“6 Best Triathlon Watches” sold in the Year 2019
I recently started running along with cycling. I wanted to get a smartwatch which can record more than what STRAVA records in my mobile phone. Few of my friends who are triathlete introduced me to the world of triathlon watches. The question was which One?
For people who are new to triathlon, let me explain what does it mean. In simple terms, Triathlon is an activity that combines swimming, cycling, and running in one event. In order to track your stats be it the distance, speed, cadence heart rate and even altitude you need a top-notch gear which corresponds to triathlon watches.
There are many smartwatch manufacturers in the market in the sports domain. However, only a few give you important body stats which amalgamated with top-notch technology.
Let try to see the top manufacturers such as Nike, Casio, Timex, Suunto, Polar, and Garmin, and their ranking as per the user feedback which I took from different sports social platforms. So let’s take a look at the best watches for this year.
Garmin forerunner 935
I have a lot of friends who compete into triathlons on a regular basis. Most of them are inclined towards Garmin. Why would they not, let’s look at the impressive specifications of this triathlon watch which has inbuilt GPS.
- Watch mode batter backup: 14 Days
- Weight: 49 grams
- GPS enabled battery backup: 1 day
Not the above, but it comes with removable bands which you can regularly change. This comes in handy when you are competing in events that require you to wear their customized bands. The advantage with this watch is that it comes with top-notch measurement metrics. Furthermore, with a built-in biomechanical measurement and heart rate monitoring, Garmin has proven once again that they are the leaders in the market.
The only disadvantage that I could find was the watch being too expensive. However, on the contrary, it’s a onetime investment and that too worthwhile for serious athletes.
Some more specifications for professionals:
Price:
Just watch: $499.99 and in India: INR 43,000
Watch plus Bundle: $650
Now in case you are wondering what bundle comes with the watch for which you are being charged extra take a look below the bundle pieces of equipment.
- Premium GPS running/triathlon watch with wrist-based heart rate
- Offers advanced running and multisport Features in a comfortable watch you can wear all day, and it only weighs 49 grams
- Provides elevation changes with a built-in barometer; altimeter and electronic compass help you keep your bearings
- COMPACT AND COMFORTABLE – HRM-Tri is the smallest and lightest heart rate monitor from Garmin. Designed with rounded edges and no exposed seams, the strap remains comfortable during extended hours of training.
- SWIM HEART RATE1 – Stores up to 20 hours of heart rate data during swims, then forwards it to a compatible device at the end of the session. It also sends real-time heart rate to the watch when the monitor is out of the water
- RUNNING DYNAMICS2 – Provides feedback on running form by measuring cadence, vertical oscillation and ground contact time when paired with a compatible device
Though the Forerunner 935 is waterproof, its optical heart rate monitor still doesn’t work underwater, so you’ll need the HRM-Tri or HRM-Swim straps to get data about your ticker while swimming.
TomTom Spark 3
This is an upgrade from TomTom. The main features of this triathlon watch are its cardio stats tracking ability and inbuilt music memory. Let’s take a look at its features.
- This watch allows you to store up to 500 songs and has a built-in memory of 3GB
- This watch also has a heart rate monitor
- It comes with a Bluetooth headset which can be connected with your TomTom watch and phone
- This watch is waterproof up to 40 meters.
The Spark 3 tracks all your cardio activities throughout the day by recording live statistics. Whether you run to work, jump over a puddle of muddy water, take a quick nap in the office or walk your dog in the evening, the watch keeps track. It will keep tabs of your heart rate, calories burnt, active minutes or steps taken. That’s not all, expect a live stats GPS tracking.
Price:
USD: $270.00
India: INR 25,000 (Approx.)
Some more specifications
- Bluetooth Music Player & Wireless Headphones: Included Bluetooth sport headphones have contoured ear hooks, are sweat and waterproof, last for up to 4 hours, and pair with your Spark and phone simultaneously
- Waterproof Sports Watch: Multisport Mode tracks all your indoor and outdoor sports, including every run, cycle, swim and gym workout
- GPS Running Watch and Activity Tracker: Measures time, distance, speed, pace, calories burned and sleep. Coming soon, pick from over 50 workouts and get step by step guidance on the watch to help you achieve your goals
- GPS Watch with Advanced Features: 24/7 activity tracking, phone notifications, waterproof up to 40M and customizable straps
- Route exploration: Discover new routes, push your boundaries and never run the same route twice
The only downside about the watch is that it may not provide you with metrics as detailed as a Garmin.
SUUNTO Spartan Ultra HR
SUUNTO which is luxury sports manufacturer based out of Finland came out with this triathlon watch as a successor of Suunto multisport and Ambit watch. This model is as luxurious as it is handy. Let’s look at some key features.
- It has a battery life of 26 hours
- It has a coloured touch screen
- Comes with barometric altitude
- This watch is water resistant up to 100 meters
Price:
USD: $439.99
India: INR 57,770
Some more bundle specifications
- Suunto Spartan watches use a state-of-the-art colour touchscreen with a wide viewing angle that offers great visibility outdoors, even in direct Sunlight
- With 80 Sports modes pre-installed in the watch, Suunto Spartan watches are ready to go for nearly any kind of activity right out of the box
- For demanding adventures, Suunto Spartan Ultra comes with up to 26H battery life with good GPS tracking accuracy
- Includes built-in altimeter, barometer, compass and GPS with 100-meter water resistance
- Connect Spartan Ultra with your smartphone to sync your activities, customize on the go and see calls and notifications on the watch.
Polar V800 GPS Triathlon Watch
This watch is ideal for swimmers. The watch also monitor’s an athlete’s cadence without aid whatsoever, of additional sensors. There is a universal bike mount that comes in the package. The polar will monitor all your cardio activities in in-depth details. Let’s look at some specifications.
- This watch keeps a track of heart rate even in water
- The watch is waterproof up to 30 meters
- Metrics are available for pool water and outdoor water both.
Price
USD: $499.95
India: INR 38,000 Approx.
Let look at some more bundle specifications.
- GPS SPORTS WATCH: Advanced multisport GPS Watch for serious sports enthusiasts and professional athletes who want to reach peak performance, the built-in GPS keeps track of your ride, run or hike measuring your speed, distance and route
- ADVANCED TRAINING WATCH: Create and customize profiles for different sports and get exactly the data and guidance you need for each activity
- FITNESS TRACKER: Combines training load with 24/7 activity data for true recovery status. Polar Flow web service compatibility with Mac OS X 10.6, OS X 10.7, OS X 10.8, or later, and PC Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 8, or later
- HEART RATE MONITOR INCLUDED: Use the Polar H7 heart rate sensor while training and even while swimming
- TRIATHLON WATCH: Compatibility with Bluetooth Smart running and cycling sensors provide even more details about your training. Compatible third-party power meters
Garmin Vivoactive HR Triathlon Watch
This Garmin watch is an all-rounder. It practically does everything which a TomTom mentioned in the second number do. Let’s look at some common features.
- It allows you to receive calls & social media notifications
- Give you important weather updates
- You can send texts
- Play music from the watch itself
- You can as well customize it with applications like Strava, Relive etc.
- Battery (made of lithium) life lasts up to about nine days
Price
USD: $150.00 Approx
India: INR 38,000 Approx.
Let’s look at some professional specifications here.
- Regular fit wrist circumferences 5.39″ to 7.68″ (137 to 195 mm), GPS smartwatch with a sunlight-readable, high-resolution colour touchscreen. Display size-28.6 mm x 20.7 mm.Display resolution:205 x 148 pixels
- 24/7 HEART RATE MONITORING – Elevate wrist heart technology gives you heart rate all day and night without an additional strap, Heart rate is not available while swimming
- LONG BATTERY LIFE – Up to 8 days in watch/activity tracking mode. Battery life: GPS mode: Up to 13 hours. Smartwatch mode: Up to 8 days
- SMART NOTIFICATIONS – Set any notification from your mobile device to display when paired with a compatible smartphone. Water rating:5 ATM, Compatible with Android 4.4 OS or Later, Bluetooth 4.0 or Later and AppleiOS 10.0 or Later,iPhone, iPad, iPod touch
The best news about it is that it is quite affordable compared to other watches mentioned.
Timex Full-Size Ironman Rugged 30 Triathlon Watche
This is the most affordable quality triathlon watch available in the market. It’s not feature packed as compared to its rivals but good for an athlete with a strict budget. Let’s look at some features that this watch has.
- It comes with 100 meters water resistance
- Bluetooth let you connect with your smartphone
- Runs a constant 24 hours timer and records every activity
Price
USD: $34
India: INR 4223
Let’s deep dive into more of its specifications and find out what more it does have to offer.
- Made in USA and Imported
- Bold Sport Design
- Sports Stopwatch with 30 Lap Memory
- Countdown Timer & Alarm
- Durable Resin Strap with Buckle Closure
- Indiglo Light-Up Watch Dial
- Water resistant to 100m (330ft): in general, suitable for swimming and snorkelling, but not diving
The only problem is not equipped with diverse features like other brands. However, or is quite reliable. It is ideal for an athlete with a strict budget.
Check out few Timex Watches.
So these were the best triathlon watches this year. Let me know in the comments which one are you buying? I would love your hear your triathlon journey. For any other information please drop a comment in the section below.
Sync these watches with popular fitness applications on mobile.
