If you’re going backpacking you want to make sure you have a watch that will work right alongside you. After all, you’re going out into the wilderness and things can get rough out there. A regular watch may not be able to stand up to the use that you’re going to put a backpacking watch through. Plus, you may want even more features than you’ll get with a standard watch. That’s why each of these is such a great idea.
List of Top-Rated Watches for Backpacking
| Product Image | Product Name | Clock Face | Band Material | Compass | Heart Rate | More Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 1. SUUNTO Core All Black | Digital | Silicone | Yes | No | More Information |
 | 2. Garmin Forerunner 25 | Digital | Silicone | No | Yes | More Information |
 | 3. Casio G-Shock DW5600E-1 | Digital | Silicone | No | No | More Information |
 | 4. Garmin Fenix 3 HR | Digital | Silicone | No | Yes | More Information |
 | 5. Polar M430 GPS Running Watch | Digital | Silicone | No | Yes | More Information |
The Best Watches for Backpacking Reviews
1. SUUNTO Core All Black
This outdoor watch is going to be great for anyone who wants to go backpacking, hiking, rock climbing or anything else. It’s designed to track just about everything you could need from movement to air pressure to weather and it does all of that in a super stylish design that you’re going to love.
Tracking
This watch keeps track of practically everything. In fact, it tracks your vertical movement if you’re climbing, lets you know air pressure trends and even has a compass. On top of that, it will let you know about the weather so you can be prepared for any problems along the way.
If you’re not sure about when the sun will set, you’ll get all of that information right here and you’ll have a weather trend graph and an alarm that lets you know if storms are coming. Plus, no matter where you are you can get sunrise and sunset for 400 different locations.
Features and Design
This watch has a sleek design that’s simple but versatile. The large design and all blackface and strap mean that it’s going to be out of your way when you don’t need it but visible when you do. You’ll also have plenty of information right on the screen.
You get temperature, a compass and the time as well as an altimeter right there on the front screen of this watch so you can look down and see it at all times. That’s going to make it easier for you to keep track of everything.
Can I Track Distance With This Watch?
This watch is not designed to track the distance that you travel unless you are traveling in a vertical ascent where it lets you know how high you are.
Does This Watch Come in Different Languages?
You can set up the watch to be in English, German, French or Spanish, so you can pick something that you feel the most comfortable with.
This is a great watch for just about anyone who wants to start spending more time outdoors doing activities or even those who aren’t as big on the outdoors.
2. Garmin Forerunner 25
This system is made by a company that’s well known for its outdoor systems, especially GPS’. They’re high quality and built to last. With this one, you’re getting some of the simpler features, but you’re going to have enough to keep you going out in the wilderness.
Features
This is a simple-looking watch but that doesn’t mean that it can’t get you a lot of features. In fact, it provides you with a heart rate monitor, distance, pace, calories and a whole lot more. It’s great for those who want to get more active and want to keep track. All of this is tracked while you’re working out even on indoor tracks or treadmills, unlike a lot of other fitness trackers.
This is not a wireless system and it doesn’t connect to a device, but it will let you know all the information you need right on the front screen. It’s also a large screen so you can easily read the information while you keep moving. All you have to do is set it up to go and you’ll get activity tracking for up to 10 weeks.
Design
The overall design of this watch is stylish and ready for anything. It’s available in several different colors to match your personal preference and it has a basic look that’s convenient for those who want to get more active. The red accent on the black watch provides a great contrast to make an impact while some of the brighter colors can provide their level of fun.
The silicone band is great for water resistance and the adjustable aspect means that it fits most wrists with ease. You’ll also like the large screen and the contrast that it provides to make sure you can read everything on it.
Is This an Activity Tracker or an Outdoor Watch?
This watch is designed more like an activity tracker, monitoring your heart rate and things like distance and calories burned.
This is a great watch for anyone who wants to keep track of their physicality while they’re out in the wilderness. There’s no reason not to keep on top of things.
3. Casio G-Shock DW5600E-1
This watch may look like your standard watch, but it’s designed to stand up to just about anything. It’s also going to give you the information that you need to stay informed while you’re out on your next backpacking trip.
Design and Style
This watch is made by a company that’s well known for high-quality watches, and that lends itself to a stylish design. It has a heavy duty band and a chunky design to the face to provide more durability and make sure this watch is ready for anything. You’ll also like that it has a more classic design compared to other Cassio watches.
The entire watch is black, which makes the band blend well with the face and the background of the watch feature backlighting to make sure that you have the right contrast to see. You can get all the information you need right there on the face as well.
Overall Features
With this watch, you’re going to have a range of different features but in general, you’re going to have a standard watch that gives you the date and time as well as telling you the day of the week. When it comes to the advanced features this watch has an alarm, measuring modes, stopwatch and calendar.
The watch itself is water resistant to 660 feet, which means you can do just about anything with it other than snorkeling. It’s also G-shock protected so you know that it’s able to stand up to just about anything.
Can You Still See the Time Even in Stopwatch Mode?
You absolutely can. That means you can continue to be aware of how you’re doing on your route and you can track the time.
Does the Screen Light Up Automatically?
You have to push the button to get the screen to light up. There is no automatic on for the watch if you tilt it up.
This is a great watch for anyone who wants more of the features and wants to make sure they have accuracy for everything they do.
4. Garmin Fenix 3 HR
Made by a company that’s known for GPS units, this watch provides you with a whole lot of features including a heart rate monitor, date and time, workout and more. Plus it has a simple design that makes it convenient to wear.
Style and Design
With this watch, you’re getting a simple-looking band that’s made with silicone to allow you more comfort while you’re in the wilderness. It also has an adjustable strap that’s designed to fit your wrist easily, without sliding.
The face is dark to make sure you get the right amount of contrast when you’re out in the sun but changes to accommodate for the dark. You’ll also have a high quality sapphire lens that is resistant to scratching and overall wear.
Overall Features
With this watch, you’re getting a lot more than just the basic watch you would expect. This watch provides you with a heart rate monitor, wireless connectivity to sync with your Garmin app and even things like stride length and vertical ratio.
With this watch you get a water resistant device all the way to 100 meters and you’ll be able to track a range of different activities. On top of that you’ll have up to 40 hours of battery life in battery saver mode and up to 16 hours while tracking your GPS location.
Does This Have HR Records?
It does record HR and lets you know what your heart rate is at all times, however, it’s not as accurate as you’ll find with more dedicated HR straps.
Can I Connect This Watch to My Facebook Account?
You can connect the device and get your Facebook messages forwarded through the device. This lets you stay in contact all the time.
Does This Watch Have an Alarm?
You do get an alarm and there is a snooze feature that will ring again in 10 minutes. That means you can make sure you’re ready for anything.
This is a great watch for just about anyone. It’s made by a company that’s known for outdoor products and GPS’.
5. Polar M430 GPS Running Watch
This watch is designed for running and even comes in a range of fun colors that let you show off your style and personality. On top of that, it’s made with a silicone band that’s better for sweat and water resistance.
Style and Design
This watch is designed to give you a sleek and fun look because it’s available in a range of bright colors including orange and green. It’s smaller in overall size than some of the other options here and has a face that’s built into the watch rather than out.
The case is part of the silicone strap and the contrast between the face and the rest of the watch ensures that you can see it even when it’s bright outside. On top of that, you get all the tracking that you need.
Overall Features
With this watch you’re going to have no problem tracking everything from your heart rate to the distance you’ve moved and even your minutes per mile. That way you’re going to have no problem getting yourself in better shape.
This watch is compatible with most computer systems including Windows and Mac and allows you to sync the information that you receive directly into your computer. All you have to do is get up and get moving for some type of activity.
Does This Watch Have Illumination?
There is a backlight with this watch so you can easily see what records you have even when it’s dark outside.
How Long Will the Battery Last?
The battery life will depend on just how long you use the watch each day and just what you’re recording, such as GPS, heart rate and more.
This watch is designed to connect with Windows devices and Mac devices so you can easily connect all your information, which makes it a great choice for most users.
Conclusion
You’re going to want a watch that can keep track of everything you do and any of these watches can do that. They’ll help you enjoy your time in the wilderness and they’ll encourage you to get even more exercise because of what you learn with them.
With each of these fitness trackers, you’re going to have the ability to know the basics that you would expect from a watch, but more importantly, you’re going to be able to track things like heart rate, distance and activity levels. All you have to do is pick out which one is best for you.
