The Top Picks of Watches for the Spartan Race

The thing which separates the best Spartan Race competitors from the middle of the pack is preparedness. Top Spartan Race competitors take every mistake as a sign to work harder. They attack any learning curve with gusto and make sure they bring the same energy to each obstacle course and every training session.

And since preparedness separates the top finishers from the rest of the OCR pack, a top competitor needs the right accessory to help organize themselves and push forward with an informational (and fitness) edge.

What is that accessory? If you said a watch, you’d be correct.

Smartwatches have changed the game for competitors in Tough Mudder events, mud runs, and Spartan Race competitions. Their inclusion of everything from heart rate monitors to accurate GPS navigation systems make them more than accessories for obstacle race aficionados. They’re an essential tool in a competitor’s tool kit — a key advantage, especially if you have the right watch around your wrist.

Some watches want you to believe that they’re the ultimate fitness watch, but they lack when it comes to features and sheer durability. That’s why we’ve tested dozens of smartwatches and fitness watches, sifting the pretenders out to create our definitive list of the 6 Best Spartan Race Watches For 2021. We’ve even added on a useful Frequently Asked Questions section which will update you on everything you need to know about OCR watches.

Let’s begin, though, with our list!

6) TomTom Spark Cardio Music GPS Fitness Watch

While the TomTom Spark Cardio + Music Watch isn’t as flashy or strong on features as other sports watches later in our list, it’s still worthy of a mention as we count down to the best watch for Spartan Race participants. What we love about the TomTom Spark is its 500 songs of in-device music storage and accurate heart rate sensor. It doesn’t offer the best battery life , but it’s gonna bring the tunes hard for you next Spartan Race.

Key Features & Specs

Display Resolution: 144 x 168 pixels

Display Size: 22 x 25mm

Battery Life: 5 hours with heart rate + music + GPS navigation, 11 hours with GPS, 3 weeks for activity tracking

Water Resistance: 40 meters

Memory Storage: 3 GB

Weight: 1.76 ounces

Pros

• Want to listen to your favorite albums in the middle of your favorite obstacle course? This watch has the music storage space to do it!
• The heart rate monitor is accurate and easy to utilize either during training or a race, with or without a chest strap.
• This watch has some great fitness and activity trackers which can be used either for a Spartan Race workout or other active pursuits.

Cons

• The battery life is pretty poor in GPS Mode, especially when you’re listening to music as well.
• The display is not nearly as impressive or clear as other OCR watches near the top of our countdown.

5) Coros APEX Premium Multisport GPS Watch (46 mm)

The big selling points of the Coros APEX Premium Multisport GPS Watch for Spartan Race competitors is its long battery life and quality built-in GPS system. Even with all of its GPS functionality going strong, you can still get 35 hours worth of juice from a single charge. That’s extremely impressive, as is the intuitive menu interface. It’s not the best watch for Spartan Race participants, but it’s a dang good option.

Key Features & Specs

Display Resolution: 24o x 240 pixels

Battery Life: 25-35 hours in Full GPS Mode, 80-1oo hours in UltraMax GPS Mode, 24-30 days for normal use.

Screen Window Material: Sapphire Glass

Bezel Material: Titanium Alloy

Strap Material: Silicone

Dimensions: 46 x 46 x 11.9 mm

Weight: 55.3 g

Pros

• The inclusion of a digital knob on the watch touchscreen makes single-finger menu navigation a snap.
• This watch has great battery life, even when you use the heart rate monitor and GPS navigation in conjunction.
• Offers cool added features useful for your next Spartan Race like sunrise and sunset tracking and a storm alert function.

Cons

• The heart rate monitor isn’t very accurate during water events and is much more accurate with a chest strap.
• The GPS isn’t as accurate as other entries later on our list.

4) Timex Ironman GPS Silicone Strap Watch

The Timex Ironman GPS Silicone Strap Watch is the best watch for Spartan Race participants looking to monitor their training and health on a budget. While it lacks the smartwatch features and customization of the other obstacle course watches on our countdown, it makes up for it with a simple, easy-to-use interface and smooth built-in GPS connectivity. Use the GPS to track your speed and get your pace up, and the use the extra money you save for entry fees for your next Spartan Race.

Key Features & Specs

Battery Life: 12 hours in GPS Mode

Screen Window Material: Mineral glass

Case Width: 38 mm

Case Height: 12 mm

Strap Width: 21 mm

Water Resistance: 50 meters

Pros

• If you need a simple running watch or an entry-level watch for your obstacle course races to come, this watch is a great option.
• This is the only obstacle course watch on our list which normally retails for under 100 dollars.
• There’s not a huge learning curve to use this watch and the GPS outperforms this watch’s price point.

Cons

• Doesn’t offer key fitness tracking features like a heart rate monitor or VO2 Max sensor.
• The watch will sometimes reboot in the middle of races, which could prove troublesome on the course.

3) Fitbit Versa Aluminum Smart Watch

Here’s a Fitbit watch that’s great for music lovers and Spartan Race competitors alike. The Fitbit Versa Aluminum Smart Watch is a durable little bugger which balances all of the fitness trackers (from monitoring calories burned to heart rate monitoring) that Fitbit’s known for with 300 songs’ worth of in-device music storage. It also comes complete with over 15 different sport and training modes, perfect for a Spartan Race junkie who wants to be at their best in multiple event scenarios.

Key Features & Specs

Battery Life: up to 4 days

Body Material: Anodized aluminum

Water Resistance: 50 meters

Wireless Interface: Bluetooth

OS Compatibility: Windows Phone, Android, iOS

Warranty: 1 year

Pros

• Fitbit is known for their fitness trackers and heart rate sensors. This watch adds to the company’s reputation, in that regard.
• Offers a plethora of different general health trackers, including logging capabilities for everything from menstrual cycles to cold symptoms.
• You can quick replies to text messages with this watch when connected to a nearby Android phone.

Cons

• The sleep tracking system in this watch is pretty hit or miss.
• Controlling your music with this watch, be it downloaded or via stream, can be cumbersome at times.

2) SUUNTO Spartan Trainer HR Multisport GPS Sports Watch

The SUUNTO Spartan Trainer HR Multisport GPS Sports Watch came this close to the mountaintop for our pick as the best OCR watch in the marketplace, but it’s 2nd-place finish doesn’t quite do it justice. This smartwatch standout has a fantastically accurate heart rate monitor, up to 30 hours of battery life in Training Mode with GPS navigation, and even offers a breakthrough breadcrumb view function which helps you retrace your steps when you get lost during a race or a training session.

Key Features & Specs

Display Resolution: 218 x 218 pixels

Battery Life: 10-30 hours in Training Mode with GPS, 7 days with mobile notifications and 24/7 tracking, 14 days in Time Mode

Case Material: Glass-fiber reinforced polyamide

Strap Material: Silicone

Strap Width: 22-24 mm

Water Resistance: 50 meters

Weight: 56 g

Pros

• The SUUNTO Spartan has an impressive wrist-based heart rate monitor which promises accuracy in the water and on land.
• You can’t beat the multisport versatility of the SUUNTO Spartan. It has trackers and logs for several sports and workouts, making it a great watch for OCR junkies training for multiple events.
• The automatic breadcrumb view function is a revelation. No matter how lost you get during training or a race, this watch can find you and get you back to square one.

Cons

• The SUUNTO Spartan can be a bit spotty when tracking your workouts while swimming.
• The external antenna is a bit awkward.

1) Garmin Forerunner 945 Premium GPS Watch

The Garmin Forerunner 945 was basically built for the obstacle race lifestyle. It contains some of the best fitness trackers in the smartwatch marketplace, a high-quality VO2 Max sensor, an accurate heart rate monitor which doesn’t require a chest strap to be effective, a long battery life in GPS Mode, music streaming capabilities, and all the bells and whistles of the best smart devices out there. Look for recent posts about the Garmin Forerunner 945. You’ll see the love. Garmin may have not made this with your next mud run or OCR in mind, but it feels like it.

Key Features & Specs

Display Resolution: 240 x 240 pixels

Display Size: 1.2 inches

Battery Life: 10 hours in GPS Mode with music, 36 hours in GPS Mode without music, 2 weeks in Smartwatch Mode

Screen Window Material: Corning Gorilla Glass DX

Strap Material: Silicone

Weight: 50 g

Water Resistance: 50 meters

Pros

• There’s just so much here to love. The performance monitoring adjustments for acclimation, heat, and altitude are just the tip of the luxury smartwatch iceberg here.
• You can store up to 1,000 songs directly on this watch, or connect to playlists on popular streaming services like Spotify.
• The Garmin Forerunner 945 comes with a built-in mapping system that will keep you on track and on course.

Cons

• The battery life is pretty good, but not great after repeated use.
• The wrist-based heart rate monitor can sometimes lag.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these obstacle course watches useful for either a Spartan Race or Tough Mudder?

Yes! Lots of watches claim to be able to withstand anything, but the six watches on the list above talk the talk and walk the OCR walk. There are very few limits to these smartwatches which means you’ll be able to make it to the finish line of your next mud run, Spartan Race, or Tough Mudder without worrying about whether your smartwatch will make it with you.

We picked only the best watches primed and ready for the obstacle races you’re training for. Whether you’re scaling dirt hills or need to keep track of your location as you get deeper and deeper into the wilderness during training, the six watches we’ve profiled have everything from heart rate monitors to accurate built-in GPS capabilities to do the toughest of jobs.

What watch features should I look for in the best watch for Spartan Race competitions?

The best way to separate the best watches from the rest when it comes to Spartan Races is to look at overall durability. Most average sports watches don’t have the strength of construction and weatherproofing necessary to survive even the most tame of mud runs, Tough Mudders, or Spartan Races. In addition, you’re going to want a smartwatch with smart watch features like GPS navigation, heart rate monitoring, a calorie counter which also measures calories burned, a step tracker, and multiple fitness trackers for multiple workouts.

Other key features to look for to ensure your watch is obstacle race ready are multiple modes including a Training Mode and Race Mode, at least 10 hours of battery life with all built-in GPS functions enabled (although, a long battery life closer to 30 hours is preferable), multiple timers and trackers to record your progress in the various events crucial to your next OCR, a comfortable wrist strap, a VO2 Max tracker, and Bluetooth capability so you can take and monitor phone calls to your smartphone through your watch.

Closing Thoughts

No matter what your price range, the six devices profiled above are the pinnacle of Spartan Race equipment. Some watches claim to be durable. These watches back up such claims, and give you the extra bit of juice needed to go from monkey bars to marathon with no hiccups. If there’s one message you should take from this article, it’s that no ordinary watch will do in the middle of the toughest OCR. You need a watch as tough as you, and you should never settle for less.