The Best Running Watches

The market is currently filled with lots of devise which are aimed at helping you get so much from your workout sessions. In the event that you are the kind of person who spends lots of time running or cycling, or even swimming, you may have noticed over the past few months a surge in devices that are geared towards helping you achieve utmost efficiency when you are working out.

With the incredible variety that has filled up the market, in most cases the choice of the watch to use will be a personal decision, which perhaps you will make with an emphasis on your budget and maybe your personal fitness needs and goals.

One thing that pretty much cuts across most of the devices that you will get in the market is that they all attempt to help you get as much as you can from your runs. They all try in one way or the other to monitor the performance of your key organs and in the process relay some information in terms of your pace, your heartbeat and so forth.

These are vital information that can help you not only determine what exercise routines to slow down on or which ones to increase, but they can also help you stay in healthy shape as you keep working out. Many are those who have actually come to learn from these devices, about challenges in their body system that perhaps they never had imagined before.

Garmin Forerunner 620 Review

Of all the GPS watches available in the market at the moment, the Garmin Forerunner 620 is considerably one of the most advanced. There are a lot of intuitive features that are built into the design, including Wi-Fi connectivity, ANT+ and Bluetooth connection. This is however not all; there are lots of functions that have also been designed into the watch.

There have been questions raised in the market with regard to some of the features that have been done away with from the FR220 model in place of the new 620, and the subsequent price increase. Take note that the Garmin Forerunner 620 costs almost half more than the FR220. To make matters worse, users now have to get the HRM Run strap in order to effectively use all the features that are bundled into the watch.

Upon unboxing, you should get the power cable, the HRM Run pod and a heart rate strap which is connected together with the HRM transmitter pod in order to use the heart rate monitor function. We must mention that in the market at the moment the heart rate monitor is more of a benchmark, so in the future this will be a must have for all the devices.

The Garmin Forerunner 620 is considerably lighter than the Garmin Forerunner 610, and slimmer. The charger though is not compatible with a host of other devices as was the case with Garmin Forerunner 610. The accelerometer function measures your movement, which is then relayed to the Running Dynamics metrics. You still benefit from some of the other traditional analytical units that came bundled with the earlier models, including the ability to measure your heart beats for every minute.

In comparison with most of the other devices that are within the same price range and offer similar functionality, Garmin Forerunner 620 is pretty much within a standard size range when compared with the likes of Suunto Ambit 2S and Adidas Smart Run GPS.

From an ergonomic point of view, Garmin Forerunner 620 weighs only 44 grams, as compared to the predecessor which was listed at 75 grams. With upgrades to the system, it is now easier and faster for you to get GPS signals once you are ready to start running. It caches the locations from the previous places where you have been sighted, and synchronizes through Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Smart.

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Fitbit Surge Fitness Superwatch review

Whenever a fitness monitor is released the first thing that people worry about besides the criticism and reviews is whether or not it will be able to live up to the hype, and deliver some quality utility to the user, with respect to the prices. In this line of products, the Fitbit Surge Fitness Superwatch is a first for the developers, a true tracking wearable device for those who are actively involved in working out. Of special emphasis, this device will be a must have in the event that you cycle or do a lot of running.

There is a GPS tracker built into the Fitbit Surge Fitness Superwatch, and coupled with the heart rate sensor, this is more than just an average sports watch. Critics consider this to be a sure winner against the likes of Garmin and Polar devices.

If you are used to the conventional tracking band form factor, you will be in for a rude shock. With the new design on Fitbit Surge Fitness Superwatch, the band form factor has been done away with in favor of an appearance that makes this more of a smart watch than an activity tracker.

In terms of the aesthetics however, do not expect the Fitbit Surge Fitness Superwatch to look anything like the LG G or the Asus ZenWatch. It is built with an emphasis on functionality, not aesthetics.

The rubber strap is available in three colors, tangerine, blue or black and apart from being secure when in use, is actually more comfortable than before. The display however needs some work because it surely looks rather out of place, if not just odd. The 1.25 inch monochrome touchscreen uses different color variants to illuminate the menu and home screen.

To navigate and see your stats accumulated during the day from the live view, there is a button to the left of the watch. This will also allow you access to the function screens, improve visibility of the screen based on the lighting for the environment you are in.

It is commendable the ease with which you can find your way around the Fitbit Surge Fitness Superwatch features and options without necessarily feeling lost. The touchscreen is responsive, which is a plus, especially when you are using it in the rain.

In the event that you are trying to use the Fitbit Surge Fitness Superwatch in a situation where there is really poor lighting, the LCD screen will come in handy. It has an in-build backlight that can be set on or off depending on your preferences. Remember however that constantly using the backlight will further drain your batteries.

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Suunto Ambit 2 S Graphite HR Watch Review

This is the perfect watch for all sports personnel. In a market that is currently dominated by some of the finest innovations in as far as smart watches are concerned, Suunto Ambit 2 S serves as a good alternative for those who want performance but are not willing to pay off the roof for high end products.

In size it is really light, weighing only 72 grams. It is designed with peculiar modes that can help you when you are running, swimming and when you are cycling. For those who are into triathlons, there is a special mode just for that.

In as much as it is considerably lighter than most, the size makes it a bit bulkier as compared to some of the varieties that are in the market. It measures 15.5mm. This should not deter you from using it however, because once you have it strapped on, it stays put, comfortable and does not irritate the skin. When you are running it feels so comfortable on the skin too.

While it might cost you around $400, you must realize that there is nothing so fancy about the quartz screen, as compared to most of the other devices. It is specially built for functionality, meaning that you can easily view it head-on.

There is a unique light designed into the screen to help you get a clear view even when you are running in the evening and during winter. This will also be useful when the weather turns dark. One thing that is really commendable about this watch is the battery life, which lasts a whopping 15 days. Recharging it is also simple through USB. Other than that, you might however have to hold your horses before you start using it because it will take almost 10 minutes to sync all your information.

We must give it to the designers of this watch, the ease of use is commendable. The start menu has a host of functions which are incredible, such as a log book, your navigation compass, and timers. You can even set training modes for indoors activities and swimming, or a brisk walk in the park. Weightlifters can use the category for “other sports”

For the swimmers, you will only need to indicate the size of the swimming pool and the watch will accurately estimate your swimming strokes.

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TomTom Runner Cardio GPS Watch review

The TomTom Runner Cardio GPS Watch boasts a number of unique features for a fitness tracker. One of the most common reasons why a number of people prefer this tracking device is because of the fact that it has a tracker specifically targeted to measure your heart rate. For those who are just foraying into the fitness tracker market, the TomTom Runner Cardio GPS Watch comes hot on the heels of the successful predecessor, TomTom Runner.

While the predecessor was a success, there were a number of issues that had to be addressed to make it more functional, such as the battery life. The TomTom Runner Cardio GPS Watch therefore was introduced as a fix and an upgrade. In as far as the features are concerned, it rivals the likes of Adidas MiCoach Smart Run and Samsung Gear 2. This is solely as a result of the heart rate monitor that indicates to an acceptable level of accuracy how hard/fast you are working out.

In as much as the heart rate monitor is an incredible inclusion in the device, it is also worth mentioning that it is also a reason for the more than $100 spike in the price of TomTom Runner Cardio GPS Watch. The 8 hour battery life also does not do it much justice, considering that there are already devices in the market that promise more than 15 hours of juice.

In terms of the ergonomics, the plastic strap that was once available in TomTom Runner was replaced with a flexible rubber strap, which does not only keep the watch display and the GPS tracker in place, but also keeps the device comfortable when in use. However, it is also worth noting that wearing this device all day is more cumbersome and uncomfortable than the predecessor, so it leaves the user in a catch-22 situation.

Swimmers however have something to smile about, for you can go under water with the TomTom Runner Cardio GPS Watch, perhaps only up to 165 feet. However, while you are under water it is impossible to keep track of progress as you would perhaps enjoy with the TomTom Multi-Sport watch.

While it is an acceptable advancement to the predecessor, most of the features still remain the same. This includes the GPS sensor, positioned underneath the display. It has been improved to detect motion faster, particularly when you are using the device in an area that has lots of buildings.

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Conclusion

These watches are not just about keeping you on track by giving you detailed information with regard to your style of running. More and more of them are increasingly being released into the industry, with a penchant to monitor the performance of the most important organ in your body, your heart.

You will also realize that with each advancement in the model of the device that you are using, they get smarter, and more concise. Things like GPS tracking have become more enhanced to deliver more results for you. With these alternatives at your behest, you surely have your health in good hands.