This video helped me decide on my next watch. I have a series 3 and was debating to go Garmin, for same reason…..battery life. But the customization of the Apple Watch series 7 found here and that I have an apple phone helped me decide. Thank you.
Need subtitles. LOL! This has a lot of good info I was about to give up on my Apple Watch until I realized I could bypass the dumb Apple Workout app and use something else.
Great comparison, Nick. I tend to alternate between Workout, iSmoothRun and Stryd, but I need to give WorkOutDoors. The one advantage Workout has for me during easy runs is the always-on display.
Thanks for the review, just downloaded WorkOutDoors and it’s amazing. Still adjusting to the battery life coming from a Fenix 6 Pro Solar. I do find the GPS and HR better than my Garmin so far. Is the AW your primary watch at this point?
Glad you like the app! I mainly use the AW yep, it’s the only watch I’ve taken on holiday, though there is usually another watch on my other wrist for testing!
Thanks for the video, I loved the usage examples. I just used the AW6 for my first marathon and worked without a hitch. Wanted to mention regarding the Tempo app, which was a recent discovery for me, the "tags" feature allows you to track, filter and isolate all sorts of specifics from the type of run to shoe mileage and how you were feeling on that day. Even notes can be attached to the runs. This was a big deal for me as shoe tracking alone was sorely missed in both the AW native app and WorkOutDoors.
The tags can certainly be handy, one day I'll move away from manually totting up and writing my shoe mileage in my training log haha, but at the moment I like the ritual of doing it each time.
I wish Tempo was not subscription based. I’m happy to pay a one time purchase fee, even if it’s $30 but not willing to have an app that continually sucks money
Really useful video. Just about to get the series 7 (last used the 4). When using the third party apps, do you still get your rings filled in? I can’t remember but I do remember finding the rings surprisingly useful when I was working a sedentary office day.
Thank you so much ! I have been using Strava on Apple Watch for years and I was sometimes frustrated with the limitations and the 'sync' working randomly. I just bought Workoutdoors and it blew my mind. I have tried INTERVALS, using a GPX on a Map, syncing with Strava, and everything works so easily and intuitively, it is for me the best Running app that I have seen. Just a question, on a new Apple Watch SE, can the battery last a marathon if using Workoutdoors and playing musics ?
Hi Nick, useful video. Was looking at the Apple Watch to replace my Garmin 620, and also the fact that there’s no news on new garmins coming soon. Out of interest do you use just the GPS version or do you use the GPS + Cellular? If you buy the watch say from Apple direct do you still need to take a plan out or do you just use your existing iPhone plan? Do you have any updates on garmins? Keep up the great work! Cheers.
I don't have a plan on the watch, you need to pick it up separately in the UK, but I assume you can just add it to your existing plan if you're with a provider that works with Apple (EE, O2, Vodafone I think). Can't confirm anything on Garmins, but given the lack of launches during the pandemic I'd expect a few watches early next year.
Hi. Very interesting video. I am an Apple Watch series 7 user and starting to get more seriously into running. But I only run 3 times per week at the moment and build to half marathons and occasionally marathons, all on the road. My question is, following WatchOS 9 (which obviously came out after this video), it’s not clear to me that these apps give you much more than the native workout app apart from navigation (which I don’t need). Am I missing something?
Love your videos. Just an observation that every time you mention Apple Watch you get a "little boy grin" like you are doing something wrong "hand in the cookie jar". You nasty boy playing in the Apple Universe ;) Keep up the good work.
I also need to find the most ‘fell friendly’ app, I’m guessing the maps on WorkOutDoors might swing it? I have a Stryd pod which I found way more useful (accurate) when road running than fell running. I don’t think foot pod data knows what’s going on when I’m crawling up a clough to Kinder!
Maps would always be my priority on the fells, but I do get lost a lot haha. You can download sections of the map to use offline on WorkOutDoors, which can be handy when out of service range
HI Nick, thanks for this video. i am thinking about buying apple watch for running, i didn't do it for the reason you mentioned in the video. i have few questions, can you run an app in background like for example the workoutdoors and have on the screen another one like the stryd app? can they share resources (gps, heart rate)? are the app compatible with external Bluetooth heart rate monitor like polar verity sense? thanks
For sensors it depends on the app, the watch does allow to pair a sensor, I did pair the OH1+, and the native app had no issue to read the data from the sensor. You just need to make sure to connect the external device before you actually start running. 1 disadvantage is that you never know that the app is using the external heart rate monitor... for example with Garmin it tells you Sensor A connected when you click on run (or any other activity). on the apple watch you have to go to settings and then bluetooth to check the device is connected, and flip the watch during the run to make sure that the optical HR on the watch is off and still getting a reading. However, there is no difference in heart rate reading between the apple watch and the polar (unless you have bad blood circulation)
Hi! You can link up an HR sensor yep, I mainly use a chest strap with it. So I think you can do multiple apps at once - I just tried WorkOutDoors in the background with the native tracking on screen and it seemed OK! I can't test with the Stryd app too just now as away from home and don't have the pod.
Thanks! I got one question: Is there possible to "lock" the screen during workouts in Work outdoors? To prevent accidents with clothes touching the screen when running..
This was the reason I swapped from an AW to a Garmin several years ago, the touch screen didn’t get on with any type of moisture. I’d swap back if Apple would just give us more buttons (which I know will never happen, they are more likely to remove the buttons it has at present than add more!)
Yes, tags are the way to track shoes with Tempo app. I create a tag for each shoe, and after I review that day’s run, I tag it with the shoe I wore. Easy. Great app.
@@stevearenberg Thanks! I contacted the developer and he responded quickly which is a great sign. He mentioned that tags is the best approach for now, but will be adding a fully featured capability in the future with ability to add existing mileage. Agreed. Great App.
Whenever I have run a lap (1km) with stryd app, a popup with the average performance appears. This popup remains for a few seconds. Is it possible to increase the duration of the display to 1 sec. to shorten or deactivate completely? But I would still like to see the lap times displayed later in the evaluation. That's why I don't want to turn it off completely. Is there a solution to this? It bothers me because every time I want to stop for example at exactly 10 km, I have to wait until the popup disappears.
Hi Nick, I use WorkOutdoors very successfully on my Apple Watch 6 based on your past recommendation…Thank You! Question…my Apple Watch HR is often flat (not recording) for anywhere from 0.1 miles to even 0.5 miles when I start my workouts, despite tight band and accurate HR when I use the native Apple Watch HR button. This leads to inaccurate average HR after my runs as zeros are factored in. Ugh! I tried Strava app recording, same issue. I looked at two fellow Apple Watch runners on Strava (who don’t use WorkOutdoors app) and lo and behold, theirs also flatlines HR at the start of their runs! Have you ever noticed this when you look at your HR with Apple Watch, particularly at the beginning of a work out? Thanks. Burps in Illinois USA.
Hi Burps! Ah this has not happened to me, partly because after initial testing I generally link the watch to a HR chest strap, but it's something I have heard about before. I don't have a solution I'm afraid, but I remember some discussion of it in the WorkOutDoors thread on the Macrumors forum, so maybe someone didn't find a way to fix it. Might be worth hunting in there if you have a chance!
Apple’s own recommendation is to wear the watch slightly higher up the arm - away from the wrist. I have to do this and it has become more usable - just 8-10mm shift from normal 👍
@@kevlarrr8513 Thanks Kev, appreciate the idea. But the watch does record accurately for me when I use the native HR app, and when it starts to work in Workoutdoors and Strava…so it’s not that it physically doesn’t work or works intermittently…it simply doesn’t start when the apps start (software issue, presumably). Are you in Strava…does you watch record HR instantly on Strava when you begin a workout?
Hey Burps - this happens to me on my Apple Watch S7 from time to time. I pause my workout, take my watch off and simply wipe the sensors underneath the watch with my t-shirt put it back on and it it detects my HR immediately. Hope this helps.
I ran with the Apple Watch today. I hated it. I have a Stryd foot pod and used the Stryd app and when I went to stop the workout nothing happened. I thought if you pressed the screen it would stop. Maybe it’s just me. It didn’t stop and I didn’t know what to do. I just press the button on my Garmin and that’s it. No fuss and simple. I’m going back to my Garmin.
I totally agree, they are so far away from Garmin or a polar watch
Gotta fill those *rings!*
Useful video. Was not previously familiar with any of these running apps.
Thanks Nick.
This video helped me decide on my next watch. I have a series 3 and was debating to go Garmin, for same reason…..battery life. But the customization of the Apple Watch series 7 found here and that I have an apple phone helped me decide. Thank you.
Thanks….new Apple Watch user. Your video was informative. 👍🏿👍🏿
Need subtitles. LOL! This has a lot of good info I was about to give up on my Apple Watch until I realized I could bypass the dumb Apple Workout app and use something else.
Great comparison, Nick. I tend to alternate between Workout, iSmoothRun and Stryd, but I need to give WorkOutDoors. The one advantage Workout has for me during easy runs is the always-on display.
Yep the always-on display is key and now it's available to third-party apps that's going to be fantastic for runners!
@@TheRunTesters Great! What third-party app is allowing the always-on display right now?
Thanks for the review, just downloaded WorkOutDoors and it’s amazing. Still adjusting to the battery life coming from a Fenix 6 Pro Solar. I do find the GPS and HR better than my Garmin so far. Is the AW your primary watch at this point?
Glad you like the app! I mainly use the AW yep, it’s the only watch I’ve taken on holiday, though there is usually another watch on my other wrist for testing!
@@TheRunTesters Thanks for the reply and keep up the great videos. Really enjoy the channel.
How are you liking using your AW instead the Fenix 6 you used to have? Im planning to move to Apple Watch now
Thanks for the video, I loved the usage examples. I just used the AW6 for my first marathon and worked without a hitch. Wanted to mention regarding the Tempo app, which was a recent discovery for me, the "tags" feature allows you to track, filter and isolate all sorts of specifics from the type of run to shoe mileage and how you were feeling on that day. Even notes can be attached to the runs. This was a big deal for me as shoe tracking alone was sorely missed in both the AW native app and WorkOutDoors.
The tags can certainly be handy, one day I'll move away from manually totting up and writing my shoe mileage in my training log haha, but at the moment I like the ritual of doing it each time.
@@TheRunTesters You know, there is a lot to be said for the manual approach to tracking these things. Thanks for the reply.
I wish Tempo was not subscription based. I’m happy to pay a one time purchase fee, even if it’s $30 but not willing to have an app that continually sucks money
Really useful video. Just about to get the series 7 (last used the 4). When using the third party apps, do you still get your rings filled in? I can’t remember but I do remember finding the rings surprisingly useful when I was working a sedentary office day.
Glad it was useful! Yep you can link up thr apps to Apple Health and your rings will get filled in. I find them useful too
On workoutdoor screen you have diffrent color. How do you change that?
Workout doors is by far the best
Thank you so much ! I have been using Strava on Apple Watch for years and I was sometimes frustrated with the limitations and the 'sync' working randomly. I just bought Workoutdoors and it blew my mind. I have tried INTERVALS, using a GPX on a Map, syncing with Strava, and everything works so easily and intuitively, it is for me the best Running app that I have seen. Just a question, on a new Apple Watch SE, can the battery last a marathon if using Workoutdoors and playing musics ?
Hi Nick, useful video. Was looking at the Apple Watch to replace my Garmin 620, and also the fact that there’s no news on new garmins coming soon. Out of interest do you use just the GPS version or do you use the GPS + Cellular? If you buy the watch say from Apple direct do you still need to take a plan out or do you just use your existing iPhone plan? Do you have any updates on garmins? Keep up the great work! Cheers.
I don't have a plan on the watch, you need to pick it up separately in the UK, but I assume you can just add it to your existing plan if you're with a provider that works with Apple (EE, O2, Vodafone I think). Can't confirm anything on Garmins, but given the lack of launches during the pandemic I'd expect a few watches early next year.
Is the Work Outdoors app compatible with Apple Watch Series 3? Thank you.
Hi. Very interesting video. I am an Apple Watch series 7 user and starting to get more seriously into running. But I only run 3 times per week at the moment and build to half marathons and occasionally marathons, all on the road. My question is, following WatchOS 9 (which obviously came out after this video), it’s not clear to me that these apps give you much more than the native workout app apart from navigation (which I don’t need). Am I missing something?
Love your videos. Just an observation that every time you mention Apple Watch you get a "little boy grin" like you are doing something wrong "hand in the cookie jar". You nasty boy playing in the Apple Universe ;) Keep up the good work.
Thanks for the video. Has anyone tried the Running for Weight Loss by SlimKit? Are you able to run without your phone using the app?
Hi Nick, I’ve started using WorkOutDoors. What do you use to create your routes?
Hi Liam, I mostly use Garmin Connect or Strava, and Komoot is also good.
Great video! Is there a feature on any of these apps that works like the Garmin pace pro ?
Did you every find the answer to this ? I’m wondering the same thing
@@aprilv2726 no I didn’t, however I think there is a similar feature to the pace pro coming out with the update on the Apple Watch in September time
I also need to find the most ‘fell friendly’ app, I’m guessing the maps on WorkOutDoors might swing it? I have a Stryd pod which I found way more useful (accurate) when road running than fell running. I don’t think foot pod data knows what’s going on when I’m crawling up a clough to Kinder!
Maps would always be my priority on the fells, but I do get lost a lot haha. You can download sections of the map to use offline on WorkOutDoors, which can be handy when out of service range
@@TheRunTesters sounds useful. And I’m out of cell service a lot! Thanks. Sounds good for a fiver.
Would you give your feedback on the new Apple Watch update for running?
Hi, what’s the Apple Watch like in the rain ? I’ve heard the screen is unresponsive if the screen is wet.
It can be less responsive when wet for sure. I use apps where I can use the buttons instead of the screen for that reason.
@@TheRunTesters what apps can you start stop using buttons?
HI Nick, thanks for this video. i am thinking about buying apple watch for running, i didn't do it for the reason you mentioned in the video. i have few questions, can you run an app in background like for example the workoutdoors and have on the screen another one like the stryd app? can they share resources (gps, heart rate)? are the app compatible with external Bluetooth heart rate monitor like polar verity sense? thanks
For sensors it depends on the app, the watch does allow to pair a sensor, I did pair the OH1+, and the native app had no issue to read the data from the sensor. You just need to make sure to connect the external device before you actually start running. 1 disadvantage is that you never know that the app is using the external heart rate monitor... for example with Garmin it tells you Sensor A connected when you click on run (or any other activity). on the apple watch you have to go to settings and then bluetooth to check the device is connected, and flip the watch during the run to make sure that the optical HR on the watch is off and still getting a reading. However, there is no difference in heart rate reading between the apple watch and the polar (unless you have bad blood circulation)
Hi! You can link up an HR sensor yep, I mainly use a chest strap with it. So I think you can do multiple apps at once - I just tried WorkOutDoors in the background with the native tracking on screen and it seemed OK! I can't test with the Stryd app too just now as away from home and don't have the pod.
Which Apple watch do you use??!!
Thanks! I got one question: Is there possible to "lock" the screen during workouts in Work outdoors? To prevent accidents with clothes touching the screen when running..
Yep you can lock the screen in WorkOutDoors, you can set up a command to turn it on using screen taps or the side buttons.
@@TheRunTesters thanks for the answer! 👍
This was the reason I swapped from an AW to a Garmin several years ago, the touch screen didn’t get on with any type of moisture. I’d swap back if Apple would just give us more buttons (which I know will never happen, they are more likely to remove the buttons it has at present than add more!)
@@MattSwain1 But if you can lock the screen during training and for example use the physical button for laps etc? Is that possible ?
The temp app looks interesting. Can it also track shoe mileage?
I don't think so unfortunately, not that I can see anyway, though you can add tags to each run. iSmoothRun does track shoe mileage though
Yes, tags are the way to track shoes with Tempo app. I create a tag for each shoe, and after I review that day’s run, I tag it with the shoe I wore. Easy. Great app.
@@stevearenberg Thanks! I contacted the developer and he responded quickly which is a great sign. He mentioned that tags is the best approach for now, but will be adding a fully featured capability in the future with ability to add existing mileage. Agreed. Great App.
@@applerunner1184 Yes, he has always been quick to respond, and helpful.
Whenever I have run a lap (1km) with stryd app, a popup with the average performance appears. This popup remains for a few seconds. Is it possible to increase the duration of the display to 1 sec. to shorten or deactivate completely? But I would still like to see the lap times displayed later in the evaluation. That's why I don't want to turn it off completely. Is there a solution to this? It bothers me because every time I want to stop for example at exactly 10 km, I have to wait until the popup disappears.
how did you color your text on workoutdoors?
You can change the theme in settings. I have the ‘type’ setting for metrics to get them different colours
@@TheRunTesters legend 🙌🏻
Hi Nick, I use WorkOutdoors very successfully on my Apple Watch 6 based on your past recommendation…Thank You! Question…my Apple Watch HR is often flat (not recording) for anywhere from 0.1 miles to even 0.5 miles when I start my workouts, despite tight band and accurate HR when I use the native Apple Watch HR button. This leads to inaccurate average HR after my runs as zeros are factored in. Ugh! I tried Strava app recording, same issue. I looked at two fellow Apple Watch runners on Strava (who don’t use WorkOutdoors app) and lo and behold, theirs also flatlines HR at the start of their runs! Have you ever noticed this when you look at your HR with Apple Watch, particularly at the beginning of a work out? Thanks. Burps in Illinois USA.
Hi Burps! Ah this has not happened to me, partly because after initial testing I generally link the watch to a HR chest strap, but it's something I have heard about before. I don't have a solution I'm afraid, but I remember some discussion of it in the WorkOutDoors thread on the Macrumors forum, so maybe someone didn't find a way to fix it. Might be worth hunting in there if you have a chance!
Apple’s own recommendation is to wear the watch slightly higher up the arm - away from the wrist. I have to do this and it has become more usable - just 8-10mm shift from normal 👍
@@kevlarrr8513 Thanks Kev, appreciate the idea. But the watch does record accurately for me when I use the native HR app, and when it starts to work in Workoutdoors and Strava…so it’s not that it physically doesn’t work or works intermittently…it simply doesn’t start when the apps start (software issue, presumably). Are you in Strava…does you watch record HR instantly on Strava when you begin a workout?
@@Burps___ I don’t use Strava.. I’m only a casual runner and use Nike Run Club.
Hey Burps - this happens to me on my Apple Watch S7 from time to time. I pause my workout, take my watch off and simply wipe the sensors underneath the watch with my t-shirt put it back on and it it detects my HR immediately. Hope this helps.
I ran with the Apple Watch today. I hated it. I have a Stryd foot pod and used the Stryd app and when I went to stop the workout nothing happened. I thought if you pressed the screen it would stop. Maybe it’s just me. It didn’t stop and I didn’t know what to do. I just press the button on my Garmin and that’s it. No fuss and simple. I’m going back to my Garmin.
You can set it in the setting of the stryd app on the watch. Autopause or you have to do a hard press on the watch en select stop
No not good enough sorry apple