10 Best Watches for Sprinters in 2023: Top Picks

This article is exactly what you need if you are seeking the Best Watches for Sprinters in 2023. This handpicked list of sprinting watches can track your performance and body metrics to improve your performance in a very short period. Whether it’s an Apple Watch or any other watch on this list, these top picks are sure to offer everything that you’re looking for!

Why are these best GPS-tracking watches best for Sprinters?

As mentioned earlier, all the watches mentioned in this article closely monitor your health and running metrics to help you sprint faster. 

These are some of the key metrics that these best watches for sprinters can track and monitor.

Also Read: 10 Important Running-Watch Metrics Every Beginner Runner Should Know

Heart Rate Monitoring:

Heart rate monitoring is an essential body metric to monitor during your workout. It gives you valuable information about your intensity. Based on this, you can optimize your activity to improve your performance. It also ensures that you do not overwork yourself, which could be dangerous to your health.

Resting Heart Rate:

Resting heart rate is the number of times your heart beats per minute while you are at rest. A normal resting heart rate for a healthy adult is between 60-100 beats per minute. This will be anywhere around 40 bpm for well-trained athletes because they’ve trained their hearts to work more efficiently and effectively to achieve peak athletic performance!

Heart Rate Variability (HRV)

Heart rate variability is another important metric that a GPS-running watch monitors. It helps to understand how well you adapt to the training and enables you to improve your performance.

Cadence

Cadence is an indicator of how fast you’re running. A reasonable cadence rate is considered 160-180 steps per minute. The higher your number, the faster and more efficient it will be for performance purposes! Every sprinter must monitor their Cadence because sprinting is about how fast you are running, not how far you are running.

Vertical Oscillation:

As you run, your upper body moves up and down. This distance is called vertical oscillation or bounce frequency for short! It is measured in centimeters.

Recovery Time:

Recovery time is a crucial running metric calculated by a running watch. Your watch calculates how long you should rest before your next run based on your health and fitness data.

Sleep Tracking:

A good running watch makes sure that you get the right amount of sleep! This helps with efficient training as well as enhancing athletic performance in general! It can monitor your sleeping patterns and guide you on how to improve them if there are any irregularities.

VO2 Max:

VO2 Max, or maximal oxygen consumption, is one of the best metrics to monitor when you are running. The VO2 max is the highest amount of oxygen your body can take in during strenuous activity.

GPS:

GPS is a great way to monitor your running distance, pace, and speed. More importantly, it helps you navigate when you are running in unknown territory. It is beneficial for every runner, mainly trail runners and hikers.

Now let us jump into the list of the best watches for sprinters in 2023 that will help you improve your sprinting performance.

10 Best Watches for Sprinters in 2023

1. Garmin Forerunner 955
2. Apple Watch Ultra
3. Garmin Forerunner 945
4. Garmin Venu Sq Music Edition
5. Apple Watch Series 7
6. Coros Pace 2
7. Garmin Venu 2
8. Garmin Forerunner 45
9. Garmin Fenix 6 Pro
10. Garmin Enduro

1. Garmin Forerunner 955

Garmin Forerunner 955 is one of the best watches for sprinters in 2023. As a seasoned runner, I’ve tried out my fair share of GPS watches, and this one takes the cake. With its advanced health and fitness tracking features coupled with longer battery life, the Garmin Forerunner 955 is an excellent choice for any sprinter.

First off, let’s talk about the wrist-based heart rate monitor. This feature is not only accurate, but it also alerts you if your heart rate is abnormally increased or decreased. This is especially useful during intense training sessions or races. Another great feature is heart rate variability (HRV) tracking. This gives you an idea of your body’s training readiness and can help prevent overtraining. The pulse ox sensor is also a nice touch, as it measures blood oxygen levels. This can be useful for runners who train at high altitudes.

One of the unique features of the Forerunner 955 is the visual pace predictor. This handy tool helps you estimate your finish time for a 5K or 10K race based on your current pace. This is a game-changer for runners trying to hit a specific time goal. The Forerunner 955 also has features for triathletes. It tracks your swim, bike, and run data separately so that you can see your progress in each discipline.

The sleep-tracking feature is also a nice touch; it tracks your sleep patterns and gives you insights on improving your sleep for better recovery. The training readiness score is another unique feature of the Forerunner 955, and this score takes into account your heart rate, HRV, and sleep data to give you an idea of how ready your body is to train.

The Forerunner 955 also has built-in maps and multi-band GPS, so you can easily explore new running routes. The MIP display is protected by Corning® Gorilla® Glass DX so that it can withstand the wear and tear of your training. The watch is also 5 ATM water resistant, so you can wear it while swimming. The battery life is also impressive, lasting up to 15 days in Smartwatch mode and up to 20 days in the Solar variant. And with NFC payment, music storage, and streaming support, you can leave your phone at home and still enjoy your music and make transactions.

Overall, the Garmin Forerunner 955 is a top-of-the-line GPS watch for runners. It has a plethora of features that will help you train smarter and achieve your goals. If you are in the market for a GPS watch, I highly recommend checking out the Forerunner 955.

Pros:

• Tough and rugged design
• Heart rate variability tracking for better training readiness
• Built-in maps and GPS.
• Long battery life.
• Water resistance up to 50 meters

Cons:

• Expensive
• No AMOLED Display

2. Apple Watch Ultra

The latest Apple Watch Ultra is a game-changer for sprinters. This advanced running smartwatch is packed with features that make it perfect for tracking and improving your sprinting performance. One of the key features is its advanced heart rate monitoring. The watch has an advanced heart rate sensor that accurately tracks your heart rate throughout the day. This data can be used to gauge your level of exertion and adjust your training accordingly. The watch also has an ECG sensor that can detect unusual heart activity.

The Apple Watch Ultra is also equipped with in-built GPS tracking, which allows you to track your route, distance, and pace during sprints. This data can help you improve your sprinting performance by allowing you to identify areas where you need to focus more on training. The watch also has built-in sleep tracking, and it automatically tracks your sleep patterns, and you can use this data to see how your sleep affects your sprinting performance.

The Apple Watch Ultra is equipped with a variety of workout-tracking features, including the ability to track sprints, running, cycling, and more. You can view your workout data in the Apple Health App to see your progress over time and set new personal bests. The watch also allows you to customize alerts for different events, such as when you hit a certain pace during a sprint or when you’ve been inactive for too long. This feature helps you stay on track and reach your goals.

The Apple Watch Ultra comes with Siri, which allows you to start your workout, set a reminder, or play music with your voice. This feature makes it easier to stay focused on sprinting and not fumble around with your phone. The watch is also water-resistant up to 100 meters, making it suitable for swimming without worrying about getting damaged. This makes it perfect for sprinters who also like to swim to stay fit.

The battery life of this Apple Watch Ultra is truly impressive. With a battery life of up to 36 hours after each recharge, it is significantly longer than any other Apple Watch ever made. This means you can go for a full day of intense training and still have enough power to make it through the night. This feature is especially useful for sprinters who may need to track their performance over extended periods without worrying about constantly recharging their watch. 

In conclusion, the Apple Watch Ultra has advanced health and fitness tracking features that make it perfect for sprinters. From advanced heart rate monitoring to GPS tracking, this smartwatch has everything you need to take your sprinting performance to the next level. Whether you’re training for a race or just looking to improve your sprinting times, the Apple Watch Ultra is a must-have for any serious sprinter. With its rugged design, it is also durable enough to minimize the wear and tear of intense workouts.

Pros:

• Advanced Heart rate monitoring
• GPS tracking
• Sleep tracking
• Workout tracking
• Customizable alerts

Cons:

• Expensive compared to other smartwatches
• Limited battery life when using cellular feature
• Does not work with Android devices.

3. Garmin Forerunner 945

The Forerunner 945 is one of the top watches in the list of the best GPS watches for Sprinters. It comes with plenty of sensors for elite athletes, making it one of the best choices for runners. It is resistant to water up to a depth of 50 meters, which means you can wear it while bathing or swimming. It’s also very light and comfortable to wear for lengthy jogs.

This sophisticated GPS running watch lets you keep track of your distance, speed, and location while out on the town or in a more challenging environment like trails.

It includes a number of profiles to track your indoor/outdoor runs as well as treadmill workouts that will show how efficient these types of exercises can be compared with other activities.

The Garmin Forerunner 945 can track and record various metrics, such as Cadence, stridor, vertical oscillation, running dynamics, and so on.

This advanced running watch has a wrist-based heart rate monitor that can help you accurately track your training sessions, whether it is indoor or outdoor! It also comes with other fitness tracking features like VO2 Max, resting heart rate, and recovery time.

The Garmin Forerunner 945 has intelligent battery modes to monitor your battery life and optimize it for different types of training. In smartwatch mode, the battery can last about 14 days. However, the battery life will be reduced to about 10 hours if you use GPS and music.

Overall, the Garmin Forerunner 945 is an excellent smartwatch for runners and sprinters with its accurate GPS tracking features, various running profiles, wrist-based heart rate monitor, and long battery life!

Pros

• Excellent for runners and sprinters
• Durable design
• Music storage and streaming features
• Advanced sleep monitoring
• Long battery life

Cons

• Expensive
• Not suitable for ordinary users

4. Garmin Venu Sq Music Edition

The Venu Sq is a mid-range Garmin watch with a Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3-protected display and a rectangular design. A standard edition is also available without music storage and is less expensive than the music edition.

It is one of the best Garmin watches with Spotify and has built-in storage for 500 songs. You can also connect Bluetooth headphones to enjoy listening to your favorite tracks while working out! So, you do not need to carry those heavy smartphones with you when going for a run.

The Venu Sq comes with the latest features of Garmin watches and is perfect for runners, cyclists, and other athletes. It has a pulse OX sensor to track blood oxygen levels and also a wrist-based heart rate monitor.

The Venu Sq is water-resistant up to 50 meters, so you can wear it while swimming or taking a shower. It has all the essential features, such as GPS tracking, smart notifications, daily activity tracking, and even contactless payments!

The watch has a built-in GPS, GALILEO and GLONASS receiver, an altimeter, compass, and accelerometer. These sensors together make this the best smartwatch for running. It also has many safety features like Garmin incident detection (during outdoor activities) that send your real-time location to preset contacts in case of an emergency.

Overall, the Garmin Venu Sq is an excellent mid-range smartwatch with plenty of features for runners, cyclists, swimmers, and other athletes!

Pros

• Advanced fitness tracking features
• Garmin Coach for personalized training
• Water-resistant up to 50 meters
• Sleep Tracking
• Female health tracking

Cons

• Design
• No altimeter

5. Apple Watch Series 7

Apple Watch Series 7 is next on the list of the best smartwatches for sprinters in 2023. It is a powerful and stylish smartwatch with perfect features for everyone, including athletes, runners, and sprinters.

The watch has an always-on display with a resolution of 484 pixels and a brightness of 1000 nits. The display size is bigger than the Apple Watch Series 6, making it easy to read messages, notifications, and data.

Advanced health and fitness tracking features, including fall detection, make this a valuable watch for athletes and older people. Other fitness features include VO2 max, resting heart rate, and recovery time! The built-in GPS, Starve compatibility, and water resistance of up to 50 meters make it perfect for outdoor runners, hikers, and sprinters.

It is available in two sizes, 41mm and 45mm! It also has a variety of band options to choose from. The new Apple Watch charges 33% faster than the previous model, the Apple Watch Series 7. In addition to that, the Apple Watch Series 7 also supports wireless charging! The battery life is 18 hours, but now it features fast charging.

Apple Watch 7 is an excellent smartwatch for athletes, runners, and sprinters! However, the battery life could have been better.

Pros

• Powerful and stylish design
• FDA Approved ECG
• Advanced health tracking features
• Water-resistant up to 50 meters
• Improved fall detection and Emergency SOS

Cons

• Expensive
• It does not work with Android phones

6. Coros Pace 2

Are you tired of bulky smartwatches weighing you down during your runs? Look no further than this lightweight Coros Pace 2. This sleek and lightweight smartwatch is designed specifically for serious athletes, weighing in at a mere 29 grams.

The Coros Pace 2 boasts an uncluttered interface with a clear and legible LCD, making it easy to read your stats while on the go. Plus, it comes equipped with a built-in GPS and GLONASS, allowing you to track your route in detail, including distance, speed, and elevation. Whether you’re a runner, cyclist, or swimmer, this GPS watch has all the necessary features to take your training to the next level. And with automatic activity detection, you can rest assured that you’re getting the most accurate data for your specific activity.

But it’s not just the hardware that sets the Coros Pace 2 apart. The companion app, Coros App, also boasts an attractive user interface and provides a wealth of information and data about your workout. And unlike other smartwatches, this information is available to all users, not just premium subscribers.

In addition to tracking your workouts, the Coros Pace 2 lets you stay connected with smart notifications for incoming texts, calls, and emails on the watch’s display. And with a battery life of 30 hours with GPS and even more with the UltraMax Mode, you won’t have to worry about running out of juice halfway through your training.

If you need a smartwatch for sprinting, the Coros Pace 2 is the perfect smartwatch to take your training to the next level. Its lightweight design, advanced tracking features, and smart notifications make it the ultimate running companion.

• Lightweight
• Attractive battery life
• Custom workouts
• Premium data

Cons

• No SpO2
• No Music Storage
• No NFC

7. Garmin Venu 2

The Garmin Venu 2 is a stylish GPS smartwatch suitable for anyone with a small wrist. This watch is perfect for sprinters because it is very lightweight and tracks your performance with its advanced GPS. With the help of GPS, it can accurately monitor your speed, distance, and pace. The Venu 2 has a 1.10″ bright OLED touchscreen display with up to 10 days of battery life in smartwatch mode.

The Garmin Venu 2 also includes animated workouts. These workouts are designed by certified personal trainers and tailored to your specific goals. The Venu 2 can also connect with the new Garmin Coach service, which offers unlimited, personalized training plans that adapt to your progress.

This Garmin watch supports Spotify, Deezer, and Amazon Music. You can access your music library from your wrist if you have a premium account with any of these music streaming services. Just connect with Bluetooth earbuds or headphones, and you’re ready to go.

The Venu 2 is also swim-proof up to 50 meters and can be worn in the shower or pool. With all of these features, the Garmin Venu 2 is perfect for sprinters who want to track their performance and stay connected with music streaming services.

Pros

• Lightweight design
• Abnormal heart rate alerts
• Sleep tracking
• Female health tracking

Cons

• Expensive
• Limited smart features

8. Garmin Forerunner 45

The Garmin Forerunner 45 is an affordable running watch for sprinters. At this price range, it offers many features that are not available on other watches at this price. The Forerunner 45 has a built-in GPS and GLONASS receiver to track your route in detail (distance, speed, elevation).

Features are similar to Garmin Venu Sq, but you have to pay a few bucks dollars more for the Venu Sq. The Forerunner 45 also has a wrist-based heart rate monitor, which is excellent for sprinters who don’t want to wear an additional chest strap. The pulse ox sensor of the watch tracks your blood oxygen levels which is a neat feature for athletes.

Sleep and body battery tracking features are also available with the watch. It includes 12 built-in sports apps to track your various other activities too. It does not have any additional features like music storage or a touch screen, but it has all the essential features to track your performance and improve over time.

The battery life is 13 hours in GPS mode. In smartwatch mode, the battery life is about one week which is great for everyday use.

Pros

• Lightweight and comfortable
• Best for beginners
• 5ATM water-resistance
• Smart Notifications

Cons

• Only 12 sports profiles
• Plastic body

9. Garmin Fenix 6 Pro

Garmin Fenix 6 Pro is an advanced multi-sport watch for serious athletes and outdoor enthusiasts. The Fenix 6 has a durable construction and high-tech sensors to help you conquer any challenge. The watch is composed of high-quality premium materials such as stainless steel or titanium to last long.

The guided running and cycling workout feature of the watch is one of its best. You can view your performance metrics based on your activity and body metrics on this watch. This helps you track your progress and improve over time.

The Fenix 6 also includes a pulse oximeter sensor to track blood oxygen levels, an excellent feature for athletes. The watch also tracks sleep and stress levels with the help of its sensors. You can even monitor your hydration level and weather conditions at all times.

This Garmin watch supports music streaming apps such as Spotify and allows you to sync music with your smartwatch for offline playback. It comes with intelligent battery modes for prolonged battery life. If you are more concerned about your watch’s battery life, you can go for the Fenix 6 Pro Solar variant for extended battery life.

Overall, Fenix 6 by Garmin is a great fitness watch for sprinters and anyone looking to get serious about training. Whether running, cycling, or swimming, this smartwatch can easily handle anything thrown it’s way.

Pros

• Durable design
• Advanced Sports and fitness features
• ABC Sensors
• Animated workouts
• Battery modes

Cons

• Expensive
• Not a significant upgrade from the Fenix 5

10. Garmin Enduro

Garmin Enduro is a multi-sport watch similar to the Garmin Fenix 6 series. But the huge difference is its battery life! Thanks to its solar charging capabilities and intelligent battery modes!

Its GPS battery life is 70 hours which is insane, and no other smartwatch on the market can beat that. With solar, the battery can last for another 10 hours! The watch is also made of high-quality titanium or steel materials and comfortably fits your wrist.

The Garmin Enduro is perfect for athletes who want to track their performance in more detail than ever before. The VO2 Max and recovery time estimations are especially useful for endurance athletes.

Advanced navigation powered by the built-in GPS, GLONASS and GLONASS lets you track and follow your progress on custom maps. The Garmin Pay and smartphone music control feature also comes in handy. However, it does not store or play music like the Garmin Fenix 6 Series or Forerunner 945 Series.

The Garmin Enduro is an excellent smartwatch for trail runners, hikers, or anybody looking for a watch with longer battery life. Music and mapping exclusion are two significant drawbacks. Garmin may have deliberately excluded this functionality because they are the most critical cause of battery depletion.

Pros

• Durable design
• Advanced running metrics, including an UltraRunning Mode
• Longer battery life
• Incident detection
• ABC Sensors

Cons

• Costly
• No music storage
• No maps

Final Words

Now you have a comprehensive overview of the finest watches for sprinting in 2023. The Garmin Fenix 7 or Apple Watch Ultra are excellent choices if you’re searching for a fitness or sports-focused smartwatch. Similarly, go for Forerunner 955 if you are a serious runner or athlete.

In contrast, no one can beat Apple Watch Ultra if you want an all-purpose gadget with sophisticated, innovative, and lifestyle capabilities.

I hope this article helps you choose the right running watch to track your sprinting performance.