The best fitness trackers for monitoring your heart rate
Wellness is a buzzy word lately. Over the last few years, we’ve seen a surge in all things health, wellness, and spirituality. Juice bars are popping up, boutique studios are becoming more accessible, and essential oils are chilling all of us out.
Self-care is becoming more of the norm too, but amidst all this hype, it can be challenging to find the right routine that promotes good exercise, sleep, vitals, and mindset.
Should you buy a fitness tracker?
There is a potential solution to the wellness madness. If you’re determined to make your health goals happen, fitness trackers with heart rate monitors can be a major help. These wearable devices are game changers for keeping tabs on physical and mental wellbeing. While some feature basic tracking, others come with advanced features like mileage reports and smartphone compatibility.
Finding the right fitness tracker can be challenging with so many options. You might be an avid athlete or more of an occasional gym rat, but regardless of what your activities are, there is a fitness tracker out there for your health needs.
What should you consider before buying a fitness tracker?
Before you start shopping for a fitness tracker, there are few things to you might want to consider:
Physical activity — What are your daily workout needs? Consider how a fitness tracker can benefit your exercise regimen. If you engage in activities like pilates, yoga, or walking, opt for a basic fitness tracker for heart rate monitoring and sleep data. On the other hand, if high-intensity workouts, including running and swimming, are more of your thing, choose a fitness tracker that can give you vital reads and remember your mileage.
Design — Wearables are meant to make our lives easier, yet some can be super clunky and uncomfortable. Invest in a fitness tracker that’s not an eyesore and fits nicely on your wrist. You don’t want to cut off your circulation or have it slip off while you’re on the move. Look for models that come in different colours too, so you can have one that goes with your activewear, casual, and work outfits.
Wellness features — A fitness tracker might already monitor heart rate, but what are its other wellness features? Some trackers give you stats on your sleep patterns, daily movement, and distance after workouts. Even though fitness trackers are not meant to cure or prevent any diseases, they can give valuable insights on your physical and mental state.
Smartphone compatibility — Your smartphone is probably one of your most important tech devices, so it might be helpful to find a fitness tracker that connects with it. If that’s the case, you can receive call and text notifications when you’re commuting, exercising, or moving around the house. This is a major plus if you're prone to miss phone calls from coworkers, family members, and friends. Plus, some trackers come with smartphone apps, so you can store all your data in one convenient place.
Power — Most fitness trackers run on batteries or need to be charged regularly. Check the power life of a tracker first before buying it. If it doesn’t last long, skip it and opt for another model. You don’t want to have a tracker that can’t keep up with your physical activity needs.
Warranty — Some fitness trackers might come with a guarantee or warranty. See what their policies are on defects in materials or workmanship. If they don’t come with either, consider how often you’ll need to replace or repair them.
There are obviously other important things to consider, like price, but if you keep these things in mind you should be able to find something that ticks a lot of your boxes.
What is the best fitness tracker for monitoring heart rate?
We've checked out everything on offer from top brands like Fitbit, Garmin, and Apple, and lined up a selection of your best options. It's worth taking some time to properly consider these models, because there is something for everyone and every budget.
These are the best heart rate fitness trackers in 2023.