Battle of the Bands: Finding the best fitness band for you
All Canadians can likely agree that it has been a particularly long, cold winter – one where you just want to sit inside and eat comfort food. But the warmer weather is finally here and it's time to get outside. For those who need a little more motivation aside from 'patio weather' (or need some help walking off those patio beers), you may be considering one of the many fitness bands that has entered the market over the last few years.
When it comes to fitness wearables, you aren't at a loss for options. The hard part, in fact, is trying to decide which band is right for you. Each one tracks slightly differently, and it's hard to know which one is your ideal band when they all seem to do basically the same thing.
That's where this series comes in. With the help of three other editors here at Yahoo Canada, I've put five of the biggest fitness bands on the market right now to the test: the Nike FuelBand+ SE, the FitBit Flex, the Jawbone UP24, the Samsung Galaxy Gear Fit and the Polar Loop.
Here's how the five fitness bands we'll be testing compare, based on features and specifications:
Nike FuelBand+ SE | FitBit Flex | Jawbone UP24 | Samsung Galaxy Gear Fit | Polar Loop | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Price | $149.00 | $99.95 | $159.95 | $199.99 | $99.99 |
Sizes | Small, Large (both adjustable) | Small, Large (comes with both bands) | Small, Medium, Large | One Size (adjustable) | One Size (adjustable) |
Colour Choices | Volt, Pink Foil, Total Crimson, Black, Rose Gold | Black, Slate, Violet, Lime, Pink, Teal, Tangerine, Navy, Red | Persimmon, Onyx, Lemon Lime, Pink Coral | Black, Grey, Blue, Green, Orange, Red | Black |
Display | 120 LED 4-colour display | 5 LED lights | Day, Night indicator lights | OLED colour display | 80 LED 1-colour display |
Est. Battery Life | 4 days | 5 days | 7 days | 4 days | 6 days |
Charging/PC Sync | Direct USB or included charge cord | Included dongle | Included dongle (no PC sync) | Mini USB + dongle (both included) | Included proprietary charge cord |
Connectivity | Bluetooth Low Energy, USB | Bluetooth Low Energy | Bluetooth Smart | Bluetooth | Bluetooth, USB |
Sleep Tracking? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Workout Tracking? | Yes | Can after workout | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Food Tracking? | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Alarms? | No | Yes | Yes | Yes (with phone) | No |
Inactivity Alerts? | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
Water? | Water-resistant (shower, rain etc) | Water-resistant (shower, rain etc) | No | Waterproof (swimming) | Waterproof (swimming) |
Compatible Devices | Requires PC or Mac, optional iOS 6.1 app | Requires PC or Mac, optional iOS 6.0 or Android app | iOS and Android | 18 select Samsung Android devices | Requires PC or Mac, optional iOS 6.1 or Android 4.3 app |
Over the next few weeks, you'll get in-depth reviews on each band after Yahoo editors Ashleigh, Kat, Alina and myself put them through their paces over the course of a week. At the end of the series, we'll give you our top picks.
Check back next week for our first review!
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