Beyond the Beaten Path – Your Guide to 9 of the Best Hiking Watches

A watch for hiking is a very convenient thing. There’s just something about going off-route and immersing yourself in the wild without a car or another person in sight and with nothing apart from the essentials strapped to your wrist.

Just as this kind of environment can prove dangerous, muddy, and wet at times, it can pose a risk to your watch, too, so it’s crucial that you select the right kind of tool for this kind of adventure. You’ll need to look for toughness and legibility in a watch for hiking and something that looks good with all your outdoor gear, come rain or shine. 

Remember, watches don’t need to be expensive to be fun. These days, you can spend a lot less and get a lot more out of your watch on a functional level than you used to be able to, especially when it comes to smartwatches – the new standard in hiking watches.

But it doesn’t matter whether you’re looking for a watch to help you pinpoint coordination or track your progress on a new trail; there’s a whole load of robust wristwatches for hiking to explore, including both smartwatches and analog styles.

Most hiking watch guides you read today are limited to a list of the most current smartwatches. But we’re doing things a little differently.

We’re highlighting a range of smartwatch models and three-handed analogs so that you can decide for yourself which is best. And, of course, for those new to the smartwatch world, the features, and language associated with wearable technology can be a little overwhelming, so we’ll finish each listing with a simple breakdown of its key features to make the guide a little easier to digest.

The Advantages of Wearing a Smartwatch for Hiking

It won’t surprise you to learn that there are several advantages to wearing a smartwatch for hiking. They can record distances, collect data, display elevation gain, and provide details on your pace and stop time. Wearing a smartwatch while on a walk can help you gauge remaining mileage, count calories burnt, and read stats while on the fly.

Some smartwatches even allow you to backtrack on a route and guide you back to your trail should you lose your way; plus, you’ll never need a paper map again with a smartwatch’s built-in GPS functionality. Of course, wearing a traditional wristwatch has many advantages, too. But primarily, let’s look at some of the best smartwatches for hiking.

Best Smartwatches for Hiking

Whether you recognize all these smartwatch brands or not, each one has what it takes to assist you from the point at which you leave your front door to the furthest point in your journey.

They all offer impressive durability, excellent build quality, and a handful of features that enable you to become more intuitive whilst embarking on your backpacking ventures. Take a look at these best smartwatches for hiking.

Garmin Fenix 7 Pro

The Garmin Fenix 7 Pro is the way to go if you’re an extreme athlete or hiker. It has the advantage of combining GPS technology with health-related information that you can access anywhere and anytime. It also pushes an average of 2 weeks of battery life when in standard mode and 50 hours once in GP activation.

With solar-power charging, however, you can take advantage of around 3 weeks or 70 hours, respectively. The Garmin Fenix 7 Pro is an excellent watch for hiking because you can download tracks, create your own, and save new ones to your list.

Far superior to other smartwatches on the market, the battery power of a Garmin watch is what makes it stand out from the crowd. Models like this are made for supreme sports and feature cases and bezels crafted from lightweight titanium.

The Fenix 7 Pro has also been tested to US military standards, benefiting from a strong sapphire glass front and a built-in flashlight.

Price: $850

• Key Features: GPS, 3-week battery life in solar-charging mode, built-in flashlight, upgraded heart-rate monitor
• Case Material: Titanium
• Size: 47mm

Suunto Vertical Titanium Solar

The Suunto Vertical Titanium Solar is another watch aimed at mountain hikers and those who like to push the limits. It also offers versatility since you can mix and match the watch with a load of different colored quick-release silicone straps that add a pop of color to the wrist.

However, this smartwatch’s key selling feature is its GPS capabilities. The Suunto Vertical Titanium Solar is perfect for moments when you need help with a spot of mountain navigation.

It’s an all-weather companion with excellent build quality for its price point. The model’s navigation features are available offline, and with the added feature of the storm alarm, you can avoid getting into danger regardless of whether you’re running, taking a gentle walk, or cycling.

Price: $800

• Key Features: GPS, altimeter, barometer, sunrise & sunset alarm, solar charging, 60-day battery life
• Case Material: Titanium
• Size: 49mm

Garmin Enduro 2

If you’re going ultra-distance, the function-focused Enduro 2 by Garmin can get you through just about anything. Appealing to lovers of type 2 fun, this Garmin smartwatch is perfect for lengthy adventures and harsh climates.

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It can take you to the brink with an insane solar power life, robust mapping features, and course tracking capability. It can run for 46 days on standard battery mode and 81 hours in full satellite system mode while running alongside your favorite tunes.

There’s also a bevy of other features like an LED flashlight, surfing features, an ascent planner, advanced pacing metrics, a VO2 max reader, and bike-focussed data. Thanks to its fiber-reinforced polymer case and titanium bezel amounting to a total case weight of just 70g, this is a lightweight, ergonomically formed smartwatch for those who aspire to go the distance. 

Price: $1,100

• Key Features: Superior solar power, ascent planner, GPS capabilities, advanced pacing metrics, course tracking capability 
• Case Material: Fibre-reinforced polymer 
• Size: 51mm

Garmin Fenix 8

There are many reasons why the Garmin Fenix 8 is so well-suited to outdoor activities like hiking, biking, and mountaineering. For a start, this is the most recent Fenix watch released by the smartwatch giant, so it comes with all the brand’s latest features and cutting-edge technology, including voice command features that can be used even when you’re not close to your phone.

Additionally, it features a flashlight for emergencies and ABC sensors, too. This model has a rugged design that goes well with all kinds of sporty outdoor gear and boasts a clear, bright, and colorful display.

As well as its long battery life, which is well suited for hiking, the Garmin Fenix 8 also features an intuitive interface with customizable options and a choice of different layouts to display all the details important to you. Its super responsive touchscreen will allow you to track your hike clearly and easily, while a host of health-related features like sleep and stress tracking metrics are great for utilizing throughout the week. 

Price: $999 

• Key Features: Built-in speaker and microphone, advanced strength training features, GPS, ABC sensors, route tracking capabilities, rugged design, voice commands, built-in flashlight, HIIT workouts, enhanced map navigation 
• Case Material: Carbon & steel
• Size: 43mm, 47mm, 51mm

Coros Apex 2 Pro

Coros is a brand renowned for cramming a lot of tools into a relatively cheap watch, so it’s a good option for those shopping for a hiking watch on a budget. It’s also respected for revamping its older models and equipping them with the latest technology, future-proofing those watches already appreciated and loved by fans.

The Coros Apex 2 Pro is hard to beat for high-end navigation housed in an affordable design. The watch is loaded with training features and health sensors, allowing you to track all the most important stats while you’re out exploring new routes. It also has dual-frequency GPS as well as topographical maps that you can access when you’re offline.

The Coros Apex 2 Pro is certainly the most advanced on the market for its price point. And if you like the thought of planning a new itinerary while you’re on the go, it can do that, too. Sadly, the watch doesn’t utilize solar power technology, but even so, it can still last up to three weeks in standard mode and can push the 60-hour mark in GPS mode.

You’re unlikely ever to need more than that, realistically. I would go as far as to say that this smartwatch gives you the most bang for your buck.

• Price: $400
• Key Features: 50M water resistance, barometer, altimeter, GPS, imports and exports routes, access to topographical maps when offline, 60-hour battery in GPS mode. 
• Case Material: Part-titanium case
• Size: 43mm 

Best Analogue Watches for Hiking

Scrambling up and down rocky paths, facing adverse rainstorms, and sliding down muddy trails requires a specific type of wristwatch. One that can sustain unsuspecting bumps and impact. Not all watches are built for this kind of environment.

Sports watches are aplenty, but for hiking, backpacking, spelunking, and anything else that requires endurance and navigating microclimates, look for a watch designed for extreme sports. Here are a handful of examples.

G-Shock Mudmaster GWG-2000

The Casio G-Shock Mudmaster GWG-2000 looks and wears like a tank on the wrist. It has to be one of the most overbuilt watches on the market right now, but if affordability and robustness are two important features of a hiking watch to you, it’s worth a look.

The case is made from wear-resistant resin and features a steel bezel along with a sapphire crystal glass front. This G-Shock Mudmaster features a mud-resistant gasket construction that works alongside Casio’s shock-resistant technology to protect all the watch’s internal components, perfect for routes that take you through knee-deep mud and rivers.

Combine this with a 200-meter water resistance, and you have a watch for all weather and hiking abilities. You get an all-sensors package with this Casio. That’s the barometer, the altimeter, and the compass – they’re all there.

The Mudmaster is also Multi Band-6, meaning that it can sync the time to radio signals emitted by towers all over the world. The hybrid watch will not be as easy to read the time from as Garmin’s bright AMOLED displays. But the Ana-Digi watch is not a smartwatch. It’s arguably one of the toughest sports watches in the world, and you won’t break the bank investing in one, either.

• Price: $900
• Key Features: Solar charging capabilities, mud and shock-resistant case, radio signal accuracy, barometer, Altimeter, digital thermometer, 200M water resistance 
• Case Material: Stainless steel 
• Size: 61mm 

Seiko Alpinist

One of the most standout visual features of the Seiko Alpinist has to be its internal bezel with compass markings. Any real explorer will appreciate this advantage, and the idea of using your watch for a compass rather than your phone is far more appealing when enjoying the great outdoors.

The Seiko Alpinist is synonymous with exploration, having enjoyed a history steeped in adventure. Initially intended for Japanese explorers, its design is respected for its strong case and rugged, reliable construction.

The Alpinist watch by Seiko is primed for mountain climbing, thanks to its legible dial, equipped with cathedral-style hands, and its generous treatment of lume. Its 200M water resistance and internal bezel make it suitable for wet conditions, navigating trails, and a host of other outdoor activities.

It also looks remarkably classic when paired with a leather band, though something more durable, like a steel bracelet or rubber band, works better for outdoor pursuits.

• Price: $950
• Key Features: Internal bezel with compass, robust steel case with 200M water resistance, lume-coated hands and hour markers, tough sapphire crystal glass front, compact size for smaller wrists
• Case Material: Stainless steel
• Size: 39mm

Breitling Endurance Pro

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The Breitling Endurance Pro is a marvel of technical sophistication with an aerospace, cockpit-inspired aesthetic that looks different from many other outdoor tool watches on the market. What I love so much about the design of the Endurance Pro is that it’s lightweight and built for comfort.

Its Breitlight case is relatively thin and lightweight for hours of wear on the wrist. The propriety material made in-house by Breitling experts is also hypoallergenic, tough, and scratch-resistant.

Whilst it’s not exactly flashy, it has a futuristic look, combining analog and digital features into one dial. The Endurance Pro 44 models are big and bold and come in various eye-catching colors.

It’s also worth noting that you can enjoy this watch in a much more compact 38mm size. These watches are powered by COSC-certified SuperQuartz movements for superior precision. The rubber straps are pretty fun, too! 

• Price: $3,400
• Key features: Lightweight and robust Breitlight case, 100M water resistance, Thermocompensated quartz movement for ten times greater accuracy, 1/10th of a second, and 30-minute chronograph features.
• Case material: Breitlight
• Size: 44mm

Luminox LM3741 Bear Grylls Survival Master

Any product that references legendary adventurer and survival expert Bear Grylls in its title sells itself, especially since the TV presenter designed it in collaboration with Luminox. This masculine and rugged-looking 45mm black-coated stainless steel watch epitomizes strength and robustness with 300 meters of water resistance and an easy-crown ring in orange for an easy grip.

This is a watch designed for challenging outdoor conditions, so you can easily see how it comes into its own when worn during a hike. The self-illuminating gas tubes against the model’s rich black dial glow longer and brighter than traditional luminous material.

At the same time, the unidirectional rotating bezel with a countdown quadrant is ideal for measuring elapsed time while completing crucial outdoor tasks. A robust quartz movement powers this Luminox watch, while its supple rubber band is strong enough for extended wear outside.

• Price: $1300
• Key Features: 300M water resistance, unidirectional rotating bezel, carbon case, self-illuminating gas tubes
• Case material: Carbonox
• Size: 45mm

Conclusion 

You’ll pay more for a well-built analog watch for hiking than you are for a multi-functional smartwatch; that much is true. Despite there being an entire suite of features to enjoy in a smartwatch, they still lack some of the appeal that true horological connoisseurs seek in a robust timepiece.

Still, they are perfect for tracking health metrics, navigating you to safety, and enabling you to become a more intuitive hiker while exploring new routes.

The choice between the two boils down to preference. There are pros and cons for both the analog watch and the smartwatch when it comes to exploring the great outdoors. Hopefully, this list gives you some food for thought. And if you’re struggling to choose between the two, there’s no harm in having one of each.