Best Fitness Tracker for Hiking – From heart-rate tracking and step count to email and blood-oxygen level readings, there is not much that some of these watches can’t do. Since I spend a lot of time in the mountains and work as a guide, I love having a watch that gives accurate altitude readings, storm alerts, and tracking points – all vital data points when leading groups in the mountains.
You are well versed in the world of outdoor watches. In recent years, the technology and capabilities of the once-humble watch has exploded and us outdoor and adventure people are here to reap the benefits.
ROUND UP
From all of the watches on our list, it may be hard to pick a favorite. If you are looking for a good all a-rounder that will serve you in a variety of settings, go with our top pick: the Garmin Instinct GPS Watch.
back to menu ↑1.Garmin fenix
Features
- Ultimate multisport GPS watch that estimates heart rate at the wrist and includes color Topo maps featuring trend line popularity routing to help you find and follow the best paths
- Wrist based Pulse Ox Acclimation sensor, a non medical device that provides awareness of your estimated blood oxygen saturation levels especially useful when you're adjusting to higher altitudes (not available in all countries)
OUR TAKE
The Fenix series is a family of fitness trackers that pretty much has it all when it comes to outdoor fitness and adventure tracking. Stepping things up a notch, Garmin released the Fenix 6 range in August 2019, offering users a slight update in design and some welcome new features over the Fenix 5 Plus.
We always see some excellent discounts on sports tech on Amazon Prime Day, and we’d be surprised if this year’s Prime Day deals don’t include an offer on the Fenix 6. It’s a great opportunity to pick up one of the most powerful sports watches around at a bargain price.
back to menu ↑2.Fitbit Charge
Features
- Use built-in GPS to see your pace and distance on screen during outdoor runs, rides, hikes and more and see a workout intensity map in the app that shows your heart rate changes along your route
- With Active Zone Minutes, feel a buzz when you reach your target heart rate zones during exercise, and celebrate when you earn extra minutes outside of exercise.Operating temperature: -20° to 60° C
OUR TAKE
Last year’s Fitbit Charge 4 was an excellent fitness tracker held back by a dated grayscale display and a cheap plastic build. Now in its fifth-generation, Fitbit’s most popular device finally has an AMOLED color touch screen and a metal case, making the Charge 5 a wearable you actually want to wear.
Fitbit has removed Spotify support from this generation, but added several useful health monitoring features that were previously only available on its Sense smartwatch, including an electrodermal activity (EDA) sensor that measures small electrical changes in your skin’s sweat level to track your body’s response to stress, and an electrocardiogram (ECG) app that checks for signs of atrial fibrillation (AFIb), an irregular heart rhythm that can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure, and other serious complications.
It offers a lot more functionality than the Luxe, with a similarly attractive design for only more. The Charge 5 is easily Fitbit’s best fitness tracker yet, and our new Editors’ Choice winner.
back to menu ↑3.SUUNTO
Features
- Suunto 9 Baro: This durable multisport GPS watch is designed for athletes who demand the best; Featuring over 80 sports modes, a barometer for accurate altitude info, and wrist heart rate monitor
- Built To Last: Made for training, racing and extreme adventures, this GPS watch delivers up to 120 hours of continuous exercise tracking; Water resistant to 100 meters; Great for running, hiking, cycling and more
OUR TAKE
This Suunto 7 review is a funny one, mainly because it’s hard to place the new fitness smartwatch from the Finnish manufacturer into a well-defined category. On one hand, you’d want to compare it with regular smartwatches, like the Apple Watch Series 5 or the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2, since the Suunto 7 uses the Google Wear OS and has pretty neat smart connectivity and functionality.
On the other hand, given the pedigree of previous Suunto watches and the emphasis on maps and sport modes readily available on the watch straight out of the box, you’d also want to measure performance against full-fledged running watches like the Polar Vantage V or the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro.
back to menu ↑4.Misfit Shine
Features
- Swimproof, aircraft-grade anodized aluminum disc
- White LED progress and time display
OUR TAKE
The quantified-self trend has never been more apparent than with fitness tracking devices. But while there are an increasing number of these gadgets on the market, they naturally all look fairly sporty. Enter the Misfit Shine. This sleek and sexy quarter-sized tracker looks equally at home in the gym or on a night out on the town. However, this style comes at the expense of some functionality. Find out if this tracker is worth wearing.
Editor’s Note (5/9/16): We have updated this review to reflect the fact that the Shine syncs with third-party apps such as MapMyFitness, as well as smart home devices. We have also increased its rating to 8 stars.
back to menu ↑5.Inzopo
Features
- 100% brand new and high quality,Replacement wrist band strap for Misfit Shine 2 (without tracker, only replacement bands).
- The size can be adjusted according to the circumstance of individual wrist.
OUR TAKE
Make sure this fits by entering your model number. 100% brand new and high quality 80pcs fishing rod guide in 10 different size. Protect the fishing line from wear and tear in daily use.
Stainless steel frame and wear-resistant ceramic ring, sturdy and durable. Perfect fishing accessories replacement for fishing lovers. Packed in a clear plastic box, easy to store and separate size.
back to menu ↑Best Fitness Tracker for Hiking – BUYER’S GUIDE
back to menu ↑DESIGN
Another important factor to consider when shopping for a fitness tracker is the design. Most fitness trackers come in the form of a band that you wear around your wrist, but there are also devices that you can clip into your clothing.
Choosing based on the design of the tracker not only depends on your personal taste, but for the intended usage as well. If you want a feature-rich tracker, you will want to get one with a display that provides elaborate information. If you’re planning to wear the device all day, you could go for a minimalist approach with discrete display.
back to menu ↑WATER RESISTANCE
Do you want a device that you can wear and forget? There are trackers that can resist water even if you go for an unexpected dive while there are those that are simply splash-proof.
Again, this all depends on the intended usage of the buyer. Typically, splash-proof trackers are likely to be sweat-proof as well.
back to menu ↑FEATURES
Nearly every fitness band you’ll find in the market will have two essential features: steps and calorie trackers. Again, you should evaluate your intended usage for the band. If you need to know how many flights of stairs you climb daily, go for a tracker with the standard accelerometer and altimeter.
If you’re a runner or a cyclist, a band with GPS tracking should come in handy for tracking your progress. Those who are looking to improve their sleeping habits should invest in a tracker that has sleep monitoring features.
back to menu ↑Frequently Asked Questions
HOW DO FITNESS WATCHES CALCULATE CALORIES?
A fitness watch uses an algorithm that takes your age, weight, height, and combines that with how much you exercise (either steps taken or a more intense activity like running) to calculate the number of calories burned. More advanced watches will also incorporate heart rate into the calculation.
But you have to remember these calories are just estimates. They should be used as a general guideline and not a true number of calories burned.
HOW DO I CHOOSE A FITNESS WATCH?
A simple way to choose a fitness watch is to decide what types of activities you like to do, then combine that with how much you are willing to spend.
The most expensive fitness watches count steps and monitors your sleep – just like a basic fitness tracker. But they also do a whole lot more.
WRAP UP
The best fitness trackers act almost like a mini-trainer, offering insights into your workouts and the motivation to push yourself harder with every sweat session. Best of all, you don’t need to be a serious athlete to use one; pretty much anyone can get their money’s worth from a tracker or smartwatch.
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