Best Surf Watches

The Best Surf Watches for 2023

Last Updated on June 14, 2023 by Matt

Surfboard? Check. Leash? Check. Wax? Check. Surf watch? … Eh?

8 Minute Read

Yes, not many surfers have or think about having, a watch on their wrists when going out for a surf.

After all, if you don’t have to work, study, or meet anyone afterward, why bother to know the time? Still, the ones who do own one, usually cherish it to the point of considering it as fundamental as surf wax.

Indeed, the majority of surfers who own a surf watch have bought it to keep track of time; yet, being constantly reminded of the time isn’t the reason why many fall in love with this piece of technology. Gone are the days when watches did nothing but tell the time. Nowadays, they are more like mini-computers that can tell you both the time and the tide while giving your exact coordinates on the planet, keeping track of your calories burnt, and providing statistics for your surf session.

But with so many models, choosing the right one for your wrist can prove a befuddling task. So, in this guide to the Best Surf Watches of 2023, we have outlined the Top 5 based on functions such as water resistance, tide measurement, activity tracking, and surf session statistics.

Best Overall

Apple Watch Series 8

Combine your Apple watch with the Dawn Patrol app for unrivaled metrics – track waves, calories burnt, and more!

Best Budget

Rip Curl Rifles Watch

For a great quality watch that won’t break the bank the Rip Curl Rifles Watch is the one for you.

MY TIPS ON BUYING A SURF WATCH

Unlike regular watches, surf watches benefit from having a handful of characteristics that not only make them good for surfing but can distinguish a good surf watch from a bad surf watch.

WATER RESISTANCE: 

It goes without saying that water resistance is essential for every surf watch. However, there is something to be said about the ratings, as things tend to get a bit confusing here.

In a nutshell, a rating of 150 meters refers to how well that particular watch withstands pressure as the depth changes – not how deep you can submerge it. For surfing, the threshold is 100 meters of water resistance. Anything below that and you will probably need a case. 

DESIGN:

The design of a surf watch can be put into two categories – slim or bulky.

The first type tends to be good for people who dislike feeling restricted or weighed down by something wrapping their wrists, and they can easily be slipped underneath your wetsuit sleeve.

The downside is that they generally come with fewer features, and might not be as durable as their counterparts.

Bulkier designs, on the other hand, are often packed with more features, generally have a more robust structure, and tend to be built with stronger materials. The major con of these chunkier designs is the very fact they can feel heavy on the wrist and a lot more difficult to get under your wetsuit.

GPS: 

Some surfers may consider this function secondary, but having a watch with GPS will definitely help more than hinder.

Not only will this feature allow you to find, save, and share your location, but sometimes it also monitors things like speed, distance, and other performance information throughout the surf session.

TIDE INFORMATION: 

Making sure your surf watch has a tide function is one of the best things you can do.

Anyone who has surfed for long enough to understand how tides affect the surf will know the importance of having tide information handy. To make a long story short, a watch that comes with tide charts will be able to tell you when is the best time for you to paddle out at a given surf spot – provided you know what tide works best for that spot, of course.

This, in turn, will help you avoid the disappointment of rocking up to the beach to find the tide is too high or low for the waves to roll in. One important thing to note here is that, since tides vary according to location, and since no watch can store charts for every surf spot in the world, more watches with this function come with pre-programmed information for a number of locations – which varies depending on the watch.

As such, the more locations a surf watch has tidal information for, the better. And if your budget allows, get a watch with customizable tidal data, so you can be sure you will get reliable information on what the tides are doing regardless of where you are.

WAVE COUNTING: 

In essence, a wave counting feature on your watch gives you as good of an overview of your progress as a performance tracking feature. Sure, it will be less detailed – but the watch will also cost a lot less.

BLUETOOTH / WI-FI: 

This feature comes in handy when transferring data between your watch and other devices, thus making it super easy to check performance statistics in apps or get real-time forecasts, for instance.

Jump straight to my top picks?

1. Garmin Instinct 2 Solar Surf

Product Description

The Garmin Instinct Solar Surf is the most versatile watch on this list – and you couldn’t expect less from this world-renowned brand. Boasting compatibility with three of the best satellite systems (GLONASS, Galileo, and GPS), this surf watch allows surfers to track their movements anywhere in the world – from the deserted beaches of Morocco to the secluded islands of Polynesia and the frigid western coast of Canada. So if you’re the kind of surfer who likes to get off the beaten track, there is your first reason to consider this piece of gear.

Other than reliable geo navigation, the Garmin Instinct Solar Surf has a bunch of extra features such as heart rate tracking, sleep and stress monitoring, and training apps. The Surf Edition also comes with tide data, which, as any seasoned surfer would confirm, is a piece of handy information to have whether you are traveling or timing a session at your local break. But perhaps more significantly – or at least to surfers who are into training – is that this watch records your speeds and the number of waves you caught whilst in the water.

Another neat bonus is that with this Garmin you can actually record a video of yourself surfing. How? Just make sure the spot you’re going to has a Surfline camera.

Then, all you have to do is select the options on your watch and press start at the beginning of the session. And if all these add-ons weren’t enough, the Instinct Solar Surf comes with a long-lasting, solar rechargeable battery. This means that, on average and under normal use, you’ll get 30 hours of battery life – which can be brought up to 38 hours if the sun is shining. And if you want to save battery, switch to saver mode to use the watch for up to 56 days without charging!

Product Pros

  • Amazing battery life backed with solar recharging
  • Great water-resistance
  • Really good satellite tracking
  • Unique surf-specific features
  • Sleek design
  • Rugged build quality
  • Good variety of handy add-ons

Product Cons

  • Access to third-party apps (such as some iPhone apps) is rather limited
  • Might be somewhat large for some wrists
  • Monochrome-only screen
  • Pricey

VERDICT
Garmin Instinct 2 Solar Surf

GARMIN INSTINCT 2 SOLAR SURF

It would have been a pity if, after all this, Garmin made a watch that wasn’t built to last.

Fortunately, they have also invested in a robust, scratch-heat-and-shock-resistant, fiberglass polymer case not only protects the watch itself but also grants it 100-meter water resistance, making the Instinct Solar Surf one of the most durable surf watches in the market.

A great watch and the features, usability, and ruggedness make it a great investment.


2. Rip Curl Search GPS Series 2

Product Description

Rip Curl is well-known in the world of surfing for its high-quality watches – and the Search GPS Series 2 lives up to the brand’s popularity. This model was designed specifically for surfers, so there are no redundant features and all it offers was tailored with the practice in mind.

First of all, as the name implies, Rip Curl has included a GPS function on this model. But besides guiding themselves in remote surf spots, surfers can also use the GPS data to plot their movements on a map, as well as check how many waves were caught, how fast they rode each wave, and where they paddled. And if you want to share the location of the session with friends, it is possible to do so via the Search Series 2 app.

Product Pros

  • Plenty of surf performance data
  • Ability to share data via the app
  • Real-time weather and surf forecast
  • Reliable and wide-ranging tide information

Product Cons

  • Not Android compatible
  • Lack of heart-rate sensor
  • Relatively weak battery

VERDICT
Rip Curl Search GPS Series 2

RIP CURL SEARCH GPS SERIES 2

This latest Rip Curl surf watch model also boasts tide charts for more than 1400 spots, thus helping you plan your paddle-outs to the right time. But perhaps more impressive is the Live feature, which it displays swell and wind reports for the location of choice in real time.

And when you cross-reference the weather and wave conditions with the performance statistics provided by the GPS function, it becomes much easier to understand where to go and when.

Unlike the aforementioned Garmin, even though it does provide you with info on your paddling distance, the Rip Curl Search Series 2 has no heart-rate sensor.

Also unlike the Garmin, the Rip Curl’s battery doesn’t last too long (roughly a full day with the GPS on) and can’t be solar charged – you will have to plug it in when you get home.

3. Apple Watch Series 8

Product Description

If you are a tech enthusiast surfer, then the Apple Watch Series 8 might be the right pick for you.

The first thing to catch the eye, especially when compared to other watches that are more commonly associated with surfing, is the minimalistic and functional design. Of course, that’s very Apple.

For a surfer who is not so concerned about how a watch may look on his/her wrist, this will still have implications on how it feels on the wrist. That is, a slimmer design makes the watch less of a hindrance when surfing and fits underneath the sleeve of wetsuits easily. 

Product Pros

  • Sleek, functional design
  • Includes a tonne of features
  • Option to set up emergency calls
  • Great for monitoring other exercises – not just surfing
  • Dawn Patrol App is really good for surf tracking

Product Cons

  • Best to use with a case at extra cost
  • Low water-resistance

VERDICT

APPLE WATCH SERIES 8

It almost goes without saying, but one of the strong points of this Apple model is its compatibility with iPhones. From transferring heart-rate data and session statistics to making emergency calls – all this can be configured so that your Apple Watch and your iPhone work as one. And if you are not surfing, this model can come in handy when you want to listen to music, receive text messages, or pay with Apple Pay.

Probably having had to compromise on something on this smartwatch, Apple chose the structure. Although it looks great, the Series 8 is not as rugged as most of its counterparts and has a water resistance of only 50 meters.

To remedy that, there is a variety of cases to choose from if you want to improve its durability. But being an extra, they have to be bought separately. And knowing Apple, the prices can be a bit salty.

4. Rip Curl Rifles Tide Watch

Product Description

If you are a tech enthusiast surfer, then the Apple Watch Series 8 might be the right pick for you.

The first thing to catch the eye, especially when compared to other watches that are more commonly associated with surfing, is the minimalistic and functional design. Of course, that’s very Apple.

For a surfer who is not so concerned about how a watch may look on his/her wrist, this will still have implications on how it feels on the wrist. That is, a slimmer design makes the watch less of a hindrance when surfing and fits underneath the sleeve of wetsuits easily. 

Product Pros

  • Sleek, functional design
  • Includes a tonne of features
  • Option to set up emergency calls
  • Great for monitoring other exercises – not just surfing
  • Dawn Patrol App is really good for surf tracking

Product Cons

  • Best to use with a case at extra cost
  • Low water-resistance

VERDICT

RIP CURL RIFLES TIDE WATCH

It almost goes without saying, but one of the strong points of this Apple model is its compatibility with iPhones. From transferring heart-rate data and session statistics to making emergency calls – all this can be configured so that your Apple Watch and your iPhone work as one. And if you are not surfing, this model can come in handy when you want to listen to music, receive text messages, or pay with Apple Pay.

Probably having had to compromise on something on this smartwatch, Apple chose the structure. Although it looks great, the Series 8 is not as rugged as most of its counterparts and has a water resistance of only 50 meters.

To remedy that, there is a variety of cases to choose from if you want to improve its durability. But being an extra, they have to be bought separately. And knowing Apple, the prices can be a bit salty.

5. Casio G-Shock G-Lide GBX100 

Product Description

If you are a tech enthusiast surfer, then the Apple Watch Series 8 might be the right pick for you.

The first thing to catch the eye, especially when compared to other watches that are more commonly associated with surfing, is the minimalistic and functional design. Of course, that’s very Apple.

For a surfer who is not so concerned about how a watch may look on his/her wrist, this will still have implications on how it feels on the wrist. That is, a slimmer design makes the watch less of a hindrance when surfing and fits underneath the sleeve of wetsuits easily. 

Product Pros

  • Sleek, functional design
  • Includes a tonne of features
  • Option to set up emergency calls
  • Great for monitoring other exercises – not just surfing
  • Dawn Patrol App is really good for surf tracking

Product Cons

  • Best to use with a case at extra cost
  • Low water-resistance

VERDICT

CASIO G-SHOCK G-LIDE GBX100-2

It almost goes without saying, but one of the strong points of this Apple model is its compatibility with iPhones. From transferring heart-rate data and session statistics to making emergency calls – all this can be configured so that your Apple Watch and your iPhone work as one. And if you are not surfing, this model can come in handy when you want to listen to music, receive text messages, or pay with Apple Pay.

Probably having had to compromise on something on this smartwatch, Apple chose the structure. Although it looks great, the Series 8 is not as rugged as most of its counterparts and has a water resistance of only 50 meters.

To remedy that, there is a variety of cases to choose from if you want to improve its durability. But being an extra, they have to be bought separately. And knowing Apple, the prices can be a bit salty.

The Results

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