If you've got a serious athlete in your life who's been very good this year, you might want to consider a gadget splurge that'll have her running, cycling, and swimming for joy. These GPS watches do more than just record her route — they'll make her a better, more efficient athlete to boot. Check out six of the latest and greatest GPS watches of the year!
Source: Fitbit [1]
Suunto Ambit3
The Suunto Ambit3 [2] ($400) is ready for any athletic event. The GPS watch tracks running, cycling, swimming, and then some; it even tracks your heart rate while swimming (via a Bluetooth Smart heart rate sensor).
Fitbit Surge
The Fitbit Surge [3] ($250) is a one-and-done fitness watch; like other Fitbits, it tracks pace, steps, and sleep; like other fitness watches, it also records GPS, pace, distance, elevation, route history, and more for many different sports. And like other smartwatches, the Surge alerts you to calls and texts, and lets you control your smartphone's music from its screen.
Tom Tom Multisport GPS
The TomTom Multisport GPS [4] ($300) tracks everything you expect and features a large interface and one-button control, including your heart rate (via an optical sensor on the watch's underside). Track your stats after uploading data to an online account, and it syncs with apps like MapMyFitness. You can also easily swap out the strap with another color or style.
Polar M400
The Polar M400 [5] ($250) is a fitness tracker and GPS watch in one; it tracks pace, calories, and activity level throughout the day, as well as your running stats when it's time to work out. Need an even more serious watch for your serious athlete? The Polar V800 [6] ($520) is made for them.
Garmin Forerunner 920XT
The Garmin Forerunner 920XT [7] ($445) is another do-it-all sports watch: track your daily activity; get call, email, and text alerts; and record an impressive set of workout data, including running, swimming, and cycling stats, your VO2 max estimates, cadence, and more.
Timex Ironman One GPS+
The Timex Ironman One GPS [8] ($400; available for preorder) is another super sportswatch. Control your music, call and message alerts, and more from your watch, while recording running, cycling, and swimming data. The watch also features easy tracking for your friends to follow your progress (or find you in an emergency). The Timex Ironman One GPS+ should be available later this year.