Garmin Fenix 9 is the best smartwatch for rowing if you want an indoor power-meter session turned into meaningful training feedback, including VO2 Max and a power curve. Choose Coros Pace 4 for dedicated boat and connected-rower modes, or Apple Watch Series 12 when iPhone-first smartwatch life matters more than deep analysis.
| Smartwatch | Best for | Deciding rowing connection | Water resistance | Rowing strap materials available |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garmin Fenix 9 | Indoor performance analysis | Power-meter-equipped rowing machine | 10 ATM | Silicone and nylon |
| Apple Watch Series 12 | iPhone users and Concept2 owners | ErgData with Concept2 PM5 | 50m | Silicone and nylon |
| Coros Pace 4 | Boat and connected indoor rowing | Bluetooth rowing machine | 5 ATM | Silicone and nylon |
| Amazfit Balance 3 | FTMS rowing machines | FTMS connection | 10 ATM | Silicone and nylon |
| OnePlus Watch 4 | Wear OS users | Rowing-machine profile | 5 ATM | Silicone and nylon |
The deciding factor is whether the watch can turn data from your particular rowing setup into useful feedback without forcing you to record the same session twice.
On this page
Jump to the buying factors, individual recommendations or rowing FAQs.
- What makes a good rowing smartwatch
- Best for indoor performance analysis - Garmin Fenix 9
- Best for iPhone users - Apple Watch Series 12
- Best for boat and connected rowing - Coros Pace 4
- Best for FTMS rowing machines - Amazfit Balance 3
- Best for Wear OS - OnePlus Watch 4
- How should you choose?
- Frequently asked questions
What makes a good rowing smartwatch
A good rowing smartwatch records the information your machine or boat can provide, keeps reliable contact as your wrist flexes and turns the result into training feedback you can actually use.
The connection route matters most
A rowing profile alone does not guarantee a detailed record. If your indoor rower broadcasts compatible workout data, a direct connection can bring values such as wattage and pace into the activity instead of leaving the watch to estimate the session from wrist movement and heart rate.
Check the whole route before choosing: rowing machine, connection standard, watch and destination app. Concept2 owners can use ErgData as the recorder, Coros Pace 4 can pair with a compatible machine over Bluetooth, and Amazfit Balance 3 supports FTMS rowing machines. Those are different routes to a similar goal, not interchangeable labels.
Useful feedback is more important than a long metric list
The best record is the one that helps you judge the session afterwards. For an indoor athlete, that may mean heart rate, power and a power curve feeding a broader training picture. For an on-water rower, a dedicated GPS Rowing mode and a clean route record may be more valuable.
Battery claims need the same context. Coros Pace 4 is rated for 41 hours of GPS tracking, while Amazfit Balance 3 offers up to 41 hours. Apple Watch Series 12 reaches up to 10 hours during GPS tracking. All cover an ordinary rowing session, but the longer figures matter for extended water days, training camps and multi-sport use away from a charger.
A secure fit protects heart-rate contact
A secure rowing fit keeps the sensor flat against clean, dry skin just above your wrist bone. The strap should be snug enough to stop the case sliding during the drive and recovery, without feeling restrictive when you grip the handle.
Case leverage matters. A larger or heavier watch can move more as your wrist repeatedly flexes, particularly if the strap stretches when wet. Silicone is easy to rinse after indoor sessions; nylon can spread pressure comfortably, although it stays damp for longer. Leather and metal may suit daily wear, but they are not the practical first choice for repeated wet sessions.
Best for indoor performance analysis - Garmin Fenix 9
Garmin Fenix 9 earns first place because it can turn heart-rate and power-meter data from a compatible indoor rowing setup into deeper performance feedback, including VO2 Max and a power curve.
This is the strongest choice if rowing is part of structured endurance training rather than an isolated gym activity. The catch is important: the advanced indoor-rowing measures depend on a power-meter-equipped machine and heart-rate data. Garmin’s full Training Status also needs regular running or cycling VO2 Max updates, so rowers who do no other endurance sport will not use every part of the platform.
- Case choices: 43 mm, 47 mm or 51 mm
- Case material: fibre-reinforced polymer
- Navigation: multi-band GPS
- Water resistance: 10 ATM
- Smartwatch battery: up to 29 days
Fit is the reason to consider all three sizes rather than automatically taking the biggest display. The 43 mm case is less likely to feel top-heavy on a smaller wrist, while the 47 mm version is the balanced middle option. The 51 mm model suits people who already know they are comfortable training with a substantial watch.
A good fitting watch straps is important. You can match the case through Garmin Fenix 9 43mm straps, Garmin Fenix 9 47mm straps or Garmin Fenix 9 51mm straps. For rowing, silicone gives you the simplest rinse-and-dry routine, while nylon can feel softer through long steady sessions.
At the time of writing, Garmin Fenix 9 costs £859.99 in 43 mm, £859.99 in 47 mm and £949.99 in 51 mm. It is the premium option here, but it justifies that position when you will genuinely use its indoor performance analysis.
Best for iPhone users - Apple Watch Series 12
Apple Watch Series 12 is the best fit when rowing needs to sit alongside iPhone apps, calls and notifications rather than dominate the watch.
Apple supplies Outdoor Rowing and Rower workout profiles, but Concept2 owners have another useful route: ErgData can connect to Apple Watch and retain the rowing machine’s detailed workout record. That makes it particularly attractive if the PM5 is already the centre of your indoor setup.
- Rowing profiles: Outdoor Rowing and Rower
- GPS tracking endurance: up to 10 hours
- Smartwatch battery: up to 24 hours
- Water resistance: 50m
- Platform: watchOS
The shorter battery window makes regular charging part of ownership, though its GPS endurance is still ample for typical training sessions. Its real advantage is convenience: if you already organise your health, messages and apps through an iPhone, your rowing record stays inside a familiar system.
Silicone and nylon are both available among our Apple Watch 12 straps, alongside leather, milanese and metal choices for dry daily wear. Avoid an Apple leather band on the water; a washable strap is a better match for sweat, splash and repeated flexing.
Apple Watch Series 12 costs £369 at the time of writing. Choose it for the complete iPhone experience, not because it provides the deepest native rowing analysis.
Best for boat and connected rowing - Coros Pace 4
Coros Pace 4 is the most flexible rowing specialist here for athletes who alternate between a boat and a compatible connected indoor rower.
Its dedicated GPS Rowing and Indoor Rower modes address the two settings directly. During Indoor Rower, it can pair with a compatible machine over Bluetooth and receive data including wattage and pace. Bluetooth external heart-rate pairing is also supported when wrist readings are not steady enough for your sessions.
- GPS tracking endurance: 41 hours
- Smartwatch battery: 19 days
- Case: 43.4 x 43.4 x 13.6 mm
- Weight: 32 g
- Case material: high-strength polymer
- Water resistance: 5 ATM
The 32 g weight is a genuine rowing advantage. A light case places less leverage on the strap as your wrist changes angle, helping it stay settled without being cinched uncomfortably tight. That, coupled with the long GPS figure, makes Pace 4 particularly appealing for clubs, training camps and athletes who dislike charging between outings.
Silicone, nylon, leather, milanese and metal are available in our Coros Pace 4 straps range. A twill silicone option is especially practical for machine sessions because it can be rinsed after training without holding water.
Coros Pace 4 costs £229 at the time of writing. It is the value pick if dedicated rowing modes, machine pairing and low wrist weight matter more than a broad phone-led app experience.
Best for FTMS rowing machines - Amazfit Balance 3
Amazfit Balance 3 is the best match when your indoor rowing machine uses FTMS and you want long GPS endurance for occasional outdoor training too.
Its rowing-machine profile can work with compatible FTMS equipment, while heart-rate belt support gives you an alternative when repeated wrist flexion affects the optical sensor. The watch also records for up to 41 hours with GPS and has up to 21 days of smartwatch battery life.
- Case size: 51.4 x 51.4 mm
- Case materials: Grade 5 titanium or stainless steel
- Water resistance: 10 ATM
- Satellite support: 6 satellite systems
- Display brightness: up to 3,000 nits
The large case is the trade-off. Its bright screen is easy to glance at, but the broad footprint may shift on a narrow wrist unless the strap is adjusted carefully. Try to keep the sensor flat rather than overtightening to compensate.
Our Amazfit Balance 3 straps include silicone and nylon for training, plus leather, milanese and metal for everyday use. A wet-session strap that holds the large case securely is more important here than choosing the dressiest material.
Amazfit Balance 3 costs £369.90 at the time of writing. It earns its place through FTMS support, long endurance and water resistance rather than the deeper rowing analysis of Garmin Fenix 9.
Best for Wear OS - OnePlus Watch 4
OnePlus Watch 4 is the best option here for someone who wants a current Wear OS watch with rowing-machine tracking as one part of everyday smartwatch use.
It runs OxygenOS Watch 8 with Wear OS 6.0 and includes a rowing-machine activity profile. A direct rower-data connection is not the reason to choose it; its appeal is the broader software environment and a relatively slim titanium-alloy case.
- Case: 47.4 x 47.4 x 11 mm
- Weight: 43 g
- Case material: titanium alloy
- Water resistance: 5 ATM
- Satellite systems: BeiDou, GPS, Galileo, GLONASS and QZSS
The 11 mm depth keeps it relatively tidy, but its overall width still deserves attention if your wrist is small. A secure silicone or nylon option from the OnePlus Watch 4 straps range will suit rowing better than the leather, milanese and metal alternatives also available.
OnePlus Watch 4 costs £299 at the time of writing. It makes sense for Wear OS users who row as one part of a varied routine; athletes choosing primarily for machine data should look first at Garmin, Coros or Amazfit.
How should you choose?
Choose according to where your rowing data originates and what you want the completed workout to tell you.
- If you train on a power-meter-equipped indoor rower and want deeper analysis: choose Garmin Fenix 9.
- If you use an iPhone and Concept2 is central to your routine: choose Apple Watch Series 12 and use the ErgData route.
- If you alternate between a boat and a connected indoor machine: choose Coros Pace 4.
- If your rowing machine broadcasts over FTMS: choose Amazfit Balance 3.
- If rowing is secondary to everyday Wear OS use: choose OnePlus Watch 4.
- If watches tend to move on your wrist: favour the light Coros Pace 4 or the smaller Garmin Fenix 9 case, then pair it with a washable strap that holds its tension when damp.
Garmin Fenix 9 remains the strongest overall rowing watch for meaningful indoor training feedback. Coros Pace 4 is the smarter switch when low weight, dedicated boat tracking and direct machine metrics matter more than Garmin’s wider performance system.
Frequently asked questions
These answers cover the practical details that often surface after you have matched a watch to your rowing setup.
Do I need a chest strap for accurate heart-rate data while rowing?
No, not for a basic rowing record. Use one if sweat and repeated wrist flexing disrupt the optical reading, or when you want Garmin Fenix 9 performance measures that depend on heart-rate and power-meter data.
Can Apple Watch record a Concept2 workout without making duplicate activities?
Yes. Record through ErgData with its Apple Watch connection, and do not start another session in Apple’s Workout app at the same time.
Can I send a rowing workout to the Concept2 Logbook and my fitness app?
Yes. ErgData automatically syncs a Concept2 workout to the Online Logbook and can pass it to connected platforms including Apple Health, Garmin Connect, Strava, TrainingPeaks, Fitbit and Final Surge.
Can I wear a smartwatch safely while sculling or sweep rowing?
Yes, during normal on-water rowing if the watch is water-resistant and the strap is suited to getting wet. Avoid leather bands and check the fastening before launching.
Can I lock the touchscreen during a rowing workout?
Yes. Garmin Fenix 9 has Touch Lock, Coros Pace 4 offers Auto Lock, Amazfit Balance 3 has an Always Locked workout setting, and Apple Watch can use Water Lock manually.
