{"id":132732,"date":"2025-05-26T08:03:13","date_gmt":"2025-05-26T08:03:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/132732\/"},"modified":"2025-05-26T08:03:13","modified_gmt":"2025-05-26T08:03:13","slug":"i-test-smartwatches-for-a-living-and-these-are-my-5-favorite-models-when-i-go-hiking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/132732\/","title":{"rendered":"I test smartwatches for a living \u2014 and these are my 5 favorite models when I go hiking"},"content":{"rendered":"

You don’t need to break the bank to score a solid smartwatch for tracking hikes and other outdoor adventures. Models like the $99 Amazfit Active 2<\/a> have all the basics like onboard GPS, offline maps and solid battery life.<\/p>\n

However, higher-end models like the Garmin Instinct 3<\/a> and Apple Watch Ultra 2<\/a> bring exceptional durability and other nifty features \u2014 including a built-in LED flashlight on the Garmin<\/a> \u2014 into the equation. Want something supremely comfortable and reliable? The Garmin Forerunner 165<\/a> might be your jam.<\/p>\n

Having tested dozens of smartwatches while hiking the mountains of the U.S. Pacific Northwest, I know firsthand which models are primo trail companions and which are better left in the car. With that, here are my five favorite smartwatches for hikers in 2025.<\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

Favorite long-lasting smartwatch for hikes: Garmin Instinct 3<\/p>\n

\"Close-up<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Dan Bracaglia\/Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

The Garmin Instinct 3<\/a> is one of my favorite smartwatches currently available. This is thanks to its rock-solid location tracking, range of useful wellness tools, support for tons of outdoor activities, and, perhaps most importantly, its long-lasting nature.<\/p>\n

The Instinct 3 comes in several varieties, including with optional solar charging capabilities. With enough time in front of the sun, the Instinct 3 Solar can, in theory, last forever without needing to visit a wall outlet or USB slot. The standard AMOLED model, meanwhile, will keep on ticking for well over two weeks.<\/p>\n

The device is also built to take on whatever the outdoors can toss at it, with 100 meters of water resistance and an oversized metal reinforced bezel to protect the screen.<\/p>\n

Favorite easy-wearing smartwatch for hikes: Garmin Forerunner 165<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

The Garmin Forerunner 165<\/a> is technically a mid-entry-level running watch, but all the things that make it great for first-time marathoners also make it exceptional for hikers<\/p>\n

Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.<\/p>\n

Stacked with some of Garmin\u2019s best workout training and recovery tools, not to mention impressive sleep tracking capabilities, it\u2019s also an exceptional value, easily found for under $200. For hikers, in particular, it keeps tabs on key metrics like elevation gain, pace and distance. It also has safety features, including LiveTrack and Incident Detection.<\/p>\n

Battery life when using GPS tracking should also be good for even the longest day hikes, up to 19 hours. It also comes in two lightweight, easy-wearing sizes and boasts a bright AMOLED touchscreen paired with physical buttons for when your hands are extra sweaty mid-hike.<\/p>\n

Favorite tough-built smartwatch for hikes: Amazfit T-Rex 3<\/p>\n

\"Close<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Dan Bracaglia\/Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

If you want a super-rugged smartwatch that\u2019ll take a licking and keep on ticking (okay, that\u2019s an old Timex slogan) without spending Apple Watch Ultra 2<\/a>-type cash, then the Amazfit T-Rex 3<\/a> is worth a look.<\/p>\n

This oversized beast has a massive 1.5-inch AMOLED touchscreen that maxes out at an impressive 2,000 nits. This is paired with a whole bunch of physical buttons, all tucked nearly into a rather cool-looking octagonal case with a big ol\u2019 stainless steel bezel.<\/p>\n

Battery life with GPS tracking should easily get you through 36 hours or more of hiking. With 100 meters of water resistance, dual-band GPS, and even support for offline navigational maps, it\u2019s kind of amazing that the T-Rex 3 can be yours for around $250.<\/p>\n

Favorite smartwatch with offline maps for hikes: Amazfit Active 2<\/p>\n

\"Close<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Dan Bracaglia\/Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

The Amazfit Active 2<\/a> has nearly all the same bells and whistles as the T-Rex 3, just squeezed into a more streamlined, easy-wearing case. Starting at less than $100, this admittedly handsome-looking smartwatch has onboard GPS, supports 160+ workout types, sports a bright AMOLED touchscreen and can track a hearty day\u2019s workout with plenty of battery to spare, making it one of the best bang-for-your-buck wearables in 2025.<\/p>\n

However, the most shocking feature, given the price, is support for offline navigational maps. While a little rough around the edges and somewhat limited in capability compared to, say, Apple, Garmin and Google<\/a>\u2019s take, this is a tool ordinarily only found on far pricer smartwatch models.<\/p>\n

Also worth noting: Amazfit is very good about responding to user feedback with firmware updates, and even within the few months that have passed since I reviewed the Active 2, it\u2019s already seen several enhancements.<\/p>\n

Favorite cellular-connected smartwatch for hikes: Apple Watch Ultra 2<\/p>\n

\"Apple<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Future)<\/p>\n

Neither Garmin nor Amazfit makes smartwatches with cellular connectivity. Fortunately, brands like Apple, Samsung and Google do. My favorite cellular-connected smartwatch is the Apple Watch Ultra 2<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Similar to the best Garmin watches, the Ultra 2 is jam-packed with impressive safety features, like fall and crash detection, along with Emergency SOS.<\/p>\n

It also makes for a mighty good hiking partner thanks to a long-lasting battery \u2014 up to 35 hours when tracking a hike with GPS enabled \u2014 a tough-built design with 100 meters of water resistance, and accurate location and holistic tracking. You also get a sweet, customizable \u2018Action\u2019 button (plus, a side button and digital crown) along with a super-bright and immersive touchscreen.<\/p>\n

More from Tom’s Guide<\/p>\n

Today’s best Apple Watch Ultra 2, Amazfit Active 2, Garmin Instinct 3, Amazfit T-Rex 3 and Garmin Forerunner 165 deals<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"You don’t need to break the bank to score a solid smartwatch for tracking hikes and other outdoor…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":132733,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3160],"tags":[1685,53,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-132732","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-gadgets","8":"tag-gadgets","9":"tag-technology","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114573096492209405","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/132732","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=132732"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/132732\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/132733"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=132732"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=132732"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=132732"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}