Suunto Traverse

Ease of use: Five buttons could be confusing, but a super-simple interface makes it intuitive even for neophytes:Buttons are labeled (View, Back Lap, Light, Next, and Start). As you move through the menus, on-screen prompts minimize confusion. For instance, when you pause GPS recording, text on the screen asks if you’ve finished your hike and if you’d like to save the data.

Battery life: Best in class: While running the GPS, you can log up to 100 straight hours before recharging. Without GPS? Two weeks. “This is the watch you want on multiday trips, for sure,” one tester says. For context, most other GPS watches last half as long in similar modes.

Band: The silky silicone band slides easily across skin and hair and resisted stank over a season of hard use.