and far superior to the route-plotting tool in the Garmin Connect app. Garmin's plotter only allows you to state a distance and bearing, then calculates a route that might take you along narrow side-streets and through junkyards rather than well-used roads and trails.

In fact, if you want to be sure you're planning a sensible course, the Suunto app includes a heatmap that highlights popular routes for running, hiking, and cycling – both on and off-road. It can also highlight different surfaces for you, so you're not directed down a muddy bank in your best road running shoes.

I found tapping a route on my phone screen quite easy, but you can also use the Suunto app on a tablet or macOS desktop if you'd like more room to plan, which is another feature that's unique to Suunto.

All of this puts the Suunto Vertical ahead of the Apple Watch Ultra for hikes, trail runs, and mountain biking. Apple's wearable might be the more attractive, but you'll have to install a third-party app like AllTrails and pay a subscription fee to enjoy what Suunto gives you for free.

When I took the Suunto Vertical out on my pre-measured 5km route, the recorded distance came out a few meters longer than expected, but well within what I consider an acceptable margin of error. Zooming in on the resulting map, I can clearly see that the watch has picked up small details like when I ran out and back along different sides of a road, and crossed at different points.

Another feature I particularly like is the ability to export a previous run, ride, or hike as a GPX file so you can follow the same route again later. It's also possible to set a past workout as a 'ghost target' to help with pacing.

If you're particularly proud of your workout, the Suunto app can even turn it into a neat video that you can share with your running club on your social media platform of choice.

Then there's the matter of battery life. It's no surprise that the Vertical far outperforms the Apple Watch Ultra, but it also gives the more expensive Garmin Enduro a real run for its money. 

Like any solar GPS watch, you can't rely on sunlight to charge the Vertical from flat, but regular exposure can dramatically extend its life between charges. The Suunto Vertical Titanium can last up to 85 hours in full GPS mode with solar charging, while the Garmin Enduro keeps going for 81 hours.

During a week of camping, the Vertical kept running when my Garmin Fenix 7 sputtered and failed, happily tracking five days of hiking without issue.

When connected to its charger, the watch juices up extremely quickly, and in my tests it was fully charged from 3% in less than an hour.

Sleep tracking is disabled by default to conserve battery life, but I was impressed by its accuracy. During my camping trip I wore the Vertical on one wrist and my Garmin Fenix 7 on the other, and only the Vertical correctly recorded when I was woken by the dawn chorus.

Delve into the training zone section of the app, and you'll find details of your recent training load, intensity (divided into heart rate zones), recovery, and fitness change. You can browse through the stats in detail, or get top-level feedback from Suunto Coach – a tool currently in beta that gives you personalized guidance on your training, recovery, and progress. It's a nice feature that gives you general suggestions and gentle advice, and I'll be interested to see where it goes in future.

Overall, the Suunto Vertical is a very impressive GPS watch, and one I'd definitely recommend to anyone heading out on multi-day adventures. I've yet to test it on a spin bike, and will be interested to see how its heart rate data compares during some intense interval sessions, but if you're an avid hiker than the Vertical is close to perfect. Offline maps are a game-changer, and paired with excellent GPS and great battery life, they make this watch a winner in the great outdoors.

• How Advnture tests products

A runner has been disqualified after using a car to complete part of an ultramarathon, and taking third place on the podium. Scottish runner Joasia Zakrzewski has an impressive track record in long-distance running, but GPS data from this particular race raised concerns with organizers.

Unlike many races, which only record the times when competitors pass over a mat at the start and finish, the GB Ultras Manchester to Liverpool has live GPS tracking to let friends and family follow runners in real time. This data revealed that Zakrzewski finished a section of the race exceptionally quickly, covering one mile at 36mph.

Adrian Stott, a friend of Zakrzewski, told the BBC that she had felt sick on the day, and was sorry for any upset caused. The matter has now been referred to UK Athletics, the governing body for sports in the UK, which can ban athletes from events for cheating.

"Very disappointing"

Race director Wayne Drinkwater said that the incident was "very disappointing". He explained that the decision to disqualify Zakrzewski was made after reviewing race tracking data, statements from the event team, other competitors and Zakrzewski herself.

"We can confirm that a runner has now been disqualified from the event having taken vehicle transport during part of the route,” he said. “The matter is now with the TRA [Trail Running Association] and, in turn, UK Athletics as the regulatory bodies.”

• The best trail running shoes: tested for grip and protection

Garmin has launched a pair of new wearable GPS navigators that can be strapped to your wrist for hands-free hiking, scrambling, hunting and more. The Garmin Foretrex 801 and 901 Ballistic Edition are both built for outdoor adventures and tactical use, and the 901 is also designed to help with rifle shooting competitions.

Both new Foretrex devices offer multi-band GPS for improved accuracy on tricky terrain, such as heavily wooded areas and near cliffs, plus a three-axis accelerometer, three-axis compass, and barometric altimeter.

Their new high-contrast 2.2in monochrome displays are easy to read in all lighting conditions, and the cases are thermal, shock, and water resistant. Both devices take two AAA batteries, which you can replace on the move. You can expect battery life of up to 100 hours with GPS tracking updated every second, or 1,000 hours in expedition mode.

Stay connected outdoors

The new Foretrex units offer ANT+ connectivity, allowing you to connect them to devices like Garmin watches and inReach satellite navigators. When your Foretrex is connected to an inReach device, you can use it to receive messages and send an emergency SOS alert.

For tactical use, both devices include a stealth mode that records distance travelled, but not location data in case the unit becomes lost. There's also a kill switch that immediately resets the device to its factory settings, clearing all saved data.

The Garmin Foretrex 801 is available now for $249.99 direct from Garmin, while the Foretrex 901 Ballistic Edition costs $599.99.

• Best GPS watches: the latest models from Garmin, Apple and more tested

Garmin has launched two new cycling computers, the Edge 840 and 540, with new training tools, boosted battery life (including optional solar charging), and improved GPS mapping.

Many of the features included in the two new devices have tricked down from the top-end Garmin Edge 1040, and are now available in a more affordable form.

One of the standout features is the addition of multiband GPS, which makes it easier for the device to pinpoint your location in tricky areas such as under heavy tree cover or near tall buildings, which can obscure the field of view to satellites or cause GPS drift.

There are also new suggested workouts, similar to those provided by newer Garmin watches, and training prompts to help you train more effectively. When paired with a Garmin HRM heart rate sensor or compatible watch, you'll also get personalized coaching that adapts based on your training load, recovery, and upcoming events, plus a real-time stamina chart that shows how much energy you have left in the tank for the rest of your ride. Can you afford to push harder, or do you need to hold back?

The Edge 840 and 540 are both available in standard versions, or with Garmin's Power Glass to keep their batteries topped up throughout the day and extend life between charges. Solar charging can extend battery life up to 60 hours in battery saver mode, making it a great option for multi-day events and touring.

The devices have the same 2.6in display size and resolution as their predecessors. Both have button controls, but the Edge 840 also has touchscreen controls for easier panning across maps and scrolling through menus.

Both are available in solar and non-solar versions direct from Garmin. The Edge 840 Solar is $549.99/£519.99, and the Edge 540 Solar is $449.99/£449.99. The non-solar Edge 840 is $449.99/£449.99, and the non-solar Edge 540 is $349.99/£349.99.

• Best GPS watches: the latest models from Garmin, Apple and more tested

Amazfit has launched the T-Rex Ultra – a new addition to its lineup of rugged GPS watches built for life outdoors. The T-Rex Ultra has been redesigned with a new, more rugged case featuring double-articulated lugs to ensure a more comfortable fit on different sized wrists and during intense workouts.

It also offers extended water resistance, and can be used for free-diving at depths up to 30 meters. Its AMOLED touchscreen is capable of up to 1,000 nits brightness, making it clearly visible in any lighting conditions, and works together with four mud-resistant physical buttons around the edge of the case.

The T-Rex Ultra also offers multi-band GPS, and can switch bands on the fly for the most accurate results based on signal strength in tricky areas such as near cliffs and in dense woodland.

Perhaps most impressive of all is its battery life. You can expect the watch to run for around 20 hours between charges in typical use, and that can be extended to 28 days in power-saving mode. That's impressive for any GPS watch, and practically unheard of for one with an AMOLED display,

Upp updates

The T-Rex Ultra connects to the Zepp mobile app (Zepp being Amazfit's parent company). This is also received some welcome updates, including a new Zepp Coach training tool, which plans out a schedule of daily workouts to help you achieve your next goal, whether it's running your first race or smashing a personal best.

You can also download maps to your watch for offline use, so you can navigate without data connectivity. I've been testing the new watch for the last few weeks and have been very impressed, so check out Advnture's full review now.

The T-Rex Ultra is available now direct from Amazfit, from Amazon, and from Aliexpress for $399.99.

• The best GPS watches: all the latest models tested and rated

Garmin has launched three new handheld GPS units for springtime adventures. The Garmin GPSMAP 67 and 67i, and the Garmin eTrex SE are all made for navigating during hikes and other expeditions, and make the most of the company's latest mapping and satellite communications technology.

The GPSMAP 67 and 67i are premium handheld sat-nav units, with the same multi-band technology you'll find in Garmin's best GPS watches. They come preloaded with TopoActive Maps, which are packed with on- and off-road details to help you find your way while hiking and orienteering, including historic sites, waterways and natural features, as well as cafes, stores, accommodation and parking lots.

There's also access to satellite imagery right in your hand, and the two are compatible with the new Garmin Outdoor Maps+ subscription service.

The GPSMAP 67i also include Garmin inReach satellite communication technology too, letting you send and receive text messages, send emergency SOS alerts, and share your location even in areas without cellular connectivity.

Both devices are available now direct from Garmin. The GPSMAP 67 has a suggested retail price of $499.99 and the GPSMAP 67i has a suggested retail price of $599.99.

Entry-level adventures

If you're looking for an entry-level handheld GPS unit, the new eTrex SE is a rugged device that's designed to be tough but simple to use.

Maps are displayed on a 2.2in high-contrast display to ensure that maps, waypoints and paths are clearly legible even in direct sunlight, and the unit has a water resistance rating of IPX7 that ensures it keeps working even in strong storms.

It takes two AA batteries, which can be replaced on the move, and last up to 168 hours in standard mode and up to 1,800 hours in expedition mode.

The eTrex SE is available right now from Garmin for $149.99.

• The best Garmin watches: the latest models tested and rated

A man has been left with a hefty repair bill after getting his BMW Alpina B3 Touring wedged on a narrow hiking trail in Austria. The 77-year-old, who was visiting from Germany, ran into trouble last week when he ignored road signs and warnings from hikers, instead putting all his faith in his sat-nav system. 

As Motor1.com reports, he carried along the narrowing trail until his hefty performance estate car eventually became stuck between a railing and a rock wall.

Two local fire departments came to the rescue, and the man and his passengers were safely freed. The car wasn't so fortunate, and the left-hand side suffered significant damage from the railing.

Local news site Rosenheim 24 reports that the driver was given a breathalyzer test, which was negative, and allowed to continue along a safe route.

Stick with maps

GPS navigation systems often struggle in mountainous areas, where radio signals can bounce off cliffs, resulting in a phenomenon called GPS drift. Preinstalled maps may also give insufficient detail of geological features. 

Last week, search and rescue teams in the UK warned hikers not to rely on Google Maps after saving a man who had spent the night in freezing conditions on a mountain after attempting to navigate using his phone.

A spokesperson for Wasdale Mountain Rescue team said that the man was very lucky to have survived after spending so long outdoors suffering foot injuries and hypothermia.

"We also have to say that Google Maps on smartphones are not suitable for navigating on the hills," the team added. "They lack detail and of course will not work with a flat battery. There is no substitute for a map and compass and being able to use them. They can save one’s life."

For advice, see our guides to how to use a compass, how to take a bearing, and how to triangulate.

• The best compass: find the right navigational tool

While it's exciting to browse the most innovative the best Garmin watches and dream about the advantages they could bring on your next ultra marathon, the reality is we have household bills to pay.

The technology in the best GPS watches has moved on in leaps and bounds in recent years, and that comes at a price, with some watches costing many hundreds of dollars.

But the good news is that the technology has developed too, and you can now bag yourself an incredibly smart timepiece for much less than you'd think. These watches still provide all the functionality beginner or intermediate outdoor enthusiasts need for tracking activities.

What's more, some of the top-end GPS watches from a few years ago are still superb products that have significantly dropped in price. Big watchmakers continue to support these watches with software updates that bring them mostly in line with the newer products, which makes them a solid option.

We've put these accessible options through the same rigorous testing as we would the higher-end watches, and highlighted the best performing below.

If you're after something more classic, check out our guide to the best field watches, and runners who want to outpace their PB will find their perfect training partner in our expert selection of the best running watches.

The quick list

This is the quick list, a snapshot of the best cheap GPS watches available right now. To delve deeper into the features and qualities of each smartwatch, see our more detailed reviews further down the page in this guide.

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The best cheap GPS watch comparison table

The best cheap GPS watches

The best cheap GPS watch overall

If you're looking for a cheap GPS watch, the Amazfit GTS 4 is our top recommendation. It has the kind of features you'd expect from a watch costing twice as much as its list price. That includes a bright, sharp AMOLED display, great GPS accuracy, decent battery life, and an interface that's a breeze to use.

That stunning screen is touch-sensitive, but we mostly controlled the watch using the large rotating crown button on the right-hand edge of the case. Turn to scroll through menus, then press to select an option or start tracking. Easy.

The Zepp mobile app (Zepp being Amazfit's parent company) isn't as polished as Garmin Connect, but it's improved a lot in recent years. One particularly handy feature is the PAI score, which is a single figure based on your activity, rest, and recovery that gives you an easy way to keep tabs on your overall wellbeing. If you want more detail though, you can easily drill down into fine detail about your workouts, complete with explanations to help you understand exactly what all the stats mean if you're relatively new to running.

The all-black version we tested looked quite plain, but the misty white and rosebud pink colorways are much more appealing, with coordinating brushed metal cases and buckles.

Sounds too good to be true, right? We once asked an Amazfit rep how the company can charge so little, and they explained that it's simply a matter of making as many components as possible in-house. Zepp is a colossal company, so economies of scale help too.

Read our full Amazfit GTS 4 review

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The best cheap GPS watch for new runners

The Garmin Forerunner 55 is the GPS watch we recommend most often to newer runners wanting to up their game. It's technically the company's entry-level running watch, but it's packed with so many advanced performance and health-tracking tools, it's great for intermediate level athletes as well.

It has some of the most accurate GPS tracking of any watch we've tested, and during tough interval sessions on a spin bike readings from the Forerunner 55 matched up almost exactly with those from a chest strap heart rate monitor.

You're also getting a bundle of Garmin's latest training tools here, including daily suggested workouts (great if you find yourself running the same old route over and over), a race time predictor, and a recovery advisor to help ensure you don't over train or take things excessively easy.

Its monochrome display isn't the best for displaying maps, but it's workable. All in all, it's an excellent all-rounder and fantastic value.

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The best cheap GPS watch for style

Polar's beginner-friendly running watch is one of the most stylish around, with its circular case in a variety of tasteful colors. It's almost as feather-light as the Forerunner 55, and its slim design means you'll easily forget you're wearing it until it's time to train.

GPS tracking is very good, but biometrics are where Polar watches really shine (unsurprising considering the company started out specializing in heart rate monitoring tech). The optical HRM on the Pacer is super responsive, which you'll really appreciate if you're into interval training.

There's no touchscreen, but that's not likely to bother runners too much. Using touch controls with sweaty or gloved fingers is a nuisance. Perhaps the biggest downside is that your runs and rides don't sync automatically. Instead, you have to open the Polar Flow app on your phone to initiate the process. That's hardly a dealbreaker though.

If you're on a really tight budget then you might be interested in checking out the Polar Unite, which is much cheaper, but lacks GPS. You can still use it to track runs and hikes, but you'll need to keep it connected to your phone via Bluetooth to monitor your route and pace.

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The best cheap GPS watch for climbing

The T-Rex Pro is another watch that's a few years old, but still stands up today. Like the Garmin Instinct, the T-Rex Pro is one tough customer, and would be a good option if you're planning to head off-road for some trail running, hiking, and climbing.

Like the Amazfit GTS 4, it has a colorful AMOLED display that looks great in all lighting conditions, and has surprisingly little impact on battery life. You can expect the T-Rex Pro to keep running for around a week between charges, which isn't as impressive as the Garmin Forerunner 55 or Instinct, but is perfectly acceptable.

Its GPS tracking isn't quite as accurate as other models though, so there is a sacrifice to be made. There's a wealth of workout tracking modes for just about every activity you can name, but we found the watch struggled to detect runs and walks automatically, so you'll need to make sure you start manual tracking for anything you want to log.

If you've got a little extra cash, you might be interested in the Amazfit T-Rex Pro 2. It's a bit too pricey for this list, but it's a big upgrade on the hardware front and looks fantastic.

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The best lightweight cheap GPS watch

Designed for dedicated athletes who want to track their progress without getting bogged down in extra features, the Coros Pace 3 is a lightweight training tool that's exceptional value for money.

For navigating the menus you can choose between a touchscreen or two well-placed buttons, and delve into the Coros app on your phone when you want to investigate detailed metrics from your workouts. Our reviewer was particularly impressed with the watch's battery life, only needing to charge it once in three weeks despite logging 15 hours of GPS use over 17 workouts in that time.

It's got a low profile design that's comfortable on the wrist and doesn't get in the way of tight sleeves. It's a slight shame that the simple watch face and nylon strap can make it a little cheap looking, though.

The Coros Pace 3 is a powerhouse of workout tracking, offering detailed heart rate zones, VO2 max, pace, aerobic and anaerobic power, cadence, stride length and recommended training load and recovery times. There's also route planning, breadcrumb navigation and deviation alerts if you want to head off the beaten track a little. There aren't many additional smartwatch features, such as payment options or message writing, but that's really not what this model is about. It's easy to use, reliable and great value.

Read our full Coros Pace 3 review

How we test the best cheap GPS watches

Our testers wear each GPS watch for several weeks, or as long as it takes to build up a baseline and start tracking fitness trends. During that time they take the device for regular runs of varying distances, including a pre-measured 5km route to help check the accuracy of the on-board GPS.

We also put each watch to the test in several interval sessions on a spin bike to check how quickly and accurately it detects changes in heart rate. We compare this with data gathered using a chest strap heart rate monitor.

Our testers wear each watch all day and all night to test its sleep tracking and any recovery monitoring tools, keeping track of when they actually fell asleep and woke, and the times recorded by the devices. We can also compare this data to stats gathered using a Withings Sleep Analyzer to see how accurate the device is.

For more details, see how Advnture tests products.

How to choose the best cheap GPS watch

The best cheap GPS watches all excel in different areas – we've highlighted these with our 'best for' labels. They are great products with different feature packages, so choosing one mainly comes down to your lifestyle and what you really want most from the watch.

Do you want a reliably long battery life? Enhanced GPS accuracy? Intuitive set-up?

Usually budget is the biggest deciding factor for people when shopping for a GPS watch. Here, you'll find most of our picks are $250 or under.

What activities will you use it for?

Are you looking for a GPS watch for just one activity, such as trail running or climbing? Even at this affordable price point some watches offer functionality for a specific end use, and may have fewer advantages for other sports.

Some may be designed for people training for an end goal such as a marathon run, with enhanced biometrics and health data tracking. They may suffice for hikers, but others in the guide may offer better features for people heading out into the wilderness, such as a reliable GPS and a long battery life while using navigation tools.

While lots of basic functions work for different activities, the more specific your needs are, the more you'll want to focus in on bespoke features while shopping. App integration and the development of the app industry means that your watch can now become your trusted training coach.

When it comes to accuracy, again some developers may have focused the technology in the biometric-collecting functions, where as others may have enhanced the GPS hardware.

Of course, there are plenty of cheap GPS watches in this guide that work for everyday use. If you're training for your first 5k, or want to log your casual hikes, you'll find something for a great price that offers the basics – GPS location, distance covered, speed you're travelling, a step counter, alarm, stopwatch and the time.

Build and wearability

While the feature package of a GPS watch is crucial, we still like to choose a timepiece to match our style. The physical design of a watch can be a dealmaker or breaker.

Ultralight trail runners might prefer a light, low-profile timepiece that won't catch on running tops. Look for a crystal-clear screen with large display for quick and easy time checking.

Outback adventurers may want a more rugged and tough build that can withstand knocks and offer water resistance for deluge days.

You'll want a nice and comfy fit on your wrist and buttons that aren't easy to press accidently. Most GPS watches feature a touchscreen, but some don't. Could you live without one?

FAQs

Does a GPS watch work without a phone?

Most GPS watches have a GPS receiver built into them and can track your activity without you having to carry your smartphone too. Built-in receivers use data from satellite signals to calculate your position.

These watches allow you to track your runs, bikes and hikes. Some offer navigation capabilities, allowing you to track your path and retrace your steps. Some allow you to download areas of maps to use.

However, there are some watches that do not have a GPS receiver built-in and use a phone connection for GPS data.

How accurate is a GPS watch? 

To work out the accuracy of the best cheap GPS watches, we test them on fast hikes and runs off road and on road in locations that prove challenging for satellite navigation – including wooded and built-up areas.

We also test the accuracy of the heart rate monitors, comparing results to those from a chest strap heart rate monitor. When it comes to sleep analysis, we compare GPS watch results to stats gathered using a Withings Sleep Analyzer.

While most cheap GPS watches are very accurate, some excel in different areas to others.

What should I do with my old watch?

You can dispose of your old watch as part of a waste electronics recycling scheme (your local council or authority will be able to provide details) but it's even better if you can give it a second life if it's still in good condition. Donating it to a new runner or a charity that takes electronic equipment is a good idea, or you could sell it online and make back a little cash. Just be careful if you're shipping it; not all mail carriers are happy to handle lithium batteries. Make sure you include the charging cable.

Is a GPS watch worth it?

Yes, 100%! Even if you're not a tech enthusiast or an athlete in training a GPS watch can quickly become a wearable you don't want to be without.

They can keep tabs on your wellbeing by tracking daily steps and calculating calories burned while offering extra features such as sleep monitoring and alerting you to smartphone notifications.

Read what happened when Advnture staff writer Julia Clarke, who had always dodged GPS watches, answered the question: "Do you really need a GPS watch for hiking?"

Coros Apex 2 first impressions

The Coros Apex 2 is a lightweight GPS watch with a no-nonsense design that's refreshingly easy to use. It's the little brother of the Coros Apex 2 Pro, with less flashy looks and a simpler feature-set, but it'll serve new and intermediate level runners well, and is a worthy alternative to the Garmin Forerunner 55 or 255.

The plastic case has three physical buttons on the right-hand side, including an Apple Watch-style rotating crown for scrolling through settings and choosing workout tracking modes.

Although the screen is touch-sensitive, this is only enabled for panning across maps by default. You can switch it to 'always on' through the watch's settings, allowing you to flick through menu options. In my tests I preferred using the crown button for this, but it's worth trying both and seeing which feels most natural to you.

The display is a color memory-in-pixel (MiP) unit, which isn't as bright and bold as an AMOLED screen, but is more frugal when it comes to power usage. It has a blue backlight, which is illuminated with a press of the uppermost button. The screen is topped with scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, which also seems to do a good job of repelling fingerprints.

It's charged using a proprietary USB cable, very similar to those used by Garmin watches but with three pins rather than four. It plugs into the watch securely and doesn't budge until you're ready to remove it.

The Apex 2 is supplied with a woven nylon strap that fastens with Velcro, which is something I always appreciate. Silicone watch straps are fine, and often look smarter, but a woven band allows your skin to breathe and a hook-and-loop fastening lets you make tiny adjustments to the fit for maximum comfort. Should you wish to remove and wash or swap it, it's easily detached using a pair of quick release pins

The nylon band minimizes weight as well, and the whole watch weighs 42g all-in. That's 7g less than the Garmin Forerunner 255, and 5g more than the Forerunner 55. 

Like all Coros watches I've tested, the Apex 2 is specially designed to prevent you accidentally starting or stopping workout tracking. Its three physical buttons are all locked by default, and can't be pressed unless you hold the central crown button for three seconds. It's a system that takes some getting used to if you're switching from a different brand, but I've found it soon becomes second nature.

It has a list price of $399/£420, making it an upper-mid tier GPS watch, on par with the Garmin Instinct 2 Solar. If you're looking for a cheaper alternative, I recommend investigating the Garmin Forerunner 255 or Polar Pacer Pro.

Coros Apex 2 on the road

The Coros Apex 2 covers a wide array of sports, including cycling, swimming, and all manner of watersports, but runners will get the most from it. Like many modern watches, it's capable of capturing detailed running metrics from your wrist (including cadence, ground contact time, and running power) without any additional sensors.

All this data is presented in the Coros app, where it's illustrated with clear graphs, though it's a shame you can't check through it's a shame you can't get charts for all these metrics on the watch face.

Unlike the Coros Apex 2 Pro, the standard Apex 2 doesn't have multi-band GPS, which means it won't be quite as accurate on tricky routes that take you through dense woodland or beside cliffs. These can block the signal from GPS satellites, or cause the radio signal to bounce, which can lead to GPS drift.

You do, however, get all-systems GNSS, which is an upgrade from the original Coros Apex, and on my pre-measured 5km route the Apex 2 performed well, coming up only around 10m short. It's a road route rather than a track, so there's always some margin of error. Checking the recorded route on my phone later I can only see minor deviations from my actual route where GPS drift came into play.

Although it's not ready yet at the time of writing, the Coros app will soon have a new route-planning tool that will let you draw a course on your phone's screen and automatically snap to the optimal path. It sounds like a step up from Garmin's course planner, which lets you define a distance and overall bearing, but not sketch your own path.

For the time being, you can import routes in GPX format created using third-party tools like Komoot and Strava, and transfer them to the Apex 2.

I was particularly impressed by the responsiveness of Apex 2's heart rate monitor. The optical HRM has received an update from the previous generation, watch, and it's really paid off. I did several spin classes wearing a high-end Garmin watch on one wrist and the Coros on the other, and noted the cheaper Coros registering changes a couple of seconds faster during recovery periods. Impressive.

The Coros was also better when it came to tracking sleep. My resting heart rate is pretty low, which sometimes leads to watches assuming I've fallen asleep when I'm actually reading or watching TV in the evening. There was no such issue with the Apex 2 Pro, which didn't start recording until I was out for the count.

All of this is great if you're interested in balancing work and recovery to optimize your training,

At first glance the Coros app is a much simpler affair than Garmin Connect, and although all your health data is clearly presented, there's little personalized insight into your daily measurements. You can see your sleep duration and stages. for example, but there's no commentary on how good this was or what you can do to improve your sleep in future.

However, that all changes once you've used the watch long enough to unlock the deep analytics from Coros EvoLab, which you'll find in a tab at the bottom of the app. After a few weeks of training, this will give you a lot more detail about your training, including your current training load (which you can compare with your optimal load to see if you're over- or under-training), training effect (based on heart rate zones), your overall fitness level, fatigue level, and much more. 

New runners may be frustrated that it takes so long for it to become available, but the Coros Apex 2's excellent biometrics mean it's well worth sticking the course until you get access to this data. Pretty much all GPS watches available today can track training load, stress, and fatigue, but the quality of the data used to make the calculations sets Coros apart.

It's also worth noting that none of the app's features are locked away behind paywalls (I'm looking at you, Fitbit)

• Best Garmin watches: all the latest models tested and rated

Garmin Instinct Crossover: first impressions

The Garmin Instinct Crossover shares a lot of DNA with other watches in the Instinct series, featuring a chunky resin case, monochrome memory-in-pixel display, and fantastic battery life. The big difference is the addition of analog hands, which sit on top of the digital display and move smoothly out to the three and six positions when you want to view your daily health stats or start tracking an activity.

The case is the same diameter as that of the Garmin Instinct 2 (45mm), but thicker due to the need to accommodate the hands (16.2mm compared to 14.5mm).

It's available in both standard and solar models (as tested here). The addition of Garmin's photovoltaic power glass increases the price a little, but extends the watch's battery life considerably. That's a real boon if you're planning a long trip off-grid, or like me, you're just disorganized.

There's also a Tactical Edition, with additional features like a kill-switch that instantly turns off all wireless communications, plus Power Glass.

The regular edition comes in black and blue granite colorways, while the solar model is available in black and tidal blue (shown here). The Tactical Edition comes only in black.

It's undeniably chunky, but that's part of the appeal, and has drawn favorable comparisons with Casio G-Shock watches. It's only a shame that it doesn't come in the same array of bright and interesting colors as the Instinct 2.

The Crossover has exactly the same five-button layout as the Instinct 2 and most other Garmin watches, and as you'd expect from a hybrid watch, there are no touch controls. Tapping at the hands wouldn't be very useful.

The top left button operates a blue LED backlight, but the hands and hour markets are also coated with lume that glows pretty brightly in a darkened room, reducing the need to use the light and allowing you to eke out a little extra battery life.

Flip the watch over and you'll find the optical heart rate monitor (plus SpO2 sensor) and Garmin's usual charging port. The Instinct Crossover uses the same proprietary USB charging cable as all the company's recent watches, and it attaches as easily and firmly as ever,

The Instinct Crossover supports three satellite navigation systems (GPS, Galileo, and GLONASS), helping it pinpoint your location more accurately anywhere in the world. However, unlike some of the company's other watches, it doesn't have multi-band GPS, so it's likely not going to deliver the pinpoint accuracy of the Forerunner 255, Forerunner 955, or Fenix Sapphire Solar to name a few examples.

When it comes to workout tracking, there's the usual wide array of supported activities, and the Instinct Crossover will capture relevant data for each one. For example, if you go kayaking, the watch won't just track distance and time, but also paddle strokes, and strokes per minute.

Runners are particularly well catered to, and the Instinct Crossover can track many metrics that would once have required a separate Running Dynamics Pod. Running power, stride length, ground contact time, and vertical oscillation are all calculated from the wrist, giving you a rounded picture of your running gait that you can use yourself, or share with a coach.

There's a multisport option for events like triathlons and duathlons, and interestingly, a pretty comprehensive set of golfing features that rivals many dedicated golf watches. It's even tournament legal.

Garmin Instinct 2: on the road

First off, the Instinct Crossover is fun, and it's attracted a lot of attention from other runners while I've been testing it. In a raft of similarly styled GPS watches, it's a breath of fresh air. It's also surprisingly usable, and a lot of thought has been put into how it'll work in regular use.

This isn't Garmin's first analog/digital hybrid watch; after all, the Vivomove series has been around since 2019. However, Vivomove watches are designed for everyday fitness and general wear, not serious sports tracking and rough treatment. The Instinct Crossover has a new feature called Revodrive, which automatically recalibrates the hands if you give the watch a good whack. I'm not sure how hard you'd have to hit it, but after about a month of testing and some clumsiness, my review sample is still telling perfect time. The hands haven't shifted off-course at all.

Cramming heaps of health data onto a relatively low resolution display that's bisected by a large pair of hands must have been a tricky challenge for Garmin's software engineers, but they have found a neat solution. The currently selected menu item is placed above the hands in a slightly larger font, with subsequent options shown below.

Unfortunately the nature of the display means the Instinct Crossover isn't well suited to maps and navigation. You can transfer maps to the watch, but there's no getting around the fact that there's a sizeable hole right in the middle. Navigating with an Instinct 2 isn't a fantastic experience (the monochrome screen  just can't show enough detail) but with the Crossover it's even more awkward. 

If you want a Garmin watch for exploring new routes, I highly recommend opting for one with the largest color display possible. The Enduro, Enduro 2, Epix (Gen 2), or Fenix 7X are all great options.

GPS accuracy isn't a worry, though. Despite the lack of multi-frequency GPS, during my tests the Instinct Crossover's location tracking proved excellent. It always established a lock quickly, and tracked my distance to within 30m in a measured and chip-timed 10km road race,

Battery life is outstanding. Garmin's own specs claim that the regular Instinct Crossover will last for up to 28 days between charges in smartwatch mode, and 25 hours with GPS tracking enabled. Adding solar charging boosts that to 70 days in smartwatch mode, or 31 hours in GPS mode.

I've been testing the solar edition for around a month, and have charged it twice during that time, with only weak winter sun and a GPS tracked activity every other day. According to the face, I still have another 10 days of battery life left. It's extremely impressive.

Like all Garmin watches, workout and general health data captured by the Instinct Crossover syncs with the Garmin Connect mobile app, and is transferred immediately provided your phone is within Bluetooth range (unlike some other sports watches, which have to be synced manually). 

The Instinct Crossover's monochrome digital display, with its relatively small size and central cutout, isn't able to show as much detail as new Fenix and Forerunner watches, so you'll need to dip into the app more frequently to check your stats. Thankfully, everything is clearly laid out, and you can skim through a quick overview of your daily or weekly wellbeing, or drill down for detailed insights.

The Connect app is also the place to plan routes, set up training plans, connect with friends, and join challenges to earn virtual badges. Best of all, everything is free to use, with no subscription fees to unlock advanced features. The Instinct Crossover is a mid-priced GPS watch, but towards the more expensive end, so it's reassuring to know you won't be faced with additional fees on top.

• Best Garmin watches: all the latest models tested and rated

Right now, you can pick up the rugged Amazfit T-Rex sports watch at Amazon for just $69.99. That's a saving of 50% off the list price, and the cheapest we've ever seen it. The T-Rex is built for life outdoors, whether it's trail running, climbing, hiking, or camping, and has always been good value, but this deal is exceptional. 

The T-Rex is built like a tank, with impressive heat, cold, and shock resistance to take pretty much anything you can throw at it on the trail or the crag. It looks great too, largely thanks to its big, bright AMOLED display, which is much easier to read in tricky lighting conditions than the memory-in-pixel (MIP) screens of most sports watches.

We've seen some good offers on the original T-Rex since the arrival of the Amazfit T-Rex 2 earlier this year, but this one is something special. If you're not in the US, scroll down for the best deals on the Amazfit T-Rex near you.

That impressive display doesn't come at the expense of battery life though, and the T-Rex can keep running for up to 20 days between charges depending on use.

It offers 14 dedicated workout modes, including outdoor trekking, trail running, and mountain climbing to name just a few, and also helps you track your sleep and recovery so you can balance training and rest. If you didn't see the watch you wanted in this year's Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, this might be the one for you.

If you don't live in the US, we've also rounded up the best deals on the Amazfit T-Rex near you:

• Best GPS watches: the latest devices from Garmin, Apple, and more tested

Whether you're navigating backcountry trails, planning a multi-activity adventure or taking your first steps on your fitness journey, a GPS watch or cheap GPS watch can be a game-changer. These smart timepieces can guide your routes, monitor your health and fitness, and help you keep safe in rural areas.

If you've not invested in one yet, you might be unsure if you actually need a GPS watch, but these progressive bits of tech are a valuable tool for all levels of adventurers – from neophytes to seasoned mountaineers. As are the best Garmin watches.

Currently using your phone to navigate? GPS watches are your best battery saver, and can record your route at the same time, creating a neat digital log of your trip to refer back to. There's also real-time tracking, to help pinpoint distance travelled and elevation – some models even boast an SOS siren in case you find yourself in distress.

With calorie and sleep-monitoring capabilities, you can optimize recovery between big days out, and use heart and blood oxygen monitors to improve your base fitness.

Like most technical gear, one watch won't suit everyone, so before you choose, consider what activities you'll use it for – trail running, hiking, multisport? – and what you're willing to spend.

One of the best field watches or the best running watches might fit your needs brilliantly, too.

Our outdoors experts put these GPS watches through their paces, wearing each one for a minimum of two weeks, taking them out regularly on the trails and monitoring downtime tools at home. Read on to discover their pick of the best.

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

The best GPS watches comparison table

The best GPS watches we recommend in 2025

The best GPS watch overall

The Garmin Fenix 7 was a huge hit and touted as one of the best GPS watches of all time thanks to its suite of impressive tools for trail runners. So, how was the Fenix 8 going to build on it?

A first look reveals that the rugged design is still there – the watch is large and robust, great for durability, but less comfortable under long sleeves or when sleep tracking. As far as tech upgrades go, Garmin has added in extra navigation tools, voice commands and AMOLED display options, plus the ability to make and take phone calls. It has also upped the price substantially.

Improved heart rate sensors and GPS tracking are a boon on the trails, as are tools such as topographic mapping and 'Back to Start', which allows you to retrace your path once you've reached a midway point. There's even an All Satellite Mode, which gives greater accuracy, albeit with faster battery drain.

When it comes to training and fitness tools, you couldn't ask for more – the Fenix 8 is seriously packed: VO₂ Max, Race Predictor, Body Battery, HRV, Training Readiness Score, Abnormal Heart Rate Alerts, to name a few. The list is exhaustive, and will probably appeal most to serious athletes and dedicated technophiles.

It was our expert trail runner Julia Clarke's first experience of a Garmin watch, but despite being feature-packed, she found the intuitive interface easy to use and especially liked the mix of physical buttons and responsive touchscreen. She gave it five stars for its near-complete suite of navigation, training and smartwatch tools. However, she flags that it's definitely overkill for casual users.

Read our full Garmin Fenix 8 review

The best GPS watch for multi sport

The Garmin Forerunner 955 doesn't look flashy, but it's one of the best GPS running watches you can buy right now. One of the biggest selling points 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 test run, it was accurate to within a couple of meters, despite the route taking expert tester Cat Ellis 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).

It is also available in a solar version, which gives battery life a boost provided you have access to regular doses of sunlight.

Read our full Garmin Forerunner 955 review

The best value GPS watch

The Amazfit T-Rex 2 is less than half the price of some of its main rivals, but doesn't skimp on features, build quality, or accuracy.

In terms of design, it doesn't look that different to 2021's T-Rex Pro, but there are some smart changes like a new metal bumper to protect the 'start' and 'back' buttons. The real differences are on the inside, where there's a new higher-capacity battery that delivers up to 10 days of performance in regular heavy usage, or up to 45 days in power-saver mode (far more than most of its rivals).

It boasts a great-looking OLED display as well, and its multi-band GPS with support for all the major satellite systems locks on quickly to track your outdoor activities. Biometric monitoring is excellent too (and even tracks naps).

Our expert tester Cat Ellis's only real complaint was that the automatic workout detection didn't always detect when she'd started a run, meaning her training session wasn't logged. Provided you can remember to start tracking manually and you're willing to try something different to Polar, Garmin, and Coros GPS watches, you'll be very satisfied with the Amazfit T-Rex 2.

Read our full Amazfit T-Rex 2 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 our expert tester Cat Ellis had trialed. On her pre-measured 5km course, it plotted the route to within five meters, which is remarkable considering it was 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. 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 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, our running aficionado Cat Ellis found that changes in her heart rate were detected by the Fenix 7 Pro's updated sensor almost as swiftly as a chest strap heart rate monitor.

During her test she 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 hiking

When it comes to sheer versatility, it's hard to beat the Apple Watch Ultra 2. It's impressive out of the box, with a great suite of fitness tracking tools and super accurate GPS, but our expert tester Cat Ellis found it really came into its own when kitted out with third-party apps like AllTrails and Komoot for finding and following routes.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 looks identical to its predecessor at first glance, but its screen is significantly brighter, offering improved visibility in bright sunshine on the trail. Its multiple microphones are designed to compensate for wind noise when you're making a call (possible without a phone if you have a data plan), and there's an excellent digital compass installed by default.

There's also a new processor, which not only makes the overall experience of using the watch faster and smoother, but also facilitates Apple's new double-tap gesture. Hold the watch up and tap your index finger and thumb together twice to perform whatever action is currently displayed on the screen. Cat found it extremely helpful, particularly if you're carrying something in one hand and want to accept a call or dismiss a notification.

The limiting factor for the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is battery life. Apple itself says the watch should last around 36 hours in typical use, and you can eke it out further through careful use of power-saving options and limiting use of certain functions, but for extended camping trips, you might prefer something less flashy and power-hungry.

Read our full Apple Watch Ultra 2 review

The best GPS watch for camping

The Instinct 2X updates one of Garmin’s most popular GPS watches with a bigger display, a built-in flashlight, multi-band GPS, and an impressive battery life that will last you for weeks. If you're a fan of the original Instinct 2, but want something bigger and more rugged, the Instinct 2X delivers exactly that – and more.

In fitness addict Michael Sawh's tests, he found the newly added multi-frequency GPS really did deliver the improved accuracy you need in places such as tall, wooded areas. He 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. Michael only wished that the Instinct 2X had a higher screen resolution for more detail and proper support for mapping to help him navigate in the wild.

Read our full Garmin Instinct 2X Solar review

The best GPS watch for climbing

The Coros Vertix 2S is the best GPS watch for climbing, particularly if you're headed outdoors to do so. Not only does it offer multiple climbing modes, it features an updated location tracking algorithm to help pinpoint your location on the rock face where other watches may fail. It's a boon for runners too, and during our expert cat Ellis's testing, it proved accurate.

The Vertix 2S (a successor to the excellent Vertix 2) also has an upgraded heart rate monitor with additional LEDs and light sensors to more accurately track biometric data, providing improved fitness and recovery metrics in the Coros app.

This is a chunky GPS watch, but not excessively heavy, and it's seriously tough. With a resin case, titanium bezel, and sapphire crystal glass over the lens, it won't be easily scuffed or scraped when you're on the crag. For full peace of mind, you can even clip it into the Coros Vertix 2 Carabiner (sold separately) and hang it from your harness instead.

Read our full Coros Vertix 2S review

The best GPS watch for ultra marathons

The Garmin Enduro 2 was built with ultra-runners in mind, which means it's also a superb GPS watch for hikers. If you're embarking on a multi-day event, this watch's huge solar cell means there's no need to worry about charging it regularly, even when you're using GPS tracking for hours at a time.

You're also getting all the advanced training tools you'd expect from a top-tier Garmin watch, including real-time stamina monitoring, race time predictions, detailed recovery metrics, heart rate variability, training readiness, and a remarkably detailed breakdown of your performance after each training session and event.

The build quality is extremely solid as well, and the chunky titanium bezel gives it a real premium feel. This is a GPS watch that gets you noticed, in a good way (it even has a built-in flashlight).

The biggest downside is the price. This is one of Garmin's most expensive watches, and although it's easy to see why, it's worth taking a good look at the Polar Grit X Pro and Amazfit T-Rex 2 before dropping all your cash on it. The original Garmin Enduro came in a slightly cheaper steel edition, but this time it's titanium all the way.

Read our full Garmin Enduro 2 review

How we test GPS watches

We test each GPS watch for at least two weeks so the watch and its companion app have time to build up a full picture of our health and fitness. We wear each watch day and night so we can assess its sleep and recovery tools, and compare its results against those from a Withings Sleep Analyzer sleep tracker.

To test each watch's GPS, we take it for several runs and walks in a variety of locations, including built-up areas, open fields, and wooded areas that present a challenge of satellite navigation. We also take each watch on a pre-measured route to see how accurately it records distance.

To test the accuracy of each GPS watch's heart rate monitor, we put it to the test in a series of intense interval training sessions and compare its results to those from a chest strap heart rate monitor, which serves as a benchmark.

For more details see how Advnture tests products.

Meet the testers

How to choose a GPS watch

All of the best GPS watches share some common, basic features, including time, pace, distance and workout tracking. But that’s where the similarities end. Every GPS watch is slightly different based on its feature package, battery life and intended end-use, so it’s important to understand the features you want and need in order to maximize a watch and get the most out of it.

What's your budget?

The first thing to consider when buying a GPS watch for trail running, hiking or general outdoor adventures is the price range of watches and your budget. There are generally three price ranges that watches fall into: basic ($150 and below), mid-range ($200-$350) and high-end ($350 and higher). Many mid-range and high-end watches have accessories that are sold separately, but for the purposes of understanding your own budget and what you’re willing to spend, those three categories are good guidelines.

How much should you spend? Only you can decide that, but without trying to sound cliché, you get what you pay for. In other words, a basic-level watch will offer limited overall functionality, while a high-end watch will offer a lot more sports-specific features.

How smart do you want it to be?

While almost any GPS watch will provide you with real-time pace, distance and elapsed time data, mid-range and high-end watches will also offer features like heart rate monitors, built-in workouts, touch-screen interfaces, waterproof construction (instead of just water-resistant), mapping features, elevation data, auto-pause function, temperature, barometric pressure, calorie burning and a variety of training functions.

Some watches have very good music-playing capabilities, but most have no music functions at all. Battery life is another one of the key factors to consider as it can vary greatly among watches. Other key features to be aware of include the ability to upload data and cross-analyze it with previous workouts or adventures, download and interface with other apps, and sport-specific workouts.

What activities will you use it for?

Do you want a GPS watch for one sport or one activity? Some watches offer functionality for one main end-use, but have limited features for other sports. For example, a GPS watch built for road and track running might not have as many specific features for trail running.

Some watches that excel as hiking or adventure watches will suffice for trail running but not as well for runners who are primarily focused on marathon training.

Some watches are touted as “multisport” watches with triathlon-oriented features for swimming, biking and running, including workouts and special bike-mounting accessories.

While some basic functions can overlap to other activities, the more specific your needs are, the more you have to look for those features when you’re shopping for a watch.

FAQs

Do I need a GPS watch?

While at one time GPS watches were the reserve of the professional sports person or adventure guide, the availability, affordability and myriad features they can now offer have widened the appeal.

As well as helping keep you on course in the wild, tracking routes, distance and elevation, they can help you make the most of your fitness sessions and optimize recovery time.

They can act as a navigation guide, and are also good safety tools, some having SOS capabilities. Check out our feature, Do you really need a GPS watch for hiking?, to help you decide if it's time to invest.

Do GPS watches work without a phone? 

The most innovative GPS watches can do an awful lot without a phone. With a GPS receiver it can track your runs, bikes and hikes by communicating with satellites to work out your location.

Navigation capabilities can vary greatly with price. More budget-friendly options will track your path and allow you to retrace your steps. Some allow you to download areas of maps for offline, phone-free use. Higher up the price ladder, you can create routes on another device, then sync with your phone. Some watches allow you to fully program in routes without a phone involved.

There are some watches, however, that do not have a GPS receiver built-in and rely on a phone connection for GPS data.

What's the difference between a GPS watch and cellular watch? 

Essentially, the main difference between a GPS and a cellular watch is that a cellular watch allows you to make calls, send messages and even lets you steam music directly from your wrist without connecting to your phone.

A GPS watch uses a network of satellites to pinpoint your position, while a cellular watch can use mobile networks too.

A GPS should cost you less than a cellular watch, and it should also give you a longer battery life. You’ll need to pair it to your smart phone if you want to activate cellular features.

Can GPS watches be tracked?

Most GPS devices use satellites to receive location information only. But you can enhance the safety of your adventures by using a companion app to share your location in real time with others.

How accurate is a GPS watch? 

To find the best GPS watches and the best cheap GPS watches, we put them to the test on runs and hikes in locations that can prove challenging for satellite navigation – including wooded and built-up areas. We also test the accuracy of the heart rate monitors, comparing results to those from a chest strap heart rate monitor.