I use a Polar M400, works well for tracking and heart rate (chest belt) and is small enough to wear as day to day watch, charge lasts for about a week with no gps sessions and 3 -4 days with gps tracked training sessions. Info downloads to an app on your phone and PC and also picks up notifications from your smartphone (sort of a low level smart watch).

New Garmin Fenix 3 is awesome....I use it for all my training but especially good for sup....I use to work for Suunto & they have the new Spartan but it's a lot more expensive....

I use a Garmin vivoactive HR. It has built in wrist based heart rate. It is a great watch, I use it for road cycling, MTB and also SUP. It has a dedicated SUP recording feature. I don't think the HR feature works when swimming ie when wet, but I guess the plan is to stay on the board.
Mick

Thanks everyone for your help.

I feel inclined to go for a Garmin with heart rate built into the wrist watch and with wave count ability.

I just need to clear up the heart rate when wet .. standing up .. dripping wet .. ??

Cheers and thanks

All these watches have surely been made redundant by the iWatch and an app. What am I missing here?

The Garmin 235 syncs directly to phone and picks up all phone text, etc and seems to be same function as an iWatch. I think. I use for sup, mtb and running. Does hr even in water. Not good for swimming gps. Syncs all info direct to phone ap such as garmin connect and strava. Bit of a toss but does give some interesting feedback.

I have the Garmin 920XT tri version. Similar but not as expensive or as bulky as the Fenix 3 which i found too big for everyday wear. I think for accuracy the strap HRM is better than the watch HRM particularly when wet, I have the vivo active but its wouldn't work with the Tri HRM so the change to the 920.

The Tri HRM stores the HR data when not communicating with the watch and uploads later. So good for when you fall in (which I do) and comes with a swimming strap as well that stores even more data. I also use when I box and just leave the watch running in my bag, then down load the HR data when I finish.

The advantage of the Fenix it has bigger screen and more interaction with your phone functions almost Apple watch like but not the same.

I wear it for everything and everyday and really happy with it buttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt if I could find a suitable app I would be like PT and buy the apple 2 in a nanosecond!

I find this guy does the best reviews, long but worth readingwww.dcrainmaker.com/2014/11garmin-forerunner-920xt-depth-review.html

A few of the crew I surf with have the Rip Curl surf watch ..

They swear by it and it gives them what they want ..

but it doesn't have heart rate and most of the fitness guys want HR

it's a wonder Rip Curl

Here is a few photos of my last session on the Fenix 3 hr the other week at tea tree bay at Noosa. The photo of my wrist is the surf tracker app with wave count etc. the other ones are of the data from Garmin connect when connected and synced. Shows track, fatties heart rate and you can get a wave count from there from the speed spikes. Hope that helps.

Sale price $169

US dollars I suppose

www.pushys.com.au/catalogsearch/result/?q=garmin+vivoactive+hr+smartwatch+black+x+large

connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1484901900

The Garman is working very well

I use it on the SUP mode which comes pre-loaded.. as shown in the link above

but there is a surf mode as well which can be downloaded

that would offer more wave analysis etc.

JB Hi Fi are running a special at the moment .. best price yet to my knowledge

offered in Australia.