From battery life to heart rate, text messages to GPS, find the smartwatch that works the way you train.
Every year, more smartwatches are entering the game. We’ve highlighted some of the newest smartwatches and running watches that work with Strava and asked a few athletes what it’s like to train with these devices.
Apple Watch
A sleek, stylish watch for the athlete who wants to stay connected, on and off the road.
Strava for Apple Watch brings the best of Strava directly to your wrist while keeping your phone safely tucked away. All your activities and preferences transfer from your Strava account, making it easy to view your time, speed, distance, and weekly goals with a quick glance at your wrist. Take advantage of other Apple Watch apps to maximize efficiency and convenience – get directions to a new route from Siri or use Apple Pay to pay for the hard-earned pastry after your weekend long run.
I like being able to check Strava during my bike commute without digging my phone out of my backpack.
Strava Athlete: Rayleen H.
How she trains: Mixes it up with trail/road running and bike commuting.
Fitbit Surge
A streamlined device for the athlete who takes a holistic approach to training.
The latest addition to Fitbit, this GPS-enabled fitness super watch has multi-sport modes to track running, cycling and cross training. Gauge your performance with wrist-based heart rate, track all-day activity, monitor calorie burn and learn how well you sleep before a race. Includes large touchscreen display, call and text notifications, and music control. Learn more
I like being able to monitor heart rate and sleep data to assess my overall fitness.
Strava Athlete: Larissa R.
How she trains: High-volume runner and ultra marathoner who hits the trails often.
Sony SmartWatch 3 SWR50
A great feature-packed watch for the athlete who wants to wear the same watch on the road and in the office.
This watch is about simplicity and convenience. Unlike some other smartwatches, you can leave your phone at home with the Sony Smartwatch and still access GPS tracking, WiFi and your music. Customize the screen to set an alarm for your early-morning ride, or use the voice command as reminder for an overdue yoga session.
The screen is simple. I see only the data I want, when I want.
Strava Athlete: Mateo O.
How he trains: Whether it’s commuting to work or being on the road on the weekends, it’s all about the ride.
Garmin Vivoactive
An all-inclusive watch for the athlete aiming for their personal best.
With up to 10 hours of GPS-enabled battery life and three weeks in activity mode, this device stays charged during an extended weekend ride or run. Also pairs with smartphones to receive call, text and email notifications.
The battery life is phenomenal and syncing is easy.
Strava Athlete: Steve G.
How he trains: Lots of bike commuting with some longer training rides thrown in.
Pebble Time
A power-efficient watch for the time-crunched athlete.
A long battery life (up to seven days) means you don’t have to charge between brick workouts. Take this water-resistant watch into the pool or on a long run when a “sprinkle” threatens to turn into a downpour. See what’s ahead on your calendar or catch up on missed calls with the timeline display feature.
This display was easy to read, even when it was really sunny. I really liked being able to ride and answer emails/texts with the voice command.
Strava Athlete: Mattie A.
How he trains: A versatile athlete who rides whenever he can.
Microsoft Band
A no-frills fitness device for the all-around athlete.
Strava for Microsoft Band brings ride and run highlights right to your wrist. Check out your current run split or view your heart rate when seated on a steep climb. Decide how much sunscreen you need for a lunchtime ride with the UV monitor and leave the phone at home with built-in GPS. Stay on top of life off the road with call and text notifications.
I liked being able to see my current run pace and heart rate at a glance.
Strava Athlete: Iwan A.
How he trains: Weeknight run workouts and hits the roads for long weekend rides.