WHICH WATCH TO CHOOSE FOR TRAIL?

Trail is a demanding sport and, in order to be able to keep track of your progress, but also to move safely through the wilderness, it is important to be well equipped. So here are our tips on which watch to choose for trail running.

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The right trail watch to begin with

If you're just starting out with trail running and are sure you'll continue, there's no need to choose a trail watch with countless features. A cardio watch will indeed already be a good start to track your performance and monitor your heart rate. However, to make it easier to calculate the distances you've run and view the different tracks, a GPS cardio watch is certainly the wiser choice.

These models not only allow you to track your heart rate in real time, but also give you information about the kilometres you've run and your pace thanks to the GPS signal they emit.

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Choosing a watch for middle distance trail running

Things are getting serious, and when you start trail running on medium distance races (up to 60km), there are a few options that can become very interesting. The first thing to do when choosing a watch for medium-distance trail running is to check its autonomy: indeed, its battery will need to be able to hold out during a session of up to 7 hours. Then, more precise activity monitoring will allow you to better understand your body's reactions during exercise. Analysis of calories burned, information on your pace, and sleep monitoring will provide valuable information for your progress. Alarm systems with sound signals or vibrations can also be of great help. Indeed, you will be able for example to program alerts to notify you when you exceed a certain heart rate or a certain number of kilometres.

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The ultra-trail watch, the running assistant

Beyond 60 kilometres, we enter the realm of the ultra-trail and its dizzying ascending elevations. The GPS cardio watch then becomes a real running aid. Again, long runs mean a battery that's good enough to go with you, so choose a trail watch with at least 15 hours of battery life. To go the distance, you'll need accurate data and a crystal clear display. Your connected watch will then help you set your training schedule and even the recovery times your body needs based on the efforts you've made.

To guide you in your outings and vary the routes, the compass function is a big plus that will allow you to be guided by your desires without ever getting lost. You can also program your route of the day into your GPS cardio watch and thus benefit from orientation assistance. Also, at such a high level, it becomes interesting to choose a watch for trail running equipped with a barometric altimeter.

In fact, this device allows for a much more accurate ascending elevation calculation than that offered by the GPS altimeter function, and when you're doing ultra-trail, every meter you climb counts. This option, combined with an integrated thermometer, also allows you to follow the evolution of the weather conditions in real time.

All outdoor runners will tell you: choosing a watch for trail running is a good reflex to track and improve your performance. So now you have all the parameters to make the right choice and succeed in all your races..