WHAT IS THE BEST FITNESS TRACKER WATCH?

One of the latest fitness crazes is keeping track of your activity. Whether it’s walking, running or monitoring how many calories you consume each day, you probably want to keep track of the daily fitness goals that you reach and those that you need to work on in the days and weeks ahead as you pursue your exercise and nutrition goals. Your budget might make it hard for you to spend a lot of money on a fitness tracker watch, or you might not want to spend a lot of money on something that could end up not working or not displaying the right results. A good bit of research has gone into finding the best fitness tracker watches that are comfortable to wear, that offer the best results and that are the most affordable.
When I started looking at fitness tracker watches, I knew that most people wouldn’t want something complicated with a lot of bells and whistles. Most people want something that’s simple, easy to operate and easy to understand to help guide them through their fitness journey. When there are multiple tracking components and sensors in the device, then you’re going to pay more money. There’s no need to track where you’re located every minute of the day or while you’re exercising as satellites often mean more money as well. The list of fitness tracker watches started with 87 and I narrowed that long list down to the top few that deliver the most for the money you pay. The 87 fitness trackers are those that we were able to find for sale in the country either in stores or online.
TYPES OF FITNESS TRACKER WATCHES
There are three types of fitness tracker watches that were tested. Each one has different features depending on what you want to track.
Basic: Basically, these are your pedometers (though typically more sophisticated than pedometers of the pre-fitness tracker era). This type keeps track of the steps that you take each day. It uses the number of steps to determine how far you travel through the day and is a device that is ideal for those who are looking to get in more steps during their routine. It’s a device that is better for long-distance walkers and runners who might be training for marathons or who want to reach new distances over time.
Heart Rate: Common health issues that many people are worried about deal with the heart. A heart rate tracking monitor will keep track of the steps that you take and the distance that you travel along with the monitoring changes that take place with the heart rate. There are sensors in the device that are usually pretty accurate in measuring the heart rate. They aren’t recommended for monitoring the heart rate over a long period of time but can give a general idea if there are any issues that need to be addressed. More importantly, they help you monitor your heart rate during exercise to help determine if you’re staying in the zone you intend to. If your target is 132 beats per minute, a good fitness tracker will be able to show you that you’re averaging only 119 beats per minute, for example, and you can adjust accordingly.
Heart Rate And GPS: This kind of tracker does everything that the previously mentioned types do but has a GPS sensor that will tell you where you’re at and give directions to where you’re going. The sensors can detect where you’re located anywhere in the world, not just the United States.
The list of fitness tracker watches was narrowed down to those that are in top-selling groups and those that are the most highly reviewed. I also chose fitness trackers from the top manufacturers that include: Fitbit, iFit, TomTom, and Garmin. There are five things that the devices tested have in common and include:
- Syncing
- Notifications
- Resistance to water
- Warranty
- Design for both genders
I looked more at the consistency of the device over how accurate it is (most of the top watches are within a reasonable margin of error) as most consumers want a product that will last longer over one that will pick up on every little detail. In that regard, the Garmin Vivofit 3 is at the top of the list. It’s under $100 and has most of the features that people are looking for in a tracker. It’s smaller than most watches and can be customized with a variety of bands. There aren’t any issues with syncing, but it doesn’t sync automatically. The battery is replaceable. This device can sync with other types of heart monitors.
If you’re looking to spend a little less money, then consider the Fitbit Charge 2. It’s only about $50 and easily tracks the steps that you take each day. It has a basic design and is a bit larger than the Garmin, but this makes it easier to see the display screen.
Ultimately, out of the many fitness tracker watches that were looked at, evaluated specifically on what was mentioned above (and not things like customer service, ease of use, mobile-app availability or interface, etc.) the final device selected is the Garmin Vivosmart HR+. This is a fitness tracker that is often used to monitor the heart rate. It is about $180, but the device is waterproof and does an exceptional job at monitoring the heart rate and detecting your location. You can view the original research here.
If you enjoyed this article, please click the heart so others can learn from it as well!
Anthony Church is a veteran to the fitness industry. In addition to being one of the original writers for bodybuilding.com and a contributor to various other fitness publications he has competed as a drug-free bodybuilder at the national level and accumulated over a dozen bodybuilding victories. He holds a degree in psychology as well as an MBA and has worked as a certified fitness trainer for years helping countless individuals achieve their fitness goals.
Having overcome significant adversity Anthony has mastered the ability to train the mind to carry the body through what seems insurmountable, undesirable, and even impossible. He is a contributing author to the book “Living Passionately”, available on Amazon, and specializes in helping individuals unleash the warrior within, starting with the mind. Learn more at Anthony Church Fitness.
Originally published at anthonychurchfitness.com on August 5, 2017. What is the Best Fitness Tracker Watch?
