What Smartwatch?

[AudiSport]

Hi all,

I would like to buy a smart watch to start tracking my activities and I hope, get me a bit more interested in getting more active. I would like to track my daily steps, evening walks, gym and the occasional run. So features wise I would like GPS to stop me having to bring my iPhone when running and a heart rate monitor would be benifical too.

The challenge is I don't like the look of most of the Fitbit type watches. I like a more classic contemporary design with a sporty feel. The Garmin Vivomove looks nice, but the features seem a bit too basic. I saw a Samsung Gear S3 Frontier today in the flesh which was lovely, although the guy in the shop didn't think it would work with my iPhone.

I would really appreciate your recommendations;
- iPhone 6 compatible
- £400 max budget
- GPS would help (?)

Thank you!

[Digger]

If I could justify it, a Garmin Fenix 3 Sapphire. But happy with my Polar M400 which admittedly isn't really what you might be after.

http://www.blacks.co.uk/equipment/215015-garmin-fe...

[Frik]

Or the basic Fenix 3. Got one; love it, but like all these watches it is quite large. Battery life is very impressive though.

[The jiffle king]

Garmin vivoactive could be an option

[sjj84]

Nixon the mission? It's meant to work with iOS but some features are limited I believe. It has built in GPS which not many watches seem to have. Hmm, don't think it has a heart rate monitor actually. The Samsung definatelty does.

[Trabi601]

Surely Apple Watch 2 is the answer, as they now have GPS.

[AudiSport]

Thanks for the info and suggestions, I will check them all out shortly. Regarding the iWatch, I'm just not a fan of how it looks : /

[Digger]

For some in depth reviews check out

www.dcrainmaker.com

[mikees]

I've got a fenix. Cycling, running, swimming , walking/hiking. Very good. And looks like a tool watch not a fashion (apple) watch

M

[bad company]

I love the IWatch and it all sinks very well with the iPhone.

[Craikeybaby]

I started a thread a few weeks back asking for advice on a running watch for my wife, there was some good advice on there.

I bought her an Apple Watch series 2, but she won't get it until the weekend.

[clonmult]

If you're just running, devices like the Apple Watch, Garmins, etc are fine. But if you're doing a lot of gym work, then they're useless - the optical HRMs just aren't accurate when cycling, doing weights, rowing, etc. In order to make any of them useful/accurate, you need to be using a chest strap heart rate monitor.

[bad company]

clonmult said:

If you're just running, devices like the Apple Watch, Garmins, etc are fine. But if you're doing a lot of gym work, then they're useless - the optical HRMs just aren't accurate when cycling, doing weights, rowing, etc. In order to make any of them useful/accurate, you need to be using a chest strap heart rate monitor.

I'm sure that's right but I wouldn't want to wear a chest strap. The iwatch is accurate enough, the readings are very similar to the hrm's in my gym.