A watch with an altitude, barometer, and compass function is essential for hiking and backpacking gear. The best smartwatch for hiking depends on how you plan to use it.
I put in 100s of hours of research—scrapping the hiking and backpacking world to find the best hiking smartwatch.
Specifically, I examined how the top smartwatches measure up against the needs of most hikers and backpackers, factored users’ recommendations, and weighed expert reviews.
And now, it’s time to share what I found out.
The Top 5 Hiking Smartwatches
While there are several GPS watches, we want to focus on the five well-suited backcountry uses.
1. Garmin Instinct 2 Solar: Best Hiking Wath Overall
Check Price on Amazon
- GPS: Yes
- Battery Life: Up to 60 hours of GPS tracking. 145 hours with solar charging
- Altimeter: Yes
- Barometer: Yes
- Compass: Yes
- Base Map: No
- Weight: 53g
- Water Resistance: 100 meter
The Garmin Instinct 2 Solar is the best GPS watch for hiking and backpacking for most people. This watch combines vital ABC (altimeter, barometer, and compass) functions with smartwatch capabilities and outstanding battery life in a rugged design. It also offers a user-friendly companion app to help you stay on track with your fitness goals.
You’ll appreciate the battery life, which can last up to 60 hours when tracking GPS and extends to 145 hours with solar charging. That way, you can go on long hiking trips without worrying about running out of battery.
However, setting it up can be complicated if you’re a first-time user. You will also not get a colour screen. Instead, the watch offers a monochrome display that uses buttons to display. You will also not get topographic or music storage.Â
Pros
- Two size options
- Highly customisableÂ
- Impressive battery life
- Durable and tough design
- Solar-powered charging capabilities
Cons
- The steep learning curve for first-time users
- Many features might not be helpful when hiking
2. Garmin Fenix 7X Solar: Best Hiking Watch with Maps
Check Price on Amazon
- GPS: Yes
- Battery Life: Up to 89 hours of GPS tracking, extends to 122 hours with solar charging
- Altimeter: Yes
- Barometer: Yes
- Compass: Yes
- Mapping: Yes
- Weight: 89g
- Water Resistance: 330 feet
The Garmin Fenix 7X Solar is the best hiking watch with mapping capabilities. One of its key mapping features is breadcrumb mapping, which allows you to track your route and navigate back to your starting points. You can also use turn-by-turn navigation for preloaded routes to guide you along your planned path with clear direction.
Besides mapping, it offers a wide range of features, such as improved battery life, solar charging, a torch, and some software tweaks. Its rugged design makes it perfect for enduring the harshest outdoor environment.
The watch’s touchscreen interface, combined with traditional button navigation, ensures a user-friendly experience when exploring its features.
Pros
- Impressive battery life
- Solar charging extends battery life
- ABC sensors, essential for navigation and safety
- Comprehensive health monitoring to monitor overall well-being
- Impressive water resistance to withstand heavy rains and water exposure
Cons
- The lack of a touchscreen makes navigating the menus less intuitive
- The monochrome display might not be appealing to many
3. Coros Apex 2 Pro: Best Hiking Watch with Best Display
Check Price on Amazon
- GPS: Yes
- Battery Life: Up to 75 hours in GPS mode
- Altimeter: Yes
- Barometer: Yes
- Compass: Yes
- Mapping: Offline maps available
- Weight: 53g
- Water Resistance: 5ATM
The Apex 2 Pro is comparable to the Fenix 7. But starting at $450, it’s more affordable and has a battery life of up to 75 hours of full GPS tracking, making it ideal for multi-day hiking trips where charging opportunities are limited. And unlike the first two options, you’ll get a vibrant colour display that is easy to read, even in bright sunlight.
You can also upload or download maps and use them without an internet connection. Combine this with the multiband GPS, and you have a piece for navigating unfamiliar terrains. The watch also has an optical heart rate sensor, blood oxygen sensing, and manual heart rate variability readings. That way, you can monitor your health and well-being during strenuous hikes.
You’ll also get music storage for MP3, allowing you to enjoy your favourite tunes while hiking.
Pros
- Outstanding battery life in GPS mode
- Durable build to withstand the rigours of outdoor excursion
- Multiple-band GPS and offline maps for accurate navigation
- Comprehensive health monitoring for overall fitness tracking
- It has music storage that allows you to enjoy music on the go
Cons
- Limited third-party app support
- Pricier than other hiking watches
4. Suunto Vertical Titanium Solar: Best ABC Hiking Watch
Check Price on Amazon
- GPS: Yes
- Battery Life: Upto 85 hours in the most accurate GPS mode
- Altimeter:Â Yes
- Barometer: Yes
- Compass: Yes
- Mapping: Offline maps available
- Weight: 74 grams
- Water Resistance: Up to 100 meters
While the Suunto Vertical Titanium Solar comes at a premium price, you can expect to get a lot out of it. The watch incorporates all the flagship features one can imagine on this smartwatch. You’ll get an advanced mapping feature and superior ABC functionalities that let you navigate even the most complex terrain with ease.
You can preload maps and download additional maps to explore unfamiliar routes confidently, even in reserved areas where traditional maps might fail. The mapping feature integrates with GPS to offer real-time location tracking and route guidance.
Besides, this smartwatch has an impressive battery life, aided by solar charging. The only downside is its gloomy interface, which isn’t as customisable as the competition’s.
Pros
- Durable design suitable for harsh outdoor conditions
- Excellent battery life
- Solar charging extends battery lifeÂ
- Comprehensive navigation features
- Accurate ABC sensors for precise tracking
Cons
- Some users report occasional lag in the interface
- Lacks text labels on maps, which can hinder detailed navigation
5. Garmin Enduro 2: Best for Thru-Hiking
Check Price on Amazon
- GPS: Yes
- Battery Life: Up to 110 hours of GPS tracking and extends to 150 hours with solar
- Altimeter: Yes
- Barometer: Yes
- Compass: Yes
- Mapping: Offline map available
- Weight: 70g
- Water Resistance: 100 meters
Â
If you’re looking for maximum battery life, the Garmin Enduro 2 is an ideal watch. In GPS and expeditions GPS mode, this timepiece has more battery life than all the units on this list. This makes it the best GPS watch for ultra-endurance activities like thru-hiking, backpacking, or other expeditions that take a long time to recharge.
Â
The hiking watches on the list offer impressive battery life and all other basic features. You can preload topographical maps, allowing you to navigate unfamiliar trails confidently. The ABC sensors provide precise elevation data, weather forecasts, and directional guidance.
Â
Despite its focus on outdoor performance, the Enduro 2 doesn’t skimp on innovative features. When paired with your smartphone, the watch supports notifications for calls, texts, and app alerts. It also offers Garmin Pay for contactless payments and music storage, allowing you to listen to your favourite tunes without needing your phone.
Pros
- Exceptional battery life
- Ability to charge with solar
- Advanced GPS and preloaded maps ensure accurate navigation
- Button controls are intuitive even in harsh outdoor conditions
- A wide range of sensors and metrics for detailed performance analysis
Cons
- Pricey than competitors
- Limited display resolution that prioritises battery life
Features to Consider When Picking a Hiking Smartwatch
Once you have decided to spend on a hiking watch, the tricky part is figuring out the ideal option for your adventure. There are hundreds (if not thousands) of options in the market and many features to filter.
To help you sort through the noise and simplify your search, we’ll review important features to consider for long-distance hiking and backpacking.
Battery Life
Battery life becomes a critical consideration when planning to use GPS to track your daily hikes. While some watches come equipped with solar charging capabilities that can extend battery life, it’s important not to overestimate the impact of this feature.
As such, this review will focus specifically on GPS tracking hours. Although many of these watches can last for weeks or even months without GPS tracking, we’ll use GPS tracking hours to compare the available options more clearly.
Altimeter
A watch with a pressure-based altimeter provides your current elevation, regardless of whether GPS is active. This feature is useful for navigating routes and tracking overall elevation gain and loss. It is also important to locate your position on a map or distance to a mountain pass.
Additionally, some watches offer an estimated altitude acclimation measurement, enhancing your awareness of elevation changes. However, you should calibrate your hiking watch several times daily for weather-related barometric changes.
Some of our top recommendations have auto-calibration options using GPS.
Maps
Having a watch with preloaded maps can be extremely useful when navigating less-travelled routes. Many models allow you to create a route on your phone or computer and transfer it to your watch, making it easy to check your path with a quick glance, eliminating the need to pull out your phone, a paper map, or an emergency GPS device.
With a preloaded map, you can easily plan and follow routes, monitor your progress, and make real-time adjustments. The feature can be a lifesaver if you lose your way or need to decide which direction to take quickly.
Value for Money
Even the more affordable watches can track your step count, heart rate, sleep patterns, and other essential metrics without using GPS. However, if you’re open to spending more, higher-end models offer additional features such as built-in maps, altimeters, weather alerts, and significantly extended battery life.
Depending on your hiking needs, ensure you get value for money so that you don’t overspend on features that don’t significantly enhance your hiking and backpacking experiences.
GPS
Budget hiking smartwatches don’t always have built-in GPS; instead, they rely on your phone for position. This is usually less accurate and will drain your phone more quickly, but it can work well enough for basic use on day hikes.
For better navigation capabilities, you might need a smartwatch with a GPS to pinpoint your exact location on a map, determine your route, identify landmarks, and find your way back to your starting point.
Besides, most GPS-equipped watches offer advanced features such as route planning, breadcrumb trails, and waypoint marking, which can be invaluable for unexpected detours and planned trips.
Comfort and Fit
You’ll likely wear the watch for long periods, sometimes even continuously for days. A comfortable fit ensures it doesn’t cause irritation or discomfort, which can be distracting and unpleasant during your adventures.
Besides, a well-fitted watch stays in place, providing more accurate readings for heart rate, GPS tracking, and other sensors. The watch moving around too much can lead to inaccurate data.
A snug fit also helps prevent the watch from getting caught on branches or other obstacles, reducing the risk of damage or loss. It also ensures that the watch’s features, like altimeters and barometers, function correctly.
Connectivity
Connectivity allows seamless integration with other devices and apps, enabling you to sync your watch with your smartphone or gadgets. Check if your smartwatch allows Bluetooth, WiFi, cellular, ANT+, or NFC connections.
Such integration can provide additional features like weather updates, notifications, and fitness tracking, making your hiking experience more informed and enjoyable. For instance, receiving weather alerts can help you prepare for sudden changes in conditions, while fitness tracking can monitor your performance and health metrics.
