Best Outdoor Watches Reviews

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.

This is a lightweight yet durable watch, with a corrosion free titanium frame and bezel. The watch face is covered with Sapphire glass with a diamond-like coating for added protection.

It’s also perfect for long expeditions with an excellent battery life and the ability to change modes to extend life. The battery will last up to 45 days with regular use, 60 hours in full GPS mode and 150 hours when in UltraMax mode. 

It’s also exceptional for harsh expeditions, as it is tested to work to temperatures as low as -4°F/-20°C and in GPS mode to -22°F/-30°C in extreme testing. It’s waterproof to almost 500 feet (150 meters). It even has an enhanced knob allowing for easy operation even underwater or while wearing thick climbing gloves.

Athletes will appreciate its 24/7 blood oxygen monitoring and altitude acclimatization assistance. It provides analysis of your training load and performance, to evaluate your exertion level and provide recommendations on recovery, allowing you to perform at your peak.

If the Mudman name doesn’t spell it for you, then the markings on the resin strap should. This is a mud-resistant design with sealed buttons and a tough mineral crystal lens that protects the Japanese quartz mechanism from dirt, dust, and yes, mud!

If you keep reading the strap, you learn this is a solar-powered model (Tough Solar) that has a digital compass, can measure the ambient temperature, and even has a moon graph. In addition, there are the usual features you can find on most advanced G-Shock designs such as 31 time zones (48 cities + UTC), daylight saving option, 5 alarms, stopwatch with elapsed time and split time, countdown timer, auto-calendar, 12h & 24h formats.

Lastly the buttons require a bit of force to press but the interface is user-friendly (even though it has a learning curve). It also comes with full auto EL backlight with afterglow, which improves visibility in low-lighting conditions.

This smartwatch has all the bells and whistles especially once it’s connected to a smartphone. You can then use the free Suunto Movescount App to adjust the watch on the go, sync your activities, and receive calls and notifications right on the watch. 

Movescount can also help you discover new routes and provide you with training programs.

Athletes can use it to monitor heart rate, even while swimming, and to provide an activity-based recovery time. It shows speed, pace and distance and you can track multiple sports in one log.

You can also add photos during activities, share your moves instantly with the app, and create a Suunto Movie with highlights of your adventure, including a 3D map, key metrics and images.

The GPS satellite data and time are up to date wherever you are, and you can use your phone as a second watch display. 

The watch also Suunto provides stable and accurate altitude and weather information, and full navigation capabilities. It features a built-in altimeter, barometer, compass and GPS, and is water resistant to 330 feet (100 meters). You can use it for route navigation and to track back along your route.

The battery life is also outstanding, lasting up to 200 hours with a 1-minute GPS accuracy, or 30 hours with a 5 second GPS accuracy. The case is made of durable polyamide.

The Freestyle brand began as a surf watch brand, designed to be durable enough to withstand the abuses of a high-intensity lifestyle, both in and out of the water.

This watch is ideal for ladies but is actually unisex, great for men who like a smaller watch style. It features Japanese quartz digital movement, a lap counter with memory, alarm, countdown timer and stopwatch, and standard digital functions with a backlight. The case is polycarbonate with hyrdro-pushers, which are able to be pushed under-water.

The digital face has NightVision Display which is ideal for underwater adventures or overnight camping trips.

The strap is a durable canvas synthetic with a solid stainless-steel buckle. The crystal is a durable hardened mineral that protects the watch face from scratches. It’s also water-resistant to 330 feet (100 meters).

Timex is often the first name that comes to mind when it comes to watches. This ladies Ironman watch has a black resin case and strap with purple accents. It’s classy enough to wear to work but durable enough to wear outdoors and for sports and activities. 

Digital features include a 24-hour stopwatch, 10 preset countdown timers, and alarm with a 5-minute backup, and a month and date calendar. 

It’s water-resistant to 330 feet (100 meters) which is generally suitable for snorkeling or swimming, but not recommended for diving.

It also features the proprietary trademark of Timex watches, the Indiglo backlight system. The Timex electroluminescent lamps, branded Indiglo, are among the most successful features of the Ironman watch line. The Indiglo lamp uniformly lights the surface of the Timex’s watch dials in a manner that makes the dial easy to read in almost any light setting.