Choosing a Fitness Smartwatch for the Gym
Thursday - 10 May 2018
As the fitness smartwatch market becomes filled with stylish yet functional designs, it is difficult to choose the right one for you. From gym newbies to the professional athlete in training, smartwatches are the perfect companion to help keep fit and healthy. However, when searching for a fitness watch you need to ask yourself a couple of important questions to find a design that works for you.
Do you have a budget?
Firstly, think realistically about how much you have to spend on a sports watch and focus on brands that retail at this price point. The cost of smartwatches vary in price depending on the brand but you can definitely get a good quality fitness device at a reasonable price. Just make sure you are not led by price alone, as the gadget should do everything you need for it to do to keep you motivated and energised. Some fantastic brands have a range of prices to accommodate different budgets. Suunto’s watches range from as little as £299 reaching up to £1000+ for the more expensive models.
What would you like to track?
Consider what you would like for the smartwatch to track. If you’re new to the gym you might be happy with a basic step counter however, a gym enthusiast may want to take it up a level with heart rate monitoring, automatic activity recognition or GPS tracking. Set some goals and make sure that your smartwatch can track these for you. The Suunto Spartan Sport Wrist HR Forest Special Edition does it all with a cycling tracker, fitness tracker, GPS, heart rate monitor, running tracker and swimming tracker.
What style works for you?
There are so many designs to choose from. Try to narrow down the options by deciding on a colour, a preferred size (very important as you don’t want your watch to get in the way during your workout), a digital or analogue display or a rubber or bracelet strap. The TAG Heuer Modular Connected 45 is perfect as you can become the watchmaker and decide on each design feature to build the perfect smartwatch for you.
Does it need to be water resistant?
Does your gym have a pool? If yes, it is important to look at smartwatches that can handle being submerged in water so that you can successfully track your swimming. Don’t dive into a purchase without knowing it will survive the leap. You wouldn’t need to worry with the Garmin Watch Fenix Chronos 100M water resistance!
How often does it need to be charged?
The battery life of a smartwatch is very important as you don’t want your tracker to stop mid workout. Also, look into how easy it is to charge, as a simple charging device will ensure that your watch is always ready for the gym. With the Alpina Watch Seastrong Horological Smartwatch you never have to worry with a 4+ year battery life.
Is it compatible with your smartphone?
Always check compatibility to ensure that all the data can be synced to your mobile phone easily via the app. Find an app that is easy to read and use so that you can keep track of calories burned, steps walked, the amount of sleep you get each night and your heart rate. Some smartwatches will receive alerts on the wrist showing messages, emails and phone calls. Have the world at your fingertips with the Movado Connect Smartwatch, which like most is compatible with both IOS and Android.
