The best GPS watches 2024: top training tools tested
We've tested the latest GPS watches from Garmin, Apple, Polar and more to help you choose your perfect model
1. The list in brief ↴
2. Best overall
3. Best for advanced runners
4. Best for new runners
5. Best for camping
6. Best for hiking
7. Best for climbing
8. Best for ultra marathons
9. Best for value
10. Best for style
11. How we test
12. How to choose
We've put the best GPS watches from Garmin, Apple, Coros and more through their paces to help you find the right training tool for your new year's regime. If you're turning over a new leaf, working towards an event, or simply aiming for consistency in 2024, this guide will help you pick the perfect wearable for running, hiking, cycling, skiing, and more.
Whether it’s tracking your pace, calculating your elevation or guiding you through a workout, a GPS watch can be an essential training tool or a way of logging your outdoor experiences. And if your new year's resolution is to take things up a notch then a wearable is a great way to keep track of your progress. The leading GPS watches can typically be synced with apps like komoot or Strava (see our best navigation apps), where information about hiking, biking, running and other adventures can be stored.
For runners, our pick for the best GPS watch is the Garmin Forerunner 955 thanks to its advanced training tools and super accurate dual-band GPS (though if you're on a budget the Forerunner 255 is also excellent). The Apple Watch Ultra is our favorite GPS watch for hiking, particularly with AllTrails and Komoot installed, and the super tough Coros Vertix 2 is our top pick for climbing.
We're currently testing the Apple Watch Ultra 2, and will bring you a full review very soon to let you know how it compares to its rivals.
Meet the expert
You can trust Advnture
Cat has been testing GPS watches for years, having previously worked as fitness editor for Advnture's sister site TechRadar, and can usually be found running or hiking with one on each wrist (though she hasn't resorted to ankles yet).
The 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
Best overall
A light, super accurate GPS watch packed with training tools for dedicated runners wanting to smash their personal records.
Best for advanced runners
If you want to take your running to the next level, the Fenix 7 Pro's new heart rate monitor and cutting edge training tools make it the watch for you.
Best for new runners
A feature-packed watch for new and intermediate level athletes, with super accurate GPS, tools to help you train more effectively, and solid battery life.
Best for camping
An extra large, extra rugged Garmin watch with dual-band GPS that really proves its worth in the wild, plus a handy flashlight.
Best for hiking
A GPS watch specially designed for outdoor adventures with super fast GPS lock, excellent mapping, and emergency SOS siren.
Best for climbing
Seriously tough with great offline maps (topographic and landscape) and optional carabiner for attaching to your harness.
See more GPS watches
Best for ultra marathons
Heading on a multi-day event? The Enduro is the watch for you, lasting up to 150 hours in GPS tracking mode.
Best for value
Want a rugged GPS watch for under $200? This is the one for you, with OLED display and battery life of up to 45 days.
Best for style
A near-perfect blend of everyday smartwatch features and sports tracking in a neat, slim package
The best GPS watches we recommend in 2024
The best GPS watch overall
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The Garmin Forerunner 955 doesn't look flashy, but it's the best GPS running watch you can buy right now. For us, the biggest selling point is the incredibly accurate multi-band GPS, which can be set to switch to single-band mode in areas with good reception to conserve battery life. During a pre-measured 10km run, it was accurate to within a couple of meters despite the route taking me through two long tunnels.
The Forerunner 955 includes all of Garmin's latest tools as standard, including heart rate variability, training readiness, real time stamina, and much more. It gives you a truly comprehensive picture of your current fitness level, the impact of your workouts, and how you can adapt your training plan to achieve your goals.
Unlike its predecessor, the Forerunner 955 features both a touchscreen and buttons, but it's still extremely tough and so light that you'll easily forget you're wearing it (which is particularly important at night when it's tracking your post-workout recovery).
Read our full Garmin Forerunner 955 review
The best GPS watch for advanced runners
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
If you're interested in taking your running, cycling, swimming or hiking to the next level, the Fenix 7 Pro is the best GPS watch for you. It's very similar to the original Garmin Fenix 7, but with an upgraded heart rate sensor, an incredibly handy flashlight, and a handful of extra tools to help you train more effectively.
There are all the training tools a runner could wish for, including the ability to easily import workout plans from services like TrainingPeaks, wrist-based running dynamics, and a variety of tools that put your biometric data into a context that's easier to understand. For example, the new Endurance Score features uses various sources of long and short-term data to assess your ability to sustain long efforts, and see your progress over time
GPS proved particularly accurate, and during an intense indoor cycling interval session, we found that changes in heart rate were detected by the Fenix 7 Pro's updated sensor almost as swiftly as a chest strap heart rate monitor.
During my tests we found that the watch's blue backlight tended to make colors look a little muddy, particularly when navigating using the watch's on-board maps and GPS, but that's a fairly minor complaint. if you'd prefer to have a watch with an OLED display, take a look at the Garmin Epix Pro, which is otherwise nearly identical.
Read our full Garmin Fenix 7 Pro review
The best GPS watch for new runners
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The Forerunner 265 is a great choice for beginner and intermediate level runners and triathletes thanks to its super accurate GPS, great looking screen, and accessible design that makes even the more advanced training tools easy to understand and use. It's very similar to the Forerunner 255 that launched in 2022, but with a new AMOLED touchscreen that makes it brighter, bolder, and easier to use.
Despite its modest price, the Forerunner 265 has an impressive set of sensors under the hood, and its GPS outshone most other sports watches I've tested this year. On my pre-measured 5km course, it plotted the route to within five meters, which is remarkable considering it's on roads rather than a track. It also gives you wrist-based running metrics, such as ground contact time, vertical oscillation, and cadence so you can see how your form changes as you fatigue, plus heart rate, speed, and elevation. Everything is presented neatly and clearly, with the upgraded screen making graphs easy to interpret at a glance.
The only real downside is that the Forerunner 265 doesn't support full maps, which seems like a shame. There are basic navigation tools, but for really exploring new areas you'll be better off upgrading to the Forerunner 955 or 965.
Read our full Garmin Forerunner 265 review
The best GPS watch for camping
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The Instinct 2X takes one of the most likeable GPS watches in Garmin’s range and brings it up to date with a bigger screen, a bright flashlight, multi-band GPS powers and a battery life that goes for weeks. If you like the idea of having a bigger, more rugged Instinct 2 then you’ll have a lot of time for what the Instinct 2X is packing.
In our tests, the newly added multi-frequency GPS really did deliver the improved accuracy you need in places like tall, wooded areas. We used the Instinct 2X alongside the Forerunner 965 and found data by large was very consistent, and the metrics attached to that improved positioning data. It uses more power, but is worth it when you're out exploring, and battery life is still excellent with it enabled.
The new flashlight, accessed via the top left button, is more than just a gimmick, offering a surprisingly bright light to work by. We only wish the Instinct 2X had a higher screen resolution for more detail and proper support for mapping to help us navigate in the wild.
Read our full Garmin Instinct 2X Solar review
The best GPS watch for hiking
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The Apple Watch Ultra is the long-awaited rugged counterpart to the Apple Watch Series 8, and it's a pleasure to use out on the trails. Design tweaks like a larger Digital Crown and extra physical button make it easier to operate with cold, wet, or gloved hands, the case is designed to protect the huge AMOLED display from knocks, and there's a choice of bands to suit different activities (we particularly like the Alpine Loop).
GPS is excellent too, locking on incredibly fast even in built-up areas, and if you do find yourself unable to establish a connection, you can find your way back to the trailhead by setting waypoints on the compass app. There's a huge array of third-party apps to download too (Komoot, Strava, and AllTrails are our favorites), which let you easily find, create, and follow GPX routes.
Battery life is the only real sticking point, with the Apple Watch Ultra lasting just 36 hours in typical use according to Apple's estimates (in our tests it was closer to 42 hours). A future software update will add a low-power mode that should extend this by 33%, but if you're camping off-grid, regular charging might prove tricky.
Read our full Apple Watch Ultra review
Best GPS watches for climbing
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The Coros Vertix 2 is a seriously tough GPS watch built for life outdoors. In fact, you may find it too bulky for some activities, which is why Coros also sells a carabiner so you can keep it out of the way while climbing.
It has a slightly bigger, higher resolution display than the original Vertix, and is easier to read at a glance – a real advantage when it comes to navigation. In fact, one of the Vertix 2's best features is offline mapping, and unlike some manufacturers, Coros doesn't charge you to download extra maps.
The watch is compatible with both topographic and landscape maps, and you get a pretty impressive 32GB space to store them. Just make sure you have a strong Wi-Fi signal when you want to download them, and check that the battery is fully charged. Once you're outside, GPS locks on extremely quickly, and we found the location tracking impressive, even in sheltered areas where watches sometimes struggle.
Battery life might not match that of the Garmin Inspire 2 Solar, but it's impressive nonetheless, and in our real world tests the Coros Vertix 2 kept running far longer than the quoted 140 hours in GPS mode. That's an impressive feat for a watch without any solar charging capability.
The main downside of the Vertix 2 is its price. At $700 / £600 it's a very serious investment – though it should last you many years.
Read our full Coros Vertix 2 review
The best GPS watch for ultra marathons
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
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 built 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 over $1,000 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
The best GPS watch for value
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
With a list price of $229.99 / £219, 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 only real complaint was that the automatic workout detection didn't always detect when we'd started a run, meaning our 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, we think you'll be very satisfied with the Amazfit T-Rex 2.
Read our full Amazfit T-Rex 2 review
The best GPS watch for style
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
Torn between a smartwatch and a dedicated sports watch? The Venu 3 strikes a great balance, offering excellent GPS for runners and cyclists, and advanced sleep and recovery tools alongside everyday wellbeing features. The biggest drawback is the price, but hopefully we'll see some good deals soon.
Physically, it's very similar to the Venu 2 Plus. It has a round resin case with a stainless steel bezel, three physical buttons on the right-hand side, and a small microphone grille on the left, that allows you to use your phone's voice assistant.
On the back you'll find Garmin's latest optical heart rate sensor, which has light receptors spread out over a larger area for improved accuracy.
During my tests, the Venu 3 never took more than five seconds to establish a lock, and was only 20m short when tracking my pre-measured 5km route, well within what I'd consider acceptable.
The biggest downside is the lack of maps. You'll need to choose a chunkier Forerunner instead if you want to use your watch for wayfinding.
You'll also need a sportier watch if you want a deep dive into your running form, as you won't get the most advanced stats unless you connect a Garmin Running Dynamics Pod.
Overall, the Venu 3 is an excellent watch provided you're not expecting the same sports-tracking tools you'd get with a Fenix or Forerunner. This is a more everyday watch for general health and productivity, and it fills that niche with style.
Read our full Garmin Venu 3 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Advnture Newsletter
All the latest inspiration, tips and guides to help you plan your next Advnture!
Cat is the editor of Advnture, She’s been a journalist for 15 years, and was fitness and wellbeing editor on TechRadar before joining the Advnture team in 2022. She’s a UK Athletics qualified run leader, and in her spare time enjoys nothing more than lacing up her shoes and hitting the roads and trails (the muddier, the better), usually wearing at least two sports watches.