7 Incredible New Fitness Devices You Didn’t Know Existed
Credit: Qardio
If the booming fitness and wellness sector of the tech industry is any indication, we all want to be healthier. Nowadays, there's a fitness-related gadget for just about every preference, style and OS ecosystem out there.
You could, of course, opt for a basic choice like a Fitbit or an Apple Watch — those are excellent options. But to help those who are looking for devices that a bit more unique or offer a different and deeper set of features, we've put together a list of seven fitness gadgets you might not have considered.
7 QardioBase 2
A good (and accurate) scale is an essential part of reaching your fitness and health goals. But while just any old scale will suffice, you can give your fitness life an upgrade with a smart scale. The QardioBase 2 is a sleek offering that manages to pack a lot of features into a minimalist and clean form factor.
It automatically measures weight, calculates a user’s BMI, and monitors body composition based on factors like muscle, body fat, water and bone. The QardioBase 2 can also help users track progress with helpful haptic feedback and smileys instead of hard numbers. It’s also easy to use, and can differentiate between multiple users. $149
6 AfterShokz Trekz Air
From earbuds to over-ear and from wired to Bluetooth, there are a ton of options for listening to music during your fitness activities. But while traditional headphones are great, they can actually be dangerous if you’re cycling or running on busy city streets. The Trekz Air headphones by AfterShokz don’t have that problem.
These headphones use bone conduction technology to transfer music through your cheekbones. In other words, they don’t “use” your ears and won’t obstruct your ability to hear the environment around you. They’re also incredibly lightweight and durable — sporting excellent sweat-, water- and dust-resistance. The sound quality isn’t as great as traditional headphones, but these can keep you a lot safer on your rides and runs. $148
5 Motiv Ring Fitness Tracker
When it comes to fitness-tracking gear, you have a lot of choices. From simple and stylish trackers like a Bella Beat to full-fledged smart devices like the Apple Watch, there’s no shortage of trackers on the market. But if wrist-worn gadgets or clip-on accessories aren’t your thing, you might want to consider the Motiv Ring.
Like most fitness gadgets, it helps you track your daily steps and activity. But it also tracks your heart rate, calories burned and even helps you monitor your sleep. All of the collected data is viewable on the corresponding smartphone app. To be clear, it’s not as feature-filled as other smartwatch-style trackers, but it’s about as low-profile of a fitness accessory as you can get. $208.53
4 Hidrate Spark 2.0
Most of us can stand to drink more water — studies show that it can help maximize our physical performance, improve our energy levels and brain function, and aid in weight loss. But for many, remembering to hydrate on a regular basis is still a challenge. The Hydrate Spark can help with that.
It’s essentially a smart water bottle that glows to remind you to take a drink. Not only that, that the Spark helps track you water consumption. It even integrates with existing health-tracking platforms like the Apple Watch, adjusting hydration recommendations based on your activity level. It’s available in several colors, and is pretty sleek-looking — so you won’t be embarrassed to lug it around. $53.31
3 Spire Stone
Stress is literally a killer, and our modern-day lives probably aren’t helping. That’s likely why mindfulness and stress-reducing activities like yoga and meditation are becoming massively popular. If you want to start incorporating mindfulness into your routine, but don’t know where to start, look no further than the Spire Stone.
While the Spire Stone doubles as a fitness tracker, its primary feature is “stress control.” It uses proprietary respiration sensors to measure your breathing patterns, alerting you when you become stressed or your breathing becomes tense. It also packs into helpful stress-reducing features like visual exercises and guided meditations. $115.87
2 Nokia Sleep
Most modern-day fitness trackers and smartwatches can also track your sleep. But what if you don’t like wearing anything to bed, or you need to charge the fitness tracker or smartwatch overnight? In these cases, a dedicated and simple sleep-tracking platform might be warranted. Enter the Nokia Sleep pad.
When it comes to sleep trackers, this is about as simple as you can get: you just slip it under your mattress. And unlike many fitness trackers, it offers advanced sleep analysis, heart rate tracking at night, and snore detection. Better yet, it can also act as a smart automation “switch” — allowing you to control other smart home products to create the perfect sleep environment. $99.95
1 Skulpt Scanner
Whether you’re an athlete or you’re just looking to increase your fitness, tracking muscle and body fat composition is an important part of reaching your goals. For years, many have relied on calipers or expensive scans to get this information. But the Skulpt Scanner could help you reliably track these important metrics at home.
The Skulpt is essentially a handheld gadget that scans body fat and muscle quality of over 24 muscle groups in the body. It then leverages that data and translates it into “actionable” goals for users to get results. A great option for those looking to adjust their fitness and health plans based on their own personal physique. $75.99