itness trackers offer the exact dose of convenience that exercise routines have always lacked. Loaded with sensors and activity monitors, a fitness tracker delivers precise statistics about your daily activities. Such insights can guide you towards your health goals through the most efficient route. If you are looking to polish your physical profile, get yourself a worthy fitness tracker.
Whether you are a passionate athlete or a casual weight-loss enthusiast, you need a fitness tracker to make your workouts useful. Productive exercise requires a stream of technical input to yield any satisfying results, which is why self-planned exercises often end up being unproductive and redundant. Therefore, unless you can afford an experienced personal trainer, a fitness tracker is the tool you must acquire. Trackers are equipped with a myriad of functionalities, which commonly include sleep tracking, step-counting, travel distance logs, and heart rate monitoring. Some of the best fitness trackers also extend additional smartwatch features, like GPS, music streaming, and texting.
You will find several top brands in the market producing flashy trackers, and if you aren’t familiar with the intricacies of fitness devices, the purchase process can become nastily disorienting. To save you the search hassle, we have thoroughly tested each product in the market to isolate the most reliable models. Here are our top 3 picks for the best fitness trackers that you won’t regret buying!
Top 3 Fitness Trackers (Comparison)
| Product | GPS | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Fitbit Charge 4 – (Editor’s Choice) | In-built | Check Price |
| POLAR IGNITE – Waterproof Watch | In-built | Check Price |
| Garmin Vivosmart 4 | Connection-based | Check Price |
(Editor’s Choice): Â Fitbit Charge 4
Fitbit has established itself as the supreme ruler among fitness watchmakers, and the reason is apparent in their catalog of advanced, durable models. The Fitbit Charge 4 watch boasts numerous tracking abilities and a promise of unmatched accuracy that even Samsung and Apple watches cannot compete with.
The Fitbit Charge 4 features an elegant, rectangular dial set seamlessly into the strap. Fitbit has tuned up typical fitness modules, like sleep schedule, heart rate, and step tracker, through its innovative software. There are more than 20 workout modes programmed into the fitness band, with each geared to draft live updates and guidance on your progress. With the Active Zone Minutes app, you can feel a vibration every time you reach a milestone. Such a subtle celebration can be incredibly motivating when you are engaged in boring or repetitive exercises. The watch allows you to monitor the heart rate 24/7, even while resting, leading to accurate insights like calorie burn. Even sleep timings are converted into a quirky “Sleep Score,” which will drive you to improve your habits.
Charge 4 is armed with built-in GPS functionality that even the best fitness trackers often lack. Non-GPS distance tracking, as found in a pedometer watch, is known to suffer lapses in measurements, which is what makes Charge 4’s GPS function so desirable. If you like to run/cycle outdoors, the watch will keep you updated on the exact number of miles you have traveled. You can also boot up your favorite songs right from the fitness tracker through the Spotify app. In case you need to conduct a quick transaction or purchase, you can simply utilize the pre-installed Fitbit Pay application. To top it all off, Fitbit Charge 4 allows you to link up with your smartphone and channel texts and other notifications right onto your wrist. This diverse collection of features is why Charge 4 is considered not only the best Fitbit but also the best fitness watch in the current market.
When it comes to battery life, the Charge 4 promises to grind through 7 days on a single charge. Although this qualifies as a notable improvement over previous Fitbits, keep in mind that the battery life can vary drastically depending on your usage. With the GPS function on, it is projected to drain out in only 5 hours. The activity tracker is labeled water-resistant to 50 meters, making Charge 4 an incredibly waterproof Fitbit for swimming.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Programmed with 20+ exercise modes | Short battery timing with GPS turned on |
| 24/7 heart rate and intelligent sleep tracking | Some features need to be purchased (Fitbit Premium) for full access |
| Water-resistant to 50 meters | |
| In-built GPS functionality | |
| Supports music streaming (Spotify) |
Conclusion
When it comes to steadfast fitness tracking, Fitbit Charge 4 leaves little to be desired. It is packed with accurate sensors and trackers for sleep, heart rate, steps, and other activities. Unlike most fitness trackers, you also get handy apps, like Fitbit Pay, Premium, and Spotify, not to mention the notification functionality, in this Fitbit smartwatch, making it the unbeatable champion of fitness trackers.
POLAR IGNITE – Waterproof Watch
The Polar Ignite fitness tracker brings a refreshing perspective into the fitness tracker industry. Its rounded dial simulates the appeal of classic analog watches while hosting an advanced but user-friendly interface.
This smart watch is integrated with specialized GPS technology. Not only does it add a superior touch to distance tracking, but it also formulates speed and route measurements. If you engage in athletic training, such features can be remarkably more useful than a mere step tracker. Ignite is noticeably pricier than most fitness trackers, and the reason is that Polar has designed each element of the watch for professional performance tracking, taking an extra stride to bump up the technical accuracy. Its in-built heart rate monitor, for example, employs the latest electrode circuitry and sensors to render pinpoint readings. Its sleep tracker outstrips even the best smartwatch in terms of sheer efficiency. The software keeps tabs on nightly sleeping patterns and cues, graphing your recovery after a workout and suggesting appropriate adjustments to your schedule.
Moreover, the Ignite fitness tracker watch extends basic smartwatch functions as well. You can receive calls, texts, and even emails, right on your wrist by connecting it to your smartphone. Polar’s Fit Spark application is another gem that even the best fitness band cannot match. This training software provides detailed insights into your daily routine, guiding you towards the best workouts. If you seek a personal trainer, give the Fit Spark app a try; it may just fulfill your coaching needs, and save you hundreds of dollars.
Users also praised Polar Ignite‘s interface for being blissfully detailed without edging into complexity. The setup of statistics and applications in the watch can be easily navigated through the touch screen and a single side button. Possessing a round metal case, Ignite offers a refreshing change from typical fitness tracker devices. It comes in a variety of colors, from rose gold to silver. The silicon strap is entirely replaceable, so you can customize it to any color you desire. This level of personalization is what grants Polar Ignite a place in our best fitness watch rankings.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Advanced heart-rate monitoring | Expensive |
| Fit Spark training software | No music-streaming function |
| Beautiful, rounded-dial design | |
| Sleep and Recovery tracking | |
| Integrated GPS function |
Conclusion
Polar Ignite is a handsome watch meant for serious exercise. Its advanced tracking technologies offer the most detailed statistics, like sleep recovery and heart rate. Coupled with a GPS function as well, Polar Ignite has set itself apart as the most accurate activity tracker in the market.
Garmin Vivosmart 4
Garmin carries a glowing reputation for making affordable yet specialized fitness devices, and their Vivosmart 4 watch is no different. Despite a modest price tag, the watch packs a plethora of tracking features that would make even the best smartwatch envious.
Garmin Vivosmart 4 delivers precise heart rate measurements through an astute, wrist-based tracker. It can determine your body’s stress and energy levels by use of certain smart, info-centric modules. The watch also includes a quirky notification system that notifies you if your stress level exceeds preset limits, with encouraging messages popping up on the screen to spur you to relax. Although the fitness tracker has no in-built GPS, you can get GPS-based measurements by synchronizing it with your smartphone. There are specific timers coded into the fitness tracker for various activities, like walking, swimming, and running, etc. Attempting to use a conventional timer can be frustrating when you need to measure consecutive laps and sport-specific routines, but Vivosmart’s timer menu eliminates that hassle as well.
What makes the Vivosmart 4 fitness tracker truly exceptional is the intelligent way it handles fitness statistics. The watch processes basic sensor readings to chart an estimate of your overall fitness labeled VO2 max. Not only that, but it also tells you your “fitness age”. As you gear up your exercise routines, the fitness age decreases. This form of fitness tracking is rare even in the best activity tracker available today. There is also a sensitive Pulse Ox sensor placed within the dial that can estimate your blood oxygen saturation. The readings from Pulse Ox enrich the sleep tracking process and give you an additional meter for self-improvement. If you are new to fitness workouts, this delightful combination of features can make your transition a great degree smoother.
Furthermore, Vivosmart 4 is fueled by a powerful battery that boasts up to 7 days’ performance. When it comes to design, Garmin has taken a leaf out of Polar’s book and implanted metal accents into the Vivosmart 4’s dial. The watch appears elegant and sophisticated regardless of the occasion.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Pulse Ox sensor | No in-built GPS |
| Provides detailed VO2 fitness estimates | The touch panel can lag at times |
| Attractive metal-ringed dial | |
| Loaded with various activity-specific timer presets | |
| Measures stress and energy levels |
Conclusion
The Garmin Vivosmart 4 fitness tracker is an excellent option for those new to smartwatches or exercising in general. The watch’s wardrobe of measurement tools and tracking elements provide a convenient, straight-forward set of insights to guide your workout. Armed with handy modules like Pulse Ox sensor and relaxation reminders, the Vivosmart 4 watch is undoubtedly the best budget fitness tracker you can find.
FINAL VERDICT – EDITOR’S CHOICE
Each fitness tracker is characterized by a distinct wearing experience, and the best ones serve up convenience, functionality, and comfort all in one. After our rigorous testing regimen, the 3 best devices in each performance category emerged from the catalogs of Fitbit, Garmin, and Polar. As we compared their practicality and interface, we found the Fitbit Charge 4 to be the worthiest for its price.
Fitbit’s Charge 4 matched the Polar Ignite and Vivosmart 4 watches in every tracking facility they dished out, from the GPS-based pedometer to the heart rate monitor. When it came to third-party applications, though, like music streaming and microtransactions, neither of the competitors had any similar functionalities. Charge 4’s sizable collection of apps grants a versatile wearing experience akin to android smartwatches, all without reaching an unreasonable price tag, which is what makes it the best fitness tracker in the current market.