Best Squash Wearables: Watches, Heart Rate Straps and Recovery Trackers

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You come off court after a 45-minute league match, glance at your wrist, and see a heart rate graph that looks like a mountain range: peaks over 170, barely a valley in sight. Squash is one of the most intense things you can do in an hour, and a good tracker shows it. It can tell you how hard your sessions really are, whether you’ve recovered from Saturday’s tournament, and how your fitness is changing. This page compares the best squash wearables (GPS watches with a squash mode, heart-rate straps and armbands, and recovery trackers) and explains what the rules say about wearing them in a match.

Prices change often. The prices below are what we saw at the maker or a major retailer in October 2026; check the current price before you buy.

Our top picks

Squash wearables compared

Device	What it tracks	Where you wear it	Subscription	About (Oct 2026)
Garmin Forerunner 570	Squash sessions, heart rate, readiness, GPS for runs	Wrist	None	$550
Polar H10	Heart rate (ECG)	Chest strap	None	$105
Garmin HRM 600	Heart rate (ECG), stores sessions on its own	Chest strap	None	$160–170
Polar Verity Sense	Heart rate (optical)	Upper or lower arm	None	$105
WHOOP 5.0	Strain, sleep, recovery, heart rate	Wrist or other supported spots	Required (Peak tier)	$239/year
Oura Ring 5	Sleep, readiness	Finger	$5.99/month	From $399

First, the rules: can you wear it in a match?

The World Squash singles rules (2025 edition) allow “player analysis technology”, meaning equipment that records, stores, sends or analyzes performance data. But there are limits:

• Record, don’t read. A device may record and store data during a match, but you can’t retrieve it during the match. Don’t check your watch between rallies.
• Coaching only between games. Under the rules, any advice, by any means, is allowed only in the intervals between games. That includes data sent to a coach.
• It has to be safe to wear. Anything attached to a player’s body must conform to the rules. Tournaments and leagues can set their own policies, so check before an event. Many players prefer a strap or armband over a hard watch on the racket wrist.

Why heart rate matters so much in squash

In a study of elite players, heart rate averaged 92% of maximum across a match, and players spent about 69% of the match above 90%. Professionals’ ghosting, conditioning and match sessions all reached that top zone, so you can’t tell a hard session from an easy one just by what it’s called. Researchers studying pro training weeks put players in heart-rate monitors and accelerometers for exactly this reason. For club players, the useful questions are simpler: are my easy days easy, are my hard days hard, and how quickly does my heart rate drop between rallies as I get fitter? Wrist sensors struggle with squash’s sudden stops and swings. A chest strap reads the heart’s electrical signal directly and holds up better in accuracy studies.

The best squash wearables

1. Garmin Forerunner 570: best watch with a squash mode

Garmin’s owner’s manual lists squash among the Forerunner 570‘s racket-sports activities, alongside tennis, racquetball, padel and pickleball. You can log each session with time and heart rate, and use GPS for off-court runs. Each morning it gives Training Readiness and HRV Status scores to help you choose between a hard session and an easy day (see Garmin Training Readiness explained). It costs about $550 with no subscription. Pair it with a chest strap for accurate heart rate on court.

• Good: squash activity profile; readiness and HRV built in; GPS for running; no subscription.
• Watch out: wrist heart rate is less reliable in stop-start play; a hard watch on the wrist in a small court isn’t for everyone.
• Best for: club and competitive players who also run or cross-train.

Check the Garmin Forerunner 570 price on Amazon

2. Polar H10 and Garmin HRM 600: best heart-rate straps

The Polar H10 is an ECG chest strap that runs up to about 400 hours on a coin battery. It connects by Bluetooth and ANT+ to phones, watches and training apps, for about $105. It’s the simplest way to get trustworthy heart rate for ghosting, intervals and matches. The Garmin HRM 600 (about $160–170) is rechargeable and can record a session on its own and sync it later, so you can leave your phone in the bag and your watch off. Our best heart rate monitors for athletes guide compares more.

• Good: the most accurate heart rate in stop-start play; nothing on your wrists.
• Watch out: heart rate only; some players find a chest strap uncomfortable.
• Best for: conditioning sessions and anyone who wants honest effort numbers.

Check the Polar H10 price on Amazon

3. Polar Verity Sense: best armband

If a chest strap bothers you, the Polar Verity Sense is a small optical sensor you wear on your upper or lower arm. Its Amazon listing says it’s about 3 cm wide and under 1 cm thick. That keeps both wrists free for the racket and grip. It can stream heart rate live to two Bluetooth devices at once, or record a session and transfer it afterward. It costs about $105.

Check the Polar Verity Sense price on Amazon

4. WHOOP 5.0: best recovery tracker

WHOOP is a screenless band sold as a membership (about $239 a year for the Peak tier, sensor included), with a battery that lasts 14+ days. It gives daily Recovery, Strain and Sleep scores based on heart rate, heart-rate variability (HRV) and sleep. That’s useful for squash players juggling league nights, training and tournament weekends. With no screen, there’s nothing to glance at between rallies. Our HRV for athletes explainer and WHOOP vs Oura vs Garmin comparison go deeper.

See WHOOP membership at WHOOP

5. Oura Ring 5: best for sleep

The Oura Ring 5 starts at about $399 plus $5.99 a month and lasts 6 to 9 days per charge. It’s the easiest device here to sleep in, and its Readiness score is a good check after late-evening matches. Take it off to play: a ring under your racket grip is uncomfortable and can catch. See our best smart rings guide. Neither Oura nor WHOOP is a medical device.

Check the Oura Ring 5 price on Amazon

How to choose a squash tracker

• Start with the question. “How hard was that?” points to a chest strap or armband. “Am I recovered for tomorrow?” points to WHOOP or Oura. “Log squash and my runs” points to a Garmin.
• Think about the court. Straps and armbands keep your wrists free and are less likely to get knocked.
• Add up the real cost. One payment (Polar, Garmin) versus a yearly fee (WHOOP) or a monthly fee (Oura).
• Keep it simple for juniors. Sleep, food and a sensible schedule matter more than daily scores. See youth squash.
• Numbers aren’t a diagnosis. Chest pain, fainting or an unusual heart rhythm during play means stopping and getting checked, whatever your watch says. See squash injuries.

Put the numbers to work on our squash training and squash recovery pages, or go back to the squash hub. Tennis players face stricter wearable rules; see the best tennis wearables.

Squash wearables questions

Can I wear a fitness tracker in a squash match?

Under the World Squash rules, player analysis technology may record data during a match, but you can’t retrieve it until the match is over, and coaching is allowed only between games. Anything worn must be safe and conform to the rules, and events can set their own policies, so check first.

Does Garmin have a squash mode?

Yes. Garmin’s manual for the Forerunner 570 lists squash among its racket-sports activities, along with tennis, racquetball, padel, pickleball and others. Check the activity list for other Garmin models before you buy.

What’s a normal heart rate during squash?

It’s high. Elite players averaged 92% of their maximum heart rate in one study. Your own numbers depend on your age, fitness and level of play. If you have a heart condition or risk factors, ask your doctor what’s safe for you before playing hard.

Is a chest strap better than a watch for squash?

For heart rate, usually yes. Chest straps read the heart’s electrical signal and cope better with stop-start movement than wrist sensors. Many players pair a strap with a watch, or with an app on their phone.