A new year inevitably brings some New Year’s resolutions. If you’ve eaten and drunk a little more than usual this holiday period, or just aren’t getting out to the gym, the park or on your bike as often as you should, it’s a great time to get your health and fitness back on track. And there’s nothing better than some new tech to get you motivated.
Check out our list of top fitness tech to help you charge into the New Year!
FitBit Charge 5
There is a lot to like from the FitBit Charge 5, especially if you are looking to upgrade from an earlier model FitBit. As a fitness band, however, it does lack some of the bells and whistles of a smartwatch.
Unlike FitBit’s other fitness trackers, the Charge 5 sports built-in GPS. This lets you track an outdoor activity even when you don’t have your smartphone at hand. Unfortunately, its usefulness is somewhat limited, as the band can’t play music locally, meaning you’re unlikely to leave your phone at home.
For more details read our full review of the FitBit Charge 5.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4
Despite a few shortcomings, the Galaxy Watch 4 puts Android smartwatches back on the map. With a starting price of just $399, and featuring ECG and blood pressure features, it represents great value. If you own a Samsung Galaxy phone, then the Watch 4 is the ideal accessory, especially if you care about health and fitness tracking.
For more details read our full review of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4.
Apple Watch Series 6
While there are a few niggling issues, such as the ability to receive alerts on your watch and phone simultaneously, it’s hard to find much fault with the Apple Watch Series 6. It’s on the expensive side for a smartwatch, but power users will appreciate its advanced features.
There’s no real killer feature that makes the Apple Watch Series 6 stand out from its Apple predecessors. Many of its benefits come from the watchOS7 upgrade, which also goes to earlier watches.
If you have an Apple Watch Series 5, there’s probably not enough here to entice you to upgrade. The older your Apple Watch, the more you’ll gain from moving to the Series 6. Also, consider the Apple Watch SE from $170 less, which doesn’t actually lack that much compared to the Apple Watch Series 6.
For more details read our full review of the Apple Watch Series 6.
Suunto 9 Peak Sports Watch
The Suunto 9 Peak is designed more for weekend adventurers than health-conscious city slickers. If you want a smartwatch that’s like a smartphone strapped to your wrist, this is not the watch for you. And if you just want a fitness tracker to count your steps and reps at the gym, you should weigh up the alternatives. If you like to push yourself to the limit, however, the Suunto’s extensive feature set makes it a worthy sports companion.
For more details read our full review of the Suunto 9 Peak.
Huawei Band 6 Fitness Tracker
The Huawei Band 6 fitness tracker is impressive, considering the low price tag and sharp, vivid display. For some users, it will be a real bargain. The great screen, however, makes you want to compare it to a true smartwatch, which it is not. Be sure you wouldn’t benefit from spending more on a wearable with a larger display or one that integrates more tightly with your smartwatch.
For more details read our review of the Huawei Band 6.
Hydragun
Stepping away from smartwatches, we have the Hydragun. We have used other massage guns before, but they lacked what the Hydragun has: high-quality materials, quiet operation, cordless design and a great selection of massage attachment heads. It’s not cheap but you do get what you pay for. If you are serious about your training, the Hydragun is a great way to maximise your recovery.
For more details read our review of the Hydragun.
Vitruvian V-Form Trainer
The Vitruvian V-Form Trainer is a fantastic option for those who want to do resistance training at home. It has many benefits including cutting-edge workouts, impressive build quality, compact size, and built-in data tracking. Vitruvian really is the pinnacle of smart resistance training at home – and there’s nothing quite like it. It can complement any workout regime, even if you have a gym membership but want a convenient home workout option, and don’t have the weights.
There are cardio benefits too – just try a Pump or HIIT class! But there are limitations in terms of exercises and some quirks for learning how to use it.
At just shy of $3000, it’s not a cheap machine, but the build quality is high and comes with a three-year warranty. Vitruvian has also recently introduced a 30-day home trial period, with all products refundable bar the return shipping price.
For more details read our review of the Vitruvian V-Form Trainer.
