Time simply goes otherwise when browsing and it’s nearly unattainable to guess how lengthy you’ve been on the water, it might be half-hour or 3 hours…no thought. So having a surf watch to know the time is simply useful to ensure we aren’t late to work or for that afternoon stroll that was deliberate with the inlaws (why is it at all times on the right surf day!?).
Again within the day, the very best surf watches have been simply respectable waterproof watches from a cool model, however lately they are often a lot extra.
With the arrival of smartwatch expertise, surf watches can’t solely report your health efficiency like coronary heart fee and vo2 max but in addition surf efficiency like wave rely, the variety of lefts vs rights, distance surfed and time on a wave. Some surf watches additionally inform you the state of the tide within the location you set, which is a really useful addition.
Usually, I don’t like recording my actions and after I began to put in writing this weblog, I didn’t actually get the purpose of getting a smartwatch on the water. For me, it’s meant to be a time to disconnect from the world and I’m by no means going to be a aggressive surfer so I don’t care what number of lefts vs rights I get in a session.
Nevertheless, within the final couple of weeks my ideas on having a smartwatch while doing watersports have modified. Some folks have lately obtained into hassle while kitesurfing and windsurfing at my native seashore and if one thing disastrous did occur on the water, then a smartwatch is aware of your location and may both ship misery alerts or name somebody, which could assist save a life. Possibly it’s not for everybody, however this completely is sensible when you’ve got well being implications anyway, or are going out in lower than supreme circumstances.
So what to search for in a surf watch…For all sorts they have to inform the time, be waterproof, shock resistant and have an honest strap that received’t rip or fall off when browsing. After that, it’s as much as you whether or not you need one with tide information and/or a watch that tracks each little bit of your session.
On this article, we’ve listed the very best surf watches we will discover right here within the UK, which covers probably the most fundamental funds watches to the high-end smartwatches.
The perfect watches for browsing
Final browsing watches – The perfect surf watches arent from surf manufacturers anymore, they’re from corporations who’ve the abilities to pack in a lot tech into this tiny field we placed on our wrist.
Apple Sequence 7
From £417 – View Apple Watches on Amazon >
The Apple Sequence 7 isn’t a surf particular watch, however it obtained an unreal quantity of options which will make it the very best surf be careful proper now (until you’re an Android utilizing Apple hater…then it’s most likely finest to scroll to the following watch).
Some folks nonetheless ask are you able to surf with an Apple watch? There is no such thing as a have to guess or hope anymore as a result of Apple is selling it as a look ahead to browsing on their web site…If you happen to’re a surfer, see the tides, wind and water temperature at a look…And take a look at their promo video above, at 33 seconds it talks about browsing with the watch too.
To get the fundamentals out the way in which first, the watch is tremendous sturdy, waterproof and has an enormous show so you’ll be able to simply learn what the time is on the water. It’s additionally comparatively skinny so will really feel snug being worn underneath a wetsuit.
As I’ve already alluded to, the watch has some unbelievable options that make it simply as highly effective as your telephone with the power to name, textual content, monitor something you need fitness-wise, contactless funds, hearken to music, and so on and so on.
When it comes to options for browsing, that’s all carried out when you obtain the Daybreak Patrol app. The app has a free model, or you’ll be able to pay to entry the unique options. When you obtain the app to your telephone and watch, you’ll have the choice of some faces (what you see on the watch face) that makes it supreme for browsing.
The app affords stay statistics and breaks down your key stats into month-to-month and weekly targets. It affords tidal information, surf studies, wave counts, wavelengths, a map of the waves caught, your most pace, energy you’ve burned, and extra.
So the Apple Sequence 7 just about ticks all of the bins for the very best surf watch round. The one draw back is that it’s fairly costly and also you’ll want to purchase these extras that when added up at all times price a bomb like a sports activities watch band and display screen protectors.
Nevertheless, in case you’re on the lookout for a extra funds possibility, the Apple SE watch at £249 is simply as nice and does most of what you’ll want to make it a superb look ahead to browsing.
Professionals
Like a mini iPhone in your wrist
Packed full of each characteristic you possibly can need for browsing
Cons
Though the battery life isn’t dangerous, it’s very completely different to a standard watch and also you’ll have to recollect to cost it repeatedly.
Purchase a sports activities wristband to cease it from falling off
Garmin Intuition Surf Version
From £287 – View Garmin Intuition Surf on Amazon >
If the Apple watch is for Apple customers, Android customers can have Gamin (although it really works on iOS too). It is a well-reviewed sports activities smartwatch and I personally love all Garmin gear, who usually discover the right stability of options with out overcomplicating issues.
The Intuition is Garmins rugged, tough and prepared watch that is available in quite a lot of ‘editions’, together with a Surf Version. The Surf Version Intuition may monitor an entire vary of sports activities similar to working, biking and swimming however what makes it the Surf version is its capability to retailer and show tidal information. The construct options just like the fibre-inforced polymer case and scratch-resistant show enhance confidence that this watch will final a very long time and address heavy surf.
The watch makes use of a number of satellite tv for pc methods from GLONASS, GPS, and Galileo to maintain monitor of your session. This implies the Garmin Intuition can inform you the variety of waves surfed, most pace reached and distance lined.
Together with tide, surf and sports activities information, the watch additionally allows you to keep related to the world via emails, texts, making emergency calls, and a lot greater than your fundamental watch might ever do. You can even monitor your on a regular basis health, like your coronary heart fee, stress degree, and pulse fee.
A extremely cool characteristic of the Intuition is the watch’s battery life, which lasts a brilliant very long time aided by the photo voltaic battery. Someplace within the watch they’ve managed to suit a little bit of tech that helps cost the battery with daylight.
Like some other smartwatch on this listing, you’ll have to obtain an app in your telephone to simply see all the info out of your periods. The Gamin Join app has been round for years, so there aren’t actually any snagging points or bugs and all of it runs very easily.
While the watch truly feels light-weight, it’s not elegant by any stretch of the creativeness and is type of military-looking. I feel some folks is perhaps postpone by its dimension and it’ll really feel far too massive for smaller wrists.
Professionals
Nice worth surf and tide information watch
Preloaded multi-sports monitoring
Cons
The massive dimension will be cumbersome for some folks
The browsing app can wrestle with GPS monitoring at occasions
Garmin Fenix
From £469 – View Garmin Fenix on Amazon >
The Garmin Fenix Professional is likely one of the most fascinating out of doors watches round on the minute. It’s pre-loaded with a bunch of actually cool issues like ski maps, golf programs, Garmin pay, music apps, flip by flip navigation plus all the standard health monitoring smartwatch options.
Like in Garmin Intuition, it’s a rugged and sturdy watch, however this one appears nice with a premium, high-quality end.
It’s on our listing of finest surf watches as a result of together with it having the ability to acquire surf information just like the Intuition, the Fenix can provide you real-time surf studies and forecasts to your native spot, resulting from Garmin’s partnership with Surfline. Surfline is appropriate with fairly just a few Garmin watches, together with the cheaper Forerunner vary, however surprisingly it’s not obtainable with the Intuition, regardless that Garmin put it up for sale as their ‘Surf’ watch.
The Fenix makes use of the identical monitoring options because the Garmin Intuition, similar to GLONASS, GPS, Galileo, ABS sensor, and Trackback routing.
What I actually like concerning the Fenix is the massive face, which makes it tremendous straightforward to learn the show while browsing. It isn’t a touchscreen, however that’s effective as a result of it’s at all times difficult to make use of any touchscreen gadget when your fingers are moist.
As a result of the watch is produced from premium supplies, it’s a bit on the heavy aspect. Some opinions have prompt the Fenix is slightly excessive when it comes to options, and lots of doubt the necessity for all of the completely different sports activities modes.
Professionals
In all probability the very best outdoorsy smartwatch
Waterproof to a depth of 100 meters
Shock resistant
Cons
A bit excessive on options
Costly
Heavy
Ripcurl Search 2
From £162 – View Rip Curl Search 2 on Surfdome >
Here’s a model each surfer would’ve heard of.
The Ripcurl Search 2 is a well-liked watch due to the manufacturers’ well-established roots in browsing, and the watch itself has all of the options wanted to make it an excellent browsing watch.
The chunky watch is barely bigger than the Apple collection watches and is especially made from hardened ABS plastic. I don’t thoughts this an excessive amount of as a result of its dimension and thickness offers me confidence the watch is tremendous sturdy and may take a pounding in any dimension wave. You don’t have to fret about dropping the watch both as a result of the Ripcurl 2 has a versatile and safe rubber strap.
What makes this watch completely different to the Apple or Garmin is that there isn’t a set-up wanted to show it right into a look ahead to browsing.
You’ll nonetheless have to do just a few staple items like join the watch to your telephone with an app and inform it your location. As soon as that’s carried out you’ll be able to test your native browsing circumstances, have tidal information on the watch and in addition monitor your browsing periods. The Search 2 will inform you the whole lot from prime pace, distance paddled, wave rely and session time.
Earlier than heading out to the closest seashore, you’ll be able to test the real-time swell and wind report as a result of Ripcurl has partnered with climate forecaster Surfline. Though I feel this can be a cool characteristic, I’m fairly positive I’d simply proceed to make use of my telephone to test the forecast, which is less complicated to learn.
We are able to all agree that GPS is probably the most important characteristic, however the battery life can also be important. It takes 3 hours to cost absolutely, and you should utilize the look ahead to as much as 7 hours. As a normal watch, you should utilize it for 2-3 months with out charging, not like the Apple Watch, which you’ll need to (most likely) cost every day.
What I’m undecided concerning the Ripcurl is why anybody would select it over the Garmin or Apple. I get it’s a devoted surf watch, however these different manufacturers are doing it higher and you should utilize their watches for different sports activities. If you wish to monitor your browsing, I wager you need to monitor your mountain biking, snowboarding or working as effectively, so that you’d need a watch that may do all of it.
The great
It’s not as cumbersome because the earlier mannequin, so extra snug when browsing
Bought all of the options wanted for an excellent surf watch
Very sturdy
Cons
The interface appears slightly dated
Doesn’t monitor different sports activities
App solely works on iOS
The subsequent set of watches don’t have sports activities monitoring options, so if you need a extra fundamental however strong surf watch possibility, these might be ones to go for. The benefit of the watch not being sensible is the battery life will final a lot longer, and the watch might be much less prone to go improper. A few of these watches have tidal data which is a useful addition, particularly right here within the UK when tide can massively have an effect on how good the surf is.
Casio G-lide GBX-100
From £149 – View Casio G-lide GBX on G-Shock’s web site >
Casio’s G-Shock vary is one we’ve most likely all heard of, it’s a traditional out of doors watch that’s tremendous dependable, heavy-duty and you may belief it to manage in any surroundings.
The G-Shock G-Lide GBX-100 is one designed for surfers and it’s obtained all of the performance you actually need throughout a session – it clearly tells the time and provides you tide data. The watch additionally shows when dawn and sundown is, which is an honest addition to simply plan what time the daybreak raid begins.
This watch has sufficient options that it might be for a smartwatch and it’s nice in case you simply need a look ahead to browsing. Nevertheless, if you need a multi-sport health monitoring watch, then I’d go for a Garmin. Saying that the G-lide GBX can monitor distance, pace and tempo so in case you like to trace the occasional jog, this watch shall be OK for that too
It’s obtained a very vivid display screen, which Casio name the Reminiscence In Pixel show. Whether or not you’re browsing at nightfall or within the tremendous vivid noon solar, you’ll at all times be capable to see what the time is. This may sound fundamental however you’ll be shocked what number of watches are exhausting to learn when there’s a robust glare from daylight.
The tidal information reveals excessive and low tide in a graph and in time type too, so you’ll be able to’t miss a session since you’ve obtained the tide improper. That is all arrange by connecting your watch to the G-Shock Transfer telephone app by way of Bluetooth, which is fairly easy and simple to make use of. The watch may show telephone notifications, however it’s fairly difficult to entry the messages and also you’ll greater than doubtless find yourself turning off this characteristic.
Lastly, and one factor we haven’t touched on an excessive amount of to date on this article is the wristband is tremendous snug and may simply be the very best on this listing.
Professionals
200m water-proof
Tide information
Dawn and sundown data
Cons
It’s poor at displaying telephone notifications
Nixon Warmth
From £139.95 – View on nixon.com >
Nixon might be the good sports activities watch model on this listing by a long way. So in case you’re attempting to purchase a watch as a present for a surfer, they won’t be upset with a Nixon.
In my view, the Nixon Warmth ticks all of the bins for an excellent surf watch as a result of it’s inexpensive, waterproof, snug, easy and better of all, clearly tells the time! I don’t learn about you however I additionally assume it’s the best-looking watch on this listing. I’d fortunately put on the Warmth on the water, at work or on the pub, which I wouldn’t do with a few of the bulkier surf watches.
The Warmth has not obtained all of the bells and whistles of many different watches on the listing, it appears stylish and the ultra-thin 8mm profile means it’ll simply really feel nice when on the water. Nixon says this watch is the favorite of browsing world champion John John Florence, so if it’s ok for him then it’s definitely ok for everybody studying this weblog.
It looks like the temporary from Nixon was to make this watch look nice and be as snug as doable for journey and excessive sports activities wearers. They’ve carried out an excellent job with the strap which is likely one of the finest on this listing. As Nixon say it’s a 20mm injection moulded rubber band with a perforated design offering sturdiness, breathability and luxury.
Up to now this watch ticks a variety of bins, however one factor it’s not is a health/all-around sports activities watch like a Garmin. Nevertheless, it appears like Nixon try to market this look ahead to all athletes, however it actually solely has fundamental timer capabilities. This is perhaps effective in case you’re a aggressive surfer however not in case you’re wanting to determine your tempo on a 5k jog.
Professionals
Trendy
Very snug and slim profile
Moderately priced
Cons
It’s been reported the buttons are slightly sticky
Not effectively backlit when darkish
Nixon Excessive Tide
From £200 – View on nixon.com >
The Excessive Tide is Nixon’s high-end surf watch.
It feels and appears premium, is sturdy, is available in a variety of colors and doubtless better of all, is produced from upcycled ocean plastic.
For all of us who use the ocean repeatedly, it’s good to see Nixon attempting to do what they’ll to assist be extra environmentally pleasant.
The watch has a excessive distinction show, which Nixon calls MLCD expertise, that makes it very clear and simple to learn on the water.
The principle characteristic of this watch is its customisable display screen that may present tide, dawn and sundown information which is nice for planning your subsequent session. HOWEVER, Nixon promotes that the watch comes preset with 550 information places, however solely 14 of them are within the UK. So the watch can show tidal graphs, however not for each location which is a bummer for me and makes the ‘surf’ options fairly ineffective for lots of people.
The preset places are:
Langennith, Croyde, Fistral, Pentewan, North Devon, Scarborough, Aberdeen, Pease Baytlnd, Thurso, Bundoran, Dingle, Donegal, Lahinch, Galway
So until you’re residing in these places, I’d go for one thing like a Garmin Forerunner that’s the same value however has far more options.
Professionals
Feels high quality
Simple to learn display screen
Cons
The tide information solely works in just a few places within the UK
Timex Males’s Ironman Basic
From £44.66 – View Timex Ironman on Amazon >
A no-nonsense, tremendous sturdy waterproof digital watch that may most likely outlast your browsing profession.
Timex is a traditional watch model and the Ironman is their finest promoting vary, which was first produced in 1986. The watch is effectively worn and examined inside Ironman Triathlon circuits so it’s obtained to be powerful, waterproof, shockproof and have a strap that may take a pounding and never come free.
Not like the Apple or Garmin watches, the Timex’s battery will simply maintain going and going and going. I’ve had one for about 12 years and it’s as dependable because it comes, I put on it windsurfing and browsing and by no means had an issue with the watch.
Hopefully, this could go with out saying, however this isn’t a smartwatch with GPS connectivity or present tidal information in a graph. That is simply merely a digital timepiece that works nice as a surf watch.
There isn’t an excellent deal extra to say about these watches, and from £45 on Amazon they’re nice for the pockets too.
Professionals
Easy and inexpensive
200m water-proof
Cons
Not a superb wanting watch
Casio Assortment Unisex Digital Watch
From £20 – View the Casio on Amazon >
The Casio Assortment fashion has changed into considerably of a retro traditional.
These watches are extremely easy, unpretentious and dare I say it as a result of I’m removed from it… trendy.
So what makes the Casio among the best surf watches? Properly, it’s tremendous easy, waterproof, had a really slim face so snug underneath a wetsuit and superb worth at simply £20. For this value you don’t really feel too treasured concerning the watch and it received’t be a continuing fear on the water. I’ve worn my Garmin out browsing a few occasions and I’ve needed to test on it underneath my wetsuit to ensure it wasn’t filled with water.
The Casio isn’t as rugged because the Timex and arguably the Timex has a extra snug strap, however the Casio is only a traditional that I couldn’t miss off this listing.
I’ve made out the Casio to be stupidly easy however it’s obtained all the usual options of a digital watch with an alarm, stopwatch, countdown timer, backlight show gentle and a brilliant dependable battery that may simply final 10 years.
Professionals
Low cost
Water resistant as much as 100m
Cons
No bezel
No music
What to search for in a surf watch
Does the producer say the watch is sweet for browsing?
Someplace in advertising and marketing or the product description, you’d wish to assume the producer says it may be used browsing. That’s most likely the most important giveaway the watch has been examined to a degree that may face up to the strain of browsing.
If not, ensure you get one which’s waterproof to not less than 100m. Earlier than we get into particulars, you’ll want to perceive that watches will not be completely waterproof. Once we discuss water resistance in watches, we speak concerning the water strain {that a} watch can face up to. We normally measure this strain in toes, meters, bars, and ambiance ATM.
So, you shouldn’t expose your watch to water when it isn’t waterproof. Even small splashes when washing your fingers can injury it. A watch that claims “30m waterproof” can deal with gentle splashes like washing fingers. Don’t bathe or swim together with your watch on for this sort of water resistance.
The 50m water resistance means that you can keep within the water for a shorter time. For instance, you’ll be able to bathe or swim. Alternatively, the 100m water resistance means you can swim for extra prolonged durations, surf, and snorkel. Nevertheless, the entire above water resistance strain limits don’t enable for the strain of scuba diving. So if you wish to be tremendous secure, you possibly can search for a watch that has 200m water resistance.
Guarantee
The costlier watches will hopefully include a guaranty and a few producers provide an prolonged guarantee.
Rugged Watch Straps
You don’t need a watch that may fall off throughout your browsing session. So make sure that you take a look at the strap and the way agency it’s when looking for a watch.
If it affords extra help or a safe system, get it!
