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Fitness Watches

tiredretired

The Old Salt
SUPER Site Supporter
Anyone here spring the bucks for a fitness watch? I used to just use an Ironman and it was great, but this summer I got into doing a lot of walking / running and hiking the local trails. So I decided to get me the Garmin Fenix 2 I have wanted. Works great. What do you use?

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Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Anyone here spring the bucks for a fitness watch? I used to just use an Ironman and it was great, but this summer I got into doing a lot of walking / running and hiking the local trails. So I decided to get me the Garmin Fenix 2 I have wanted. Works great. What do you use?
I use a $129 "FitBit Charge" to count steps, it also counts how many flights of stairs I climb (or equivalent if I climb hills), tracks distance in miles (or km) and calories burned, and it has a watch function too, but it does NOT act as a GPS tracker.

I also have, and use a Tissot T Touch hiking model (now discontinued) that has an altimiter, barometer, thermometer, compass, blah blah blah. But it also does NOT act as a GPS.

If I were to buy one today I would seriously look at the GARMIN models as well as the SUUNTO models.
 

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Doc

Bottoms Up
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
I had fitbit and it died on my after a year or so. Having to charge it all the time was a hassle. Then I found an app already on my iPhone (Health) that counts steps and stairs and will graph output from days or weeks. Pretty slick. And since I normally have my iPhone on me it fits my lifestyle. I just have to have the iphone in my pants pocket when walking and it does the rest. Easy peezy and nothing extra to carry or wear. :thumb:
 

tiredretired

The Old Salt
SUPER Site Supporter
I use a $129 "FitBit Charge" to count steps, it also counts how many flights of stairs I climb (or equivalent if I climb hills), tracks distance in miles (or km) and calories burned, and it has a watch function too, but it does NOT act as a GPS tracker.

I also have, and use a Tissot T Touch hiking model (now discontinued) that has an altimiter, barometer, thermometer, compass, blah blah blah. But it also does NOT act as a GPS.

If I were to buy one today I would seriously look at the GARMIN models as well as the SUUNTO models.

Both very similar. I went with the Fenix2 because the Suunto Ambits do NOT have vibration alerts, while the Garmin does. This was a big factor in my decision as I have no hope of ever hearing those beep alerts.
 

tiredretired

The Old Salt
SUPER Site Supporter
When I looked, it was the Suunto CORE that I was interested in. But I have not looked at any of them recently ==>> http://www.suunto.com/en-US/Sports-...Branded-Category>Product&utm_term=suunto core

The core is a very nice watch, but it did not have the GPS that I wanted. It is strictly an ABC watch. The Suunto Ambits are the ones that have GPS.

The new Ambit 3 and Fenix 3 also have GLONASS (Russian GPS) as well as American GPS. That is nice too. The other nice thing is these watches have selectable positive and negative display. Mine does not. :glare:

I did a lot of research pursuing the associated forums before I made my decision. Sometimes I just overthink things. Ultimately it comes down to personal preference.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Yeah, I'm not as up to date on this stuff as you are.

What features does your watch have? Step counter? Distance tracker? Obviously has GPS.

I bought my Tissot back before the GPS functions were available in watches. I think Garmin may have had 1 watch that had it a few years ago, but if I recall correctly it had to be recharged daily? I was looking for something that didn't require that much effort.

Maybe I'm old, but I actually use paper maps!!!

When I go on my cross Spain hike of 500 miles, I am not sure if I will wear my FitBit or my Tissot. Leaning toward the FitBit. It requires recharging once a week and tracks my steps, miles, inclines, which is more interesting to me than the compass function or altimiter on my Tissot.

But with the Tissot and a paper map I can pretty much pinpoint my position because that altimeter function, plus my surroundings, plus a map with elevation marks works pretty well.
 

tiredretired

The Old Salt
SUPER Site Supporter
Yeah, I'm not as up to date on this stuff as you are.

What features does your watch have? Step counter? Distance tracker? Obviously has GPS.

I bought my Tissot back before the GPS functions were available in watches. I think Garmin may have had 1 watch that had it a few years ago, but if I recall correctly it had to be recharged daily? I was looking for something that didn't require that much effort.

Maybe I'm old, but I actually use paper maps!!!

When I go on my cross Spain hike of 500 miles, I am not sure if I will wear my FitBit or my Tissot. Leaning toward the FitBit. It requires recharging once a week and tracks my steps, miles, inclines, which is more interesting to me than the compass function or altimiter on my Tissot.

But with the Tissot and a paper map I can pretty much pinpoint my position because that altimeter function, plus my surroundings, plus a map with elevation marks works pretty well.

I could not agree more on the importance of having paper maps. :clap:

Interesting thing on the GPS watches is there is a tracback feature that when activated will retrace your steps back to the point you started. Usually within 20 feet or so. That is nice if when hiking bad weather rolls in and somehow you get yourself turned around. Along with a map, you should be A-OK.

I love fine watches and that Tissot is a beautiful piece. Swiss made if I'm correct.

BTW, my Garmin will go about 5 weeks on watch mode. Less depending on how much you use GPS and Bluetooth. I use my GPS all the time when walking so I end up recharging about once every 10 days or so.
 

JuliaFord

New member
At this moment i do not have, but i am going to buy one for me. I like your watch it is so nice and you really do good sport, I am doing fitness in the morning.
 
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