Hi All
am looking to get a GPS watch for SUP and windsurfing to log / track distances, speeds etc. (make mates jealous on strava)
Can the running watches (Tom Tom, Garmin etc) that are water resistant to 5 atm stand up to wipeouts etc? Would rather spend $140 on one of these than $400 on a rip curl one...but not if its no good....
anyone have experience with these being ok?
Cheers
I've got the Suunto Ambit 2S, it has sup as a sport you can select and put on watch, I put all mine workouts onto strava from it - At work here I paddle up to 3 times a week, they are only short 2.5km DW and then back upwind, depending how strong the westerly at this time of year is can make the upwind over an hour to paddle back 2.5km, but the watch works accurately and I can see my track afterwards, I have mine set to ping my position every 1 second. will also work for surfing, however you will have to add surfing as a sport as it is not in it's automatic listings.
Ive got a Polar M400 that is rated to 30m and does all of the speed, distance, heart rate etc etc. also relatively small compared to many out there. Battery lasts for weeks without gps and still a few days with a couple of hours gps per day.
Select to expand quoteGnotukker said..
Hi All
am looking to get a GPS watch for SUP and windsurfing to log / track distances, speeds etc. (make mates jealous on strava)
Can the running watches (Tom Tom, Garmin etc) that are water resistant to 5 atm stand up to wipeouts etc? Would rather spend $140 on one of these than $400 on a rip curl one...but not if its no good....
anyone have experience with these being ok?
Cheers
I have the Tom Tom Multisport and it definitely can NOT stand up to surfing, the grit in the water destroys the seal around the input button. Experienced this 4 times now. I have also found that when I only used the Multisport for swimming laps in a pool the input button eventually failed too, lasted 9 months in the pool but only 2 months of regular surfing.
Tom Tom support has been excellent to deal with, android and iOS software are good, just wish they could handle the water. I actually have 2 Multisports now and the data tied in with the HRM and all the goodies fitted to my bike work 100% of the time, just dont take it anywhere near the water. 
I would like to get another sports watch for surfing and lap swimming so I will be following this thread with interest,
cheers,
DK
Got a nike+ gps sportswatch around 130 bucks from memory 3 years old still ticking only gives top speed and average speed but plug it in to pc draws a nice litte track on google earth
You could try Garmin Fenix (mulitsport) or 920xt (triathlon watch), I've worn a Garmin 620 (Running watch) windsurfing etc and it's been good.
Very lucky to actually get the rip curl one for a birthday present a month ago. Only used it in the surf a couple of times and a bit on flat water. Interesting to see what you do as in distance and top speed and time it took Gives a good overlay on Google maps
I'm sure others watches would give you more info as in heart rate average speed
So depends on what you want it to do. A mate has got a triathlon watch that tells you everything thing. That cost nearly $400. Don't know how that would go in the surf
Get what you pay for I guess
This is my sesh from today surfed waves from snapper to north kirra,took a couple of beatings in front groyne at Kirra, had watch for a few months, only gripe I can't get heart rate to work.
Thanks teatrea
exactly the proof I need!
thats the tomtom I am thinking of getting ( the Tomtom runner I think?). You haven't had the issues that Darryn had with the seals?
No mate, and I surf and swim with it a lot
as I said HR monitor does not work, not a big deal I know when Im fked don't need HR to tell me that
Garmin Fenix 3 works well, and it has a wave counter app with last wave statistics (in black) and wave of day statistics (in red). Seems to stand up to rough treatment. Latest release has inbuilt heart rate monitor.
Select to expand quoteairsail said..
Garmin Fenix 3 works well, and it has a wave counter app with last wave statistics (in black) and wave of day statistics (in red). Seems to stand up to rough treatment. Latest release has inbuilt heart rate monitor.
Got the Garmin 920xt with the same app... Except mine shows real measurements (i.e. metric)...
Have taken it out in head high and got totalled a couple of times. Comes up all right. The only problem is the water pressure does strange things to the barometric gauge. The pressure change makes it think I'm climbing mountains.
Have even been in small surf (and wiped out) with the HRM on (was in the middle of a training run and saw some nice little beachies...) and it survived too although the Heart Rate stats were a bit inconsistent as it kept on moving off my chest when I wiped out.
All in all the only thing I wish was that it would give me the stats on a wave per wave basis and save the lot. I take a photo of it after each session just to record the best stats for the day.
I have the Suunto Ambit 2 for SUP and windsurfing and have thrashed it. I have the saphire model with the hardened glass. The heart rate monitor has stopped working because I use it in salt water a lot and one of the two bands that secure the strap has broken, but that is a solid 18 months of use and abot 125 sessions on the water.
It is ideal for both SUP surfing and down winding and racing plus windsurfing. I didn't realise how many kms you clock up windsurfing in a good session! My record is 44km and that was wave sailing!
I've worn my Garmin forerunner 10 quite a few times in the surf and it survived. Good cheap watch - cost about $100 that you can upload to Strava via USB. Nothing fancy but it works.
I have the Ripcurl GPS watch picked up at SurfFX half price in their one day sale (nice of them really). I wouldn't pay full price for one I have to say. I like it for waves but haven't tried it DWing yet. I love the app and the e port you can look at the waves and also the paddling.
I used to have a polar but lost it in the surf when the wrist hit a paddle or rail or something so have been wary about surfing in an expensive watch in the surf since. So like the full band of the Ripcurl no linkages at the watch face to break.
I also have the vivoactive and was going to wear that in the surf with the app described above until I picked up the Ripcurl. But was hesitant due to the above issue.
If you surf more then the Ripcurl is good as it will give you individual waves if not then the Tom Tom looks good but haven't used them.
Good luck with it 
The Rip Curl GPS watch also works well on downwinders too - if you want to see distance paddled, time, waves caught (i.e. runners) and see a map of your route.
I have the Suunto ambit 3 works great cant fault it at all, I use it for windsurfing, SUP, Surfing. mountain biking, running, never misses a beat. Heaps of sports you can add to this , you can customise settings and displays, great app to view your sessions showing heaps of detail.
great watch, would highly recommend.
Check there website.
Some brands you have to be careful with as using GPS drains there batteries rather quick, no issues with the Ambit.
I was going to buy the rip curl but read to many issues people were having and limited to surfing.
So I bought the Tomtom multisport from Harvey Norman- $166 and it works a treat. Cant get reading in knots but otherwise spot on. Upload to strava no worries, no problem with water, can see how far, easy mapping, top and average speeds and time etc. Recommend.
thanks all
