Fitness Watches Advice
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Hello,
I am in the market for a fitness watch that records distances, elevations and I can swim with so does lap times etc. Also needs to link up with the Fitness app, Strava
The market is full of them and I am unsure of what to get.
Must be waterproof for ocean swims.
Fern Collective! On your marks! Get Set! Go!!!
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Apple Watch Series 3 does all that and you’ll get more value out of iPhone when you aren’t exercising too.
Connects to that app you mention, automatically works out the laps when swimming.
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@kirwan said in Fitness Watches Advice:
Apple Watch Series 3 does all that and you’ll get more value out of iPhone when you aren’t exercising too.
Connects to that app you mention, automatically works out the laps when swimming.
Does it monitor Heart rate without having to wear a silly chest monitor? Is it waterproof? (I think it is)
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@hooroo said in Fitness Watches Advice:
@kirwan said in Fitness Watches Advice:
Apple Watch Series 3 does all that and you’ll get more value out of iPhone when you aren’t exercising too.
Connects to that app you mention, automatically works out the laps when swimming.
Does it monitor Heart rate without having to wear a silly chest monitor? Is it waterproof? (I think it is)
Yep, I use the heart rate thing often (for obvious reasons) it’s pretty accurate. Not sure that works very well in the water though.
Is completely waterproof.
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@kirwan said in Fitness Watches Advice:
@hooroo said in Fitness Watches Advice:
@kirwan said in Fitness Watches Advice:
Apple Watch Series 3 does all that and you’ll get more value out of iPhone when you aren’t exercising too.
Connects to that app you mention, automatically works out the laps when swimming.
Does it monitor Heart rate without having to wear a silly chest monitor? Is it waterproof? (I think it is)
Yep, I use the heart rate thing often (for obvious reasons) it’s pretty accurate. Not sure that works very well in the water though.
Is completely waterproof.
Brilliant! Shame it has to be one of the ugliest watches in the world which for me is very un-Apple but you have convinced me that I need one.
How much? Can we buy in NZ or do I need to get from USA?
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@hooroo my mate had a Garmin one (cant recall the model) which looked decent too, recorded all that, was amusing seeing his activity in a game of social touch (lazy fecker)
He used it for mountain biking, swimming etc.
My work marshall blocked me form checking a few NZ retailers to see if I could find the model for you.
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I use a pen and paper
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You won’t find a decent watch for swimming because one doesn’t exist.
Every pool I’ve ever trained in has timing clocks for lap times anyway.
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@hooroo said in Fitness Watches Advice:
@mn5 said in Fitness Watches Advice:
I use a pen and paper
So?
Let him be, he’s a big boy today. He probably just learnt to write his name as well.
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I have the Garmin 735 and I absolutely love it.
Tracks my swimming but Heart rate doesn't work well in the water.(it doesn't in any of the wrist watches unfortunately)
I like the Garmin app for tracking a huge amount about my fitness and everything automatically uploads to Strava too.
As a person who really focuses on data in life and work it has been a revelation having the kind of insights these devices can deliver.
I have now lost 30kg since Jan 1st and it has been all about understanding how my body is using energy and then better understanding through my own research how to give it enough but maintain a deficit.
The watch has been crucial. Truthfully I'm sure lots of them are good but I can only speak to how much k have liked the Garmin.
My forerunner 735 is modest in size which I like and has Full "smart watch " features showing texts and notifications rtf. If you want a chunkier one the Fenix looks pretty good too.
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@hooroo said in Fitness Watches Advice:
@kirwan said in Fitness Watches Advice:
@hooroo said in Fitness Watches Advice:
@kirwan said in Fitness Watches Advice:
Apple Watch Series 3 does all that and you’ll get more value out of iPhone when you aren’t exercising too.
Connects to that app you mention, automatically works out the laps when swimming.
Does it monitor Heart rate without having to wear a silly chest monitor? Is it waterproof? (I think it is)
Yep, I use the heart rate thing often (for obvious reasons) it’s pretty accurate. Not sure that works very well in the water though.
Is completely waterproof.
Brilliant! Shame it has to be one of the ugliest watches in the world which for me is very un-Apple but you have convinced me that I need one.
How much? Can we buy in NZ or do I need to get from USA?
No, you can buy it from here;
https://www.apple.com/nz/apple-watch-series-3/
You won’t need cellular, don’t think our mobile networks support that anyway. Otherwise, just a case of picking the colour and strap.
I just use the black one that came with it, but if you want to flush some money down the loo you can spend more on the strap than the watch.
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@davesofthunder ah thats the one my mate has...he loves it and I thought it looked good too, some of the fitness watches are pretty ugly.
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If you want a cheaper option, I've had the Fitbit Versa for about a week and so far so good. Fitbit has got a good reputation for health tracking and this one brings them more in line with other smart watches.
I went through about 6 Fitbit Charge HRs in 2 years as they kept dying on me (I don't think they like CrossFit) and thought I'd move on from the brand once the department store stopped replacing them for me. However, the price compared to the other watches convinced me to give them one more try. Plus, it's supposed to be water proof (approved for lap swimming), so I'm hoping it's more robust.
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I've got a garmin vivoavtiv, unattractive rectangular black box but it does everything, built in GPS etc. Good for swimming but if you want accurate heart rate, no matter the watch, it's always best to wear a chest strap. I don't bother because I don't care that much.
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All brilliant advice thanks!
I have gone with the Apple Series 3 watch with pretty colours.
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Cant say Ive ever even considered the need for one. Will follow this post though and prob end up being convinced to buy something I probably dont need
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@jk said in Fitness Watches Advice:
Cant say Ive ever even considered the need for one. Will follow this post though and prob end up being convinced to buy something I probably dont need
If I'm walking up a hill and I start puffing earlier than last time then I know I'm not as fit. Simple. None of this fancy technology shit for MN5....
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@mn5 said in Fitness Watches Advice:
@jk said in Fitness Watches Advice:
Cant say Ive ever even considered the need for one. Will follow this post though and prob end up being convinced to buy something I probably dont need
If I'm walking up a hill and I start puffing earlier than last time then I know I'm not as fit. Simple. None of this fancy technology shit for MN5....
If you are walking and puffing then yeah a watch isn't what you need!
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@jk said in Fitness Watches Advice:
@mn5 said in Fitness Watches Advice:
@jk said in Fitness Watches Advice:
Cant say Ive ever even considered the need for one. Will follow this post though and prob end up being convinced to buy something I probably dont need
If I'm walking up a hill and I start puffing earlier than last time then I know I'm not as fit. Simple. None of this fancy technology shit for MN5....
If you are walking and puffing then yeah a watch isn't what you need!
I did say up a hill and remember where I live....
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@MN5 the fact you talk about yourself in the 3rd person means you are a twat!
Currently I only have a GPS watch to track my runs, aside form telling the time, it doesn't do anything else...but then phone does all that and more now too, although putting my phone in my pocket while swimming is a nuisance...
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@jk This thread already convinced me to get one. Looking at the Samsung ones, as they have Spotify.
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@taniwharugby said in Fitness Watches Advice:
@MN5 the fact you talk about yourself in the 3rd person means you are a twat!
Currently I only have a GPS watch to track my runs, aside form telling the time, it doesn't do anything else...but then phone does all that and more now too, although putting my phone in my pocket while swimming is a nuisance...
Lennox Lewis did it better I must admit
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I've seen a few good news stories on site where the guys have lost weight just through being able to more accurately track what they are doing and knowing if they haven't done their quota of exercise etc
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@hooroo said in Fitness Watches Advice:
I've seen a few good news stories on site where the guys have lost weight just through being able to more accurately track what they are doing and knowing if they haven't done their quota of exercise etc
Yep, it’s very good at nagging. I find the reminders very useful as well.
Would recommend you turn off all app notifications and then turn on the ones you want. If you get too many you stop paying attention.
I use mine to automatically log into my mac as well.
If your experience is like mine, you’ll find the battery on your iPhone will last longer as you don’t need to check it all the time for notifications or the time.
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@kirwan Brilliant! I can't wait to go and grab it!
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I have a Garmin Forerunner 235 and i love it.
The watch itself looks good, and has heaps of functionality (as well as a lot of apps written for it) but the Garmin Connect app is a great way of tracking everything (helped by the fact i also have a Garmin bike computer).
The only thing with my model is it isn't designed for swimming, making it next to useless in tracking my swimming distances in the pool (not too bad in open water though, GPS is pretty accurate). If i keep this triathlon thing up i will have to upgrade.
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@mariner4life said in Fitness Watches Advice:
I have a Garmin Forerunner 235 and i love it.
The watch itself looks good, and has heaps of functionality (as well as a lot of apps written for it) but the Garmin Connect app is a great way of tracking everything (helped by the fact i also have a Garmin bike computer).
The only thing with my model is it isn't designed for swimming, making it next to useless in tracking my swimming distances in the pool (not too bad in open water though, GPS is pretty accurate). If i keep this triathlon thing up i will have to upgrade.
How long until your first Tri?
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@hooroo two weeks ago
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@mariner4life said in Fitness Watches Advice:
@hooroo two weeks ago
I thought you had already done but can't remember the facebook posts around it
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So it seems if you’re a 40 year old past it triathlete you need a watch to track your swimming?
Watch Michael Phelps or any top swimmer in the world, in fact any half decent swimmer at the local pool. None of them wear gay watches, they use the timing clocks at the pool to train.
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@sammyc said in Fitness Watches Advice:
So it seems if you’re a 40 year old past it triathlete you need a watch to track your swimming?
Watch Michael Phelps or any top swimmer in the world, in fact any half decent swimmer at the local pool. None of them wear gay watches, they use the timing clocks at the pool to train.
I'm too fucking tired to read the clock properly. Plus when you swim as slow as i do, you don't know how many times it has gone around before you get to the other end...
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@sapetyvi said in Fitness Watches Advice:
@jk This thread already convinced me to get one. Looking at the Samsung ones, as they have Spotify.
That Samsung Gear S3 Frontier looks bad ass. Nearly went for that one instead of the Fitbit.
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I wouldn't bother using the wrist heart rate monitor for your training. They don't compare (at the moment) to using a chest strap. The wrist heart rate monitors (apple and fenix 5) are only useful for rest periods.
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@sammyc said in Fitness Watches Advice:
So it seems if you’re a 40 year old past it triathlete you need a watch to track your swimming?
Watch Michael Phelps or any top swimmer in the world, in fact any half decent swimmer at the local pool. None of them wear gay watches, they use the timing clocks at the pool to train.
It's not as annoying a big fat people wearing Lycra while sipping lattes at cafes though.
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@sammyc said in Fitness Watches Advice:
So it seems if you’re a 40 year old past it triathlete you need a watch to track your swimming?
Watch Michael Phelps or any top swimmer in the world, in fact any half decent swimmer at the local pool. None of them wear gay watches, they use the timing clocks at the pool to train.
It's not about that for me. It's for ease of tracking. I'm hopeless at keeping laps in my head and I certainly don't check clock every lap.
What I like about this sort of thing is it maps your lap times and gives fastest/slowest etc and where you were most consistent.
I like things like that.
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@hooroo said in Fitness Watches Advice:
@sammyc said in Fitness Watches Advice:
So it seems if you’re a 40 year old past it triathlete you need a watch to track your swimming?
Watch Michael Phelps or any top swimmer in the world, in fact any half decent swimmer at the local pool. None of them wear gay watches, they use the timing clocks at the pool to train.
It's not about that for me. It's for ease of tracking. I'm hopeless at keeping laps in my head and I certainly don't check clock every lap.
What I like about this sort of thing is it maps your lap times and gives fastest/slowest etc and where you were most consistent.
I like things like that.
you have to remember, unlike many of us, @SammyC can actually swim, so this sort of stuff is a foreign language to him
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@mariner4life said in Fitness Watches Advice:
@hooroo said in Fitness Watches Advice:
@sammyc said in Fitness Watches Advice:
So it seems if you’re a 40 year old past it triathlete you need a watch to track your swimming?
Watch Michael Phelps or any top swimmer in the world, in fact any half decent swimmer at the local pool. None of them wear gay watches, they use the timing clocks at the pool to train.
It's not about that for me. It's for ease of tracking. I'm hopeless at keeping laps in my head and I certainly don't check clock every lap.
What I like about this sort of thing is it maps your lap times and gives fastest/slowest etc and where you were most consistent.
I like things like that.
you have to remember, unlike many of us, @SammyC can actually swim, so this sort of stuff is a foreign language to him
I can swim too. Just not fast or aesthetically pleasing to the eye....
I did a five k mountain run last week up the Bay of Islands and was suprised at the results on my mates watch. My uphill climbs were close to downhill and my average pace was better than expected too.
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@hooroo where did you end up, Cape Brett walk? Cruising round you woulda seen some of the islands you need to swim between, when I was there over easter I was trying to recall which islands that event you posted swam to...
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@taniwharugby said in Fitness Watches Advice:
@hooroo where did you end up, Cape Brett walk? Cruising round you woulda seen some of the islands you need to swim between, when I was there over easter I was trying to recall which islands that event you posted swam to...
Not sure mate. It was a forestry track thing, very near Wharau Road which was where the bach is.
