Top 5 watches for mountain climbers

Unlike traditional watches, mountaineering and hiking watches come with many extra  features. These watches track more than just time. Today’s advanced watches can monitor several things, such as barometric pressure, distance covered heart rate and much more. It can be confusing when choosing the right watch for mountain climbing. We have created a guide to buying the best watch according to your needs.

Features of a hiking watch

It is better to choose a hiking watch that has the features that you want. There is no need to pay extra for features you will not use for mountain climbing. Below are some must-consider features of a mountain climbing watch.

• Altimeter
• Barometer
• Compass
• GPS
• Good battery life
• Durable

Altimeter:

An altimeter monitors the altitude above sea level, which can be very useful when climbing the mountain. The atmospheric pressure is measured to determine the altitude. Watches with an altimeter will be a great addition to your climbing gear.

Barometer:

A barometer measures the difference in air pressure. With a barometric watch, you can predict weather conditions you may have to face in the mountains.

Compass:

A compass is another must-have feature of a hiking or mountaineering watch. This helps you keep going in the right direction. A built-in compass watch is better to check the direction using a traditional compass.

GPS:

In modern watches, a watch with GPS is not a big deal. It provides real-time location, altitude and speed you are going with. It is a must-have feature a hiking watch should have.

Good battery life:

A watch full of features requires long battery life. It may take several days to complete mountain climbing, make sure the watch has good battery life. Or you can have a power bank with you.

Durable:

With all the above features, a watch should also be durable to withstand tough terrain. A watch with many features but lacks durability will waste money.

Top watches for mountain climbing

To help you choose between the best watches for mountain climbing. We have shortlisted a list of the best watches for climbers. Before you choose any watch, you must look at the following watches.

• Rolex Explorer II
• GarminFenix 5x Plus
• Polar Grit x

Rolex Explorer II

Before you dive into digital watches, here is one of the best mechanical luxury watches in Dubai which is Rolex Explorer II. It is considered a mountaineering watch due to its durability.  The following are features of this watch.

• Oyster Steel

Rolex explorer is manufactured using oyster steel, one of the most resistant to corrosion. For the misty weather of the mountains, oyster steel will keep your watch safe.

• Chromalight Luminous

The numbers on the dial are luminous, letting you see the dark time. And the fixed 24-hour bezel and extra hand keep you telling if it is the time of day or night.

• Classic design

Rolex Explorer II is for old-school lovers who love wearing simple, clean-designed watches.

Garmin fenix 5X Plus

It is an ultimate multi-feature watch and is considered one of the best for hiking and mountain climbing. Some of its main features are discussed below:

• GPS, altimeter and heart rate monitor

This watch has basic features like a GPS, altimeter and heart rate monitor. All these features are highly useful when hiking at higher altitudes. It helps in determining location-based information. It can also be very helpful in case of any misadventure.

• Topographical map

Unlike most hiking watches, Gamil Fenix 5X plus features a topo color map that helps routing. With the preloaded data, you can choose the best route you think will be. It shows the most used pathway which you can follow.

• Quick change straps.

It comes with a feature to quickly change the watch strap. You can use the band color, the color that suits your clothes. All you have to do is to swap, click, and you are ready to go. You can find these bands in different materials like silicone, metal or leather, according to your choice.

Polar Grit x

It is one of the lightest hiking watches available in the market and is the choice of thousands of hikers. Below are some main features discussed briefly.

• Long battery life:

Polar Grit x comes with a battery life of up to 7 days in watch mode. At the same time, it can last up to 40 hrs with all its features.

• Navigation

This watch features a navigation by Komoot. It guides you turn by turn to keep you on the right track. It has an altimeter and barometer that allows you to adjust your body according to the weather conditions.

• Weather forecast:

Unlike other watches that only show the current weather, it can display a weather forecast of two days, which can be life-saving during your journey.

Rolex Explorer 2

Suunto 9 Non-Baro

This watch is mainly designed for athletes who want to keep track of their exercise. But it can be used for hiking as it has basic features a good hiking watch should have, some of which are discussed below.

• Sports apps connectivity

You can connect to your favorite sports app to keep track of exercise. Suunto has its health app that can be used.

• Music app

You can connect your watch to your mobile to control the music on your headset. It can be used for pausing, skipping and controlling the volume of songs.

• Durable

High-quality material has been used for manufacturing, making it a durable watch. You can wear it in rough terrain and water. It is 100-meter water resistant, enough to swim wearing it at any depth.

Coros Vertix GPS Adventure watch

It is a lightweight hiking watch with features that a mountain climber needs. It also has a long battery life making it even great for hiking. Have a look at its features.

• Tracking sensor

This watch comes with an optical heart rate monitor, barometric altimeter, accelerometer, compass, gyroscope, thermometer and calorie tracking. It saves all your physical data and makes recommendations accordingly.

• Battery life

When it comes to its battery life, it is at the top of the list. Its battery can last up to 45 days in watch mode and up to 60 hours when in GPS mode. There cannot be a better choice for campers, hikers, and climbers.