Sport and time; an inseparable duo that go together with all the synergy of fish and chips, gin and tonic and, of course, triple shot soy decaf vanilla latte with whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles and contempt.
Without time, sport simply wouldn’t work – boxing bouts would become relentless blood baths that didn’t end until someone bled out, speed records would be impossible to either set or break and cricket matches would be like endless cycling through the nine circles of Dante’s Inferno, but not as much fun. So, with sport reliant on the measurement of time (yes, I know it’s only an abstract concept, thank you), the age of the sports watch was nothing if not inevitable.
But what comes to mind when you think of ‘sports watches’? Traditional, Swiss-built slices of highly expensive, analogue art, designed with precision chronographs to measure the movement of time, speed and/or distance. Or smart, wrist-wearable digital devices with built-in GPS, created specifically as an aide to improving health by monitoring and suggesting exercise regimes, while keeping a constant record of your heart rate and general performance on some smartphone contained app? Well, either would be an acceptable answer, actually, as the two distinct styles of sports watch lend their talents to very different types of sporting activity. So, as there are no prizes for participation, we’ll just crack on.
Which brings me to this, the extensively mixed bag of athleticism-aimed timepiece options I’ve assembled for the sake of this article. From here on in you’ll discover an absolute armful of activity-based time-tellers, covering tech, specs and good old-fashioned sex appeal.
So, whatever sporting activity you’re into, if you’re looking to up your game, I’m here to ensure you have all the ‘idea’ and precisely the right gear…
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Samsung Galaxy Watch4
Best for: sporting business and smart pleasure
Aimed squarely in the faces of the fashion-conscious fiteratti, the latest iteration of Samsung’s Galaxy Watch (4) adds in a wealth of health monitoring functions to its already highly successful smart watch.
With a round super AMOLED touchscreen display measuring just under 35mm and a lovely light weight of a meagre 30.3g, the Watch4 comes available in a nicely inconspicuous black finish or, for the more extroverted, in a range of far more attention-grabbing hues.
Although compatible with iOS and FireOS, it’s most likely to appeal to those already embedded in the Android OS and, indeed, owners of Samsung smartphones in particular, as you’ll need to have one of the latter to access the ECG and blood pressure monitors.
Those already familiar with Samsung’s Tizen platform will find themselves automatically at home operating the Watch. Then combined with Google’s Wear OS, what we have in the shape of Samsung’s updated and upgraded smart watch is all the convenient smartphone app connection you’ve come to know and love. This is with the added bonus of all-new fitness tracking functionality via an accelerometer, barometer, gyro, geomagnetic, optical heart rate, electrical heart, bioelectrical impedance analysis, light and optical sensors and, of course, GPS. So, as you can see, this is no half-hearted attempt to engage the sports watch market but more a full-on assault.
Both Watch4 and smartphone allow you to track your varying workouts and fitness scores, plus count your steps and count calories burnt. And with support for over 90 exercises, you can be assured of highly accurate feedback that will tell you in no uncertain terms whether you’re allowed that extra slice of cake or not.
The watch features the full functions of a smartwatch with app notifications; text and call info and updates, etc., plus all the biometric sensors and exercise support of a serious health-helping sports watch (yes, including sleep tracking). You will also be able to make the most of easy navigation via the pleasingly crisp and clear touchscreen, virtual rotating bezel and twin side buttons that solidifies the Samsung Galaxy Watch4 as the full package for those who demand the most.
Buy now £239.00, AO
Polar Vantage V2
Best for: those chasing the possibility of going pro
If you’re new to the world of sports watches, you may be unfamiliar with the name Polar, yet this outright innovator in heart monitoring tech have been at it since 1977! So, you might expect that they’d be pretty good at it by now. Available in S or M/L band sizes, the V2 is a pure powerhouse of training tech aimed at athletes ranging from ‘serious’ to ‘professional’.
Constructed from aluminium, the V2 is pleasingly light for its size at just 52g, while the silicone wristband holds the V2 snugly in place and keeps it comfortable too. And, as you might expect, it is rammed to the exercise-encouraging rafters with features and tests, all linked to the proprietary Polar Flow smartphone app to help you train smarter.
Offering a massive 100-hours of battery life, even with its always-on display, and featuring an Assisted-GPS system that utilises GLONASS, Galileo, and QZSS satellites for absolute pinpoint accuracy and faster fix times, the Vantage V2 not only pushes athletes further, it also warns you not to push too far. This is achieved by providing running, cycling and other fitness tests that it guides you through with audible cues and also alerts if you’re over-reaching your cardio activity. There is even monitored recovery time information that will let you know when you’re ready to get going again; so, a lot like a personal trainer, but one that doesn’t bark semi-motivational orders at you until you until you end up on your knees, clutching at your chest.
Sitting alongside the sheer wealth of ways to test your athletic prowess, there’s a calorie counter, an altimeter, a compass, coordinates recorder, elevation profiles so you know what kind of hellacious hillock awaits you up ahead and even a Track Back system that plots your way back home should you have become so lost in the moment that you also ended up actually lost.
Plus, all this data is recorded in painstaking detail for you to review later, tracking your journey from slovenly couch-potato to becoming the next Mo Farrah or Jessica Ennis-Hill.
And just like that long-distance runner of lore, it doesn’t stop there. Linked to your phone, you can control the inspirational 80s rock tunes (personal preference) pumped through your earbuds while pounding those pavements into submission and, should you be so inclined, even check app push notifications to stay on top of your socials. Truly, the Polar Vantage V2 is the sports watch of champions.
Buy now £410.12, Halfords
Fitbit Charge 5
Best for: no-nonsense style and sports utility
The training timepiece of choice of none-other than Hollywood A-list actor, director and hippetty hopetty partner of DJ Jazzy Jeff, Will Smith, Fitbit is to activity trackers what Jacuzzi is to spa baths, in that it’s the trademark name most people use generically. This is a testament to just how well-positioned and well-regarded Fitbit’s training tech is. And when it comes down to which Fitbit is fit for the Fresh Prince, it’s this: the Charge 5.
Weighing just 28g and a mere 14.75mm wide, you’ll barely notice you’re wearing the Charge 5 at all, unless of course you’re stopping to admire its sleek, minimalist lines and beautifully clear and crisp 26.43mm (on the diagonal) colour AMOLED touchscreen display. I found myself doing this quite frequently, partly because I was keen to see if I could mentally lower my heart rate readings like some British David Blaine and also because it’s basic but self-explanatory graphics are just so eminently attractive.
The most advanced fitness tracker model from Fitbit, the Charge 5 offers 24/7 monitoring of your vitals, a built in GPS to keep stock of your pace and distance, an ECG app to ensure your heart is in the right place, an EDA sensor that measures your body’s electrodermal activity to watch for signs of stress and a whole host of other health metrics to keep track of your breathing and blood’s oxygen saturation (SpO2). All this as well as alarms, timers and notifications to keep you on top of the other areas of your life that may exist beyond the sporting arena. Oh, and if you should want to know the time and date, just two taps of the display will fill you in.
Small, svelte, packed with functions and features and intuitive to use with a simple left and right swipe system, the Fitbit Charge 5 is a bit of a bargain – no wonder Will Smith likes, ahem, Getting’ Joggy Wit It.
Buy now £135.00, Currys
OPPO Watch (Wifi)
Best for: Apple looks, Android heart
The OPPO Watch may look more than a little like its Cupertino, California company designed rival, but you’ll find that’s purely intentional. Yep, there’s no denying it, the OPPO was created to copy the Apple’s aesthetic appeal, but it is so much more than a mere Apple aper.
For a start, it runs on Google’s Wear OS, which plays nice with both Android and Apple, making it a hugely flexible option. Also, once you’ve downloaded the Wear OS app to your smartphones, syncing info and apps between your phone and OPPO is child’s play itself, with all the techie lifting done for you.
So, with all your social media and apps linked and on-wrist notifications popping up on your OPPO keeping you in contact with your connections, now is the time to take to the busy streets, abandoned back roads and uncharted woodland wilds to chase down the dream of athletic excellence.
And the OPPO is ideally placed to assist, crammed full, as it is, with exercise regimes covering running, walking, cycling and swimming (50m water-resistant), all logged for later review. It’s an info galore revealing daily activity including the number of calories you’ve burnt off - all of which are displayed in full-colour glory on the OPPO’s hugely tactile AMOLED Flexible Dual-Curved Display.
Add into this potent mix a heart rate monitor (of course), the ability to make mobile payments, a schedule manager, message notifications, quick access of music on your phone, guided breathing exercises for those still struggling to master the art of staying conscious, plus a sleep monitor to keep a close eye on the bedtime behaviour of those who failed to follow the breathing exercises properly, and the OPPO is a smarts-packed sports watch with much to offer the exercise-obsessed technophile.
Buy now £279.00, Amazon
Huawei GT3 Smartwatch
Best for: smartwatch style, sports watch power
When it comes to sports watches, functionality is key – the GPS has to be there, the biometric sensors, the health trackers and the AI trainer. But for a chap about town, such as myself, there has to be a due sense of style evident too. Okay, granted, most ACTN3 gene-owning sporting enthusiasts will delight at options that come with big, easy to find buttons and an equally sizeable display that can be read at the slightest sweaty glance. Indeed, when out running or cycling in the rain and mud of a cold, wet British winter/spring/summer/autumn day, these traits are invaluable. However, unless you’re one of those who comes home from a session to shower, put on fresh Lycra and go out to a bar to drink mineral water and crow about your achievements to anyone who notices your big ol’ watch, then some design subtlety is desirable.
So, to the Huawei GT3; a smart sports watch with design cues that could have just stepped off the minimalist catwalks of Milan. Available in black, white, gold and stainless steel case finishes with a range of Fluroelastomer, leather or stainless steel bands and a choice of many and varied faces available for its bright, touchscreen AMOLED display, the GT3 is just as comfortable showing off its curves at a posh soiree as it is monitoring your every movement on some mud-caked Ironman event.
But let’s get to the nub of it. With over 100 workout modes featured, a Personal AI running coach, precision heart and SpO2 monitoring, an accelerometer sensor, a gyroscope sensor, geomagnetic sensor, temperature sensor, an air pressure sensor and support for no fewer than five satnav systems for accurate location tracking - all linked to the Huawei Health app on your smartphone - the GT3 makes getting and staying in smart shape safe and simple.
Bluetooth-enabled and featuring a built-in microphone, you can answer and/or reject calls without having to fumble with your phone and you can even save music on it, in all the usual formats, to playback directly or use the watch to control the music stored on your phone.
Finally, for the social-side or just for showing off, the Huawei Health app allows you to share your athletic achievement with friends by allowing you to create a video of your latest route, ready to send over most messaging apps.
In all, the Huawei GT3 is an absolute looker with ample fitness tech talent and quite the steal. Makes you feel sad for those in The States who, thanks to some pesky espionage allegations, will probably never get to put it through its paces.
Buy now £209.00, Currys
Skagen Falster Gen 6
Best for: great Danish design, inside and out
Most nations have one specific thing that they’re famous for. The French for their cuisine, the Italians for their fashion, we Brits for, erm, flouncing out of things and the Danes for exceptionally beautiful design. Yes, furniture, cutlery, lamps, loudspeakers and even lager logos, the Danes have perfected the lot, so it should come as no surprise that the Falster Gen 6 smart sports watch from Skagen is also a triumph of aesthetics in all areas.
Launched in January 2022, and available in a matt black case finish with a choice of strap options including silicone, stainless steel mesh and leather, the Falster Gen 6 comes with a case size of just 41mm, which may make it look a bit lost on the larger wrists of the more muscled, but makes it sit nicely on the those lanky of limb like myself.
Running on Google’s Wear OS, download the app to your Android of Apple smartphone, pair and let the app walk you through the rest. So far, so simple.
Covering the fitness and health side of things, the Skagen comes packing a heart rate monitor, SpO2 oxygen saturation level check, an accelerometer, altimeter, compass and a gyroscope, while also offering step-counting, sleep monitoring and, naturally, timed workout activities. However, on this latter point, only generic ‘Outdoor’ or ‘Indoor’ workouts are available, so those keen to really ‘beast it up’ make want to install some additional fitness apps. Also, more serious sports-types may want to take the lack of an ECG function into consideration too.
The 1.28-inch AMOLED touchscreen display is nicely bright and colourful, with access to the watch’s functions available by swiping via the two physical buttons on the right of the case and the central, nicely rotatable crown.
Bluetooth 5 LE, NFC and Wi-Fi keep you connected and updated with notifications from your apps, while the Near Field Communication aspect allows you to pay from your wrist. Also, thanks to a built-in speaker and microphone, you can make and take calls on the move, like some latter-day Dick Tracy.
Google Assistant, Google Calendar and Google Fit all come built-in and there is a range of face options to choose from on the watch itself, with more available to download (at a price) online.
When it comes to the face you choose, the Falster Gen 6 lets you enjoy it longer with an always-on approach to the display. However, this is also part of the reason the battery life only lasts around 24-hours. Quick charge helps via the bundled magnetic dock USB charger, pumping in 80 per cent of power in around half an hour but, again, this may be something those off for a weekend of working out somewhere amongst the Siberian tundra may want to think on.
Undeniably attractive, full of features and customisable to match your clothing, the Skagen Falster Gen 6 may be lacking a few of the biometric tricks of some of the bigger boys here, but it delivers the essentials of sports activity tracking in flawless style.
Buy now £279.00, Skagen
Christopher Ward C63 Sealander
Best for: those who prefer their sports watch to run like a Swiss clock
“He waits… that’s what he does… And I’ll tell you what; tick followed tock followed tick followed tock followed tick.” Those of you with a memory that stretches back to the final days of the 20th century, may recall these lines from a Guinness TV ad (other stouts are available) that saw a weathered surfer weighing up the waves before him, choosing the exact right moment to charge into the sea to tame them, the foam around him transforming into stampeding white horses as he rides, like the fevered visions of a man who had bumped his head just too many times.
Yes, veering away from land-based sports for a moment, there are many sports watch options open to the sea-going surfer/sailor, but it would be fair to say that the most action that these see is rattling around the wrist of some sun-kissed investment banker onboard a superyacht. However, for those that want a finely crafted chronograph to assist in their oceanic endeavours, there is the Christopher Ward C63 Sealander Elite.
Constructed from Grade 2 Titanium to be both strong and light (45g), the C63 Sealander comes powered by a COSC-certified automatic movement, meaning you get absolute precision timing and performance at the highest level of the horologist’s art.
But proving it real-world sporting credentials beyond those that are merely Swiss bling, the Christopher Ward not only boasts an anti-shock system and can resist water down to 150m, it also harbours one ingenious and unique feature – it has a retractable crown which keeps it out of the way and stops it digging into your hand when, say, battling the cruel mistress that is the sea in a Laser, hanging by your fingertips off a cliff face or, indeed, indulging in any other athletic activity where comfort is required. Add to that the fact that the indexes and hands are filled with something called Super-LumiNova Grade X1 BL C1 and telling time in the dark ceases to ever be an issue.
Of course, when it comes to sport, timing is everything and so the Sealander’s certified, 26 jewel self-winding chronometer mechanical movement sits in the top 6 per cent of Swiss watches for accuracy, ensuring pinpoint precision and reliability that you can, erm, set your watch by.
Finally, stylishly finished in black, white and orange face finery and with a choice of hybrid rubber, Titanium or ‘ocean material’ straps, the watch is more than equipped to cover your workout amongst the waves and handsome enough to mix it up at cocktail hour down the marina afterwards.
Buy now £700.00, Christopher Ward
Garmin Lily
Best for: ladies who want style and smarts
Before anyone starts, it was Garmin, not me, who decided there should be a sport watch designed specifically for the more, slender, feminine forearm where, perhaps, a chunky great gauntlet of tech gear would appear inappropriate.
So, we have the Lily. Offering the look of an ordinary, everyday analogue or digital watch through changeable faces, and available in a six-strong series of subtle and stylish finishes, the Lily is made from anodized aluminium and fibre-reinforced polymer to give a feather-light 24g finish. Yet, this small but smart sports watch manages to pack a lot into very little space.
Like what? Well, all the expected functions such as time/date, timer, stopwatch and alarm clock, then there comes the heart rate monitor (with alerts for abnormal highs and lows), blood oxygen saturation spot-checks, stress tracking, relation reminders, a relaxation breathing timer, hydration reminders, sleep tracking and more.
Then there’s Bluetooth, enabling you to connect your Lily with your smartphone to indulge in GPS-based activities, such as outdoor fitness tracking covering distance, speed and time, all logged on and accessible on the downloadable Garmin Connect app. There’s also activity profiles for yoga, pilates, cardio, mindful breathing and strength training.
The connection also means you can receive emails, texts and alerts right on your wrist and, addressing safety, if you suffer a mishap while somewhere remote or fear for your safety in any way, you can send an assistance alert with your live location to your selected contacts with just a tap.
Small, light, smart and full of sporting and health monitoring features, the Garmin Lily is a good-looking option and, as not everyone has arms like The Hulk or wants to look like they’re wearing a police-issued electronic tag on their wrist, very cleverly conceived.
Buy now £179.00, Currys
Apple Watch Series 7
Best for: iPhone owners and general Apple enthusiasts
Arguably the first true smartwatch, if you discount the efforts from the likes of Sony and Seiko that pretty much paved the way for California’s favourite son. The Apple Watch, with all its fitness tracking, health-oriented abilities, has come a long way since its inception back in the less troubled days of 2015.
October 2021 saw the arrival of the very latest version in the slightly larger, more durable and smarter and sportier than ever Series 7; and although Apple have often been accused of being less innovative of late, the slick 7 begs to differ with its detractors.
Aesthetically, the new Apple has more rounded shoulders and brilliantly bright display that slips seamlessly into the case and comes in five rather natty aluminium finishes as well as an array of equally easy-on-the-eye and wrist strap options.
So, all very attractive on the outside, but looks alone do not make award-winning smart/sports watch material. Fortunately, then, Apple has been busy imbuing the Series 7 with all the health and fitness tech tools required to keep you at the peak of wellness, including an electrical heart sensor, ECG, a blood oxygen monitor and a whole heap of fresh, if somewhat basic workout challenges via the shiny new Apple Watch OS for the runners, swimmers and cyclists out there.
All that essential activity info is tracked and summarised for you to check at a glance on either watch or phone and, adding extra personal peace of mind, the Series 7’s sleep tracker keeps a watchful, ahem, eye on you in your slumber state.
Access to apps and notifications is improved thanks to the 20 per cent larger screen and the addition of a QWERTY keyboard, which is surprisingly easy to use even for the fat of fingered. Texting without having to go to the effort of fishing out your phone is an obvious plus. Apple Wallet is also still available to pay for things on the fly, so no need to worry about carrying cards or cash when slipping out to your favoured fancy fitness club.
An all-rounder of the smart/sports watch arena, the Apple Watch Series 7 may be on the pricier side of things and may not tick all the boxes for those more seriously about staying in shape, but for Apple fans who want their digital world on their wrist and have general fitness at the fore of their minds, it’ll be a must-buy.
Buy now £369.00, Currys
Wahoo ELEMNT RIVAL
Best for: full fitness focus
What do you mean you’ve never heard of them?! Okay, perhaps it’s not so surprising, but this US brand has been consumed with the task of helping athletes both track their performance and keep a keen eye on their vitals since 2009.
As such, the ELEMNT RIVAL is not just a ‘sports watch’ but rather a ‘Multisport Watch’. Using the nicely intuitive ELEMNT OS, built-in RIVAL GPS and companion app, it gathers data on all your activity 24-hours a day, tracking the metrics for running, cycling and swimming, covering speed, distance, workout time, swim lengths, pace, stroke count and stroke rate.
Large but relatively light (53g), the 46.6mm colour display lets you review your stats as you exercise, while the ELEMNT RIVAL’s optical heart rate monitor makes sure you’re not overdoing anything. And if you’re in the habit of doing just that, Wahoo’s clever Live Track Portal lets loved ones locate and follow you in real-time (but only if you invite them to do so), keeping you safe from ending up – as my mother always said I would – dead in a ditch!
Despite being a pure sports watch, paired up to your smartphone over Bluetooth, it’ll will still alert you to calls, texts and emails, thus keeping you fighting fit and always in the loop.
Compatible with both iOS and Android phones, if hardcore health tracking is what you want, the Wahoo could well be just the watch for you.
Buy now £299.99, Wiggle
Verdict
Personal preference is, obviously, going to play a big part in which sports watch you ultimately plump for. Whether you’re just a light gym user or an all-out, sports- and athleticism-addict hell-bent on pushing yourself to the pinnacle of physical perfection, you’ll want to make your choice based on your own lifestyle.
Which is hopeless as a conclusion, I concur. So, to give you some kind of closure, for me, my sense of style and my relatively new – possibly midlife crisis-driven – interest in my fitness and general heart health, the Samsung Galaxy Watch4 perfectly floats my sports watch boat. Full of features and functions both sporty and smart, it’s intuitive to use, looks the part and, giving it a slightly unfair advantage over the other models I’ve looked at here, is also the perfect partner to my Samsung Galaxy phone. Closure given.
