All of this tracking hype began with the pedometers just tracking how many “steps” you took in a day. While this knowledge wouldn’t seem like it would have a significant impact on the wearer, a study done by Stanford University School of Medicine actually found that those who wore a pedometer were associated with increased physical activity and weight loss, as well as a decrease in blood pressure. (2) Dena Brevata, MD, MS, and senior research scientist in medicine found that this increased physical activity was as much as “about 1 mile of walking per day” (2). All of this from a device that simply told the wearer how many steps to take. Nowadays, technology has improved so much that new devices can tell you if you’ve had a good night’s rest or how fast your heart is beating.
Polar RCX5
Let’s start off the most hardcore wristband, the Polar RCX5. This baby can track the rate of your heart to the speed of your bike. Probably the most advanced tracking device on the market currently, this probably isn’t your “I need to work off that donut” tracker. This is a “training for the 300 movie” tracker. Also, you’d probably have to be an actor in the 300 movie to afford it at $469.95. If you’re looking to track your data in the most detailed ways possible, this is the tracker for you. You can get the specs on their site.
MIO Alpha
For cyclers, runners, or crossfitters trying to keep your heart rate within a certain zone, the MIO Alpha BLE would be a suitable match. While most heart rate monitors go around the chest, this monitor fits snugly on your wrist to track at what zone your heart rate is. This can be beneficial if you know what heart rate would be optimal for your goals. If you don’t, then at least you’ll know you’re still alive. Priced at $199.99 on Amazon.com, the MIO is on the upper-echelon of wristbands.
Basis Carbon Steel Edition
For a great everyday activity tracking, the wristband from Basis auto-detects running, walking, bicycling, and sleeping. It measures REM, light, and deep sleep automatically. It features sophisticated and comprehensive measurements while focusing on habits rather than raw numbers. You will enjoy an excellent web interface, and the device wirelessly syncs over Bluetooth. You may complain about the fact that it doesn’t measure distance, and the screen is dim. At $199, it costs twice as much as some competitors in this category. However, the Basis Carbon Steel Edition is by far the most interesting activity tracker on the market, delivering a wealth of information others can’t match.
Fitbit Flex
Getting into the more affordable range we have the Fitbit Flex priced at $99.95. Fitbit Flex measures sleep, steps, calories burned, and all of this data can be seen on its convenient app. It has excellent battery life and a pretty accurate step count. It’s comfortable, light, and stylish. The Fitbit Flex also includes silent vibrating alarm. One of the coolest feature is their interchangeable bands available in several colors. Enjoy simple Bluetooth and NFC-enabled wireless syncing to smartphones and a nice web experience. A couple drawbacks include a limited display of information on device, and no altimeter. However, among wrist-worn activity trackers, the Fitbit Flex is great and the most competitively priced one you’ll find. If you’re not stuck on wearing a bracelet, though, the Flex’s close cousin, the Fitbit One, is the obvious choice.
Jawbone UP/UP24
Similar to the Fitbit Flex, the Jawbone UP ($129) and Jawbone UP24 ($149) provide a great overall indicator of daily physical activity. Featuring six different colors, it is also a little more “trendy” and is very simple (it doesn’t actually have a screen). The great thing about the UP is the well-designed and powerful mobile app associated with it (iPhone and Android). The UP links to smartphones via the headphone jack while the new UP24 is always connected to a smartphone via Bluetooth Smart. They both monitor how many steps you’ve taken as well as your sleep patterns and includes a vibration alarm with a few unique functions. There are some drawbacks. For example, the UP system is for iOS and Android only; it doesn’t work with personal computers. Also there are no data readouts on band itself. However, if you’re not looking for anything too complicated, but want a device that will help you track your daily activity in style, the UP or the UP24 by Jawbone would be perfect for you.
Nike+ FuelBand SE
With a sporty, sturdy, and comfortable design, the Nike FuelBand SE Displays time, steps, calories burned, and “fuel” on the band. It wirelessly syncs over Bluetooth with a free iOS app. The app has neat group features and lets you isolate and name special activities. It’s drawbacks are that it’s pretty pricey at $149 for being a glorified pedometer. It doesn’t track distance, stairs climbed, heart rate, skin temperature, or sleep. There is no auto-detection for specific activities. Plus, “Fuel” is murky in meaning. There is no Android app, but unlike the Jawbone up, it does have desktop computer syncing and support. Bottom Line: the Nike+ FuelBand SE looks sporty and feels comfortable, but it’s priced higher than other devices that measure more meaningful data.
Ultimately, you are going for the clearest picture of your daily activity. These bands are meant to show you what have done, not what you are capable of. These bands may tell you that you’ve walked 10,000 steps, but they don’t tell you that you are capable of 50,000. The point is that you ultimately decide how active you are going to be.
Join CleanStart!
This article is part of a 6-week, modified-paleo nutrition and fitness challenge that introduces you to the smarter way to eat and stay fit for life. Learn more.
Email me when Vimify publishes or recommends stories