PAPAGO GoWatch 770 Review

The PAPAGO GoWatch 770, a high-tech sports watch, has all the features to take your hike, run, or cycle to the next level. For hikers looking to go farther faster, the PAPAGO GoWatch 770 is a useful tool to monitor your progress, set goals, and chart your success.

The watch records distance, speed, time, lap time, calories burned, and even change in altitude. But what really sets this product apart is its “Training Mode,” which allows you to set goals for yourself and actively monitor your success while you work out. The PAPAGO GoWatch 770 also connects to GoLife Run computer software, a program that helps you map out workouts and analyze your progress. The PAPAGO! heart rate monitor records your heart rate and sends the information to be displayed on the watch while you work.

What I loved: The GoWatch 770 has seven different activity options: running, biking, hiking, walking, marathon, half-marathon and indoor activities. These options allow you to tailor your settings to the type of activity you’re doing, so that you can always see the stats that are most relevant to your particular goals. I loved the GoWatch’s hiking activity option, where I could track distance traveled, my speed in miles per hour, and altitude (as well as any of the other recording options).

With these options, if you were training for a thru-hiking trip, or any other trip with heavy mileage where you would need to keep a consistent pace to make your distance goals, the PAPAGO GoWatch 770 allows you to train smart— teaching you what your goal pace feels like by actively monitoring it on pre-trip hikes. I also loved the GoWatch’s “Auto Pause” option that stops recording automatically when you stop moving, making sure that your stats aren’t skewed on water breaks or when you stop to enjoy the view. The GoWatch also records calories burned, which means you can be sure to replace what you’ve lost to stay energized on the trail.

What I didn’t love: The GoWatch uses GPS technology to track your speed and distance traveled, which means its recordings are super-accurate — however, the GPS can lose its signal, especially if you move inside temporarily during your workout, which can interrupt your ability to view your stats. My only other complaint was with the size of the watch. Including all that software makes it a bit bulky, and it took some adjusting to wear on my small wrist.

Bottom line: The PAPAGO GoWatch 770 allows both serious and casual backpackers to up their hiking game, training smart for the next big trip or monitoring progress on your weekly hike.