I’m updating how I review and rate products. One thing I’m including is a brand assessment because when you buy a sports watch, you are buying more than just the piece of metal/plastic in your hand. Is there good support? Is the company financially secure? Does the company guarantee updates for a reasonable, stated period? And more. I welcome any feedback either here or privately.
Garmin now owns TrainingPeaks, so rival brands that sync with TrainingPeaks now feed your training into a platform run by a competitor. That is one finding from a new comparison of how the companies behind sports watches treat and interact with their customers. Battery life and GPS accuracy are not part of it. Those stay in each review.
What I found
- Polar is the only brand with a written 5-year support commitment. Its auditor also drew attention to the company’s going-concern discussion in the 2025 accounts.
- Coros has the clearest repair deal: a battery for $59 to $89, a screen for $79 to $119, or a refurbished swap, up to three years after the warranty ends.
- Samsung promises 5 OS upgrades and 5 years of security patches on the Watch 9 and Ultra 2, the longest published promise. Older watches do not get it.
- Suunto, Polar, and Coros offer a 2-year warranty worldwide. Garmin, Apple, Samsung and Google give 1 year in the US and rely on consumer law for the second year in the UK and EU.
- Google forced Fitbit owners onto Google accounts, and has deleted unmigrated data since 15 July 2026. It also promises only 3 years of OS updates on Pixel Watch.
- Wahoo shut down RGT 18 months after buying it. It has supported open ANT+ and Bluetooth since 2012.
- Suunto grew revenue 27% to 106.5m euros in 2025, but it cut research spending by 31% and staff by 22%.
- Apple offers phone, chat and store support, but it works with iPhone only.
- Amazfit is the cheapest and charges no subscription. Its parent, Zepp, lost $40m in 2025.
- Garmin is the most financially secure of the dedicated sports watch makers, with $7.25bn in revenue and over $4bn in cash. It makes no written promise about how long it will support a watch you already own.
How I judged it
Every point answers one of nine questions, such as whether the company will still support your watch for as long as you own it, and whether it treats your data as yours. There are no scores. Each brand gets a short list of pros and cons, and each point rests on a source I can cite. Ownership and nationality appear as facts, not judgements. The full method is in how I test.
Read the detail
The brand comparison page puts all nine brands side by side. Each brand page now opens with its own pros and cons: Garmin, Suunto, Apple, Amazfit, Polar, Coros, Google and Fitbit and Wahoo. Samsung has no brand page yet, so it appears only on the comparison page. Everything here is correct as of 29 September 2026.
Last Updated on 29 September 2026 by the5krunner
Small things I always use
- Garmin 90-degree charging adapter: Charges your Garmin from any USB-C cable. Essential when travelling. I use one.
- Body Glide: The blue anti-chafe stick swimmers and runners carry. I use it.
- Speedo earplugs: Fewer ear infections and no cold-water dizziness. I use them.
- Maurten: Race fuel that stays easy on the stomach. I use them.
- Garmin charging puck: The quickest way to top up before a session. I use one.
- Injinji: Toe socks that stop rubbing, so you run more. I use them.
- Cellucor C4: My pre-workout before hard sessions.
- TPU tubes: Schwalbe Aerothan, Tubolito and Pirelli SmarTube. Light, tiny spares. I use all three.
Watches and sensors
- Polar H10: My daily driver for waking HRV.
- Polar Verity Sense: My backup arm-worn HR sensor.
- Nomad bedside charger: Charges my iPhone and Apple Watch overnight. I use it, and many of their bands.
- Train.Red: The best muscle oxygen sensor I’ve used.
- Garmin Forerunner 970: A pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
- Apple Watch Ultra 4: My daily smartwatch. No phone needed on rides.
- Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: I’ve just bought one.
On the bike
- Continental GP5000 for everyday riding, and Aero 111 on the front for special occasions.
- Ravemen FR300: A front light that mounts under your Garmin or Wahoo. I use one.
- Wahoo TRACKR Radar: I use it on one bike and Varia on the other. They perform the same.
- Garmin Varia RTL515: Radar that warns you of cars from behind. I use this model.
- Wahoo ELEMNT Roam 3: The bike computer that’s easy to use. I use mine on most rides.
- Favero Assioma Pro RS2: Accurate power pedals that swap easily between bikes. I use this model.
Home and indoor training
- Google Wifi: Keeps Zwift connected in my pain cave. I use it.
- Apple TV 4K: Zwift on the big screen. I use two.
- Google Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd gen): My video doorbell, running in both Google Home and Apple Home. I use it.
Health, recovery and sleep
- FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus: Shows how my blood sugar responds to diet.
- hDrop: Measures my sweat loss in summer and indoors.
- Fourth Frontier Zone: Checks my heart under load in hard sessions.
- Oura Ring 5: My partner’s recovery tracker of choice.
- Kineon MOVE+: Red light therapy for niggles. It works.
- Eight Sleep: A cooling mattress cover my partner and I use nightly.
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Written by real people, with AI assistance. Fact-checked and verified for originality. See the Editorial Policy. FTC: Affiliate Disclosure — some links pay commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors. ID
