With so many great GPS watches available the question of which is the best GPS watch for running or hiking is a tricky one to answer. Perhaps a better question to ask is which are the most popular GPS watches currently on the market?
Some might balk at forking out additional money for what amounts to just a fancy wrist watch, well these "fancy" timepieces are technology packed devices that use the "Global Positioning System" of satellites, a network of 24 satellites that permanently orbit the earth and beam back positioning information that can be used by a GPS receiver to accurately calculate your position on earth. By measuring changes in your position, it is then possible to calculate a host of other statistics like speed, distance and elevation.
Joggers and runners can benefit from knowing this sort of information and as the Global Positioning System can pinpoint ones location to within three meters which is accurate enough to track an athlete's motion and facilitate the tracking of their performances, set exercise goals and save data for monitoring their performances.
If you are a hiker who likes to go deep into the wilderness, a GPS watch is an invaluable backup tool in case you get lost, and can certainly be used in place of a map and compass to direct you along your desired path. A GPS watch gives you peace of mind against a serious incident like getting lost in foul weather.
The type of GPS watch vary depending on purpose. We will review two prominent GPS watches that are suited to very different types of activities.
The Suunto X10 GPS Watch
The Suunto X10 is an outdoors GPS watch that is packed with an incredible range of high-tech features.
Suunto is a Finnish based company that has been around for over 70 years and currently heads the modern portable computer-based navigation sector. The X10 has all the functions that are useful for outdoor treks and adventures. These include:BarometerBarometric AltimeterDigital CompasAdjustable DeclinationChronograph StopwatchThermometerAltitude and Time AlarmsThe X10 features some sports watch features that runners could use, but this is not it's main purpose. The watch is capable of tracking waypoints along a route, can measure speed, altitude, distance covered and the weather. Route maps can be uploaded to a personal computer and viewed in a mapping program like Google Earth.
The Garmin Forerunner 405CX
Garmin is the current leading running GPS watch for endurance sports. The watch does not support many outdoor features, but has an abundance of features that runners can use, or bike riders or skiers for that matter. The 405CX does not support a map mode within the watch, but in terms of fitness features offers the following highly beneficial features that athletes can utilize to their advantage:Virtual Partner (compete against your previous route times or a predetermined pace)Advanced workouts (goal-oriented session stages)Pace/Speed Alerts (sounds an alarm if your pace gets off track)Time/Distance alerts (sounds an alarm at a predetermined distance or time)Linkup with personal Computer - can upload a variety of data.Both these options offer something to their specific target market. The Suunto X10 is amongst the world's most sophisticated outdoors watch, whereas the Garmin Forerunner 405CX is one of the best athletics GPS watches around. Either of these watches will not disappoint you should a running or hiking GPS system be what you are looking for.
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