The 7 Best Women’s Sports Watches to Buy in 2018

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Sports watches have come a long way from the models that just had a basic start and stop functionality. Today’s sports watches offer all kinds of features including split trackers, alarms, water resistance, nightlights, and calendars.

But, despite some new options, the appeal of sports watches remains the same. They’re usually much simpler, cheaper and easier to use than fancier, more complicated GPS watches or fitness apps on your phone. A sports watch is perfect if you want to time yourself during your workouts and perform other simple tasks such as taking splits or measuring your calories burned with just the simple press of a button. While there are loads of apps that offer the same functionality, there’s something to be said for the ease and convenience of having that information right on your wrist and not having to worry about your phone battery dying in the middle of a workout. Sports watches are also extremely durable and, unlike some GPS watches and phones, they can tolerate sweat, water, and extreme conditions.

If you know that you prefer the simplicity of a women’s sports watch and all its benefits, you still have some decisions to make. What type of features do you want? Does appearance matter, or are you just looking for a basic black watch? We’ve compiled a list of the best women’s sports watches and why they make the perfect training partner. Whatever your budget, needs and style, you’re sure to find one that’s worthy of adorning your wrist.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall: Timex Women's Ironman 30-Lap Digital Quartz Mid-Size Watch

The Timex Ironman Triathlon 30 is a long-time favorite among runners and other fitness enthusiasts and earns our top ranking for its outstanding performance, comfort, durability, versatility, and value.

This watch is loaded with features including their Indiglo night-light activation system, which gives you hands-free lighting after a quick hit of a button. It also features a 24-hour countdown timer complete with stop and repeat functions, alarm functionality and a 100-hour chronograph with lap and split times, capable of counting up to 99 laps. The lap memory recall lets you review your workouts, even on the fly.

With the watch’s Occasion mode, you can set up to 15 reminders for events like birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and appointments. The Timex 30 Series watches are also water-resistant up to 330 feet so, as the name indicates, they’re a perfect option for triathletes. With a wide selection of color combinations, you can choose the one that best suits your style and personality.

Best Budget: Casio Women's LA11WB-1 Sport Watch

If you want a basic, no-frills and very budget friendly sports watch, look no further than the Casio Digital women’s sports watch. Unlike some chunkier digital watches, this one is sleek and unassuming. It features a quartz-powered, easy-to-read digital time display, timing functionality, alarm and perpetual calendar. It’s also water-resistant, so you don’t have to worry about taking it off to shower, wash dishes, or swim. Other sports watches may offer more functionality, but this one is a solid choice if you want a simple sports watch to time your activities.

Best for Large Wrists: SKMEI Digital Sport Watch

This watch is actually a men’s watch, but it’s gender-neutral looking and stylish enough that it makes a great choice for women with larger wrists or anyone who likes a big face for their sports watch. Although the price is very budget-friendly, the SKMEI digital sports watch doesn’t skimp on features. All of its functionality, including stopwatch, countdown, double time zone, backlight, auto calendar, and military time, are available at just the touch of a button. It’s also water-resistant up to 50m, so you can wear it while swimming and don’t have to take it off when you shower.

Best for Small Wrists: Timex Mid-Size Ironman Sleek 50 Classic Watch

This sleek version of the classic Timex Ironman watch is perfect for women with small and slender wrists who don’t want a sports watch that‘s too bulky. The band is extremely comfortable and flexible and the face won’t completely overpower even a tiny wrist. Like other Timex Ironman watches, it’s very durable, reliable and a great value for the price. You can use the 50 lap memory recall to review your lap or split times, even tracking your workouts with a dated training log indicating best lap, average lap and total time.

It also comes with a 24-hour countdown timer featuring stop and repeat functions, interval timers, two-time-zone settings and customizable alarms. You can wear this watch during inclement weather or when swimming or showering since it’s water-resistant to 100m meters. Available in several different fun colors, including blue floral, plum and lime/yellow, you can choose the one that best suits your style.

Best for Beginners: Casio Women's STR300 Runner Eco Friendly Digital Watch

If you're just getting started with running or another activity and not sure if you like it enough to invest in an expensive watch, this basic watch from Casio is perfect. It’s also a nice option if you typically use your phone or an activity tracker for workouts, and also want a simple, easy-to-use timing device for certain runs or races. This watch is very budget-friendly, but still offers plenty of useful features, including an auto LED light, alarm, countdown capability and stopwatch with 60 lap memory. It’s also very lightweight and extremely comfortable to wear.

Best Style: Armitron Sport Women's 45/7012 Digital Chronograph Watch

One downside of women’s sports watches is that they’re usually way more practical than cute. This watch is casual but elegant and is a perfect choice if you’re looking for a digital watch that doesn’t clash with your chic style. It comes in numerous fun and stylish colors including black, pink, blue, rose gold/white, teal, and silver. Not sacrificing functionality for design, it also features a stopwatch, timer, military time option, backlighting, dual time, alarm, and date display. It’s water-resistant up to 100m, making it a good option if you need a watch for snorkeling, swimming, and other water sports.

Best for Water Resistance: Casio Women’s Baby G Sport Watch

This versatile watch from Casio is extremely reliable and can go with you everywhere. It’s water-resistant to 200m, so you can use it for all your water sports, from snorkeling to surfing to scuba diving. You can also go right from the gym to the shower, without ever having to take it off. Practical and cute, the Baby-G features a durable resin construction, with built-in shock resistance. With easy-to-use buttons, the watch’s stopwatch, alarm, date display, military time and backlight features are all right at your fingertips.