VO2 Max Accuracy in Smartwatches TESTED! (Apple Watch, Garmin, Polar, COROS, Suunto, and More!)

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Garmin Instinct 2X Solar

Garmin Epix Gen 2

Garmin Forerunner 965

Garmin Fenix 7

Polar Ignite 3

Polar Grit X Pro

COROS VERTIX 2

COROS APEX 2 PRO

COROS PACE 2

Suunto 9 Peak Pro

Apple Watch Ultra

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00:00 - Intro / What is VO2 Max?
03:40 - How is VO2 Max Measured?
05:20 - Smartwatch Estimated VO2 Max
06:05 - Test Results: Smartwatch vs Lab Test VO2 Max
08:58 - Conclusion / Final Thoughts

[tritonfit]

I've done VO2 max lab testing a handful of times (a few times each year over the past 3ish years) and each time the results are bang on with my Garmin Fenix watch.

[_J.F_]

I agree that unless you are a pro athlete, or just very detail orientated in the way you go about your fitness data, then it doesn't really matter too much how accurate the VO2 Max of your wearable is, as long as it is consistent. What I mean is that most of us probably only use VO2 Max as an indicator if our training is fruitful, meaning VO2 Max growing over time, and for that it doesn't really matter how accurate it is calibrated. The problem might of course be that if your watch is not well calibrated then chances are that it isn't very consistent either, but if you can longer and faster over time then you are probably doing something right 😄

[rene]

My VO2Max was 59 before I contracted Covid. When I picked up running again after 2, 5 weeks my VO2Max had dropped to 54. It took quite some months to reach the 59 again. Now, exactly 2 years later I am at 62. I have a Garmin 255.

[hornsteinhof]

Interesting video! My vo2max for running was at 62 during college and hovered around 60 afterwards. In 2019, I got bitten by a tick and infected with meningitis. My vo2max fell to 41 over a few months, because I couldn't move a lot and my left leg was paralyzed. Now I'm at 52 again and it's still climbing every few weeks. My values with a Fitbit and Garmin were consistent with the cooper test results, polar resting fitness test tends to give me higher scores

[Betweenaidstations]

Interesting! I just did a vo2max lab test with a score of 51 as well. Garmin gives me a 50, so pretty accurate. Been using a Fenix 7 for over a year now.

[Ephie_S]

My curent Vo2max is 50. A year ago I reached 53... I use Garmin Fenix 6x and I can say that I am in high shape and I have never been in a lab. I was really glad to see your video, it verified the numbers for me. By the way I am 63 yers old.
Thanks for the video😂

[yuanyuanintaiwan]

I would say what matters more than the vo2max absolute value is the vo2max changes through training. Even if it’s incorrect, it may be useful to see how it changes when training. Last year i was running every day for a month, my vo2max did a +4, which was great 😊

[davidjuson]

Thanks for the video. At my age, 71, and standard of athleticism, which is at best modest for my age, I have considered it an expensive overindulgence to go to a lab to have my VO2 Max calculated and have relied on my Garmin Forerunner 245. However, I pushed my score up to 46 from 44 late last year and was surprised to see it raise to 47 last month. I suspected my trusty watch might be flattering me: apparently not.
Pheeeew!

[rubarb]

Really pleased that a bunch of watches had a very accurate score, especially as they are only estimating based on the metrics they collect!

[Neilveg]

Just switched to a Garmin 965 from a Polar Grit and I find the HR readings very similar on both. I’ve been using the Garmin for 16 days and it gives me a VO2 max of 50. Polar gives me only 36 Vo2 max but on Polar running index on my daily running Polar give’s around 60-65. I’m 68 and first used the Polar HRM over 30 years ago and would say HR varies a lot from person to person so Vo2 max is the same. You can’t really judge yourself against other runners using this data. The quicker runners generally have lower HR but it’s not always the case.

[FJDIAZ]

Amazing video showing this! I've always wondered if it was accurate but the results are impressive, looking forward to your follow up video in the future.

[Jim-besj]

Great video. I'm surprised at how well the watches estimated the number. I run with a Garmin Forerunner 245 and have identified some weaknesses it its algorithm. The effects of altitude and steepness of terrain cause a variance in its estimation. I do most of my running on steep hills at an altitude of 1500 meters and the V02 max is usually 45. If I go up into the higher mountains and do similar run at 3000 meters elevation, the next day my watch will say the V02 max is 43. Or, if stay at 1500 meters and run faster on a smooth, flat trail, the V02 max will go up to 47 or 48

[KomengDeBatiste]

Wow, thanks. The algorithms have improved! I'm actively using my Polar now, but I've noticed my Suunto consistently indicates the lowest VO²Max amongst my watches.

[gizamaluke]

Very nice video, thank you! I only own a Fenix 7 so I can only speak for Garmin, but there are actually two different VO2Max scores, one for running and one for biking. I believe you compared the one for running (since the running icon was shown above) to a biking activity at the test lab. Would be interested if your biking VO2Max is 51 as well on Garmin Connect. Being a runner primarily I know that those values can differ vastly .

[jameschenoweth]

Great job! Thank you. I work as a Health and Wellness coach, and was curious about this exact topic, being a Garmin Instinct 2 owner.

[jrnmayntzhusen]

My Garmin Fenix number also matches the real VO2 max test I had. The real interesting detail however is the fat burning percentage that came from the real test. In my youth I ran 5 marathons within 5 years the same way. I had no clou on fat burning versus carb burning. So I ran straight all out for 2 hours and something, and ran straight into "the wall". From there the last 17-20 km of the marathon were 100 meters of walking followed by 500 meters of slow jogging and then down to walking again.
Now 26 years later I'll be running a marathon again next sunday planning/hoping/praying to beat my old personal record because of the knowledge of 1) my fat burning at lowever intensities, 2) my inability of taking in carbs whilst running. I have to stretch my blood sugar reserves to last for the whole marathon. Wish me luck :-)

[filipsvacha]

My friend did a study for his masters, for exactly this question. He had 8 guys that run with Garmins, had them lab tested and the results were pretty much the same. I think the more popular companies (garmin, chronos, apple) are more acurrate, because they have bigger datasets from their users. But as it was already said, VO2Max is just a number, it depends how well can you put your fitness in use.

[gravbloss]

before i even start the video im gonna say this.. this is so nice with a video like this you help me choose what watch i should buy thank you

[TenantRepGuru]

Very helpful. Before this video I doubted and did not use the VO2 Max on my Garmin. Now I will certainly use it. Thx

[williamstevenson]

Greetings from the UK! Excellent idea for a video, and the first I've seen like this. Very impressive and useful, and I was very surprised at the agreement between the lab value and Garmin, Apple etc. estimates. Even the ones from the not-so-good camp were closer than I would have expected, so it seems that the VO2 Max is, after all, a useful metric! Even The Quantified Scientist and DCR haven't done a comparison like this, as far as I know. Thanks