HOUR OF NEED

CONFUSED ABOUT WHICH RUNNING WATCH WILL FIT PERFECTLY WITH YOUR NEEDS? HERE’S OUR REVIEW OF SIX OF THE BEST

TESTED: WATCHES

COMPILED BY TINA CHANTREY

MEET THE WR TEST TEAM

Our kit tests are 100 per cent independent. The test team is made up of Women’s Running staff and contributors, who come in all shapes, sizes and speeds – but who all love running! They are:

Jennifer Bozon, assistant editor; trains three to four times per week

Jackie Brydon, accounts manager; races ultras and tricky Cornish coastal events

Claire Chamberlain, columnist; has just run a hilly trail 10K

Lisa Jackson, contributing editor; our resident multiple marathoner

Tina Chantrey, contributing editor; trains for around three hours per week

Elizabeth Hufton, editor; runs twice per week

BUYING A RUNNING WATCH? HERE’S WHAT TO LOOK FOR

User friendliness The best running watch in the world won’t do you any good if you keep hitting the wrong button or can’t work out how to stop your session or sync with your phone. Read as many reviews as you can before buying and, if possible, visit a running store for a quick demo.

Size Again, you need to feel comfortable running with your watch on, especially if you plan to use it as an all-day activity tracker. As a general rule, the more advanced the watch, the chunkier it will be.

GPS Most running watches come with GPS built in these days, but some (like the Fitbit we’ve tested) need to use your phone’s GPS – so you phone needs to come with you for more accurate readings.

Heart rate Wrist-based heart-rate measurement is the industry standard now. It’s an excellent way to track the intensity of your sessions.

Software The real benefit of most watches comes from analysing and tracking your progress on partner apps, which could be on your phone or on a website (usually both). See if you can watch a demo of the software to make sure you click with it and that it gives you all the information you want.

Compatibility If you’re already a committed user of a system such as Strava or MyFitnessPal, make sure your chosen watch is compatible (most pricier models are).

Price vs needs Sports watches run the full price range from about £60 for a basic model to as much as £550 for a really high-tech training and navigation tool. Don’t spend hundreds on features you’ll never use – work out your priorities, whether that’s training, listening to music on the go, activity tracking – and find the best priced model to suit you.

GARMIN FORERUNNER 735XT

Tested by: Tina

garmin.com

First impressions? Not too big, not too chunky, loved the frost blue colour

of the strap – this looks like a watch I can wear all day, every day.

How good was the fit? Even on my tiny wrist it fitted just right and