The Best Trekking Watches

Trekking watches have become a very valuable resource for modern hikers and outdoor enthusiasts. Before GPS use was commonplace these watches housed a small barometer to allow the user to better track their altitude which aids in plotting their position on a map or knowing how close they are to reaching a ridgeline or summit. Then technology evolved to include a compass with the watch. These kinds of watches have become to be known as ABC watches—Altimeter/Barometer/Compass.

Overlapping with the development of the ABC watch was the handheld GPS unit. These started to get carried by those playing in the outdoors to track their trips, set way points, follow pre-set routes, and more. The original versions would only include the track of the user and show way points. It then evolved to include digital maps on the devices with the user’s location plotted for them. Eventually this technology became small enough to fit in a wrist mounted unit which has become to be known as a GPS watch.

The downside of all of this great technology is it has caused many users to forego learning how to use and to pack with them a paper map and traditional compass. Many stories exist of the technology failing the user be it due to batteries dying, satellites not being found, or simple mechanical or electrical malfunctions where the use of a paper map and compass would have resolved the issue. This is debated and lamented heavily in various forums. But here we simply review these units on how they work and help explain what users can expect to gain from their use.

Trekking Watches Reviews
Garmin Fenix 3 HR

The Garmin Fenix 3 HR is a strong contender in the category of GPS enabled watches that include navigational components like waypoint saving and course setting. With the longest battery life of the models we tested and a seemingly endless amount of customization this multi-sport activity tracking watch really impressed our testers.

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