The Best Hiking Watches — Essential Gear To “Summit” All Up

Do you want to know what features you should look for in the best hiking watches? Read this quick guide to some of our favorite picks.

If you’re a regular hiker, you’ll probably agree that GPS watches and smartwatches are handy companions. Since smartwatch technology is continually evolving, it can enrich your hiking pursuits no end. 

With so many features to assist you while out exploring, treks are more intuitive with these handy wrist-worn devices. Outdoorsmen often prefer them over sports watches.

GPS watches can help you track your pace and distance. Plus, with health tracking features, you can enhance your training sessions in preparation for your next big challenge.  

You can check how well you cope with altitudes and how well you perform in extreme environments. Moreover, some smartwatches can tell you how well your body responds to training. A few can even tailor workouts for you! 

If you’re wondering what the best watches for hiking are, this guide can help. 

I’ll outline some of the best smartwatches on the market right now. Depending on its features and software, I’ll also show you how each can enhance your hiking experience.  

The Best GPS Watch for Hiking 

GPS technology is a must-have for anyone who relies on a watch for hiking. My pick for the best GPS watch for hiking is the Fenix 7 Pro.  

If you have the extra cash to spend, the Garmin Fenix 7 Pro Series is the way to go. Yes, the watch is more expensive than the standard Fenix 7, but it does promise value for money.  

The advantage of the Garmin Fenix 7 Pro watch is its accessible mapping features. This smartwatch’s storage has 30 programmable routes. 

As a “Pro” upgrade, it also features an LED light and additional Hill Strength stats. This feature makes it easy to track your progress in tackling more challenging terrains.

The watch’s GPS capability is always accurate within 3 meters of your location. So, no matter where you are, the watch will constantly save your location. That means you can track more challenging locations while hiking and switch it up as you go!  

Also, a Fenix 7 Pro allows easy viewing of elevation and decent stats. It also displays speed and heart rate data. Given this, it has to be one of the best all-around smartwatches on the market right now for keen hikers.  

The Best Garmin Hiking Watch 

If you like the sound of the Fenix 7 Pro but need to stick to a budget, don’t worry. You can still buy an affordable smartwatch for hiking without breaking the bank. Garmin is a specialist in this field. Let’s just say the Garmin Instinct 2 Solar is worth serious consideration.  

The Garmin Instinct 2 Solar is the best all-around smartwatch option for most runners and hikers. One of its key attributes is its solar charging features. By harnessing the sun’s energy, it can significantly extend the watch’s battery life.  

This Garmin hiking watch also promises “ABC” functionality, meaning that it features an altimeter, barometer, and compass. All three measuring features are ideal for avid hikers.

Garmin crafts this watch from fiber-reinforced polymer, weighing just 53 grams. The power manager, enabling you to deactivate various power-sapping features yourself, will serve you well when out on the road.  

Additional features include multi-GNSS support,  Tracback Routing, Garmin Pay, HIIT Workouts, and various sports apps for running and cycling. You also get recovery time, daily workout suggestions, sleep score, heart rate, and stress-tracking features.  

Best Smart Watch for Hiking Long Distances  

For me, the Garmin Enduro 2 smartwatch is the ultimate choice for thru-hiking and long-distance backpacking.  

Why is this, you ask? Well, it offers the Next Fork feature, which enables you to track upcoming junctions or forks in the road. 

What’s even better is that the watch doesn’t need a course to do this. You can do it anywhere as long as you’re inside a pedestrian activity.

When exploring the backcountry or regional parks, tracks are often overgrown. The Next Fork feature is a convenient tool to help with this.

The watch also features SatIQ, which alters the GNSS settings depending on the environment. So, if you’re rock climbing, the feature will switch modes to boost GPS into dual function.

Doing this will give you the best possible accuracy. Likewise, if you’re out in a field, the GPS-only mode will reduce the power required while maintaining accuracy.  

The Garmin Enduro 2 also comes equipped with a flashlight and a quirky “Directional Course Arrows” feature. This feature shows you the direction you need to take, like a satnav feature in a car. It is useful when hiking on routes that crisscross. 

Lastly, the Enduro 2 promises 150 hours of excellent battery life in GPS mode when in solar-charging mode. In smartwatch mode, you can make use of a 34-day battery life. These features combined are great for thru-hiking and long-distance backpacking.  

Best Apple Watch for Hiking 

The best Apple Watch for hiking has to be the Ultra. Its hardware is solid and durable, thanks to a sapphire top and aerospace-grade titanium bodywork. Then, you have oversized buttons for easy accessibility and a bright screen for optimum legibility.  

After researching the watch, hikers using the Apple Ultra seem slightly disappointed with the battery life. Its ceiling is around 13 hours, so anything exceeding that requires a recharge. That’s not ideal, but it’s sufficient for most regular hike lengths. 

The battery-saving feature, however, helps. It tones down your Bluetooth and messaging systems, lighting up only when you raise your watch to look at it.

Similar to Garmin, the Apple Ultra can receive GPS signals from all over the world. This is thanks to the multi-GNSS feature. What’s more, the Multi-band feature lets you tap into newer and more accurate satellites as you move around.  

Although the Apple Ultra shares many health and fitness features with, say, a Garmin, there’s no in-built navigational bundle. To take advantage of the benefits of smartwatch features relating to navigation, you have to purchase a third-party app. 

It doesn’t come with offline maps, and the workout app has no maps either. Unfortunately, in this regard, Apple can’t rival Garmin or even come close.  

However, two safety features that the Apple Ultra does have are worth noting for avid hikers. The safety alarm is excellent for a distress signal if you lose your way while hiking. 

Secondly, the Hard Fall Detection feature is a brilliant addition. If you take a bad stumble, it will send a text message to emergency service when you’re in cellular range. It can sync with the iPhone to send a satellite signal if you’re not in cellular range.  

The Best Budget Hiking Watch 

If you’re looking for the best budget hiking watch, look no further than Casio. The Mudmaster is an incredibly durable watch and boasts a tough, masculine, tool-like aesthetic. 

As the most affordable hiking watch on this list, it’s perfect for those shopping on a budget. Of course, the price of a smartwatch is relative to its features. Therefore, the Mudmaster isn’t quite as sophisticated as some of its peers.

The Casio Mudmaster is compatible with Android and iOS. It also combines impressive shock resistance with a 200-meter water-resistant rating. So, drop it when hiking or take a dip in the water — either is fine — and you won’t damage this rugged hike watch.  

The Casio Mudmaster’s display is clear and easy to read. Its broad 56mm case is topped with mineral glass. Its resin strap is perfect for this robust watch for outdoor pursuits.  

While hiking, you can use the watch’s world time function and LED backlight feature. The Casio Mudmaster looks and feels ready to take on any challenge. It gives you free rein to get shoulder-deep in the mud without having to give your watch a second thought.  

Concluding: How To Shop for the Best Hiking Watches   

Wearing a watch for hiking can undoubtedly help tremendously with your overall performance and fitness. But there are some key features to look out for when looking to buy one. 

The best hiking watches will have a Bluetooth chip. This feature lets you connect your watch to your phone and sync data in real-time.  

GPS is another must-have feature in a watch for all outdoor pursuits. It’s even better if you have an innovative feature like Garmin’s SatIQ. This feature tailors battery power and accuracy to better suit your hiking terrain.

Ensure your hiking watch has all the staple features you require. A heart rate, compass, oxygen level monitor, and elevation and altitude stats are helpful for long hikes. 

Researching all the individual features offered in a smartwatch can be overwhelming. Take the time to read the spec list and digest all the features of your chosen watch before buying. That way, you can compare it to other models on the market before parting with your money.  

The best watch for hiking should also be robust enough to get you through the most challenging routes. It should offer a reasonable level of water resistance for cutting through water and mud, too. 

Materials matter as well. Not all hiking watches feature a sapphire crystal glass lens, but those that do are definitely worth the extra dollars. 

Above all, make sure your best hiking watch looks cool and is solid, stealthy, and ready for action. 

What do you think is the best smartwatch for hiking? Let us know in the comments below. Don’t forget to read more articles and guides like this, sign up for our newsletter at The Slender Wrist today.