Don’t you guys hate running with your phone? It’s big and bulky and you have to either do the giant armband thing or tuck it into your bra or pants. I also used mine to track my runs so when I heard that the TomTom Spark Cardio + Music watch not only offered GPS, heart rate monitor, and pedometer but it also held 500 songs and used a wireless Bluetooth headphones I got so excited! Ridiculously excited.

According to the website, TomTom Spark GPS Fitness Watch provides users with the following features (in addition to the amazing music feature):

• Sleep Tracking 
• 24/7 Activity Tracking
• Voice Coach – provides real-time progress updates and motivation
• Built-in Heart Rate Monitor
• Heart Rate Training Zones
• Multisport Mode: Switch modes to mix up your training. Choose from run, bike, gym, swim, treadmill or freestyle. I should also mention it offers INDOOR tracking which after my Runkeeper on the indoor track fiasco was really important.

Music & Headphones

Let’s talk about how amazing it is to store my music in my GPS watch and to utilize wireless headphones! I’m obsessed. I’ll never be able to go back to regular headphones again.  I really love that TomTom’s headphones give you three different sizes of earbuds and the smallest size actually kept my headphones in my ears. I have small tragus’s (the ear flap that holds in headphones) and so I am constantly readjusting my headphones on runs. When I ran my 10k I only had to adjust my headphones once which is huge!

My one word of caution on the headphones is that they are minimal and the wires are very short meaning they don’t rest around your neck very well without slipping off. Make sure if they aren’t in your ears that you have them in a bag or pocket so you don’t lose them.

GPS Watch

I purchased my first GPS last winter and saw a noticeable improvement in my pace when I was able to glance at my wrist and have it tell me what my current pace was. The GPS on my TomTom didn’t take as long to find the satellites as my old Garmin did but it still takes about a minute so be aware of that.

I also took this watch out on some hikes and whether I was in the middle of a canyon or on top of a mountain the GPS worked great and again, being able to see my pace and distance was super helpful.

Pedometer

I LOVE the pedometer aspect of this watch. And when I see the price of this watch compared to a FitBit and how much more you get out of it, it’s kind of a no brainer. Anyway, this pedometer showed me how active I actually was on my PE days. On the days I had 3 PE classes a day I would get in between 15,000- 17,000 steps depending on the activities.

Sleep

I never tried to do the sleep tracking because I can’t sleep with anything on. I take off earrings, necklaces, wedding rings, and watches. Anyone out there who has this watch and uses the Sleep function- -I would love to know your thoughts!

Heart Rate Monitor

The heart rate monitor is another function of the watch that I haven’t utilized yet. I’m not really a heart rate trainer and don’t care too much but it’s cool that you can use this instead of strapping on a chest monitor.

Other Modes

I have used the watch for running & freestyle. Freestyle is walking, hiking, and really any other movement you want to track. Once I get my bike tuned up I want to take it out and try out the cycle mode and next winter I’ll try it out on the treadmill.

Charging & Battery Life

The battery on this thing last for about five days if you aren’t using the GPS function before needing charging. If you are using the GPS for running or hiking, I found it needs charging about every three days.

Looks

I like that for a GPS watch it’s pretty small and has a nice enough design that I wear it with everything. The way you clip it on is a little weird BUT the watch will never fall off with this system. Because the watch is waterproof the entire watch is plastic. They do come in other colours and I personally love the white and blue strap.

In summary, if you are looking at buying a Fitbit, do yourself a favour and buy a TomTom Spark! They go for about $300 CND and offer sooooo much more than Fitbit can. And because the design is simple, you can wear it as your everyday watch without looking like a weirdo.

Disclaimer: I was sent this product free in exchange for a review. My thought and opinions are, as always, my own. I legit LOVE this watch. Love it! It’s my favourite product collaboration so far!