Don't Risk Losing Your Smartwatch. Take An Inexpensive Sport Watch On Vacation.

Vacation is all about letting go, unwinding, ditching your normal routine for something more relaxed. Keeping your smartwatch charged so it can tell you how many steps you're not taking is the complete opposite of that. If you want to tell the time, but don't need the anxiety, take a sport watch with you instead.

A good sport watch will take what you dish out. Look for a resin or plastic case and band, shock resistance, and water resistance. The latter two are particularly important; water resistance isn't just for if you forget and go into the pool, but also for spills, sweat, and the other soakings a watch takes. And shock resistance will ensure the watch's quartz movement will keep time no matter what.

Get a watch with a backlight, as well. What used to be a special feature on many watches is now practically standard issue, but you'll still occasionally find a watch that goes without. Since you'll likely need it, especially if you're using your watch to set alarms or just want to check the time in the dark of your hotel room, spring for the light.

You don't have to set aside your routine if you don't want to, though. Many sport watches were built to help you keep track of your exercise well before the first smartwatch came along. If you're going to be going for runs on vacation, a lap timer will keep you on pace, for example, and water resistance means swimmers can stick to their schedule.