Discussion: Watch for orienteering

Which Garmin watch I can use to track my runs on the map or on route gadget that is not so expensive.

Probably any sports watch with a gps tracker function and export capabilities (.GPX or .TCX files).

Used watches might be an option for a better price point.

Brian is right about the tracker and export capability. But watch out for used watches. All the watches have rechargeable batteries and as these wear down they have to be replaced. Garmin's deal is send is the watch, we'll send you a refurbished on for (last time I checked) $125 US.
One other detail to check is that the watch will have the option to record a point every second. Garmin has a power-saving default option at least on some models of recording a point every four seconds. That really screws up and generalizes your gps tracks. Once you know you should check it is easy enough to check an change the setting to one-second recording.

Watching for orienteering is certainly not bad advice. When I'm in the forest foraging for wild mushrooms or hunting, I always do that. Those people run like crazy—and I mean it!

Nancy and I both used Garmin Forerunner 10 watches for a number of years. Dirt cheap from eBay or whatever. No frills, no heart rate, and you have to connect to a laptop with their special USB cradle to charge or download, but it gets the job done.

I ran with a Garmin Forerunner 35 off of eBay for like $25 for 5 years and never had a problem with battery life (usually lasted me ~7 hours recording or so). Connects to app via Bluetooth, don’t even need to plug it into a PC to upload to Garmin/Strava/Livelox. Preferably find a seller that accepts returns so that you can return it if it ends up being faulty or bad battery. Just my two cents

I'd look something with wireless sync via smartphone to get excersises automatically to routegadget / whereever.

Apple watch with Work Outdoors app.

usually lasted me ~7 hours recording

Sounds like a big problem with battery life right there.

That sounds fine for the earlier generation of watches. Before I got my current watch, for a race we have that typically takes me 5-6 hours, I would bring two watches so that I could switch when the first one ran out of battery.

I have used a _lot_ of GPS watches, starting with the Garmin 405, 410, 620 and 735, as well as a Polar I got as a gift.
A year and a half ago, when I retired as a company union representative I got a Garmin Fenix 7 which I have been extremely happy with: Defaults to 1Hz recording, uses ta barometer to get very exact ascent/descent measurements, tracks all GNSS systems, and has a battery which lasts "forever".
It no longer receives every bleeding edge software feature updates but for orienteering and hiking it is very good indeed, and I suspect you can find it online at well below the $500 (NOK 5K) mine cost in 2024.

re: old Garmin battery life, if you go say the Fenix route, the thing started with over a day at high frequency; it will last years for orienteering use at 0.3-3 hrs.

“usually lasted me ~7 hours recording” “Sounds like a big problem with battery life right there.”
That’s long enough for all the typical orienteering events.
When not recording a gps tracker function it will last much more longer, for instance, my Polar watch last 40 hours when tracking but a couple weeks as a time keeping watch.

Older watches seem to have cheaper battery replacement compared to newer watches. The cheapest battery replacement option to look for is probably a watch that you can replace the battery yourself, and not having to ship it to the manufacturer for battery replacement.

Carrying a phone might also be an option. No need for a watch if you already have a smartphone. Just use an app that records your track. Easy to carry a phone in a running waist belt, etc.

Carrying phones is rubbish and should be outlawed in all countries, especially for people who don't pay attention to their surroundings when using them and I almost run them over on my bike.

My comment regarding battery life I guess relates to the orienteering wannabe sport of rogaining, for events that typically go for longer than the time-frame mentioned. In my home state, it is a requirement to 'bag' your gps device so that you cannot use it for navigation purposes, meaning you cannot swap to another device midway through the event if yours happens to go flat.

Yeah for organizing (which I haven't done recently and I don't know if I'll be doing any more 24 hour events in the future), my current watch should be able to last long enough, but I also have a couple of GPS trackers that have no display at all, and that use AAA cells.

there are many athletes coming with their school team where personal finances allow for only one gadget to be bought, and in that case it surely will be the phone, and not the watch. Orienteering often gets touted as a cheap sport cause it does not have high equipment and clothing costs..... until you have to figure in fundraising for paying the school bus for lack of public transportation options to orienteering venues.

An option for consideration by those who have an older smartphone sitting in a drawer would be to use it with the free Livelox recorder app to record your run, then export the gpx file after you're done, as you would do with a watch.

In general, connected smartphones do have a place on the orienteering course, particularly in local events being run by participants with limited orienteering experience. For one, it provides a two-way communication between the organizer and participant, if needed, a valid part of an event safety plan. For another, when used with the free Livelox tracking app it can be used by organizers to track them live on their run and affords the participant the opportunity to replay and learn from their mistakes before deciding that they enjoy the sport enough to invest in a GPS watch.

Good point mavery1763. The clubs in Florida get about 70% buy in to Livelox live recording by 1) the safety feature of teams being able to know where their members are in the forest and 2) being able to contact them and get them back when astray. 3) by parents, friends and others being able to live track their orienteers on course in real time. (Would be better if there was something like a five-minute delay in broadcast but it is what it is)
In case someone wonders no orienteers who have not competed yet are not able to see the courses in advance as the displays are password protected.
As to a Garmin watch for recording my track the Garmin 235 still checks all my need boxes but Garmin has moved on from that model. It only seems to be available refurbished.

Look at the Garmin website and find their Previous Models,
(go to left hand menu bar, scroll down, click on Other Devices, click on Previous Models).
you'll find all the features you need at a lower cost than "this year's model"
search the web for the model you want to get best price