IF YOU’RE AN outdoor enthusiast, then it would be wise to have a dedicated outdoor watch. An outdoor watch provides tools like GPS, a compass, a barometer and altimeter, and a heart rate monitor to help you situate yourself with the natural world. The best outdoor watches these days are under $1,000 and come in smartwatch form, but there are also a few useful outdoor watches that exist as a hybrid smartwatch or an analog watch.
Remember, most outdoor watches provide double duty as a rugged fitness tracker. If your hobbies include hiking, camping, trail running, kayaking, mountain biking, etc, then an outdoor watch is right up your alley.
The Best Outdoor Watches
- Best Outdoor Watch OverallGarmin fenix 7 Pro Solar EditionRead more
- Best Outdoor Watch for IPhone UsersApple Watch Ultra 2Read more
- The Toughest Outdoor WatchCasio G-Shock Rangeman GPRH1000-9Read more
What to Consider When Buying an Outdoor Watch
When buying an outdoor watch, it’s important to first start by taking inventory of which activities you plan on using your new device for. Do you need an outdoor watch to track your endurance training or extreme sports? Do you need an outdoor watch for camping or hiking? Understanding your wearing habits can tell if you need a more basic outdoor watch as opposed to a more advanced outdoor watch (think $500+).
Case
When it comes to selecting an outdoor watch, the case is one of the most important options to consider. The physical housing for your watch, the case needs to be tough, lightweight and large enough to provide space for an easily-readable display. Top of the line outdoor watches will have steel or titanium cases, while most mid-range and affordable options will be made of plastic or resin. A lot of the benefits of wearing an outdoor-specific watch come from what is housed in the case, but without a sturdy case, your watch won’t live long enough to provide you with any insights.
Battery Life
Perhaps the most important consideration when it comes to an outdoor watch is battery life. A watch is no good for exploration if it dies after a few hours, right? The best battery life generally comes with the most expensive watches, as it takes a lot of power to keep GPS, heart rate, mapping and music all going at once. In our opinion, the higher price is worth the better battery—getting halfway done with your activity only to realize you don’t know what time it is or where you’re going is literally a life and death situation.
Further, for true endurance adventurers (or those who hate finding a charging point), opting for a solar-powered watch is an absolute no brainer. Most of them will last for days, even in the dark, and just need a few hours to greatly extend their power output. As watches get more complicated and provide more details, batteries have to evolve, too, and for now, solar is the best way for your tech to outlast you.
Water Resistance
Outdoor watches are almost all built with the intention of being worn into harsh conditions. Withstanding sweat is just the beginning. Rain, snow, bodies of water and even high humidity can affect the performance of a technical piece of equipment like your outdoor watch, so it’s imperative to find one that can handle whatever wetness comes its way. The industry standard is for a watch to withstand water as deep as 100 meters, which is plenty for most aquatic adventures, barring some SCUBA depths. At that level of waterproofing, the watch will be able to withstand any adventures on dry land, whether you’re caught in a summer monsoon or deep winter blizzard.
How We Selected
We update our roundup of outdoor watches seasonally, so you can expect the our information takes into account the latest watch releases. When comparing outdoor watches, our editors and writers look at factors such as comfort, user-friendliness, battery life, GPS tracking, materials used, and more. We also consider price, as some outdoor watches provide better overall value than others. While there’s never one “best” outdoor watch, the list below represents our honest picks of some of the best outdoor watches worth buying in 2024. Keep scrolling to learn more.
Best Outdoor Watch Overall
Garmin fenix 7 Pro Solar Edition
$800 at REI$800 at Amazon$800 at GarminCredit: Men’s Health
Pros
- Multiple size options make it suitable for any wrist
- Five versions allow you to get as much or as little as you need
- 11+ sport modes built in, including running, cycling, golfing, skiing and more
- Offers daily workout options based on your fitness level
- Monitors recovery and advanced sleep metrics
- Utilizes GPS, GLONASS and Galileo location systems
- Customizable bands don’t require tools to change out
Cons
- All these features come at a pretty high cost
- Can only be charged with proprietary Garmin cable
WIth three case sizes, five trim levels with varying price points, and a handful of delightful color options, the Garmin fenix is the outdoor watch we’d recommend to anyone trying to make the most of their adventures. Specifically, we recommend the Pro 7 Solar, which has a battery capable of lasting a whopping 57 hours in full GPS mode—plenty of time to complete a multi-day backpacking trip, an ultramarathon or your bike club’s latest century ride.
You get all the basic stats like heart rate, distance, calories, and a GPS map. But then you also get a bunch of more interesting stats like cadence, stride length, fastest mile, ground contact time, and time spent in each heart rate zone. You even load your own music onto the watch for phone-free listening.
There’s also a lot to love with when using the fenix for weight lifting sessions. Hitting the “Strength” mode gives you timer that keeps you on track, breaking down each working set my working sets—it attempts to count your reps, but this feature was a little buggy at times. The best highlight of the strength mode is it counts your rest time, which helps ensure proper rest while also keeping you from getting distracted.
If you’re an outdoor multi-hyphenate who wants a watch for every activity (including sleeping), this is the one.
| Case | 42mm, 47mm, 51mm |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 11 days on smartwatch mode, 57 hours on full GPS mode, 38 days in battery save |
| Water Resistance | 10 atm (100 meters) |
Best Outdoor Watch for IPhone Users
Apple Watch Ultra 2
$799 at Best BuyCredit: Men’s Health
Pros
- Sleek adventure watch design
- Can be used as a dive watch up to 100 meters
- Especially fun to use in outdoor activity modes (like hiking and trail running)
- Siren for emergencies and water temp sensor
- Highly underrated durability
- Can customize the watch band easily
Cons
- Blood oxygen monitoring removed for the time being
- Popular colors sell out fast
- Blood oxygen monitoring removed for the time being
The regular Apple Watch is decent for outdoor adventures, but the Ultra 2 is designed specifically with sport in mind. A titanium case makes it incredibly tough, resistant to scratches and dings that we expect to happen when venturing outdoors, while the ultra-bright display is visible even in direct sunlight—a huge boon when you find yourself in high-exposure areas.
As you’d expect from Apple, the watch is full of ingenious tech and utilizes a processor capable of handling all sorts of real time data. The S9 SiP chip is one of Apple’s most innovative yet, allowing for zero-touch control—just double tap your pointer finger and thumb to control the watch without getting sweat on the screen. Another awesome feature of the Ultra 2: zone heart rate monitoring for training.
Added tools like a dive rating up to 100 meters, a barometer, a compass, and an emergency SOS system gives the Ultra 2 legs to stand on in the outdoor watch space. The Ultra 2 appeals to Apple users only, of course, but it makes sense to those who want a multi-functional watch they can wear all day, every day.
Editor’s Note: Apple has been sued by California-based Masimo over potential patent infringement of its blood-oxygen monitoring technology, though the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has temporarily granted Apple the ability to sell the watch in the United States.
| Case | 49mm |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 100 meters |
| Water Resistance | 36 hours of normal use, 72 hours on low power mode |
The Toughest Outdoor Watch
Casio G-Shock Rangeman GPRH1000-9
$500 at casio.comCredit: Men’s Health
Pros
- Connect to your phone with the Casio app
- Link your activities directly to Strava
- Exceptional water resistance
- Surprisingly affordable compared to other watches in its class
- Solar powered battery
Cons
- App can be buggy at times
- Watch is big on the wrist
- Requires a proprietary charging cable
Is there any outdoor watch that looks tougher than a G-Shock? We don’t think so. These days, though, G-Shock is more than just a watch you can chuck into a canyon with zero consequences. The solar-powered Rangeman is loaded with smart features that makes it more than just a rugged watch.
Underneath its shock-resistant, bio-based resin case is a heart rate monitor, GPS and 200 meters of water resistance. The watch comes with built-in sport modes for running, cycling, HIIT workouts and more. For alpine adventures, the Rangeman has a barometer, altimeter, and can notify you if bad weather is on the way. For water sports, the Rangeman has a tide graph to show readings on low and high tide.
One drawback to the Rangeman is the connected app’s user experience could improve. Casio (G-Shock’s parent company) is always making improvements to the app, so there’s hope the software can get to as smooth of a point as a brand like Garmin. A counterpoint to that qualm, though, is this is more of a hybrid watch than a true smartwatch. The button navigation is actually pretty easy to learn, and the simplicity of the watch user experience itself is pleasant. You also can’t forget you have better durability on the Rangeman than you do any true smartwatch.
If you’re someone who like to prioritize strength and utility, and doesn’t care too much about fancy features, then the Rangeman fits the bill. It will still track health metrics and the environment around you like a champ too.
| Case | 60mm |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 16 hours on normal mode (with no solar exposure) |
| Water Resistance | 200 meters |
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Best Outdoor Watch for Training
Suunto Race
$549 at AmazonCredit: Men’s Health
Pros
- Super comfortable strap
- Crisp AMOLED display
- Massive battery life for a smart watch of this caliber
- Connected app is simple and easy to navigate
- Precise GPS tracking makes it suitable for hiking and trail running
Cons
- Expert outdoorsman will want to look to the Suunto Vertical
Suunto makes a number of awesome outdoor watches, but we found the Race model to be the most enjoyable experience when it came to use for outdoor training. The Race provides data on heart rate variability (HRV), GPS tracking, zone training, workout intensity, and Vo2 max (estimates). We were a little weary about the performance of the Suunto app, but to our surprise the interface was smooth and the design was easy to read.
Our two favorite highlights from the Race includes the GPS system (the Race connects to 5 satellite systems to track your routes on outdoor trails), and the titanium case edition. The titanium case is $100 more than its stainless steel model, but the titanium is much lighter (the titanium edition weighs 69 grams compared to the stain steel’s 83 grams).
The titanium model comes out to about $549. However, when you compare that to the more expensive models of the Suunto outdoor watches, like the best version of the Vertical at $839, the Race in titanium makes a lot more sense in terms of value. It’s true you might find better use in the Suunto Vertical if you prefer to go up for specs like boosted daily use battery and the ability to get solar charging. These two benefits appeal to diehard outdoorsman who are exceptionally active and “off-the-grid” for extended periods of time.
For those who are at a beginner to intermediate level in outdoor hobbies, who also want everyday use and great function for training, the upgraded titanium Race provides a better value. It’s got an insanely comfortable strap, a super bright AMOLED display, and a huge battery life compared to other outdoor watches that could be suitable for training. Really the better battery life alone on the Race, compared to something like an Apple Watch Ultra, is enough to sell trail runners, mountain bikers, and kayakers.
| Case | 49mm |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | Up to 40 hours in Performance mode. Up to 5 days in Tour mode. Up to 26 days with daily heart rate off. |
| Water Resistance | 100 meters |
Best Bang for Your Buck Outdoor Watch
Coros Pace 3
$249 at REICredit: Men’s Health
Pros
- Extremely light at just 30 grams
- Can use the Coros app to build custom adventure routes
- Tracks sleep and heart rate
- Useful weather widget that provides hour-by-hour forecasts
- Reliable GPS tracking
- Simple user interface
Cons
- Not as durable as other outdoor-specific watches
- Requires a charge every day or two
- If you want a ton of advanced features you should look elsewhere
Turn-by-turn GPS navigation is a stellar feature on the Pace 3, and the ability to build your own routes in the Coros app is a plus that makes it easy to explore new roads. An advanced optical heart rate monitor provides accurate workout metrics, sleep tracking, and SpO2 data. One of our favorite features to use on the Pace 3 was installing the weather widget. The weather widget sources data from Apple Weather and provides a mapping of hour-by-hour weather on your watch, making it useful on days when you are dealing with intermittent bursts of rain.
Where the Pace 3 falls a bit behind is durability. It doesn’t have any special metal materials (it’s a mostly plastic construction), leaving it susceptible to the damage that comes from outdoor exploring. The watch is also barebones, which is great for simplicity in use but a drawback if you want advanced features and fun touchscreens.
However, you have to remember the price point. For under $250, you get a solid GPS smartwatch that’s dead set on helping track and improve your fitness. If you’re looking for a deal on an outdoor watch that won’t dig too far into your pockets, then this is the pick.
| Case | 41.9mm |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 60 hours in UltraMax mode |
| Water Resistance | 50 meters |
Most Underrated Outdoor Watch
Casio Pro Trek PRG601PE-5
$400 at casio.comCredit: Men’s Health
Pros
- Uses analog and digital display formats for preferred timekeeping
- Triple Sensor (compass, barometer/altimeter, thermometer) keep you aware of your surroundings
- LED display aides wearer in low light conditions
- Solar-powered battery has a 7 months lifespan
- Cool rugged style that can be worn with everyday outfits
Cons
- Doesn’t have as many activity trackers as other watches on the list
- Lacks advanced metrics
If you prefer the look and feel of an analog watch but still want a capable companion for exploration, the Casio Pro Trek is the watch for you. A cloth band and steel bezel keep the watch casual enough for daily wear, whether you’re on a business trip or a rollicking journey through a new country.
Under the hood is a solar-powered battery that can last up to seven months with regular use and a digital display for keeping track of another time zone or a specific fitness activity. LED lights help you keep time in the dark while the digital compass, barometer/altimeter, and thermometer Triple Sensor keeps you privy to any changes headed your way.
If you want to move away from smartwatches, this timepiece gives you a few interesting tools that can come in handy for outdoor hobbies.
| Case | 51.6mm |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | Lifetime (Solar powered) |
| Water Resistance | 100 meters |
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More Notes on Buying an Outdoor Watch
Every watch serves one essential function: it tells time. But beyond that, the extent to which your watch can aid you is almost limitless—you just have to decide what you want.
Weather Instruments
If you’re a backcountry explorer who lives for high-altitudes, pick a watch with an altimeter and barometric pressure sensor. These features are generally paired with a storm alarm and when used together, your watch will ensure that you know about incoming weather before you can see it.
Heart Rate Monitors
Many outdoor watches are now equipped with heart rate monitors and pulse oximeters, which work together to help you pace yourself and prevent over exhaustion. One caveat to wrist-based heart rate monitoring is that it’s not always the most accurate. Excess sweat, and sometimes tattoos, can affect the accuracy of wrist-based heart rate—so if you’re going to be depending on your watch to keep an eye on your pulse, we’d recommend pairing a chest strap heart rate monitor (almost all of which can be paired directly with your watch).
Help from Product Pages
Luckily, most brands put together a comprehensive product page that goes over the ins and outs of every watch in their lineup. Product pages are also helpful in determining the value old model outdoor watches have over the new model, so you can breakdown if the latest features are worth the increase in price. So, to be sure you’re getting the right watch for you and your activity preferences, do a good bit of reading before you pull the trigger. After all, your outdoor watch could get you out of a sticky situation some day.
What Is the Best Movement for an Outdoor Watch?
Outdoor watches have come a long way in the past decade. What was once an area dominated by mechanical watches from legacy brands (like Rolex, Omega, Breitling) the best outdoor watches have ventured into quartz movements and smartwatches models that are less than $1,000.
Quartz movement watches have been shown to hold up better than mechanical; mainly based on the fact that mechanical watches need to be shored up with design notes to help protect the inner hardware. Smartwatches, while dependent on regularly needing to be charged, contain a whole world of features and metrics that provide one with the best tools tech has to offer.
This isn’t to say you shouldn’t invest in an adventure-ready mechanical watch from any of the legacy brands mentioned above, but if you’re looking for an outdoor watch that’s wallet-friendly and/or loaded with features, you’ll want to save the mechanical watches for collecting.
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