6 Best sport watches for triathletes
A look at the strengths of six different sport watches
Picking a multisport watch isn’t easy. What is a perfect watch for one athlete might not do the trick for another. These days, though, there are so many options out there that you really should be able to find the perfect watch for your needs. Here are some suggestions for different types of triathletes with links to our full reviews of these watches:
Best for smartwatch features and those who embrace the Apple universe:
Apple Watch Series 5
Not only can this powerhouse of a watch make calls or send texts without a phone (if you sign up for cellular data), we were more than a little impressed with the Series 5 as a multisport tracking tool. Serious triathletes will hammer through the daily health challenges, but will enjoy the impressive tracking capabilities thanks to the GPS and HR sensors. For those who embrace the Apple universe, the Series 5 can serve as an outstanding smartwatch to keep all aspects of your life in order – including the most serious training programs.
Read our review here.
Best for high-end fitness tracking and smartwatch capabilities
Garmin Forerunner 945
There’s a reason that Garmin is the dominant player in this category – all you have to do is check out the impressive capabilities of the company’s flagship Forerunner 945 to see why. Weighing just 50 g this super-watch can track every aspect of your training, while also providing endless syncing capabilities with your phone, an ability to play music (you can store up to 1,000 songs), all while tracking your daily activities and providing training suggestions.
You can read our review here.
Best for outdoor enthusiasts
Polar Grit X
Long renowned as a powerhouse in the triathlon watch category, the Grit X might be focused on outdoor enthusiasts, but it has a lot of features that will make it a hit with the triathlon crowd. As usual with Polar devices you get extremely accurate HR data in a multisport tracking powerhouse that also provides some useful smartwatch functions. Those aren’t as complete as with some of the other watches in this review, but a handy weather app is an outstanding feature that all athletes will find useful.
You can read our review here.
Best for long training sessions
Suunto 9
Available for 30 per cent off right now – $455
With a whopping 120 hours of continuous exercise tracking, the 9 does the trick for ultra-long workouts or for those who don’t want to charge their watch every day. While the notifications aren’t as robust as with some of the other watches in this review, thanks to Suunto’s regular updates the 9 does an admirable job on that front, while providing robust multisport tracking capabilities. The 9 manages to be stylish and robust all at once, making it a great watch for super-serious multisport junkies.
Read our review of the 9 here.
Best for Google/ Android smartwatch users looking for robust training features
Suunto 7
Featuring Wear OS by Google, the 7 offers an incredible combination of smartwatch features with pretty much all of the training capabilities seen in the Suunto 9. For those who aren’t into Apple products, the 7 truly does offer the best of both worlds when it comes to day to day life and heavy-duty triathlon training.
Best for swim tracking and those looking for a smaller watch
Garmin Swim 2
While this watch is designed for swim tracking, it does a very capable job of tracking bike and run workouts, too. The smaller size is also a hit with smaller-wristed triathletes looking for a multisport watch. There are lots of smart functions included in this tiny powerhouse, too including notifications from your phone and the ability to control smartphone music.
You can read our review here.
