Fitness trackers and fitness watches are all the rage these days. I recently started running, and what better way to motivate myself than buying a fitness watch? After reviewing the options, I went for the TomTom Spark 3, for the following reasons:

 

• It’s reasonably attractive, light and (relatively_ cheap. The older models start at about £68 on Amazon.
• Fewer features and a black and white display means long battery life. I won’t wear it every day so this is important.
• Built-in GPS so you don’t have to carry a phone with you on a run
• The model I bought comes with a set of matching headphones, and I can store music (or in my case Couch to 5k podcasts) on the device. Less clutter

TomTom Spark 3 Fitness Watch – The Verdict

I spend a week wearing nothing but the TomTom. Here’s what I found…

Pros

• Music storage and matching wireless headphones means less to carry on a run
• Excellent battery life
• Built-in GPS is great to get back to the start of your route, and for run mapping apps
• Works well for running, clear display and accurate measurements

Cons

• I have to wear it on my right wrist when running, or the audio cuts out
• Occasional Bluetooth connection issues with the headphones
• Fiddly to use the features as there is no touch screen
• Awkward charger
• Music player is very basic – no shuffle or fast forward/rewind and playlists must be updated from iTunes

Okay, so an Apple watch does more, and a Fitbit has better integration for fitness but I think that TomTom have a winner here. The latest models start at £119.99 at Amazon, and you can add headphones and what is regarded as one of the better built-in heart rate monitors if you want to spend more.

What would I like to see? A touchscreen, the ability to set your own display (e.g. different faces), and a better music player.

Buy a TomTom Spark 3 Fitness Watch

The best place to buy a TomTom Spark 3 fitness watch is Amazon, they have a great selection and offered the lowest price for the model I wanted.