12 Best Hiking Watches

Key Factors to Consider When Choosing

Battery Life

How you use your GPS watch will affect battery life. If you use GPS all day to track your hikes, you’ll need to charge it frequently. Some watches, like the Suunto 9, have unique power-saving modes that cut down on GPS usage in exchange for longer battery life. If battery life is an issue, consider a non-GPS watch that lasts weeks and even months without charging. Some of the models can recharge with solar power, which extends their battery life. The below models performed best in our battery test.

The Longest Non-GPS Watch Battery Life:

• Casio F91W-1
• Casio SGW-1000-1ACR

The Longest GPS Watch Battery Life:

• COROS Apex 42mm
• Garmin Instinct

Durability

Durability comes down to a mix of considerations. The material a watch is made of, water resistance, and wristband to name a few. Look for a watch face made with sapphire or gorilla glass for high durability. Most watches are water resistant, but if you plan on swimming or showering with your watch look into more waterproof models. And watchbands that can be replaced if broken will save you from needing a whole new watch if just the band breaks.

The most durable Hiking Watches:

• Garmin Instinct
• COROS Apex 42mm
• Garmin Fenix 6X
• Suunto 9 Baro
• Suunto Ambit3 Peak
• Suunto Core Alpha Stealth

Price

Prices range widely with hiking watches, from $20 for a simple timepiece to $600+ for an advanced GPS unit. Premium watches tend to be made from lightweight, durable materials and have sapphire glass displays that won't scratch very easily. They will take a licking and keep on ticking. High-end watches also are packed with sensors that'll measure elevation, weather, and even the oxygen level in your blood.

Hiking Watches that provide the greatest value:

• Garmin Instinct
• COROS Apex 42mm
• Garmin Vivoactive 4

Affordable hiking watches:

• Casio F91W-1
• Timex IronMan R300 GPS

Premium hiking watches (Most Expensive):

• Garmin Fenix 6X
• Suunto 9 Baro

Other Things to Consider

Common Features

Navigation system

GPS is an acronym for the global positioning system, which is a satellite-based navigation system owned and operated by the United States. The US-made GPS isn't the only satellite navigation technology in operation. Many watches also support competing satellite systems such as Russia's GLONASS or Europe's Galileo system. Inside a GPS-equipped watch is a small receiver that can connect to one or all of these satellite systems. Ideally, you want a watch that can connect to more than one satellite system to ensure you'll get a signal even in challenging situations.

When you have a strong signal, GPS is accurate down to 3 meters or 10 feet. Getting a strong signal is not always easy as your physical location can affect the watch's connection to the navigation satellites. Hiking in a thick forest canopy or deep in a ravine can make it difficult for your watch to connect to GPS. Ideally, you want to be out in the open with an unobscured view of the sky, so your watch can get a strong signal and connect to as many satellites as possible.

Having a strong GPS signal is critical for tracking and orienteering (finding your direction) in real-time as you hike. You want to be able to see which trail you are on and where you need to go. GPS is not only useful for real-time data but it also can be used to record the position data for an entire hike. You can start recording at the beginning of a hike and then save the completed GPS track when you are done. This GPS track contains useful information such as the distance you hiked, how long it took you to hike, and the elevation change. These previously recorded tracks, then, can be uploaded to the watch for future use or analyzed on your computer when you get home.

Altimeter

The altimeter in a watch is used to measure the altitude as you climb. Knowing your elevation can help you pinpoint your location on a map. Some altimeter watches have a barometric altimeter that can measure atmospheric pressure. The lower the atmospheric pressure, the higher you are in elevation. These barometers can measure between -2,000 to 30,000 feet and are accurate within +/- 50 feet.

Watches that don't have a barometric altimeter can estimate the altitude using the elevation information that it gleans from the current GPS data. The measurements provided by the altimeter sensor, however, tend to be more accurate than the estimations supplied from the GPS coordinate data. GPS accuracy is based on the signal strength, and anything that interferes with a GPS signal also affects the barometer. 

Barometer

A barometer on a watch is there for one thing—to measure changes in air pressure. These fluctuations not only can be used to estimate elevation but also can be used to detect incoming storms. Basic barometers take atmospheric readings that you can view, while more advanced watches allow you to see a graph of the changes in air pressure. Some even come with a storm alarm that will alert you when significant changes occur. When the pressure drops rapidly, you better get yourself out of the woods or batten down the hatches to ride out the storm.

Compass

Nearly all GPS watches nowadays have a digital compass that you can use to get your general sense of direction. Some will have a 2D compass that requires you to hold it horizontally, while most will have a 3D compass that works in any orientation. A watch-based compass can help you walk according to a bearing, but it is not as accurate and does not work with a map as well as a baseplate compass.

Heart-Rate Monitor

Almost all watches come with a heart rate monitor that tracks your heart rate 24/7. This data can be used to gauge your exertion level. A higher heart rate means you are working harder. Some hikers will carefully watch their heart rate so they can walk at a low exertion level. This HR data allows them to walk slower and longer instead of pushing themselves to exhaustion early in a hike. Heart rate also reflects your overall health - an unexpected spike may be a sign that you are starting to get sick.

Other common functions

Other features you may find on a watch include a thermometer that'll measure the outside temperature. It's a handy measurement to know, but it can be inaccurate. The sensor may mistakenly read the temperature of your body instead of your surroundings. Some watches also sync with your phone sending over weather data, sunrise/sunset times, and event notifications.

Music is another common feature on some hiking watches. You can download your favorite tunes onto the watch and use Bluetooth to connect to your headphones.

Wristband

COMFORTABLE, DURABLE, AND/OR REPLACEABLE

Most wristbands are made with a soft, flexible material like silicone. They often have vents that allow airflow, so sweat doesn't build up between the band and your wrist. Higher-end watches have replaceable bands, so you can swap them out if they break or you don't like them.

Glass 

sAPPHIRE, gORILLA, AND CHEMICALLY-STRENGTHENED GLASS

One factor that influences price is the material that covers the display on the watch. High-end hiking watches like the Fenix 5X Plus use sapphire glass which can handle the rigors of the outdoors because it's highly scratch-resistant. Sapphire is quite expensive, which is one reason a lot of watches built for the outdoors use Gorilla Glass instead, which is similar to sapphire but tends to be slightly less expensive. Mid-tier watches cut costs by using chemically strengthened glass, which offers better protection than plastic, but isn't nearly as durable as sapphire or gorilla glass.

WATER RESISTANCE 

SHOULD YOU WORRY ABOUT GETTING YOUR WATCH WET?

Most hiking and mountaineering watches nowadays are water-resistant, meaning you don't have to worry about it getting damaged when doing the dishes, washing your hands, or hiking through the pouring rain. When it comes to showering or swimming with your watch, however, you need to be a little more careful. Each watch comes with a different degree of water resistance.

As a general rule of thumb, you don't want to bathe with a watch that has less than 50 m of water resistance. If you're looking for a watch to take swimming, go with something water-resistant to 100 meters or more.

Ease of Use 

BUTTONS VS. TOUCH SCREEN

Another consideration is the interface. Does the watch use a touchscreen or buttons for navigation? A touchscreen-based interface may seem more intuitive, especially if you’re accustomed to using a phone or tablet. The biggest problem with touchscreens is that you need to touch the screen for it to work physically. Gloves or wetness on your fingers makes it impossible to select things on the screen. Buttons may be easier to operate, but this type of interface is not as easy to navigate as a touchscreen. You have to press the buttons in a specific order.

Style/Design 

A WATCH THAT'LL GO BEYOND THE TRAIL

Many hiking watches have a rugged design that looks best in the woods. They often are bulky and don't have the style you would want for a night on the town. Some do have replaceable watch bands that can help dress them up. That's something to consider if you want to be able to wear your watch when you're not hiking.

Weight 

50 GRAMS AS A SWEETSPOT

Weight is essential when packing a backpack. It's also crucial when choosing a watch to slap on your wrist. You want to aim for around 50 grams or less. Any heavier and you will feel the weight on your wrist. When you get up to 70 or 80 grams, you have to decide if the extra features are worth the excess weight.

FAQs

Which smartwatch is best for hiking?

The smartwatch best for hiking is the Garmin Instinct.

What is the best GPS watch for walking?

The best GPS watch for walking is the COROS Apex 42mm.

Can I use my Apple Watch for hiking?

Yes, you can use Apple watch for hiking… but there are a few drawbacks. First, battery power. Apple claims its watch will last around six hours when tracking continuous outdoor activity, while some hiking watches can last upwards of a hundred hours. Second, although the Apple watch is durable, its screen is still more breakable and prone to scratching compared to a heavy-duty hiking watch. A big problem if you’re scrambling over rugged terrain.

On the plus side, though the Apple Watch isn’t specifically designed for hiking, its hiking feature option will get you by and keep track of elevation gain, distance, pace and calories burned. Also, being an Apple product, you’ll have a great selection of every hiking app out there. So, should you use an Apple watch to hike? Sure, but it’s better suited for easy day hikes. As for longer and more technical hikes? Best leave those up to the big guys (aka hiking watches).

Which Garmin watch is best for trekking?

The Garmin watch best for trekking is the Garmin Fenix 6X.

Can hiking watches be used offline?

Yes, all hiking watches can be used offline for navigation and counting your steps. The only thing you will miss is the mobile syncing that allows you to transfer your fitness data to your phone for long-term safekeeping. You also won't be able to download updated weather, receive notifications, and similar features that require an internet connection.

📸 Some photos in this post were taken by Ross Enlow (@rossaenlow)