One of my family’s goals this year is to move more, and we’ve been accomplishing that with the help of fitness trackers. It’s not always easy (for me!) to meet our daily goals, but these wearable activity trackers keep us going and reminding us that we need to be good to our bodies and hearts. Thanks to various sales and gifts, we each have a different one. AT&T allowed us to try one (the Fitbit Flex) for a week, and all of these are available at AT&T stores. Since we aren’t on the same platforms or devices, we connect via the Matchup app that allows us to be friends and join the same challenges. Here’s a breakdown of our equipment:
Fitbit Flex: My 11-year-old daughter tried this Fitbit for a week*, and she loved it. The only downside for her was that it didn’t double as a watch and had no display, but otherwise, she found it comfortable and easy to use. She kept checking the Fitbit app to see how many steps she’d racked up each day, particularly on days she had field hockey, dance, or conditioning. The Fitbit Flex’s LED lights glow more as you take more steps/move toward your goal. My daughter also thought it was great how she could track her sleep. The tracker itself is easy to put on and take off, and the charger is a breeze. MSRP: $99 Buy it | Amazon
Garmin Vivofit 2: (Bottom right in photo) The Garmins are the top brand in running/GPS watches, but the fitness trackers aren’t quite as popular. Still, we think the Vivovit line is affordable, particularly for a tracker that doubles as a watch. Unlike the trackers you have to charge every few days, it has one year of battery life, and can be worn in the shower and the pool. With a quick touch, the display changes and it is easy to see not just what time it is but also how many steps you’ve walked, etc. Wearable 24/7, the Garmin is a great little entry-level tracker that like the Fitbit Flex, is perfect for a tween/teen who doesn’t need a lot of bells and whistles. MSRP: $99 Buy it | Amazon
Jawbone UP 3: (Top row in photo) I bought this for myself the first week in January and think it’s got an awesome app that provides daily tips, a fabulously detailed sleep tracker, and vibrates when I’ve walked my 10,000 steps. It can also vibrate as an alarm when I want to wake up and let me know how my week is going by comparison with other weeks and also with all who are using the UP 3. The only downsides is the difficult-to-use clasp which required a complimentary clip to keep closed, and the slightly unintuitive charging mechanism. Otherwise, I love it! MSRP: $179 Buy it on Amazon
Withings Activité Pop: ((Bottom left in photo) My teen son uses this watch, because the retro look appeals to him. It looks like a regular (and stylish) analog watch but the extra hand measures your activity. The app keeps my 14 year old motivated, but he wishes the swim tracking were better, as that’s one of his main sports each week. It is, at least, water resistant, and no one really knows it’s a tracker, unlike the rest of the ones featured here. MSRP: $149 Buy it | Amazon
Thanks to AT&T for sending us the Fitbit Flex to try out for a week.
