Are you looking to energize your workout routine? Get a triathlon watch. These watches are different from fitness trackers and have tons of features that can help you stay fit. A triathlon watch can track your heart rate underwater and motivate you into putting extra effort into your training. If you have been practicing just one sport of a triathlon (cycling, swimming, or running), you should check out our list of the best triathlon watches you can buy.
In a Hurry? Here are Our Top Choices
| Image | Title | Buy |
|---|---|---|
Top | Garmin Forerunner 945, Premium GPS Running/Triathlon Smartwatch with Music, Black | Check Today's Price |
 | Garmin Forerunner 745, GPS Running Watch, Detailed Training Stats and On-Device Workouts, Essential Smartwatch Functions, Black | Check Today's Price |
 | Suunto 9 Multisport GPS Watch with BARO and Wrist-Based Heart Rate (Black) | Check Today's Price |
The watches featured in this post are some of the best ones available right now that have advanced technology and other tracking features.
Table of Contents
How to Choose the Best Triathlon Watch
An excellent triathlon watch has many features that set it apart from regular smartwatches. One of these features is waterproofing; if you don’t have this feature, you won’t be able to use it for your swimming practice. Here are some of the things to look for when buying the best triathlon watches.
1. Battery Life
Just like any electronic device, battery life is an important factor to consider. A good triathlon watch should last at least 6 to 8 hours with GPS mode; otherwise, it won’t serve its purpose. A triathlon can last for days, and you might need to recharge your watch during one. To avoid requiring charging during your race, buy a triathlon watch with maximum battery life.
2. Swimming Metric Tracker
A good triathlon watch is not only waterproof, but it can also measure your swimming metrics. It allows the wearer to be aware of their speed, stamina, and other factors that improve performance. Moreover, a good triathlon watch should also monitor your heart rate underwater. Otherwise, there is no point in buying one.
3. Minimum Distraction
A triathlon watch should be free from friction and navigating a complicated menu to find the right sports mood. You will be busy taking off your swimming suit and putting on your cycling gear, let alone dig through your watch to find the best sports mood. Most high-end triathlon watches offer one-button navigation to the different sports mode, and some even come with a built-in triathlon mode for a seamless transition.
4. Fit and Comfortable
Triathlon watches undergo a tough environment during the marathon, and they need to be sturdy, fit, and comfortable. You can’t be tightening your strap during the race and trip over. Best triathlon watches have a smooth silicone strap that fits the size of your wrist naturally.
The 5 Best Triathlon Watches to Help You Train and Win
Let’s go ahead and take a look at the best triathlon watches.
1. Garmin Forerunner 945
- Premium GPS running/triathlon smartwatch with music
- Download songs to your watch, including playlists from Spotify, Amazon Music or Deezer (may require premium subscription with a third party music provider)
- Performance monitoring features include Vo2 Max and training status with adjustments for heat, altitude Acclimation status, training load focus, recovery time, and aerobic and anaerobic training effects
- Garmin Pay contactless payment solution (available for supported cards from participating banks) lets you make convenient payments with your watch so you can leave your cash and cards at home
- Full color, onboard maps guide you on your run so you never get lost during your workout
- Safety and tracking features include incident detection (during select activities) which sends your real-time location to emergency contacts through your paired compatible smartphone
- Battery life: Up to 2 weeks in smartwatch mode, 10 hours in GPS mode with music or up to 60 hours in ultratrac mode. Display resolution - 240 x 240 pix
The Garmin 945 is the perfect combination of price and features. While some people might say that it looks just like 935, they aren’t wrong. While the 945 has carried its predecessors’ looks, its inner hardware has been completely revamped. You can expect a more accurate heart-rate monitoring and a much longer battery life in this model, thanks to its advanced processor chip. In summary, the Garmin 945 is an excellent choice for triathlon runners, and it won’t let you down.
Key Features
- Revamped hardware
- New heart-rate sensor
- More battery life
- Gorilla glass
2. Garmin Forerunner 745
- Swim, bike, run — do it all with a smartwatch that uses multiple satellite systems to accurately track your workouts
- Switch up your workout routine whenever you like with preloaded activity profiles for running, triathlon, multisport, cycling, pool swimming, track running and more
- Receive on-device run and cycling daily workout suggestions based on your current training load and vo2 max
- Get training guidance by syncing structured indoor or outdoor workouts to your device from garmin connect or other apps (when paired with a compatible smartphone), including trainingpeaks and trainerroad
- Analyze more data to help you reach your race potential, including advanced running, cycling and swimming dynamics
- Bring music for every mile by syncing with music streaming services (premium subscription required) such as amazon music, deezer, spotify and more to easily store and play up to 500 songs from your wrist
- Leave your cash and cards at home; garmin pay contactless payments (with a supported payment network) let you pay for purchases on the go
- Make it through your longest races with up to 1 week of battery life in smartwatch mode, 6 hours in gps mode with music and up to 30 hours in ultratrac mode
- Included components: Forerunner 745, USB Cable, Documentation
The Garmin 745 is an amazing watch for a triathlon, and it’s somewhat cheaper than 945. It has removed over the top features of 945 and retained the necessary heart-rate monitor and other tracking measures. In terms of price, the Garmin 745 is in the goldilocks zone with the right features. You can expect this watch to last around 10 hours or more without GPS, and the screen is protected with Gorilla glass. If you are looking for an affordable substitute for Garmin 945, this watch will keep you happy for a long time.
Key Features
- Lightweight
- Good battery life
- Excellent price
3. Suunto BARO 9
- Three predefined battery modes – Performance, Endurance and Ultra – deliver from 25 hours to up to 120 hours* of recording time with GPS tracking on. When you start a recording, you’ll get an estimate of how much battery you have left with the current mode. If it’s not enough, switch to another mode at any time.
- On long ultra runs, battery life is often the limiting factor for recording distance and track accurately, as GPS is a heavy drain on the battery. Suunto’s unique FusedTrack algorithm combines GPS and motion sensor data to improve track and distance accuracy. This allows you to extend battery life by lowering GPS power without significantly compromising accuracy.
- Suunto 9 is designed and built to meet the demands of professional athletes. Tested to the extreme with thousands of hours of real use in the toughest conditions by Suunto’s internal testing team and athletes all over the world, it is your trusted companion to confidently see you through any adventure!
- Pair Suunto 9 with the new Suunto app to track all your adventures, as well as follow your long term trends, including daily activity and sleep. Easily share your greatest achievements and connect with others in the app communi
The Suunto BARO wins in terms of battery life with a whopping 120 hours in ultra mode. That being said, you won’t be using this feature all the time because all it does is track your location. The Suunto BARO still outperforms Garmin 945. Its sports mode lasts for 24 hours, giving you every accurate detail needed to track your fitness. Moreover, it’s heavier and stronger, meaning it won’t slip or fall off your wrist so easily. However, it might be a deal-breaker for people with small wrists. Maybe Suunto should focus on making a customizable strap next time?
Key Features
- Large screen
- High resolution
- Ultimate battery life
- Premium feel
4. COROS PACE 2
- The lightest GPS watch on the market at its launch – from 29g with the new COROS Nylon band with battery life of 20 days of regular use, 30 hours in full GPS mode
- 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.
- Includes optical heart rate monitor, barometric altimeter, accelerometer, compass, gyroscope and thermometer with 24/7 heart rate monitoring, sleep, step, and calorie track
COROS PACE 2 is a great triathlon watch but with a glitchy GPS tracker. Yes, the tracker will lose your location, but it’s not a big deal compared to its benefits. Moreover, the COROS PACE 2 doesn’t have a sleep and recovery tracker, so you won’t have to wear it to bed. However, the battery life on this triathlon watch is phenomenal. Remember to dust your charger from time to time; this way, you’ll only need to charge this watch once a week. Regardless of its amazing battery life, you can find a beautiful screen on top that will keep you busy adding widgets. However, the PACE 2 doesn’t have a touch-screen, so you will miss the tap-tap action.
Key Features
- Lightweight
- Excellent screen
- Plenty of sensors
5. POLAR Vantage M
- Ultra-Long Battery Life - With up to 30 hours of training time with GPS active, the Polar Vantage M can stand up to your toughest training and grueling races; Polar Precision Prime Heart Rate – Polar redefines the gold standard in optical heart rate accuracy by combining the latest in bio-impedance electrodes and optical sensors
- Training Load Pro - Separating cardio load, muscle load (requires compatible running/cycling power sensor) and perceived load, Polar’s Training Load Pro provides an unparalleled look into how your training affects your body
- Swimmers: Capture key swim metrics like stroke, distance and pace both indoors and out; Cyclers: Pair your Vantage V to your favorite compatible cycling accessory
- Runners: Speed, distance and route tracking when running; Triathlete: Easily switch between sports and record transition time
- Customizable Wrist Band Options -Tailor your Vantage M to your personal style with replaceable wrist bands; Wristbands sizing - S: wrist circumference 130-175 mm; M/L: wrist circumference 140-210
The POLAR Vantage M is a uniquely tailored triathlon watch that is efficient and funky at the same time. It comes in various colors, but our favorite is the lime green that helps you stand out in the sea of black triathlon watches. The battery life on this watch is pretty good, and you will find a 240×240 display that does a good job. In summary, it’s an excellent watch if you are not planning to run any ultra-triathlons.
Key Features
- Colorful design
- Unique features
- Excellent screen
Our Final Thoughts
All things aside, these triathlon watches are amazing to help you stay fit and keep you under training for the run. While some watches offer robust features, you can’t rank them above others. Most times, you won’t be using these features. In summary, you can say one watch outranks the other, but overall, all of them are excellent offerings that perform well and will benefit you!
| Image | Title | Buy |
|---|---|---|
| Top | Garmin Forerunner 945, Premium GPS Running/Triathlon Smartwatch with Music, Black | Check Today's Price |
| Garmin Forerunner 745, GPS Running Watch, Detailed Training Stats and On-Device Workouts, Essential Smartwatch Functions, Black | Check Today's Price |
| Suunto 9 Multisport GPS Watch with BARO and Wrist-Based Heart Rate (Black) | Check Today's Price |
