How to choose a watch for outdoor exercise

Forget the gym; fitness enthusiasts are increasingly taking to the great outdoors, whether that's pounding the pavement or hiking in the countryside.

To improve your fitness, a sports watch can provide accurate feedback that enhances your routine, no matter where you are in the world. The difficulty comes in choosing between sports watches, heart rate monitors, smartwatches, and more.

The key is to decide on the type of watch you need, based on your favourite activities, so you can settle on the right model.

Which watch is best suited to outdoor exercise?

Buying a watch for outdoor exercise depends on the use you want to get out of it. If you're the type of person who loves to jog, then a running or sports watch can help to track your progress. If you want to take it up a notch, opt for one with a heart rate monitor, or something swimproof if you plan to take it for a few laps in the pool as well.

You may want to opt for a GPS tracker watch if you're a keen walker or hiker. And above that level, you have the smartwatch, adding features such as social media and text alerts to fitness tracking capabilities. They're pricier, but are great if you want a wristwatch that's more of a personal life aid.

Watches ideal for outdoor running

At the budget-friendly end of the scale, watches will suit time measuring for outdoor running, but don't have additional features like a step counter or a heart rate monitor. So, if you're the kind of casual jogger who simply wants to track the time they've been running for, then this Adidas Performance watch can do exactly that.