I’ll be honest—finding a smartwatch that actually survives consistent swimming and gives you useful data is harder than it should be. I’ve gone through dozens of these things, and half of them start glitching the moment you submerge them. So let me save you some headache.
This guide covers the best waterproof fitness watches I’ve actually tested in pools, during gym sessions, and in everyday use. I’ll give you my take on each one, what I liked, what I didn’t, and which ones are worth your money.
No time to read the full breakdown? Here’s my quick take:
Let’s get into the details.
I wore each watch for at least two weeks. Here’s what I checked:
Water resistance: I took these swimming—actual laps, not just splashing around. Some claim to handle 50 meters but act weird after 20 minutes of breaststroke. I also tested sweat, rain, and shower scenarios.
Tracking accuracy: I compared heart rate and distance data against other devices and, in some cases, gym equipment. Not all watches are created equal here.
Battery life: I tested GPS tracking, always-on displays, and typical daily use. Some claims are realistic; others are fantasy.
Usability: Can you actually change settings with wet fingers? Is the swim interface intuitive? Do you need a PhD to understand the app?
I made these calls based on actual use, not specs on a box.
The Series 9 is the whole package if you’re in the Apple ecosystem. 5ATM water resistance handles pool swimming, surfing, and most recreational water activities without drama. The SwimTracker app figures out when you’re swimming and logs your laps, stroke type, distance, and calories burned.
The S9 chip lets Siri process requests on-device, which is genuinely useful when you need workout info but don’t want to dig through menus. The display hits 2000 nits—bright enough to read while doing laps or sitting in direct sunlight.
The double-tap gesture is what sells me, though. During a workout, I can start, pause, or answer calls without grabbing a sweaty screen. That’s actually useful.
Battery is the weak spot. You’ll get around 18 hours with normal use, but heavy fitness tracking and always-on display will have you reaching for the charger by dinner.
The good: Smooth ecosystem, blood oxygen and ECG sensors, bright display, automatic swim detection
The not-so-good: iPhone only, battery life lags behind Garmin, pricey, limited watch face options
Price: $399+
Garmin knows athletes, and the Forerunner 265 proves it. 5ATM water resistance handles swimming and water sports fine. The AMOLED display looks great and stays readable outside.
Here’s what makes this worth considering: the training intelligence. The watch suggests daily workouts based on your recovery status, gives you morning reports, and tracks acute load to help prevent overtraining. Multi-band GPS is accurate even in tricky spots like urban canyons or tree cover.
Swimmers get dedicated profiles tracking distance, pace, stroke count, and SWOLF scores. It auto-detects rest periods and gives interval prompts. Battery is ridiculous—up to 15 days in watch mode, 24 hours with GPS and music.
The good: Insane battery life, professional training metrics, excellent GPS, detailed swim analytics, no subscription required
The not-so-good: Some models skip contactless payments, chunky design, fewer apps than Apple, touchscreen less responsive when wet
Price: $449+
Samsung actually designed this for water use. IP68 plus 5ATM means it’s good for 50 meters depth. The Swimming workout mode tracks sessions and counts laps without you touching anything.
The new BioActive sensors measure heart rate, blood oxygen, and body composition more accurately than before. During swims, these sensors track effort and compare your performance to past sessions. It auto-recognizes freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly.
Samsung’s Health app gives you a swimming efficiency score—useful if you’re trying to improve your stroke. You can also use it for recreational snorkeling, though don’t take it scuba diving.
Battery is about 40 hours normally, 20 hours with GPS running.
The good: Dedicated swimming modes, automatic stroke detection, body composition analysis, rotating bezel is easy to use, competitive price
The not-so-good: Battery doesn’t last as long as Garmin, best features need a Samsung phone, limited app selection, Bixby isn’t great
Price: $329+
If you want the most rugged option available, this is it. 10ATM water resistance handles 100 meters—serious swimmers and divers can use this without worry. Titanium bezel and sapphire crystal mean it survives drops and impacts.
This thing has everything: multi-band GPS, topographic maps, golf courses, ski resorts, dive metrics. The LED flashlight built in is unexpectedly handy for early morning runs or finding things in a gym bag.
Training readiness scores tell you when to push and when to rest. Battery life is wild—22 days in watch mode, 57 hours in GPS mode. The solar version lasts even longer.
It’s expensive, heavy, and has a learning curve. But if you need the most complete feature set, nothing else comes close.
The good: 10ATM rating, battery lasts for weeks, maps everywhere, training and recovery analytics, built-in flashlight
The not-so-good: Expensive, bulky, complex to learn, touchscreen limited in some modes
Price: $799+
The Sense 2 is for people who care more about overall wellness than competitive metrics. 5ATM handles swimming, though it’s not as detailed as Garmin’s swim tracking. What sets it apart is the holistic health stuff—continuous heart rate, SpO2, sleep staging, skin temperature, and a cEDA sensor that detects stress.
If you want to know how you’re sleeping, recover from workouts, and manage stress throughout the day, this does that well. The design is comfortable enough to wear 24/7, which matters for accurate sleep tracking.
Battery is about six days with normal use, less with heavy GPS tracking.
The good: Comprehensive health monitoring, great sleep tracking, stress management tools, comfortable to wear constantly, more affordable than Apple
The not-so-good: Swimming features are basic, now part of Google ecosystem, fewer sports profiles than Garmin, battery not as strong
Price: $249+
The Pixel Watch 2 runs clean Wear OS software and integrates nicely with Android. 5ATM handles swimming, and Google’s Fitbit-powered tracking is solid. The design is compact and looks more like regular jewelry than a sports device.
It auto-detects workouts, tracks heart rate continuously, and analyzes sleep well. The rotating crown makes navigation easy even mid-workout. AI-powered Personal Health Insights give you contextual guidance based on your patterns.
Swimming support covers what casual swimmers need—stroke detection, lap counting, duration. It’s not as detailed as Garmin, but it’s fine for recreational use. Battery is about 24 hours, so you’ll charge it daily with heavy use.
The good: Sleek design, great Google integration, excellent Fitbit tracking, lots of apps via Wear OS, lightweight feel
The not-so-good: Android only (no iOS support), battery lasts a day, premium price, proprietary charger
Price: $349+
Amazfit keeps delivering solid value. The GTR 4 has 5ATM water resistance, dual-band GPS, and 14-day battery life—really, two weeks—for way less than the premium brands.
It offers 150+ sports modes including swimming with automatic stroke recognition. The Zepp app gives post-workout analysis including swim efficiency scores. The battery claim is real; I’ve tested it.
The trade-off is polish. The app isn’t as refined as Apple or Garmin, health sensors aren’t as accurate, and there’s no contactless payments. But for basic fitness tracking and reliable waterproofing, it’s a solid deal.
The good: Two-week battery life, dual-band GPS, 150+ sports modes, affordable, lightweight
The not-so-good: Health sensors less accurate, app not as polished, limited app selection, no payments
Price: $199+
The Ultra 2 is Apple’s most rugged watch, built for extreme athletes. 10ATM water resistance means you can actually scuba dive with it to 40 meters—not just pool swim.
The 49mm case gives you a brighter display (3000 nits) and way better battery (36 hours normal, up to 72 in Low Power Mode). Titanium case and sapphire crystal handle serious abuse. Dual speakers work underwater.
Dive computer apps turn this into a legitimate scuba companion—depth, no-decompression limits, safety stops. The Action button lets you launch any workout instantly.
The good: 10ATM with dive computer, 36+ hour battery, super durable, biggest brightest display, precision GPS
The not-so-good: Massive case too big for many wrists, most expensive option, iPhone only, heavy
Price: $799+
| Model | Water Resistance | Battery Life | Price | Great For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Watch Series 9 | 5ATM | 18 hours | $399+ | iPhone users |
| Garmin Forerunner 265 | 5ATM | 15 days | $449+ | Serious training |
| Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 | 5ATM | 40 hours | $329+ | Swimming |
| Garmin Fenix 7 Pro | 10ATM | 22 days | $799+ | Everything |
| Fitbit Sense 2 | 5ATM | 6 days | $249+ | Wellness |
| Google Pixel Watch 2 | 5ATM | 24 hours | $349+ | Android |
| Amazfit GTR 4 | 5ATM | 14 days | $199+ | Budget |
| Apple Watch Ultra 2 | 10ATM | 36 hours | $799+ | Diving |
Let me clear up some confusion here:
5ATM (50 meters): Good for swimming, surfing, showering. Don’t take it scuba diving. Some manufacturers are conservative with these ratings; others are generous.
10ATM (100 meters): Handles swimming, snorkeling, some diving. Still not for serious commercial diving.
IP68: Varies wildly by company. Some handle brief submersion fine; others barely survive splashing. Don’t assume IP68 means “as good as 5ATM.”
One more thing: water resistance degrades. Soap, salt, and chlorinated water wear on seals. If you swim regularly, expect it to fade faster than if you never get it wet.
If you’re serious about swimming, prioritize automatic stroke detection, lap counting, SWOLF scores, and interval support. Without these, you’re just timing yourself with a fancy stopwatch.
GPS kills batteries. Always-on displays kill batteries. If you do long workouts, get something that lasts 20+ hours in GPS mode—or you’ll be that person with a dead watch halfway through a long run.
iPhone? Apple Watch is obvious. Android? You have real options—Samsung, Google, Garmin, Fitbit. Pick based on what you already use.
SpO2, ECG, skin temperature—these vary a lot. Decide if you actually need them or if they’re nice-to-have fluff you’re paying for.
For most people, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 hits the sweet spot. Good swim tracking, solid health features, works with Android, doesn’t cost a fortune.
iPhone users should just get the Apple Watch. The ecosystem advantage is real, and the Series 9 does everything well enough.
If battery life matters to you—especially for long workouts—go Garmin. The Forerunner 265 is the best value in their lineup, and the Fenix 7 Pro is overkill most people don’t need.
And if you’re on a budget? The Amazfit GTR 4 proves you don’t need to spend $400+ for something that won’t die in the pool.
The best watch is the one you’ll actually wear and use. Don’t overthink the specs—just pick what fits your budget, your phone, and your habits, and get swimming.
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