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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. Also, consider using a [[Running With A Smartphone| Smartphone]]; if you already have one they are a cheap option and can have outstanding [[GPS Accuracy]]. (NoteFor a lighthearted look at running watches, check out [[If Running Watches were Sports Cars]]?=Upcoming Reviews=I have a Garmin 920XT and Polar M400 on pre-order and I'm about to start testing the Polar V800.)
=Summary of Features=
Here's a table of these features for each of the watches I recommend (all have GPS). For details of the meaning of each column see the reviews referenced in the table.
Most smartphones have a GPS built in and support various applications that allow them to function as sports watches. These phones can have remarkable levels of [[GPS Accuracy]] as well as many other advantages.
=If Running Watches were Sports Cars for Ultrarunning=While [[All models are wrong| all analogies are flawed]], they can sometimes be useful. This is Choosing a lighthearted look at what type of sports car each of the watches Iwatch for an ultramarathon requires some tradeoffs and there've reviewed would bes no simple answer. {| class="wikitable"|- valign="top"| style="height:150px; width:150px;" |[[File:Garmin310XTThe main factor is battery life, and some runners will want navigation.jpg|none|thumb|x150px|]] | style="height:150px; width:150px;" |* The [[File:Lotus_Elise.jpg|none|thumb|x150px|Garmin 310XT]]|- valign="top"|colspan="2"| , [[Garmin 310XT910XT]], Lotus Elise. While it's not the latest car, the Lotus Elise produced in the 2000's is a stunning automobile that surpasses many far more expensive and modern machines. It lacks the bells and whistles you might have come to expect, like electric windows, stability control, ABS, seat cushions, but it makes up for it in the driving experience. |- valign="top"|style="height:150px; width:150px;" |[[File:Garmin-910xt.jpg|none|thumb|x150px|]] |style="height:150px; width:150px;" |[[File:Lotus_Exige.jpg|none|thumb|x150px|]]|- valign="top"|colspan="Fenix 2" | [[Garmin 910XT]], Lotus Exige. The Lotus Exige is will show an updated version outline of the Elise, your run and while they appear identical, the subtle changes allow you to the Exige make it load a superior, but more expensive sports carcourse outline to follow. |- valign="top"|style="height:150px; width:150px;" |* The longest battery life that's available with good GPS is 20 hours with the [[File:Garmin610.jpg|none|thumb|x150px|Garmin 310XT]] |style="height:150px; width:150px;" |[[File:Mazda_Miata.jpg|none|thumb|x150px|]]|- valign="top"|colspan="2" | and [[Garmin 610910XT]], Mazda Miata. Like the 610If you need longer than 20 hours, the Miata which is far more than the sum of its partscommon in 100 mile races, you end up with some compromises. It offers good value * You can turn off GPS and use a wonderful overall experience. It's small size and light weight provide a sublime driving experience, even without the power. |- valign="top"|[[File:Polar_V800.jpg|none|thumb|x150px|Footpod]] |, which boost the battery life of the [[File:Ariel_Atom.jpg|none|thumb|x150px|Garmin 310XT]]|- valign="top"|colspan="2" | and [[Polar V800Garmin 910XT]], Ariel Atom. The Atom is a superlative track car, with outrageous power to weight ratio and a mechanical simplicity that lets it to one thing really wellseveral days. However, the Atom lacks many things that Obviously you might expect in a car, like roof or bodywork. The Atom might look to the uninitiated like a half-finished car, waiting to have the final parts added in. In the same way, lose navigation and while the V800 has superb GPS accuracy, but much of the expected functionality seems to be missing, leaving it feeling equally incomplete.|- valign="top"|a [[File:Iphone.jpg|none|thumb|x150px|Footpod]] |can be better than GPS, the Footpod does not do so well if you're taking [[File:Camaro.jpg|none|thumb|x150px|Walking Breaks]]|- valign="top"|colspan="2" | [[Running With A Smartphone| Smartphone]], Camaro Z/28. The Camaro Z/28 doesn't look like a sports car, and it's expensive for a Camaro ($75K), but its performance or running on the twisty single track is quite amazing. While it's stripped down, * Some watches can extend the Z/28 does have battery life by only taking a rear seat and some trunk space, so it's more versatile than many other sports carsGPS fix once per minute. You won't get This can be acceptable on a straight course like the attention Keys 100 or kudos of some of the other carsBadwater, but if all you care about is speed, this is for you. Have a read of Car & Driver's Lightning Lap in the Z/28 where they said "In Turn One, the Z/28 matched the Porsche 918 by posting 1it can be appalling on twisty trails.16 g's, the highest grip we've ever recorded in that corner."|- valign="top"|[[File:ambit2r.jpg|none|thumb|x150px|]] |[[File:VW_Golf_Gti.jpg|none|thumb|x150px|]]|- valign="top"|colspan="2" | ** The [[Suunto Ambit2 R]], Golf GTI. The GTI combines a good driving experience with flexibility gives 25 hours in extended mode and functionalitythe more expensive Ambit2 gives 50 hours. It's not the best sports carThere is some map capability, but it's one you can use not as a family car good as wellthe 310/910. |- valign="top"|** The [[File:TomTomCardioRunner.jpg|none|thumb|x150px|Polar V800]] |[[File:Hyundai_Veloster.jpg|none|thumb|x150px|]]|- valign="top"|colspan="2" | [[TomTom Cardio Runner]], Hyundai Veloster. The Veloster offers great styling and some unique featuresgives 50 hours in extended mode, but the overall result does not quite make it competitive with the better options mentioned here. Still, you have to applaud the innovationhas no map display.|- valign="top"|** The [[File:Garmin620.jpg|none|thumb|x150px|]] |[[File:Ferrari_458.jpg|none|thumb|x150px|]]|- valign="top"|colspan="Garmin Fenix 2" | [[Garmin 620]]will give 50 hours in extended mode, Ferrari 458 Italia. Like the 620, the 458 is elegant, effective, and desirable. However they both have a fatal flaw; the 620 but it has appalling serious [[GPS Accuracy]] and 458 bursts into flames and burns to the ground. They're both almost perfect, but sometimes almost is not enough. (In spite of the problems, I still love my 620 and I continue to seek a solution to its problemseven in normal mode.)|- valign="top"|[[File:Fenix2_A.jpg|none|thumb|x150px|]] |[[File:Lamborghini_Countach.jpg|none|thumb|x150px|]]|- valign="top"|colspan="2" | [[Garmin Fenix 2]], Lamborghini Countach. Even now, * You can extend the Countach looks like battery life a supercar of little by avoiding using the backlight or changing the future, but even in its heyday it was not a great sports cardisplay. In Showing the same way, map on the [[GPS Accuracy]] problems relegate Fenix 2 310/910 seems to being best looked at, not useddrain the battery quite fast. |- valign="top"|[[File:Garmin10.jpeg|none|thumb|x150px|]] |[[File:Ferrari_Daytona.jpg|none|thumb|x150px|]]|- valign="top"|colspan="2" | [[Garmin 10]], Miami ViceI's Ferrari Daytona. Sadly, while it looked like Sonny Crockett drove a 1972 Ferrari Daytona, in reality it was a fake based around a Corvette C3. In the same way, ve had 37+ hours out of the Garmin 10 looks like a GPS sports watch, but its [[GPS AccuracySuunto Ambit2 R]] tells you otherwise. |- valign="top"|[[File:Soleus10.jpg|none|thumb|x150px|]] |[[File:Toyota_Prius.jpg|none|thumb|x150px|]]|- valign="top"|colspan="2" | [[Soleus 1.0]]* Another option, Toyota Prius. Like depending on the Priusrace, the Soleus is cheap. And just as the Prius is a long way from a sports car, the Soleus is a long to have two watches and swap part way from being what you need in sports watchthrough. |- valign="top"|[[File:Motoactv.jpeg|none|thumb|x150px|]] |[[File:Tesla_Model_S.jpg|none|thumb|x150px|]]|- valign="top"|colspan="2" | [[Motorola Motoactv]], Tesla Model S. Like the Motoactv, the Tesla is * Some runners will recharge their watch during a technological marvelrace, with advantages but that seems to all the others listed here. The Tesla is an all-electric car that is safe and fast; the Motoactv is actually a miniature Android Tablet. However, both suffer from be more hassle than it'range anxiety' as their battery life is limiteds worth. |}