How to Choose a GPS Watch in 2022

[@JeffPelletier]

Shop for the 3 watches I mentioned in the video below: COROS Vertix 2: geni.us/oApe COROS Vertix 1: geni.us/WnpLyj Suunto 9 Baro: geni.us/lhXBi

[@raphaelkinney]

I've always had tremendous success buying used watches. Not only does it help reduce e-waste, but I always get a solid deal as most of these watches are already so robust that it's hardly much of a difference than buying one new, and it's always significantly less. Great video Jeff!

[@JeffPelletier]

Thanks for sharing your experience! Great point about reducing waste as well.

[@dogwalk3]

yep! i just got a garmin fenix 6pro for $200 bc it had a very light scratch on the screen. i've had Polar, Suunto, & Apple watches with various amounts of success, but this feels like skyrocketing onto a whole other level & cheaper than those other watches when i got them!

[@andyahtside2667]

Just bought the Fenix 7 Solar. I had a frustrating experience with an older version Suunto (Ambit 3 Peak) where it would sometimes take a full day to upload my activity. The Coros Vertix 2 battery seems great and if I was only buying a watch, that would be a great choice. But I enjoy the Garmin Ecosystem if I use an Inreach for backcountry adventures or an edge cycling computer so landed with the Fenix 7. The Fenix 6 is great but the touchscreen to me was worth it for navigating on the maps during activities and increased battery life.

[@luiscolome75]

Thanks for all the tips Jeff. But the last one I think it's the most important. You can't imagine, how many people get surprised when I tell them I use some features in the very same watch they have that they don't even know it was there. Thanks again!!

[@ChaseTheSummit]

Nice overview Jeff!

[@SeeChadRun]

My first and only GPS watch is the Suunto 9 Baro. I really like the form factor of the Suunto 9 Peak, but Coros has some very nice specs now-a-days. Battery life is always a nice improvement, and the only thing that I wish my Suunto had was a better OLED-like screen without sacrificing battery life.

[@Dave-ev2oh]

A major deciding factor for me was Spotify integration. I was very surprised by how few watches offered all three of my must have features of maps, altimeter and Spotify. I think it's improved a bit lately, but a couple years ago the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro was really the only choice.

[@Matt.W.Outside]

Great overview of primary concerns. Something else to consider that recently helped make my decision to purchase the Coros Vertix 1 was continued support and updates for older models. The recent update to offline mapping helped me pull the trigger as a fast packer/trail runner for whom the Vertix 2 was just too much watch. Knowing a company will support their older products is a huge selling point when the price tag creeps above the $300 mark.

[@fabricioluna2621]

Hi Jeff....choosing a GPS watch has been a great journey for me. Starting with the Nike band with no gps but an electronic steps counter that allowed stride lenght threshold for running distance accuracy. Timex IRON MAN was my first GPS that only sync'd with training peaks and I still hold the account since then. Switched to Garmin foreruner 620 a very light and made for runners only watch that included ride mode. HR belt and training dynamics metrics that did not know what to do with. VO2 and training plans were included and still the watch works and sync's with gamin connect. Moved to SUUNTO Ambit Peak - my best experience so far- big and reliable watch with navigation included. No vibration alert, so you need to have your ears uncovered. Movescount died and now the brand offerme a trade in program for an upgrade to Suunto 9 baro Titanium. No regrets so far. Yeah there are other brands, more than I can afford, but choose the one that fits you and not the other way arround. Cheers from Mexico.

[@alanshrimpton6787]

I have Garmin FR935, Polar V2 & Coros Apex. I'm a road runner and I use the running workouts continuesly. I find Garmin the best if you work to Pace because it uses the average pace of the current step it's in and shows you the range your trying to hit. While the other brands tend to show current pace which is impossible to maintain when in hilly terrain so I like Garmin principle of average pace so you can slow on a hill and speed up down hill without being nagged by the watch you are out of range. As long as I hit my average pace I'm happy.

[@Marcin79W]

The only downside of used watches is - the battery life may be not anymore as expected. In some cases it's not a problem, it can be replaced. I did it with my Forerunner 735XT and for a few bucks bought it a new life for another few years. Thank you for the video.

[@uweg5752]

Based on your information, I bought the coros vertix 2. I am very satisfied with the watch because it is easy to use despite its great variety Best regards from Germany

[@JeffPelletier]

So glad to hear that! I’m still loving my Vertix 2.

[@uweg5752]

I also bought the Salomon S/Lab Genesis after 15 years running with asics. I will not change back. Thanks to you for all the reviews.

[@ContentsMayDiffer]

I have been using the Coros Apex 46 mm for a couple of years now. I am really happy with it. I use it as an everyday watch and as a training tool. The passive step tracking is surprisingly accurate, only a 2 - 4 percent positive deviation per 1000 steps. I have turned off just about every activity mode except running and hiking. I try to live my life independent of my watch, but when I feel the need to tell Coros that I am doing something intense that they should track, I might use the obscure "gym cardio" function. Got to feed the beast. Speaking of Coros, they just announced Kilian Jornet as an addition to their roster. I am pretty sure that will boost their sales with the Trail Athlete™ crowd.

[@JeffPelletier]

Yea, that’s huge for Coros having both Kilian and Emilie on board!

[@brettbergeron]

Love this channel, man! I love how practical you are with all the reviews. If you can, I'd love to hear you do a review of the Apple Watch Ultra when it comes out.

[@tom_the_triplets_dad]

I have the garmin 945, I did my research and found that I could save money buying it from abroad minus the maps, once the watch arrived I simply had to go onto DC Rainmakers site and upload the mapping data. I saved about £50-£60 here in the UK. Love the look of the vertix 2, really does look like an amazing watch but also so does the new garmin epix with its snazzy led screen!

[@Ballerina11AA]

Best gps watch video I’ve seen. Thanks!

[@IRunThings]

I just mentioned your channel on my latest favorites video. I am kind of hooked

[@TheCanadianBeaver]

I still love my Timex Ironman watch. But with new technology and gimmicks entering the market, I am worried that I will not be able to buy my watch of choice because I am becoming an old man stuck with bad habits. Keep following your nose Jeff! From your Canadian friend Up North.

[@McFearless80]

I'm enjoying my Polar Vantage M2. It's got everything I need and looks pretty sharp.

[@mpelletier62]

Definitely looking at replacing my Fenix 5x , will see after my first 15-20h racethis summer, might wait for 2022 black friday to switch to Coros

[@letoatreides5165]

Suunto gifted me a Suunto9 Peak with Titanium and Saphire. Won't be switching any time soon. Good video though

[@NewSkiwi]

Thanks that was super informative.

[@andrewjknoxuk]

I do like Coros, though I would miss the Climb Pro feature of Garmin. Oh and turn-by-turn alerts on breadcrumb (not bothered by maps) - so handy in trail races!

[@dbk81]

Mostly a runner/ultra runner here, hard to beat the value of a Fenix 6 Pro right now.

[@bobmclaren498]

Hi Jeff, as someone new to the GPS watch scene, this video was very informative. Full disclosure, I am not an ultra athelete, my primary sports are cycling (road, gravel and mountain), hiking and nordic skiing. To date I've primarily been using my Garmin edge cycling computer to track all of these activities and although the Garmin does a very good job on road cycling, I've found that it struggles to accurately track my hikes, nordic skis and some gravel/mountain bike rides. After watching your video I started poking around the web and came across the Coros Pace 2. Although targeted at runners, it seems like it does what I need, namely record GPS and HR accurately and have a battery life of 30 hours in full GPS mode (my longest activities are in the 8 - 10 hour range with most less than 4). It also has a lot of other interesting features but they are just bonuses. Do you have any thoughts or recommendations for someone who is looking for a less expensive GPS watch with good GPS accuracy?

[@JeffPelletier]

Hey Bob, I’m actually planning on reviewing the Pace 2 in the coming weeks - my first impression is that it would be a great fit for your needs.

[@lizusedon9237]

A lot to take from that Thanks Jeff 🙌🙌🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@richriley8031]

Very informative!😊

[@wildoz8745]

I have a Fenix 5x and doubt I’ll upgrade till it dies, to much money invested in something that a watch a 1/4 of its price is capable of, if I had my time again I’d have purchased something like Coros pace 2, I at least know my wrist would enjoy shedding all that excess weight 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@mihaibrb1642]

Awesome videos! Would you mind sharing why you picked your current devices? I'm a Fenix 7 user and I'm curious why you stepped away from Garmin :)

[@JeffPelletier]

I originally moved to Suunto for the improved build quality and battery life, before moving to COROS for even better battery life. But Garmin has come a long way over the years. Admittedly, I have very little experience with more recent Garmin models, but I know the Fenix series is quite good.

[@davidbraswell1481]

I have eye problems and will never buy another MIPS display watch AMOLED only, that's the one thing keeping me from buying the Vertix 2 or any Coros for that matter! I guess I have to stay with AWU and Garmin.

[@davidw.pursley6474]

Jeff, I’m still of two minds about leaving Garmin after so many years. On another related topic, you clearly have enough on your plate content-wise (thanks!) but have you contemplated the idea of training with power (Stryd) for ultra runners? It’s seems to me for street runners up to marathon distance. Any thoughts?

[@JeffPelletier]

I’ve never tried a power meter but it’s a topic I’d like to explore. I’ve always been confused about it because power on the track, hitting the ground harder and getting more vertical motion, is what propels you forward faster. But in ultra running, it’s as much about efficiency and limiting muscle fatigue as speed (go slow to go fast). So it would seem to me that you’d want to achieve *lower* power numbers. But as I say, it’s something I need to research. Thanks for the suggestion!

[@adventurerathlete397]

Please let us know what is the cheapst sport tracker that shows more about distance and tell more about the pace ,and so

[@CourtesyPhone]

What about display brightness? My problem with my previous watches is that I can hardly see the display while I'm running out in the sun.

[@JeffPelletier]

Ah interesting, I’m not sure I’ve ever noticed a huge difference, but that could definitely be something to consider. It’s something that you can change on some watches, but A brighter display will reduce battery life.

[@freeze1975]

Hi Jeff! Which watch do you recomend to a biginner trail runner? 😊

[@limta74]

Currently, I use my Android phone's GPS to track my running pace, and I also utilize the Huawei Band 6 to monitor my heart rate. Recently, I tested my running performance on a 400-meter stadium track with a target distance of approximately 6 kilometers. However, I observed that the Runkeeper app on my Android phone recorded 6 kilometers, while the actual distance covered was 5.92 kilometers-indicating a variance of 80 meters. This discrepancy has led me to consider purchasing a GPS watch. I am curious about how much more accurate a GPS watch would be compared to my current setup.

[@JeffPelletier]

The GPS chips in most phones are actually pretty accurate. But the main benefit IMO of a watch is durability and battery life.

[@limta74]

@@JeffPelletier I will likely stick with my phone since, even if I have a GPS watch, I'll still need to carry my phone. Additionally, I don't run for more than a maximum of 2 hours.

[@JeffPelletier]

Sounds like a good plan in your case!

[@pininh0]

Jeff, really like your content, but saying maps are a recent innovation doesn’t really seem accurate to me. Garmin has topo maps for a few years now. And still remains the only one having routable maps, which the Coros Vertix 2 doesn’t do. Also I think it could be mentioned that the dual frequency mode GPS, when you look ate real use case scenarios, doesn’t translate into any significant improvement in accuracy as Coros claims.

[@JeffPelletier]

I appreciate the feedback, but I have to disagree on the dual-frequency GPS. I’ve noticed a huge improvement in accuracy, especially compared to others I run with. Here in Vancouver, we spend a lot of time in and out of river valleys. GPS is notoriously bad near rock faces which is what this solves for, whether rock climbing or trail running. Perhaps you’ve tried it in less challenging conditions?

[@pininh0]

@@JeffPelletier fair enough! I saw some testing comparing dual freq vs GPS only (total transparency - didn't do them myself) and it was indeed in pretty normal situations, no huge challenges. thank you for taking the time to reply! Take care :)

[@petrpospisil6307]

You are late, I already bought Fenix 6 Pro last weekend :D

[@cst99003]

But a great choice. I have one minor issue with mine. From a trail runner perspective, distance can be a bit short (1km over 20km) compared to my friends

[@petrpospisil6307]

@@cst99003 Thank you and regarding that issue, I heard that it's an issue with all Garmin watches VS. Suunto. I had for 4 years Suunto Spartan Sport Wrist HR Baro and I had almost every time longer distance for hiking/running/trail running/MTB than my girlfriend with Garmin watches. According to maps sometimes Garmin and sometimes Suunto were right.

[@brianreiter5572]

That concern about cumulative GPS accuracy is where multi-band GPS comes in. That narrows your choices to Garmin Epix 2, fenix 7/7X sapphire solar, or Coros Vertix 2.

[@zhorakovsky]

Just buy a Garmin Fenix :)

[@imaXkillXya]

I saw a refurbished Garmin 6 pro for $350 back in march on eBay now its $450.