Best Smartwatch for Swimming: Open Water, Tested

Best Smartwatch for Swimming: Open Water, Tested

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I’ve logged over 8,000 miles since 2019, and I’ve worn a smartwatch for every single one. But here’s the thing nobody tells you about open water swimming: it’s the harshest environment for a wearable that exists. Chlorine, salt, the constant slap of water, and the GPS that has to work without buildings to bounce signals off. I’ve tested watches that claimed to be waterproof and watched them die in a creek at mile 22 of a marathon. So when I say I’ve been testing the best smartwatch for swimming, I mean I’ve been wearing these things in the pool, in the lake, and in the rain at the garden center for the last two seasons. I’ve got a spreadsheet with GPS drift and heart rate error, and it’s getting long. Here’s the truth about the three that actually made it onto my wrist.

MorePro (B0GJSXGKG8)

This is the one I almost threw across the room. The pairing process is a nightmare, and I need to get that out of the way first. The QR code on the watch face won’t scan. You have to dig through the manual, the one in the box, not the app, and scan that instead. It took me three tries and a full reinstall of the DaFit app before it finally connected. I’ve done this dance four times now, and it’s never smooth. But once it works, it works.

I’ve had the MorePro for about five months now. The battery is the real story here. I charge it when I shower every morning, 15 to 20 minutes tops, and it never drops below 70%. I’ve worn it on a 14-mile training run in the rain and it didn’t blink. The screen is readable outside, which I did not expect from a watch that costs less than a pizza. For the price, I’m blown away.

Here’s the catch with swimming: the MorePro is fine for splashes and a quick dip, but I don’t trust it for a full open water session. I’ve gotten it wet at the garden center, hosed it off, worn it in a downpour. It survives all of that. But the heart rate sensor drifts by about 8 beats per minute when I’m doing intervals, and that’s a problem if you’re doing zone training. It’s a good daily wearable, a great step counter, and a decent pool companion for laps. Just don’t expect it to track your 2-mile open water swim with any kind of accuracy. [Check price on Amazon]

Garmin (B0CT3SGHXL)

I’ll be honest, I didn’t want to like this one. My friend won’t shut up about his Garmin, and it costs more than four of my usual watches combined. But I’ve been testing the Garmin for three months now, and it’s the only watch in this lineup that I trust for actual open water swimming.

The GPS accuracy is the reason. I swam a 1.2-mile course I’ve done a hundred times, and the Garmin said 1.21 miles. That’s within my acceptable margin. My chest strap said my average heart rate was 152, and the watch said 150. That’s close enough for training, and it’s the first watch I’ve tested that actually gets this right in the water. The battery lasted a full day and night of wear with 82% remaining, which is the dream.

But here’s the flaw: the app. Garmin Connect is powerful, but it’s not easy. It took me a week to figure out where my swim data was hiding. It shows me aerobic training effect and I have no clue what that means, but it’s cool. And the band makes my wrist sweat something fierce. I swapped it for a scrunchie band and it got better, but for the price, I expect the stock band to not feel like a plastic bag.

Choose the Garmin if you’re serious about open water swimming and you need GPS that doesn’t lie. Choose it if you want a watch that survives a marathon training cycle and still charges in month three. It’s expensive, but it’s the only one here that I’d trust for a race. [Check price on Amazon]

Apple Watch (B0FQF5BZ8Z)

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I have a love-hate relationship with this one. The Apple Watch is advertised as the ultimate swim companion, and for pool laps, it’s genuinely great. I’ve used it for a month of daily pool sessions and it tracks lengths, strokes, and heart rate with impressive accuracy. The screen is gorgeous, the battery lasts about two days with regular use, and the app integration is seamless.

But here’s the problem: I don’t trust it for open water. I took it to the lake once, and the GPS was off by nearly 0.3 miles on a 1-mile swim. That’s a 30% error, which is a flat-out lie. And for the price, I can buy four MorePro watches and still have money left over. The battery anxiety is real too. If I forget to charge it overnight, I’m dead by 3 PM the next day. My shower charger ritual doesn’t work with this one because it needs a full hour, not 15 minutes.

The other thing that bugs me: the date format shows dd/mm even though my phone is set to mm/dd/yyyy. I’m done caring about that, but it’s the kind of small thing that adds up. The Apple Watch is a great smartwatch. It’s just not the best smartwatch for swimming if you’re doing open water. For pool laps and everyday wear, it’s fantastic. For open water, I’ll take the Garmin every time. [Check price on Amazon]

The short list, if you’re in a hurry

My honest bottom line

I’ve been testing these for months, and I keep coming back to the same conclusion. If you want a cheap watch that tells the truth about your daily steps and survives a splash, get the MorePro. If you’re serious about open water swimming and you need GPS that doesn’t lie, save up for the Garmin. The Apple Watch is a great smartwatch, but it’s not the best smartwatch for swimming if you’re doing open water. For the price, you get what you get, and what you get with the Garmin is a watch I’d actually wear for a race. The MorePro is the one I wear every day. The Garmin is the one I trust when it counts.