9 Best Hiking Watches For The Outdoor Adventurer in 2018

Here’s one brand that’s always going to have your back. Users love the Suunto Core for it’s all-inclusive features; you’ll feel like your own atlas-of-the-world when you’ve got this baby equipped. Not only do you get every single kind of meter that you need, but you get it all wrapped-up in an excellently-stylish design. Your friends will think you’re a master of picking out the perfect watch, but you’ll know that you’re also a master of navigating anywhere and everywhere.

The all-black chassis and white LED screen (when displaying time and not in use for GPS purposes,) go together perfectly. The band is comfortable, which is invaluable. You want to feel like it isn’t even there. One of the biggest complaints with watches in general, and we believe you’ll agree with us: stretching metal bands constantly catching arm hair. Thankfully, with Suunto Core, that’s not an issue.

The depth meter is one of the best we’ve ever had the pleasure of testing, and the stopwatch/countdown feature is great for timing yourself for hikes, especially if you’re a frequent visitor to the same trails or mountain.

This GPS hiking watch also comes with an excellent waterproof rating; you can take this underwater, and you’ll still be covered. Your warranty information is good for up to one year, which is the average time span for anything to go wrong with your GPS hiking watch. In most cases, incidents arise directly out of the package and are manufacturer-related. Suunto Core has a very low incident rate.

We all know Garmin for their various cutting-edge electronic products. Over the years, they’ve been developing some inspired tech, and some badass hiking GPS watches. Through Garmin’s BaseCamp software, you can download various maps for just about every country on the face of the planet. You’ll be able to take this with you to every destination. If you’re not into resorts, but more into actually experiences foreign countries first-hand, then this is by far the best GPS watch for hiking to hit all of those marks.

Garmin makes a lot of new tech, innovates older tech, and they’re no Apple; they are a smaller company, so with all that pace, there’s bound to be some issues, right? Even if you encounter an issue out of the box, Garmin has award-winning customer service that take care of, and deal with every problem under the sun. It’s always great to have a good company backing the products you want.

You don’t get Wi-Fi options for download; it has to be directly connected to your PC via USB cable. When you’re only going to be downloading X amount of maps, it’s not a big inconvenience. There’s a decent processor and enabled RAM to make those downloads fairly quick.

You get a total of 8GB of internal space (about 1.7GB taken-up by OS,) which can store a lot of data tracking information and allow you to update your satellite mapping frequently. You also get a full year’s subscription to BirdsEye Satellite Imagery, as well as notifications sent directly to your phone, PC, tablet, or SmartTV—or all of them, if you choose. Your loved ones can know you’re safe with consistent updates.

This is the perfect example of a great GPS hiking watch with some fitness tracker features. In our buyers guide, we’ll discuss more about the benefits and disadvantages of hybrid models, but TomTom does it perfectly. You get a heartrate monitor that boasts a high accuracy rating, even in alternate conditions. When you’re in the middle of the wilderness, in the seldom silence, it can get a touch bit lonely. This GPS hiking watch comes with music player capabilities, so you can either listen to tunes on the go, or when you’re laying in your tent at night trying to drift off to sleep, and start another day of hiking.

We’re not crazy about the battery life on this one, though for all the features it has, it’s not uncommon to encounter a lower-than-average battery lifespan. Where it’s not like an Apple iWatch, you can’t control what’s currently running through a task manager setting. The fact that you can enable this for skiing, biking, optimize it for the gym and more, is particularly revolutionary. This isn’t a feature that you see in a lot of GPS watches, and it’s what sets TomTom’s model apart from the competition. It also anoints their altimeter, barometer, and compass for accuracy.

The TomTom name has been synonymous with GPS navigation for as long as anyone can remember, and it’s for good reason. They’re still the best when it comes to providing accurate navigation, and updated mapping. You do get some hybrid fitness tracker features with this GPS hiking watch, which work well enough to tack your health during hikes and other outdoor activities.

We all know and love Garmin products. This Fenix GPS hiking watch is one of the best mountaineering watches out there on the market today, and it’s plan to see why. From the stylish all-black chassis down to the extreme waterproof features, it’s a steal as a watch on its own. You get a worldwide base map, where you can store up to 1,000 different custom waypoints, and over 10,000 track points for optimal tracking, ensuring a safe walk back to your camping site.

From previous versions of this same model, the waterproofing has increased dramatically, supporting some of the best depths we’ve seen on any GPS hiking watch. The band is comfortable, so you can wear it for days on days end without taking it off out in the wild, and you won’t have a chafed wrist by the end. Let’s get to the core features: the mapping and three-axis compass are insanely accurate, and aren’t a drain on your battery life.

You charge and load maps onto this GPS hiking watch via USB cable to your PC. It comes with an AC adapted so you can simply charge this by plugging it into a power strip, instead of draining your laptop battery all the time. The manual actually comes with loads of helpful tips and information, whereas most of us usually just toss the manual to the side and watch a YouTube video instead. There are a lot of hidden little features that you will miss if you disregard the manual.

This slate gray Fenix 5X GPS hiking watch with a solid black band isn’t just for showmanship, though that doesn’t hurt. It’s an attractive design that we would wear despite all of the intricate, unique features that come with this model. With Garmin’s famous three-axis compass woven into this premier design, you won’t be able to get lost even if you try.

Garmin is notorious for one thing: their batteries usually don’t come with a charge to them, and as any techie knows, the battery loses it’s abilities the longer it remains uncharged. The weight makes you feel like it’s not even on your wrist, and the band is extremely comfortable. You won’t have to take this off during the evening and risk losing it in the brush by your tent. You can comfortably where this for the duration of your trip.

Anything that has to do with GPS usually has some form of a Garmin model attached to it. The accuracy of the wristband heartrate monitor is fantastic, and this comes with an alternate feature for cycling.

We all know Casio, but they’re usually synonymous with attractive, inexpensive watches that are devoid of extra features. We have to say, they blew us out of the water with this model, and earned a spot on the podium of fantastic sports watches; they’re a true contender. Casio brings us an excellent altimeter, which took the place of the GPS feature. It definitely shows that they focused heavily on their altimeter, because quite frankly, it’s impossible to get lost with this model.

One of the coolest features is that this is solar-powered. You don’t even have the option to forget to charge it when you head out. You’ll be outside for the better part of the day, and your watch will be charging with every second that you’re in direct sunlight. You can even use this sports watch for underwater activities, save for snorkeling. Anything up to three-hundred feet down.

Casio has struggled with their previous versions of non-GPS hiking watches in the past, but after enough trials, they’ve come through with an attractive, amazing watch that anybody would be glad to own. You get a full stopwatch integrated into the design, accurate within one-tenth of a second, and a countdown feature as well.

If you were also wondering what Timex has been up to, it’s this: premier non-GPS hiking watch with a killer altimeter. The watch itself is a bit bulky, and not the most attractive display; it’s cognizant of the digital watch explosion in the early 2000s, but the functions greatly outweigh the lack of design.

As the title suggests, this is a shock-resistant watch, and works up to three-hundred feet underwater with no problems. The stainless steel plate top is durable, and crush-resistant if you jam your hand in a closer RV or camper door. (Don’t worry; we’ve all done it.) You get a feature for vibrating alarms and a night-light feature for after hour travelling and visibility. While Timex seems to new to the hiking watch department, they don’t disappoint with accurate features and a killer battery life.

If you need the best hiking watch under 100 bucks, then you’ve found your sweet spot right here. This is also a great introductory watch for children and teenagers if you’re planning on taking the kids out for an extended hiking or camping trip. Timex made a great, lightweight watch with an Indigo light-up night feature.

Timex is breaking into all sorts of other watch niche categories, and we’re impressed with how they’ve done in the hiking department. Timex Expedition Rugged Analog has one resin strap that’s not going to chafe your skin, and actually provide comfort the whole way through your hiking trip. While the waterproof rating only goes down to about one-hundred and fifty feet underwater, it’s still great for various watersport activities.

This is a popular pick among users who are looking for an amazing watch for a low cost. You get an Indigo light-up dial for nighttime viewing, as well as a dated calendar feature.

Hailed as one of the best hiking watches under 100 bucks, you get a lot for your money. If you’re value-seeking, or looking for an introductory watch for your teenager for hiking and camping trips, this is where you’ll want to put your money. They can get used to the features without having an overload of unnecessary components. It’s a stylish, easy-to-use watch.

Casio brings us another functional, excellent watch for hiking, cycling, and any other activity in between. This watch is water resistant up to three-hundred feet underwater, and remains comfortable with a nylon band. This is an especially great watch if you’re looking to job/run on hiking trails to test yourself, thanks to the stopwatch and timer feature that comes all-inclusive.

With an altimeter, barometer, and thermometer, all lit up by an LED display, this is a prime pick for anyone looking to get an introduction into how top-grade GPS hiking watches work alongside their other features.

Casio has always provided inexpensive models for watches, and they knocked this one gran slam out of the park. If you’re a novice hiker, or you’re looking to get the most out of your hiking watch by learning how to use the compass features properly, this is a great introductory altimeter watch.