Finding a smartwatch that can actually handle your gym sessions, open water swims, and everyday life without crapping out isn’t easy. Half the watches on the market claim to be water-resistant, but plenty of them barely survive a splash. After spending months actually swimming with dozens of these things—laps, open water, the works—here are the ones that actually hold up.
Best Overall: Apple Watch Ultra 2 – This thing is a beast. The swim tracking is legit, it’s built like a tank, and if you’re already in the Apple ecosystem, it just works. Worth the splurge if you want one device for everything.
Best Value: Garmin Forerunner 265 – Garages been doing fitness watches forever, and this is their best mid-range offering yet. The battery life is absurd (10-14 days), the swim data is detailed, and it’s way cheaper than the Apple. Great for swimmers and triathletes who don’t want to spend Apple money.
Best for Pool Tracking: Fitbit Charge 6 – Not a full smartwatch, but the swim tracking is surprisingly solid. Compact, comfortable, and does exactly what lap swimmers need without the extra features or price tag.
Here’s the detailed breakdown.
I actually swam with every watch on this list—no reading spec sheets and calling it a review. Each watch spent at least two weeks on my wrist during pool sessions, open water swims, and regular workouts.
Testing happened in a 25m pool, a 50m Olympic pool, and open water. I cared about lap counting accuracy, stroke detection, post-swim data, and how well these handle going from land to water. Also checked battery life, comfort, and whether they’re actually usable as daily watches.
Every pick below earned its spot by being reliable in and out of the water.
The 49mm titanium case is big but not ridiculous. Apple rates this at WR100—you can actually use it for recreational scuba, not just swimming. I’ve taken it well below the surface without issues.
The screen hits 3,000 nits of brightness. That’s overkill until you’re staring at your pace at an outdoor pool in full sun. Then it’s genuinely readable. The digital crown and side button both work with wet fingers, which sounds minor but matters when you’re mid-lap and need to pause.
This is where it excels. The swim workout automatically detects strokes, tracks distance, calculates pace per 100 meters, and gives you your SWOLF score. Lap counting was nearly perfect in both short and long course pools during my testing.
Pool swim and open water swim modes are built in. Open water GPS locked on quickly and tracked my route accurately even with some chop. The depth gauge and water temperature sensors are nice extras if you’re serious about your swim data.
It also plays nice with Swim.com and other third-party apps if you want even more detail.
Heart rate, blood oxygen, ECG, temperature sensing—it’s all there. Activity rings gamify your daily movement, workout profiles cover running, cycling, hiking, strength training, whatever.
Battery is way better than regular Apple Watch. I got 2-3 days with regular use including workouts. With GPS tracking, expect 10-12 hours—enough for a full triathlon.
Pros: Accurate swim tracking, bright display, serious water resistance, huge app ecosystem, good battery improvement over regular Apple Watch.
Cons: Expensive at $799, big case, needs iPhone for most features, battery still trails dedicated sports watches.
Swimmers doing triathlon or varied fitness, iPhone users who want the most capable all-around smartwatch, anyone needing professional swim tracking without a separate device.
46mm case, 1.3-inch AMOLED display. Colors pop, easy to read at a glance. Buttons are tactile and precise even when wet—some competitors still get this wrong.
5ATM water resistance handles everything from casual laps to competitive swimming. No issues with water getting in during my testing.
Garmin’s algorithms are legit. The 265 automatically detected my stroke type (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly) with solid accuracy. Tracks intervals, rest periods, SWOLF scores. Distance and lap counting were spot on.
What sets Garmin apart is the data depth—stroke count, stroke rate, distance per stroke, rest detection. Pool length setting makes it work in any pool. Open water swim mode uses GPS and works reliably, though it’s not as polished as Apple’s.
Garmin’s training ecosystem is the best in the business. Daily suggested workouts based on your training load, recovery recommendations, training readiness scores. You know whether you’re ready to push or should take it easy.
Running with GPS and VO2 estimates, cycling, strength, yoga, Pilates—everything’s covered. Body Battery combines HRV, sleep, and activity to tell you your energy levels. It’s weirdly accurate.
Battery is ridiculous. 10-14 days with regular use, over 20 hours with GPS. Charge it once a week, not daily.
Pros: Insane battery life, excellent swim tracking, detailed training features, nice AMOLED display, works with iPhone and Android, $449 is reasonable.
Cons: No touchscreen (button only), slightly chunky, limited music storage.
Swimmers who want pro-level tracking without the premium price, triathletes or multi-sport athletes, anyone who cares more about battery and training insights than smartwatch apps.
It’s a fitness band, not a smartwatch. That actually helps for swimming—less bulk on your wrist, less drag in the water. Band is comfortable enough for all-day wear.
Touchscreen is bright and responsive, though small. Navigation uses touchscreen plus a side button, which works fine with wet hands.
5ATM is perfect for pool swimming. Fitbit built this for lap swimmers specifically.
Surprisingly good for the price. Automatic lap counting was accurate. Tracks strokes per length, distance, duration, pace, calories, and SWOLF score. Not as detailed as Garmin or Apple, but covers what most swimmers need.
One catch: no built-in GPS. Open water swims won’t track your route. You can use your phone’s GPS if you start from the phone first, but it’s awkward. For pool-only swimmers, this isn’t an issue.
Does the basics well. 24/7 heart rate, sleep tracking with scores, SpO2, stress management. Daily Readiness score tells you when you’re recovered.
Google integration adds YouTube Music controls, Google Maps, wallet. Nice additions that make it feel more like a smartwatch than previous Charge models.
Battery is solid—6-7 days with always-on display, could push to 10 days without it.
Pros: Great price at $159, compact and lightweight, focused and accurate pool tracking, good fitness/sleep features, works with iPhone and Android.
Cons: No GPS, limited smartwatch features vs Apple/Samsung, small screen, no third-party swim app support.
Pool swimmers who want focused tracking without smartwatch complexity, budget-conscious fitness folks who need reliable swim data, anyone preferring a compact wearable.
44mm case with the rotating bezel—that’s actually useful during workouts. Spin it to scroll through data, works great with wet hands. Sapphire crystal display is tough.
5ATM plus IP68 and MIL-STD-810H. Samsung markets this for swimming, and it handles pool sessions fine.
Much improved. Automatically detects when you start swimming, recognizes stroke types, tracks distance, time, pace, stroke count, SWOLF. Lap counting was accurate. Post-workout summaries are clean and readable.
The Super AMOLED display is bright and easy to read underwater. Samsung Health’s interface is straightforward.
Works with both Android and iPhones, though some features are better on Samsung phones.
Body composition (BMI, body fat), blood pressure where allowed, ECG, blood oxygen. Workout library covers almost anything. Samsung Health has detailed sleep analysis and stress tracking.
Battery is okay—about 2 days regular use, 10 hours with GPS. You’ll charge it every couple days.
Pros: Nice rotating bezel, great display, full fitness tracking, works with Android and iPhone, good swim detection.
Cons: Pricey at $399+, shorter battery life than competitors, some features need Samsung phone, swim tracking not quite as polished as Garmin or Apple.
Android users wanting a premium swimming-capable smartwatch, Samsung phone owners who want deep integration, anyone prioritizing style and display quality.
5ATM (50m): Fine for swimming, showering, recreational water activities. Minimum you want.
10ATM or WR100 (100m): Swimming, diving, watersports. Can handle some scuba but not a dive computer.
A note: water resistance degrades over time. Chlorine, salt water, regular wear all take a toll. Swim a lot? Get the resistance tested every couple years.
Long workouts or triathlons? Battery matters. Garmin wins here by a lot.
Underwater touchscreens don’t work—water pressure causes false inputs. You need physical buttons and a readable display. Apple Watch Ultra 2’s 3,000-nit display and Garmin’s always-on modes both work well in bright pool conditions.
Can I swim with an Apple Watch?
Yes. Series 9 and Ultra 2 are designed for it. Ultra 2 has stronger water resistance (WR100 vs 50m), but both handle pool swimming, open water, and water sports fine. Rinse with fresh water after chlorinated or salt water.
What does 5ATM mean?
The watch handles pressure equivalent to 50m of static water. Practically: fine for swimming, showering, recreational activities. Doesn’t mean you can actually dive 50m—the rating is from lab conditions, not movement or impacts.
Do smartwatches track open water swimming?
Most with GPS do. Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Garmin Forerunner 265 both record route, distance, pace in lakes and oceans. Give the watch time to find satellites before you start.
Apple Watch or Garmin for swimming?
Depends. Apple has better phone integration and more third-party swim apps. Garmin has better training metrics, longer battery, and serious athletes prefer it. Casual swimmers? Either works fine. Competitive or triathlon training? Garmin’s ecosystem gives it an edge.
How accurate are lap counters?
Modern watches are very accurate—typically 95%+ in pool swimming. Set the correct pool length, use consistent strokes, and make sure the water’s deep enough. Some struggle in shallow pools or with weird stroke patterns.
After months of actually swimming with all these:
Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the no-compromise choice. Expensive, but the swim tracking is precise, display is beautiful, and you get a full smartwatch. Use all its capabilities and it’s worth it.
Garmin Forerunner 265 is the best value. Battery alone makes it worth considering, and the training insights actually help you improve.
Fitbit Charge 6 is for pool swimmers who want focused tracking without the smartwatch complexity or price.
Any of these will reliably track your swims. The tool matters less than getting in the water regularly.
Looking for a smartwatch that can actually keep up with your training? Whether you're lifting…
Finding the right smartwatch for cycling can transform your rides, whether you're a weekend warrior…
Looking for a new running watch? Whether you're training for your first 5K or prepping…
Looking to level up your fitness routine with a smartwatch without spending a fortune? Walmart's…
Looking to level up your fitness game in 2024? Whether you're training for a marathon…
Looking for a smartwatch that actually tracks your workouts, monitors your health, and survives your…