The best smart sports watches for triathletes

Tags: Selection of the best | Smart

1.12.2025 | 5 MIN

They have to handle swimming, cycling and running. On top of that, they need long battery life and serious performance. That sums up not just every triathlete, but also smart sports watches built for triathlon.

Triathlon is still growing in popularity, and with that come more questions about which sports watch to choose. In this article, I focus on the most suitable smart sports watches for triathletes.

Key things your triathlon watch should definitely offer include:

• long battery life
• accurate and reliable sensors
• a highly legible display
• physical button controls
• compact size
• advanced sports features

Garmin Forerunner 970

I’ll start with my top pick and one of the most popular models among triathletes – the Forerunner 970.

Don’t let the name fool you – it’s not just for runners. After all, running is an integral part of triathlon. The Forerunner 970 is a multisport watch that supports all the sport profiles you need for triathlon, so you can use it without issue for road cycling and swimming as well.

So why is it so popular? The answer is simple and practical: it’s compact. It’s light at just 56 grams and has modest dimensions that won’t get in your way during training. Pulling a wetsuit over it is no problem at all.

It offers all of Garmin’s sports features and metrics, and it also includes mapping you’ll appreciate on the bike, for example. You also get an LED flashlight built into the case and the ability to make calls or pay.

Triathlon is definitely not one of the cheapest sports, so it doesn’t make much sense to skimp on a watch either. If you’re still after something that won’t drain your wallet as fast, an alternative is the older Forerunner 965.

Functionally, you won’t find any major differences between the older and newer model; the most significant distinctions are on the surface. The 965 lacks an LED flashlight, a sapphire lens, and the newer Elevate 5 sensor. Functionally, the only thing missing is adaptive triathlon workouts, which only the newer models offer.

One of them is another alternative – the Forerunner 570. This model is newer and sits in the mid-range segment of sports watches. It lacks, for example, maps.

Garmin Fenix 8

This watch is essentially the tougher variant of the Forerunner 970. If you’re missing a more outdoorsy design or higher durability there, the Fenix 8 is the right contender.

The Forerunner 970 is based on the Fenix 8 blueprint, so it’s practically the same as the Fenix itself in terms of functionality. Well, almost. The Fenix adds diving features, higher water resistance to 40 meters, and meets military durability standards. However, as a triathlete you probably don’t strictly need any of that.

Fenix has been an icon among sports watches for many years. Whatever you imagine under the term “sports features”, the Fenix 8 probably has it.. I’ve seen plenty of triathletes who own a Fenix and are more than satisfied.

That said, it’s a bit larger than the Forerunner, so using it isn’t always the most convenient. It’s noticeably heavier and also a bit thicker. If you can forgive that, it will reward you with significantly higher durability.

The Fenix 8 comes in two variants – AMOLED and SOLAR. The AMOLED variant has a higher-contrast display, but you have to accept the trade-off of shorter battery life. The SOLAR version, on the other hand, saves power thanks to a transflective display that’s less power-hungry and can recharge from light. Don’t expect punchy colors here, though.

Coros Apex 4

Performance, durability and endurance. That’s the Coros Apex 4 – a multisport device from the American brand Coros.

The Apex 4 can last up to 24 days in basic mode and 65 hours with GPS active. Very nice numbers by today’s standards. Besides the long endurance, it offers a durable build of titanium and polymer, plus a sapphire crystal.

If you like all kinds of analyses, you’re in the right place with Coros. They don’t focus on the extras, offer no superfluous smart features, and go all-in on performance and sports metrics. Coros uses its own EvoLab metrics, which you’ll find either in the mobile app or in the desktop Training Hub.

Would a more affordable option suit you better? Don’t worry, there’s the Coros Pace 4 – a light, minimalist watch tailor-made for triathlon. It weighs just 32 grams and has a 43.4 × 11.8 mm case, which is why it ranks among the most compact sports watches on the market.

Don’t be fooled. Small size doesn’t mean small performance. The Pace 4 manages 41 hours with GPS active and up to 19 days in basic mode. And that’s even with an AMOLED display. For those who aren’t fans of AMOLED, the Coros Pace 3 with a transflective display is also an option.

8.12.2023
Coros Pace 3 review – Small, light and handy

Suunto Race 2

Don’t want any bells and whistles? Just a watch that focuses on one thing – sports performance? Then you might be interested in the Suunto Race 2.

Even from the name of this model, it’s clear this is a pure-bred racing watch.

The Race 2, like other Suunto models, offers really high-quality workmanship, with a choice of steel or titanium. Your eyes will be captivated by the well-executed LTPO AMOLED display, which has great readability in every situation. It’s easy to read in water and on land. That always helps when you’re tracking your pace during training or racing.

Suunto doesn’t make training evaluation complicated and simply uses four metrics – TSS, ATL, CTL and TSB. If these abbreviations don’t mean anything to you right now, you’ll get the hang of them very quickly.

TSS is the accumulated training load calculated based on oxygen deficit, i.e., EPOC.

Weekly TSS is expressed as ATL (acute training load) and the long-term as CTL (chronic training load). The relationship between short-term and long-term load then expresses your training productivity as TSB (Training Stress Balance). From a sports perspective, you’ll find everything you need here, including recovery time, sleep tracking, and more.

A slight letdown is the absence of running dynamics, which the Suunto Race 2 doesn’t offer.

Which triathlon watch do you use?

Photo credits:

• Photographers from Hodinky 365
• official Suunto photos
• official Coros photos