A Week on the Wrist – TomTom Spark 3 Fitness Watch

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.