A smartwatch that helps you stay fit? | Best fitness watches in the UK (2024)

Best Fitness Watches

Last updated: 01.01.2024 Reading time: 12 Min.

Are you passionate about staying fit? 🏃

Looking for the perfect tool to help you reach your goals even faster?

We have good news for you!

Fitness watches are the perfect companion for sports and training, recording all kinds of fitness and health data while you go about your day. 🥳

Thanks to comprehensive analysis tools, you can get the most out of your data and improve your performance as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Here we have reviewed the best fitness watches for you. 👇

You can see different fitness watches for the review.

Here’s what we’ll be looking at:

  • The best fitness watches
  • Differences between a fitness watch and a fitness tracker
  • Advantages of a fitness watch
  • Which fitness watch is right for you?
  • What to look out for when buying

The best fitness watches! 🤩

  • Best overall 🏆
    Fenix 7
    Price from £ 539.99 £ (559.41 )
    This modern smartwatch for men offers you extensive support for your training as well as many analysis tools.
    Fenix 7
    This modern smartwatch for men offers you extensive support for your training as well as many analysis tools.
    Price from £ 539.99 (£ 559.41 )
  • Best value for money
    Grit X Pro
    Price from £ 270.99 £ (279.99 )
    Polar's best multisport outdoor watch offers numerous navigation and sports functions along with extended battery life.
    Grit X Pro
    Polar's best multisport outdoor watch offers numerous navigation and sports functions along with extended battery life.
    Price from £ 270.99 (£ 279.99 )
  • Best Huawei smartwatch
    Watch Ultimate
    Price from £ 599 £ (699.99 )
    This outdoor watch from Huawei offers over 100 sports modes, lactate threshold measurement, a diving computer, and highly precise navigation.
    Watch Ultimate
    This outdoor watch from Huawei offers over 100 sports modes, lactate threshold measurement, a diving computer, and highly precise navigation.
    Price from £ 599 (£ 699.99 )
  • Best Polar Smartwatch
    Vantage V2
    Price from £ 404.90
    The Polar Vantage 2 features a wide range of training functions.
    Vantage V2
    The Polar Vantage 2 features a wide range of training functions.
    Price from £ 404.90
  • Coaching function
    4.0
    Price from £ 229
    A smart wearable that serves as a fitness and health coach, offering detailed tracking of sleep, recovery, stress, and sports activity, along with tips to help achieve your goals. Backed by a lifetime guarantee.
    4.0
    A smart wearable that serves as a fitness and health coach, offering detailed tracking of sleep, recovery, stress, and sports activity, along with tips to help achieve your goals. Backed by a lifetime guarantee.
    Price from £ 229

Find out more about our favorites now

Best overall 🏆

Garmin Fenix 7

This modern smartwatch for men offers you extensive support for your training as well as many analysis tools.

If you're looking for the best support while exercising, look no further! The new Garmin Fenix 7 is your answer. No other sports watch offers you so many analysis tools to improve your performance.

The Garmin Fenix 7 is one of the best smartwatches for men in the UK market. 

Extensive support for your training

The Garmin Fenix 7 is the perfect companion during your workouts

You can choose from a large number of different sport profiles on this high quality sports watch. 

This modern sports watch not only records all fitness and health data, but also makes it accessible to you in the corresponding app or in your Garmin Connect account. 📱

© Fenix

In the app, you’re able to evaluate your data with the help of various analysis tools and therefore get the most out of the information. 

The Garmin Fenix 7 offers you crucial advice on how to increase your performance as quickly and effectively as possible. 🙌

Attention: Due to the very large range of functions, it may take a few days for you to get used to the Garmin Fenix 7. 

Your own personal activity tracker

With the Garmin Fenix 7, you will have an activity tracker with you at any moment. 🙌

Even in your everyday life, this smartwatch always tracks your fitness and health data. 

Garmin also offers you dynamic step targets. 

This means that if you reach your daily step target, the target for the next day will be increased slightly; if you do not reach it, it will be decreased slightly. 

This way you will always stay motivated. 🥳

The Garmin Fenix 7 also offers you extensive maps and many navigation options. This is especially useful for hiking enthusiasts.

The most important smart functions are on board 

Although the Garmin Fenix 7 is primarily designed as a smartwatch for exercise and sports, this wearable also offers you other important smart functions

Incoming messages and calls are displayed directly on this wearable. 

Additionally, there is the option to reply to text messages via predefined SMS templates. 

Furthermore, you will be able to control the music on your smartphone. 🎶

You can also use Garmin Pay to pay contactless for your shopping and purchases. 💶

Garmin Fenix 7

Long battery life

When it comes to battery life, almost no other smartwatch can reach the capacity of the Garmin Fenix 7. 🚀

In smartwatch mode, the wearable's battery is able to last up to 18 to 22 days (depending on the model). 

In power-saving mode, the watch lasts about 7 to 10 days with average use including sports activities and GPS tracking. 🙌

The solar variant is even capable of partially recharging its battery by itself. 🔋

New to the Fenix 7: the touchscreen 

The Garmin Fenix 7 is the first smartwatch in the Fenix series to have a touchscreen. 🚀

The smartwatch is now operated both via the side buttons and also directly via the touch display. 

Info: The Garmin Fenix 7 is available in 3 versions: Fenix 7S (42mm), Fenix 7 (47mm) and Fenix 7X (51mm). 

For slimmer wrists, we recommend the smaller Garmin Fenix 7S.  

A comprehensive smartwatch for athletes 

If you are looking to find a little best friend for your training which offers you an extensive training evaluation, the Garmin Fenix 7 is definitely the right choice for you. 

This high quality smartwatch offers you everything you need for your workouts. 🚀

Due to the particularly large range of functions and the various analysis tools, ambitious athletes will find everything they need with this smartwatch. 

Check Amazon*

Advantages:

Extensive support during workouts

Many training profiles and analytical tools

Very long battery life

Detailed sleep tracking

Waterproof up to 50 metres

Disadvantages:

Acclimatisation period necessary

Limited smart functions

High price

Best value for money

Polar Grit X Pro

Polar's best multisport outdoor watch offers numerous navigation and sports functions along with extended battery life.

The Polar Grit X Pro supports your sports activities and provides extensive navigation functions. But does it live up to its promises?

The Polar Grit X Pro is marketed as a top multisport outdoor smartwatch.

Extensive support for sport

It offers extensive support for various sports. 

With 130 sports modes, it can track almost any sport, displaying essential information on the smartwatch during training. 

Sports modes on the Polar Grit X Pro
Sports modes on the Polar Grit X Pro. Image © Smart Home Fox

The accompanying Polar Flow app provides detailed analyses to help efficiently reach fitness goals. 📊

Navigation Features for Outdoor Adventures

Beyond sports, the Grit X Pro is equipped for outdoor adventures.

This includes extensive navigation functions, an altimeter, and a compass. 

It uses multiple satellite systems, including GPS, for accurate location tracking and navigation. 

The watch also integrates with Komoot, offering access to established hiking trails or the ability to create new ones. 🧗🏻

Altimeter on the Polar Grit X Pro
Altimeter on the Polar Grit X Pro. Image © Smart Home Fox

Its long battery life of up to 7 days is ideal for extended outdoor activities.

Sleep Analysis 

A standout feature is its detailed sleep analysis, offering insights to improve long-term sleep habits

Detailed sleep analysis on Polar Grit X Pro
Detailed sleep analysis on the Polar Grit X Pro. Image © Smart Home Fox

This includes information on sleep phases and other data. 

Health Monitoring

Additionally, the watch acts as an activity tracker, monitoring daily activity and heart rate.

Measuring heart rate on the Polar Grit X Pro
Measuring heart rate on the Polar Grit X Pro. Image © Smart Home Fox

While it shows incoming calls and messages, the Grit X Pro does not support making phone calls. 📞

It does allow for music control on a connected smartphone, but its range of smart features is relatively limited.

Our Verdict

The Polar Grit X Pro excelled in our test with its extensive sports and navigation functions. 

It's a great choice for athletes and outdoor enthusiasts who value these features more than a wide range of smart functionalities.

View on Amazon*

Advantages

Comprehensive training assistance

Numerous navigation features with Komoot integration

Highly accurate heart rate tracking

More than 130 sports modes

In-depth sleep analysis

Extended battery life of up to 7 days

Disadvantages

Restricted range of smart features

Limited health function options

Bulky and large design

No LTE model available

Best Huawei smartwatch

Huawei Watch Ultimate

This outdoor watch from Huawei offers over 100 sports modes, lactate threshold measurement, a diving computer, and highly precise navigation.

The Huawei Watch Ultimate is ideal for athletes, divers, and adventurers seeking a highly durable watch with long battery life.

The Huawei Watch Ultimate is tailored for athletes, divers, and adventurers. 🏊🏻‍♀️

It is similar in design and purpose to the Apple Watch Ultra.

Sports Modes and Training Analysis

With over 100 sports modes, this watch tracks your workout data effectively. 

Huawei Watch Ultimate sports mode
Sports mode on the Huawei Watch Ultimate. Image © Smart Home Fox

The Huawei Health app provides a thorough analysis of your training. 

You can even plan personalised workouts for better coordination.

Diving Mode

Functioning as a dive computer, it's water-resistant up to 100 metres (10 ATM) and includes dive planning capabilities. 

Diving mode on the Huawei Watch Ultimate
Diving mode on the Huawei Watch Ultimate. Image © Smart Home Fox

A comprehensive diver logbook keeps crucial information easily accessible.

Expedition Mode for Adventurers

The expedition mode of the watch caters well to outdoor enthusiasts, featuring various navigation functions, including waypoint setting. 

Its dual-band five-system GNSS ensures accurate navigation. 

Navigation on the Huawei Watch Ultimate
Expedition mode on the Huawei Watch Ultimate. Image © Smart Home Fox

And with up to two weeks of battery life, it's a dependable companion for outdoor activities. 🔋

Note: The watch does not feature fall detection and hence cannot make automatic emergency calls in case of falls.

Health Functions and Basic Smart Features

The watch offers health features such as:

  • ECG
  • Oxygen saturation
  • Sleep monitoring
  • Stress level measurement
  • Breathing exercises for relaxation

However, its smart features are somewhat limited compared to other models. 

It supports music, messaging, calls, and contactless payment in the UK. 

But the interaction is limited to pre-set short responses and is not available on iPhone.

Conclusion

During our tests, we found out that the Huawei Watch Ultimate excels as a versatile and durable smartwatch, ideal for athletes, hikers, and divers. 

Its wide range of features and long battery life makes it a reliable partner for diverse adventures.

View on Amazon*

Advantages

Wide range of sports features

Comprehensive diving mode

Multiple outdoor features

Precise GPS tracking

Accurate heart rate tracking

In-depth sleep analysis

Basic smart capabilities

Compatible with iOS, Android, and Huawei devices

Disadvantages

Significantly large and bulky design

No smaller variant for women

Lacks fall detection feature

No built-in LTE capability

Best Polar Smartwatch

Polar Vantage V2

The Polar Vantage 2 features a wide range of training functions.

The Polar Vantage 2 comes with many different sports modes, including plenty of functions for swimming. Thanks to the detailed data recording, you can effectively improve your swimming performance.

This top-notch Polar Vantage V2 supports you in your training as well as in everyday life.

Extensive sports functions and detailed data

You can choose from more than 130 different activities on the Polar Vantage 2.

The fitness watch not only guides you in the planning of your training, but also in carrying it out. 💪

Info: As the Polar Vantage V2 is waterproof up to 10 ATM, it is also ideal for your swimming training
You can see the recorded data on the Polar Vantage V2.
© Polar

Afterwards, you will also receive recovery tips

The Polar Vantage V2 helps you to increase your performance quickly and effectively. 

The Polar Vantage V2 for navigation

This swimming fitness tracker offers more than just training support, though: it also guides you safely to your destination.

You can import routes from Strava and Komoot, allowing you to use your fitness watch as a navigation system. 🗺

Note: Detailed map display is not available on this smartwatch. Importing routes is also rather cumbersome. 
You can see the navigation function on the Polar Vantage V2.
© Polar

Basic smart features for everyday life

The Polar Vantage 2 doesn't rest in your day-to-day life, either.

Instead, it records your health metrics and supports you with various smart functions. 📱

Incoming messages, for example, are shown directly on the display of the wearable. However, there is no option to reply. 

This fitness watch also provides you with comprehensive sleep tracking. 💤

Good battery life, high-quality touchscreen 

The battery of the Polar Vantage V2 lasts about 32 hours in GPS mode. 

That's a lot longer than many other smartwatches. 🥳

If you use the smartwatch purely as a watch, it only needs to be recharged after about 6.5 days.

You can see the Polar Vantage V2 in normal watch mode.
© Polar

The round touchscreen with always-on function has a resolution of 240 x 240 pixels.  

With a diameter of 1.2 inches (approx. 3 cm), it is perfect for both women and men. 🙌

The Polar Vantage V2 - Our conclusion 

The Polar Vantage V2 is an impressive fitness watch that is a helpful tool for your training. 

Thanks to comprehensive training planning and recovery analysis, it helps you to achieve your goals as quickly and effectively as possible. 🥳

Check Amazon*

Advantages:

Powerful training support

Helpful recovery analysis

More than 130 activity modes

With sleep analysis and activity tracking

Waterproof up to 10 AMT

Compatible with iPhone and Android

Disadvantages:

Limited smart functions

No detailed map display

Coaching function

Whoop 4.0

A smart wearable that serves as a fitness and health coach, offering detailed tracking of sleep, recovery, stress, and sports activity, along with tips to help achieve your goals. Backed by a lifetime guarantee.

The Whoop 4.0 is ideal for health-conscious individuals and ambitious athletes.

Whoop 4.0 is more than just a fitness tracker - it's a smart fitness and health coach.

It comes with a wearable device and an easy-to-use app for both iOS and Android phones. 

This smart coach tracks everything you do, including your:

  • Exercise
  • Activity
  • Recovery
  • Health
  • Sleep 

It even shows all this information in the app in a way that's easy to understand.📱

Whoop 4.0 on wrist
Image © Smart Home Fox

The app is constantly giving feedback on your health, sending tips and insights as notifications to your smartphone. 

These tips are based on your own activity, ensuring the advice is tailored specifically to you.

Whoop 4.0 is the newest model and it's really good at measuring the following parameters:

  • Different sleep stages
  • Breathing rate
  • Sleep efficiency
  • How stressed you are (even from sports or day-to-day worries)
  • How well your body is recovering (using heart rate variability, resting heart rate, and sleep data)

For those who love sports, Whoop 4.0 is great because it automatically knows what kind of workout you're doing. 

It's usually spot on, but sometimes it might not recognize certain sports like Weightlifting or Pilates.

In terms of design, Whoop 4.0 offers over 30 different band colours and designs. 🎨

It is so comfortable to wear that you might forget you're wearing it. 

It's waterproof and can be wirelessly charged with the included battery pack. 

Front view of the battery pack
Image © Smart Home Fox
Side view of the battery pack
Image © Smart Home Fox

Whoop 4.0 can easily last for up to 5 days on a full charge.

This watch operates on a subscription model, with no option to buy the wearable outright. 

If you go for a 12-month plan, it's £144 for the year, which works out to £12 a month. 

It might seem a bit pricey over time. 

But, for serious athletes or anyone really focused on their health, it's worth it for all the special features and coaching you get from the app. 

Plus, you can try it free for a month before deciding.

View on Amazon*

Advantages

Detailed analysis of stress, recovery, exercise, and sleep

App coach offering personalized goal achievement tips

Constant wearability with wireless charging battery pack

Multiple colour and design options

Waterproof up to 30 meters

Lifetime warranty

Disadvantages

Recurring expenses due to subscription-based model

Data accessible only through the app

Bracelet takes time to dry after getting wet

What is a fitness watch and what can it do?

Smartwatch, fitness watch, fitness tracker - aren't they one and the same? 🤔

Not quite, although all these devices support you during training, the focus of the wearables is different.

That's why we'd like to take a closer look at what features make up a fitness watch.

A fitness watch is a smartwatch that offers you a wider range of training functions.

The devices support you with various pre-installed workouts and training plans. 💪

You can see the sports functions on the fitness watch.
Garmin Fenix 7

Fitness watches track a variety of different data relevant to your training.

These wearables also feature a large display, which allows you to read the most important information right from your watch.

You can also get even deeper insights in the corresponding app. 📱

You can see the recorded pulse on the fitness watch.
Garmin Fenix 7

Settings can be individually adapted to your personal needs and can be adjusted directly via the gadgets.

Meaning you can leave your smartphone at home. 🥳

Comprehensive evaluation of your training data allows you to improve your athletic performance as quickly and effectively as possible. 🥳

Basic smart functions

In addition, the wearables also complement your smartphone by offering you basic smart functions.

For example, incoming calls and notifications are displayed directly on the best fitness watches. 📞

They often feature an integrated music player so that you can also listen to music offline. 🎶

You can see the music function on the fitness watch.
Garmin Fenix 7

Especially handy: If your wearable features offline music storage, you can leave your mobile phone at home during exercise and still listen to music. 🙌

Many fitness watches often come equipped with an integrated NFC-chip so that you can easily make contactless payments with your watch. 💶

Overall, smart functions on fitness watches are much more limited than those of conventional smartwatches.

The focus of a smartwatch is on optimally complementing your mobile phone and fitness tracking at the same time. A fitness watch, on the other hand, is primarily intended for sports.

You can see the notification function on the fitness watch.
Garmin Fenix 7
You can see an incoming call on the Apple Watch Series 8.
Apple Watch 8
Top tip: If you're looking for a wearable with lots of smart features, we recommend devices from Apple or Samsung.

Apple Watch 8*

Galaxy Watch 5*

What is the difference between a fitness watch and a fitness tracker?

To find out the difference between a fitness watch and a fitness tracker, let's first take a look at what exactly a fitness tracker is. 👇

What features do the best fitness trackers have?

As the name suggests, a fitness tracker also supports your training.

Just like fitness watches, the devices record a wide range of fitness and health data and then make it available to you in the corresponding app. 📱

Some fitness trackers also offer training programmes.

Recorded data from a fitness tracker is visible on the mobile phone.
Ⓒ Fitbit

Although fitness trackers offer you good support during your training, they have no or very few smart functions.

Fitness trackers often do not have a built-in GPS. Instead, they use the GPS of your smartphone.

Of course, this also means that you need your mobile phone with you at all times during training. 😕

Comparing fitness watches and fitness trackers

Now we know what generally distinguishes a fitness watch from a fitness tracker.

One important difference between these wearables is the display. Fitness watches usually have larger screens that can display more data at once.

In addition, fitness watches also offer a wider range of analysis tools and thus provide the best support for your training.

For the most ambitious athletes who want to improve their performance as efficiently as possible, a fitness watch is the only option.

A fitness tracker, on the other hand, is the right choice for beginners. 🥳

These devices allow you to record your fitness and health data throughout the day. However, you will miss out on extensive analysis tools and smart features.

What are pulse watches and running watches?

Besides smartwatches, fitness watches and fitness trackers, there are also pulse watches and running watches.

Running watches almost exclusively offer functions for runners. 🏃

Running watches are a good choice for professional runners who are just looking for support for their training. Here, you can find everything about the best running watches in the UK.

Pulse watches, or heart rate monitor watches, are primarily designed to measure your pulse and heart rate during exercise.

These wearables existed long before smartwatches appeared on the market.

Info: You can also use a chest strap to accurately record your pulse during training.

Are fitness watches worth buying?

The best fitness watches in our reviews come with all kinds of different features.

But what exactly makes each wearable worth purchasing? 🧐

And what issues might dissuade you from purchasing a particular fitness watch?

Let’s take a look at this together below. 👇

The perfect companion for your workout

As we have already mentioned, fitness watches offer particularly comprehensive support for your training.

The best fitness watches make your training sessions far more professional so you can get the most out of your workouts. 🚀
You can see the recorded training data on the fitness watch.
Garmin Fenix 7

By viewing your recorded data, you can find out exactly where your strengths and weaknesses lie.

Move more throughout the day

Fitness watches track your fitness and health data not only during sports, but also in your day-to-day activities.

Among others, fitness watches use the following metrics:

  • Pedometer (step counter)
  • Floors climbed
  • Distance travelled
  • Calorie consumed
You can set individual goals for each day.
You can see the activity tracker on the Huawei Watch GT 3.
Huawei Watch GT 3

As soon as you have reached your step goal, for example, the smart wearable notifies you.

A pedometer like this naturally encourages more movement in everyday life, which contributes to a healthier lifestyle overall. 🙌

Disadvantages of a fitness watch

As with everything, there are of course two sides to the coin when it comes to fitness watches.

Let’s go into the disadvantages in a little more detail below. 👇

Partially inaccurate measurement data

Depending on the device, fitness watches may not provide 100% accurate measurement results.

Info: High-end Garmin wearables track your pulse most accurately.

Alternatively, to record particularly accurate measurements, you can purchase an additional chest strap.

Polar H10*

Garmin HRM Pro*

Due to their design, smartwatches, fitness watches and fitness trackers also have difficulty tracking your routes accurately.

You can see the map function on the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro.
Garmin Fenix 6 Pro

This is because the GPS data can be distorted due to the way it is worn and arm movements.

However, these GPS inaccuracies are minimal among the best fitness watches we have reviewed.

Results not medically validated

The best fitness watches we have reviewed can measure a variety of health data, such as blood oxygen levels. In some cases, they can even create an ECG.

That being said, even the best wearables are not capable of delivering medically validated results.

The recorded data can still provide helpful indications towards possible illnesses.

Shortcomings in data protection

Fitness trackers and watches collect a lot of sensitive health data throughout the course of your day.

But what exactly happens with this data? 🤔

No one but the manufacturer can answer this question.

It is advisable to limit the amount of data you share via your smart device.

Which fitness watch should you buy? - Function review

With so many different wearables to choose from, it's hard to know which fitness watch is right for you.

The best wearables from our review offer optimal support for your workout. 🏃

But the range of functions available in individual wearables naturally differs somewhat. Not all models have the same features.

It is therefore essential to figure out which functions are most important to you when shopping for a fitness watch.

Let’s take a closer look at the various functions together. 👇

Pulse and heart rate tracking

There are actually very few wearables available today that cannot measure your heart rate and pulse.

Info: Heart rate and pulse are among the most important pieces of information for endurance training. They provide information about the current strain on your cardiovascular system.

This gives you an insight into your current fitness level. 🙌

What is the difference between heart rate and pulse?

Every time your heart contracts, blood is pumped through your body. The detectable beat in your arteries is known as your pulse.

However, some heartbeats may be so weak that no pressure wave is perceived in the arteries. This is known as an "absent pulse."

These missing heartbeats are not counted in your pulse. They are only recorded by heart rate. A doctor should be consulted if there is an accumulation of missing heartbeats.

Optical sensors are located on the back of fitness watches to measure pulse and heart rate.

You can see the sensors on the Huawei Watch GT 3.
Huawei Watch GT 3

The best fitness watches we have reviewed feature heart rate sensors in the wearable itself. 🚀

Cheaper models usually do not.

Measuring pace and distance

Accessing information about the distance and speed of routes travelled (or even sections of routes) is an important factor, especially for runners and cyclists.

This data is measured using GPS tracking and accelerometer sensors.

This information can help you optimise your training and cover distances in even less time in the future. 🙌
The Garmin Fenix 7.
Garmin Fenix 7

Measuring your VO2max

VO2max is an indicator of endurance capacity.

The VO2max rate indicates how many millilitres of oxygen your body can utilise per minute and per kilogram of body weight under maximum exertion.

This information is particularly important for runners, so you may want to look out for this feature when shopping for wearables if you are serious about running.

The Garmin Fenix 7.
Garmin Fenix 7
Please note: In order to determine pulse zones and fitness levels as accurately as possible, you should ideally be able to enter your maximum heart rate manually on your smart watch.

How is maximum heart rate (HRmax) calculated?

The maximum heart rate (HRmax) is mainly dependent on age, training condition and gender. Therefore, the value naturally differs from person to person.

The most common formula for calculation is the following:

  • When running: HRmax = 220 - Age
  • When cycling: HRmax = 200 - age

However, this formula is quite inaccurate and does not take into account the difference between sexes. Women usually have a somewhat lower HRmax. The following method provides more accurate results:

  • Women: HRmax = 206 - (age x 0.88)
  • Men: HRmax = 207 - (age x 0.7)

The fitness watches in our review allow personalised HRmax entry. 🥳

Smartwatches, such as those from Apple or Samsung, often do not offer this option.

Movement analysis in the best fitness watches

The best fitness watches in our comparison also analyse your movement.

They not only feature a pedometer but also measure step frequency and register vertical movement, for example.

Smart wearables can recognise and analyse your movement patterns.

You will then receive tips on how to improve your running or cycling style and make it more gentle and effective. 🙌

Recovery advice: When is it time for a break?

Ambitious athletes know that their own performance can only improve during rest periods.

So if you want to improve, sufficient recovery phases are essential. ☝️

Training too hard coupled with too few recovery days will harm your body instead of helping it.

The best fitness watches in our comparison evaluate your training and inform you when it's time for a recovery phase.

Fitness watches for swimmers, skiers and golfers

Some fitness watches offer special features for swimmers, skiers and golfers. 🏌️

Of course, the best wearables are also waterproof.

The Garmin Fenix 7.
Garmin Fenix 7
Looking for a smartwatch optimised for your swim training? We've reviewed the best swimming watches here.

Attention: If you want to use your watch for your swimming, it should feature integrated GPS, as you will not have your mobile phone with you in the water. ⚠️

Navigation equipment for outdoor enthusiasts

The best fitness watches also have something in store for hikers, mountaineers and outdoor enthusiasts. 🏔

Thanks to pre-installed map material or navigation services, smart wearables can also be used as navigation systems.

An integrated compass and barometric altimeter are also usually included. 🧭

Additional apps, such as Komoot or Strava, offer you even more map material. 🗺

However, not all fitness watches allow these apps to be installed.

Sleep monitoring: how restful your night was

The best smartwatches can also monitor your sleep. 🥳

The recorded data is then made available to you in the corresponding app.

Here you will find, among other things, the following information:

  • Time taken to fall asleep
  • Duration of sleep
  • Sleep phases (REM, deep, light sleep)
  • Waking phases
  • Sleep score (gives information about the quality of your sleep)

If you're looking for a great wearable to track your sleep, check out our review of the Oura Ring and of the Circular Ring. 😴

Extensive support thanks to a variety of training plans

Of course, the best fitness watches not only record all data during your workout, but also support you with a variety of pre-installed training plans. 🙌

You can also create completely individual training plans and tailor them exactly to your personal needs.

With some wearables, you can even plan entire training weeks. 🤩
Garmin Connect App.
Garmin Connect App

Extensive analysis tools and training evaluation in the app

In the companion app, you can not only create your training plans but also evaluate and analyse your workouts.

Fitness watches from Garmin and Polar in particular offer highly detailed analyses of your data.

This way you can always get the most out of your training and improve your performance as effectively as possible.

Automatic activity detection

The best fitness watches in our review can automatically recognise and record activities.

This way you'll never forget to track your workouts again! 🙌

Some sports watches even have multisport-modes for triathletes and special features for preparing for competitions.

Overview of smart functions on fitness watches

The best fitness watches not only support you during your workout but also feature some smart functions.

For example, displaying incoming messages and calls directly on your wearable.

You see an incoming call on the Fitness Watch.
Huawei Watch GT 3

Many fitness watches also offer you the option of answering messages or taking calls directly via the wearable.

However, the response functions on sports watches are quite limited in contrast to conventional smartwatches.

Note: When it comes to iOS devices, the response function is limited to Apple watches. ⚠️
You can see an incoming call on the Huawei Watch GT 3.
Huawei Watch GT 3

Some fitness watches also offer the option of storing music on the wearable and listening to it offline. This way, your mobile phone can stay at home while you exercise. 🎶

Without this feature, you must be in close range of your smartphone with Bluetooth switched on in order to stream your music from apps like Spotify.

Some manufacturers also offer LTE versions of their watches, which allow you to access your mobile network and receive messages independently of your smartphone.

Devices with an integrated NFC -chip even allow you to make contactless payments at the checkout. 💶

You can see the reply function on the Apple Watch.
Apple Watch 7
You can see the reply function on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4

Overall, smart functions on fitness watches are far more limited than those of conventional all-rounder smartwatches.

By the way, you can find our review of the best smartwatches here.

Other points to consider when buying a fitness watch in the UK

In addition to training support and the smart functions of fitness watches, there are a few other points to consider when shopping for your device.

To make sure you find the right wearable for you, we have put together a list of other aspects to look out for. 👇

Operating system: Is the fitness watch compatible with your mobile phone?

Of course, your fitness watch must also be compatible with your smartphone.

Here's some good news for you: most fitness watches can be used with both iPhones and Android.

A smartphone and fitness watch placed beside each other.
Garmin Fenix 6 Pro

Manufacturers such as Polar or Garmin have developed their own operating systems.

If you are unsure whether a wearable can be used with your mobile phone, simply search for the companion app to the fitness watch in your app store. 📱

If the app is available in the app store, then the fitness watch can be used with your mobile phone.

How long is the battery life?

Battery life is of course particularly important when choosing the right wearable. 🔋

After all, how long the battery lasts determines how long you can use your fitness watch before having to charge it again.

The best fitness watches last from several days to over a week with average use. 🥳

Of course, conventional all-rounder smartwatches do not come close to this kind of battery life.

Screens on fitness watches

Both the display and the entire watch itself are pretty resilient, as they are designed for sports and outdoor use.

Attention: Not all wearables feature a touchscreen.

But the best fitness watches included in our review have high-quality colour AMOLED screens to display your data. 🤩

The best fitness watches we have compared are water-resistant up to a depth of 50 metres (5 ATM).

Style - another important factor

Since fitness watches are primarily designed for sport and are therefore particularly robust, they naturally tend to look a little chunkier than conventional smartwatches.

Fitbit fitness trackers are an exception here. They also look good with a chic suit or evening dress.
A chunky fitness watch is seen.
Garmin Fenix 5X Plus
You can see the design of the Apple Watch 7.
Apple Watch 7
Most manufacturers offer their sports watches in different sizes.

For ladies, the slightly smaller version is usually recommended. 💃

Otherwise, however, the style is purely a matter of taste.

Here, you can find everything about the best smartwatches for women and the best smartwatches for men.

Comfort of your fitness watch

Of course, a fitness watch should not only track your fitness data, but also sit comfortably on your wrist.

A comfortable silicone wristband is usually a better choice than a chic leather strap when it comes to training.

Also, make sure that the wearable is fastened tightly on your arm, at least during your workout. This way, your data can be measured more accurately. 🙌

Caution: Particularly large and clunky fitness watches could interfere with your sleep and are therefore not suitable for sleep monitoring.

Prices ranges of the top fitness watches

Of course, price is also an important decision factor when it comes to choosing a suitable wearable.

The best fitness watches from manufacturers such as Garmin or Polar tend to come with a higher price tag. 💰

Top tip: The Huawei Watch GT 3 offers particularly good savings.

The training support offered on this wearable is not as extensive as with Garmin or Polar, but it is sufficient for amateur athletes.

Fitbit also offers high-quality wearables in the mid-price range. However, an additional subscription with Fitbit Premium is often required with these products in order to be able to view all recorded data. 💶

Which? best fitness tracker and smartwatch review UK (2022)

Which? also regularly reviews various smartwatches and fitness trackers.

Some of the best fitness watches from our review were also included by the independent organisation. 🙌

In their 2022 fitness tracker review, the Fitbit Charge 5 came in 4th place, scoring an impressive 78%! 🥈

Garmin Fenix 7 also scored a whopping 85% in a review by Which?, placing it in second place overall in their smartwatch review!

Which? also included the Huawei GT 3 watch in their reviews, awarding it 81% and commending its excellent step-counting ability.

Best fitness watch review UK - Our conclusion

In this review, we put the best fitness watches on the market up against each other.

These wearables offer particularly comprehensive support for your training with many predefined training plans and the possibility to create personalised workouts. 🙌

You can then evaluate the data with comprehensive analysis tools. This way you can get the most out of the information.

On top of that, they also feature some smart functions. 🥳

In conclusion, we can say that our best fitness watches are the right choice for professional athletes and those who take fitness seriously.

These wearables help you to improve your performance as quickly and efficiently as possible and prepare for competitions. 🚀

Find out more:

  • Which is the best budget fitness watch?


    The Huawei Watch GT 3 features particularly good specs for an affordable price. The wearable even scored 81% in the Which? review. This watch offers extensive functions for your training and accurate heart rate measurement for a comparatively low price. If you’re looking for the best value fitness watch, this is a great option for you.

Corinna profile picture

Corinna

Exercise, good sleep and a healthy lifestyle are especially important to me. But in everyday life, it's often hard to find a good balance. That's why I'd like to introduce you to the best smartwatches, smart rings, and other wearables to track and improve your well-being.

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