8 Best Rugged Smartwatches for 2023 [Reviews & Comparisons]

Does your smartwatch serve your purpose? These days, smartwatches are more than the timepiece devices we’ve come to know. From answering calls, checking emails and sending quick SMS, and listening to music, today’s smartwatches are sure to cater to one’s intense activities. Thus, the need for tough and rugged smartwatches increases and the world does not run out of options. With their features, it is obvious that these wearables will be one of the main resorts of the future.

Rugged smartwatches are highly durable and integrate all the features you would find in a regular smartwatch. However regular ones may not be durable enough. Rugged smartwatches are available in a variety of styles, designs, and price ranges. 

So what you need is a good purchase from the outgoing and outstanding options in the market. And to make things easier for you, we’ve rounded up some of the best rugged smartwatches for every budget. Let’s check out our product recommendations.

8 Best Rugged Smartwatches For 2023 With Reviews & Comparisons

Rugged smartwatches are an important factor for tech enthusiasts who work in harsh conditions. Construction workers, military personnel, and adventurers have to make tough choices when searching for a smartwatch, and also, have to look a little harder to find something they like. 

Bulky-duty or rugged smartwatches are water-resistant, scratch-resistant, and shock-resistant to a completely high degree. They come with negotiable straps and have tactical features to stay in all kinds of outdoor situations. To help you find the toughest smartwatch, we’ve compiled a list of top-of-the-line watches that each have their own unique strengths.

1. Garmin Fenix 6 Pro

The Garmin Fenix 6 Pro further scours the already proven formula in the Garmin Fenix 5 series. With long-lasting battery life, a larger screen, and a better menu system, the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro is definitely an improvement over its predecessor. However, this may be a bit overkill for a lot of people.

This Garmin smartwatch provides a large variety of etiological and hardcore features in a rugged package that strives to become the must-have outdoor wrist piece. It may seem like a bit much to some, but if it does, you might not be ready for it. This smartwatch is really worth each penny, especially if you’re after a watch that will hold its value for more than just a few months.

The Garmin Fenix 6 Pro is not only one of the best current watches, it’s actually one of the best outdoor watches as well. Fenix 6 Pro includes enhanced wrist heart rate, smart notifications, pulse ox sensing, and Garmin Pay contactless payments. With the built-in Sports app, use preloaded activity profiles for trail running, swimming, running, biking, hiking, rowing, resort skiing, golfing, and more.

Specification:

• Brand: Garmin
• Model Name: Fenix 6 Pro, Black Band
• Screen Size: 1.3 Inches
• Special Feature: Bluetooth
• Connectivity Technology: Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi
• Map Type: Worldwide
• Sport: Training, Cardio, Exercise & Fitness, Running, Camping & Hiking
• Included Components: Fēnix 6 Charging/data cable Documentation
• Battery Life: 10 Hours
• Mounting Type: Wrist Mount

Features:

• Battery power manager: 

See how different settings and sensors affect your watch’s battery life, so you can make battery-enhancing changes on the fly. The interior, rechargeable lithium battery offers 9 days of battery life in smartwatch mode, 6 hours in GPS mode with music, and up to 34 days in battery saver mode.

• Topoactive Europe and ski maps: 

Use topographical maps to navigate your adventure and view run names and difficulty ratings for 2,000 worldwide ski resorts. 

• Performance metrics: 

View advanced training metrics including running dynamics, heat- and altitude-adjusted VO2 max, recovery advisor, and more.

• Sports apps:  

Use preloaded activity profiles for trail running, swimming, running, biking, hiking, rowing, resort skilling, golfing, and more. 

• Climb Pro Features: 

Use the ClimbPro Ascent Planner to view real-time information on your current and upcoming climbs, including gradient, distance, and elevation gain.

• Turn-by-turn navigation:  

Give chase a route or course with help from turn-by-turn directions, which allows you to know ahead of time when the next turn is coming.

• Multi-GNSS Support: 

Access many worldwide navigation satellite systems (GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo) to track in more challenging environments than GPS alone. 

• ABC sensor: 

Navigate your next route with the ABC sensor, which includes an altimeter for altitude data, a barometer for monitoring the weather, and a three-axis electronic compass.

• Music apps: 

Store up to 2,000 songs from your compatible services, including Spotify, Deezer, and Amazon, or access preloaded streaming apps and listen through headphones with Bluetooth technology. 

• Garmin Pay Service: 

Breeze through the checkout line with the Garmin Pays contactless payment solution through participating providers. 

• Smart Notifications: 

Receive emails, texts, and alerts immediately to your watch when doubled with a suitable device.

• Wrist-based heart rate: 

Enhanced Optical Heart Rate technology measures heart rate variability to calculate the intensity of your fitness activity as well as your stress level score. It tracks heart rate underwater without a strap. 

• Pulse Ox sensor: 

For altitude acclimatization or sleep monitoring, a Pulse Ox2 sensor uses a light beam on your wrist to measure how well your body is absorbing oxygen.

• Body Battery Energy Monitor: 

Optimize your body’s energy reserves by using heart rate variability, stress, sleep, and other data to determine when you’re ready to be active or when you might need to rest. 

• Connect IQ Store: 

Download traditional watch faces, add data fields, and get apps and widgets from the Connect IQ Store.

Pros:

• Rugged as hell.
• Widget overview is great.
• Offline maps and POV navigation.
• Constant stream of updates.

Cons:

• Heavy.
• Many people won’t use all the features the watch has to offer. 
• Heavy price tag.

Buy on Amazon

2. SAMSUNG Galaxy Watch 3

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 continues to offer one of the better smartwatch experiences on the market, with an impressive design and top-end specs that allow it to run as smoothly as any other wearable of this era and still compete with newer watches. It’s not flawless, and its improvements over the original Galaxy Watch are limited, but if middling battery life or a high price don’t put you off, it might be worth it.

While I doubt that’s going to happen anytime soon, I have to admit that the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 is one of the best-looking smartwatches on the market, sporting a design very close to traditional watches. Of course, some rugged elements are still present, so it will be suitable for outdoor activities and survive some harsh working environments. To accomplish this, it keeps the look of an analog-type watch and around the display, has a watch bezel made of stainless steel that rotates and gives easy access to your data.

The Galaxy Watch 3’s battery life could be better, but if you’re happy to keep your smartwatch charged for a few hours after a few days, it’s not a disappointment. If you’re hoping for a device that can last for weeks, you probably don’t want to read any further.

Specification: 

• Supported Application: Phone, GPS, Camera, Heart Rate Monitor
• Special Feature: Time display, sleep monitor, accelerometer, text messaging, GPS, notifications
• Compatible Devices: Smartphone
• Style: Bluetooth
• Model Number: SM-R840NZSAXAR
• Weight: 48.2g/53.8g
• Software: Tizen OS 5.5
• Connectivity Technology: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC, GPS
• Water Resistance Level: Waterproof
• Screen Size: 45
• Human Interface Input: Touchscreen, Buttons
• RAM: 1GB
• Storage: 8GB
• Battery capacity: 247 / 340mAh

Features:

• Style you can trust: 

The Galaxy Watch 3 combines style – two sizes, two finishes, three colors, and 50,000-plus watch faces – with military-grade durability and water resistance.

• Performance and software: 

Processing power isn’t often a major factor in smartwatches – though there’s less to be had than a typical phone – and we found the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 continued to perform well throughout our time testing it.

All versions of the device come with 8GB of storage, and we found that the OS and preloaded apps already use up 3.59GB of this space, so if you want to fill your watch with apps and music, you’ll have around 4GB to use.

• Put your phone behind: 

Galaxy Watch3 gives you the freedom to call, text, stream music and receive notifications via Bluetooth connectivity. You can share PDF reports of your ECG recordings with your healthcare provider using the Samsung Health Monitor app on your compatible Galaxy phone.

• Battery built for endurance: 

The Galaxy Watch3’s long-lasting battery can last more than a day on a single charge, and you can always get a quick boost from your compatible Galaxy phone with Wireless Power Share.

• Powerful insights Next-level fitness: 

Galaxy Watch3 automatically tracks seven popular activities while you spend your time on the move. Get more from every movement thanks to built-in run coaching. 

• Level up your downtime: 

Galaxy Watch3’s automatic sleep tracker provides insights on how to get an excellent night’s sleep. It also monitors your stress levels and helps you with breathing guides again.

• Smartwatch smart life: 

Integrated Bixby voice functionality can read your texts, make a call or start coaching on command and on the go. Samsung Pay allows you to leave home without a wallet. And a multi-layered defense-grade security platform that keeps all your data safe.

• Battery life: 

Samsung chose to reduce the battery capacity of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 compared to the original device. It’s got a 340mAh cell – the original device was 472mAh – but we found it to work surprisingly well despite the lower capacity, though it won’t give you a lasting four to five days of battery life. Instead, you should hope for about two to three days of using the Galaxy Watch 3.

• Android/ iOS compatible: 

Seamlessly pairs with Android devices and select iOS devices.

Pros:

• Cool, premium design. 
• Rotating the bezel is useful. 
• Strong fitness properties.

Cons:

• Battery could be better.
• Tizen’s apps are limited.
• Price increase.

Buy on Amazon

3. Amazfit Stratos 3

Amazfit Stratos 3 is a third-generation update powered by FirstBeat Analytics, featuring 80 professional sports modes and, at the same time, perfectly suited for your daily life. Its full-round display adjusts to lighting conditions.

The Amazfit Stratos 3 comes with over 80 sports modes, is good at tracking exercise and health, and packs a transflective display with fantastic outdoor visibility. It’s water-resistant up to 50 meters, and the built-in Sony GNSS chip does a good job at GPS tracking. All this makes the Stratos 3 a great smartwatch for athletes and sports enthusiasts.

The Stratos 3 features a 1.34-inch circular color display surrounded by a ceramic and stainless steel dial. The bottom is built of plastic. It weighs around 40 grams and has a 22mm-wide silicone strap with a tang buckle.

The Stratos 3 doesn’t give you the capability to download third-party apps or make and receive calls/texts, so it’s not your traditional smartwatch in that sense. But it also provides notification alerts for calls, texts, social media apps, and more.

Specification: 

• Device Name: Amazfit Stratos 3 / Amazfit Pace 3
• Type: Smartwatch
• Model: Stratos 3
• Shape: Circular
• Case Dimensions: 48.6 x 48.6 x 13.4 mm (1.91 x 1.91 x 0.52 in)
• Weight: 40.4 g (1.42 oz)
• Water Resistance: 5 ATMs up to 50 meters
• Colors: Black
• Screen Size: 1.34 Inch
• Screen Resolution: 320 x 320 Pixels
• Operating System: Amazfit OS
• RAM: 512 MB
• Internal Memory: 4 GB (2 GB usable)
• Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.0
• GPS: BEIDOU + Galileo + GLONASS + GPS
• WiFi: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
• Battery capacity: 300mAh
• Battery Life: 7+ Days

Features: 

• Design: 

The Amazfit Stratos 3 weighs 40.4 grams. It felt bulky the first time I put it on my wrist, but I got used to it rapidly, and it really felt comfortable even when sleeping. The smartwatch’s silicone straps have a width of 22mm and an adjustable length of 75-118mm. These are fully durable and have sufficient holes for ventilation.

Amazfit Stratos 3 has a nice, rounded design and sturdy build. Its case is made of 316L stainless, the bezel is made of zirconia ceramic. The four physical buttons on the right side of the Stratos 3 are also made using 316L stainless steel and have decent feedback.

• Display:

Amazfit Stratos 3 outfits an always-on 1.34” full round MIP transflective TFT display, which comes with Gorilla Glass 3 and an anti-fingerprint cover and has a resolution of 320×320 pixels. 

Being a transflective display, it has excellent outdoor visibility as the brighter the sunlight, the clearer the screen looks. The Stratos 3 has four-level screen brightness, and I never had to crank it higher than 50%. Screen visibility under artificial light is quite good even at 25% brightness.

That said, the Amazfit Stratos 3 comes with 11 watch faces on board, two of which are customizable, meaning you can choose what information you see on the screen.

• Software:

The Amazfit Stratos 3 is suitable for Android and iOS, and you need the Zepp app on your device to set up the watch, repair its settings, and sync data. 

The Zepp app was previously called Amazfit, but the rebranding didn’t improve things as the app still has shortcuts for the same settings in multiple locations, and those not supported by the device are grayed out in lieu of hidden.

• Features and Performance:

Amazfit Stratos 3 features real-time heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, 80 sports modes, and a satellite/planet positioning system. It is water-resistant up to 50 meters and comes with idle alerts, incoming call and app notification alerts, a stopwatch, and a countdown timer.

In addition, the Stratos 3 comes with music controls, a barometer, compass, weather forecast, a phone finder, and 2 GB of internal storage, allowing you to play music directly from the watch to Bluetooth speakers and earphones without the need for smartphone. Amazfit Stratos 3 uses a PPG Biotracking optical sensor to monitor heart rate, which automatically measures your pulse at one-minute intervals.

• Setup and updates:

Doubling an Amazfit watch with the company’s Android or iOS app is not a difficult process, and it was the same story with the Stratos 3. The fitness watch needed an update when I first launched it. A plus point of the Stratos 3 is that it can connect to Wi-Fi on its own and doesn’t have to rely on a smartphone to pull updates. However, when I tried to set up Wi-Fi it failed to connect the first few times.

After various efforts, I was finally guided to get the Stratos 3 up and running, entirely connected to Wi-Fi and the smartphone app. It felt like a decade to apply the first update, but it was actually about 20-25 minutes. 

• Tracking:

The most basic thing you can measure with a fitness watch is the steps you take throughout the day. I’m sorry to report that step tracking on the Amazfit Stratos 3 is unreliable. Several times it refused to account for the 50-60 steps taken while walking around the house. I would walk the length of my living room, sit down and look at the clock, and find the number of steps unchanged.

When I used the Stratos 3 to track activities like walking and running, step tracking was satisfactory. Walking 1.5 km around the block, the Amazfit Stratos 3 registered 2,469 steps.

• App connectivity: 

Connecting the app, again, was a disappointing experience. As I mentioned, I couldn’t use the app for several weeks because a software bug prevented any data from syncing with my phone. An update to firmware version 4.2.7.0 fixed the issue. Still, it’s a big deal when a new smartwatch runs into such catastrophic issues in its first month. Having entry to an app to see your health data is one of the most basic necessities of the smartwatch experience.

• Battery life:

Under the hood of the Amazfit Stratos 3 is a 300 mAh battery, which the company says can provide seven days of autonomy in Smart Mode and 14 days in Ultra Endurance Mode. And if you use GPS continuously, the Stratos 3 is claimed to last 35 hours in accurate mode, 45 hours in balance mode, and 70 hours in power-saving mode.

Once the battery is completely drained, you can charge the Stratos 3 with the bunched dock. Amazfit says it can juice up the smartwatch in 2.5 hours, but in my tests, it charged the cell from flat to 100% in about 1 hour and 45 minutes, on average.

Pros: 

• Compatible with Android and iOS.
• 2GB of internal storage.
• 80 indoor and outdoor sports modes.
• Screen has excellent outdoor visibility.
• 5ATM water resistance.
• Proper sleep tracking.
• Attractive GPS tracking.
• You can tinker with some settings on the watch without needing a smartphone.

Cons:

• Connection problem.
• Notification management needs improvements.

Buy on Amazon

4. Ticwatch Pro 3

The TicWatch Pro 3 is a smartwatch powered by Qualcomm’s latest processor – the Snapdragon 4100. It has an LCD panel right above the OLED screen that allows the smartwatch to go into a super low-power mode if you need to save more battery time. 

The watch is lighter and much thinner than the previous model. By the way, the silicone whip feels better on the wrist. The SPO2 reading is quite accurate and the updated processor makes the smartwatch run smoothly. Wear OS offers plenty of app support.

The TicWatch Pro 3 does most of what you’d expect from a smartwatch very well, whether it’s letting you glance at your calendar, receive notifications, or make phone calls. However, some features are redundant with Wear OS as well as separate apps from Mobvoi for several health and fitness activities.

Specification:

• Supported applications: Sleep Monitor, Heart Rate Monitor
• Special features: 100+ professional workout modes, 3-45 Days Battery Life, Qualcomm Snapdragon wear: 4100 Platform, and Mobvoi dual-processor system. 
• Compatible devices: Smartphone
• Style: Modern
• Model number: WH12018
• Operating system: Wear os by google
• Connectivity technology: NFC
• Weight: 1.5 oz
• Color: Shadow Black
• Display: 1.4-inch Retina AMOLED 454 x 454
• GPS: Yes
• Heart rate monitor: Yes
• Water resistance level: Waterproof
• Screen size: 1.39 Inches
• Battery life: 72 Hours

Features: 

• Design:

Stainless steel bezel (45mm), 1.4-inch AMOLED screen (454*454 high-resolution) automatically adjustable brightness, durable and anti-fingerprint glass cover. Built-in speaker and microphone, supports NFC payment Google Pay.

• Display:

The first thing you’ll notice about the TicWatch Pro 3 is its size. While smaller than the TicWatch Pro 4G and TicWatch Pro 2020, it’s still 47mm wide, 12mm thick, and 1.5 ounces. It feels less like a smartwatch and more like a traditional analog watch, but with a 1.4-inch and 454×454 pixel display.

• WearOS: 

The TicWatch Pro 3 runs Google Wear OS. After you create an account through the Mobvoi mobile app, you’ll be directed to the Wear OS app to finish the setup and pick your tiles. Default tiles are Wear OS heart rate and step counter, Google Calendar, and Weather. Wear OS integration is handy, as it offers access to a range of third-party apps like Strava, Uber, GrubHub, and Shazam.

• Health and Fitness Features:

TicWatch Pro 3 comes with features which are an updated sleep and heart rate monitor (HRM). TicWatch Pro 3 will provide frequent notifications if your heart rate is too high during a workout. 

In addition, there are new interwoven apps for completing blood oxygen saturation, stress, and breathing exercises. Ticgen, for example, will monitor heart rate variability, or the time between heartbeats, and bring breathing exercises from TipBreath if the watch senses you need to reduce your stress level. Meanwhile, the TicOxygen will measure blood oxygen saturation, and the TicWatch Pro 3 offers the option to track it over time.

• Sleep Tracking:

Sleep tracking works good on the TicWatch Pro 3, providing a breakdown of mild sleep and profound sleep, a snapshot of your heart rate while you sleep, and a “sleep proficiency” rating which is based on how long you were asleep versus how long you were awake. You can view this information on the watch without using the Mobvoi app, although sleep data is also available in the app.

• Smartwatch Features:

TicWatch Pro 3 allows you to make and answer phone calls on your wrist without using your phone. Basic smartwatch features like timers, calculators, and flashlights are available as native apps, while Wear OS integration provides access to Google’s library of apps, including Google Pay for mobile payments.

• Battery Life

The dual-layer display 2.0 supports Smart Mode and Enhanced Essential Mode, enabling up to 3 days of battery life in Smart Mode and up to 45 days in Enhanced Essential Mode.

• Lighter and More Comfortable:

Compared to TicWatch products released in 2018, the battery capacity has increased by 40%, but the weight is 28% lighter. Interchangeable silicone strap with in-style design.

Pros: 

• An abundant choice of watch faces. 
• Long battery life. 
• The light sensor is even adapted to direct sunlight

Cons:

• No compass.
• No ECG monitoring.
• Inaccurate sleep tracking.

Buy on Amazon

5. Fitbit Charge 4

If you want to update and monitor your daily activities, this smartwatch might just be for you. From the Fitbit Charge 3, the Fitbit Charge 4 has added a few new features.

This smartwatch now has a built-in GPS. You don’t need to have your phone with you to run or upload cycling data to strava and similar apps With GPS on, Fitbit says the watch can run GPS for up to five hours on a single battery charge. This watch is swim-proof and can be submerged up to 50 meters, unlike previous Charge versions that are only water-resistant.

It is designed for etiological use and fitness tracking. There is also an option to change the band.

Specification:

• Brand: Fitbit
• Color: Black/Black
• Compatible devices: Smartphones
• Screen size: 1.5 Inches
• Weight: 24g 
• Screen: 18.3mm across with 128-by-72 pixels
• Storage: 4GB (2.5GB for music storage)
• Item dimensions: LxWxH 9.72 x 1.13 x 0.49 inches
• Battery life: 7 days
• Operating system: Fitbit OS
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth LE
• Compatibility: Android 7.0+, iOS 12.2+
• Waterproof: Up to 50m
• Sensor type: Wearable

Features:

• Battery Life:

The battery is a lithium-polymer battery that takes two hours to charge. You can use the Fitbit Charge 4 for up to 7 days without recharging. If you use GPS, you can use it for up to 5 hours. It is recommended to charge the device every few days to ensure that the device is working at its maximum capacity and always tracking.

• Material: 

The watch itself is 3.5cm long by 2.3cm wide and 1.3cm high. A nice little size that isn’t cumbersome on the wrist during a workout. It is a flexible and durable material similar to other sports watches. Bands come in two sizes, short and tall. Small wrists are meant to fit 14 cm to 18 cm. Large means fitting wrists from 18cm to 22.1cm.

• Fitbit Price:

The Charge 4 has a starting price of $149.95. This is for black, rosewood, or storm blue wristbands. If you want to get the special edition granite reflective or black woven band, you’ll pay $169.95.

• Design:

Fitbit Charge 4 comes with a plastic resin cover and the band has a stainless steel ouch. The watch band is available in 5 different colors. Available colors include Black, Rosewood, Storm Blue, Granite, and Reflective ovens. The screen itself measures 0.72 inches obliquely by the screen. The resolution is 128-by-72 pixels. It has a monochrome OLED display. The display is sharp and bright. 

• Smartwatch Capabilities:

The Fitbit Charge 4 doesn’t just have a number of fitness capabilities. The Charge 4 is also equipped with apps like Spotify, Fitbit Pay, and smartphone notifications. You can now log into your Spotify account from your Fitbit Charge 4 to listen to your favorite music while you work out. The controls let you play, shuffle and even choose songs.

• Sleep Tracking:

One of the biggest upgrades to the Fitbit Charge 4 is the new sleep-tracking capabilities. With the Fitbit Charge 4, you can track the time spent between different sleep cycles. There is also a sleep mode that lets you dim the screen display as well as silence incoming notifications at night. 

You’ll also get a sleep score every morning. This score is based on how long you slept and how much REM sleep you got. The higher the score, the better your sleep attribute. This is an excellent snapshot to compare your sleep-tracking data. 

• Fitness Capabilities:

One of the largest aspects of the Charge 4 is its ability to track your fitness and exercise. A great new addition to the Fitbit Charge 4 is a goal-based workout. Aim-based exercise allows you to set a metric like time, calories, or distance. Then once you reach that goal, your Fitbit will be aware of you. So instead of constantly checking your watch, you know you’ll be alerted.

• GPS: 

Prior to Fitbit, you had to use a smartphone if you wanted a GPS. This caused some problems with accuracy. With this series, the watch itself can do it. The default sports tracked with the Charge 4 GPS are running, biking, swimming, walking, outdoor hiking or workouts, and treadmills. GPS can track distance, speed, speed, and more. 

Pros:

• Lightweight, sleek and stylish design.
• Long battery life.
• Has NFC for Fitbit Pay.
• A comprehensive fitness tracker.
• Swim-proof.
• Has an inbuilt GPS.

Cons:

• Lacks always-on display.
• Lacks a colored display.

Buy on Amazon

6. Casio Men’s G-Shock Move

The G-Shock Move GBD-H1000 is a very outdoor-focused watch and will be the first in the G-Shock fleet to feature a built-in wrist-based optical heart rate sensor. Casio has equipped this watch with VO2 Max training status and recovery time features. Casio is moving into the fitness and sports scene and has released this watch as its entry point.

It has the signature G-Shock design, but it comes in a bit higher than others. Others may dig the fit of the design while others may have a different take. The design is intended for extreme durability. Because the watch is shock-resistant and vibration-resistant. It has a decent battery life of 14 hours when used with average GPS reception. There is an option to extend the battery life to 18 hours, but this reduces the accuracy of the monitors.

Specification: 

• Brand: Casio
• Model Name: GBDH1000-1A7
• Style: GBD-H1000-1A7
• Color: White
• Screen size: 63 Millimeters
• Special features: GPS, Heart Rate Monitor
• Target audience: Men
• Age range (Description): Adult
• Compatible devices: Smartphone
• Display Type: Digital

Features:

• Built for athletes always training for the next level, Casio G-Shock’s Move collection features timepieces designed to accompany your workout. 
• The 55mm case is expertly crafted from resin and black stainless steel, ensuring the iconic sturdiness of shock-resistant G-Shock watches.
• With new Bluetooth(R) efficiencies, this watch can link to a smartphone, providing better workout and overall health-tracking support. 
• The watch’s specific workout functions include a heart rate monitor, GPS, bearings, altitude/barometric pressure, temperature sensor, stopwatch, and an accelerometer for step counting.
• Using a combination of these functions and innovative apps you can track running information such as distance, speed, pace, and a VO2 max value, which is an indicator of your cardio-pulmonary capacity.

Pros: 

• All-day comfort.
• Reliable, informative notifications.
• Very durable.
• Very accurate. 
• Bluetooth (via phone app), GPS Signal Reception.
• Smart Features via G-SHOCK.

Cons: 

• Expensive but worth the money.
• No hourly Time Signal.
• Not so small 63×55×20.4mm.

Buy on Amazon

7. Amazfit T-Rex Pro

Amazfit T-REX pro is the most durable watch in the company’s long list of wearable products. It rubs shoulders with top brands like Garmin, Samsung, and Suunto in toughness and robustness. And as with all Amazfit smartwatches, it offers the best bang for the buck.

The Amazfit T-Rex Pro ticks many checkmarks for an affordable rugged smartwatch. It has a solid yet lightweight build comes with a decent spec list and offers respectable battery life. It’s hard to find similarly built smartwatches under $200/€200 and that puts the T-Rex Pro in a class of its own. Upgrading from the original T-Rex doesn’t seem like a real consideration though as the new additions to the Pro aren’t as worthy.

Specification:

• Brand: Amazfit
• Style: T-Rex Pro
• Size (width x height): 47.47 x 47.47 millimeters (1.87 x 1.87 in)
• Weight: 59 grams (2.07 ounces)
• Screen size: 1.3 Inches
• Special feature: Heavy Duty Protection
• Age range: Adult
• Compatible devices: Smartphone
• Compatible phone models: Android 5.0 or above, iOS 10.0 or above
• Band Color: gray
• Operating system: Amazfit OS
• Protection against water and others: 10 ATM: 100 meters waterproof
• Battery capacity: 390 mAh
• Battery life: 18 days

Features:

• Design: 

The T-Rex Pro 15 comes with the assurance of MIL-STD-810G certification. These include shock resistance, and certified performance in environments with climates ranging from -40°C to +70°C. The watch is also able to withstand snow and freezing rain.

• Display:

The 1.3″ AMOLED display on the T-Rex Pro is bright, vibrant, and sharp. Size-wise, I find the T-Rex Pro’s display to be the best middle ground for ease of use and touch input while not sitting like water. The meter is something on your wrist. Make it like a big clock.

• Software:

The Zepp app supports both Android and iOS phones and features all the controls you need and detailed health data graphics It can also sync with WeChat, Google Fit, Strava, and Relive to cross-reference your health and workout data. A new addition to the T-Rex Pro is the Card Activity and Health section which is accessed by swiping up on the home screen. It is a one-stop shop that brings together the most useful features of the watch in the widget form. You get access to your daily activity statistics, PAI score, weather data, heart rate, SpO2 monitoring, and maximum oxygen uptake.

• Features and Performance:

In terms of health tracking, we have the BioTracker 2 PPG optical sensor that was also present in the Amazfit GTR 2 series and promises to provide more accurate readings for heart rate and SpO2 data as well as advanced automatic workout detection. T-Rex Pro also supports GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and BeiDou satellite positioning to help you accurately track your workout routes. The GPS locks in about 5-10 seconds after I start my workout and keeps a reliable and strong signal throughout use.

• Battery life:

When fully charged, you can relax and enjoy 18 days of activity and progress with normal use, up to 9 days with heavy use, or up to 40 hours with GPS continuous work mode. Go endlessly with the T-Rex Pro watch.

• 10 ATM waterproof:

With a 10 ATM grade, the Amazfit T-Rex Pro smartwatch is water-resistant to a depth of 100 meters and can accompany you when you surf, swim, or explore the mysterious underwater world together.

• Over 100 sports moods: 

The Amazfit T-Rex Pro fitness watch has more than 100 sports modes and can be used to monitor important data such as workout heart rate, distance traveled, movement speed, and calories burned in real-time for most sports modes to help you track and help you. Improve your athletic performance.

Pros:

• Affordable.
• Durable smartwatch.
• On-board GPS.
• Multiple sports modes.
• Vibrant AMOLED display.
• Solid battery life.

Cons:

• Subpar GPS tracking.
• Questionable sleep tracking.
• Limited OS with no third-party apps.

Buy on Amazon

8. HUAWEI GT 2

Huawei GT 2 includes a dual-chip design. This intelligent energy-saving technology works continuously 24/7 for up to 7 days of battery life. 

The minimalist design is aesthetically pleasing to the eye. 3D Glass Face creates a bezel-less vision. The touch screen is responsive and accurate thanks to the AMOLED display.

As a full-time fitness trainer, Huawei GT 2 is programmed with multiple professional training courses that accommodate all levels of users from beginners to more advanced guides to achieve their fitness goals. Includes two positioning systems (GPS and GLONASS) to detect more satellites and increase position accuracy.

Specification:

• Brand: HUAWEI
• Model name: GT 2 46MM
• Style: Classic
• Color: Sunset Orange
• Screen size: 1.1 Inches
• Dimensions: 45.9 x 45.9 x 10.7 mm (1.81 x 1.81 x 0.42 in)
• Weight: 41 g (1.45 oz)
• Age range: Adult
• Compatible devices: Smartphone
• Operating system: Android
• Battery life: 14 days
• Connectivity technology: Bluetooth, GPS
• Sensors: Accelerometer, gyro, heart rate, barometer, compass

Features:

• AMOLED Touchscreen:

1. 39” AMOLED HD Touch Color Screen flaunts a 454×454 target, along these lines you can see more and see better. 

• Built-in GPS: 

Tracks your course and gets increasingly accurate exercise information without your phone.

• Sleep Tracking:

Trustee 2.0, developed in a team with Harvard Medical School’s CDB Center, identifies and corrects 6 common sleep-related problems, giving you more than 200 possible measures and recommendations for better sleep.

• Compatible with iOS or Android:

Download the free companion app, Huawei Wellbeing, from Google Play or Apple App Store – Bright alerts include guest ID, SMS, email, climate, schedule, and social apps.

• 2-Week Battery Life:

Featuring business-leading dual chipset engineering, this new structure offers 2-week battery life to keep you informed wherever you go. Week 2: Heart rate screen on, exercise for an hour and a half every week.

• Design: 

This watch is resilient to accidents due to its clay bezel structure and treated steel shell. A secondary 10.6mm approx and a double crown highlight the 1.39″ 454×454 AMOLED screen, it’s amazingly dynamic and slim.

• Real-time Heart rate Reporting:

The HUAWEI TruSeen 3.0 heart rate monitor uses innovative self-learning calculations and innovative sensors to provide an effective and precise constant personal estimate of your heart rate.

• 3 Satellite Systems and 1 Precise Location:

The current GPS 3 satellite situating framework (GPS/GLONASS/GALILEO) calculates direction progress to offer global and increasingly accurate, fast and accurate positioning.

• Personal Coaching:

In addition to being a daily exercise to follow the right hand, it likewise instructs you to start cutting-edge running courses that constantly help you while preparing for direction and making an impact. It has a 6 months replacement warranty.

Pros:

• Audio and vibration alerts.
• Speakerphone.
• Stress levels, heart rate, and sleeping patterns monitoring.
• Accurate GPS, and weather.

Cons:

• Limited watch faces.
• Can’t respond to messages.

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6 Things To Keep In Mind Before Buying The Best Rugged Smartwatch In 2023

When you talk about the best rugged smartwatch, various factors come into consideration. The factors are as follows-

1. Waterproof /Water Resistance:

A rugged smartwatch can never fit into the rugged category unless it’s water-resistant. We recommend purchasing a watch with a minimum water resistance of 100 meters or 10 ATMs. 

2. Long Battery Life:

The best rugged smartwatch is not just durable it also has many other features that include long battery life. Rugged smartwatches usually have large batteries that can last for weeks. How long does a smartwatch last? It mainly depends on the features installed on it.

3. Gorilla Glass/Scratch Resistance:

For a rugged smartwatch, there can be no better option than Gorilla Glass. This prevents inadvertent scratches on the screen, but how to differentiate between the different Gorilla Glass available in the market. They are of various types and features and we have discussed the most prominent ones below-

• Sapphire glass
• Mineral  glass
• Plexiglass

4. Battery Life

Battery life is an important consideration when buying a rugged smartwatch. Smartwatches typically have an average battery life of 7-10 hours due to their high power consumption characteristics. But when buying a rugged smartwatch, you already have some plans in mind, right? It can be a trip of a few days or a week. Therefore, your rugged smartwatch choice must have superb battery life. That’s why we only choose watches with reliable battery backup.

5. GPS Integration:

GPS plays a fundamental role in step counting, map projectile, and other tracking features. However, all smartwatches do not come with GPS integration. Whether you need GPS tracking or not depends on your personal preference. If you’re buying a watch with GPS integration, make sure it has a good accuracy rating, especially if you travel, run or walk. In a different way, you will be wasting your money.

6. Trackers:

Fitness trackers will show you how to maintain your fitness in individual situations. And, a sleep tracker guides you through a tough and full work routine to rest. There are other trackers in a smartwatch like a heartbeat tracker and footstep tracker, and if you can get them in a rugged smartwatch, it would be a treat.

Our Top Pick

FAQs:

1. How long do smartwatches last?

Ans: This depends on the type of watch you pick. If you’re choosing a rugged watch with many smart features such as sending and receiving calls and messages, then expect a significantly shorter battery life that might max out at two days. In contrast, smartwatches designed for the outdoors can sometimes last up to 30 days or more if they can get supplemental battery life through solar power or let you switch to a more efficient power-saving mode.

2. Do you have to pay monthly for a smartwatch?

Ans:  Whichever watch you choose, certain features such as more powerful fitness metrics or access to select apps may be behind a paywall and require a financial upgrade.

3. Can you use your smartwatch without a phone?

Ans: Yes, you can. Many smartwatches – especially those made by Samsung and Apple – are designed to support WiFi connectivity. However, for smartwatches designed as smartphone replacements, certain features like sending or receiving calls may require you to create a dedicated cell phone line for your smartwatch.

Conclusion

Getting the best rugged smartwatch is easy and not necessary for anyone.  An expensive luxury that not everyone can afford. However, more and more manufacturers are now coming out with a smartwatch that has top-layer features but will sell for a much lower price. So that’s because we can’t get away from the fact that the future is going to be defined by smartwatches.

The Garmin Fenix 6 Pro smartwatch is one of the rugged smartwatches that falls into that category. Of course, there are other factors to consider, such as battery life. Battery life is an important feature if you’re buying a rugged smartwatch, including if you’ll be out and about for long periods of time and may not have access to a charger or battery pack.

Read Also

• Top 5 Best Smartwatches With Long Battery Life in 2023
• 7 Best Smartwatches Under $100 For 2023
• The 7 Best Fitbit for Kids in 2023 with Reviews
• 7 Best Smartwatches for Google Pixel Phones in 2023
• iTouch Air Smartwatch Review: Why Should You Have This?