Is there a smart watch that's good for back/bikepacking

Edit, OS Map bit reading fail

What do you mean works with os maps? Has them on screen?

"What do you mean works with os maps? Has them on screen?" 

Ideally, or ar least lets me plot a route and export it to the watch. If it's going to have it's own map, at lesst something that is useful with 6 figure grid refs so I can use it with a paper map

Tbh I'd be happy with one that installs the OS Locate app, so I can use it to check my location on a paper map

A Garmin Fenix would do all that apart from the OS maps.  But the maps will be fine for following a planned route.  There aren’t really any cheap watches with mapping. So you’ll get loads of training features to ignore. The cost will at least £400

If that’s too steep I’d consider a watch with no maps and a trail of bread crumbs. It sounds terrible but it saves say 95 % of map checking. For several years I used this on my bike and walking. A Garmin instinct would do this for under £200

Personally for backcountry navigation and no metrics I'd forget about a smar****ch and take a handheld GPS plus a G-Shock.

For multi day hikes, a watch battery is always going to be too short, even with solar and the screens just too small.

There is a reason why bikepackers love the eTrex series

I think a Garmin watch will give you a grid reference? Googling shows there is an app for this .  But I’d be suprised if you didn’t know where you are from looking at the map on your watch. Personally I’m not sure where I am I just look at the os map on my phone. The limitation of the map on a watch is planning ahead. The paper map wins for that.

Thanks all! Not really hearing anything that will persuade me to get one tbh, was hoping for something that will let me keep my phone in my pocket, especially when it's raining! But I've had Garmin stuff before, I find them frustrating, disappointing and hard to justify for the money, so ahm oot

Wrist mounted, water resistant navigation you say?

"Wrist mounted, water resistant navigation you say?"

Perfect!

Hold down the gps button on my Instinct 2x and it gives a grid reference. The maps are just a breadcrumb. Haven't ever tried navigating I use a wahoo bolt for that

I can navigate using my Fenix 6 but mapping is limited and the screen size is a bit small. I'd not be relying on it for longer distance stuff. I can't really see how a watch of any sort would work for that.

"Hold down the gps button on my Instinct 2x and it gives a grid reference"

This is the sort of thing I need

Has anyone had any experience with Suunto or Coros? I'm trying to avoid Garmin if possible, my experience with them is that you are locked into using their Connect or Explore software for creating and exporting routes, and I find them pretty frustrating to use

That's not the case, you can import any gpx file to Garmin connect quite easily.

I'm not aware of any watches that have OS mapping built in, but most of them will allow you to import a gpx file created in the OS maps app. I know you don't like Garmin but I do this quite frequently on my Fenix*. I've also set up a "hot key" so that I press and hold one of the buttons and it gives me my grid reference. Note that you do have to go into settings and change some things to get it to display your current location in OS format (rather than lat/lon which is the default).

I've found the built-in Garmin map perfectly fine for navigating and rarely take the phone out on a run/ride these days.

*OK it's probably more accurate to say that I used to do this a lot. These days I prefer to plan routes using apps (like Strava) that will show me a heatmap and magically push the course onto the watch for me.

Coros watches are pretty well regarded too though, if you don't want Garmin and it looks as though most of the models will display your location in OS format too.

https://support.coros.com/hc/en-us/articles/8634923171988-British-OSG-Support

"Coros watches are pretty well regarded too though, if you don’t want Garmin and it looks as though most of the models will display your location in OS format too.

https://support.coros.com/hc/en-us/articles/8634923171988-British-OSG-Suppor t"

This was super useful, thanks! I've had my eye on a Coros Pace 2 because they only weigh 29 grams or something ridiculous. Relatively cheap, too!

I avoided Garmin for a while thinking that sharing a gpx file might be a problem. It’s really not. I find the the gpx file on my phone click it and click share to Garmin. Click save, click send to device.

My Suunto Ambit 3 was fine for what it was, £65 used off eBay. The trail of bread crumbs worked well. But the Ambit 3 can’t take a GPX from a phone, only a pc. I’m sure the newer Suunto are fine and will sync to a phone. Having spent ages looking I don’t think a Suunto will out pace an Instinct for useful features at the same price

This was super useful, thanks! I’ve had my eye on a Coros Pace 2 because they only weigh 29 grams or something ridiculous. Relatively cheap, too!

My partner has a Coros - can't remember which - and loves it. I've used one for a couple of weeks and found it was very user friendly and had great battery life. It's probably where I'd go if I were buying a smart watch.

I'm another one who thinks, for actual nav, you'd be better off with a stand-alone GPS unit. Watch screens are ime, just about large enough to follow a basic breadcrumb track, but hopeless for anything more detailed. And with turn-by-turn stuff, it's easier to have a unit on your bars than on your wrist.

Fine if you're just using it to generate a grid reference I guess, but personally I'd rather have a GPS unit that just shows you exactly where you are on a map that's large enough to see properly.

I use a Garmin forerunner 255 for just this use. Upload route from GPS file or entered manually on Garmin connect or Strava etc.... Easy to follow breadcrumb route with a backup paper map or route on phone to fall back on if required. Once used a few times it becomes easy to navigate on the watch. Also gives you stats like ascent remaining, distance, time till sunset and ETA.

Update: I bought a nearly-new Coros Pace 2 for £100 off ebay, I've done a few hikes with it and it's been amazing. I've never really enjoyed navigating, and I love the fact that a glance at my wrist is all I need to keep on track

Glad that you found a solution that works for you 🙂