There is no question that GPS watches are very useful to men and women who run to lose fat and stay fit. To those who run to compete or who want to keep pushing their body’s limits, they are indispensable. GPS watches are the best way to monitor pace, distance, and time of run. This provides runners the information they need when they have to decide whether to speed up or slow down when running. The other features of GPS watches, such as a heart rate monitor, calorie counter, chronograph, and thermometer are added bonuses.

There are only four manufacturers of GPS watches at present: Suunto, Garmin, Timex, and Polar. Although Casio was the first to introduce a GPS watch with the Casio Pathfinder in January 1999, it has since discontinued production. A top runner’s magazine reviewed products from the four manufacturers and ended up recommending one watch from each of them.

Suunto. The company offers a range of GPS watch models but the T4 comes with strong recommendations. It is described as elegant yet functional. It can keep data on your last 15 workouts and displays them in a format that is easy to understand. It is an excellent recorder of distance and speed, but it does not register elevation gain.

Garmin. The Garmin Forerunner 305 features a large display that is easy to read even while running. Pace, distance, grade, heading, and maximum heart rate are easily tracked, thanks to its first-rate GPS functionality. Further, the Forerunner 305 appears to have addressed the problem of losing GPS signals when running in trails where there are tall trees, or in the city where there are tall buildings. It is this that makes Garmin the dominant force in the GPS watch industry.

Polar. Of the watches offered by Polar, the RS800 comes with recommendations. Its screen display can be customized to show extra information, such as altitude and stride rate, in addition to the basics. It provides accurate information on how fast and how far you are running. One weakness, however, is that it does not provide location data. It cannot help you re-trace your steps on your way back.

Timex. The Ironman Bodylink is the easiest to operate among the four watches. You don’t even have to read it manual to get it up and running with you. Strap it on, push a few buttons and it will show your speed, distance, heart rate, and other data. It also has the additional feature of an alarm that will sound off if your fall below or exceed a pre-set pace.

On balance, all these four GPS watches that carry a load of information which runners need to fine tune their training are excellent running coaches. Your investment in any of them is certainly worth the potential improvement in your runs.

The technology for the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) has been around since the 1960s although it was as yet in a rudimentary and primitive stage relative to the system’s capabilities today. After long years of research and development, the United States Department of Defense finally launched the NAVSTAR GPS (Global Positioning System) which became fully operational in 1993.

GPS uses a minimum of 24 satellites to transmit microwave signals to GPS receivers all over the globe, which could be used to calculate the latter’s location, time, and velocity.

This system is now a very useful aid in worldwide navigation, map-making, land surveying, geosciences studies, and even in sports.

Initially, the use of NAVSTAR GPS was intended to be for military use only, but with the shooting of Korean Air Flight 007 by a Russian interceptor aircraft after it strayed into Russian airspace, then President Ronald Reagan issued a directive allowing civilians to use the GPS once operational. At the start of its operations, the best signals were still reserved for the military but this practice, called Selective Availability (SA), was ended in 2000. Civilian GPS then became more accurate in determining locations up to a radius of 1 meter. This provided the impetus for the development of GPS receivers that are more civilian user-friendly.

GPS watches are among these developments for civilians. As the name implies, a GPS watch is a wristwatch that incorporates GPS technology, which provides an accurate determination of location, time used to move from one point to another, and speed of travel. These data are important to serious runners, hikers, mountain climbers, bikers, and boaters.

Serious runners need to closely monitor their pace and distance covered especially when training for a race. Training programs for races ranging from a 5K to a marathon normally prescribe precise increments in both areas. A GPS watch gives the runner exact measurements. Hikers, bikers, and mountain climbers certainly do not want to lose their way in the wilderness or trails. A GPS watch is much better than a trace of bread crumbs when finding your way back. Although boaters now have navigational tools other than GPS watches, it is always a good idea to have multiple systems backing each other up especially when navigating without landmarks or in the dark.

In addition to GPS navigational tools, these watches also include other features such as a chronograph, barometer, altimeter, compass, thermometer, calorie counter, and heart rate monitor, thus making them a must have for true blue athletes and sportsmen.