Huawei Watch Fit 2 : Route Back Feature

The Huawei Watch Fit 2 has been making waves in the fitness community since it was announced. This is due, in part, to the inclusion of the Route back feature for the first time in a Watch Fit device. What is Route back? Simply put, it tracks your running workouts route and tells you how to track back to the start. This can be extremely helpful if you’re ever lost or just want to know how far you’ve gone. In this article, we’ll discuss how the route back feature works, its benefits, and how it compares to other smart watch brands.

The Route Back Feature Is A Welcome Addition To The Watch Fit Series

Route back is a new feature included for the first time in the Watch Fit series. Why?, well it’s all because of the new powerful sport analytics included into the Huawei Watch Fit 2, known as Trusport. Here you can tap into the workout status and check the following metrics Running ability index, V02 max training load and pace zone.

For the first time the Watch Fit can provide a really great insight to your running ability and fitness. As for it’s price, well this is the whole reason why it’s generating a lot of waves amongst many fitness enthusiasts. But then again what good is having great running metrics and a stable built in GPS system if you cant track your running route?, Which is why I believe is the main reason the route back feature was introduced.

Not to mention the route back feature is an essential cog in generating reliable analytics to your pace zone metrics. Pace zone is in a non scientific term a way to measure your running training intensity. If your a keen and avid runner you should pay close attention to your pace zone metrics.

Pace zone’s greatest benefit is if you use the route back feature and recall a running course you already completed. You can compare your training results. If you find that your pace zone results are lower than previous then it’s a sign you have improved, or in scientific terms become efficient and it’s time to crank up the intensity.

So like I say the route back feature is a welcome edition to the Watch Fit series and I’m glad that Huawei has introduced it in their latest fitness tracker. The inclusion of great running metrics, a stable built in GPS system, and now the ability to track your course makes the Watch Fit an essential tool for any runner at a lower cost.

So What Is The Route Back Feature?

The Route back feature is a new addition to the Huawei Watch Fit series. It’s a handy little feature that uses GPS to track your route and then tells you how to get back to the start. This is perfect for those who like to go for a run or walk in unfamiliar territory, as it takes the guessing work out of getting lost.

The only way the route back feature works is when you activate any Huawei’s outdoor workout profiles. When you do this, your watch will automatically start tracking your route. If at any point you need to know how to get back to where you started, all you have to do is hold down the side button and select ‘Route Back’. Your watch will then show you a map of your current location in relation to the starting point, as well as giving you turn-by-turn directions on how to get back.

You Have The Ability To Import And Export Training Route

How cools is that. If you have a training buddy that is competitive as you are, you can share your training route with them and see who can complete it the fastest. This is a neat way to stay motivated and also improve your running skills.

From my experience this is all I have done to date testing this feature. Not to mention I had a suspicion my training buddy lied about their training time and this was a great feature to eliminate my doubt. He did run the route in a faster time, but I was able to complete it only a minute behind him. If you are looking for motivation to start running or just generally be more active, this is a great feature that can help you.

Is The Huawei Route Back Feature Reliable?

Now this is the question on everyone’s mind, is the route back feature on the Huawei Watch Fit reliable? The answer is, it depends. If you’re running in an area with a good GPS signal, then the chances are that the watch will be able to track your route quite accurately. However, if you’re running in an area with a weaker GPS signal, then the watch may not be able to track your route as accurately.

But then again if I was to give a black and white answer based on my experience using the route back feature then the answer is definitely no. It takes to to connect to GPS signal before starting a workout and to get the most accurate route back tracking is to plan your route through a open area. Im talking about completing a running route where there is no tall buildings, tunnels, dense forestry , or other things that would block the GPS signal.

The route back feature on the Watch Fit is a great idea, but in its current state it still needs some work before I would say its completely reliable. Hopefully with future updates Huawei will be able to improve upon this feature and make it more accurate.

How Does The Route Back Feature Compare To Other Brands?

Within the last 12 months there has been a surge of dedicated running watches out in the market. Huawei released the GT Watch Runner, then there is the latest Polar pacer series, not to mention Garmin’s Forerunner series. So how does the route back feature compare? This is my honest opinion.

In comparison to The Polar Pacer & Pacer Pro

The polar pacer is a little more advanced in terms of technology but in term’s of price range it is pretty close. However the Polar pacer have a similar feature known as back to start. The polar pacer has one advantage which is the assisted GPS, this feature allows the user to pre determine the available GPS satellites that is available to you based on your location, no matter where you are in the world. This is very important because you connect to satellites that’s closer to you quicker. But there is a catch, the location has an expiry date. When you connect to the closest satellite , your position is only good for a certain amount of time, and if you’re moving, the location isn’t as accurate. The expiry date on the other hand, means that you will have to re-download the maps again after a certain period.

The expiry date can be a little bit of a pain, but the feature is still very useful if you’re planning on going for a run in an area that you’re unfamiliar with. The main benefit of the back to start feature is that it gives you peace of mind, knowing that you can always find your way back home.

In comparison To The Garmin Forerunner Series

The Forerunner series have something very similar to the Huawei Watch Fit 2 which is also called the Back to Start feature. There is no real difference between the two features, but the Forerunner series have a few more options. You can choose to display your route on the map, or you can have it as a breadcrumb trail. The Garmin Forerunner also has an auto pause feature, so if you’re stopped at a traffic light or taking a water break, the timer will pause automatically.

Final Conclusion

So the Route back feature on the Huawei Watch Fit 2 is a handy tool that can come in useful, especially if you’re running in an unfamiliar area. However, it’s not perfect and there are some potential drawbacks to using it.

But overall, it’s a useful feature to have and it’s great to see Huawei continuing to innovate in the fitness tracker market. Thanks for reading! I hope you found this article helpful. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below.