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[bomblord1]

I'm looking to get a smartwatch that I can use decoupled from a smartphone on runs and during general exercise as timer, distance tracker, and heart rate monitor. I'm not looking for a pseudo smartwatch like the fit bit (even if I was I don't want a fitbit as the heart rate monitor is completely inaccurate) as I also want to wear it for everyday use as an actual smart watch complete with all the basic features you would expect from one like time, email/text, phone calls, etc.

I've been looking around my own of course but it's always better to get a wide range of opinions from everyday people who have used one or done their own personal research so I thought I would open up the question to discussion here.

Some ones I'm considering

Moto 360 Sport: $199.99 (on sale)

Has a wide range of fitness tracking features including GPS (something a lot of smartwatches lack) however the battery is apparently pretty poor when the GPS is on (but much better when shut off) it's recommended by at least one website as the best running oriented smartwatch available. It's also currently on sale for $100 off at some locations making it the cheapest on this list.

The Huawei watch: $299

Recommended by several sites as the best all around smart watch available has a gorgeous screen and a ton of features. Has the basic features I need like activity tracking and heart rate monitor however doesn't have a GPS and only estimates distance by steps which can be a problem.

Garmin Forerunner $399.99

This is more of a fitness tracker first and foremost that also doubles as a smartwatch. Lacks some of the bells and whistles from a general smartwatch standpoint with a low res screen and dull colors but has an insane suite of fitness tracking features built into it including GPS. This also the most expensive one on my current list at $399 (there's a cheaper model with less features)

LG G Watch Urbane 2: $369.99

Probably the most stylish of the group it has a basic set of features and despite not standing out anywhere also doesn't have any notable issues either for both an everyday and a fitness watch including GPS.

Any others I should be considering here? Maybe I'm completely off base or maybe one of these is what I should be looking at. Any opinions

 

[KamenSenshi]

What about the Samsung Gear S2? You can tie it into a Nike account if you have one. Otherwise you can use it with S Health and it has an automatic run detection. The S Trainer isn't too bad either for workouts.

 

[Jonnax]

I've got the moto 360 gen 2 and what I can tell you is the step tracking is not very accurate. +/- 1000ish steps probably.

Android Wear is great though.

 

[outunderthestars]

I would go with the Moto. Garmin software is notoriously bad. I say this as someone who has used garmin stuff for years, and would never touch a smartwatch of theirs .

 

[Transhuman]

I probably shouldn't have spent so much money on something that does what my phone does anyway, but I'm a fancy person and I deserve to feel pretty.

 

[SMattera]

I would get a Garmin for runs, and then a separate smartwatch for other times. Probably the Huawei Watch. Obviously, an expensive combination, but the best solution if you can afford it. None of the Android Wear watches currently out there are very good fitness tracking devices.

 

[Somnid]

Pebble? I mean if you wanted integrated HR you'd have to wait for their new watches in the fall but there should be HR smartstraps before then.

GPS-wise they'll have their Pebble Core device in January or there's a smartstrap for that too.

Size, battery, water-proofing, software and compatibility are better than just about anything out there currently and they aren't garmin expensive either.

 

[Pachimari]

Aren't AndroidWear 2.0 watches also coming out this fall that works for GPS running without the need of a phone?

 

[bomblord1]

Pebble? I mean if you wanted integrated HR you'd have to wait for their new watches in the fall but there should be HR smartstraps before then.

GPS-wise they'll have their Pebble Core device in January or there's a smartstrap for that too.

Size, battery, water-proofing, software and compatibility are better than just about anything out there currently and they aren't garmin expensive either.

Are there any impressions of how well it works for running? I've seen them but they feel a little barebones compared to some of the bigger names

 

[Jeffrey]

isn't the tech in a fitbit basically the same as any other wrist based Heart monitor?


probably best to get a sport 'gps' watch for exercising and a normal smartwatch for other stuff.

 

[neptunes]

Pebble? I mean if you wanted integrated HR you'd have to wait for their new watches in the fall but there should be HR smartstraps before then.

GPS-wise they'll have their Pebble Core device in January or there's a smartstrap for that too.

Size, battery, water-proofing, software and compatibility are better than just about anything out there currently and they aren't garmin expensive either.

Damn, the price of a pebble seems pretty affordable.

 

[Klotera]

I have the Moto 360 Sport and it's decent, but limited without a phone. Few apps use the built in GPS without a phone. I was excited to see Strava supports watch GPS, but found out it still wants your phone connected.

I would recommend the Gear S2 3G version. It can truly work without your phone on you and honestly had a much better interface than Android Wear. You'll really need to use S Health to take advantage of the fitness tracking, but I actually think S Health is pretty good (certainly miles better than Google Fit or Moto Body). A friend of mine has one and is enjoying it much more than I'm enjoying my Moto 360 Sport.

One other option for a middle ground is the upcoming Gear Fit 2. Much cheaper than a Gear S2 and has built in GPS. It also has some smartwatch capabilities (notifications, texting, music, etc.) without being a full smartwatch. Im actually probably going to sell my Moto 360 Sport and get one of these.

 

[Somnid]

Are there any impressions of how well it works for running? I've seen them but they feel a little barebones compared to some of the bigger names

Like how? I run with mine. Obviously some of the add-on HR/GPS stuff is a few months out still so I can't comment on the quality of that but in terms of activity tracking it's great, my general benchmark here is Fitbit which it's very competitive though it doesn't do the sort of manual entry and dieting stuff Fitbit's app does. There is no mode change, if you are running it detects it, if you are sleeping it detects it, same for walking. It gives you a small report when you finish an activity like walking or running and in the app you can see your weekly charts. It gives you goals based on what you did the previous week and you can see your daily progress versus that goal. All the data integrates into Apple Health/Google Fit and potentially others so it's pretty agnostic.

Software wise there's a couple thousands apps and you'll probably use few to none anyway because that's just how smartwatches are but if you want to call an uber from your wrist you can certainly do it. Lots of watch faces too. Notifications/replies etc work well but are a bit better on Android due to iOS restrictions. Even has work arounds to getting SMSs on iOS depending on your carrier.

 

[Zoe]

None of those bands on the Huawei watches look like they would be comfortable during a sweaty and hot run.