The Best GPS Watches in 2018

For any individual who is serious about their health and well-being, GPS running watches can be a game changer amid the many health and fitness tracking technology devices we, as consumers, feel the need to own these days. While GPS running watches can be expensive, they are a wise investment, and usually end up costing much less than your usual smartphone or tablet. GPS watches in 2018 have so many added functions and tracking features. They are multi-sport machines that can pair with smart phones, Bluetooth headphones, running shoes, chest straps, and more, making them an accessory to make you a better runner. Whether you’re an athlete or simply want to track your daily activities and calories burned, the wide variety of GPS watches can do the trick. Let’s take a closer look at the best options on the market.

The TomTom Spark 3 GPS Watch is one of the more affordable GPS watches. It is a great sport watch, because it features a large display that is easy to see with a quick glance while on the run. The watch can track both runner specifications and daily activity measurements, so it is perfect for all day wear. For daily activity measurements, it tracks steps, active minutes, distance, calories burned, and sleep. For running, it tracks speed, pace, distance, calories burned, duration, and in conjunction with your phone, can leave a breadcrumb trail or work with preloaded trails. This watch has an activity tracking battery life of up to three weeks, and it works on its GPS for up to 11 hours. It even stays waterproof for depths of up to 130 feet. Of course, it also tracks basics such as heart rate as well.

GPS watches in 2018 have begun to up the ante, and Garmin has outdone itself with the Garmin Forerunner 645 Music. Not only does this GPS watch have a super sleek design, making it trendy to wear all day long, but it can store up to 500 songs on the watch itself. There is no longer any need to bring your phone along when working out or playing sports. You can go hands free with this watch. It also offers advanced metrics and tracking features for all sports such as cycling, swimming, and recreational activities. Garmin has a great system set up for runners when it comes to their GPS watches, and this watch is no different. The watch can track mileage, including splits and pace, cadence, elevation, and time spent in your heart rate zone. This watch also gives you a post-run recovery analysis. This watch is a little pricier, but with all the bells and whistles, it might be well worth the money spent.

The Nike+ Sport Watch GPS is a great option for runners, because it can map your runs both indoors and outdoors. Nike running shoes are also compatible with this watch. Even if the GPS signal gets interrupted on this watch, it will continue to track your accurate speed and distance. This GPS watch shows mapped routes, tracks your heart rate, can mark laps ran, and of course, tracks calories burned. It will keep a log of your last 50 runs and your personal records to keep you motivated and on track with your goals. Automatic run reminders will hold you accountable for when you start to slip on your regular run schedule as well. This is one of the best GPS running watches in 2018, because it links with Nikeplus.com and the Nike+ phone app to view your stats off your wrist later. It can send you smartphone notifications as well. The battery is easily rechargeable via USB cord and it is water resistant, too!

The Apple Watch Series 3 is priced right around other competitor GPS watches in 2018 at $342.99. It is a pricey watch, but with the Apple brand connected to it, this watch is without a doubt a best seller. The series 3 Apple watch differs from its past versions, because it has LTE included, meaning it can do a lot of the things the iPhone can do without Wi-Fi. While it still is not a replacement for your iPhone, this watch works in conjunction with your iPhone to bring you amazing convenience and excellent fitness and activity tracking all in one. It does what other GPS watches will do, while also giving you the added benefits of the best smartwatches on the market. It can stream your Apple Music, which is super helpful when on the run. Of course, this watch has the classic specs such as Bluetooth capability and Siri. Apple is a trusted brand with excellent tech products and the Apple Watch does not disappoint.

If you like to do things in style, the Suunto Spartan Sport Watch might just be the best GPS watch in 2018 for you. It is a mixture of elegance and high technology at its finest. Seeing as most fashion wrist watches can be quite expensive and all they do is tell time, the Suunto Spartan HR BARO can end up saving the fashion connoisseur plenty of money on needing a separate sport watch. The Suunto does everything your typical GPS watch does such as tracking your daily activity and fitness specs. But also, it will measure your altitude with its barometer altimeter, total ascent and descent, vertical speed, temperature, and recovery time needed after a workout. It monitors sleep quality and functions as a compass as well. This watch does it all while remaining sleek. A jack of all trades, but you’ll pay a hefty price for it.

The Polar M400 is a well-priced GPS running watch. This watch has received great customer reviews and features a very sporty look. This watch gives athletes all the basics they need in an easy to use interface. The GPS keeps track of distance, pace, and altitude, while the fitness tracker monitors calories burned, sleep quality, workouts, and steps. The watch is waterproof, and it is compatible with the H7 heart rate chest strap monitor to keep you in your target range. Polar also has a smartphone app that works with the watch to track your progress over time. Smartphone notifications will keep you in check and on top of your goals. This watch is a solid option that keeps things simple and easy to navigate.

The VivoActive HR by Garmin is a great GPS watch in 2018 at a mid-level price point. It is meant to be worn all day, because it measures both daily activities and fitness activity. The HR sensor can very accurately measure calories burned, which is a great feature of this GPS watch. Also, this watch is waterproof and includes a very long battery life. It has a sleek and flat-faced design that will work with all clothing trends. All around, the VivoActive is a great choice for an all-day fitness watch.

The Ambit 3 Peak by Suunto is a GPS watch in 2018 specially made for hikers. This watch includes features such as a barometer altimeter, a compass, and a thermometer. This watch has a very long battery life to accommodate hikers going long distances, and it also has Bluetooth capability to connect to smartphones and tablets with the Suunto Movescount Application. This watch also has activity based recovery time and measures your speed, pace, and distance. This watch is pricey, but worth the money for the any serious outdoors fanatic.

The Ionic by FitBit is a multisport GPS watch that has many features such as a heart rate monitor, altimeter, accelerometer, and gyroscope. This watch can track many different sports such as biking, running, and swimming. It even has a coach feature, which will take you through bodyweight workouts. It has a very stylish design, which makes it perfect for daily wear. It is priced similarly to many other GPS watches on the market today. FitBit is a competitive brand in the fitness scene, and this product is a great choice for a GPS watch.

The Gear Sport by Samsung is a reasonably priced GPS watch. It has a simple and stylish interface with a range of both lifestyle and fitness features such as elevation, heart rate, step count tracking, and more. It has a great auto-pause feature for runs, where it can sense stops at red lights or any other impromptu pauses. This watch also provides access to Spotify, which is a great bonus!

These GPS watches in 2018 are excellent choices for both athletes and everyday users. Depending on your price range, style, and fitness goals, one watch may stand out over the rest. Head over to Amazon to compare what others are saying!