Summary

The Sigma iD.TRI is refreshing.

With its Germanic efficiency, it strips back functionalities to just those that are needed. But that does NOT mean “strips back functionalities to make it easier to manufacture“…NO. The iD.TRI has many PROPER triathlon functionalities included that much of the competition omits, even at much more expensive price points. For example, you can create a custom multi-sport profile.

Download structured workouts from Training Peaks and upload the results to Strava?…no problemo. Find a route on Komoot and follow it on the watch?…You betcha.

Want to add alerts to remind you to eat/drink in longer races? Yep. Want to link and sync to STRVA, GPSies and Training Peaks?Yep. Want to pair to an ANT+ power meter and a BLE chest strap? Yep. Want to follow courses? Yep. Yep. Yeppity. Yep. Yep.

Those are just examples of the many TRUE tri-related functions in the iD.TRI.

The Sigma iD.TRI is going to be a good first tri watch for many people that, in reality, you’d probably keep as you get better. If you really want a sport-focussed, small-format GPS watch then this one really is going to be very hard to beat at the price. It really does have all the ‘must-have’ functions that you NEED for a triathlon AND quite a few more relevant AND useful ones. Of course, it won’t make a latte and it won’t let you pay for one with NFC, that’s OK, you KNOW you don’t need that for sport.

My main stumbling block so far has been getting used to the button interface on the iD.TRI. It’s great that the iD.TRI is button-based rather than using a touchscreen but it is different to what I am used to. Yet the reality is that once YOU are used to it, you’ll be fine. The wider platform presents mixed blessings too, the various software elements just don’t seem to gel together despite working well in themselves. Instinctively I don’t like the platform, however, in truth, you are given a perfectly capable reporting tool on the app and a bit more analytical oomph on the web. More than enough for a quick 5-minutes of trend spotting.

In reality though, if the iD.TRI was my only watch, I’d probably be relying on STRAVA as my day-to-day interface with my sports data and then delving into some of Sigma’s functionality only when I want to do more unusual things like tweaking the sports profiles and loading up routes and structured workouts.

The iD.TRI is good and if you can find it for sub $/Eu/$150…it’s unbeatable.

Vaguely similar alternatives include: Apple Watch 3 (less sporty, more expensive), Garmin Forerunner 735XT (sporty, bigger and more expensive), Garmin Forerunner 920XT (sporty, much bigger and more expensive), Polar Vantage M (not too much bigger but more expensive), Suunto 5 (not too much bigger but more expensive), Amazfit Stratos (bigger, sporty, variable prices), Coros Apex 42mm (not too much bigger but more expensive).