Polar FT60 - Reviews, Prices, Specs and Alternatives

At first, fitness trackers were designed more for function than fashion, as they were geared towards fitness buffs to wear when exercising, so style wasn’t really a concern. Since then, fitness trackers have been adopted by all kinds of people and are meant to be worn all day rather than just when you work out, so they need to look as good as any other accessory. In response to this need, the style in which fitness trackers can be worn has improved dramatically. 

Now, trackers can be worn clipped on clothing, in pockets, or even on a necklace—and many third party sellers offer other ways to accessorize the big brand trackers. Wrist-worn trackers also come in various colors and can look sleek and fashionable, rather than bulky plastic children’s toys. There are several brands that offer fitness trackers that look like high end jewelry or like classic wristwatches, so they can be worn discreetly in the office. Consider everywhere that you want to wear the fitness tracker before you make your purchase (especially if you plan on wearing it all day every day) and decide what style works for you.

The way that your tracker stores and syncs data is hugely important to the experience you have with your device. The most convenient trackers will sync data automatically and wirelessly to your smartphone via Bluetooth. These tend to use up more battery, however. On the other end of the spectrum are the trackers that need to be plugged into a computer via USB to sync data. This means the data is only useful if you actually plug it in, which could be a deterrent to some people. You also run the risk of forgetting to put the device back on after you take it off to sync. If this is not an issue for you, then you don’t need to worry about automatic syncing. However, if it is, check to make sure the device syncs data automatically and wirelessly.

Getting the full picture of your health requires input from other sources other than the app associated with your tracker - tracking fitness is only part of living a healthy lifestyle. This might include food logging and calorie counting, as well as activity specific metrics if your tracker doesn’t log those. Popular apps such as MyFitnessPal, MapMyFitness, and MapMyRun are examples of the types of apps that track information you might not find in your tracker’s app. Choosing a tracker with an app that allows for third party app integration with programs like this can summarize ALL your health and fitness stats in one location for a complete look at your heath.

Like activity tracking, sleep tracking is a common feature for most fitness trackers with much variation. The main difference between trackers is whether or not sleep is tracked automatically or manually. Automatic sleep tracking detects, based on your movements and heart rate, when you fall asleep and wake up, and records sleep metrics during that time. Manual sleep tracking either requires you to indicate to your tracker (via tapping the device, for example) that you are going to sleep/waking up, or you can set the times you were asleep in the app and register the metrics during that time as “sleep.” The unfortunate side effect of manual sleep tracking is that it’s not nearly as accurate as automatic sleep tracking. But, as with any fitness tracker feature, sleep tracking is only useful if you actually intend to use it.

For devices that do track sleep, the quality of the metrics recorded varies. Some devices simply record the number of hours that you were asleep. Others go farther and tell you when you were in light, deep, or REM sleep, as well as how many times you woke up throughout the night. You may also be able to track your heart rate while you were asleep. Comparing these metrics with workout summaries and your general energy levels can help you get better and more productive sleep.

A small, but still significant, feature of fitness trackers is the ability set alarms or reminders. First, there are alarms to wake you up in the morning. Usually, these are silent, vibrating alarms on your wrist, which is beneficial if you sleep with a partner and don’t want to wake them with a regular noisy alarm. Also, sometimes these alarms are “smart”, meaning they wake you up at the optimal time based on your heart rate or stage in the sleep cycle.

In addition to alarms to wake up, you may also have the option to set alarms that remind you to get up and move throughout the day. If you are mostly sedentary at your job, it’s nice to have a reminder to stretch your legs every once in awhile. You can also set reminders at different stages of your daily goals, such as when you reach certain step counts. All of these alarms and reminders empower you to get more out of your fitness tracker.

Fitness trackers are available at varying levels of water resistance. Some can’t get wet at all; some can be worn while you swim or shower. Trackers that are listed as “splash proof” can’t really get wet, so you’ll have to take it off even while you wash the dishes. This is usually the case for cheaper devices. If swimming is a key workout activity for you, you’ll need to upgrade to a “waterproof” fitness tracker. The word “waterproof” is in quotes because, technically, no watch is entirely waterproof at all depths. Watches are rated on ATMs to determine the water resistance level. ATM stands for atmospheres, where 1 ATM is the amount of pressure at sea level. So, if a device is rated 5 ATM, that means it can withstand up to 5 times the pressure at sea level. Check the ATM rating to determine just how much water interaction the device can handle. For reference, fitness trackers generally need to be at least 5 ATM to be swim proof.

It’s important to note that while ATM ratings are helpful, they vary by manufacturer. For example, Fitbit states the Surge is not swim proof, despite being rated 5 ATM. Pay special attention to the advice from the manufacturer before deciding how water resistant you need the device to be.

Because you’re supposed to wear a fitness tracker all day, tracking your heart rate provides you with extremely valuable metrics. First, your resting heart rate is an indicator of how healthy you are. Understanding what your resting heart rate is, and how it changes over time, can tell you a lot about your body. Second, using your heart rate when exercising can help you maximize your fitness goals. That’s why getting a tracker with built-in heart-rate tracking is a huge advantage.

Some fitness trackers offer 24/7 heart-rate monitoring, others only track heart rate while exercising. Trackers that don’t offer heart rate monitoring will often sync with a chest strap that is sold separately. While heart rate readings should be taken with a heavy grain of salt—an accurate reading can only really be achieved with a chest strap—it helps to have some guidance.

For the more advanced athlete, a GPS-enabled fitness tracker is a must. Regular devices cannot track pace, intervals, elevation, or even distance accurately—stats that are hugely important to avid runners, cyclists, hikers, mountain climbers, and probably anyone training for an event (e.g., marathon, triathlon, bike race, etc.). Though this feature comes at a premium price, it’s worth it to receive every detail about your exercise on one platform, but only if you’ll really use it. You’ll also notice that GPS-equipped fitness trackers usually come with a bigger screen to easily display all the metrics from your exercise activity, so they are less likely to be the sleek and subtle wrist trackers that you can wear with business formalwear. And, also important to note, is that using the GPS drastically drains the battery life, so a device with a normal 5-day battery life may only get as little as 5 hours with the GPS turned on. Still, for long distance and outdoorsy exercisers, a GPS is definitely worth it.

A much less common feature, but still notable, is the potential to upload and store music on your fitness tracker. This can only be found on the most advanced trackers (and thus will come with a large price tag) but it can be a huge advantage for someone who wants to listen to music but doesn’t want to carry several devices while exercising. The space for storage isn’t usually huge—500 songs or so, depending—but it’s enough to keep you occupied for a long workout. Some devices may even come with streaming services. Note that these trackers require Bluetooth headphones to connect for music.

As fitness trackers become more advanced, and as smart watches become more popular, the lines between the two are blurring, especially when it comes to linked capabilities between the device and your smartphone. Some fitness trackers sync with your smartphone and will send you notifications for calls, texts, email, or social media apps. Staying connected while you exercise without needing to check your phone can be a huge convenience, especially for long runs or workouts.