Garmin Lily 2 Active
From €249
Most fitness focused smartwatches stand out, and not always for the right reasons. The Garmin Lily 2 Active blends in, with a more stylish, subtle appearance that doesn’t compromise on function.
It has up to five days of battery life, with built-in GPS, activity monitoring and extras such as stress and pulse ox monitoring. Each day you can check out your “body battery” to see how well you have recovered from the previous day’s exertions.
Whoop
From €264
Sick of screens? The Whoop band offers another way to monitor your health and wellness without becoming a slave to your notifications. The screenless sensor can be worn on your wrist or inside some of Whoop’s clothing – sports tops or shorts, for example – so you don’t need to be wearing a visible band.
Once you wear the band for a period of time, it starts giving you data based on your sleep and activity, giving you an idea of when you need to take a break from training and when you are safe enough to push the limits.
The band comes with a 12-month membership to the service; after that you will need to subscribe to keep getting the benefits from the band.
Also, Whoop is offering a discount on membership that runs until December 20th, giving members both old and new 10 per cent off a 12-month membership.
Samsung Galaxy Ring
From €399
Another option for screen-averse fitness fans is the Samsung Galaxy Ring. Released earlier this year, the device measures activity, sleep, blood oxygen, skin temperature and so on. It combines all these metrics, crunches the numbers and delivers a daily score that lets you know if you need to take things easy or if today is a day to push yourself.
It works best with Samsung’s Galaxy phones, but a lot of the health monitoring features are also accessible through other Android devices.
Apple Watch Series 10
From €449
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 may be the rugged, all-singing, all-dancing option, but it also comes with a hefty price tag that may not be justified if you don’t plan on doing anything more taxing than visiting the local gym and pool.
So the Apple Watch Series 10 is the perfect device for iOS users. It has all the sensors you need – heart rate, temperature, blood oxygen, accelerometer, gyroscope, altimeter – plus a few extras such as the depth gauge and water temperature sensor.
The new version comes in titanium, which is very lightweight, and has the choice of 42mm or 46mm cases.
MyZone Switch
€160
Is it a chest strap? Is it a wrist-worn monitor? The MyZone Switch is actually both, and it can also be worn with an arm strap if you want to keep your wrists clear of devices. It measures your effort, awarding you Myzone Effort points based on your own personal workout, rather than an arbitrary standard of what the system thinks you should do.
It is screenless too, with a small LED on the face that lets you know what heart rate zone you are in. It links in with various fitness equipment too, as the Polar heart rate monitors do, so no matter what gym you go to, you should be able to keep an eye on your workout stats.
Some gyms have adopted the technology as part of their membership, offering members status and rewards as they advance through the levels.
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