Cheap Running Watches
Running is supposed to be simple, right? I mean all you need is a good pair of shoes and the will to run. But more and more you find all sorts of running gear that is designed to make running better. And while it’s definitely true that you want to take advantage of anything that can help you perform, it shouldn’t cost loads of money. And that’s why we review the best cheap running watches here today.
The main criterion was to find running watches that measure distance. In addition to the main functions of telling time and having a stopwatch, as a runner you want to know how far you’ve gone. The two main ways to do this is by using a Global Positioning System (GPS) or using a pedometer function. And since most gps running watches are quite expensive, I thought I should take a look at the running pedometer watches.
The Best Cheap Running Watch
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. It has all of the standard watch features that make it a great everyday watch. Things such as: Date and Time, Calendar, Stopwatch and 5 individual alarms are useful for life in general. But the features that make it the best running watch are things like the Countdown timer which is great for determining pace without looking at your watch, and the accelerometer feature that can track your stride which when combined with the onboard computer can calculate everything from the distance traveled to the number of calories burned to your average pace time…all features that are necessary in a runner’s watch.
The accelerometer and computer are really what makes the watch. You may have to calibrate the watch once you get it (I say may because it seems to work well right out of the box for the “average” demographic). But once that is set, the computer can track a ton of stuff:
- Laps and splits (up to 150)
- Cumulative Distance
- Cumulative Energy Consumption
- Cumulative Number of Steps
- Workout Data Summary
And the fact that it’s under $50 makes it an incredible value. Way better than the GPS running watches.
What really put it over the top compared to the other cheap running watch (see below) was that this watch can take a beating. Built by Casio, who brought you the G-Shock series of watches, this watch is water resistant up to 100 meters, has a mineral crystal window which is both clear and durable, and the resin band and coating on the watch means that it can withstand the occasional bumps and scratches that happen in life. This is even more important if this is your everyday watch.
Close Second Cheap Running Watch
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. It has practically all of the same features (both standard and accelerometer) and it’s within a couple of bucks. The display is a little easier to read which can be valuable when you’re running, but really there’s nothing wrong with the Casio display. When using the watch as a pedometer for walking or everyday movement, the Tech 4 O has a slight advantage. The Casio was designed for running and therefore the slower walking movement doesn’t necessarily register every time, so there tends to be an underreporting of the steps you took. Therefore if you’re looking for a running pedometer watch for walking as well, you may want to buy the Tech 4 O watch.
The main reason why the Tech 4 O running watch comes in second is that it’s been reported to have issues with construction. Namely, the bezel is prone to coming off when bumped. And while this isn’t a big deal for running, if you plan to use the watch for everyday use, it may be a deciding factor.
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