UKH

I currently use a SUUNTO AMBIT2 R which I like, however it is old and the battery life isn't that great any more

Can someone recommend a watch for running

Essential

-Not too big
-Battery life that can cover a long ultra
- not bonkers expensive

Nice to have
- navigation facilities

In reply to iusedtoclimb:
I've recently gone through this process - primarily looking at Suunto's, as the Garmin Fenix 3 didn't really do quite what I was after, and the newer Fenix 5 was horrifically expensive.

From the Suunto's, I discounted the Ambit 3 Traverse and Vertical as the battery life wasn't as good as on the older Peak, despite some nice additional features, probably because it's got the GPS transmitter set into the case itself rather than the strap. In fact I was all set for buying a Peak until I spotted the black Friday sale they had and ended up settling on the Spartan Ultra. Battery life is allegedly better than the others, and now they've done some firmware updates the GPS is almost good enough to rival the Ambit 3 Peak, better than the Vertical/Traverse, and certainly better than the Garmin. Unfortunately I've not been able to use it yet as it's partly a Christmas present, but I spent a lot of time looking at reviews and features lists so that synopsis may be useful to you (or maybe not!). If you didn't want the touch/colour screen (and tbh, I didn't), then I think the Ambit 3 Peak is a very hard watch to beat; it has good navigation, breadcrumbs etc, very accurate GPS, good battery life and seems to be bombproof, particularly if you go for the Sapphire screen.

*Edit: If it's just the battery life on the Ambit2 then it may be worth emailing Suunto's tech support, they were incredibly helpful when I had a Vector that welded itself shut thanks to some sunscreen I was using, meaning I was unable to change the battery. I think it perhaps cost £40 inc return postage to Finland. May be a cheaper option worth investigating if the rest of the watch is still in good shape?

In reply to iusedtoclimb:

I understand that some of the more affordable Garmins, specifically the 230/235 can be charged whilst running, using a power pack. That may be a solution to the battery issue. Never tested this as I never do more than 4 hours these days.

In reply to iusedtoclimb:
Suunto Ambit 3 Peak HR - brilliant.

In reply to Cloverleaf:


Out of interest, what did the 5 do that was so special that the 3 would not ?

In reply to SouthernSteve:

Not much tbh, I discounted it pretty quickly based on just cost! The optical HR did briefly tempt me but even then not enough for the cost, or performance when it really counts (I'd rather ride with an HR band and the watch on the bars). The 5 did tout a longer run time (good) and also seemed to have marginally more scope for POI's but it wasn't an in depth comparison I did. One of the appeals to me with the Suunto was, perversely, partly the cause of so many initial negative reviews. Even nearly two years after it was launched they're still adding significant updates to it which leads me to think they'll probably continue to do so down the line. Once I've got out with the Suunto I'll be able to say whether it's as good as I hope it will be, or an expensive trinket!

In reply to The New NickB:

Where did you hear that?
I’ve been meaning to test this with my mates battery pack in preparation for my ultra as I know I’ll be longer than battery life . Though I do keep forgetting to check

I’ve also googled to no avail.

In reply to goose299:

There's a chart on here (under 2.4: Basic Features) that shows whether various watches can be charged whilst in use

http://fellrnr.com/wiki/Best_Running_Watch

In reply to goose299:

Just tested it with my 230 and yes if you are recording a session you can attach a power supply and it will keep recording. Probably need to take the watch off and put in a jacket or vest pocket so you don't have a powerpack hanging off your wrist, but it does do the job.

In reply to steelbru and shuffle:

Brilliant. Cheers guys.

In reply to iusedtoclimb:

FWIW I love my fenix 3- it's great for run and alpine climbing tracking, and the navigation has got me out of a few sticky situations. It's a sleek watch as well which looks great (IMO) to wear all the time. It's also really tough- I've knocked it whilst climbing many times and no scratches yet. In hindsight I would have stumped up for the HR model- the strap is great because it's accurate and adds some additional running dynamics stuff as well, but it would be nice for cycle commuting and office stair climbing etc to have a casual reading too, and/or general resting HR tracking over time. In general the Fenix has been a game changer compared to my previous watch- the 910XT (totally different beast I know)

I'm slightly annoyed that Garmin have recently released their "Running Power" metrics app on Fenix 5 only- seems like they are not going to be fully supporting the Fenix 3 for so much longer I have no comment on the Suunto range, they look great as well.

In reply to steelbru:


That's odd. Just tried that on my 230 and it didn't work. Watch just beeped and the display went to the charging sceen and wouldn't do anything.

In reply to iusedtoclimb:

Are you Killian?

In reply to Ridge:

I've just tried that out on my 230, sat here at my desk. It started to record a run OK, and with the kind of battery that you can hold comfortably in your hand (mine is a square tube) that might be an acceptable solution for a 50miles/100k ultra.

Two local guys I know did the 170 miles of the Cornish north coast in 44 hours or so a couple of years ago. I ran with them for part of it. They recorded the whole thing on (I think) an iPhone, replenished by batteries, with extra/recharged batteries supplied by their support crew.

In reply to Ridge:

If after starting to record an activity, I connect it to my laptop, then it will stop recording, but if I attach to a portable USB battery it keeps recording. The difference must be that with the laptop it is connecting and syncing with Garmin Connect.

Did you connect to a portable battery pack ?

In reply to

Tried it on a charger rather than a computer usb. Will give it a try on a battery.

Edit: Just tried it on an Anker battery pack. Watch stopped and went into the charging mode. Wonder if it needs a software update.

In reply to Ridge:

You definitely have a 230? The 220 didn’t charge while recording and it was a major bug bear for a lot of people.

In reply to shuffle:

Useful link thanks. I've carried a battery and the cradle on my Fenix 3 hoping to be able to charge on the fly but never needed to in the end. Not got round to testing properly

In reply to iusedtoclimb:

I use the Ambit 3 Peak - brilliant piece of kit, battery good for multi days without charge (if increase GPS timing intervals - 1 second measurements are more battery hungry) but its accurate, easy to use and its easy personalise individual exercise recording profiles.

In reply to DancingOnRock:


<Ridge removes watch and actually reads the number on the back. Replaces watch on wrist and slinks away in shame from the thread.>

In reply to Ridge:
Ha. Classic. I have the 220, and the charge while recording, along with an app that will let you display OS Grid is a serious temptation for upgrading.

Wondering how much I can sell my pristine 220 with charging cable for.

£85 on eBay.

In reply to The New NickB:

Just tried it with my 235 and it worked no problem at all.

In reply to BedRock:

How long is the battery life while recording a route?


I read somewhere 200 hours which seems hard to believe?

In reply to iusedtoclimb:

30h battery with 5 sec-GPS accuracy is the stated time
Compared with
Fenix 5 - 60 hours in UltraTrac battery saver mode ( a system which records if you move rather than at an interval)

I have the Fenix 3 and it will do a 12 hour Ultra easily with bells and whistles on whereas my older Forerunner 620 which regularly died at 6 hours and could not be charged on the fly!

In reply to iusedtoclimb:

200hrs with 1 min intervals.