While a Rolex seems like the dream watch, you can’t wear it while you’re on a run, biking a trail, or competing in a triathlon. Only James Bond can do that. This means you’re going to need something that’s going to withstand the rigours of your outdoor adventures. You need something that won’t keep you worried about getting scratches and loosing that 1000$ plus appeal. Now, this is where sports watches come in.
Today’s sports watches do a whole lot more than just tell time and date. With modern-day innovation and implementation, these watches are tweaked perform a whole lot of other tricks. You’ll find some that can track runs, or play your music while allowing you to pick up phone calls and text messages. All this plus the fact that they are made in different stylish designs that give them an athletic look, yet perform all these extra functionalities. Sports watches are also designed to suit your preferences for a specific sport, so whether you are running, swimming, biking or inflicting harm on yourself in the gym, there is a watch for you.
But that’s the sweet part. The annoying part is that there are quite a lot of options to choose from, making it daunting to pick the right one for your style. Well, that’s where we come in. We’ve got just the list of the best sports watches for men in the market today that will suit a variety of needs.
Top 10 Sports Watches for Men Of 2020 Reviewed
1. G-Shock DW-9052-1CCG Black Military Watch
Sports Watches for Men Under $100
Casio’s G-Shock (short for Gravitational Shock) line of watches has been around since the 80s (gasp!) and for good reason. These babies were built to last, specifically designed specifically to withstand the rough and tumble activities of men.
The G-Shock DW9052 features a daily alarm, countdown timer, stopwatch, and an auto-calendar. It’s not only shock-resistant, but it’s also water-resistant to 660 feet (200 M) which means you can take it scuba diving.
Pros:
- Water-resistant up to 660 feet
- Affordable
- Easy to use
Cons:
- The strap is too short for big wrists
- Not a lot of features like altimeter, speed, pace, etc
- Some users found it hard to read the number display when adjusting
2. Aposon Men’s Digital LED Sport Watch
Sports Watches for Men Under $100
From the moment you glance at this digital piece, it becomes evident how simple, yet adequate the watch is. The Aposon Men’s LED Sports watch brings with it all the basics you may need in a watch, with a touch of cool and most importantly, affordability. Featuring its silicone rubber band and stainless steel case, the Aposon is the watch you are not afraid to lose on that evening jog.
It has a highly transparent mineral glass intuitively set in place to bring out the light blue LED backlight. With this, you can actually enjoy checking your time. We can’t go without mentioning how the watch is resistant. So for all you swimmers out there, feel free to dive with the accessory in hand, but up to a limit of 50 meters. It’s important to note that the number of meters often doesn’t really indicate the specific depth you can take, so maybe consider this when you want to go out to the deep sea.
Pros:
- Extremely affordable
- Minimalist design
- Water-resistant up to 50 meters
Cons:
- Lacks adequate features
- Hard to read in dimly lit environments even with the backlight
- The bezel moves but doesn’t do anything
3. Samsung Gear S3 Frontier
Sports Watches for Men Under $100
If you’re looking for a smartwatch to serve as your sports watch, then the Samsung Gear S3 Frontier is your best bet. It’s a military-grade watch that’s tough enough to handle the elements – water, extreme temperatures, and dust. It has a built-in GPS, a heart rate monitor, activity tracking, and an altimeter. Some models come with LTE.
And it can also track quite a number of activities such as cycling, rowing machines, and lunges. While these are all great features for the athlete in you, what really places this watch at the top of our list is the fact that it is compatible with smartphones using Android OS 4.4 and later with at least 1.5GB RAM as well as iPhone 5 and later with iOS 9.0 and above.
Pros:
- Compatible with a lot of the latest Android phones and iPhones
- Measures a variety of activities
- Can withstand a lot of abuse (the gorilla glass really holds up)
Cons:
- Limited apps
- Heavy
- Large size (might be a bit too big for petite wrists)
4. PALADA Men’s Sports Digital Wrist Watch
Sports Watches for Men Under $100
This is yet another option that will perfectly fit any man who wants a decent sports watch that’s both stylish and sporty. You won’t have to go breaking our bank account either because its prices are relatively quite friendly. The Palada will hold its resistance to water to up to 50 meters. That’s roughly 164 feet for all you swimmers out there. Although you should avoid pressing the buttons while in there, it has been known to damage watches.
The Palada also has an LED backlight for extra visibility and coupled with a big digital display. Also inclusive in the package is a stopwatch, an alarm clock, an hourly alarm and it also comes shock resistant. The watch is both business casual, and would perfectly suit any member of the military. If that resonates with you, then you should definitely get yourself one of these. It’s cheap too.
Pros:
- Water-resistant up to 50 m
- Affordable
- Military friendly
Cons:
- Compass is for display only
- Dim backlight
- The band fragile and not replaceable
5. Garmin Forerunner 10 GPS Watch
Sports Watch for Men Under $200
If you want a solid, basic GPS watch for running, then the Garmin Forerunner 10 is exactly what you’re looking for. It has a waterproof design and allows you to track speed, pace, distance, and calories. The four buttons located on each watch for controlling the watch’s features. It has an Autopause feature which allows the watch to sense when you’ve stopped running or slowed down to a walk.
For those who are new to running, the Run/Walk feature lets you know when you should run and when you should walk through beeps. And you can store 7 days’ worth of data in your Garmin Forerunner 10 before you need to sync it with your Garmin Connect account.
Pros:
- Perfect for newbie runners
- Waterproof design
- Inexpensive
Cons:
- Getting a location can take a while (2-5 minutes)
- You can only see two specs at a time (i.e. time and distance only)
- The battery runs out pretty fast
6. Casio Rescue Big Case Watch
Sports Watches for Men Under $100
Casio’s Rescue Big Case Watch is from its G-Shock line and it’s the perfect choice for those who love going on adventures or, as the name implies, rescue missions. It has large buttons, a large display, an auto and manual EL Backlight, world time, moon and tide graph, 5 alarms, two stopwatches, and a 24-hour countdown timer.
It has low-temperature resistance so you can use the watch under very cold conditions as well as go scuba diving and snorkeling with it.
Pros:
- Loaded with features
- Affordable
- Very durable
Cons:
- The instruction manual is hard to read due to a tiny font
- Setup takes a bit longer than some users prefer
- UTC is not an option in world time mode
7. G-Shock GA100A-7A X-Large Resin Sport Watch
Sports Watches for Men Under $100
If you haven’t noticed yet, we tend to love Casio’s G-Shock line because it’s affordable, stylishly rugged, and provides you with more than just the basic features. The GA100A-7A is another one of our favorites because one, it has embossed, luminous indexes which creates this 3D effect and two, it looks incredibly cool like a Stormtrooper’s watch.
Of course, it does have other stuff going for it. It is water-resistant to 200m (660ft), has an anti-magnetic case structure, 2 stopwatches, world time, an automatic and manual LED Backlight, and an alarm.
Pros:
- Perfect for large men
- Unique design
- Water-resistant to 200 m (660 ft)
Cons:
- Yellow backlight
- The white watch and white background can make it difficult to read the display
- Can get dirty pretty quick due to its color
8. Suunto Ambit3 Vertical HR Monitor Running GPS Unit
Sports Watches for Men Under $100
Compared to most of our favorite sports watches for men, the Suunto Ambit3 Vertical is quite expensive. But the watch makes the cost totally worth it. It tracks speed, distance, pace, and vertical gains. It has route navigation and trackback, a compass, GPS altitude, an interval workout planner, FusedAlti combined GPS and barometric altimeter, and GPS track recording. And it even has the ability to record your heart rate even while you’re in the water with the Suunto Smart Sensor.
In addition, you can download maps from the Suunto Movescount app, monitor your route altitude profile and hill incline percentage in real-time, and receive mobile notifications from your phone. And just in case you’re wondering, the watch can track 10 different activities for you such as running, cycling, hiking, windsurfing, and swimming.
Pros:
- Route navigation and trackback
- Tracks 10 different activities
- Heart rate strap that can be used while swimming
Cons:
- Complex menu
- Monochrome display
- The mobile notifications could be better (hard to retrieve the notification if you don’t catch it right away)
9. ETEVON ‘Captain’ Stylish Outdoor Sport Watch
Sports Watches for Men Under $100
You only need to open your eyes to see how stylish and executive The ETEVON ‘Captain’ Stylish Outdoor Sports Watch is. What makes this watch most unique is how it features both a digital and analog display, and this is not just for aesthetics folks, both of them actually work. With its EL luminous display, you won’t struggle reading the digits in low light. The watch also has an alarm, a stopwatch, and displays both date and week as well. As if that’s not enough, it has a split time feature and a long-lasting Japanese MAXCELL battery. Cool right?
The Etevon was designed for rough handling. From its scratch-resistant acrylic crystal glass to the rubber protecting access to the glass itself, you can literally go rock climbing with this hard shell. Despite this, it still has a great looking captain design. It features this dull grey bulwark bezel with anchor-shaped watch hands and a triple, white and blue background display.
The Etevon is up to 98ft waterproof, made both shockproof and anti-frost to enhance your underwater experience. All in all, the Etevon is made to serve as your humble outdoor companion, all while complementing your overall look.
Pros:
- Aesthetically pleasing design
- Scratch-resistant glass
- Cheap and cost-efficient
Cons:
- Some users feel like the watch is too big
- The instructions in the manual are vague
- The digital display is too small for some users
10. Timex Ironman Essential 10 Full-Size Watch
Sports Watches for Men Under $100
This is not really ironman’s watch, so don’t get too excited… yet. This sports watch from Timex is for those who wish to start participating in the Ironman Triathlon. With its clean sport design and resin strap and buckle closure, the Timex will sit perfectly on any serious athletes writs. And possibly bring you closer to achieving your superhero status.
Perhaps the most outstanding feature about the ironman essential is its water-resistance capabilities. Unlike most other watches on our list which only hold for 50 meters, this one doubles that. Meaning it will go for up to 100 meters underwater. Not impressed yet?
Well get this, the watch features an occasion mode which will let you set up to 15 reminders. So you can forget about forgetting those anniversaries, birthdays and doctor appointments.
The watch also features a stopwatch with 10 lap memories, a 24-hour countdown timer and alarm, 100-hour chronograph with lap or split in large digits, and a 2-time zone setting. To enhance your overall user experience, the watch has on-screen prompts to allow you to easily adjust your settings, with its pusher intuitively positioned on the watch’s face for easy access. It also has a night mode, whereby the watch’s Indiglo night light is activated for better vision during those night missions.
Pros:
- Intuitive design
- Lightweight
- Large display
Cons:
- The button can be easily pressed accidentally
- Features may be a bit basic for more experienced athletes
- Some users who bought the orange/ silver design report that the color of the band faded in time.
We also found several sports watches that we found interesting but just didn’t have the time to check out. If you’re interested, here they are Fanmis Men’s Military Multifunction Digital LED Watch, US Polo Assn. Sports Men’s US9061 Watch with Black Rubber Strap Watch, TomTom Spark 3 Cardio + Music, and Garmin Fenix 5.
Choosing The Best Men’s Sports Watch – The Ultimate Buying Guide
So you’re in the market for a sports watch. There are loads of choices to be found online. And the prices of these watches can range from a measly $12 to over $600.
Before you even break your piggy bank to check how much money you have, it’s best if you first arm yourself with how you should go about picking the sports to watch you need.
What do You Plan to Use Your Watch for?
Obviously, you’re buying a watch to tell time. But you don’t specifically need a sports watch for that. So what else do you need the watch for? Some watches are pretty basic with only the usual – alarm, stopwatch, LED backlight, date and week display, and a split time feature. These are typically way more affordable and most, if not all, are very durable and water-resistant.
So if you just want a watch that’ll withstand rough handling, a bit of sweat, and possibly some swim time, then the Aposon Men’s Digital Electronic Waterproof LED Watch, PALADA Men’s Sports Digital Wrist Watch, or ETEVON Men’s ‘Captain’ Stylish Outdoor Sport Watch are more your style.
But some of the more expensive ones have specific features that will allow you to improve your performance in certain activities. For example, the Garmin Forerunner 10 GPS Watch is perfect for those who want to start running because it can track speed, time, distance, and even calories. It also has a Run/Walk feature to guide you when you should start running or slow down to a walk.
The Suunto Ambit3 Peak HR Running GPS Unit is perfect for those who want to measure vertical gains. It features a barometric altimeter, GPS altitude, GPS tracking, a compass, and route navigation. The watch also allows you to track a variety of other activities like hiking, windsurfing, etc. so it makes this perfect for multi-sport athletes. Once you’ve listed down what activities you plan on using the watch for, you are able to quickly see which features would be beneficial to you and those that would not to save money on.
What is the Battery Life?
Since you’ll be using the watch, you’ll want to know how long it will run while you’re using it. Do you need to recharge it before every session? Or does the battery run for several days before it requires recharging? Another good question for you would be, is the battery replaceable?
How Water-Resistant is it?
Most sports watches are water-resistant to a point. Some watches are water-resistant for up to 50m which means you can use it in the shower or while swimming. Other watches have a higher rating. The G-Shock GA100A-7A X-Large Men’s White Resin Sport Watch, for example, is water-resistant up to 200m.
Do You Need it to Sync with Your Phone or Computer?
Some sports watches are actually smartwatches like the Samsung Gear S3 Frontier which is almost like having another phone in your hand (or in this case, your wrist). It can sync with your phone so you can receive notifications on your watch, make calls, and even read the email.
Some sports watches aren’t so smart but they can still be synced to your computer using a cable such as the Garmin Forerunner 10 GPS Watch.
How Large do You Need it To be? Is the Strap Replaceable?
Most sports watches for men tend to be on the large size. However, not all men have the same wrist size. Not all have the same preferences when it comes to watching size either. Which is where this question comes in. Some watches like the G-Shock GA100A-7A X-Large Men’s White Resin Sport Watch are larger than most so it might be a bit too bulky for guys with smaller frames. Some watches, though large, have short straps so it won’t fit the wrist of larger men.
And this leads us to another consideration, are you able to change the straps? This is crucial not only when you can’t make the watch fit comfortably around your wrist. It is an important consideration if your strap should end up breaking. Replacing the band may be cheaper than replacing the entire watch.
How’s Your Eyesight?
Ok, this is more of a question on whether or not you’ll be able to quickly see the display. Do you require a large display? Does the backlight provide enough light to allow you to read the time under dim conditions?
At the end of the day, the features of your watch and how water-resistant and shockproof it is will not matter if you can’t read the display when it matters.
Conclusion
All in all, when it comes to a sports watch, it’s not the size of the watch that matters; it’s not the brand name either. What you should consider most is will the watch live up to your specific need. You’ll want a watch that is durable enough to survive through rougher conditions while paying attention to the most basic features such as battery life, water-resistance, and lighting.
Some come with extra features, but if that doesn’t excite you, you’ll be good to settle with a cheaper more simplistic design and it will still serve you well. We’ve rounded up the watches with the most appeal, and we are sure you won’t lack a favorite from our fine selection.
