When compared with a chest strap on a competitor device, the Spark 3 held its own. Heart rate was accurate, but I did notice a little lag when out. Doing hill runs, for example, meant spikes in heart rate that the watch struggled to display immediately. The Spark 3 is also an excellent ally in the pool. Once you’ve set the length of the pool, the Spark 3 will tally lengths, strokes, strokes per minute, total distance and calories. In reality, TomTom’s figures are pretty accurate. In fact, I was impressed by how long the music player worked and found myself using the watch and Bluetooth headphones as my go-to music player when out and about since it’s so easy to use. The good news is that you can still pull your data into third party apps including Strava, Runkeeper and MapMyRun so that's TomTom's saving grace. But we were hoping for more on the app front in the future.

TomTom Spark 3 review | TechRadar

As well as just not getting lost, the TomTom Spark 3 lets you save routes you've run and follow them at a later date, or more interestingly, you can upload GPX files and follow someone else’s favorite 10km route. The bigger problem, though, is that the app and the Spark 3 don’t always reliably communicate, with the two often taking a while to connect over Bluetooth, or failing altogether on first attempt, which can make it a pain to sync your data. Battery life It’s a shame that TomTom is moving away from wearables, because the Spark 3 shows a lot of promise. The key features are all present and correct, and Route Explorer mode isn’t just fun – it could literally genuinely be a lifesaver for types who like to go off the beaten path. It's a similar story for cyclists if you want to capture more ride data by connecting an external cadence or speed sensor. TomTom has tested its own sensor and the Wahoo Blue SC setup as well, but it should technically work with all Bluetooth Smart compatible sensors as well. You need to head into the Sensors menu again and this time go to Bike to get things paired up. Give Spark 3 a reboot

You can of course buy the Spark without the built-in music player or the heart rate monitor, which will take some strain off the battery. The problem is that there’s not really any great alternatives that offer all of the same features in one, that I could comfortably recommend. It’s a running watch that I’ve found has largely stood the test of time. Its feature set for the money still makes it great value, with reliable GPS, heart rate monitor and extensive battery life. While its design is probably beginning to look more dated than ever, the four-way controls do work a treat when you’re out running and simultaneously trying to interact with the watch whilst dodging pedestrians. I can see why TomTom has been so averse to giving it a proper design overhaul. Priced as it is, the TomTom Spark 3 Music + Headphones feels like a bit of a bargain given the added route navigation on offer, but we’re not sure if it’s worth the extra outlay for the heart rate monitoring offered by the TomTom Spark 3 Cardio + Music. You’ll also earn new Fitness Points based on your Fitness Age. The more intense your workouts, the more Fitness Points you’ll accrue. It’s designed to make you want to run more than just walk, as an example. Finally, there will be Personalised Workouts, covering running and cycling, available to follow from your wrist. The updates are expected to roll out in September and look to be welcome improvements. For a sports watch, the Spark’s design is pleasingly unobtrusive, especially compared with the slightly more outlandish offerings you see from its main rivals, Garmin and Polar. As such, you can pretty much wear it anywhere without looking like you’re about to shed your suit and sprint off. Should I consider buying something else?

TomTom | Sports TomTom | Sports

Using TomTom's desktop app, you can also load music onto the Spark 3. This interface is much more user-friendly than what you got with the older Spark, but you still have to make sure the music you want is in a particular playlist; you can't add individual songs. Once you’ve got your music on your watch though, the included headphones work great. In fact, they’re some of the best running headphones I’ve used.

Alongside the Spark 3 TomTom has released the Runner 3, which is exactly the same device except that it’s sold in running shops has different-coloured straps available. Whatever you call it, the Spark/Runner 3 is just about the best friend a runner could have. And you don’t even need your MP3 player or phone for music, either: assuming you buy the model labeled “Music”, the TomTom Spark 3 will stream music straight to Bluetooth headphones. It’s a shame you can’t link up sports for triathlon training, however. There are workouts you can activate to work on targets, such as running a 26-minute 5K pace or a 3-mile run in under 25 minutes, for example. These have you racing against a virtual partner, with the screen showing if you’re ahead or behind and by how far – a really great motivator to keep your pace up. This will appeal to anyone with a terrible sense of direction, or those of us who just like to run free and explore new areas without the fear of getting lost.