What To Look For
Choosing the right sports watch can be intimidating. There are many different watches and levels of features. Standard features include: A chronograph (used to track time), a barometer (measures changes in air pressure and can be useful in predicting storms and weather patterns), an altimeter (displays altitude based on barometric readings and is good for tracking your vertical ascent and descent), a digital compass, a thermometer, a GPS system, a heart monitor and software and computer compatibility. The watch's waterproof rating, nighttime readability and display are also important considerations.
Common Pitfalls
Unless you're an endurance or competitive athlete, you probably won't use that expensive performance software package too often. Bear in mind that the thermometer on a watch will give you a mix of your body temperature and outside air. A watch compass is not as useful for navigation as a good analog compass. And an altimeter should be calibrated often and will be affected by changing weather.
Where To Buy
For accurate information and advice on watches, go to a store that fits the type of watch you're purchasing (running store, outdoor sports shop, etc.). REI and Backcountry stores have an excellent return policy. And if you're looking to save a few dollars, Backcountry and REI are good places to shop for deals, as are Campmor and Sierra Trading Post.
Cost
Cost varies greatly based upon the features you want. Basic digital and analog sports watches that give you the time, an alarm and a chronograph can be found for under $50. For more advanced functions like an altimeter, barometer, compass and or thermometer you're looking at anywhere from $150 to more than $300. Add on GPS or software and training tools and a watch will run you from $200 to $600 retail.
Comparison Shopping
Top brand names in sports watches include Suunto, High Gear and Garmin. Suunto offers the most diverse line, including the wrist-based GPS navigation system the X10 and a variety of extensive training tools. Suunto watches are among the most advanced, but also are more expensive than other digital sports watches. They're also rather large and bulky. High Gear makes very functional outdoor sports watches that are among the least expensive on the market. However, they offer less memory and advanced training tools than Suunto and sometimes their quality suffers. Garmin's Forerunner series watches are GPS-based training tools that use GPS to track stats like speed and distance. Forerunner watches also are a bit large and awkward, limiting their use as regular watches.
Accessories
Some sports watches offer separate attachments, such as foot pods and cadence sensors. The foot pod allows training tools to be used for indoor training where GPS is inaccessible. The cadence sensor enables the watch to double as a bike training tool.
