Outdoor Watches

Outdoor adventurers have varying needs when it comes to watches, and there are a variety of different options when it comes to choosing the best outdoorsman watch.

Depending what kind of functions you’re looking for in an adventure watch, you can choose from a basic sports watch that provides you with a stopwatch and timers, or you can go all out and get GPS, shock resistance and more.

Before you choose, you should decide how much technology and what kinds of functions you need. You don’t want a watch that underperforms, and you don’t want a watch that overwhelms you if you just want basic functions. And then there are those into extreme sports that want to know about the best rugged watches.

Here are some considerations to think about when searching for the best outdoorsman watch for your needs.

Best Golf GPS Watches

Garmin Fenix 6 Premium Men's Outdoor Watch

Coros Vertix Men's Outdoor Watch

G-Shock G9300 Mudman Men's Outdoor Watch

SUUNTO Ambit3 Peak Men's Outdoor Watch

Freestyle Shark Mini Leash Mint Women's Outdoor Watch

Timex T5K187 Ironman Women's Outdoor Watch

Garmin Fenix 6 Premium Men's Outdoor Watch

Highlights

This outdoor sportwatch has GPS, and other navigation features that make it ideal for multiple outdoor sports. The crystal is protected by a rugged stainless steel bezel (the top ring on the watch that surrounds the crystal) and the watch is tested to U.S. military standards for thermal, shock and water resistance.

There are satellite navigation and tracking functions, along with a 3-axis compass and barometric altimeter.

The GPS combines with GLONASS and Galileo to track your position more accurately than GPS alone, meaning you can hike or trail ride in more challenging environments.

Activity features include enhanced wrist heart rate, built-in activity profiles, Vo2 Max estimates and more. The built-in activity profiles are for trail running, swimming, running, biking, hiking, rowing, skiing, golfing and more.  There’s also performance metrics and training load balance readings, advanced sleep monitoring and the ability to read altitude acclimation at high elevations. Use the watch to track your training load balance, training status, and running and cycling dynamics.

A great feature is the customizable power manager, where you can monitor how various settings and sensors impact battery life, allowing you to adjust to extend your battery life. The battery has four modes with different performance life depending how you use it: up to 14 days in smartwatch mode, up to 36 hours in GPS mode, up to 28 days in expedition GPS activity mode, and up to 48 days in battery saver watch mode.

The display is readable in sunlight and is “always on,” meaning you can easily check it while climbing or cycling. When paired with a compatible smartphone, you can receive notifications and use Garmin Pay™ contactless payments. Also when paired with a smartphone, the watch will sense an incident and send your location to emergency contacts.

Specifications

Material:Stainless Steel Bezel and Black Band
Size:1.85 x 1.85 x 0.58 inches
Weight:2.82 ounces

Specifications

Pros

  • GPS combines with two other systems to provide accurate tracking capability.
  • A multitude of activity monitoring, including built-in activity profiles.
  • Customize what features you’re using to extend battery life.
  • Garmin is known for its GPS products.

Cons

  • Despite the ability to adjust battery modes, this watch will need lithium battery replacement on a regular basis if you use the advanced features on a regular basis.
  • The multitude of features may be too much for some users.

Why We Chose This

Besides the Garmin name being synonymous with GPS capabilities, this watch has a multitude of fitness features for the outdoor enthusiast. It has rugged construction with a stainless steel bezel to protect the crystal. A bonus is being able to monitor battery life and adjust settings to extend it.

Outdoor Watch Buying Guide

GPS and Other Navigation Features

The term “outdoors” or “outdoor watch” can cover a broad range of activities and needs. Perhaps you spend a lot of time outdoors, but you usually walk or run, and you follow common trails. In this case, a basic watch with timers and a stopwatch may be sufficient. Or, you may be a trail rider, hiker, camper or mountain climber. If you like to head into the backcountry and don’t always know where you will end up, a GPS function may be really valuable to you. In faction, you may want to look for GPS that’s augmented by another system like GLONASS to provide even greater tracking capability. An adventure watch with GPS will also often have other features that complement it, like altitude acclimatization, blood oxygen monitoring, ability to trace back on your route, training load, and more. Depending on your needs, these may be valuable additions to your watch, or they may be too much for you.

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