For the dedicated triathlete, a watch is more than a timepiece; it’s a coach, a navigator, and a data analyst strapped to your wrist. The right multisport watch can track your every stroke, pedal, and stride, providing the insights needed to shave off seconds and optimize your performance. With so many options on the market, finding the perfect balance of features, battery life, and durability is key to a successful race day.
This roundup cuts through the noise to bring you ten of the best triathlon watches available. Whether you’re a seasoned Ironman competitor or training for your first sprint tri, these devices offer the essential sport features you need. From advanced GPS tracking and wrist-based heart rate monitoring to specific multisport modes and recovery insights, we’ve highlighted the top contenders to help you make an informed decision for your training arsenal.
Our Recommended Triathlon Watches
- Garmin Forerunner 735XT, Multisport GPS Running Watch
- POLAR Vantage V – Premium GPS Multisport Watch
- Garmin Forerunner 935 Running GPS Unit (Black)
- Suunto Spartan Sport (Wrist – Hr), Black
- Garmin Forerunner 965 Running Smartwatch
- Garmin fēnix 7X Pro Solar, Multisport GPS Smartwatch
- SUUNTO 9 Peak Pro GPS Sports Watch
- Garmin Forerunner 745, GPS Running Watch
- Garmin Forerunner 55, GPS Running Watch
- Garmin Forerunner 265 Music GPS Smartwatch
Garmin Forerunner 735XT, Multisport GPS Running Watch
The Garmin Forerunner 735XT is a purpose-built multisport watch that excels in tracking the three core disciplines of a triathlon. It estimates your heart rate directly from your wrist, allowing for a more natural and unencumbered race day experience. With a battery life of up to 14 hours in GPS mode, it is well-suited for long training sessions and most race distances.
This watch provides advanced dynamics for running, cycling, and swimming, including metrics like ground contact time balance and stride length. For the most detailed running analytics, it can be paired with a compatible accessory. Its lightweight design and comprehensive sport features make it a reliable and focused companion for any multisport athlete.
POLAR Vantage V – Premium GPS Multisport Watch
The POLAR Vantage V stands as a premium option for serious triathletes, featuring an ultra-long battery life that offers up to 40 hours of training time with active GPS. This makes it an excellent choice for athletes undertaking long-course events or back-to-back training days. Its durable and waterproof construction is built to withstand grueling conditions.
At the heart of its performance is the Polar Precision Prime sensor, which combines bio-impedance electrodes with optical sensors for highly accurate wrist-based heart rate monitoring. A standout feature is its ability to measure running power directly from the wrist, providing a new dimension of data to help you fine-tune your effort and training intensity.
Garmin Forerunner 935 Running GPS Unit
The Garmin Forerunner 935 is a premium triathlon watch that packs advanced features into a remarkably lightweight and comfortable design, weighing only 49 grams. It offers comprehensive wrist-based heart rate monitoring and is compatible with both iPhone and Android smartphones. You can wear this watch all day, from your morning swim to your evening recovery.
Beyond standard tracking, it provides valuable environmental context with a built-in barometer for elevation changes and an electronic compass to help you keep your bearings on new routes. It consolidates advanced running and multisport metrics into a single, unobtrusive device, making it a favorite among data-driven athletes.
Suunto Spartan Sport (Wrist – Hr), Black
The Suunto Spartan Sport boasts a strong and sleek design with a steel bezel and a mineral crystal glass protecting its outdoor-grade color touch screen. It is built for athletes who need a robust timepiece that can handle intense training environments. With 100-meter water resistance, it is more than capable for all swimming segments of a triathlon.
This watch offers up to 12 hours of battery life in training mode, making it suitable for standard and Olympic distance races. Its combination of a durable build and essential tracking functions provides a solid foundation for athletes who value a straightforward and resilient multisport watch.
Garmin Forerunner 965 Running Smartwatch
The Garmin Forerunner 965 features a brilliant AMOLED touchscreen display complemented by traditional button controls for easy operation in any condition. Its lightweight titanium bezel adds a premium feel without significant weight. With up to 31 hours of battery life in GPS mode, it can easily handle the longest Ironman events and extended training cycles.
Navigation is a key strength, as it comes with full-color, built-in maps and multi-band GPS for exceptional accuracy, allowing you to confidently run any route. This watch also provides detailed training metrics and recovery insights to help you balance your effort and avoid overtraining.
Garmin fēnix 7X Pro Solar, Multisport GPS Smartwatch
Built for the toughest conditions, the Garmin fēnix 7X Pro Solar is a robust multisport GPS watch with a large, easy-to-read 1.4-inch display. Its fiber-reinforced polymer case with a steel bezel is designed for maximum durability. The standout feature is its Power Glass solar charging lens, which harnesses the sun’s energy to extend battery life for weeks in smartwatch mode.
An incredibly useful tool for athletes is the built-in LED flashlight, which offers variable intensities and strobe modes. This provides greater awareness for early morning or late-night training sessions and acts as a convenient hands-free light source. It’s the ultimate watch for the adventurer and ultra-endurance triathlete.
SUUNTO 9 Peak Pro GPS Sports Watch
The SUUNTO 9 Peak Pro is designed for the most demanding athletes and efforts, offering exceptional battery life that can last up to 40 hours in its best GPS mode. A quick 10-minute charge can provide an additional 2 hours of GPS training, which is perfect for last-minute top-ups. It fully charges in just one hour, minimizing downtime.
This watch ensures reliable tracking by utilizing four different satellite systems for speedy connectivity and accuracy in challenging environments like cities or mountainous terrain. Handcrafted in Finland with military-grade durability, it features premium materials like titanium and sapphire glass, making it a nearly indestructible training partner.
Garmin Forerunner 745, GPS Running Watch
The Garmin Forerunner 745 is a versatile smartwatch that accurately tracks your swim, bike, and run workouts using multiple global satellite systems. It provides up to 6 hours of battery life in GPS mode with music and 21 hours in UltraTrac mode, covering the needs of most triathlon distances. You can receive on-device daily workout suggestions for running and cycling based on your current training load and VO2 max.
This feature acts as a virtual coach, helping you optimize your training schedule for better results. It combines essential smartwatch functions with targeted athletic guidance, making it an excellent all-in-one tool for the improving triathlete.
Garmin Forerunner 55, GPS Running Watch
The Garmin Forerunner 55 is an easy-to-use and accessible GPS running watch that serves as a great entry point into the world of triathlon training. It monitors heart rate at the wrist and uses GPS to track your distance, pace, and route. With a battery life of up to 2 weeks in smartwatch mode and 20 hours in GPS mode, it requires minimal charging.
It includes the helpful PacePro feature, which offers GPS-based pace guidance for a selected course or distance to help you plan your race day strategy. For athletes new to the sport or those seeking a straightforward, reliable tracker, the Forerunner 55 delivers excellent core functionality.
Garmin Forerunner 265 Music GPS Smartwatch
The Garmin Forerunner 265 Music is a feature-rich smartwatch that combines advanced training analytics with the convenience of onboard music storage. This allows you to leave your phone behind while still enjoying your favorite playlists during a run or bike ride. It likely includes a vibrant AMOLED display for clear visibility in all lighting conditions.
As part of Garmin’s renowned Forerunner series, it provides comprehensive tracking for all triathlon disciplines, along with detailed performance metrics and recovery advice. The integration of music makes it an ideal choice for athletes who want entertainment and motivation built directly into their training watch.
Buying Guide: What to Look For in the Best Triathlon Watches
When you’re shopping for a watch to get you through a triathlon, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer number of features and specs. I’ve found that focusing on a few key areas makes the decision much clearer. You need a device that’s not just a running watch or a cycling computer, but a true multi-sport partner.
First and foremost, look for a dedicated multi-sport mode. This is non-negotiable. A good multi-sport mode lets you sequence your swim, bike, and run segments into a single activity. The best part is the seamless transition; with a single button press, the watch saves your swim data and moves to the bike leg without fully stopping the timer. This keeps your overall race time accurate and saves you from fumbling with menus on tired, wet fingers. Beyond the basic three sports, some watches now include modes for transitions (T1 and T2), which is a fantastic feature for tracking every second of your race.
Battery life is your next critical consideration. You need a watch that can last as long as your longest race, with plenty of power to spare. If you’re an Ironman athlete, you’ll want a watch that promises at least 20 hours of continuous GPS use. For most of us tackling shorter distances, a watch that can last through a full week of training plus a race is the goal. Pay close attention to the battery specs in GPS mode and, if you use it, music playback mode, as that drains power significantly faster.
Third, think about the sensors and data you rely on. All the best triathlon watches will have built-in GPS for accurate distance and pace tracking on land. For the swim, you need strong water resistance (at least 5 ATM) and a reliable method for tracking laps and distance in the pool. Open water swimming requires GPS, so check that the watch can acquire a signal quickly and hold it while your arm is in the water. For the bike and run, built-in or connected sensors for heart rate, cadence, and power can transform your training. A wrist-based heart rate monitor is convenient, but many serious athletes still prefer a chest strap for maximum accuracy during high-intensity intervals.
Finally, don’t forget about the ecosystem and daily usability. The watch should feel comfortable on your wrist during all three disciplines and throughout your day. A bright, easy-to-read screen is vital for glancing at your pace while running or your power output while cycling. Compatibility with your preferred smartphone and training platforms is also a huge plus for analyzing your data afterward. By focusing on multi-sport functionality, battery life, essential sensors, and overall usability, you can find one of the best triathlon watches that fits your specific needs and goals.
FAQ
Can I use a regular running watch for a triathlon?
You technically can, but I wouldn’t recommend it for a serious effort. A regular running watch lacks a dedicated multi-sport mode. This means you’d have to manually stop your swim activity, save it, start a new bike activity, stop that, and then start a run activity. This process is clunky, wastes precious time in transition, and prevents you from getting a single, consolidated file of your entire race. A true triathlon watch handles these transitions seamlessly, making your race-day logistics much smoother.
How important is battery life for a sprint or Olympic distance triathlon?
For shorter sprint and Olympic distance races, battery life is less of a direct race-day concern, as even basic sports watches will last the few hours you need. However, it’s still very important from a training perspective. I value a watch that I don’t have to charge every single day. If you’re training consistently with GPS, tracking sleep, and receiving notifications, a watch with a multi-day battery life removes the constant worry of it dying during a long workout or forgetting to charge it the night before a race.
Do I need a separate heart rate monitor chest strap, or is the wrist-based one good enough?
Wrist-based heart rate monitors have gotten much better, and for steady-state efforts and daily tracking, they are often perfectly fine. However, for the high-intensity intervals and rapid changes in effort common in triathlon training and racing, a chest strap is still considered more accurate and responsive. The optical sensor on the wrist can be affected by arm movement and cadence, a phenomenon known as “cadence lock.” If precise heart rate data is crucial for your training zones, I’d suggest pairing your watch with a chest strap.
What features make a watch good for the swimming portion?
A good triathlon watch needs to handle both pool and open water swimming. For the pool, it should accurately count your laps and recognize your stroke type using an internal accelerometer. For open water, it must have a strong GPS receiver that can acquire a signal and maintain it even when your arm is submerged. You’ll also want a display that is easy to read in bright sunlight and while moving, showing metrics like elapsed time, distance, and pace. Finally, look for a watch with a high level of water resistance, typically 5 ATM or more, to ensure it can handle the depth and pressure.
Are these watches useful for everyday wear, or are they just for sport?
Absolutely, most of the best triathlon watches are designed for 24/7 wear. Beyond their robust sport features, they typically include smartwatch functions like smartphone notifications for calls, texts, and apps. Many also track daily activity metrics like steps, calories burned, and floors climbed, as well as advanced health monitoring like sleep analysis, stress tracking, and pulse ox readings. Their rugged build and long battery life make them excellent companions for everyday life, not just your training sessions.