The Pros And Cons Of 10 Popular Fitness Bands

It’s no secret that we all want to be healthy. We also want to make getting healthier as easy as possible, and that’s where technology comes in. Fitness bands, those small(ish) wearable step- and activity-tracking devices you see on so many wrists these days, can let you know whether you’re moving enough — or at all. But not all fitness bands are created equal. Some simply track your steps, while others can monitor your heart rate and exertion and know if you’re walking, running, biking or — in some cases — swimming. Fitbit has become synonymous with fitness tracker, and that’s because they’re easy to use, attractive and useful. 150 Fitbit Charge HR are the company’s two high-end devices. They look very similar, with black, watch-like bands and closures. Both offer the ability to track steps, distance, calories, sleep quality and floors climbed. And both offer continuous heart rate monitoring and notification of incoming calls from your connected smartphone.

But from there, the Surge and the Charge HR differ slightly. The Charge HR features a smaller (0.5-inch) display, which requires that most of your interactions with the device be done via Fitbit’s apps (available for mobile and via the Web). Fitbit says the Charge HR is its “Active Fitness” device, and it’s an excellent choice for someone who works out frequently and wants notifications of phone calls on their wrist. 100 Fitbit Flex. This thin wristband lacks a real display — so it can’t double as a watch like the Surge and Charge HR can — but it has the basics covered. The Flex tracks steps, calories, distance, sleep (but lacks automatic sleep tracking) and active minutes. It can’t track floors climbed, but it’s a good option for anyone looking to get started in fitness tracking. The Flex will link you into the Fitbit ecosystem, where you can compete against friends using any of the Fitbit devices, and thanks to Fitbit’s popularity, chances are good you’ll find someone you know in there.

Garmin is not known exclusively for making fitness trackers, but it is known for a variety of excellent tech gadgets for the outdoors. 100 Vivofit 2 is most comparable to the Fitbit Flex. This wristband tracks your steps, distance traveled, calories burned and sleep. Unlike the Flex, the Vivofit 2 boasts a watch battery that can last up to a year, so it doesn’t need to be recharged. It also has an always-on screen that, thanks to its backlight, is viewable in daylight and at night. 150 Vivosmart is similar to Fitbit’s Charge HR, straddling the line between smartwatch and fitness band. It tracks your activity — including steps, distance, calories burned, heart rate and sleep — and delivers notifications of calls, emails and texts from a connected Android or iPhone. The Vivosmart does not include a heart-rate monitor, but Garmin’s newly announced Vivosmart HR does. Unlike the Vivosmart, the Vivosmart HR does not use a watch battery and will need to be recharged about every five days. 250 Vivoactive is similar to the Fitbit Surge. The Vivoactive is part activity tracker, part smartwatch and part high-end sports watch.

It’s GPS-enabled and is designed to track a range of activities, from running and biking to golf and swimming. It lacks a heart-rate monitor but can pair with a chest strap, if you don’t mind using an added device. Why choose Garmin’s products over Fitbit’s, For one, these devices are waterproof, so you can wear them swimming and don’t have to remove them in the shower. And with their impressive battery life, you won’t need to remove them for recharging either. Many users also like the always-on displays that allow them to work as watch replacements too. They don’t allow access to the excellent Fitbit community, though, where you can find friends to compete against. 200 fitness tracker/smartwatch, has a lot in common with Fitbit’s Surge. Both devices sport a 1.25-inch grayscale display and watch-like bands. Both track activity and sleep, and both include smartphone notifications and heart rate monitoring. The design is the most noticeable difference between the two: The Surge has a sleek, one-piece look, while the Peak looks a lot more like a watch than a fitness band.