Last Updated on April 27, 2024 by Luis Cooper
Are you looking for the best smartwatch for hiking?
The ideal hiking smartwatch combines durability, precise navigation tools, extended battery life, and robust outdoor features.
From accurate GPS tracking to weather alerts and altimeter readings, these watches offer a suite of elements essential for outdoor enthusiasts.
They’re rugged enough to withstand harsh conditions while providing crucial information to enhance your hiking experience.
Choosing the proper smartwatch ensures you stay on course, monitor your health, and enjoy the trails with confidence.
Which are the Best Smartwatches for Hiking?
Here are my recommended top 8 Best Smartwatches for Hiking:-
| Image | Buy | Best Smartwatches for Hiking |
|---|---|---|
 | View on Amazon | Garmin Instinct, Rugged Outdoor Watch with GPS, Features Glonass and Galileo, Heart Rate Monitoring and 3-Axis Compass, Graphite |
 | View on Amazon | Garmin epix Gen 2, Premium active smartwatch, touchscreen AMOLED display, Adventure Watch with Advanced Features, Slate Steel |
 | View on Amazon | Polar Grit X Pro - GPS Multisport Smartwatch - Military Durability, Sapphire Glass, Wrist-based Heart Rate, Long Battery Life, Navigation - Ideal for Outdoor Sports, Trail Running, Hiking |
 | View on Amazon | Garmin 010-02540-00 fenix 7, adventure smartwatch, rugged outdoor watch with GPS, touchscreen, health and wellness features, silver with graphite band |
 | View on Amazon | COROS VERTIX 2 Adventure GPS Watch, Ultra-Long 60 Days Battery Life, Dual-Frequency GPS, On-Wrist Navigation, Offline Maps, Heart Rate Monitor, Track Sleep, Running, Biking, Skiing, Climbing-Obsidian |
 | View on Amazon | Garmin Enduro™ 2 – Ultraperformance Watch, Long-Lasting GPS Battery Life, Solar Charging, Preloaded Maps |
 | View on Amazon | Garmin fēnix 7X Pro Sapphire Solar, Multisport GPS Smartwatch, Built-in Flashlight, Solar Charging Capability, Black |
 | View on Amazon | Suunto Core Classic, Outdoor Watch, All Black |
1. Garmin Instinct: (Best GPS Rugged Outdoor Watch for Hiking)
After finishing high school, I was free for around three months.
I wanted to spend my leisure time doing exciting activities, so I decided to go hiking with my friend.
As beginners, we could not monitor our hiking time and overall health.
While scrolling, we got to know about this Garmin Instinct rugged watch.
This smartwatch helped us a lot in maintaining my walking speed and time.
Also, it provided me with my heart rate and overall health profile at the end of the day.
WHAT DO WE GET FROM THESE?
Rugged Design:
This Garmin watch is Built to military standards (MIL-STD-810G); it’s shock, thermal, and water-resistant up to 100 meters.
It utilizes GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo satellite systems for precise location tracking even in challenging environments.
It also tracks your heart rate throughout the day, providing insights into your fitness levels and helping optimize workouts.
It is also Preloaded with multiple sports apps and activity profiles to cover a wide range of activities.
This device tracks stress levels, sleep patterns, and other health metrics, providing a holistic view of your well-being.
ABC Sensors:
This device comes with a 3-axis compass, barometric altimeter, and multiple global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) to support accurate positioning and navigation.
It monitors various activities such as hiking, running, swimming, and more, providing metrics and performance data.
It also offers an extended battery life, especially in GPS mode, lasting up to several days, depending on usage.
Syncs with your smartphone for notifications, alerts, and data sharing through Garmin Connect, allowing you to analyze and track your progress over time.
It comes with different watch faces, widgets, and apps that can be customized based on personal preferences and needs.
Conclusion:
Garmin is an excellent smartwatch that is affordable and easy to use.
The device monitors your route with accurate GPS tracking and guides you accordingly.
While you are sleeping, your sleep patterns are observed so that you can improve your sleep.
Compared to older devices, this device is substantially superior.
Specs:
| Brand | Garmin |
| Dimensions of the product | 1.8 x 0.6 x 1.8 inches |
| Weight of the item | 1.76 ounces |
| Target gender | unisex |
| Age range | adult |
| Battery Cell | 1 Lithium metal battery is required. (included) |
| Connectivity technologies | Bluetooth |
| GPS | included |
| Weight of item | 0.11 pounds |
| Standing screen size | 1.27 inches |
| Charging time | 2 hours |
| Manufacturer | Garmin |
2. Garmin Epix Gen 2: (Best Adventure Watch for Hiking)
I’m highly impressed by this long-running Garmin Epix Gen 2 watch.
The features and design of this watch are impressive, and it gets charged by the sun’s power.
I used this smartwatch while hiking, which immensely helped me with its innovative battery life.
It quickly gets captured by the sun’s energy, and I don’t have to set this device.
I can even wear this throughout the day because of its scratch-resistant construction.
WHAT DO WE GET FROM THESE?
Impressive Design:
It offers a vibrant and responsive touchscreen display for easy navigation and viewing—a durable, premium material providing both style and durability.
Syncs with your smartphone to receive notifications for calls, texts, emails, and app alerts.
It gives a multi-day battery life in regular smartwatch mode, can be extended further with power-saving options, and offers hours of battery life while actively using GPS.
It’s suitable for swimming and water-based activities.
Mapping and Navigation:
It includes detailed mapping with topographic maps, ski maps, and more.
It also utilizes GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo for precise location tracking and navigation.
This watch offers storage for music, supports playback via compatible Bluetooth headphones, and is preloaded with various sports and activity profiles for accurate monitoring.
Health Features:
This watch tracks various activities, offering metrics like steps, distance, calories burned, and advanced performance stats for workouts.
It provides continuous heart rate monitoring, aids in optimizing movements, and monitors overall fitness levels.
It also tracks stress levels, sleep quality, hydration, and more, providing insights into overall health and wellness.
Moreover, it allows personalization with various watch faces and widgets and gives access to the Connect IQ store for additional apps, devices, and watch faces.
Conclusion:
Let’s suppose you are worried about your speed while hiking.
It provides you with monitoring and tracking of rates.
Plus it manages your sports activities perfectly.
The Garmin Epix may be the answer.
Specs:
| Brand | Garmin |
| Dimensions of the product | 1.85 x 1.85 x 0.57 inches |
| Weight of the item | 0.72 pounds |
| Target gender | unisex |
| Age range | adult |
| Battery Cell | 1 Lithium polymer battery is required. (included) |
| Connectivity technologies | Bluetooth |
| GPS | included |
| Weight of item | 0.11 pounds |
| Standing screen size | 1.3 inches |
| Charging time | 2 hours |
| Manufacturer | Garmin |
My walking speed is monitored every time.
It helped me show my fitness and health relation issues at the end of the day.
Even my sleep pattern is also observed, and suggestions are provided.
So I told him about this helpful product.
This smartwatch works excellently for everyday wear.
WHAT DO WE GET FROM THESE?
Durable Design:
This watch is built to military standards (MIL-STD-810G), ensuring resistance to various environmental conditions.
It provides superior scratch resistance for the display, ensuring durability in rugged conditions.
It monitors heart rate throughout the day, aiding in optimizing training and performance.
This watch also offers extended battery life, especially in GPS mode, lasting for multiple days, depending on usage.
It tracks various activities such as running, cycling, swimming, and more with dedicated profiles and metrics.
You can receive notifications for calls, messages, and other app alerts from your smartphone and allow control of music playback from your wrist.
It’s also suitable for swimming and water sports with water resistance.
GPS Navigation:
This watch analyzes your training sessions, providing insights into your load and recovery preventing overtraining.
It offers personalized workouts based on healing, readiness, and training history.
It also provides accurate location tracking for outdoor activities like hiking, trail running, and more.
It’s seamless integration with Komoot for route planning and navigation.
Moreover, it provides automatic tracking of uphill and downhill segments during training sessions and guides you on nutrition and hydration during long workouts.
It also tracks sleep stages, provides insights into sleep quality and recovery, and analyzes daily recovery by combining sleep data and daily activity.
Conclusion:
It provides a crystal clear display and no trouble seeing at night.
I’m astonished by its unique features and fitness features.
It helped me maintain my health and fitness accurately.
Specs:
| Brand | Polar |
| Dimensions of the product | 1.85 x 1.85 x 0.51 inches |
| Weight of the item | 2.6 ounces |
| Target gender | unisex |
| Age range | adult |
| Battery Cell | 1 Lithium-ion battery is required. (included) |
| Connectivity technologies | Bluetooth |
| GPS | included |
| Weight of item | 0.11 pounds |
| Standing screen size | 1.2 inches |
| Charging time | 3 hours |
| Manufacturer | polar |
4. Garmin Fenix 7: (Best Smartwatch for Hiking Enthusiast)
I require a watch for hiking that monitors my walking speed and time.
This watch can also be worn anytime to monitor your health and fitness.
It would be suitable and has a perfectly comfy strap so you can wear it for a long time.
I was impressed by the great price of this watch and the luxurious design it comes with.
WHAT DO WE GET FROM THESE?
Military Standard Durability:
It’s built to withstand rugged conditions, making it suitable for outdoor adventures.
It has durable materials ensuring longevity and resistance to wear.
It allows for easy navigation and interaction with the watch’s features and offers various watch faces to suit personal preferences.
This watch also tracks multiple activities such as running, hiking, cycling, swimming, and more with specific metrics and provides detailed performance data, including VO2 max, recovery advisor, and training status.
Moreover, it offers an extended battery life, especially in specific modes, ensuring longevity during outdoor adventures.
You can also receive notifications for calls, texts, emails, and app alerts from your smartphone, and it allows music storage and playback with compatible Bluetooth headphones.
Syncs with smartphones for data sharing and access to Garmin Connect.
Plus, this device is suitable for swimming and water-based activities with water resistance.
GPS and Navigation:
This watch utilizes GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo for accurate location tracking and features an altimeter, barometer, and compass for precise navigation and elevation tracking.
It also monitors heart rate throughout the day and during activities and tracks stress levels, sleep patterns, hydration, and other wellness metrics.
This device measures blood oxygen levels to gauge acclimation to altitude or overall health.
Conclusion:
Garmin Fenix 7 Watch is an excellent smartwatch that is pricier but has a variety of functions.
The device monitors your route with accurate GPS tracking and guides you accordingly.
While you are sleeping, your sleep patterns are observed so that you can improve your sleep.
Compared to older devices, this device is substantially superior.
Specs:
| Brand | Garmin |
| Dimensions of the product | 1.85 x 1.85 x 0.57 inches |
| Weight of the item | 2.72 ounces |
| Target gender | unisex |
| Age range | adult |
| Battery Cell | 1 Lithium-ion battery is required. (included) |
| Connectivity technologies | Bluetooth |
| GPS | included |
| Weight of item | 2.27 ounces |
| Standing screen size | 1.3 inches |
| Charging time | 2 hours |
| Manufacturer | Garmin |
5. COROS VERTIX 2: (Best Watch for Hiking and Mountaineering)
I have been with my hiking partners for a long time, who have dealt with the most challenging times being a woman.
Among the best sports watches for women, the COROS VERTIX 2 smartwatch is one of the most reliable.
I was astounded by what you received for this package with various innovative features.
The setup is straightforward.
You can conveniently pair it with your iOS or Android.
You can access the content anytime, anywhere.
WHAT DO WE GET FROM THESE?
Ultra-Long Battery Life:
This watch provides an impressive 60 days of battery life in regular use, ensuring endurance during extended outdoor trips.
It utilizes dual-frequency satellite signals for enhanced accuracy and reliability in location tracking.
It offers on-wrist navigation with offline maps, allowing for navigation without the need for a phone.
It’s designed to withstand harsh conditions with a durable build suitable for outdoor adventures and provides scratch resistance for the display, ensuring durability in harsh environments.
Health and Fitness Tracking:
It tracks heart rate throughout the day and during various activities and monitors sleep patterns to provide insights into sleep quality and recovery.
This watch also tracks multiple activities such as running, biking, skiing, climbing, and more, giving specific metrics for each sport and offering climbing-specific metrics like ascent and descent information, altitude, and more.
On the other hand, this watch provides an estimation of your maximum oxygen consumption to measure fitness levels, offers insights into training load, and recommends recovery times.
You can also receive notifications for calls, texts, emails, and app alerts directly on the watch and allow control of music playback from the watch when connected to a smartphone.
Plus, this watch is suitable for swimming and water sports with high water resistance.
Conclusion:
It can be utilized for different purposes due to its stylish design and innovative features.
The accuracy and reliability perform most of what you need them to do.
This is one of the best COROS items and is highly user-friendly, and performs well.
Specs:
| Brand | COROS |
| Dimensions of the product | 9 x 6 x 3 inches |
| Weight of the item | 1.86 pounds |
| Target gender | unisex |
| Manufacturer | COROS |
6. Garmin Enduro™ 2: (Best Ultraperformance Watch with Preloaded Maps)
The device is quite simple to use, and this smartwatch has a sleep-tracking option that helps you get an adequate amount of sleep.
Using the apps on the smartwatch is pretty straightforward.
The quality is excellent, and the GPS is simple enough for tracking, even if it’s your first experience with this product.
WHAT DO WE GET FROM THESE?
Ultraperformance Design:
It’s built to withstand harsh conditions and is suitable for extreme sports and endurance activities.
Despite its durability, it maintains a lightweight design for comfortable wear during prolonged workouts.
It also offers exceptional battery life, especially in GPS mode, providing extended use for endurance activities.
It utilizes solar power to extend battery life, which is ideal for longer adventures in sunlight.
Furthermore, this watch tracks various activities, such as running, cycling, swimming, and more, with dedicated metrics for each sport.
It is designed explicitly for ultra-endurance activities with extended battery and tracking capabilities.
This device is suitable for swimming and water sports with high water resistance.
GPS/Navigation:
This watch offers preloaded maps for accurate navigation and location tracking during activities and utilizes GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo for precise location tracking.
It also provides detailed training metrics such as VO2 max, recovery advisor, and training load to optimize performance.
It monitors heart rate throughout the day and during activities to gauge effort levels and fitness.
You can also receive notifications for calls, texts, emails, and app alerts from your smartphone and allow music storage and playback when paired with compatible Bluetooth headphones.
It also monitors sleep patterns, provides insights into sleep quality and recovery, and analyzes your body’s energy reserves throughout the day to optimize activity planning.
Conclusion:
It is an excellent smartwatch for hiking with a fabulous AMOLED display.
The setup instructions with the device are simple, and you can get customer assistance if you run into setup issues.
There is no monthly subscription for the apps.
Additionally, it offers easy control of music playback.
Specs:
| Brand | Garmin |
| Dimensions of the product | 2.01 x 2.01 x 0.61 inches |
| Weight of the item | 70 grams |
| Target gender | unisex |
| Age range | adult |
| Battery Cell | 1 Lithium polymer battery is required. (included) |
| Connectivity technologies | Bluetooth |
| GPS | included |
| Weight of item | 70 grams |
| Standing screen size | 1.4 inches |
| Charging time | 1 hour |
| Manufacturer | Garmin |
7. Garmin fēnix 7X Pro: (Best Quality Smartwatch with Charging Capability)
My firm sent me to inspect some good quality watches for hiking.
They wanted to choose watches with unique designs that are simple to operate.
Anyone who wants a smartwatch for hiking should use the Garmin Fenix 7X Pro.
You can get a bright display and be notified when you receive a notification on your mobile phone.
Let’s move forward to read its specs.
WHAT DO WE GET FROM THESE?
Durable Construction:
It’s designed to withstand rugged conditions, making it suitable for outdoor adventures, and it has a scratch-resistant display for added durability and protection.
It utilizes solar power to extend battery life, which is especially beneficial during outdoor activities in sunlight.
It also tracks heart rate throughout the day and during workouts, aiding in performance assessment, and measures blood oxygen levels to assess acclimation to altitude or overall health.
With this, it also monitors sleep patterns and provides insights into sleep quality and recovery.
This device also tracks various activities, such as running, cycling, swimming, and more, with specific metrics for each sport and provides detailed performance metrics for training optimization.
Flashlight Feature:
This watch utilizes GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo for precise location tracking and navigation and preloaded maps for accurate navigation and location awareness during activities.
It also offers a built-in flashlight feature, which is handy for low-light or emergencies during outdoor adventures.
You can also receive notifications for calls, texts, emails, and app alerts directly on the watch and allow music storage and playback when paired with compatible devices.
Syncs with smartphones for data sharing and access to Garmin Connect.
It’s suitable for swimming and water sports with high water resistance.
Conclusion:
It comes with excellent quality and provides a speaker to make and receive calls from your smartwatch.
It lets you track your every activity and provides you with health profiles.
This smartwatch is easy to operate and has a variety of features.
Specs:
| Brand | Garmin |
| Dimensions of the product | 1.85 x 1.85 x 0.57 inches |
| Weight of the item | 2.57 ounces |
| Target gender | unisex |
| Age range | adult |
| Battery Cell | 1 Lithium-ion battery is required. (included) |
| Connectivity technologies | Bluetooth |
| GPS | included |
| Weight of item | 73 grams |
| Standing screen size | 1.3 inches |
| Charging time | 2 hour |
| Manufacturer | Garmin |
8. Suunto: (Best Affordable Outdoor Watch for Hiking)
A watch company hired me as a consultant.
They have an ample supply chain nationwide and want to overcome tracking concerns.
After considering all the requirements and feasibility.
Everything is designed to be simple and easy to use.
There are no subscription charges, and the battery is long-lasting.
It is noticeably sleeker and more appealing and retains a swim-proof case for safe swimming, which is a good thing.
WHAT DO WE GET FROM THESE?
All-Black Design:
The altimeter measures altitude and vertical ascent/descent, providing crucial data for outdoor activities like hiking and climbing.
Its barometer monitors air pressure and weather trends, alerting users to upcoming weather changes.
The compass offers a digital compass for easy navigation, ensuring you always know your direction during outdoor adventures.
It features a robust build, designed to withstand outdoor conditions, making it suitable for rugged use.
Simple and intuitive interface, allowing easy access to various functions and modes.
Its stylish and sleek black design is ideal for multiple occasions and outdoor activities.
Multiple Watch Features:
It offers storm alerts, temperature readings, and sunrise/sunset times, aiding in weather-related decision-making.
It is suited for snorkeling and shallow diving, measuring water depth, and providing underwater information.
This device also includes timekeeping, dual time, alarm, date, and stopwatch features for everyday use and activity tracking.
It offers extended battery life, ensuring longevity during outdoor trips without frequent charging.
Conclusion:
It can be utilized for different purposes due to its design and innovative features.
The accuracy and reliability perform most of what you need them to do, so I’m satisfied.
This is one of the best Garmin items, is highly user-friendly, and performs well.
Specs:
| Brand | SUUNTO |
| Dimensions of the product | 5 x 3.7 x 3.58 inches |
| Weight of the item | 64 grams |
| Target gender | unisex |
| Age range | adult |
| Battery Cell | 1 Lithium-ion battery is required. (included) |
| Connectivity technologies | Bluetooth |
| GPS | included |
| Weight of item | 64 grams |
| Standing screen size | 1.4 inches |
| Charging time | 3 hour |
| Manufacturer | Suunto |
Buying Guide:
GPS and Navigation:
- Accurate GPS: Look for watches with reliable GPS systems and support for multiple satellite networks (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo) for precise location tracking, route planning, and navigation.
Battery Life:
- Long Battery Life: Opt for watches with extended battery life, especially in GPS mode, to support longer hikes or outdoor activities. Solar charging can be a valuable addition for extended usage.
Durability:
- Rugged Build: Choose a watch with a durable and sound design that is resistant to water, shock, and extreme temperatures to withstand outdoor conditions.
Altimeter and Barometer:
- Altimeter: A feature to measure altitude is crucial for hiking. It helps track elevation gain descent and assess your position in mountainous regions.
- Barometer: Monitors air pressure changes, aiding in weather forecasting and identifying potential weather shifts.
Compass:
- Digital Compass: A built-in compass assists in navigation, ensuring you maintain the correct direction even when a GPS signal is weak or unavailable.
Weather Resistance:
- Waterproofing: Ensure the watch has water resistance suitable for hiking in different weather conditions or when encountering water bodies.
Health and Fitness Tracking:
- Heart Rate Monitor: Tracks heart rate for fitness monitoring and gauges effort during hikes.
- Sleep Tracking: Provides insights into sleep quality, crucial for recovery during multi-day hikes.
Offline Maps and Navigation:
- Preloaded Maps: Watches with preloaded maps and on-wrist navigation are advantageous, especially in areas with no cellular connectivity.
Smart Features:
- Intelligent Notifications: Receive calls, texts, and app alerts directly on the watch.
- Music Storage and Playback: Useful for entertainment during long hikes.
Comfort and Fit:
- Comfortable Strap: Opt for a watch with a comfortable strap, preferably adjustable, for a secure and comfortable fit during long hikes.
Ending Paragraph:
We have finalized our discussion about the best smartwatches for hiking.
Do you guys have experience with the best smartwatches for hiking?
What are your thoughts on them?
Do you know any smartwatches for hiking I haven’t highlighted in this article?
Kindly drop your comments below.
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Luis Cooper
Hi, I'm Luis, the guy behind this site. I love wearing watches, especially ones that look great on small wrists (mine are about 6.3" around). The Watches Geek is dedicated to helping you learn about and buy watches that you will love wearing. I want this website to be the last destination for people to pick the best watches to fit their needs. You can find our unbiased reviews here on Thewatchesgeek.
