Swimming watches – any experience?

Anybody have any experience of swimming watches like the swimovate etc?

I really only need something so I can keep times as current pool helpfully has their pace clock in a position where you can’t see it at the end of the pool. But thought that something that looked at stroke count etc. might be quite interesting.

Do they work well or are they a bit of a gimmick?

Ideally I’d like something that would let me do sets of say 100 off 1:45 without having to do any calculations but I’m not sure if they do this. I can only find reference to setting a specific rest period between sets.

Can’t help on the last question, since the little bundle of joys arrived I haven’t swam a length and also I forgotten much of what I used to know. I can remember however that the stroke count does indeed work pretty well on the swimovate and that it can count lengths pretty accurately.

May need a swimming watch to venture outside if it keeps on raining. 🙂

Garmin swim here. Does what you want (I only use it to keep track of lengths cos I can’t breath and count at the same time) but it also identifies stroke type, counts strokes and calculates swolf score if that also floats your boat.
I didn’t really look at the alternative brands as I use a 310xt and an 800 also so having all my training data on Garmin connect is useful.

Ive got a swimovate poolmate. Had it for 2 years and very pleased, really well used 3 to 4 times a week for sessions upto 5 miles in duration, and still going strong.

However, im about to get a sunnto ambit 2, as it does the openwater measurements too. Costs alot more than a swimovate, but if you want to get into openwater, may be worth considering. It has excellent reviews.

but for 70 quid the poolmate is excellent.

as above i use the swimovate – fantastic watch.

Can someone with a swimovate do me a favour and measure what circumference it is on the smallest setting. I have tiny wrists, rules out things like the garmin I think.

Looks like my wrists might be too weedy for a swimovate unless you can add extra holes smallest setting the watch goes down to is 14.5cm

My kids used to swim competitively and I never saw anyone with a swim watch, the whole concept of having something on your wrist creating drag seems alien to the sport. The kids all used to use the timing clock on the wall and then do the lengths required. Admittedly they had a swim coach on the side. They would judge their performance/fitness by timed lengths at race pace whether that was 100, 200, 400, 800. It seemed to me the volume of work was more important than whether the training was a second or 10 faster/slower than usual.

OP why not spend the money on joining a racing swimming club ?

I already swim with a club* but I’m currently working away and can only make one session a week so I need to do some sessions on my own.

The pool I’m swimming at has a pace clock but it’s obscured by the pool covers, so I need another timing method hence looking at watches.

*anything requiring consistent pace and I make sure I’m not at the front 🙂

I finally got one last week and first test today and now have some pretty graphs 🙂

Was spot on for front crawl, didn’t manage to work out the breaststroke lengths though.

I just used a standard G-Shock which has proved itself to be the most reliable watch on earth.
I count lengths in my head and check on the ti,e every now and again but to be honest, once I’m in the pool only lengths matter.

If seeing the pace clock at your pool is an issue, you might be interested in my PaceWatch[/url]. It’s essentially an analog pace clock on your wrist. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Phillip Luebke
Founder
Brilliant Swim

I have a poolmate, it works. Mostly.

I certainly have proven myself too thick to keep count of my own accord so it’s quite handy.