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A good running watch can provide valuable information while you run, as well as automating your [[The importance of a training log|training log]]. This article is a concise guide to the best running watches available todayat differing prices. It does not attempt to cover every watch on the market, but it does call out some to avoid. __NOTOC__

* '''GPS.''' GPS provides an easy measure of how far you've run, which is critical for your training. While it is possible to map out a run afterwards, this tends to be tedious and is typically less accurate than GPS.

* '''Waterproofing.''' Even if you don't swim, having good waterproofing is important to prevent your watch being destroyed by the rain or sweat. * '''Current pace from a [[FootPod]].''' A [[FootPod]] can be used to provide [[Cadence]] and in some watches it can also provide pace and distance. Unlike GPS, [[FootPod]]s need to be calibrated to provide accurate pace/distance. * '''[[Heart Rate Monitor]].''' [[Heart Rate]] is important information when training, though it is important to understand the limitations of heart rate based training. Having a [[Heart Rate Monitor]] that will record your heart rate is particularly valuable for evaluating your training. The heart rate strap that goes across your chest can be intrusive and sometimes can chafe. Polar heart rate monitoring is far better than the Garmin equivalent. * '''Data Upload.''' The ability to record your workout and store it in a training log such as [[Dailymile]] or [[SportTracks]] is vital. All of the recommended watches here have that ability. I'd strongly advise even a new runner to store their data so that they can look back over the months and years to understand their progress. A watch that can upload to a PC makes recording your workouts much easier.* '''Battery Life.''' How much battery life you need depends on how long you run for. It's best to have a watch that will last quite a bit longer than your longest run.* '''Altimeter. '''An altimeter will measure the atmospheric pressure and give you altitude. This is more accurate than GPS, but will require calibration to adjust for weather related pressure changes. Here's a table of these features foe each of the watches I recommend (all have GPS). {| class="wikitable"!Watch!!Waterproofing!!Pace from FootPod!!Heart Rate Monitor!!Data Upload!!Battery Life!!Altimeter|-|Motorola Motoactv||Water resistant with care||No||Yes||Limited||Poor (3-6hr)||No|-|Garmin 310XT||Yes||Yes||Yes||Yes||Good (20hr)||No|-|Garmin 610||Yes||Yes||Yes||Yes||Fair (8hr)||No|-|Garmin 910XT||Yes||Yes||Yes||Yes||Good (20hr)||Yes|-|Soleus 1.0||Yes||No||No||No||Fair (8hr)||No|-|}

* The Motoactv will display a true map of the area, showing the street layout, which is a huge improvement over the breadcrumb display of the Garmin watches. If you could upload a route then this would be great for running in a new city. I found this feature wonderful when running in Krakow, Poland, and it allowed me to take circular routes rather than sticking to out and backs.

* The battery life of the Motoactv is quite poor compared with other devices. If you use Bluetooth headphones and use the default setting the battery is dead in 3 hours. With no Bluetooth and the 'extended battery' setting it should last for 6 hours. This is probably plenty for most runners, but you have to remember to shut it down after each run or plug keep it plugged in. If you leave it unplugged and not shutdown , as the battery will run down fast. (To shutdown, press and hold the power button, then follow the menuseems to drain faster than I would expect.)

* The Motoactv will support a [[FootPod]], including the [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=BestWatchFootpod&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FGarmin-Foot-Pod-Retail-Packaging%2Fdp%2FB00264GKVQ Garmin FootPod], and it can use the FootPod to show your pace/distance. This only works if you select to run outdoors, which turns the GPS off. The bigger problem is that there is no way of calibrating the Foodpod, so there is usually an error (for me it was out by 7%). The Motoactv does have an internal sensor that can be calibrated, but this does not work for the FoodPod. The Motoactv will use the FootPod to display your [[Cadence]], but I found the Cadence display to vary widely; my Garmin would show a steady cadence value when the Motoactv was swinging widely. 

* The GPS is more accurate than earlier watches, and has a faster startup time. (It uses the SiRFstar III with Instafix, one of the latest GPS chipsets)