12 Best Smartwatches for Indoor or Outdoor Rowing

The creator of this post has chosen the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro smartwatch as the best smartwatch to wear during Indoor or Outdoor Rowing exercises.

So far, the number of smartwatch models has increased greatly, and they also come in different price options.

Some smartwatches are better suited for sports, some that are nicely designed, and some that can be used as standalone devices for making calls.

The 12 smartwatches that I will be covering in this article are of high quality and are all great models to use during indoor or outdoor rowing exercises.

Comparison Table Of The 5 Most Outstanding Smartwatches Of This Article

1. Garmin Fenix 6 Pro – * Our Top Pick *

Heading the rich range of Garmin products is the Fenix ​​line which is a line of smartwatches that have many features for outdoor fitness exercises and body tracking.

The Garmin Fenix ​​6 Pro has 32GB of internal storage.

You’ll be able to listen to your favorite music tracks through the Spotify, Deezer, and Amazon Music apps, you’ll be able to use maps on this watch to find your way around any city, and you’ll be able to connect it to a Wi-Fi connection.

The Garmin Fenix ​​6 Pro feels lighter than its previous equivalent which is a nice improvement for a smartwatch that is known to be quite bulky.

However, the biggest design upgrade is its larger 1.3-inches screen that has a 260 x 260-pixel resolution which means that fitness information can be displayed in a much more intuitive way than before because it can now display additional data fields (you’ll be able to now use 8 different data fields instead of 6).

This allows you to see your data faster without having to scroll through endless menus.

>>> Check the customer reviews about the smartwatch on Amazon <<<

You’ll always have to use buttons to interact with the Garmin Fenix ​​6 Pro because there’s no touchscreen, and also to make sure that the watch responds quickly in many environments like an underwater environment, a snowy environment or whatever other environments where touch wouldn’t be able to work accordingly.

Its battery life can last up to 10 hours whilst you’re using its GPS and music features.

Charging is also relatively fast by taking less than 3 hours to fill the battery when it is completely depleted.

However, you can extend this time up to 28 days if you put it into expedition-mode or even up to 48 days when it’s put in battery saving mode.

The Garmin Fenix ​​6 Pro can also now display its remaining battery life.

For example, when the watch has 10% of battery life remaining, it will show this for a few days or hours.

This number will also change in real-time, depending on how often you use your watch.

Check out the price of the Garmin Fenix ​​6 Pro Smartwatch on Amazon.

2. Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 – * Beautiful Design *

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 is a smartwatch that is targeted at users who enjoy exercising but you can also still use this watch as a daily fashion accessory.

Samsung has retained the design style of the first version that has a round face in the style of a classic watch, a toughened mirror surface, and a sturdy metal frame.

On the side of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 are also two control keys located (a back key and a home key) but these two keys have changed a little bit in its design when compared to the first version, they are now larger and thereby easier to press.

The watch is available in the following colors: black, silver or gold.

The watch weighs 42 grams.

When compared to many other Samsung smartwatches this one has a light and minimal design.

This watch has a dual-core 1.15 GHz Cortex-A53 processor.

>>> Check the customer reviews about the smartwatch on Amazon <<<

4 GB is the internal storage capacity that the smartwatch has and it has 1.5 GB of RAM.

To keep this product as minimalistic as possible, Samsung has equipped this watch with a touch wheel feature.

With this feature, users can now slide their finger on the smooth bezel, to navigate their way through the interface of the watch.

The touch wheel functionality will bring a new experience when compared to the known rotating bezel that’s present on a lot of other smartwatches.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 has a non-removable Li-Ion 340mAh battery that can be charged wirelessly.

The watch is available as a 40 mm model which has a 1.2-inch screen or as a 44 mm model which has a 1.4-inch screen.

The resolution of the screen is 360 x 360 pixels and the AMOLED technology is used for making sure that the display has amazing colors.

With the built-in payment service called Samsung Pay, you’ll be able to pay with your watch at stores that support this payment type.

This device does not have a memory card slot.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 is equipped with a heart rate monitoring sensor which can monitor the user’s heartbeat in real-time, it can be set-up to automatically measure every 10 minutes (if the user is not in motion) or the user can activate the heart rate measurement mode on the watch himself/herself.

One advantage of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 is that it can automatically detect when users start training, for example when you start running, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 will automatically activate workout-tracking mode and it will calculate the number of steps you take, the average speed that you move at, the distance that you travel, and much more.

Check out the price of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 Smartwatch on Amazon.

3. Garmin Fenix 5X Plus

The Garmin Fenix 5X Plus has a large watch face which makes it awesome for people with large wrists.

The stainless steel bezel and the polymer frame make the device quite heavy, its total weight is about 0.2 pounds.

The Garmin Fenix 5X Plus is available as a titanium or sapphire version.

A special point that the watch has is that it is equipped with a QuickFit wristband which makes it easy to quickly switch the band to another one.

Unlike the Garmin Vivoactive 3 smartwatch, the Garmin Fenix 5X Plus is not equipped with a touch screen.

>>> Check the customer reviews about the smartwatch on Amazon <<<

There are in total 5 physical buttons located on the device that will help you easily navigate your way through its interface.

It can be seen that the Garmin Fenix 5X Plus is not that much different from the versions that came before it.

However, Garmin always makes a strong impression on the smartwatch loving community, thanks to its strong sporty design.

The Garmin Fenix 5X Plus is waterproof up to 10 ATM, it has a 1.2-inch screen which has a resolution of 240 x 240 pixels and it has a built-in reflective technology that displays clear information under any bright light.

At first glance, it is thought that this watch is designed for runners and especially terrain running because of its long-lasting battery life.

However, the Garmin Fenix 5X Plus fully supports many popular sports such as swimming, cycling, running, playing golf, and many more.

Check out the price of the Garmin Fenix 5X Plus Smartwatch on Amazon.

4. Garmin Vivoactive 3

The Garmin Vivoactive 3, the successor of the Garmin Vivoactive HR smartwatch can be considered a hybrid between a sports watch and a smartwatch.

With previous Garmin products, the target consumers were those who specialize in sports and outdoor activities, so the smartwatch features were somewhat limited for those but with the Garmin Vivoactive 3 there have been some nice improvements.

The first point that impresses users probably comes from its design.

The Garmin Vivoactive 3 has had a spectacular makeover and it now has a good looking compact and slim design and it now also has a round display as compared to its predecessor the Garmin Vivoactive HR which has a squired display.

The watch’s body is made of steel, it has a plastic bottom and a soft and lightweight strap which makes it weigh only about 0.1 pounds.

Garmin is a manufacturer of sports watches, so this watch also has a lot of different sport-related features.

The Garmin Vivoactive 3 is equipped with up to 15 workout modes for running, boating, skiing, playing golf, and many more.

>>> Check the customer reviews about the smartwatch on Amazon <<<

A small drawback that this smartwatch has is that it does not have an internal memory to store your favorite songs.

The heart rate sensor of the Garmin Vivoactive 3 is of the type Elevate, so the heart rate is measured extremely accurately.

In the sports category, the Garmin Vivoactive 3 has done its job well. 

But what about everyday use?

When it is used during your daily life, the Garmin Vivoactive 3 is very useful.

The watch face is bright even under the sunlight due to the use of its transflective memory-in-pixel display technology.

Its display is 1.2-inches and has a diameter of 30.4 mm.

The screen of the watch has a resolution of 240 x 240 pixels.

Since this is a sport watch, it is equipped with a 5 ATM waterproof feature.

This feature is not only useful when you go swimming but also during your daily life.

Whenever you wash your hands or encounter rain, whether accidentally or intentionally then you won’t have to worry about the watch being on your wrist and catching some water.

Check out the price of the Garmin Vivoactive 3 Smartwatch on Amazon.

5. Garmin Fenix 5

The Garmin Fenix 5 has a compact design and is lighter than the Garmin Fenix 3 HR smartwatch.

It also feels comfortable to wear.

The watch face is 1.2-inches which is still quite large but the watch does not feel heavy on the wrist and it’s easy to operate.

The Garmin Fenix 5 weighs 0.19 pounds.

Whether you wear the watch whilst you’re going out or carry it when doing intense sports, it’s a great choice both ways.

>>> Check the customer reviews about the smartwatch on Amazon <<<

The watch has the following measurements: 47 mm x 47 mm x 15.5 mm.

The screen of the watch has a resolution of 240 x 240 pixels.

According to the manufacturer, whilst the watch is set to normal mode, the Garmin Fenix ​​5 can last longer than 14 days.

The Garmin Fenix 5 smartwatch has a 10 ATM water-resistance rating.

Its internal memory storage capacity is only 32 MB.

The activities that the Garmin Fenix ​​5 offers are diverse, from running (indoors, outdoors, fixed ramp), cycling (indoors, outdoors, mountain biking) and swimming (in the pool, open waters such as rivers, lakes, and the sea) to other sports, including golfing, skiing and even skydiving.

It can be said that the Garmin Fenix ​​5 is not a cheap GPS watch, but for those who love outdoor adventures and want to capture everything they do then this is a device that is worth to own.

Check out the price of the Garmin Fenix 5 Smartwatch on Amazon.

6. Samsung Gear S3 Frontier

The Samsung Gear S3 Frontier is now equipped with Gorilla Glass SR + which is claimed by the manufacturer that it will be 70% harder to break and that it increases the visibility in the sunlight up to 20%.

The whole frame is made of stainless steel, and it has a flexible rubber strap.

It has the advantage over leather straps because it can withstand water very well.

The watch is dustproof and water-resistant and can withstand heat, cold, pressure, shocks and vibrations according to the MIL-STD 810G military standards.

The watch has a Li-Ion 380mAh battery that can last up to 3 days on a full charge.

It can be said that this watch is similar to a Casio G Shock watch when it comes to durability in the smartwatch world.

The body of the watch comes in the silver color.

The watch has a rotating bezel which comes in handy when you want to scroll through the interface of the watch without using the touchscreen.

>>> Check the customer reviews about the smartwatch on Amazon <<<

Without the bands, the watch weighs 63 grams.

With the built-in payment service called Samsung Pay, you’ll be able to pay with your watch at stores that support this payment type.

The watch has a built-in microphone and speaker.

4 GB is the storage space that the internal storage of the watch holds.

You won’t be able to insert a SIM Card into this watch as it doesn’t have a SIM Card slot.

The Samsung Gear S3 Frontier is equipped with a 1.33-inches Super AMOLED 360 x 360-pixel screen with excellent display quality in the sunlight, and it has an always-on display feature that keeps the watch face turned on at all times.

It has a 1GHz dual-core Exynos processor and 768 MB of RAM.

The Samsung Gear S3 Frontier can be charged through Qi wireless charging.

The Samsung Gear S3 Frontier runs on Tizen OS, which takes full advantage of the control of the bezel ring.

Users only need to turn the bezel clockwise to display all notifications and rotate counterclockwise to display individual widgets.

The watch has a built-in heart rate monitoring sensor functionality.

Overall, the interface of the Samsung Gear S3 Frontier is very easy to use.

Check out the price of the Samsung Gear S3 Frontier Smartwatch on Amazon.

7. Garmin Vivoactive HR

The Garmin Vivoactive HR smartwatch has a 0.8-inch by 1.13-inch touch-screen display.

It has a transflective memory-in-pixel display that is used to display sun-visible images at a resolution of 205 x 148 pixels.

The case is made of a polymer material and the straps are made of silicone.

The smartwatch lens is made from chemically treated glass.

The Vivoactive HR has a physical size of 30.2 mm x 57.0 mm x 13.5 mm.

Its weight varies based on whether you go for the large wrist-size watch or the extra-large wrist-size watch with the large wrist-size weighing 47.6 grams and the extra-large wrist-size weighing 48.2 grams.

Bluetooth smart connections are available for both Android phones and iPhone users.

Android users can also have ANT+ connections if they want.

Memory can handle up to 7 different activities and those activities can be tracked for up to two weeks.

>>> Check the customer reviews about the smartwatch on Amazon <<<

In smartwatch mode, the battery can last up to 8 days depending on how the watch is used.

In GPS mode, the battery can last up to 13 hours also depending on its use. 

The Garmin Vivoactive HR is designed for both indoor or outdoor rowing and paddle boarding activities and has a 5 ATM rating.

This device also has its built-in features for scheduling dates and timekeeping, including timers and stopwatches.

Alarms, timers, and notifications from compatible devices can all be accessed wirelessly.

Downloadable apps and widgets make the watch display and other features like data fields customizable.

Wireless location services are available in the event either your phone or smartwatch gets lost.

GPS and GLONASS sensors are installed to provide you with your current location.

Sensors also monitor altitudes, temperatures, and accelerations.

As a fitness tracker, this device has several customizable activity profiles that compliment the built-in heart rate monitor.

The Move IQ feature keeps track of specific movements while the TrueUp feature keeps details such as calories burned and distance traveled in sync across devices.

Locations and distances are monitored and are either displayed in a customizable way or synced to another device and shared through the LiveTrack service.

Check out the price of the Garmin Vivoactive HR Smartwatch on Amazon.

8. Apple Watch Series 5 – * Best iOS Smartwatch *

The Apple Watch Series 5 comes in two sizes and therefore naturally in two display sizes.

The 40 mm size has a 324 x 394-pixel resolution on a 759 square millimeter display. 

The 44mm size has a 368 x 448-pixel resolution on a 977 square millimeter display. 

Both sizes have an always-on retinal display and both have force touch which makes the watch able to distinguish between a light and deep press on the screen.

The casing for the Apple Watch Series 5 can be made from either titanium, ceramic, aluminum, or stainless steel.

The ceramic version is available in white and all other materials are available in more than one color.

The casing houses an S5 chip with a dual-core processor and a W3 chip.

In terms of dimensions, both watches have the same depth at 10.74 millimeters.

The 40 mm size is 40 millimeters high and 34 millimeters wide.

The 44 mm size is 44 millimeters high and 38 millimeters wide.

The weight of the Apple Watch Series 5 depends on which material the casing is made out of.

The lightest material for both sizes is aluminum which weighs 30.8 grams for the smaller model and 36.5 grams for the larger model.

The heaviest material is stainless steel which weighs 40.6 grams for the smaller model and 47.8 grams for the larger model.

This smartwatch runs on a Lithium-Ion battery that can last up to 18 hours under favorable conditions.

>>> Check the customer reviews about the smartwatch on Amazon <<<

The internal memory holds 32 gigabytes of data.

The smartwatch does not have a memory card slot.

The connectivity options include Bluetooth 5.0, LTE, UMTS, and Wi-Fi.

The Apple technology is exclusive so you will not be able to pair this device with an Android or Windows smartphone.

The Apple Watch Series 5 is water-resistant up to 50 meters of water depths.

This device can support apps like Apple Pay and Gymkit.

You’ll be able to control the music you’re listening to.

The smartwatch has GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and QZSS available for navigating purposes.

It has the following sensors built into it: a compass, an altimeter, a gyroscope, and an ambient light sensor.

This smartwatch has two different heart rate sensors: one is an electrical heart sensor and the other is a second-generation optical heart sensor.

Emergency SOS is available on all the Apple Watch Series 5 models and, in some regions, international emergency calling is available on GPS + Cellular models.

Check out the price of the Apple Watch Series 5 Smartwatch on Amazon.

9. Polar M400 – * Accurate Heart Rate Measurements *

The Polar M400 smartwatch is rated for swimming but not for diving.

This smartwatch has a rechargeable 190mAh Lithium Polymer battery and a microSD card slot.

The screen of the watch has a resolution of 128 x 128 pixels.

The battery can last up to eight hours with the GPS and optional heart monitor running.

If left in sleeping-mode a full charge can last up to 30 days.

The watch weighs 56.6 grams.

Connectivity is possible through both a wired connection or Bluetooth connection and the Polar M400 is compatible with both Android smartphones and iPhones.

>>> Check the customer reviews about the smartwatch on Amazon <<<

As a GPS device, the Polar M400 uses A-GPS or Assisted GPS to find a satellite quicker.

The data syncs once a day and is uploaded to the device whenever it connects to the service.

GPS is not turned on automatically though.

You have to turn it on under Settings.

You can also check the date on GPS files in Settings in case they need to be synced again. 

This smartwatch monitors your sleep automatically, along with all your activities with the help of the wrist motion sensor, but it cannot tell what the exact activity is that you are doing like, for example, rowing or paddleboarding.

Setting up workout tracking software takes physical measurements, gender, and other factors into account.

The created profile then shares data between your phone and PC apps for the sport profiles in the coaching software.

The device can hold up to 20 different sport profiles while others are not synced to the device.

The activities are monitored for frequency and intensity and that data is factored in along with your demographic data that was registered when you’ve set up your account to then provide you with important information.

Check out the price of the Polar M400 Smartwatch on Amazon.

10. Garmin Instinct

The Garmin Instinct smartwatch has a 128 x 128-pixel resolution and a 1.2-inches display. 

The display itself uses a monochrome, transflective memory-in-pixel technology to show sunlight-visible images.

The watch is also available as a tactical version that has a night vision display feature.

The case is made out of fiber-reinforced polymer and the straps are made of silicone.

This device is QuickFit compatible up to 22mm sized bands.

The lens is made of chemically treated glass.

The bezel is made of fiber-reinforced polymer.

This device weighs 52 grams and is 45mm long by 45mm wide.

The depth is 15.3mm and the strap is designed for wrist sizes between 132mm and 224mm.

The battery life varies based on three different modes that you can set it to.

In smartwatch mode, the battery can last up to 14 days.

>>> Check the customer reviews about the smartwatch on Amazon <<<

In GPS mode, the battery can last up to 16 hours.

In UltraTrac mode, the battery can last up to 40 hours.

Its internal memory can hold up to 16 MB of data.

The device has Bluetooth and ANT+ for connecting to Android smartphones and iPhones.

The Garmin Instinct has a 10 ATM rating.

Profiles for indoor and outdoor rowing exercises come standard with this watch.

As a smartwatch, this model comes equipped with an automatic time syncing feature and it will have alerts for sunrise and sunset times.

Alarms, timers, and stopwatches are also available if needed.

The device can be paired to a smartphone to control music, make calls, access the available fitness apps, or to take a look at your calendars.

In the event of losing either your smartphone or smartwatch, the location of the lost device can be tracked from either the watch itself or from your smartphone.

The Garmin instinct comes equipped with GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo for tracking your location.

The following sensors are included in the watch: an altimeter, an accelerometer, a thermometer, and a compass.

The tactical model offers dual grid coordinates and both models work with the LiveTrack functionality.

It also has a step counter that displays a move bar if you stay still for too long.

Collected data is organized to show the calories you’ve burned, how many stairs you’ve walked in terms of floors and the distance you’ve traveled during the day.

Check out the price of the Garmin Instinct Smartwatch on Amazon.

11. Garmin Forerunner 735XT – * Awesome Battery Life *

The Garmin Forerunner 735XT has a 1.23-inch display that shows images in a 215 x 180-pixel resolution.

The transflective memory-in-pixel technology is used to display color sunlight-visible images.

The lens is made of chemically treated glass and the straps are made of silicone.

Physically the device is 44.5 mm x 44.5 mm and has a depth of 11.9 mm.

The watch weighs 40.2 grams.

The battery life for the Garmin Forerunner 735XT lasts up to 11 days when it’s set to smartwatch mode.

>>> Check the customer reviews about the smartwatch on Amazon <<<

GPS mode will work for up to 14 hours and UltraTrac will work for up to 24 hours if you turn off the heart rate monitor.

The device can be paired with any Android smartphone or Apple smartphone.

Wireless connectivity with your smartphone allows you to control your music, and look at your calendar.

The device tracking service can be accessed from either your smartphone or your smartwatch which means that it won’t matter which one you’ll lose because you’ll always be able to find it back with the other device.

The Garmin Forerunner 735XT has GPS and GLONASS built into it with a compass and accelerometer.

The Garmin Forerunner 735XT can collect data about the number of calories you’ve burned in a day and the distance you’ve traveled in a day.

The collected data is kept in sync across devices by the TrueUp feature.

This watch has an ATM rating of 5 for outdoor activities like rowing.

Check out the price of the Garmin Forerunner 735XT Smartwatch on Amazon.

12. Garmin Fenix 3 HR

The Garmin Fenix 3 HR has a circular 30.4 mm transflective memory-in-pixel display that shows sunlight-visible images with its 218 x 218-pixel resolution screen.

The case is made of fiber-reinforced polymer and the bezel is made of stainless steel.

The strap is made of silicone and is QuickFit compatible.

The touchscreen is made with domed sapphire crystal to make sure it’s more durable.

This smartwatch weighs 86 grams.

The case is 51 mm x 51 mm and has a depth of 17.5 mm.

The Garmin Fenix 3 HR has an ATM rating of 10.

>>> Check the customer reviews about the smartwatch on Amazon <<<

This device can last up to two weeks on a full charge or up to 20 hours while its set to GPS mode.

In standby mode, this smartwatch will last up to 50 hours.

Its internal memory can hold up to 32 MB of data.

Data can be synced through either a Bluetooth or WiFi connection to your Android smartphone, iPhone, or Windows smartphone.

The Garmin Fenix 3 HR has no internal speakers or microphones.

This smartwatch has GPS and GLONASS.

It has a built-in compass and sensors for an altimeter, an accelerometer, and a thermometer are installed.

The watch can collect data about the number of floors you’ve climbed, the number of calories you’ve burned, and the distance you’ve traveled.

Check out the price of the Garmin Fenix 3 HR Smartwatch on Amazon.

Comparison Table Of The 5 Most Outstanding Smartwatches Of This Article