Do you wear swim watch or use the clock at the pool?

Former Member
Former Member
Do most of you wear a watch or just look at the big clock on the wall? Any recommendation for a decent watch?
  • I use both, depends what I am doing. If odd distances, like 75's 125's, then I rely on my watch because I am nearsited. Or if I cannot get in the fast lane which is the one the clock is above. I use a timex triathlete watch and it is about time to replace it. Had it a number of years, and it does well, is inexpensive and easy to use. It has a regular buckle band. I have tried watches with velcro before and over time, the swimming seems to cause the velcro to not fasten well.
  • I actually went out and acquired a portable (Competitor) pace clock a few years ago for when I am working timed sets. I haven't gotten to the point where I'm down to worring about tenths or hundreths of seconds during practice. If I was, I would ask someone to time me with a stop-watch.
  • Former Member
    Former Member
    I wear a watch because I don't find the pace clock anywhere near accurate enough. I use this one: www.amazon.com/.../B00093CZV0 I like to work out my average time for a set, and when I'm looking to shave 0.1 seconds off my average for the set, I need accurate times. I believe I am very consistent in timing myself in this way, often doing sets where rep after rep is within a 0.1 second timeband.
  • I use a watch because there is no clock where I swim. My husband is using a Times Ironman watch that is over 12 years old, he changes the battery and bands when necessary. I like the speedo watch because it goes over 1 hour with the same display, the Ironman displays the hours and it is difficult to see the seconds. I buy bands at Target and order some neat print ones from watchband.biz-it is in Germany but I have ordered from them twice with no problems.
  • I use the digital pace clock at the pool. When swimming distance sets I have the habit of doing my first stroke heads ups so I can check my pacing. I've always wished that some one some day would install and underwater clock.
  • I use my Timex Ironman.One pool I swim at has excellent pace clocks(4-all synchronized) but I got in the habit of using the watch at another pool and it is natural now.
  • My team has a digital pace clock that we use. I rarely swim on my own but when I do, the pool has multiple analog pace clocks on the walls that I can use. As a back-up, I have a Timex Ironman watch that I use.
  • I use one of the two pace clocks on the wall. one in front of lanes 2 and the other in front of lane 2 (7 lane pool) I miss my old pool that had one on each end. either way I wouldn't want a watch, because I would be more worried about looking at my wrist than hitting the wall. as it is now it takes me a second to look up at the clock. I know if I can do a set of 100s and come in on or around 1:14 then I am doing something right. when the time starts to get closer to 1:15 or 1:16 then I can see that I am swimming slower. if I am worried about tenths, then I too have someone time me. did that once for 10x100 and 5 x200 it was fun to see my 50 and 100 times...
  • Our facility has 6 digital pace clocks that are wireless synchronized. Mmmm. -Rick