Staff, Courtesy of Samsung
It’s funny to think that just a few years ago many of us used clip-on pedometers to get some sense of data based on our running, walking, and hiking. Shoddy and inaccurate, they were the best we had at the time. Thankfully, technology has progressed, and movement-tracking devices can handle much more intense fitness regimes. Steps can still be counted, but many trackers can now monitor statistics such as heart rate, workout duration, oxygen levels, and heart rhythm. Some even have GPS for tracking location during runs, hikes, and bike rides, while others track sleep and recovery.
The data they collect are meant to make your life, habits, and health better, usually in combination with exercise. As a refresher, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week. Fitness trackers, with their ability to gauge effort based on heart rate, make recording your workouts a snap.
“There is no greater motivation than seeing higher oxygen consumption, lower heart rate, greater endurance, and improved performance, all metrics that can be obtained from fitness trackers,” says Lance C. LaMotte, MD, FACC, Interventional Cardiologist and owner of TITLE Boxing Club of Baton Rouge.
Regardless of your fitness goals, the extensive metrics fitness trackers report can help you achieve them, and can work as overall wellness boosters.
What to Consider
Ultimately, the right fitness tracker for you comes down to what your goals are. Have high blood pressure? Consider a tracker that has an emphasis on blood pressure monitoring or ECG capabilities (many of which are now FDA approved). Or if community is important, some apps may be more geared toward leaderboards, discussions, and challenges than just reporting stats.
Also, not all fitness trackers have to be watches; some can be worn like a ring or on your chest. If you like tracking workouts with GPS, focus on each device’s battery life. Many last only a couple hours when they’re constantly pinging satellites. And consider the types of workouts you prefer to do while wearing a tracker. Many trackers are waterproof, but here’s a sure way to determine whether it will stand up to the pool, rain, or heavy sweating: “I look for a device that can track swimming. Although I rarely swim, as a trainer that specializes in trampoline cardio, I am sweating constantly and profusely. If a tracker is swimproof, then I know it’s truly sweatproof,” says Aly Giampolo, cofounder of the ness, a trampoline cardio and sculpt studio in New York City.
Lastly, it’s all about usability. If you’re not into scrolling through endless screens, find one that prioritizes ease of use over showing a million data points. “I don’t want to spend a lot of time playing around with a device. It should be tracking my workout, not taking time out of it,” says Giampolo.
How We Selected
To select these devices, I relied on my own experience wearing and testing fitness trackers. I also drew from previous Popular Mechanics testing of fitness trackers and smart watches. To provide you even more helpful insight on choosing the right one, I also interviewed fitness trainers and a cardiologist. Finally, I took into account professional reviews from trusted publications like Wired, Ars Technica, and PC Magazine. After reviewing, researching, and using top options, I selected the best models based on how well their features met the expectations for the intended user, their price, ease of use, and overall performance.
Best Overall
Apple Watch Series 6
• Weight: 1.7 ounces (40mm)
• Operating system: iOS
• Sleep tracking: Yes
• Water resistance: 50 meters
• Battery life: 18 hours
Whether or not you’re an Apple fan, the Apple Watch Series 6 is one of the most reliable and useful fitness trackers you can get. You can track the basics, but also determine your oxygen saturation in the blood (SpO2) thanks to red and infrared light technology. This latest version also adds sleep tracking.
“I personally use an Apple Watch, as it has a very reliable heart-rate monitor,” says Dr. LaMotte. “Although I regularly treat heart-rhythm disorders, I have had a cardiac arrhythmia myself, and I can record an actual EKG with my Apple Watch, should I ever experience an irregular heartbeat during exercise.”
He also likes that his daily activity goals are visible right on the face of the device, which smoothly integrates data into his iPhone as well. “The only limitation I find is that my battery gets low near the end of my long days,” he says. As I need to charge the watch at night, I often do not get to use it to assess sleep. (In need of an Apple Watch band? Here are some of our favorites.)
And if you need some extra motivation, you’re bound to get that with an Apple Watch, which displays your progress toward goals with easy-to-see rings.
“Closing my circles on my Apple Watch is sometimes just the extra motivation I need to get my workout in. And I like that I can ‘challenge’ and watch my friends’ fitness progress,” adds Halima Henderson, a yoga instructor on Moxie. “Plus, it integrates easily with so many fitness apps.”
- Easily integrates with iPhonePro: Tracks sleep and oxygen saturation
- A ton of apps and features
- Expensive
- Shorter battery life
Best Value
Fitbit Charge 4 Fitness and Activity Tracker
Fitbit amazon.com
$149.95
$127.60 (15% off)
• Weight: 1.1 ounces
• Operating system: iOS or Andriod
• Sleep tracking: Yes
• Water resistance: 50 meters
• Battery life: 7 days (5 hours with GPS)
We’re big fans of Fitbits. The Fitbit Charge 4 was released in March 2020 and is the latest iteration in the Charge series. The Charge 4 prides itself as an activity tracker. It has built-in GPS that can be set to 7 different types of exercise (like running and biking). Additional benefits include contactless payments with Fitbit Pay, Spotify, and Sleep Score to track the quality of your sleep and the amount of time you spend in light, deep, and REM sleep cycles.
“Its Spotify control capabilities make navigating a playlist while I’m teaching easy and distraction free, and I love that it has advanced tracking options for all parts of wellness—from working out, breathing, and sleeping,” says Giampolo.
You can also put it in Sleep Mode so it won’t disturb your sleep. According to FitBit, the battery lasts up to seven days, but only up to five hours while using GPS.
The Charge 4 offers 24/7 heart-rate tracking, GPS capability, accurate sleep tracking and lots of different options for a watch band. “The app and Bluetooth setup is very simple,” says Dana VanPamelen, instructor and cofounder of Hit House Kickboxing Studio in New York City. If daily goals or challenges are your thing, you can set your own daily goal (the 10,000 step goal isn’t for everyone, and you can change it as needed). You can also invite Fitbit friends to challenges, and Fitbit customer service is generally very good.
- Lots of features for the price
- Easy setup
- GPS drains battery fast
- Fewer available apps and smart features
Best for Measuring Stress
Fitbit Sense Advanced Smartwatch
Fitbit amazon.com
$292.00
• Weight: 1.6 ounces
• Operating system: Android and iOS
• Sleep tracking: Yes
• Water resistance: 50 meters
• Battery life: 6 days, 12 hours with GPS
The Fitbit Sense goes above and beyond basic fitness tracking (although it has over 20 exercise modes) to track things like skin temperature, blood-oxygen levels, and sleep quality. It also emphasizes stress management and mindfulness thanks to an EDA Scan app that gives you a daily Stress Management Score based on your skin temperature (it rises if you’re super stressed). And non-fitness bonuses like Fitbit Pay, Sleep Score (to track the quality of your sleep and the amount of time you spend in light, deep, and REM sleep cycles), and Smart Wake alarm (to help you determine your ideal wake-up time based on your sleep patterns) are icing on the cake.
Dr. LaMotte is a fan of the FitBit Sense because it also provides accurate heart rate monitoring, in addition to fitness tracking. The Sense’s heart-monitoring electrocardiogram app was cleared by the FDA in September 2020. Dr. LaMotte also notes that the battery tends to last much longer than the Apple Watch, typically greater than 7 days.
- Long battery life
- Accurate heart-rate monitoring
Best for Athletes
Whoop Strap 3.0
• Weight: 1.6 ounces
• Operating system: Android and iOS
• Sleep tracking: Yes
• Water resistance: 30 meters
• Battery life: 5 days
Whoop’s waterproof and lightweight strap is meant to help improve your training and act as a coach with a focus on recovery. The Strain Coach feature tracks how different activity impacts your body, and is measured on a proprietary scale from 1 to 21, which also keeps track of calories burned and heart rate. It also features a Sleep Coach, which gives you a breakdown of your sleep cycles, and goes a step further to inform you of your ideal wake and sleep times based on your circadian rhythm. The Whoop Strap also has great battery life, up to 5 days without charge needed.
This device was originally designed for hardcore athletes but is expanding its appeal to a broader population. “It does require some data input but provides a wealth of data in return,” notes Dr. LaMotte. “Much of this data is based on tracking heart-rate variability, which directly reflects the integrity of the autonomic nervous system. It is probably the most informative device on sleep quality. It combines all available data to measure recovery and can inform the user when they ‘over’ train.” It is a sleek and comfortable device. The only downside is that it is not a watch so you need to wear another device or rely on your phone to play music, read messages, or check the time.
- Long battery life
- Exceptional sleep and recovery data
- No smart-watch features
- Membership fee required
Best Battery Life
Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 Smart Watch
Samsung amazon.com
$249.99
• Weight: 1.3 ounces (40mm, stainless steel)
• Operating system: Android and iOS
• Sleep tracking: Yes
• Water resistance: 50 meters
• Battery life: 2 days
One of the biggest benefits of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2 is that it works with both iOS and Android phones. For exercise, the Active2 can track seven different types of workouts, including swimming, running, and rowing. It allows you to also check your blood pressure via the Samsung Health Monitor App, and measure your heart rhythm with an ECG that was FDA approved back in September 2020. Plus, Samsung claims it can go up to 15 days on a single charge.
- Long battery life
- Works with both iOS and Android phones
Best Looking Fitness Tracker
Samsung Galaxy Smart Watch
Samsung walmart.com
$349.99
• Weight: 1.7 ounces (41mm)
• Operating system: Android and iOS
• Sleep tracking: Yes
• Water resistance: 50 meters
• Battery life: 2 days
Samsung’s Galaxy 3 looks more refined than most fitness trackers, especially when compared to the Galaxy Watch Active2. As Ars Technica noted, it has a rotating bezel that definitely sets it apart as a watch, but it also has all (and more) of the assets of a fitness tracker. If you also have a Galaxy phone, you can get SpO2 and ECG readings (just like on the Apple Watch), which was FDA approved back in September 2020. Everything is managed through the Samsung Health app, which tracks everything from your weight and calorie intake/burn to caffeine intake, sleep, and blood glucose.
- Looks like a premium watch
- Accurate sleep tracking
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