Hi, I’m looking for a super durable smartwatch for my husband, who works as a farmer. It needs to withstand a lot of rough conditions, like being hit by equipment, sweat, water, and yes… even chicken poop! I’m hoping to find one with call and text features, music control, and basic blood pressure monitoring (it doesn’t need to be medically accurate, just something basic). It must also ship to Canada. Money isn’t a problem since this will be the first year we’re doing individual gifts for Christmas, not just one big gift for both of us. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
If he has an iPhone, the Apple Watch Ultra can do calls and texts even without being connected to an iPhone (but keep in mind it’s locked to iPhones). This works if you get the right package with your phone provider.
For Android, it’s a bit trickier. I don’t really think any current Wear OS watch is heavy-duty enough (for me, heavy-duty means at least 10ATM water resistance). So your best options would probably be the Amazfit T-Rex 3 or Garmin Fenix 8, which both support calls and texts (note: they need to be connected to an Android phone for full functionality, but they can connect to an iPhone for calls, though replying or sending texts is not really possible). The toughest options would likely be the Garmin Fenix 8, Fenix 7, Epix 2, or Casio G-Shock smartwatches (though I’m not a fan of the Casio app). Then, there’s the Coros Vertix, Polar Grit, and Suunto Vertical and Race series. Just keep in mind that the Race S version has much lower water resistance. The Amazfit T-Rex 3 and Huawei Ultimate (both with mic and speaker) are also solid options.
@Kim
Bravo. /thread
@Kim
Why would a farmer need 10 ATM? Anyways, the Galaxy Watch Ultra has that rating.
Clancy said:
@Kim
Why would a farmer need 10 ATM? Anyways, the Galaxy Watch Ultra has that rating.
You’re right, I forgot about the Galaxy Watch Ultra. But, I’ve never been too impressed with Samsung’s water resistance — it never seems to hold up as well as some other brands.
Why 10ATM? Well, it might depend on the type of farming, but from spending time on a farm with my brother-in-law, there’s a lot of water usage, especially high-pressure water. It’s good to have a watch that can handle accidental splashes from a high-pressure stream.
Just so you know, blood pressure monitoring doesn’t exist on smartwatches. Galaxy Watches can measure or estimate blood pressure on demand, but the accuracy is a very controversial topic.
As for texts and calls, are you just looking to read texts, read and reply to notifications, or send/receive texts? For calls — does the watch need to be independent of the phone or is it okay if it just connects via Bluetooth?
If you’re going for an iPhone, the Apple Watch (but no blood pressure) is a good option. For Android, the Galaxy Watch is a solid choice. In either case, I’d recommend using a protective case.
If you only need to read notifications, not do calls or monitor blood pressure, then the Garmin Instinct would be fine.
I don’t have one, but the Kospet Tank M3 looks like it might be a good fit. I checked out their website and it seems to have most of the features you’re asking for. I’m not sure about reviews though.