Your watch is designed to live on your wrist so you don’t have to baby it – every scratch, ring, and splash of water should be a reminder of the ball experience you had. (Okay, most of my things come from banging them on the door, but I can pretend they mix.) And while electronics and water don’t usually mix, today’s best smartwatches are waterproof to protect them from the elements.
Notice that I just said “waterproof” – not waterproof. Despite what you may have heard, there is no such thing as a waterproof smartwatch, and any product that markets itself as such is lying to you. In fact, device manufacturers have even been sued for that in the past.
Then again, I’m not here to lie to you. Yes, I put “waterproof” in the headline because most of the people out there are Googling – and I hope these people come here where I can bait them and turn them into the real truth. Manufacturers may try to hit the line with words like “swimproof,” but ultimately your device isn’t waterproof: it only has a certain level of water resistance, which makes it suitable for activities like washing hands, showering, and even swimming workouts in some cases.
More importantly, the water resistance doesn’t last forever. As your device ages (and the more you expose it to water with salt chlorine or other contaminants), the waterproof seals will break down and eventually allow water into the device. Some manufacturers will replace water-damaged devices, others may only offer discounts on new models – from what I’ve read, it seems like a crapshoot (especially after the warranty has expired). Oh, and a lot of bands aren’t waterproof either, so make sure you have it a nice silicone band for use in water.
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In other words, if you want your smartwatch to last as long as possible, your best bet is to keep it as far out of the water as possible. But that’s not to say that water resistance is useless: it’s still valuable if you have kids who like to splash around in the tub or if you live in a city that is particularly wet with rain. So, if you want something that can withstand the elements of everyday life – or if you’re absolutely out to get those swims down, longevity is damned – then here are a few waterproof watches that should be just right for you.
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Let’s get one thing out of the way: the Apple Watch isn’t just the best waterproof smartwatch or the best smartwatch for swimming training. It’s pretty much the best smartwatch out there (as long as you’re using an iPhone). The Series 6 is the newest and best model, but every Apple Watch model since Series 2 has a water resistance of 50 meters intended for swimming (although Apple lists it) a lot of caveats its water resistance on their website). If the Series 6 is a little too expensive for you, this is it Apple Watch SE is a great alternative that is slightly cheaper with a starting price of $ 270.
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A powerful smart watch for Samsung users: Galaxy Watch 3
On the non-Apple side, Samsung makes theirs a compelling alternative Galaxy Watch 3. It’s primarily a smartwatch, but it has a range of activity tracking features, optional LTE connectivity, multiple sizes and colors, and multiple days of battery life – in addition to being water resistant to 50m. It’s not advertised as a swimming watch, but Samsung has a few Tips for using in the waterjust like Apple. Oh, and if you want something even more fitness focused from Samsung, this is it Galaxy Watch Active 2 is another great choice.
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While Apple, Samsung, and Google track all activity on their respective smart watch platforms, Garmin’s watches are primarily designed for fitness – with a few other smart watch features to top it off. The Vivoactive 4 is an affordable option with 50m water resistance and built-in swim tracking. Like most smartwatches, it has its limitations in tracking swimming workouts, like the inability to read your heart rate underwater, but that’s a small price to pay for its otherwise great all-round versatility.
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While Garmin has been making fitness trackers for nearly two decades, some people prefer Fitbit’s software and ecosystem. your Versa 3 The Smartwatch, for example, which has the same water resistance of 50 m, has, in contrast to the Vivoactive 4, integrated voice control from Alexa and Google Assistant. If you’re into that sort of thing, it has a nicer display too. It may not provide the abundance of tracking information, but it won’t be a problem, so it’s a great alternative if you prefer the Fitbit’s jib cut.
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Best fitness tracker for swimming: Garmin Swim 2
If you’re more into swimming than smartwatch features, check this out Garmin’s Swim 2 fitness tracker. It’s a bit lighter in terms of everyday smartwatch functions and has a much more basic non-touchscreen – so it’s not for the all-round smartwatch enthusiast. However, it excels at tracking swimming workouts, so you can see your heart rate underwater, track swimming in open water, and see a ton of other useful stats that other watches don’t have. (There are some basic running and other fitness tracking features built in too, so you don’t have to limit yourself to just swimming.) If you want to really dive deep into your swimming workout, this is the watch you want.
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A higher water resistance rating: Apex choirs
Like the swim 2 that Apex choirs is firstly a fitness tracker, secondly a smartwatch – with a matching non-touch design. However, as a multisport tracker for the outdoor enthusiast, it was designed to handle the items with a water resistance of 100m a little better than the others on this list – with some built-in swim tracking features (though perhaps not quite so ) versatile like the Garmin Swim 2).
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The Most Looking Smart Watch: Fossil Gen 5
Fossil’s smart watches are frankly the most “watch-like” options on the market. If you’re looking for something that is more like an everyday watch while also having smart features like notifications, voice control, and some activity tracking –Fossil’s Gen 5 Watches are among the best. However, at just 30m, they have slightly less water resistance than the other watches on this list. Fossil says Every watch with a heart rate monitor, including Generation 5 smart watches, is “swim-proof” (there’s that word again) and has passed a 10,000-beat swim test. However, the same page also states that they do not recommend their 30 meter watches for swimming so you can see manufacturers get into trouble. Personally, I wouldn’t use it for swimming, but if you’re just looking for something that will withstand the occasional splash, Fossil’s Gen 5 watches should be fine … assuming Wear OS can overcome some of the problems it’s had lately.
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