Best Of The Best
To start with, let’s define the nature of fitness trackers. An activity tracker, also known as a fitness tracker, is a device designed for monitoring and tracking all kinds of data as it refers to fitness. This includes the distance that you have run or walked, the number of calories consumed, heart rate and sleep quality. Of course, this innovative technology sounds like a great must-have item.
However, among all the other features that you should consider when buying a fitness tracker, the most important and basic one is what your individual goals are, or why you want to use a fitness tracker. These reasons might vary from person to person.
Some people who are just starting any kind of physical exercises need an activity tracker with a simple design such as showing them the number of steps taken and calories burned. Swimmers should make sure their trackers are waterproof and professional athletes need fitness trackers with advanced features. This list can be continued for a while, but the point is, to show you what the first step in purchasing an activity tracker should be. Each different group of users will have their own various needs.
Fitness trackers are mostly synced wirelessly to computers or smartphones for the goal of long time periods of data tracking. Trackers for shorter time periods are technological items that can be worn.
It is important to mention the two main types of trackers. The first one is an all-day tracker, which measures the following activities:
The second type is a training tracker that measures the following:
There are also special fitness trackers that can measure your blood pressure and weight. Let’s look at the descriptions of the various features of trackers.
Tracking AccuracyThe accuracy of the tracker is important because that’s what you buy them for, to learn the exact number of steps you take, calories you lose, etc. However, they might also lack absolute imprecision as they utilize sensors and algorithms. To get the most precise data, we advise you to buy a function-specific device. A heart rate monitor that is attached to your chest transfers more precise information than the fitness tracker with sensors in the device, that wear on your wrist.
It is worth exploring the accuracy rate of each device so that you won’t be disappointed later. Our reviews will help you to discern the brands that are reliable and durable from those that are not.
Note: If you are engaged in a wide range of activities, say preparing for a triathlon, then there is no need to buy separate fitness trackers in order to fit for each of these activities. Modern technology offers fitness trackers with multi-sport tracking abilities such as: water-resistance, speed tracking, elapsed time tracking, and distance. The data can be recorded whether you are running, cycling or swimming.
Progress MonitoringFitness trackers can be a great motivator for people who wish to lose weight or want to get more involved with physical training. When people can see actual numbers that measure their activity, they try harder to see better numbers. They can track their progress and update goals as needed. There is no better or easier way to track steps taken, heart rate, etc., all at the same time while engaged in exercising or other physical activities. You should know that your progress will be monitored with certain numbers on your fitness trackers only if you work and exercise hard, otherwise numbers will not change.
If you think that a fitness tracker is the motivation you need, to compare your progress over time, then go for it!
Bluetooth SyncingMake sure your device is connected to all the required apps, is synced via Bluetooth and is up-to-date. This will help in the consistency and preservation of the tracked data. A really good quality fitness tracker will offer this feature so that you access the information on your tablet, laptop or smartphone, wherever and whenever you want.
Smartwatch NotificationsSince technological advances happen every day, a modern fitness tracker has incredible options never available before now. Your smartwatches can send you notifications of certain goals or levels reached, so you don’t have to stop and look at your computer or table regularly. This type of tracker feature is highly anticipated and consumers are opting for this particular device over other kinds.
ConnectivityThis is a very important feature because if the connectivity of your fitness tracker is not compatible with that of your cell phone or computer, it is not going to serve you optimally. Some fitness trackers sync only with Apple iOS and some with Android only, some might not work with Windows. The device won’t work if it cannot connect to the appropriate computer specifications.
Battery LifeThe battery life of a fitness tracker is expected to be seven days on the average, however, some fitness trackers last even longer. It may seem short until you realize that this is the rate if the tracker works non-stop for twenty-four hour periods. It makes sense to look for an activity tracker with the longest possible battery time.
It should also be mentioned that depending on certain features of your fitness tracker, as well as its quality and sophistication, the battery life might even last for several months. Fitness trackers that have more complicated features, such as those that come with a color touchscreen, might need to be charged more often than the simpler ones that have only a few LED lights on their screens.
So, it’s easy to see that battery life is directly tied to the number of features offered and how advanced those features are when used. If you don’t use all the functions on your fitness tracker, see if you can opt out of any, rather than wasting power on something that isn’t important to you, or buy a simpler device.
Waterproof (ATM)If you are a swimmer, you will surely want a fitness tracker that is waterproof. This way you can continue to wear it in the pool or any body of water. Since swimming is an activity that uses energy to help tone your muscles and lose weight, it is a perfect sport to track your progress. ATM and IP are waterproof rating standards. If an activity tractor does not give you either of these levels on the packaging, you can be assured that it does not have this feature. Also, be aware that water-resistant and waterproof are not interchangeable terms. They mean totally different things. Waterproof means that water cannot penetrate the device. Water-resistant only means that is difficult for water to enter it, but not impossible.
GPSIf you have decided to go for fitness trackers with advanced features, then look for one with GPS capability. An activity tracker with a GPS function cannot only track your steps and distance, but give you location information as well.
Fitness trackers that come with GPS might especially be greatly suited for cyclists and distance runners, because they have the ability of monitoring your speed and the number of laps, while giving you location monitoring. This is good to know not only when you are tracking physical exertion, but if you are in an area of rough terrain, you will naturally be exercising harder.
A fitness tracker with a GPS will tell you your exact location and be able to measure the yardage on a golf course while you are golfing. If you are a swimmer, you can find water-resistant activity trackers with the feature of GPS too. They will log the number of strokes and the distance amount.
If you are a professional sportsman getting ready to take part in an outdoor triathlon, then you should remember the fact that activity trackers with GPS rely on satellite signals. This means they will not work indoors, among tall trees or buildings, or in inclement weather such as in storms or in harsh winds. It is good to have a particular goal in mind when looking for a fitness tracker with a GPS function.
In the end, do you really need a fitness tracker?
Well, to answer this question we offer a variety of reasons to purchase one, but the decision depends on you. If you think the product has some merit and you will use it regularly, it is a good idea. It may produce a lifestyle change in the way that you will exercise more, which is always a good thing. The following people would benefit from a fitness tracker for the following reasons.
Fitness trackers, as was already mentioned, can be a great motivator for starting exercising, getting fit staying that way. People who are into fitness or beginners in the exercise arena, can see their daily progress. Knowing that you can measure certain accomplishments will keep you going and prepare new goals whenever you attain them.
Athletes can definitely benefit from fitness trackers. This way they don’t have to rely on others to track their performance. Coaches can then work on other areas of training, knowing that the athletes are using their activity trackers and the data can be reviewed at any time. These sportsmen and women can proceed to their next goal, as they get faster, stronger and more physically fit. In their quest to be the best in their sport, they can measure their successes and their set-backs to adjust their training accordingly. They can help compare the results of your progress right on the spot and without the need for separate devices to measure multiple activity rates.
Seniors can implement fitness trackers to see their level of activity on a daily basis. It may be difficult for some older people to keep moving or to think they are doing more than what is real. This can also help those who have caretakers, doctors, nurses and family members monitor these levels for their health. The trackers that have the heart rate feature is especially promising for this age group. It is easy to notice your regular heart rate when resting or walking, with these trackers. Breathing patterns are also part of the data that can be recorded and this is especially good for those who suffer from asthma, COPD, and other breathing problems. It can also be used as an early warning signal for those who have tuberculosis, pneumonia or other lung diseases. This is a really great reason to purchase of an activity tracker.
Don’t let the cost deter you from getting the exact fitness tracker you want. If it doesn’t have all the features you want for yourself, see what you can do to purchase one that does. A tracker can be used as a preventative measure for tracking heart and lung issues, even in the young. You don’t need to be a professional athlete to use one. With such a wide variety of activity results that they can monitor and record, it would be hard to find a reason not to buy one! We have given you ample information to help you feel like you can make the best decision.
The total Reviews Bee rating sums up the overall picture of every product. Reviews Bee works tirelessly to ensure that we are providing the best product recommendations to you and your family. In rating the various activity trackers available, we strive to give you the best information possible. Our algorithm includes information from both expert and consumer resources. There is no need to spend hours on researches, because Reviews Bee instantly gives all researches and analysis for you and creates a Top list to save your time and money.
Reviews Bee collects consumer review information from popular retail websites including Amazon, eBay, BBB, Yelp, Consumer reports, etc. In addition, Reviews Bee utilizes reputable market niche websites, to include in the product ranking decision. Using the feedback of actual customers in coordination with expert evaluations enables us to provide each product with a score that takes into account all trustworthy information available on that item.
We came up with the popularity score for every activity tracker provider while analyzing 17 expert sites that are trustworthy. Based on our detailed evaluation, each activity tracker is assigned an expert popularity score based upon how many times each product is positively mentioned by experts in the industry.
By analyzing all the expert review sites our algorithm summed up the average ranking for every activity tracker in their rankings and that is how we came up with the final score for each activity tracker brand.
We managed to gather more than 8600 reviews from 75 reliable sources and our algorithm calculated the average score for each brand.
In order to understand how satisfied those consumers were, we analyzed the total number of reviews. We collected all the reviews and the number of stars people gave for each product. Based on these findings we came up with the average customer rating. This is how we managed to bring out the activity tracker reviews through which you know how the consumer can rate the activity tracker.
In order to make our results authentic, we don’t limit ourselves to just the positive rankings factors but we also take complaints from all over the web into consideration and figure out how many customers were complaining about the product.
Through this, we show both sides of the product whether it’s positive or negative in nature. This then makes it a negative factor in our algorithm. This as a result makes the best activity trackers reviews. That is why activity trackers reviews not only have positive comments mentioned but also the negatives as well.
