I want to buy a sports watch
 

Hi, I want to buy a sports watch. An affordable and ok one. Can you recommend me one?

Thanks in advance!

Peace :)

Define "affordable"

I mean, the cheapest one which is usable with Strava or any other applications.

In addition to defining "affordable" ou also need to give us a picture of what you mean by "sports-watch." Me, I would point you to a G-Shock, my preference is solar atomic. As such, I am going to point at this one.

If you give a clearer picture of what you are thinking of then we can probably do better. That being said, there are forums that are much more watch centric, and you will probably get better advice there.



/*edited to add*/

Okay, I see you are looking for a GPS watch. That narrows it down a lot. I decided against the watch for data tracking. However, that may change.
The thing is that I always have the phone with me somewhere. I have been considering adding a heart rate tracking ring.

For a watch, as mentioned by others, the Apple watch is well regarded, I notice that many of my co-workers wear them. Other than that, as mentioned below, look at the fit-bit offerings. Catagory leaders get there for several reasons, and Fit-bit is so much a category leader that the name is nearly generic.

If you have an iphone, i would just go apple watch just for the easy integration. Otherwise I would find a watch that is gps enabled.

Fitbit

I have a Vivoactive and l like the watch for Cycling with one major caveat. The watch battery will only last at most for five hours without a recharge. This makes it useless for longer century type rides.

If you get an Apple watch, get Applecare. My wife's new Series 4 fell of the counter yesterday - shattered the screen. THEN we learned that Apple watches can't be fixed - not like iPhones. So, there goes $500.

I used Fitbits and they were so-so.
A friend gave me a Garmin Vivoactive HR that he was not using and I LOVE it. They are not cheap, but well worth the money IMHO.
I have been hosting his website for several years and paying for the URL so it was a fair deal for all involved.

Probably wouldn't be interested in a Timex Ironman like what I wear. :) The battery lasts literally almost Forever!

Strava has an app that runs on the Apple Watch. If the watch is series 2 or greater, you can record the ride on the watch and leave the iPhone at home.

You will need an iPhone, also: Strava Support: Strava Apple Watch App

Another option is a Garmin fitness band that records GPS. It can upload rides to a linked smartphone with the Garmin Connect app, and that app can be configured to automatically transfer to Strava.

The least expensive Garmin band with GPS is probably the vivosport, which retails for $169.99:

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1c3197208d.jpg

Garmin vivosport

I have the Garmin Vivoactive and it's great. It used to be my primary cycling computer and I never had any complaints.

I picked up a Garmin Fenix 3HR and I must admit it works very well. It's available for less $$ now that the 5 is out. I chose the 3 because of the battery life.

You can easily upload to ridewithgps from it, as well as strava and garmin connect.

I have only played around with navigation but will do more with that in the future.

One nice thing you can do is set a timer. I set one when in bike mode to remind me to drink every 15 minutes.

Thank you all. :)

I like having a watch for status but find even when loose it still causes my left hand to tingle lose some circulation faster than my right hand which is without watch. Any of you all find the same?

I have the Garmin Vivosport and like it very much. For me it has a great blend of fitness and smart watch features.

Garmin vivioactive 3 love its battery is pretty good about 4 days between recharges, the only thing is Garmin doesn't do stair climbing very well

Stay away from Withings. I have the Steel HR worked great for the first 6 months now I can't get it to work on all functions. I have contacted their customer support all they keep saying is follow the web instructions. They have no repair facility and won't warranty a software problem. Read the reviews on Amazon, I am not alone.

I am not a happy camper.

Polar M200 here, pretty happy with it.

Not my arm not my M200....picture for reference.

https://www.pocket-lint.com/fitness-trackers/reviews/polar/140125-polar-m200-review-a-running-all-rounder-that-s-nice-to-your-wallet

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2321c9cd29.jpg

I have a samsung phone so went with the Samsung Gear S3 Frontier. I love the watch and use the Strava App on the watch when cycling.

I wear a Swatch.

Apple 4 watch. Not cheap, but it has many tricks including a fall detector that will call emergency services, and if you get the Cell model you can leave your phone at home and make/receive phone calls on your wrist, and the built in ride app tracks nearly as good as Strava.

I've had the Vivoactive HR for 3 years until it finally died - from a kiddy pool, too!

It is aging but have been awesome in practical use to do on-demand GPS logging for my bike rides and hikes (there are cool 3rd party apps and screens which let you customize the data you want to see). Wife has been using the Vivoactive 3 and likes it as well. Much cheaper and much more robust than an Apple watch.

I loved my Garmin Vivoactive. It is does quite a bit for being an "entry level" watch and Garmin I think is simply the best!

Elks,
I wear a Festina 2012 Chronograph which was the TDF watch given to competitors. I have two of them and they work quite nicely. I also have models from 2015, and 2016, and they all work well. I like the alarm function they have, and the split time ability. The mechanism is electric and the body is stainless steel which sometimes reacts with sun-screens giving me a black ring on my wrist, but the SS is necessary for me to avoid skin CA. I have had to replace batteries in them about three years apart, which is normal. I have had three Bulova Marine Star chronographs but they are not waterproof and I have had difficulties with water intrusion, so I shy away from them.
I wear Bulova 23 jewel self winding watches for dress as well as a Universal Geneve self-winding 1954 model from the first polar routes flown over the north and south poles. If it sounds like I am a bit outdated, I am but I can get all the information I need from a chronograph and checking my pulse with my fingers. Smiles, MH

Oops, they are normally about $375 for a new model and around $150 for a slightly used one.