𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐑𝐮𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫?
All sports watch brands (and the Apple Watch) offer wrist-based power, but it works better with some brands than others (using the Which Watch? criteria).
Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to try all brands to understand what works and what doesn’t.
For the brands I’ve tried, here’s what I’ve found.
𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐎𝐒 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬
All COROS watches support wrist-based running power with no additional on-watch apps, but:
❌ you must plan workouts in the companion app, in TrainingPeaks, in Final Surge or in Intervals.icu.
❌ the companion app does not provide power-based metrics – see below.
𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬
Polar watches will display power while running and record power to workout files, but:
❌ You must plan workouts in the Polar Flow app, or in TrainingPeaks. If you use structured workouts, TrainingPeaks may be the better choice (although you’d need to subscribe to the premium option).
❌ The system does not support structured workouts (although you can build workouts with phases).
❌ the Polar Flow app does not provide power-based metrics – see below.
𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐬
None of the manufacturers provide power-based metrics that would enable you to calculate your threshold, monitor your training, and plan your events and races.
Your app choices are TrainingPeaks/WKO or Intervals.icu.
𝐈𝐟 𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫
✅ Ideally: use a Connect IQ 5.0.0 Garmin watch, a COROS watch, or an Apple Watch with the WorkOutDoors app.
✅ Try to avoid: using a Polar watch
✅ I haven’t tried: using a Wahoo or Suunto watch
𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓?
