Watches can do everything these days!
Some smartwatches for example can give you all your fitness tracking data, all your social media notifications and provide you with a GPS signal.
Not all watches are suitable to take skiing however. They also have to be durable, waterproof.
We have looked at the best watches for skiing out on the market today, and have identified our Top 5, reviews of which will follow shortly.
After that we have a little buying guide for you, going through everything you might like to think about before buying your watch.
Best Watches For Skiing – Reviews
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Best Watches For Skiing – Buyers Guide
There are all sorts of watch features that can come in handy when you’re out on the slopes. We’re going to run through what we deem to be the most important features here for you now, and hopefully that will help you decide which watch is the one for you.
Waterproof Rating
To get the most out of your watch for skiing, you’ll want to wear it over your ski jacket, and you certainly don’t want any melted snow to damage your watch. That’s why it’s important that your watch is waterproof as opposed to water resistant. All of the watches in our Top 5 are waterproof to some extent.
Waterproofing is best judged by the IP rating. An IP rating consists of two numbers, the first number representing resistance to dust and the second number representing resistance to water. Higher numbers correspond to greater resistance.
For a skiing watch, we strongly recommend that you get a watch with an IP rating of at least IP67 or IP68. Anything below an IP65 is not going to be good enough. Objects with an IP rating of IP67 are typically described as being protected from immersion in water with a depth of up to 1 meter (or 3.3 feet) for up to 30 mins.
GPS
We would also recommend that your watch is GPS enabled. This means that your watch will give off a GPS signal to a global positioning satellite system, to help you to identify exactly where you are. This is essential should you detour from any set skiing routes, and if there were any possibility that you could get lost.
GPS is the most well known global positioning satellite system, but there are others besides, and it’s better to have a watch that is enabled for more navigation systems rather than just the one.
ABC (Altimeter, Barometer, Compass)
Before the advent of GPS, outdoor sport enthusiasts relied on altimeters, barometers and compasses in their watches. Although they’re not as necessary now, they still seem to be a popular feature, and they can provide more accurate data than the GPS can on certain things.
How it works, is that a barometric sensor within the watch detects changes in air pressure. And since air pressure is lower on higher altitudes,the altimeter is then able to show both your current altitude, as well as the change in altitude.
Normally a barometric altimeter is only able to detect vertical changes, but when this is combined with GPS data you get better, more reliable information.
Should you find yourself without a GPS signal, a watch with a digital compass becomes very handy. One with a 3 axis compass would be best since it gives you accurate information.
The other advantage of a watch with a barometric sensor is that, if there’s a sudden change in air pressure, it can warn you that a storm is coming, in enough time to get you off the slope and find shelter.
Durability
If you’re taking a watch skiing, it’s best to invest in a watch that can take a knock, perhaps with stainless steel or resin in the casing. You’ll also want a clock face that’s scratch resistant, perhaps with mineral glass or maybe even sapphire glass.
Smartwatch Features
There are several apps dedicated to skiing available on both Apple and Android watches. It is beyond the scope of this article to go into any depth comparing the individual apps. If you do decide to go for a smartwatch, you need to ensure that it’s compatible with your smartphone.
If you want a smartwatch that you can make calls from (since you’re unlikely to take your smartphone out on the slopes) then you’ll need a watch with it’s own SIM card slot.
Battery Life
The watch’s battery life is also an important consideration. Using the GPS function on a watch really drains its battery, so ideally you’ll want a rechargeable battery that will last you all day, that you can simply recharge when you get back to the chalet at night.
