The top 10 fitness trackers for women that actually look good
Now that fitness trackers have finally hit the mainstream, you no longer have to settle for walking around with something that looks like an electronic tag on your wrist. There’s a world of beautiful wearables out there, and we’re here to show you the ones that look and work the best. Here’s our roundup of the best-looking fitness trackers for women.
[nextpage]1. Misfit Shine
We’re huge fans of the Misfit Shine, one of the most versatile and fashion-conscious trackers out there. The basic version of the Shine comes in 10 colours, has a range of wristbands available and comes with a clip so you can wear it on your clothes, too.
There are also necklace options, including the very lovely Bloom:
The Shine tracks running, walking, cycling, swimming (up to 50m) and other sports, is water-resistant so you can wear it in the shower, and takes a watch battery so you don’t have to keep recharging it. Beware of wearing it to gigs, though: I lost the disc from mine when air-punching dramatically at Muse last week!
Misfit Shine works with iOS, Android and Windows Phone and costs from £62 at Amazon UK.
[/nextpage] [nextpage]2. Misfit Shine Swarovski Edition
As if the original Shine wasn’t pretty enough, Misfit and Swarovski have worked together on some stunning new versions that look a lot more like jewellery than health kit.
With a choice of wristbands and pendants, there’s also a blue crystal on the way (releasing in Summer) that charges via solar energy. The main Swarovski edition of the Misfit Shine will be out in April – find out more here.
[/nextpage] [nextpage]
3. Jawbone UP Move
Providing you don’t mind the rubbery look, the Jawbone UP Move is a cute, colourful take on a fitness tracker. There are 5 colour choices, and as with the Misfit Shine you can wear it as a clip or on a wristband. The UP Move tracks exercise, steps and sleep, and comes with a mood-tracking coaching app to help you make positive changes to your lifestyle.
The Jawbone UP Move is compatible with Android and iOS and costs around £40 at Amazon UK.
[/nextpage] [nextpage]4. Mira Tracker
The Mira is ridiculously beautiful, comes in three wrist sizes and two colours, and looks like something you’d actually wear by choice. It lasts about 5 days on a charge, tracks steps, distance, calories and elevation, and is water-resistant.
Unfortunately, Mira is currently only available in the US (though you can use MyUS to get it sent over here) and the app is iOS only. Fingers crossed for Android and the UK.
The Mira Fitness Tracker is $169.99 (about £113) from Mira.
[/nextpage] [nextpage]5. Razer Nabu X
Created by gaming brand Razer, the slimline Nabu X is one of the more attractive band-style fitness trackers, especially in white. The Nabu X tracks steps, calories and sleep, as well as how many minutes you’ve been active and how close you are to meeting your goals. The notification lights on the band can be customised by colour, too.
The battery lasts for 5-7 days on a charge, you can high-five someone wearing another Nabu X to swap contact info (we bet that’s happened exactly zero times in the real world), and it’s water resistant up to a metre.
The Razer Nabu X is compatible with iOS and Android and costs £44.99 in black. The white version is apparently on its way.
[/nextpage] [nextpage]6. Sony Smartband SWR10
The waterproof Sony SmartBand looks quite a lot like the silicon wristbands people wear by choice, so we wouldn’t mind being seen with this on our arms. It comes in a range of colours, and we also spotted some sparkly diamanté versions at Mobile World Congress which are hopefully on the way.
The SmartBand counts steps, calculates your speed and monitors sleep patterns, as well as waking you at the optimum time by vibrating. It’ll vibrate for calls and phone alerts, too, or if you wander too far from your smartphone (god forbid!).
The LifeLog app for the Sony SmartBand only works with Android, so this isn’t one for the iPhone crowd. It costs £79.99 from Sony UK (the coloured bands are sold separately).
[/nextpage] [nextpage]7. Lenovo Vibe VB10
We spotted the Lenovo VIBE Band VB10 at the Consumer Electronics Show and liked it immediately. Offering an impressive 7-day battery life despite the display and Bluetooth always being on (that’ll be down to the e-ink screen), the VIBE Band can deliver call, text and app notifications, with more than enough space to display an entire tweet. There’s not a lot of information about the fitness tracking side of the watch, other than to say it can track your activity and goals, but we’re expecting more information on that when it launches.
The VIBE Band works with iOS and Android, reminds you if you leave your phone behind, and can make your phone ring at the push of a button in case it falls between the sofa cushions.
Lenovo’s smartwatch is due to launch this year, although we don’t have dates or launch countries yet. It’ll cost $89 (about £60) – not bad for something that looks like a proper watch.
[/nextpage] [nextpage]8. Wiko Watch
French outfit Wiko aren’t widely known here, but they had a small presence at Mobile World Congress where they were showing off their new smartwatch. The cartoony Wiko Watch is pretty big, but has the benefit of not looking like a fitness tracking device for those who prefer their wearables a little more subtle. Instead of a dial or screen, the Wiko Watch shows your progress and phone notifications using lights.
Wiko told us the battery lasts an impressive 6 months, and the watch tracks calories, steps and sleep. The Wiko Watch works with iOS and Android and will cost £95 when it comes out around April. It’s also, apparently, male.
[/nextpage] [nextpage]9. Jawbone UP3
Modestly described by Jawbone as “the most advanced activity tracker known to man” – or woman – the UP3 can learn what kind of activity you’re doing (from running to basketball, apparently) to give you a clearer picture of how many calories you’re burning. The accompanying app records details about exercise, sleep, food and your heart rate, and can give you recommendations to help you hit targets and sleep better.
The stylish criss-crossed band is water-resistant, lasts up to 7 days on a charge, and is compatible with iOS and Android. Unfortunately, though, its launch has been beset by problems and the site still says ‘Coming soon’. It’ll be £149.99 when it does finally launch. Find out more about the Jawbone UP3 in our feature here.
[/nextpage] [nextpage]10. Tory Burch for Fitbit Flex
Fitbit have worked with designer Tory Burch on a range of accessories for their Fitbit Flex fitness tracker. They’re pricey as heck (and you have to buy the Flex separately), but there’s no denying they look more like jewellery than tech.
The new double-wrap Tory Burch for Fitbit bracelet is especially attractive (it’s £160):
And the Fret pendant necklace, at £155, looks like something Cleopatra would wear:
The Fitbit Flex itself tracks steps, distance and calories, as well as monitoring your sleep and waking you up with vibration. It costs £79.99 and comes in 10 colours.
Next page: bonus beautiful fitness tracker >
[/nextpage] [nextpage]Bonus round: the Rose Gold Apple Watch
Even for an iOS-denier like me, the rose gold Apple Watch is tempting. Or it would be, if it didn’t cost more than a house deposit: a staggering £13,500.
Still, if you’ve got money to burn, this beautiful wearable tracks your activity, encourages you to keep moving, and can monitor your heart rate. Plus it’s also a fully-featured smartwatch with apps, notifications and call functionality.
Unsurprisingly for Apple, it only works with iOS. And did we mention that 13 and a half grand price tag? Sigh.
[/nextpage]