If you are choosing a fitness tracker for yourself then you must be aware of the certain features that every fitness tracker offers. But what you really need to look for in a specific fitness tracker is ‘can it satisfy your requirements?’. Once you know that the particular kind will satisfy all your requirements and expectations from a fitness tracker then you must go for that. Now, this brings us to the question ‘what should one really expect from a fitness tracker?’
Factors To Choose A Fitness Tracker
There are certain factors that you must visit:
1. How much money do I want to spend?
A plethora of fitness bands and fitness trackers available in the market and the price ranges too vary.
So you need to be sure how much money you want to spend because the market is brimming with various ranges.
2. What do I want to track?
Before picking a fitness tracker, go through all the activities you’ll be doing once you purchase it. Most of the previous models just monitor steps, distance and sleep.
The newer ones are more advanced and they include features like GPS, heart rate tracker, calories burnt, phone synchronisation, and more. If you wish to perform just the basic activities like running, walking then any fitness tracker will do.
But if you wish to go for swimming, cycling or trekking then you should look for a tracker that will track your activities with more accuracy.
3. Do I care about aesthetics?
Fitness trackers are available in different sizes, shapes, colours and designs. Although, this may not be a very critical factor for many of us but for some this is very crucial.
With the increasing demand for fitness trackers, wearable manufacturers design them to be more operational, feasible and attractive.
When picking one, remember that the fitness band will be worn anywhere you’re going to work out. Some are even worn 24/7 so make sure you pick a design that is comfortable on your wrist and soothes your eye too.
4. Display or no display?
It’s a tricky one, a tracker with a display or not is too subjective to really place one’s opinion on. A couple of fitness trackers have a LED display, while others just have LED lights installed in them.
Some people like to own a fitness tracker with displays on them because they wish to keep trace of the tracks that are being recorded. There are many trackers that are available in coloured and touchscreen displays.
These look more appealing and one can control them with a swipe of your finger. If you still wish to have a fitness tracker without a display, then this one will allow you to synchronize your phone with it so that you can trace your progress so far.
5. How much battery capacity is required?
All the fitness trackers require charging, the battery life of any fitness tracker is comparatively long lasting but varies from brand to brand.
If you are going for Garmin and Fitbit brands you can expect a battery life upto 5-7 days.
Some fitness trackers don’t require much charging. But these gives you replaceable batteries that can last upto 6 months, such as the Misfit Shine 2 MIS2005.
6. Should it be water-resistant?
The fitness trackers are crafted with an intention to wear them constantly. But should one be wearing these inside a swimming pool or while taking a shower?
There are many fitness trackers that possess the water-resistant feature, go for those if you don’t wish to bother about sweat, water, or rain.
But don’t forget to check the tracker thoroughly before you purchase it.
7. Is GPS necessary?
Several fitness tracker brands have the inbuilt GPS feature. If you are jogging or walking, then having a. GPS built into the fitness tracker can be useful and convenient for you.
It is also very useful to track the movements, checking the weather, and updating the statistical pace and distance covered so far.
8. Can I Install apps in it?
Fitness trackers are good when it comes to monitoring the daily activities, but some of these do not support any third-party apps. If you like to try out different apps then you must consider a smartwatch.
These are Android Wear supported devices.
These are the factors that are usually considered by a majority of the buyers looking to purchase a fitness tracker. The opinions may be subjective and can vary from person to person.
We recommend the Fitbit Versa 2 and here’s why.
Fitbit Versa 2 features:
- Heart rate monitor
- Altimeter
- 5-day battery life
- Sleep tracking
- Music player
- Amazon Alexa built-in
- Water resistance to 50 meters
- AMOLED screen
- Fitbit Pay
- Replaceable band
- Compatibility with Android, iOS, Windows
You can track your calls, texts, notifications while eyeing the heart rate monitor as you run across the street. You can track your footsteps, calories, floors climbed and the distance covered. It also includes menstrual tracker, sleep tracker, a guide for breathing sessions, and on-screen workouts. Additionally, it also provides you with 15 various exercise modes to choose from like running, yoga, swimming, and biking.
Pros:
- Compact and lightweight
- Highly customizable
- Affordable
Cons:
- No onboard GPS
- Difficult to swap bands
- Bulky charging cable
Conclusion
Post listing down the major factors that must be considered before purchasing a fitness tracker, we are going for Fitbit Versa 2 as it is affordable and gives us the basic features that are required. But you should go for the one that is suitable for you and offers all the features that you require.
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