Much has been written about running watches for men but running watches for women are a lesser advertised segment in the running industry. Considering the specific design needs that women want incorporated into their running watches – smaller watch faces, more lightweight designs, brighter colors, and feminine lines with more contours and curves – the women running watch segment is altogether a viable industry into itself. For this reason, discussing the best running watches for women is an important talking point among runners especially the ladies who want a more recognized and defined identity for running watches that cater to all the preferences that any lady runner could want.
Of the many ladies running watch currently available in the market, one of the more established and recognized name is that of the Timex Women’s Sleek. Incorporating the well-recognized features that make the Timex Ironman Sleek a special favorite among runners such as the touch screen lap interface, the pace partner function allowing you to measure performance versus a pre-race goal, and up to 150-laps of data recording for later analysis of the workout, Timex beautifully tweaked this design to become a women running watch-making it a definite frontrunner in the women’s running watch market. While the main design elements of fit, form and ergonomics have been duly retained, the various new designs definitely have a feminine feel and it’s a timepiece every lady runner would easily learn to love.
Timex Women’s Sleek Watches
- 100-hour chronograph with lap or split
- 50-lap memory recall
- 99-lap counter
- On-the-fly recall of lap or split
- Date-based training log
- Total run format/synchro timer
- 2-Interval Timers
- 3-alarms, 2x time zones
- INDIGLO® night-light and NIGHT-MODE®
The basic Timex Sleek watches for women are presented in an attractive style and provide you with the range of classic Timex Ironman watch features that runners can use for complete workout solutions. Features such as an 100-hour chronograph with lap or splits, 50-lap memory recall and 99-lap counter, large clear digital display, a chronograph training log that stores workouts by date, with best lap, average lap and total segment time, 99-lap counter, interval training with 2 interval timers and standard Ironman features like INDIGLO®, NIGHT-MODE®, 3-customizable alarms, 2-time zones and more.
At the other end of the spectrum are the Garmin running watches which are about as impartial to gender as you can find. To talk of a Garmin women’s running watch is to fall on deaf ears as Garmin has gone to great lengths to sell its watches based on function with little regard for women’s needs. Still, any runner can never go wrong picking a Garmin running watch as it suitably meets all of your running requirements not to mention the added bonus of a reliable GPS system that tracks distance, elevation and pace in real-time. While it might not be a real ladies watch in the technical sense, Garmin offerings like the Garmin Forerunner 310XT – the multi-sport workhorse of the Garmin family, Garmin Forerunner 405 and 410 and the latest Garmin Forerunner 610 are more than qualified for the distinction of best women’s running watch currently out in the market. In fact, even older Garmin models like the FR60, Forerunner 110 and Forerunner 210 are more than adequate to serve any lady runner’s road needs with a simple, stylish design that is sure to grab your attention even with its monochromatic color scheme.
Tech 4 O Watches For Women
- Functions without a belt clip or footpod
- Easy to use menu. Includes up/down scrolling indicators
- Exceptionally reliable readings
- Speed, distance Calories, Exercise time
- Pedometer with 7 day/10 week memory
- Dual time zone
- Daily alarm
- Stopwatch and countdown timer
- Water resistant to 50m
| The Tech 4 O pedometer fitness watches differ from traditional pedometers due to the fact that they use an accelerometer technology rather than a pendulum-based mechanism. This makes them far more accurate in measuring speed and distance, making the Tech 4 O a far cheaper speed and distance watch than a GPS or footpod-compatible option. This watch is a highly versatile fitness watch for jogging, hiking or walking and with its countdown timer makes a great basic runners watch too. The Tech 4 O watches come in a multitude of colors and various styles, so be sure to compare each to find your preferred watch. |
In general, there are many excellent ladies running watches to choose from, among them the Tech 4 O, the many models of the Timex Ironman Watch brand, and various offerings from Adidas, Asics and Casio. Based on many women’s running watch reviews on the internet, these running watches are worthy of a second look before deciding on a watch to purchase. The Tech 4 O Accelerator Women’s Fitness Watch comes in carnation colors and retails for only $52 on Amazon but packs as much punch as the next brand on the shelf; if you want to talk about running watches women, that’s about as practical and stylish as you can get. The same can be said of the Timex Women’s T5H471 Ironman Triathlon 30-LapFast Wrap watch which embodies the definition of pretty in pink but guaranteed to match you step-for-step in any race regardless of the conditions.
Suunto Watches For Women
- Attractive modern, comfortable design
- Advanced fitness and performance functions
- Chronograph stopwatch with lap memory
- Advanced sensors (some watches)
- Heart rate monitor chest strap
- Target heart rate zone training feature
- Advanced training programs (some watches)
- Speed and distance functions (some watches)
- Data transfer to PC (some watches)
- Standard features: alarms, backlight, water resistance
| Suunto produce some of the more sophisticated sports watches that are suitable for advanced runners who are seeking to track and measure their fitness and performance to a high degree of precision. There are two general Suunto watches, the Training Series watches, designed for performance athletes who seek and edge and the Suunto M series, a collection of fitness watches that feature fitness training modes that can help guide you to better fitness and health. Suunto watches also feature advanced sensors (depending on watch model) such as barometer, thermometer, compass and others making them the idea watch for those who want to mix fitness with a general outdoors lifestyle. |
In the end, the title of best running watch for women can be relative depending on the features that you consider extremely important in a running watch. First off, all women’s running watches need to have a built-in chronograph function to time your runs. A pedometer, a foot pod or a GPS function in a women’s running watch is a nice-to-have but not necessarily a requirement. Lap split recording is also a must to promote a more intelligent approach to analyzing how your workouts went and both Timex and Garmin timepieces are leaders on this front. The best womens running watches cannot do without this feature. In terms of heart rate monitors, the Suunto M2, M4 or M5 running watch women’s models are also excellent additions to any workout. The other obvious features already mentioned for women running watches such as shape, size, color, and an overall feminine feel are a function of aesthetics and how the customer perceives it to be an important consideration when purchasing a running watch. There are a variety of women’s running watch reviews that can be consulted prior to buying a running watch but we recommend that a purchase has to be based both on your feel – from seeing a running watch on a store shelf – to a personal study of what that running watch can offer from a performance perspective before actually pulling out your wallet to make the purchase.
Garmin Forerunner Watches For Women
- Nice modern designs with large, clear digital display
- Non-GPS watch like FR60 is light and comfortable
- Most watches compatible with heart rate monitor
- Most watches compatible with accelerometer footpod
- Advanced running watch features (like Virtual Partner)
- Large memory storage abilities
- Heart rate zone training abilities
- Pace zone training abilities
- Wireless ANT+ for syncing with PC or Mac & devices
- Advanced software features
| Garmin specializes in GPS watches, which are generally large and bulky making them more favoured by men than women, however with the release of the latest chipset, Garmin have been able to significantly reduce the size of their watches which are used in two of their more user-friendly GPS watches, the Forerunner 110 and 210 watches. These are less complicated to use than traditional Garmin watches like the Forerunner 405CX, making them a great option for those seeking the advantages of GPS without getting bogged down with difficult to understand features. Garmin also offer a non-GPS watch, the FR60, that offers similar features to the GPS version, and is compatible with a footpod that, like a GPS watch can measure speed and distance accurately. |
The important thing to remember when buying running watches is to only get something that fits your need and to not try to buy something beyond what is required. For this reason, a number of different models can easily qualify as best women’s running watches because each segment of the market requires one model that stands out from the rest. If you are looking for cheap watches with enough functionality to serve a beginner, the Casio and Timex 30-lap models retailing for under $30 are more than sufficient; intermediate lady runners can find an ally in the Suunto M series and Timex Women’s Sleek running watch segments; advanced runners will gravitate towards the Garmin Forerunner family if not the 150-lap version of the Timex Women’s Sleek which costs more but is also packed with features to serve all your running needs.
Running Watches For Women, Other Brands
| Aside from the most recognized running watch brands, there are a wide variety of watches from other companies that should not be discounted. Companies like Casio, Nike, Asics and Adidas do not specialized in running watches (with the exception of Casio) yet offer version that are very functional and attractive. There are some real bargains to be found in this area provide you are willing to spend the time to search for “diamonds in the rough”. Major shopping sites such as Amazon.com are a great place to look for these products. Here’s a link to help get you started. |
As early as today, read womens running watches reviews to know the latest in running watch technology. Because you will eventually realize that regardless of your preferences in a womens running watch, one thing is for certain: you will need a women’s running watch if you have plans of picking up running as a serious hobby. You’ll train with it, endure through miles with it in various conditions from sun to sleet. But with it, you will also be pushed to give it your best with every step. It’s a training ally that you can rely on every second that you are on the road. With it, you will never skip a beat ever again.