Which Wrist Watch?

I’m going to need* a new watch soon, my Apple Watch is dying and it was never that great.

I’m looking for a ‘sports smart watch’ to record Strava and, if possible, tell the time.

Garmin’s seem popular, but I can’t tell why some are as ‘cheap’ as £200 and some are £900.

*I don’t really need one.

The missus has one of the more basic Coros watches and loves it. It does GPS tracking, HR recording and telling the time. Isn’t a huge bulky thing. Has an easy to use interface. Just kind of works. I remember it being around £200 a couple of years back. I’ve used one of the posher Coros watches and found it easy to use and non-annoying with good burn time between charges.

Loads of people will be along in a moment to suggest various Garmin options, but I never got on with the UI of the Fenix I have lying around somewhere and it was an annoyingly bulky thing with lots of useless – to me – features.

Preferred the Coros Pace 2 to the Garmin Fenix 3HR I had before it.  Lighter, better on battery, seemed to pick up GPS better.

And cheap at £180

I still have the Coros in reserve, but the phone and music and Apple Pay on the Apple Ultra swayed me.

Needs charging every other day but I do like the AWUltra.

If you’re an Apple (phone) user, I’m afraid your best is an Apple watch

Garmin works best with Android – blame Apple

Samsung phone, then Samsung watches obviously interact very well (I currently have three and may be purchasing the new Ultra)

I’m looking for a ‘sports smart watch’ to record Strava and, if possible, tell the time.

Do you have your phone with you when you’re doing the thing that needs recording? If so, use that for Strava and get a proper watch for the time telling bit. You’ll get a lovely one for £200.

Buy one of these https://www.argos.co.uk/product/2533393

and something like this https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/garmin-edge-explore-cycling-gps-bike-computer/_/R-p-X8535222?mc=8535222

I’ve got a Garmin Forerunner but if/when it dies I’d get a Coros Pace 3 or whatever so i dont need to charge every week…

One of my kids has the Apple and I cant see how anyone can put up with charging every day

I got a cheap(ish) Garmin Fenix 6 pro solar last year. Seemed a bit chunky at first, but soon got used to it.

I like the maps, the health metrics and use it for all activities (cycling, running and walking) and it’s grand.

Not sure the solar brings much to the game but hey ho. Oh also I have no use from the pulse oxy sensor.

Lasts a week between charges and that’s recording about 12 hours of activity give or take.

Garmin instinct for battery life, more towards the sports than smart end of the spectrum.

Want something more apple like, Venu 2 SQ?

One of my kids has the Apple and I cant see how anyone can put up with charging every day

The same way they put up with charging their phones – they just get used to taking it off and placing it on a charging pad every night, just like there are people who won’t wear a watch to bed, they take it off at night, put it on again next morning. My phone goes on a bedside table every night, but generally gets charged every other night.

I don’t have an Apple Watch, I can’t justify the expense when I know I’m going to have to take it back to Apple for recycling and buy another in five years – when I’ve got watches I paid a great deal less for, and still work fine 40-50 years down the line.