Should I buy a smartwatch for tracking workouts?
I was thinking about getting an Apple Watch or Garmin to track my heart rate and calories while running. Maybe it's just marketing and a regular fitness band would be enough?
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I've been working with data in agronomy for 19 years, and I'll be honest - sensor accuracy really does matter, but not always in terms of price. Someone already made a good point about how serious you are about it: if you're just running for health a couple times a week, a regular band will give you pretty much the same idea of your workout load, but if you're training for something specific and want to track your training progress over months, then it's worth spending on a watch with decent GPS and a heart rate sensor - Garmin is more stable in that sense, though Apple Watch isn't bad either if you're in the Apple ecosystem. The main thing is I won't want to run long in a watch that falls apart after a year, it's worst when you kind of realize you bought an expensive toy.
Depends on how seriously you're into training. If you're just running a couple times a week, a fitness band is enough. But if you're training for a marathon or tracking your progress constantly, smartwatch is worth it - they've got more accurate sensors and it's more convenient to check your metrics right on your wrist while running. I've been using a Garmin for about a year and a half now, and for me it was a necessary upgrade.
To be honest, if you're seriously into running, then smartwatches aren't just marketing - they're actually really useful! I use Garmin myself on my bike, and the difference in accuracy for tracking heart rate and routes is huge compared to a regular fitness band. Apple Watch or Garmin will give you detailed data that helps you analyze your progress and optimize your workouts, while a regular band just counts steps and looks pretty. If your budget allows, go for Garmin - they're specifically designed for athletes, not just something that looks good!
I'm not an athlete, obviously, but when it comes to gear I know my stuff. When it comes to tracking - it's not as straightforward as the marketing makes it seem. If you're running seriously and want to understand how you're progressing, where you're spending your energy, then smartwatches really do help you see your training differently. A fitness band will show you roughly the same numbers, but smartwatches give you more details - recovery analysis, weather impact, comparison with your previous runs. That's not marketing if you're actually going to use it.
Now, Garmin or Apple Watch - that's a difference in approach. Garmin is built specifically for sports and GPS navigation, the battery lasts longer, the data is more accurate. Apple Watch looks nicer, more convenient for everyday life, if you don't want to take it off anyway. But for serious running Garmin is more honest. Although if you run like twice a week for your health - the guy above said it right, a band is enough. It all depends on how much you're willing to mess around with data analysis.
Seems to me you should think about it this way: if you're already planning to buy one, you must be interested. Then it's better to get something solid once than regret a band later. I prefer things that last and actually do what they promise - should be the same with sports gear.
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