I just got back from my first trip to Hawaii. The perfect antidote to Seattle’s sunless winters, I craved a mix of outdoor adventure and relaxation and the Big Island did not disappoint. With a surf lesson, national park hike and snorkeling all on the agenda, I wanted to bring along a smartwatch capable of tracking all three activities and settled on the Amazfit T-Rex 3.
This large-and-in-charge wearable boasts a roomy and bright 1.5-inch AMOLED touchscreen, metal bezel, four physical buttons and high-tech location and wellness tracking features often only found on costlier smartwatch models. That feature list includes dual-band GPS, offline map navigation, air pressure and altitude sensors, on-demand SpO2, stress and breath rate readings, and detailed insights into sleep and workout recovery. It also supports over 170 workout types.
Priced at $279 — but often on sale for less (as of writing it’s $45 off via Amazfit directly) — the Amazfit T-Rex 3 is a wallet-friendly alternative to popular yet pricey rugged adventure watches including the Apple Watch Ultra 2 ($799), Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra ($549) and Garmin Fenix 8 ($999+).
Note: Underwater images captured with the OM System Tough TG-7
Elsewhere, I took a closer look at an Amazfit T-Rex vs. Apple Watch Ultra 2 comparison for fitness tracking accuracy.
When it came to this Hawaii trip, the T-Rex 3 documented my 15 attempts to catch a wave and over an hour snorkeling around the reefs of Kona’s Kahalu'u Beach Park. With countless colorful fish, one sea turtle and one enormous eel spotted, not to mention several waves successfully caught (though I use the word successfully loosely), the T-Rex 3 proved to be a solid companion for all of my island adventures.
What follows are the seven biggest reasons why I recommend the Amazfit T-Rex 3 for swimmers and folks who love watersports, even over the Apple Watch Ultra 2..
1. 100 meters of water resistance
While many of the best smartwatch models, including the Apple Watch 10, Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 and Google Pixel Watch 3 offer just 50 meters of water resistance, the T-Rex 3 is rated to 100 meters — the same as the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Galaxy Watch Ultra. That makes the T-Rex 3 suitable for not just snorkeling and surfing but high-speed watersports, too. (Think, jet skis, water skis, wakeboards and so on.)
Remember, smartwatch waterproof ratings are misleading. A rating of 50 meters (5 atm), for instance, translates to protection against moisture incursions for only short periods of surface-level swimming. (This comes directly from Apple). On the other hand, 100 meters should have you covered for all but deep-sea diving.
2. Dual-band GPS
Onboard GPS, i.e. one that doesn’t piggyback off of your smartphone’s antenna, is a must if you want to keep tabs on your favorite water-based activities. For surfing, GPS factors into metrics like how many attempts you make at catching a wave, your longest distance surfed, total distance covered for the session and actual time spent surfing, i.e. paddling into and/or catching waves.
While my recorded data points for surf attempts, total distance covered and time spent riding waves seemingly checked out — 15 tries over 1.20 miles with just 3:12 seconds spent actually surfing — I know for a fact that the longest surfing distance, measured at 288 yards, is far from accurate.
If I had to estimate, that metric should be closer to 2, maybe 3 yards max. (This was, after all, my first-ever surf lesson.) That said, my end-of-day paddle to shore may be what skewed the data.
I was somewhat surprised to discover that the snorkeling mode doesn’t factor in GPS data to provide users with a total distance swam for their workout. This seems like a missed opportunity on the part of Amazfit as it's a metric I very much would’ve liked to know.
3. Dedicated tracking modes for a wide range of water sports
In addition is surfing and snorkeling, the Amazfit T-Rex 3 also supports pool swimming, open water swimming, fin swimming, artistic swimming (synchronized), boating, sailing, kayaking, rowing, paddle-boarding, indoor surfing, tubing, water skiing, kitesurfing and wake-surfing.
By comparison, when it comes to water sports, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 only tracks swimming and the Galaxy Watch Ultra tracks swimming, kayaking and rowing but neither offers a dedicated mode for surfing or snorkeling.
4. The screen is easy to read underwater
The T-Rex 3’s 1.5-inch screen was super-easy to read while underwater. (Hawaii’s clear waters helped, of course.) Likewise, with a maximum brightness of 2,000 nits, I had no trouble reading it in direct sunlight through my sea salt-crusted sunglasses.
By comparison, the Apple Watch 10, Galaxy Watch 7 and Pixel Watch 3 all boast the same max brightness as the T-Rex 3. However, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Galaxy Watch Ultra both top out at 3,000 nits.
5. Lots of buttons for easy navigation
I’m a big fan of smartwatches that combine touchscreen navigation with physical buttons. While the former is my preferred method for casually interacting with the device, buttons are superior when using the watch while working out, whether on land — sweat and touchscreens don’t mix — or in the water.
The four buttons on the Amazfit model are labeled via etching into the metal bezel, something I appreciate. With a different smartwatch on my wrist every other week, it’s easy to forget which buttons on which watches do what exactly.
The buttons on the T-Rex 3 also have a satisfying tactile response and feature a knurling pattern making them extra grippy.
6. Epic battery life
The last time I charged up the Amazfit T-Rex 3 was 18 days ago
As of today, the last time I charged up the Amazfit T-Rex 3 was 18 days ago, well before my trip. Despite a half dozen or more workouts recorded including not just my ocean activities but several hikes and long walks ranging from 30 minutes to several hours, I still have 41% battery remaining.
So if you’re like me and loathe lugging a zillion chargers with you on trips, this watch allows you to leave at least one at home.
7. Comfortable orange dive strap
This may seem like a minor thing but a watchstrap can make or break your experience with a wearable. This is particularly true when it comes to activities that involve a lot of wrist action, like surfing; planting your palms just below your rib cage is one of the first things you do when attempting to stand up on a surfboard.
Fortunately, the bright orange rubber strap that comes with the T-Rex 3 is quite comfortable. Not only is it soft and flexible but it also has plenty of stretch. Twin strap loops also ensure that it stays affixed to the wrist, no matter how badly you wipe out.
The color also made it easy for my partner to spot me while underwater. With a dozen or more other aquatic revelers exploring the reefs alongside us, telling one snorkeler from another proved challenging (for me, at least) but not for my girlfriend.
Additionally, should the device slip off your wrist — something that seems unlikely — the eye-catching hue should make it easy to spot on the seafloor.
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