Fitness has become an important part of our everyday lives. Thanks to busy lifestyles and extreme urban developments, the need to be more fit has become a compulsory part of our routine lives. Thankfully, we have a number of devices that help us pick ourselves up and be more active every single day.
With the American Heart Association backing the 10000 steps a day rule for a healthy life, I decided to pick up a smart pedometer/tracker – a device that would perfectly suit my needs.
What I wanted from the tracker:
- To count steps accurately
- To interfere minimally with my daily life
- To have a decent battery life
- To be able to wear with any kind of clothing with or without pockets
- To automatically sync my data
Jawbone Up
The Jawbone Up is a tracking bracelet that uses its own app for both Android and iOS to keep track of your routines and calories. It is a very stylish bracelet that is perhaps the best looking fitness trackers in the market today. The Jawbone is a rubbery wristband that comes in 3 colors – Onyx, Blue and Light Grey. The design is quite minimalistic with just one button and a charging point that is used to sync data manually.
The Jawbone can do more than just count. It can analyze sleep patterns, wake you up with a silent alarm, calculate heart rate and keep track of weight. One of the coolest features about the Jawbone is the silent alarm. It will wake you up minutes before your actual wake up time so your deep cycle is disturbed gradually. This way, you are off to a fresh start everyday. The Jawbone is also pretty smart in figuring out optimal sleep for anyone who is interested in fixing their sleep patterns.
Verdict – For those of you looking for a stylish device, this is the best one to own. For those of you looking for convenient features all packed in one device, the Jawbone is a worthwhile investment. The only downside, in my opinion, is the fact that you have to sync your data by plugging in the Jawbone to your phone. It does not do this wirelessly. For me, this was a huge deal breaker. Other than that, the battery life is decent. It can last up to 7-9 days.
Fitbit Zip
The basic model of the fitbit series. This little device can be put in your pocket or simply clipped onto your clothing. It can count steps accurately. The Zip comes with a wireless sync dongle that I have permanently attached to my laptop to help sync my data whenever I am within 10 ft of my laptop (which, without a doubt, happens very often). The Zip uses a Lithium cell battery that needs to be replaced every 6 months. This is perfect especially for those who tend to forget charging their devices often. Unlike the Jawbone and the Fitbit Flex, Fitbit Zip comes with a display to view steps, distance, calories and time. The fitbit syncs your data which you can view through your app or online. The membership allows you to log and track your data, activities, water, weight, food and more. As far as design is concerned, this is perfect for anyone who doesn’t want to bother with matching the device with their clothing.
Verdict – If a basic smart pedometer is what you had in mind, this is the best gadget. It is also the best gadget for anyone who forgets to charge devices. The Zip, however, is limited to just steps. If you’re interested in tracking things like stairs, runs, heart rate and more, I would definitely check out some of Fitbit’s other options.
Fitbit One
For those of you who feel the Fitbit Zip would be the perfect device if it could do much more than just count, the Fitbit One is truly the One for you. The Fitbit One is a put-in-your-pocket/ clip-on kind of device that can do a whole lot more than counting steps. It can track your activities, sleep, stairs climbed, calories burned and quality of sleep. As far as design is concerned, the Fitbit One comes in two colors – Black and Burgundy with a silicone cover that acts as a great shield against scratches and falls. It also comes with a neat display to view time, steps, stairs, distance and calories.
Verdict – If you are looking for a device that can do all except being matched with your clothing, this is the device for you. It is suitable for any occasion or weather. It can be worn in your pocket or clipped on to your waist band. It can do pretty much everything the Jawbone Up can do including the silent alarm. So definitely watch out for this one!
Fitbit Flex
Personally, I have never been a fan of sports straps only because they are so hard to wear with work outfits or party wear. This is the reason I bought the Zip for such awkward occasions. However, for those of you looking for straps, the Flex is a great product. It can do everything the Jawbone Up or the Fitbit One can do except display like the Fitbit One. The Fitbit Flex instead uses a dot system that lights up as you near your goal. Each light turned on represents 20% of your goal.
Verdict – If you are looking for straps, this could very well be a great contender. However, if you are looking for one with displays, pass on this one for sure. For those of you who like a simple look and prefer the dot approach to a display, the Fitbit Flex is the perfect fitness tracker for you.
Fitbit Force
The Force is like the King. It can do everything and anything you can possibly want from a smart pedometer. It can display steps, stairs, distance, active minutes, calories, hours slept, quality of sleep, alarm, time and pretty soon call notifications. It is also water proof like the Fitbit Flex and can be worn for swimming and shower. It syncs wirelessly like every other Fitbit device.
Verdict – Simply put, if you are looking for the best, this is it. The Force has it all. It currently comes in two colors – black and a slate blue. It is a complete device with absolutely no issues. It is quite sturdy compared to the Jawbone which can be flimsy and susceptible to falls especially if you are into sports.
