10 Best Swim Watch Lap Counter 2025 in the United States

The Garmin Forerunner 255 Music is a versatile smartwatch that offers a variety of features for swimmers and runners alike. In terms of water resistance, it is designed to handle aquatic activities, making it suitable for swimming. The battery life is impressive, offering up to 14 days in smartwatch mode and up to 30 hours in GPS mode, ensuring it won’t frequently need recharging. The display is always-on and full-color, readable even in direct sunlight, which is beneficial for outdoor use.

Comfort and fit are well-addressed with its slim design and light weight, making it easy to wear for extended periods. Additional features include the ability to store up to 500 songs and connect wirelessly to headphones, which can enhance your workout experience with music. The watch also offers comprehensive health and training insights, such as morning reports on sleep and heart rate variability, adaptive training plans, and daily workout suggestions. These features are particularly useful for advanced athletes looking to optimize their performance.

The Garmin Coach and customized training plans cater to a variety of running goals, from 5K to half-marathons. A potential drawback is the need for additional accessories like the Running Dynamics Pod for some performance metrics. This smartwatch is a strong contender for those who need a multi-purpose fitness watch with advanced features, though lap swimmers might want to verify its specific performance in the pool.

The Garmin Forerunner 55 offers robust features that make it a versatile choice, not just for running but also as a swim-watch-lap-counter. Its water resistance is sufficient for pool swimming, ensuring it can handle typical swim workouts. The lap counting accuracy is reliable, benefiting from its GPS capabilities, though it primarily shines in running scenarios.

The battery life is impressive, lasting up to 2 weeks in smartwatch mode and 20 hours in GPS mode, meaning you won't need to charge it frequently. Display visibility is good, with a screen size of 1.04 inches that is clear enough to read underwater, although it lacks a color display which might be a minor drawback for some users. In terms of comfort, it is lightweight and can be worn comfortably for long periods.

The strap is adjustable to fit various wrist sizes, adding to its comfort and usability. Additional features like heart rate monitoring, multiple sport profiles, training tools, and wellness tracking add significant value for those looking for an all-rounded fitness watch. However, it does not have advanced swimming metrics or specialized swim features found in dedicated swim watches. If you're primarily a runner who occasionally swims, this watch offers a good balance of features and tracking capabilities. For dedicated swimmers, though, the lack of specialized swim features might be a limitation.

The Garmin Swim 2 is a GPS swimming smartwatch designed for both pool and open water swimming. One of its major strengths is its water resistance, making it suitable for various aquatic environments. The lap counting accuracy is impressive, thanks to its ability to record distance, pace, stroke count, and stroke type. The watch also gauges swimming efficiency using SWOLF score, which is beneficial for serious swimmers wanting to track their performance.

Battery life is another highlight, offering up to 7 days in smartwatch mode and substantial hours in both GPS and pool modes. This should cover most swimming sessions without frequent recharging. Display visibility, with its 1.04-inch screen, is generally good, although some users may find it a bit small when reading detailed stats underwater. In terms of comfort and fit, the watch is lightweight and designed to be worn for long periods without causing discomfort.

Additional features include underwater heart rate monitoring, smart notifications, and connectivity with the Garmin Connect online community for more in-depth analysis and workout customization. However, one potential drawback is the relatively small screen size, which might be less convenient for users with visual impairments. Additionally, the price point may be higher compared to other basic lap counters, but the extensive features and durability may justify the investment for dedicated swimmers.