Activity and exercise trackers - suggestions and experiences please

[AdventureTravelDreamer]

I want to get a fitness tracker that works for various sports, definitely including swimming and ideally both pool and open water, as well as counting steps etc

My DS has an Apple watch which he really likes as he listens to music while running and swims quite a lot. He previously had the Fitbit Ionic which was rubbish, he had 3 in less than a year and kept having issues then eventually they all just stopped hence switching to Apple.

I have seen people say 'serious' exercisers don't use smart watches but I don't consider myself any type of athlete!! Just want something that means I don't have to count my lengths, will track my short runs (preferably without me having to have my phone with me) and will give me steps and maybe calories burned.

I am pretty sure the Apple watch does all this but guess what I really want to know is is there a cheaper alternative that also does all this?

TIA

Bump

I wonder what a serious exerciser is!
Did the person claiming that say you should have a Garmin instead?
-Sorry am happy with my fitbit, so no help with your quest.

I’ve got a Garmin mostly for running. I’m not exactly a serious athlete, I’m a very enthusiastic amateur though!
I also use it to track yoga and gym. I know you can also use it to track swimming but I haven’t done that. I have an older watch which tracks lengths in the pool. Don’t know how but it was always accurate. Not sure about open water (I’m too scaredy-cat to try it).

It was £250 so not super cheap, but also not Apple Watch price. Mine syncs with my phone so I can read text and WhatsApp messages, if you don’t want that you can probably get cheaper.

My Apple Watch does all that, plus there's the messages notifications, emails, taking phone calls, using Siri etc etc functionality with it too. I really like the nudges that the Apple Watch does too - monthly challenges, occasional one off challenges, being able to compete against friends (although I think the Fitbit is better at this one). I'm lucky that my watch was subsidised by my health insurance, but I really like it, and having got used to it, would be happy to pay for one full price. DH and I are both on our second watches, my first one has been handed down to DD.

Thanks all. I am currently watching some series 3 Apple watches on ebay after having had a little play with DS's last night