Certain tracker features are now ubiquitous: step counting, distance calculation, sleep tracking, and most recently, heart rate monitoring. But one of the more elusive features—swim tracking—is often mentioned as a side-note or overlooked completely. It might be seen as a niche activity for enthusiasts or just for a particular time of the year, but swimming is one of the best workouts you can do for your body.

Unlike wrist-bound heart rate monitoring, swim tracking hasn't become so popular that companies are trying to outfit all of their devices with it. Some of the most affordable fitness devices can track swimming, but then there are mid-tier and high-end trackers that have similar features. Which one you ultimately decide to buy depends on how you plan on using it every day.

"These things are not inexpensive," Ramon Llamas, research manager for wearables and mobile phones at IDC, told Ars. "Take a look at what you plan on doing.... Don't get the wearable for the device, get the wearable for the experience and the information that it provides to you." Before you go to purchase a swim tracker, consider these questions to help you decide what you should be spending your money on.

1. What kind of data do you need?

The amount and type of data is the first thing you'll notice when you start using a swim tracker. Some devices keep it simple, tracking just duration, lap count, and lap time. Others dig deeper into stats like stroke length, stroke count, and more. If you mostly swim casually and are just trying to beat a distance or time goal, you can likely go with a device that offers basic swim tracking. Anyone who is training to swim competitively will want a device that can provide a more in-depth look at swimming style and technique. Rather than focusing on speed or time alone, focusing on technique to be a more efficient swimmer requires analysis of more advanced metrics.

2. How do you want to see your data?

Wearable displays are often taken for granted, but not every device has one and that's something to consider if you're looking for instant gratification. Some devices will show you quick stats like lap count and time via an onboard display, but others forgo the display to make the device smaller and more lightweight.

However, almost all devices will have a smartphone app to syncs with. With apps, you'll be able to see swimming stats after your workout. Some options like Garmin and Polar devices also have online portals where you can analyze workout statistics on a larger screen if you desire. These desktop applications often let you see more in-depth stat graphs and charts as well.

3. Do you need heart rate or GPS capabilities?

Advanced metrics that come from heart rate monitoring and GPS mapping can come in handy while swimming. Some devices may have built-in optical heart rate monitors, but you'll have to check the specific device to see if it can be used in the water. More often, trackers can have the ability to connect to heart rate chest straps, but those straps usually have to be purchased separately.

In terms of GPS, the only reason you'd need it is if you regularly swim in open water and want to map out your swimming routes. If your workouts are confined to an indoor pool, you don't really need to spend the extra money on a device with built-in GPS. In this use case, a GPS may come in handy only if you don't know the exact length of the pool (in yards or meters). In that case, GPS can be used to estimate your total distance.

With these considerations in mind, I selected a few swim-tracking activity monitors to test out to see how they compare. Ironically Fitbit, the reigning king of fitness wearables, has yet to make a device waterproof enough to track swimming. So instead, we took a look at some of the other devices that can accompany you in the water while also offering day-to-day tracking features.

Swim tracker specs at a glance Device Garmin Swim Polar V800 Pebble Time Steel Moov Now Withings Go Price $149 $469 $199 $59 $79 How to wear on wrist on wrist on wrist on wrist, on ankle on wrist, clipped to clothing Display type 55 x 31 pixel monochrome 128 x 128 pixels high res backlit e-paper none e-ink Water-resistant level up to 50 meters up to 30 meters up to 30 meters up to 3 meters up to 50 meters Compatibility Android, iOS Android, iOS Android, iOS Android, iOS Android, iOS Trackable stats laps, distance, time, stroke type, stroke length, pace laps, distance, time yards, time, laps, pace laps, lap time, strokes, turns time, laps Heart rate monitor No Yes (with additional sensor) No No No Battery life up to 1 year up to 13 hours up to 10 days up to 6 months up to 6 months

Valentina Palladino



Garmin Swim

This is the lone dedicated swim tracker of the bunch, meaning Garmin Swim will only track water exercise and not daily activities or multiple sports. Garmin Swim has been mentioned a lot on online swimming forums, largely for its simplistic nature. Those who buy it only need it for swimming and likely don't need or want an general activity tracker.

When I used it in the pool, it's lightweight on the wrist and fairly simple to navigate with the six physical buttons along the rim of its circular face. Its default face shows the time and date as well as your weekly lap total. The blue button brings up the swimming menu where you can begin an activity by pressing the start button directly across from it. The screen will show you the number of yards you have swam and the total time you've been swimming. I liked being able to glance down and see just a few stats while I was swimming, and you can also add different pages to the display so you can see different stats if you're unsatisfied with just yards and time.

My Garmin Swim experience in the pool was hitch-free, but that wasn't mirrored on land. It's an older device so it doesn't connect to your smartphone like other Garmin devices. Rather, it comes with an ANT stick that plugs into the USB port on your computer. Then, it should connect to Garmin Express, where you can pair it and sync your swim data. Unfortunately, my device wasn't recognized by Garmin Express even with the ANT stick plugged in. A Garmin representative told me that might be due to the fact that it's an older device with an older battery in it.

If you prefer to invest in a newer device, Garmin's Vivoactive HR is a good alternative. It has a full touchscreen and it syncs to the Garmin Connect app on your smartphone when you want to sync your swims. The interface is much more customizable as well, letting you tap and switch different stats that show up on the display while you're swimming. It has a slightly bulkier, rectangular design than the Garmin Swim, but it didn't get in my way while I was in the water.

Garmin Connect also holds a plethora of information about your swim once you sync—way more than you can see on the device itself. It includes stats like total strokes, average and maximum stroke rate, total time, moving time, pace, calories burned, average and maximum speed, and more. While the Garmin Connect app can be slow to sync with the company's devices, it always gets the job done so I'd be inclined to choose a newer device like the Vivoactive HR over the Garmin Swim.

Valentina Palladino



Listing image by Valentina Palladino