10 Best Triathlon Watches 2025 in the United States

The Garmin Forerunner 255 is a well-rounded choice for triathletes. Its standout feature is the impressive battery life, offering up to 14 days in smartwatch mode and 30 hours in GPS mode, making it reliable for extended activities. GPS accuracy is crucial for tracking performance, and the Forerunner 255 is known for reliable GPS functionality, crucial for precise tracking during training and races. Heart rate monitoring is robust, providing insights into your wellness and performance. The multi-sport mode is integrated, allowing seamless tracking across different activities, which is vital for triathlon participants.

Durability appears solid, with a slim design that balances lightweight comfort and resilience, appealing for long wear. Connectivity through Bluetooth is straightforward, facilitating data transfer and smart notifications. However, there are some areas to consider. While the design is slim, the screen might be slightly small for those who prefer larger displays. The watch requires additional purchases for some advanced features, like the Running Dynamics Pod, which may not appeal to everyone. Also, the memory capacity is limited to 4 GB, so storing a lot of music or maps might be challenging.

The Garmin Forerunner 255 is a great fit for athletes needing a reliable, feature-rich watch to support training and performance monitoring, especially those focused on triathlon competitions.

The Garmin Forerunner 265 is a strong choice for triathletes thanks to its bright 1.3-inch AMOLED display and a comfortable, lightweight design. It offers solid battery life, lasting up to 13 days in regular smartwatch mode and around 20 hours with GPS active, which is great for long training sessions or races. Its multi-band GNSS with SatIQ technology improves GPS accuracy, especially in tricky environments, helping you track runs, cycling, and open-water swims more reliably.

The watch covers essential triathlon needs with over 30 sport profiles, including triathlon mode, and offers detailed training insights like recovery status, heart rate variability, and training readiness, which can help you train smartly without overdoing it. Heart rate monitoring is well integrated and works alongside other data to give a rounded view of your fitness and effort. Connectivity features include notifications, music control, Garmin Pay for contactless payments, and safety tools like incident detection, but some require your phone nearby and network coverage.

The mix of button and touchscreen controls balances ease of use during active moments. One limitation could be the battery life when GPS is used for very long events, as 20 hours might require charging for ultra-distance triathletes. The Garmin Forerunner 265 is a reliable, feature-rich triathlon watch that combines accurate GPS, useful multisport modes, and smart training tools, making it well-suited for athletes looking to improve performance with detailed insights.

The Garmin Forerunner 55 is a solid choice for anyone looking for an easy-to-use triathlon watch that effectively covers the essentials across multiple sports. It stands out with its impressive battery life, lasting up to two weeks in smartwatch mode and around 20 hours with GPS active. This feature is particularly advantageous for long training sessions or races. The GPS accuracy is reliable, ensuring that your distance and pace tracking are precise, which is crucial for athletes monitoring their performance.

Water resistance is another strength, making it suitable for swimming and other water activities. The Forerunner 55 tracks various activities, including running, cycling, and swimming, and comes with helpful training tools like race time predictions and finish time estimates. The inclusion of heart rate monitoring at the wrist is convenient, although it's important to note that it's not intended for medical use.

Durability is solid, so it can withstand the wear and tear of training and races, and the Bluetooth connectivity allows easy syncing with your smartphone for additional features through the Garmin Connect app. There are some limitations to consider, such as the PacePro feature not working with on-device courses, which may restrict some race day strategies. Additionally, while it offers helpful wellness features, more advanced athletes may find themselves wanting additional metrics or functionalities that higher-tier models provide. The Garmin Forerunner 55 is ideal for beginners or those seeking a straightforward running watch that effectively covers the basics.