Published March 29, 2017 12:00AM
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The Next Generation of Wearables
A new fleet of wearables meet the data needs of all kinds of players
No matter what your fitness data needs are, these have you covered. (Photo: Dustin Sammann)
A: Withings Steel HR (Starting at $100)
Want the classic appearance of a well-crafted watch with added activity tracking? Below the stylish arms of the Steel HR is a tiny screen that displays heart-rate and movement data.
B: New Balance RunIQ ($300)
On the surface, this is a smartwatch for runners, featuring built-in GPS, heart-rate monitoring, and all the advantages of Android Wear, including music storage. But really it’s designed for folks who love Strava: it’s the first smartwatch with the app built in, allowing you to track runs and check stats even when you’re not connected to your phone.
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C: Suunto Spartan Sports Wrist HR ($650)
Suunto’s Spartan watches have long been among the most robust multisport racing and training tools out there—featuring modes for more than 80 disciplines. Now a partnership with biometrics specialist Valencell means that its latest models, like the Spartan Sports Wrist HR, offer the most accurate on-wrist heart-rate monitoring in the industry.
D: Mio Slice ($130)
The Slice tracks your Personal Activity Intelligence score, a measurement of your specific heart-rate patterns that Mio developed to evaluate health based on the Norwegian HUNT studies, one of the largest health-tracking projects in history. Your goal: keep your score at 100.
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E: Garmin Fenix 5 (Starting at $600)
The bodies of the updated Fenix watches have been slimmed down dramatically, but they still manage to pack in all the highly accurate sensors that have made them best in class, including a compass, GPS, altimeter, and heart-rate monitor. The women’s 5S (pictured) is the smallest of the bunch, while the slightly beefier 5X has built-in U.S. topo maps.
F: Polar M600 GPS Sports Watch ($330)
Call it the sportiest of smartwatches. The M600 is powered by Google’s Android Wear, which works with iOS, too, and has a large app ecosystem. It also includes coaching, integrated GPS, wrist-based heart rate, and 24/7 activity monitoring.
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G: NB PaceIQ wireless Earbuds ($110)
These pair seamlessly with the New Balance RunIQ.
H: Polar Team Pro Smart Shirt ($100)
The Team Pro tracks speed, motion, and heart rate via integrated sensors.
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I: Moov HR Tracker ($60)
This little capsule slides into an included headband and offers heart-rate-based coaching in real time across a wide range of activities.
J: ATO Gear Arion Insoles (starting at $150)
Eight pressure sensors, combined with an accelerometer-loaded Bluetooth pod worn outside your shoe, send detailed running form metrics to your phone.
