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{{DISPLAYTITLE:Best Running Watch, including Garmin, Polar, & Suunto}}
[[File:RunsWithGear.JPG|right|thumb|300px|I don't normally run with quite this much gear, but my testing involves running with multiple devices concurrently. For this run, I have; iPhone 5s (left arm), Garmin 310XT (left wrist), Garmin Fenix2 (left hand), Garmin 620 and [[Basis Activity Tracker]] (right wrist), Pebble SmartWatch (right hand), [[Best Running MP3 Player| my favorite music player, the ClipZip]] (belt), Garmin Running Dynamics Heart Rate strap (chest), [[Best Running Headphones| the wonderful Koss Portapro headphones]], Garmin footpod and temperature pod (on shoes, not shown). I'm gathering GPS Accuracy data on the Fenix2 and iPhone 5s, with the 310XT to act as a sanity check, the 620 giving a [[Cadence]] alert and the Basis because I always wear it.]]
This article is a concise guide to the best running watches available today at differing prices and functionality. As well as recommendations for the best watch, I also have a few that are worth considering in spite of their flaws, and some to avoid. For most runners my top choice is the {{Garmin 310XT}}, which is great value for money and has all the features you're likely to need. If that's too big and you want something more watch like, then the {{Garmin 610}} is great, and it's often available refurbished at a great price.
=Summary of Features=
* '''Heart Rate Variability'''. There is a growing interest in the possibility of using [[Heart Rate Variability]] (HRV) to evaluate training stress. While only one device will display HRV, there are several that will record HRV for later analysis.
* '''GPS Pre-cache'''. Some newer watches will download the predicted positions of the GPS satellites for faster initial acquisition. This pre-cache works remarkably well, and the data is usually downloaded automatically when the watch is connected to the internet. However, the data is only valid for a few days, so after that time the device will fall back to the usual approach of scanning for satellites.
=Recommended=
This section covers the watches I'd recommend as 'the best'. Which one is the best for you depends on your budget and requirements.