Fitness trackers are essential tools in modern athletics. The ability to count your steps, measure your sleep patterns, and recovery is all data you need to know to get the most out of your runs and workouts. While increasing your fitness level can still be done the old-fashioned way, why not optimize your performance if you can?
Since the inception of the Fitbit, the market has been flooded with fitness tracker options ranging from simple heart rate monitors to complex data collection systems that inform the user on everything from their sleep quality to the weather. Before we get into our product lineup, let’s go over some of the most important options to consider in our list of the best fitness trackers for runners.
Things to Consider
There are so many features packed into modern fitness trackers it can be hard to keep track of which ones are important or not. To keep it simple, generally having more features is almost always going to be the better option. But features like optimum heart rate monitoring and sleep cycle tracking are going to be the most important. After all, getting more out of your rest will get you the most out of your runs.
For adventurous types like trail runners or those who like to take a different route around their city on their runs, GPS tracking is necessary. While you always have the option to stop, pull out your phone, and see where you’re going, navigation on your wrist doesn’t interrupt your rhythm.
Personal fitness tracking technology has come a long way in the past decade, or so, many modern fitness trackers still are unable to keep up with the seasoned runner. In this list, we compile the best fitness trackers for runners (in no particular order).
Fitbit Charge 4
- Use built-in GPS to see your pace and distance on screen during outdoor runs, rides, hikes and more and see a workout intensity map in the app that shows your heart rate changes along your route
- With Active Zone Minutes, feel a buzz when you reach your target heart rate zones during exercise, and celebrate when you earn extra minutes outside of exercise
- Get a 90-day free trial of the Fitbit Premium to help you stay active, sleep well and manage stress. Unlock it all in the Fitbit app. (Valid payment method required. Cancel before free trial ends to avoid subscription fees. Offer valid for new Premium users only).Operating temperature: -20° to 60° C
- Use 24/7 heart rate to track resting heart rate & better measure calorie burn. Syncing to mobile devices requires Bluetooth LE and internet connection. Syncs with Mac OS X 12.2 and up, iPhone 5S and later, iPad 5 gen. and later, Android 7.0 and later
- See your SpO2 nightly average and range on wrist, and view trends over the past week in the Fitbit app (SpO2 is not available in all markets. The SpO2 feature is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition or for any other medical purpose)
The Charge 4 is the original fitness tracker’s most modern addition to their lineup. For this model, Fitbit stayed true to its original sleek and simple design but packed it full of features like GPS tracking, text notifications, and waterproofing. For a functional fitness tracker that you don’t have to worry about matching to your outfit, the Fitbit Charge 4 is a great option.
Pros:
- Free 90 day trial to Fitbit Premium
- Notifies user when they are at their optimum heart rate
- Spotify compatible
- Lots of sleep tools
- Waterproof down to 50m
Cons:
- Reported 7-day battery life is not accurate for many users
- Screen wake doesn’t always work
- Interface lacks features
Garmin vívosmart 4
- Slim, smart activity tracker blends fashionable design with stylish metal accents and a bright, easy-to-read display
- Includes advanced sleep monitoring with REM sleep and can gauge blood oxygen saturation levels during the night with the wrist-based Pulse Ox sensor. (Not a medical device and not intended for use in the diagnosis or monitoring of any medical condition)
- Fitness and health monitoring tools include estimated wrist-based heart rate, all-day stress tracking, Relaxation breathing timer, Vo2 Max, body battery energy monitor and more
- Features dedicated activity timers for walks, runs, strength training, yoga, pool swims and others
- Get vibration alerts for All notifications, including calls, text messages and more (text replies available for Android Device users)
Garmin’s fourth-generation vívosmart is a stylish fitness tracker that’s priced affordably. The difference between the vívosmart and other fitness trackers at this price point is their accuracy. When compared side-by-side with other fitness trackers, this one doesn’t deviate from the more expensive models in terms of data output.
Pros:
- Accurately measures stress, sleep, recovery, and blood oxygen
- 7-day battery life
- Activity timers
- Attractive design
- Vibration phone notifications
Cons:
- Touch screen isn’t very responsive
- Customer care is subpar
Coros APEX
- Designed for fast and light mountain athletes with route navigation and checkpoint features supported with up to 30 days of regular battery life and 35 hours in full GPS mode
- Interval, structured, triathlon and strength training modes with training programs and plans created by COROS athletes and coaches available free on COROS.com
- Built-in running power metrics from the wrist plus native and complete integration with Stryd power meters
- Featuring running, cycling, swimming, cardio, strength, and water sports modes with ongoing support and updates.
- Built with a sapphire glass screen and includes optical heart rate monitor, barometric altimeter, accelerometer, compass, gyroscope and thermometer with 24/7 heart rate monitoring, sleep, step, and calorie tracking
Coros is a less well-known name in the fitness industry, but the APEX has established them as a real competitor, even outcompeting the Apple Watch in certain regards. It’s packed full of data sensors that let you see all the information from your run, including elevation gain and an exceptional GPS that even works far up in the mountains. The Coros APEX is the watch for hardcore trail runners.
Pros:
- Sleep tracker
- Screen is easy to see even in bright conditions
- Long battery life for this kind of watch
- Tracks altitude, barometric pressure, and even sends you weather alerts
- Fantastic companion app
- Works well in the cold
- Connects with third-party fitness apps like Strava and Runalyze
Cons:
- Very large
- No touch screen
Apple Watch Series 5
- GPS
- Always-On Retina display
- 30% larger screen
- Swimproof
- ECG app
The original smartwatch has gotten even smarter with the fitness tracking upgrades to the 5th generation Apple Watch. Apple made some simple tweaks on this version, like making the screen a bit larger and keeping the interface always-on with a low battery consumption retina display. On top of that, Apple has things like fall detection and emergency SOS to keep its users safe and secure on their run.
Pros:
- Seamless integration with your iPhone
- Accurate fitness tracking
- Tracks elevation
- Built-in GPS and compass
Cons:
- Expensive
- No sleep tracking
- Battery life could be better
Amazfit BIP
- Designed for fast and light mountain athletes with route navigation and checkpoint features supported with up to 30 days of regular battery life and 35 hours in full GPS mode
- Interval, structured, triathlon and strength training modes with training programs and plans created by COROS athletes and coaches available free on COROS.com
- Built-in running power metrics from the wrist plus native and complete integration with Stryd power meters
- Featuring running, cycling, swimming, cardio, strength, and water sports modes with ongoing support and updates.
- Built with a sapphire glass screen and includes optical heart rate monitor, barometric altimeter, accelerometer, compass, gyroscope and thermometer with 24/7 heart rate monitoring, sleep, step, and calorie tracking
You can expect Amazon’s house brand of fitness trackers to always beat its competition price-wise. But that’s not the reason it’s included on this list. What really sets this tracker apart from the others is it’s 30-day battery life. You read that right, 30-days.
The Amazfit BIP may not have all the features some of the other fitness trackers have. But considering the price point and its functionality, it would be perfect for someone investing in their first fitness tracker, or someone who is only interested in bare-minimum data output.
Pros:
- $69.99 starting price
- 30-day refund policy
- 12-month warranty
- Long battery life
- Tracks heart rate, distance traveled, calories burned, steps taken, and sleep quality
- Shows notifications from your phone
- Built-in GPS
Cons:
- Strap isn’t very comfortable
- Step counter is easily thrown off
- Google fit data report is somewhat confusing
- Have to pause the watch if you stop to get a drink of water
Our Top Pick
COROS APEX Premium Multisport GPS Watch
- Designed for fast and light mountain athletes with route navigation and checkpoint features supported with up to 30 days of regular battery life and 35 hours in full GPS mode
- Interval, structured, triathlon and strength training modes with training programs and plans created by COROS athletes and coaches available free on COROS.com
- Built-in running power metrics from the wrist plus native and complete integration with Stryd power meters
- Featuring running, cycling, swimming, cardio, strength, and water sports modes with ongoing support and updates.
- Built with a sapphire glass screen and includes optical heart rate monitor, barometric altimeter, accelerometer, compass, gyroscope and thermometer with 24/7 heart rate monitoring, sleep, step, and calorie tracking
Our personal favorite tracker on this list is the Coros APEX. For one, it looks like a watch. Call us old-fashioned, but we like the look of a classic watch. More importantly, though, the GPS and weather tracking features are lifesavers for trail runners. And the cold resistance is also important for many runners. Living in a subarctic climate, many fitness trackers stop working when it gets too cold outside.
That said, the trackers on this list are some of the best fitness trackers for runners out there. With things like points of measurement and GPS tracking being paramount, any item on this list would fit the bill for a serious runner.