Triathlon Watch Comparison
The four numbers that decide a tri watch — GPS battery, open-water accuracy, multisport mode, and maps — for 10 watches triathletes actually buy. Filter by what you need, sort by what you care about.
All 10 watches
Showing 10 of 10 watches, cheapest first. Tap a column heading to sort. Prices are approximate.
| Watch | Price | GPS battery | Smartwatch | Multisport | Maps | Open water | Weight | Screen | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garmin Forerunner 55 | $199 | 20 h | 14 days | No | No | 37 g | MIP | Check price → | |
| Coros Pace 3 | $229 | 38 h | 15 days | Yes | No | 30 g | MIP touch | Check price → | |
| Garmin Forerunner 165 | $249 | 19 h | 11 days | No | No | 39 g | AMOLED | Check price → | |
| Coros Apex 2 | $349 | 45 h | 17 days | Yes | Yes | 42 g | MIP touch | Check price → | |
| Garmin Forerunner 265 | $449 | 20 h | 13 days | Yes | No | 47 g | AMOLED | Check price → | |
| Coros Apex 2 Pro | $449 | 75 h | 30 days | Yes | Yes | 53 g | MIP touch | Check price → | |
| Garmin Forerunner 965 | $599 | 31 h | 23 days | Yes | Yes | 53 g | AMOLED | Check price → | |
| Garmin Fenix E | $799 | 42 h | 16 days | Yes | Yes | 76 g | AMOLED | Check price → | |
| Apple Watch Ultra 2 | $799 | 12 h | 3 days | Yes | Yes | 61 g | OLED touch | Check price → | |
| Garmin Fenix 8 (47mm) | $999 | 47 h | 16 days | Yes | Yes | 73 g | AMOLED | Check price → |
How to read this table
Multisport mode is non-negotiable
Without it you stop and start three separate activities in T1 and T2 — fumbling with buttons in a wetsuit while people ride away. Every watch here with a “No” can still time a triathlon; it just can’t do it in one tap.
GPS battery only matters at your distance
A sprint needs 90 minutes. A full-distance day can run 17 hours, and a watch that claims 20 hours of GPS gets less with music, maps, and a bright screen. Sprint and Olympic racers can safely ignore this column.
Open-water GPS is the spec nobody lists
Your wrist is underwater most of the stroke, so the watch is guessing between glimpses of sky. Our 1–5 rating is how well each one holds a plausible track — a low score means a 1,500m swim that reads 1,900m.
Maps are for long-course and adventure
Full onboard maps cost roughly $200 and 20 grams. They earn it on unfamiliar 90km bike courses and in training abroad. For a marked, marshalled sprint course, they’re dead weight.
Next steps
Wetsuit Finder
Five questions match you to a suit — with the right size for your height and weight.
Find my wetsuit →Race-Day Gear Checklist
A printable packing list built for your distance, swim, and forecast — including charging that new watch.
Build my checklist →