Dive into Best Sports Watches for Swimming in 2024, including picks from our best sports watches for women and top triathlon sports watches. Waterproof, accurate, & feature-packed – find your perfect aquatic companion.
It has a 1.2-inch color display, four buttons for navigation, and a battery life of up to 20 days in smartwatch mode and 30 hours in GPS mode. It weighs only 29g with the nylon band, making it one of the lightest GPS watches on the market. It supports Android and iOS devices and syncs with the Coros app for additional features.
The Coros Pace 2 is priced at $199 USD and comes in navy blue, white, black, and pink. You can select between a nylon band or a silicone band.
Coros Pace 2 Feature
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Waterproof rating | Up to 50m |
| Screen | Yes, color memory-in-pixel display |
| Heart rate tracker | Yes, works 24/7 |
| Activity tracking | Yes, for swimming and other sports134 |
| GPS | Yes, supported by two additional satellite positioning systems2 |
| Battery life | Up to 20 days in smartwatch mode, up to 30 hours in GPS mode |
| Compatibility | Android/iOS |
| Swim metrics | Length, distance, pace, stroke count, SWOLF, stroke rate, stroke efficiency index |
Apple Watch Series 8
Apple Watch Series 8
[GPS 41mm] Smart Watch
- Temperature Sensing for Women’s Health
- Crash detection for emergency help
- Sleep stages for better understanding
- Enhanced workout app for training
- Always-on retina display for style
The Apple Watch Series 8 features advanced health monitoring utilities that track heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and sleep patterns and provide ECG readings. This smartwatch offers a seamless user experience, long battery life, and a bright OLED display, suiting any lifestyle or activity level.
Additionally, its design seamlessly integrates monitoring and managing overall wellness into daily routines. Key benefits include:
- Heart rate and blood oxygen tracking – Ensures optimal cardio fitness and oxygen levels during workouts or rest. Provides alerts for abnormal rates.
- Sleep analysis – Identifies sleep stages, duration, and quality to improve rest and daytime vitality. Offers reports and tips for better sleep hygiene.
- ECG app – Performs an electrocardiogram to check heart rhythm and detect signs of atrial fibrillation or other heart conditions. Data is stored securely in the Health app.
- Body temperature sensing – Tracks changes in basal body temperature during sleep to better understand wellness and enhance menstrual cycle awareness for women. Find patterns for predicting ovulation.
- Fall detection – Detects if you’ve taken a hard fall and alerts emergency contacts. You can request help even if you’re unable to.
- App gallery – Access exercise, meditation, nutrition, and other apps for an integrated approach. Many are optimized for the Apple Watch experience.
The Apple Watch Series 8 costs $399 for the GPS model and $499 for the GPS + Cellular version. Available in aluminum, stainless steel, or titanium materials with five color options: midnight, starlight, green, blue, and red. Additional bands sold separately can be mixed and matched to personal style.
The Apple Watch Series 8 delivers cutting-edge health and fitness tracking to keep you informed and empowered. Its metrics, monitoring features and integrative design promote wellness, endurance, and progress at every stage of life. Whether starting a new routine, managing a condition, or optimizing performance, this watch supports your every move. Detailed insights and alerts keep you aware of your body’s needs while stylish, durable construction suits any wrist or lifestyle. The Apple Watch Series 8 invests in insight and vitality for the long run.
Apple Watch Series 8 Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Waterproof rating | Up to 50m1 |
| Screen | Yes, always-on retina display |
| Heart rate tracker | Yes, works 24/7 and has an ECG app |
| Activity tracking | Yes, for swimming and other sports |
| GPS | Yes, for outdoor activities |
| Battery life | Up to 18 hours in smartwatch mode |
| Compatibility | iOS only |
| Temperature sensing | Yes, tracks your temperature while you sleep and enables advanced cycle tracking features |
Fitbit Charge 5
Fitbit Charge 5
Advanced Health & Fitness Tracker
- Stress management with EDA sensor
- ECG app for heart health
- Built-in GPS for outdoor activities
- AMOLED touchscreen for bright display
- Daily readiness score for recovery
The Fitbit Charge 5 is a fitness tracker that can track your activity, heart rate, SpO2, stress, sleep, and more. It has a bright AMOLED touchscreen display, a built-in GPS, an ECG app, and an EDA sensor. It also supports Fitbit Pay, smart notifications, and voice assistants.
The battery of Fitbit Charge 5 lasts for a maximum of 7 days in smartwatch mode and up to 5 hours in GPS mode. The device is designed to be water-resistant up to 50 meters, making it suitable for tracking swimming activities. With a complimentary half-year membership of Fitbit Premium, it can determine your regular readiness level and score of stress management.
The Fitbit Charge 5 costs $179.95 USD and is available in black/graphite, platinum/lunar white, and steel blue/gold3. You can also choose from different band styles and materials sold separately.
Fitbit Charge 5 Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Waterproof rating | Up to 50m1 |
| Screen | Yes, color AMOLED touchscreen |
| Heart rate tracker | Yes, works 24/7 and has an ECG app |
| Activity tracking | Yes, for swimming and other sports |
| GPS | Yes, for outdoor activities |
| Battery life | Up to 7 days in smartwatch mode |
| Compatibility | Android/iOS |
| Stress management | Yes, tracks your stress level and provides mindfulness tools |
Garmin Forerunner 945
Garmin Forerunner 945
Running/Triathlon Smartwatch
- LTE connectivity for phone-free safety
- GPS running and triathlon smartwatch
- Music storage and streaming services
- Advanced performance monitoring tools
- Long battery life and durability
The Garmin Forerunner 945 is a GPS running and triathlon watch that can track your activity, heart rate, VO2 max, training load, recovery time, and more. It has a color display, five buttons for navigation, and a battery life of up to 2 weeks in smartwatch mode and up to 36 hours in GPS mode12. It also supports Garmin Pay, smart notifications, music storage and streaming, and incident detection12.
The Garmin Forerunner 945 also has a new LTE version that can connect to cellular networks without a phone. This allows you to use live tracking, spectator messaging, emergency assistance, and live event sharing without carrying your phone3. The LTE version costs $649.99 USD and is available in whitestone or black.
The Garmin Forerunner 945 is compatible with Android and iOS devices. You can sync your data with the Garmin Connect app and access more features like advanced analytics, training plans, social sharing, and more.
The Garmin Forerunner 945 costs $499.99 USD and is available in black or blue1. You can also choose from different band styles and materials sold separately.
Check out the Garmin Forerunner 35 Review
Garmin Forerunner 945 Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Waterproof rating | Up to 50m |
| Screen | Yes, color transflective memory-in-pixel display |
| Heart rate tracker | Yes, works 24/7 and has an ECG app |
| Activity tracking | Yes, for swimming and other sports |
| GPS | Yes, for outdoor activities and navigation |
| Battery life | Up to 2 weeks in smartwatch mode, up to 36 hours in GPS mode |
| Compatibility | Android/iOS |
| Music storage | Yes, up to 1000 songs |
Comparison Table
| Feature | Garmin Swim 2 | Coros Pace 2 | Apple Watch Series 8 | Fitbit Charge 5 | Garmin Forerunner 945 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterproof rating | Up to 50m | Up to 50m | Up to 50m | Up to 50m | Up to 50m |
| Screen | Color touchscreen | Color memory-in-pixel display | Always-on retina display | Color AMOLED touchscreen | Color transflective memory-in-pixel display |
| Heart rate tracker | Yes, works underwater | Yes, works 24/7 and has an ECG app | Yes, works 24/7 and has an ECG app | Yes, works 24/7 and has an ECG app | Yes, works 24/7 and has an ECG app |
| Activity tracking | Yes, for swimming and other sports | Yes, for swimming and other sports | Yes, for swimming and other sports | Yes, for swimming and other sports | Yes, for swimming and other sports |
| GPS | Yes, works underwater | Yes, supported by two additional satellite positioning systems | Yes, for outdoor activities | Yes, for outdoor activities and navigation | Yes, for outdoor activities and navigation |
| Battery life | Up to 7 days in smartwatch mode, up to 13 hours in GPS and optical heart rate mode | Up to 20 days in smartwatch mode, up to 30 hours in GPS mode | Up to 18 hours in smartwatch mode | Up to 7 days in smartwatch mode | Up to 2 weeks in smartwatch mode, up to 36 hours in GPS mode |
| Compatibility | Android/iOS | Android/iOS | iOS only | Android/iOS | Android/iOS |
| Music storage | No | No | No (GPS model), yes (GPS + Cellular model) up to 32GB songs or streaming services like Apple Music or Spotify. | No (GPS model), yes (GPS + Cellular model) up to 1000 songs or streaming services like Spotify or Deezer |
Conclusion
These are just some of the best sports watches for swimming or water sports, and you will need to choose based on your budget, features, and desired functionalities.
In conclusion, sports watches designed specifically for swimming provide unparalleled tracking of your workouts and performance. They feature water-resistant construction, dedicated swim apps and modes, and advanced sensors to capture every stroke and measure that matters most. Whether pushing personal bests, training for open water events, or discovering the joy of swimming, a high-quality swim watch becomes your workout partner.
These watches motivate you to swim stronger and longer through insights into speed, distance, interval times, stroke count, and heart rate. They build confidence in the open water and push your limits in the pool. Whatever your swimming goals, a swim watch helps bring them within your reach. No swim is too small or too big for proper tracking and motivation.
Invest in a sports watch built to handle swimming and open up new possibilities for progress. Start analyzing the details behind personal records and best practices for technique or endurance for continued improvement over time. Your swim watch is the tool that will keep you engaged through years of discovery and achievement in the pool. There’s no better way to dive into the benefits of swimming than with a running buddy designed specifically for the job. Make each swim count – track it all with a sports watch made for swimming!
If you like running, prepare to take your runs to the next level with these cutting-edge smartwatches tailored to unleash your endurance and shatter personal bests.
References
- Garmin Swim 2: https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/641471
- Coros Pace 2: https://coros.com/pace-2
- Apple Watch Series 8: https://www.apple.com/apple-watch-series-7/
- Fitbit Charge 5: https://www.fitbit.com/global/us/products/smartwatches/fitbit-charge-5
- Garmin Forerunner 945: https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/621922
- Suunto 9: https://www.suunto.com/sports-watches/suunto-9/
- Polar Vantage V2: https://www.polar.com/us-en/vantage/v2
- Samsung Galaxy Watch4: https://www.samsung.com/global/galaxy/galaxy-watch4/
- Timex Ironman R300 GPS: https://www.timex.com/ironman-gps
- Casio G-Shock GBD-H1000: https://www.casio.com/products/watches/g-shock/gbdh1000-1a7
Alexios Papaioannou
Mission: To strip away marketing hype through engineering-grade stress testing. Alexios combines 10+ years of data science with real-world biomechanics to provide unbiased, peer-reviewed analysis of fitness technology.