Best Sports Watches
Lillian Davies reviews several sports watches that have smart functions.
A hybrid sports watch can endure several rough conditions. To an excellent degree, such timepieces are resistant to dust, scratch, and of course, water. Size-wise, a hybrid watch should be fit comfortably on the wrist of its wearer. Also, it must be easy to carry or to jog with on your wrist; hence the weight of the watch is another significant factor.
While some of these watches have chronograph functions like a stopwatch, others come with added functionality that is similar to smart devices. Smart functions include the capacity to receive smartphone notifications and listen to music, as well as the ability to connect via Wi-fi or Bluetooth.
Nearly all features of a hybrid sports watch include a pedometer, heart rate monitors, and activity trackers. Also, some smart sports timepiece can gauge barometric pressure, or has a gyroscope (technology to maintain or measure rotational motion).
Why Purchase Hybrid Timepieces?
Hybrid wristwatches usually come in a classic-looking form but with an additional dial showing data such as battery life, hours slept, steps taken, including notifications from our mobile device, which connects through Bluetooth.
With the function of an onboard accelerometer, your timepiece can log all your activities, such as walking, running, swimming, and cycling. Besides, some hybrid watches come with a vibration motor to help you wake up using a silent alarm or alert you when there is a notification on your smartphone.
Furthermore, a significant bonus of such timepieces is their battery life, which you can typically measure in weeks, months, or years. Although some smart sports timepieces accept regular watch batteries, other models need weekly recharging. Here are some of the best hybrid timepieces.
Withings Move
For budget-conscious people, the Move smartwatch by Withings is the ideal activity and fitness tracking timepiece for you since it comes with a consumer-friendly price of below $100.
This hybrid watch provides an elegant design, a waterproof body, reliable sleep-and-fitness tracking features, as well as a great battery life that can last for at least a year of battery replacement.
Additionally, this smart sports watch can track your daily progress and enables you to view all activity and sleep tracking information collected by the timepiece.
Withings Steel HR Sport
This multi-sport hybrid smartwatch by Withings is a stainless steel wristwatch with a traditional look that has an excellent set of activity and fitness tracking capabilities.
These smart functions include keeping logs of your sleep patterns and workouts, as well as the ability to monitor heart rate continuously through its built-in sensor.
What wristwatch enthusiasts like about this hybrid watch is the integration of its circular display into the timepiece's dial. Also, it shows significant smartphone notifications and fitness tracking information without too much distraction.
The Withings Steel HR Sport can last up to 25 days before recharging and can withstand an underwater pressure of approximately 50 meters, which is ideal for swimming activities.
Fitbit Ionic
The Fitbit Ionic is probably the most competent fitness-tracking hybrid wristwatch today. It comes with a unique set of sleep and activity tracking features, which include a GPS, an accurate cardiac rate monitor, and the capacity to deliver guided exercises.
Fitbit Ionic is also waterproof, so if you are into swimming, then this smart sports watch is ideal for you. Plus, this hybrid wristwatch is capable of storing apps, receiving smartphone notifications, and making payments, too. The company Fitbit can also offer several interchangeable bands for your Ionic.
Garmin Fēnix 5 Sapphire
Garmin's Fēnix 5 Sapphire is a multisport watch line that has the face of a luxurious wristwatch.
This fitness watch has a band and stainless steel case that is capable of resisting a 100-meter underwater pressure. Also, it comes with a sapphire crystal (that is scratch-resistant) to cover the watch's display.
Casio G-Shock GBA800
Although not as popular as Casio Pro Trek, this G-Shock model by Casio comes with an included fitness tracker that you can sync anytime with your mobile device through a Bluetooth connection. This effect helps you to keep tabs on your daily fitness routine and step count in a user-friendly mobile application.
Suunto 9
This fitness timepiece by Suunto has an extensive list of functions, which include a built-in cardiac rate monitor, GPS, and a water resistance of up to 100 meters.
Plus, due to its adjustable batter mode, Suunto 9 can deliver up to 2 hours of continuous fitness tracking capability.
Suunto 9 can also track and detect at least 80 activities and sports, which include cycling and swimming. Moreover, it is available in many colours and can sync with your mobile device for notification purposes.
Mondaine Helvetica 1
Mondaine is a well-known name for producing timepieces that resemble its traditional Swiss railway clock. However, the Helvetica series is different because it is Mondaine's first hybrid timepiece.
Compatible with both Android and iOS, the features of Helvetica 1 include sleep and activity tracking, which you can send to your smartphone through a companion app. Also, there is a dial on the face of this timepiece that displays the number of steps you took for your goal.
Garmin Vívoactive 3
This hybrid watch by Garmin is an excellent choice as it comes with a big colour screen that is undoubtedly simple to read with a quick look.
Vital features of the Vivoactive 3 include an in-built GPS for precise route mapping for the wearer's running activities, and the capacity to deliver mobile device notifications. Also, you can install applications and secure mobile payments using the timepiece. Lastly, the Vivoactive 3 by Garmin can endure a week before it needs recharging.
Misfit Command
An elegant timepiece that is available in a multitude of colours, Misfit Command might feature an intricate dial at first look. Still, it will make perfect sense with continuous use.
The second will display how many steps you made for your goal, while you can configure the buttons to control a series of functions on your mobile device, such as taking a photo, playing, pausing music, and playback.
As the Fossil Group owns the Misfit, several key features of this watch resemble those from other affiliates of the group. Moreover, the Misfit Command is also water-resistant up to 50 meters deep and has a battery life of a year. This sports smartwatch by Misfit is indeed stylish and a very capable hybrid timepiece.
To Conclude
In this modern-day age, having a functional accessory is undoubtedly helpful for us to keep up with modern trends while staying physically healthy. If you are a person who is into technology, fashion, and fitness, then a hybrid timepiece is the best accessory for your wrist.
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- DAVIES, L. (2019) Best Sports Watches [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/article503.htm [Accessed
About the Author
Lillian Davies is a freelance writer.