Other Fitness Trackers to Consider
Photograph: Adrienne So
Garmin Instinct 3 for $400: Garmin's Instinct line doesn't have as many high-end features as the Fenix 8, but it's popular because it's cheaper and it has a cool, chunky retro aesthetic that I love. This year's updates include the built-in flashlight and a new reinforced bezel, which is good considering that I still managed to bang up the Fenix and Epix watches quite a bit. For more information, check out our guide to the Best Garmin Watches.
Coros Nomad for $349: After wearing it for a month during the summer, I really love this rugged, modestly-priced sports watch. It's meant for anglers, so most of its sport modes are for fishing, but there's also a new feature called Adventure Journal that lets you record voice memos and pin locations as you're hiking and running so that you can remember where bathrooms, campsites, or really great berry-picking spots are. It's very light, considering its size, and the battery lasts forever.
Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $649: I don't recommend last year's Watch Ultra 2 anymore because I think the vastly extended battery life (up to 42 hours from 36 hours) plus satellite communications is enough of a reason for any outdoorsperson to just get a Watch Ultra 3. You definitely shouldn't buy it at full price. But it is compatible with watchOS 26, so if you can find it significantly on sale, I won't think you're dumb for going for it.
Garmin Venu X1 for $800: Garmin's Venu line straddles an odd niche. It has a polymer case, a nylon strap, and an enormous AMOLED display that is two inches across, which is great for displaying built-in maps. It has speakers and a mic for taking calls, and much of the fitness functionality of the Fenix, but without the classy, durable metal bezel or insane battery life. It works fine; it's just hard to look at it and not think that it's plastic and costs twice as much as the Apple Watch.
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
OnePlus Watch 3 for $270: My kingdom for a smartwatch that can last more than a day! The OnePlus Watch 3 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) can last for five days on a single charge. OnePlus now includes many by-now standard health features, like fall detection, a skin temperature sensor, irregular heart rate notifications, and an electrocardiogram. This is another great pick if you want a smartwatch that's also a good fitness tracker.
Suunto Run for $249: I love how light and slim this watch is (36 grams), especially in the now sold-out Lime. It has a bright AMOLED screen, two weeks of battery life, and accurate dual-frequency satellites. But Suunto's software is clunky and difficult to navigate when compared to Garmin's, Coros's, or Apple's. Offline maps are also not supported.
Amazfit Bip 6 for $70: Amazfit's trackers are improving so quickly! Like the Active 2, the Bip 6 is a gorgeous little watch, with a brilliant, big, and responsive AMOLED screen, well over a week of battery life, and 140 sport modes. I still find the tracker and the Zepp app to occasionally be laughably inaccurate, but it's cheap and comfortable and works well. However, for only $20 more, I'd just get the Active 2 instead.
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