We've trained with the best GPS sports watches for tracking your outdoor workouts

The best sports watches are a great way to keep track of your progress, whether you're training at home, the gym or in the great outdoors. They come with built-in GPS and altimeters for route tracking, plenty of wellness sensors and durable designs. 

The ideal blend of fitness tracker and smartwatch, the best sports watches give you better battery life than a standard smartwatch, but with all the fitness tracking essentials you'd usually find on a dedicated wrist-worn tracker. 

It's also important to find a sports watch that's comfortable for long periods, gathers reliable data and lasts long enough to see you through. That's why we've put the best sports watches to the test, including popular options from Garmin, Apple, Samsung, Polar and more, so that you can choose one that'll suit your training.  

The quick list

The best sports watches available right now

Best GPS sports watch for running

Garmin hit a home run with the Forerunner 265 — the successor to the popular Garmin Forerunner 255 — with its bright, beautiful AMOLED display and touchscreen, that makes it easy to navigate around the watch when you're not running.

During testing, we loved the fact that the Forerunner 265 now gives you the option to purchase two different sizes — 42mm or 46mm. Both have an AMOLED display  —the resolution of the Forerunner 265 is 416 x 416 pixels, and 360 x 360 on the 265S.

We found it easy to view the screen in all lights, making it a perfect outdoor running companion. While the Forerunner 265 costs as much as a new Apple Watch, its in-depth tracking features and better battery life — up to 24 hours when using GPS — make it the choice outdoor exercise. 

• Read our full Garmin Forerunner 265 review

Best budget GPS sports watch

With a large display, onboard GPS, compass and durable design, the Amazfit T-Rex 2 is one of the best GPS sports watches you can get without breaking the bank. It's since been replaced by the pricier Amazfit T-Rex 3 ($279) but remains widely available. At $199, it’s a fifth the price of the Garmin Fenix 8, making it an affordable alternative.

Like other devices in this guide, the T-Rex offers excellent battery life, loads of sports modes, sleep tracking and recovery data all wrapped in its nearly impenetrable shell. With all the sensors you could want, the T-Rex is a beast to be reckoned with, plus who doesn't want a device named after a dinosaur? That said, with a diameter of 47mm and a weight of 2.3 ounces, it's a bit of a clunker on the wrist. 

• Read our full Amazfit T-Rex 2 review

Best beginner GPS sports watch

The Garmin Forerunner 55 is the best GPS sports watch for beginners. It's an affordable, accurate, GPS watch that tracks distance, speed and pace, and it has some of the more technical features of Garmin's more premium watches. 

According to Garmin, a fully charged Forerunner 55 can last up to two weeks in Smartwatch mode and 20 hours in GPS mode, which is a significant increase from its predecessor’s battery life expectations.

We felt that the Forerunner 55 looks cool enough to be used as your everyday timepiece and it'll also give you sleep-tracking data if you wear the watch at night, so you can keep an eye on how well you're recovering.  

However, if you're after detailed performance stats, and pin-point GPS precision, then you may need to spend a bit more. But for most people, this will be the best sports watch that won't break the bank. 

• Read our full Garmin Forerunner 55 review

Best Garmin GPS sports watch

The Garmin Venu 3 is one of the best Garmin watches for GPS tracking because it's both a capable workout companion and a stylish lifestyle device. This combo makes it a great choice for fitness enthusiasts who want something they can wear 24/7. Maintaining Garmin’s reputation for thorough workout tracking and accurate GPS, the Venu 3 also offers mirrored notifications and an on-wrist voice assistant.

It additionally supports Garmin Pay for contactless payments and offers onboard storage capacity for music, allowing you to leave your phone at home. You can also make and receive calls from the wrist, assuming your paired device is near.

For safety, Incident Detection works similarly to Apple's Fall Detection. And, an abundance of sports profiles, helpful recovery time suggestions and detailed sleep reports add to its overall appeal. 

In smartwatch mode, the Venu 3 easily lasts for two weeks or more. In GPS tracking mode, you can expect up to 26 hours of battery life, which should be enough for even the most grueling outdoor workouts. Available in two sizes, a bright screen and comfortable design round out its laurels. 

• Read our full Garmin Venu 3 review

Best GPS sports watch for golf

The Garmin Approach S62 offers a sharper appearance, larger screen and lengthier battery life than its Garmin Approach S60 predecessor. It also comes with a Virtual Caddie feature, which can recommend clubs and tips based on past performance. 

Though it’s not guaranteed to improve your golf game, the insight provided by Virtual Caddie doesn’t feel gimmicky and might benefit you if you tend to experiment with your club choices. 

It lasts about 14 days without a charge, although you’ll get just 20 hours in continuous GPS mode. We made it through week with 3 rounds before needing to recharge the S62, so it’s safe to say you can leave Garmin’s proprietary charger at home for a weekend golf trip.

• Read our full Garmin Approach S62 review

Best GPS sports watch for hiking

The Polar Vantage V3 is built for multi-sport athletes but it's also a top-notch option for hikers, trail runners and mountain sports enthusiasts looking to keep track of their adventures. 

Whether you love to take to the outdoors on foot or via a set of skis, a bike, a snowboard, or something else altogether, the V3 has more than enough battery life to last you through a full day and is built tough enough to survive slips and falls. It also boasts dual-band GPS for accurate location tracking, even out in the middle of nowhere. 

For sports like mountain biking and skiing, a Hill Splitter function parses riding data from time spent on the lift and does so with remarkable reliability. The bright AMOLED screen also makes it easy to see pertinent data, like pace, distance and duration at a glance, even in bright sunlight. 

Best of all, at the end of the day, the Polar app provides a handy post-adventure route map of your efforts with detailed stats. Plus, the V3 offers loads of insights into rest and recovery to help get back out into nature and ready for another day of outdoor epicness. 

• Read our full Polar Vantage V3 review

Best GPS sports watch with maps

The Garmin Fenix 8 is the brand's flagship GPS sports watch and one of only a handful of Garmin models offering users the ability to download and save offline maps for navigational use when out of cellular range. These maps include turn-by-turn directions, topographic details and points of interest. 

Available in three sizes, it also comes with or without solar charging. If you choose solar, you get an MIPs display, while the non-solar version gets a comparable brighter, higher-res and better-saturated AMOLED screen. We prefer the AMOLED watch, which still offers great battery life and a much more engaging screen.

While the core sports tracking experience of the Fenix 8 is similar to other Garmins, it has some unique features like a diveproof design and new dive sports modes. It's additionally the first Fenix to have a mic and speaker.

• Read our full Garmin Fenix 8 review

Best GPS sports watch under $1000

The Garmin Forerunner 965 is a top-tier sports watch designed for runners who want all of the most advanced training tools on their wrists. It's also the best overall GPS watch under $1000. 

Available in two sizes, it boasts a bright 1.4-inch AMOLED  touchscreen and a new titanium bezel to give it a premium feel both on and off the wrist. Under the hood, you get loads of health sensors, plus a multiband GPS antenna, ensuring accurate tracking no matter your location.  

The watch has all of Garmin's advanced workout metrics, including the Training Readiness Score, Morning Report and Garmin's useful Chronic Training Load feature, which focuses on a 28-day sum of your training. While working out, the watch is easy to read, even in direct sunlight.

Battery life is also impressive. The 965 lasts 23 days in smartwatch mode, 31 hours in GPS mode without music, and 8.5 hours in GPS mode with music. 

• Read our full Garmin Forerunner 965 review

Best GPS sports watch for Apple

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is a step up from the first-generation model. It comes with a new Action Button for starting, stopping or pausing your workout. And the large design means it's easy to use even if you have sweaty fingers or are wearing gloves. 

The 49mm display is easy to read outdoors too, even in sunlight. Although, when it's particularly bright it can still be a bit tricky. However, the most significant upgrade in the Ultra Watch 2 is the new S9 processor. 

This is more efficient, so you get some battery life improvements, and it helps make the watch's tracking more accurate, especially if you're trying to locate your misplaced iPhone. 

It also has the longest battery life of any Apple Watch, lasting up to 36 hours with regular use. If you're away from power for a while, you can place it in low-power mode to extend this to around 70 hours, but some features won't work as well. 

The large display also means you can view more workout metrics at once (seven, up from six). However, if you're after more technical stats or recovery advice, you'll want to opt for a Garmin sports watch instead.

• Read our full Apple Watch Ultra 2 review 

Best GPS sports watch for Android

The Galaxy Watch Ultra is Samsung's toughest-built, longest-lasting smartwatch and the best GPS sports watch for Android smartphone users. It's also one of the best smartwatches overall. 

The ultimate Android wearable for outdoor excursions, the Galaxy Watch Ultra uses the same impressive BioActive sensor as the Galaxy Watch 7 with advanced sleep, workout and recovery tracking. It also boasts accurate dual-band GPS location tracking, monitoring for health conditions including sleep apnea, and useful AI-backed wellness insights and tips. 

Built from titanium alloy, the Galaxy Watch Ultra has a large, easy-to-view AMOLED touchscreen that maxes out at 3,000 nits, the same as the Apple Watch Ultra above. This makes it easy to view in direct sunlight, even when on the move. There's also a customizable 'Action' button and a protective bezel around the screen.

Price at $650, the Ultra is considerably more expensive than its sibling, the Galaxy Watch 7, which offers essentially the same features in a less robust package. 

• Read our full Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra review

Best Coros GPS sports watch

The Coros Vertix 2S is an excellent smartwatch that takes what the Vertix 2 did right and builds on it. With improved GPS accuracy and a new heart rate sensor, this smartwatch measures everything — from outdoor and indoor activities to your sleep patterns and stress levels throughout the day. What’s more: you don’t need to worry about running out of juice as the battery can last up to 40 days.

You can pick from 3 stunning colorways and customize the watch even further thanks to about 100 different watch faces to choose from. The Coros companion app is easy to use and provides lots of insights into your health. You can even conduct an on-the-spot wellness check to determine your SpO2 stats and monitor your breathing.

There are a few minor hiccups though, such as maps taking long to download and the watch’s screen being a bit dull, but the Vertix 2S is still worth buying, especially if you want a comfortable watch that tells you all you need to know about your body.

• Read our full Coros Vertix 2S review

Also tested

We test a lot of smartwatches to make sure that we only recommend the models we genuinely think are the best. However, some come very close, even if they don't quite make the cut. These are the sports watches we think are still worth considering, even if they don't quite make the best sports watches roundup.

Suunto Vertical
This is an impressive watch; is has (almost) everything you'd need to take extreme hike to the arctic. But that's partly why it didn't make the cut. The Vertical starts at $700 (and can cost almost $900) — for most people, there are cheaper options that can do most of what this watch can. But if you are into extreme adventures, it's a great option. 

Read our full Suunto Vertical review

How to choose the best GPS watch for you

There's a fine line between smartwatches and the best sports watches, as many smartwatches come with fitness tracking features built-in. So, how do you decide on the best sports watch for your training? 

Firstly, it's important to consider the features you need. If you're a runner, a lightweight sports watch means less distraction while your arms move back and forth. And long-distance runners will need a longer battery life too. 

Plus, if endurance training is your bag, then you'll need a watch that's durable enough to survive the conditions. So, it'll need to be fully waterproof (not just sweat or water-resistant) and with a durable design in case it gets knocked. 

Although all of the best sports watches come with GPS, some are able to more accurately track your location. So, if a precise recording is important to you, then a sports watch from Garmin's Fenix series might be ideal, as you can adjust the GPS ping frequency. 

How we test the best GPS watches

The best sports watches need to be durable, come with all the fitness tracking features you need and have a long-lasting battery. So, we put each device to the test to make sure it ticks every box. 

The first area we look at is design and comfort. We check if the watch is comfortable to wear for extended periods, if it chafes when you're sweaty and how easy it is to keep looking its best. 

We also test the watch for tracking accuracy, especially the GPS, so we wear the sports watch while out in different environments, including urban and rural settings — areas where there are a lot of buildings, trees, and other obstructions. 

This makes it easy to see whether the watch lives up to the manufacturer's battery life claims. Using all the watch features uses a lot of power, so we get a good idea of how the sports watch fares in real-world settings. 

Of course, tracking your workouts is one thing, but you need to analyze the data to get the most from your training, so we assess the watch's companion smartphone app and how straightforward it is to access and view your health and fitness data. 

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