The Best Activity Trackers for Fitness For a Precise Fitness Regimen

Find a Fitness Accountability Partner That Never Fails

Thanks to the increasing popularity of fitness shows like The Biggest Loser, and fitness celebrities such as Kayla Itsines and Rhonda Rousey, it is now hip and cool to be fit. And what is more important than simply being fit? Owning and flaunting the latest in the fitness fashion. The latest craze to hit the fitness industry are the fitness trackers and new technology means that they do so much more than just count steps. Here is our review of some of the activity trackers for fitness in the market.

Best Activity Trackers for Fitness| Reviews of Top Rated Products

Picture	Model		Price	Our Rating
	Fitbit Charge HR Wireless Activity Wristband		$$	4.97
	Fitbit Flex Wireless Activity + Sleep Wristband		$$$	4.96
	Garmin vívofit Fitness Band		$$	4.96
	Fitbit Charge Wireless Activity Wristband		$$	4.95
	Fitbit Surge Fitness Superwatch		$$	4.95
	Fitbit Alta Fitness Tracker		$$	4.94
	Fitbit Blaze Smart Fitness Watch		$$$	4.93
	ELEGIANT Wireless Bluetooth 4.0 Fitness Tracker Slim-design Smart Wristband Sports Bracelet		$$	4.92
	Polar M400 GPS Smart Sports Watch and Fitness Tracker		$$	4.92

Fitbit Charge HR Wireless Activity Wristband

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The most popular fitness tracker on the market is not the most expensive or the most top of the range – it simply does what it promises and does it really well. The Fitbit range of fitness trackers are the leader in the fitness industry for a good reason. The Fitbit Charge HR Wireless Activity Wristband is the most popular and highest rated tracker on the market with over 30,000 positive reviews, and the reason it is so popular is because it does everything that you would expect in a good fitness tracker all while being very stylish and functional. It has a small display panel so does not sit bulky on your wrist, and is comfortable enough to be worn as you sleep – where it will monitor your sleeping pattern and wake you up gently with a silent alarm. Available in 5 different colors ranging from black to bright pink, it really is suitable for anyone. It is the perfect fitness tracker for those who want a reliable, no-frills, basic tracker with complete functionality.

Fitbit Flex Wireless Activity

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For a smaller and simpler version of the Fitbit Charge, the Fitbit Flex Wireless Activity tracker is perfect. It monitors everything that you expect from a quality fitness tracker (sleep, steps, calories and more). However, it has a smaller display panel so it is slender and perfect for smaller wrists. The front panel won’t tell you the time but it has LEDs that light up as you reach closer to your goals (which you can preset to suit your individual preferences). So while you cannot tell the number of steps taken or your heart rate just by looking at the front, you can still easily monitor your progress. It is able to be worn all night as you sleep, and has a 5 day battery life. It will sync to your Smartphone or PC so you can use your phone to log on and check the details of what you have completed. The tracker comes in a traditional black color but replacement bands in an assortment of colors are available to be purchased separately.

Garmin vívofit Fitness Band

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For something a bit different than the Fitbit, but just as functional, then you cannot go past the Garmin Vívofit Fitness Band. Garmin are a leader in the recreation and fitness industry and their innovation and quality is evident in their most popular fitness tracker. It has a simple design with a sleek interface displaying the time, number of steps and a specially designed and very clever ‘move bar’. This move bar is what makes the Garmin fitness band unique – it is literally a red bar that appears after an hour of inactivity so serves as a reminder to move. There are also additional alerts that you can set up if you would prefer to be reminded of inactivity in shorter intervals (for example every 10 or 15 minutes). It also has one of the longest battery lives of any fitness tracker on the market, lasting on average almost a year on a single charge (depending on use and how often it syncs to your Smartphone). And because it is water resistant and a very capable sleep tracker, you never have to take it off! Comes in a variety of different colors which can be changed and personalized while a different individual goal can be set for each day (whether it be a particular distance, number of steps or just active hours).

Fitbit Charge Wireless Activity Wristband

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For a Fitbit fitness tracker that does so much more than just track your steps, choose the Fitbit Charge Wireless Activity Wristband. It doubles as a smart watch and when synced to your Smartphone, will actually display phone or message alerts. So it really is a complete companion to help you manage your life. It does everything you would expect a high end fitness tracker to do – measures not only steps but altitude also and adjusts calories burned to be more accurate. Has a larger display than the other Fitbits so will tell you the time, total calories burned, current heart rate and any other information that you request all without having to connect to a computer. It syncs to your Smartphone via Bluetooth and when connected to your computer, is able to produce reports and graphs so you can monitor your ongoing progress in an easy to understand way. It also doubles as a sleep tracker and will even silently wake you up with an inbuilt silent alarm.

Fitbit Surge Fitness Superwatch

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The largest and most advanced of the Fitbit range is the Fitbit Surge Fitness Superwatch. Superwatch really is an accurate way to describe it because it really is super – not only is it a fitness tracker and a watch, but it offers so much more. Unlike the other Fitbit trackers, it displays multiple bits of information at the same time – it will display the time, your current heart rate and how many steps you have taken all without having to select anything on the tracker. It will also sync with your Smartphone and show the ID of anyone who calls or messages you, so you don’t even need to keep your phone with you as long as you have the tracker on. The display is actually a touch screen and you can even control your music playlist on your phone. It uses GPS technology to track exact distances and you will be able to see clearly on a map exactly where you have been on any given day. Water resistant, it also tracks your sleep and will wake you up with a silent and controlled alarm. Once you have used your fitness tracker to wake you up gently, you will never go back to the old blaring alarm clock again.

Fitbit Alta Fitness Tracker

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For a discrete, barely there fitness tracker that will go with any outfit, the Fitbit Alta Fitness Tracker is made for you. It has a simple display which changes between showing the time, distance walked or heart rate (depending on how you set it up). It tracks everything you would expect a good fitness tracker to track, including active minutes, number of steps and calories burned. The only feature it does not have is a heart rate monitor; however, many people find this preferable. It syncs quickly and easily to your Smartphone or computer via Bluetooth for analysis and results. Its clever display will act as a reminder to get active as it lets you know when you have been inactive for a period o f time, and it is better motivation to work harder than a personal trainer, not to mention cheaper in the long run. It is very comfortable and can be worn all night where it will act as a sleep monitor and will even wake you up with an inbuilt silent alarm. Fitbit have focused on style, and  there are many different bands available (including customizable metal and leather ones) that can be bought separately, so if you get bored easily then this is perfect for you.

Fitbit Blaze Smart Fitness Watch

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If you cannot decide between getting a watch or a fitness tracker and you want the benefit of both, then you should have a look at the Fitbit Blaze Smart Fitness Watch. It is the closest at resembling an actual watch with a digital display showing an analog watch face (or it can be changed to show the digital time if preferred). While showing the time, it will also display your current heart rate and can be synced to your Smartphone via Bluetooth to control music, messages and phone calls with the touch of the screen. There are a variety of styles – change the band to suit your current activity from the plastic, waterproof bands that come in a variety of colors to the stylish metal bands with a clasp that closely resembles an actual watch. The screen is quite large for easy visibility, and is made from a scratch-resistant glass so can be safely worn during the toughest of gym sessions. It automatically senses what you are doing (sleeping or being active) so there is no need to change settings – just go about your daily life and let the fitness tracker do the rest.

ELEGIANT Wireless Fitness Pedometer Tracker

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A virtually unknown brand in the fitness tracking market, the Elegiant Wireless Fitness band is perfect for those who are just entering the world of fitness tracking and are wondering whether it is suitable for them. It is a quarter of the price of many of the competing fitness trackers and is perfect if all you want is a no-fuss, basic tracker. Use it to track your steps, tell the time and it can even connect to your Smartphone via Bluetooth for caller ID. It can also be used to find your phone. It is truly value for money in every aspect and has the desired feature of fitness trackers of letting you know when you have been inactive for too long.. Battery lasts about a week and takes only half an hour to charge via USB when attached to your computer. When connected to your computer or Smartphone, it stores all the data it has gathered and displays it as a chart so you can see how you have improved or progressed over time. The band is made from a comfortable silicone so you will not even notice that you are wearing it, and because it is waterproof it is able to be worn 24/7.

Polar M400 GPS Smart Sports Watch

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If you do not want to waste time flicking between different settings on your fitness tracker, then you need the Polar M400 GPS Smart Sports Watch. The main display tells you everything you want to know in a single glance – the time, your current heart rate, number of steps and whether you are currently considered inactive. It is available with or without a heart rate monitor, so you can save money without losing other functionalities if you are not fussed in keeping track of your heart rate. It is waterproof so can be used in all weather, and acts as a sleep tracker and silent alarm when used during the night. Both the tracker with and without the heart rate monitor have a GPS feature which does more than just count steps – it knows when you change altitude and tracks exactly where and how far you have gone. This makes for a more accurate calorie counter as it takes things like larger steps and hills into consideration. It is available in a number of bright colors to show your personality while keeping track of your fitness.

Fitness Trackers Buying Guide

Activity trackers for fitness have exploded in popularity since they were first introduced and you would be hard pressed finding someone who is serious about fitness and health that does not have one. They are simply a bracelet which sometimes doubles as a watch, which tracks how much you move and some even tell you when you have been inactive for too long.

It is like having a fashionable personal trainer attached to your wrist. They actually are quite an intelligent and complex item so even though the different ones on the market may seem similar, the features and functionalities will differ. They are unisex and can be used by all sexes of all ages – anyone can benefit from one of the most popular fitness trackers on the market.

Although the idea of all fitness trackers are fundamentally the same, there is still quite a difference between the brands, and the price can vary by hundreds of dollars. Fitness trackers are basically a small machine, and like any machine, they have different grades and ranges, all with different features and different uses, targeted at slightly different markets. It is definitely true that no two fitness trackers are made the same. So if you are considering investing in a tracker and are not sure where to start, then below are the main considerations to help make the decision a little bit easier.

Price vs functionality

All fitness trackers may have a similar style to one another (they will look like something between a watch and a bracelet), however one look in any shop that sells them will tell you that there is a major difference between many of them. The price will be the main obvious variation. Fitness trackers can range anywhere between $30 and $300 and so you will need to do a trade-off between what you are willing to pay and what features you need. You definitely get what you pay for when it comes to something like a fitness tracker, however there are many almost useless features attached to some which drive the price up – such as being able to tell the time and alerting you when you have been inactive after a period of time. If you have never worn a watch previously, do you really need to spend an extra $50 for the ability to suddenly be able to tell the time on a whim? And some will require constant almost weekly charging, so if you are willing to take it off to charge it, you can save yourself quite a lot of money.

Smartphone Syncing

The common saying is that if you have not posted about exercising, does it still count? Luckily for you,  many of the good fitness trackers will automatically sync to your social media profile of choice, so it is impossible to post about how many calories were burned, or how many miles were run. You may not think that having your tracker connected to your social media accounts is a real benefit, but you will be surprised just how much harder you will work out if you feel the internet is judging you on it! Read the specifications to see just how easy it is to connect to your social profiles, and whether there is a privacy setting so you can choose whether you want the final result to be made public or not.

There are also fitness trackers that act as a smart watch and have the ability to answer your phone, view messages and even control music playlists, all without having to take your phone out of your pocket or bag. This is a feature that you may not think you need, but once you have it, you will not be able to imagine life without it. Most fitness trackers will sync to your Smartphone in some way (usually via Bluetooth), however the functionalities and control it gives will vary between brands.

Find the right fit

Fitness trackers are marketed across the genders and ages and it may not easy to find a one-size fits all solution. Some trackers will be designed for larger wrists, and some will suit smaller, skinnier wrists. The rule is to make sure that the main part of the band is not wider than your wrist. It helps to be able to try one on to see for yourself. Since you cannot wear fitness trackers that will not fit your wrists, it will be a waste of money buying one. Take time to determine the right size that will be most suitable for your wrists.

The trackers that double as watches will be chunkier, and may be heavy and uncomfortable for women with smaller wrists. On the other hand, some women may love the feel of a larger tracker, so it really is more of a case of personal preference. The tracker needs to be fairly tight and conformed to your skin, especially if it has an inbuilt heart rate monitor, so if it is sitting loosely and dangling like a bracelet, then chances are that it will not work properly for you.

What features should I look for in a fitness tracker?

Each fitness tracker will have different features. When shopping for your fitness trackers, some of the areas that you should focus on include the following:-

• Step counter – counts the steps that you make in a given day. Good counters will take your age, gender, height and weight into consideration.
• Distance Counter – More accurate than the step counter (as it cannot account for smaller or longer strides), the distance counter will use GPS tracking to show you exactly how far you have walked in a given day. Some will even show you on a map so you can see exactly where you have been
• Altimeter – A fairly new feature and only present in the high end trackers, the altimeter will recognize changes in altitude so it can account for the extra effort to climb up hills or stairs. Makes for a more accurate report on calories burned.
• Calorie Counter – Used in conjunction with the step counter, distance counter and altimeter – it basically calculated how many calories you have burned on any given day. The good ones will let you enter profile data so it will take your weight and age into account.
• Food Counter – Not as common because it involves manual entering of data, but some of the better fitness trackers will allow you to enter what foods you have eaten so you can get a report at the end of a day or given period of time as to how much you have consumed. Basing this against calories burned in exercise will give you an indication of your overall fitness.
• Sleep Tracker – One of the most commonly requested features on the fitness tracker, and some people purely buy one for this reason. Keep it on your wrist as you sleep and it will give you an idea of the quality of sleep you get. Basically the more active you are during the night, the less quality of sleep you will be getting. Some have an in-built alarm which will gently wake the wearer up in the morning.

Are they waterproof?

Not all fitness trackers are going to be waterproof. Some may be water resistant, so can be worn in the rain or even in the shower for short periods of time, but if you want to be able to go swimming and track your fitness in the pool, then you will need to make sure that you purchase a suitable tracker. Some of the better fitness trackers will actually be able to monitor your strokes in the pool and track your speed and distance swum, but make sure that the tracker you choose is designed for this. Because of the nature of the water, it is unlikely that a basic tracker will be able to properly monitor heart rate while in the pool, however it will still be able to tell you your starting heart rate (before you got in the pool) and finishing heart rate (once you have dried off).

It is never advised to take your fitness tracker diving or swimming in deep water as the pressure will likely damage it. Check the specifications on the packaging to see just what water based activities it will be able to withstand.

What is the mode of charging?

Different fitness trackers will have different battery lives and different batteries but will generally all need to be charged at some point and will be done via USB. Simply take the tracker off your wrist and connect to your computer via its USB cable and leave connected as it charges. On average a tracker should last between one to two weeks on a single charge, so at least you know you will not need to constantly take it off to charge it. Some trackers have a clear battery indicator on the screen so will alert you when the battery is low, some do not have any screen at all so the only way to see what level the battery is at is to connect it to your computer and log on. There are some trackers out there that can last a year or more on a single charge (such as the Garmin Vívofit Fitness Band), so if this is important to you, then invest in this one or one similar.

There are some fitness trackers however that actually need the battery replaced completely, however these batteries will last longer – up to 6 months on a single battery. These are not as common as they will require the constant purchase of replacement batteries, however they are out there.

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