Back in the early 2000s fitness trackers were just barely coming onto the market and there weren’t a whole lot of options for what to get, in terms of features and styles. However, those days are over and now the opposite is the problem, there are almost too many options to choose from. Many of the fitness trackers on the market are accurate and have a plethora of apps or features that you can pair with your devices to track your movements long term.
So what are the most stylish fitness trackers for women available today? That depends on what your style is. Below is a comprehensive list of any style you would ever want in a fitness tracker.
The Hybrid
Fitness trackers used to be primarily for people who were pretty sporty 24/7, or at least okay putting on that persona. Now more than ever, people from all walks of life are interested in keeping an eye on their health, but this doesn’t mean that everyone wants to always wear a tracker that has the look of a gym accessory.
For some reason, having an analog watch face elevates you to a higher level of classiness. This is similar to the effect that driving a manual transmission has. It is by no means a necessary thing to have, and most models of cars don’t have this option, but when other people know you drive a manual, it elevates you in their mind. Sure, digital watches are more convenient, but analogs will always be a classic. Plus, the futuristic aerodynamic look of a modern fitness tracker, might not go with every outfit.
For this very reason, several designers have partnered with tech companies to develop smart watches that pair the classic design of an analog watch with some of the features of a digital fitness tracker. These are fitness trackers that look like watches called hybrids; they have the best qualities of both analogs and smartwatches.
Here are some of the consumers favorites:
- Fossil Gen 4 Venture
- Fossil Q Jacqueline
- Tory Burch Torytrack Gigi
- Kate Spade Raven Scallop
- Salvatore Ferragamo F-80
- Michael Kors Sofie smartwatch
- Garmin Vivomove HR
- Withings
- Timex IQ+ Move
- Bellabeat Time
Hybrid Vs. Smartwatch
One of the biggest debates that people have when they are contemplating the purchase of a fitness tracker is what is the difference between a hybrid and a smartwatch or fitness tracker, and which is better?
It comes down to what you will be using it for and what your style is. If you just really like the style of the analog watches, then there are several smartwatches that you can use with an analog display. However, the hybrid watches are much more authentic looking.
Basically, hybrid watches, style wise, are the more obvious choice, however, if features are as important or more important than style, then a smartwatch or a fitness tracker may be more your speed. Here are some of the things to consider about hybrids vs. smartwatches.
Battery Life
One of the big features that people love about hybrids is that the battery doesn’t drain quickly. It runs on a typical watch battery, not a lithium rechargeable one, so it will last for months. This however, means that it isn’t as connected to your phone as you may want it to be. Because it runs on a small watch battery, it reserves battery power by limiting the syncing time to only when you manually sync it. In short, it isn’t in constant contact with your phone, so while you are tracking your progress continually, if you want to see it on your device screen, you will need to go through a process of syncing. This doesn’t last long, but it might be a nuisance that you’d rather not live with.
Accuracy
For a consumer with a slight interest in fitness, a hybrid would do just fine, however there have been complaints that it is not as accurate or sensitive as a fitness tracker or a smartwatch. Many people have noted that a treadmill will register much more distance covered than a hybrid will register. There are ways to mess with the sensitivity of the hybrid, and as always with fitness trackers, it is important to wear the watch snugly on the wrist slightly above the wrist bones.
Fitness Features
Hybrids will typically have some kind of display of at least one category that it tracks, such as heart rate, sleep, calories burned, or step counting. More often than not, it will not have all of these displayed on the watch face, or it can be a bit difficult to scroll through these tracked categories. The information that you want tracked is being tracked and stored, however the access to it isn’t as easy as it is with a smartwatch or some fitness trackers display.
The user also doesn’t have the benefit of being able to compare their daily results on their watch face or set goals for themselves, like they would be able to on a smartwatch. Some smartwatches even have a “personal trainer” feature where they will get motivation and advice from the watch to pick up the pace or try to lower their heart rate. These features are absolutely not available in a hybrid.
Connectivity
Though hybrid watches have many of the same features of a smartwatch, their connectivity is much less. There are some hybrid watches that will slightly vibrate when you get a notification on your phone, but many do not. The watches will connect with your phone, but it is not meant to be a smaller version of your phone. If you don’t mind unplugging while you work out, this shouldn’t be a problem for you, but if you constantly want to be aware of your notifications, a smartwatch may be a product you would be most interested in.
The Sporty Sport
If you are a sporty woman who likes to dress that way, there are many more options available. Fitness trackers were primarily made for those interested in fitness, after all. In fact, most of the designs are sporty, so the best way to narrow down the choices is by the features that they provide or just personal design preference.
If you are looking for something with the most fitness related features and the best level of accuracy, you will find that those usually tend to have a sporty design. These options are sleek, durable, and comfortable to work out in:
- Garmin Vivosmart 4
- Fitbit Versa
- Fitbit Charge 3
- Apple Watch
- Fitbit Inspire HR
- Xiaomi Mi Band 4
- Samsung Galaxy Fit
Best Sports Features
There are people who wear fitness trackers out of a curiosity of their fitness level and a desire to increase activity, and then there are those who are devoted to fitness as a lifestyle and really want to see specific improvements. For those who want to see accurate improvements in their fitness statistics, a fitness tracker geared specifically for working out (and style secondary) is the best bet. Here is a list of some of the most important things to look for in a sports fitness tracker.
Durability
As far as style goes, a person who regularly goes to the gym or works out outside will want a design that is durable to withstand collisions with weights or possibly harsh weather conditions.
Features to look for would be:
- Silicone or similar material strap options
- Protected screen with durable bevel
- Smaller screen for fitness trackers
- High ATM water resistance
- Secure latches
Accuracy
When you are training for a competitive sport the variance of a mere second can make all the difference in some of your goals, so accuracy in a fitness tracker is imperative. If you want to learn more about accuracy in fitness trackers and which ones are the most accurate on the market, check out our post here.
Water Resistance
You might not think that water resistance is a big deal if you’re not a swimmer, but there are other reasons why it is important. Fitness trackers that have screens in the past needed to stay as dry as possible to function properly, however now it is pretty standard to at least have a water resistance rating of 3 ATM. Of course, 3 ATM isn’t much water resistance; it basically covers hand washing and rain. If you want to do any kind water fitness or even shower with your tracker on, then you will need at least a water resistance rating of 5 ATM. A fitness tracker is meant to be worn as often as possible, so if you have to worry about running in bad weather or taking it off for showers, then it isn’t very convenient.
If you want a more in depth conversation of water resistant fitness trackers, you can find our post on it here.
Sleep Tracker
Another great feature to have on your fitness tracker is a sleep tracker. Though you may feel this is unnecessary, you might be surprised by how little good quality sleep you get each night. Recovery periods are arguably just as important as exercise, and sleep plays a vital part in the recovery process. If you aren’t getting good sleep, then you might not be able to work your body to its full potential, let alone have the energy to do it.
Once you have some data about your sleep, you can make adjustments to increase the quality of it. You may need to go to sleep earlier or you might need to sleep with a noise maker to reduce waking times during the night. Whatever it is, a sleep tracker will be able to tell you the quality of your sleep and if the adjustments that you make are working.
The Camouflage
There are many people who like to keep a close eye on their fitness throughout the day. There are a lot of people who like to participate in fitness challenges and constantly talk about if they have fulfilled their daily goals. And there are the people who are interested in tracking their fitness, but they don’t want to think about just that. In fact, they may like that the information is there if they want to look at it, but they don’t want any nudges or notifications throughout the day. These are the people who want to track their own progress, but they want to stay relatively unplugged.
Does this sound like you? You might be one of the people who prefers to have a more subtle fitness tracker look. In fact, if the random passerby didn’t know much about fitness trackers, they could completely miss that you were wearing one. The drawback of having no screen is also its strength. It is not a distraction throughout your day while tracking all your movements.
Here are some examples of the favorite low key fitness trackers that blend in so well, they might as well be camouflage.
- Moov Now
- Bellabeat Leaf Urban
- Ringly Luxe Smart Ring
- Ringly Luxe Smart Bracelet
- Misfit Shine (with Bloom Necklace)
- Michael Kors Access Bracelet
- Mira Wellness and Activity Bracelet
- Joule Earring
- Fitbit Flex 2 Pendant
- Motiv Ring
- Misfit Ray
Thin
Though many people have found that most of the fitness tracker smartwatches are fairly comfortable to work out with, there are some who prefer to have as little nuisance of a screen on them as possible. You don’t have to have a smartwatch to take advantage of all the fitness tracking features you could ever want. A large, scrolling screen is completely unnecessary to track all the things that you would want during a workout.
Screens, of course, are convenient if you want to keep an eye on your phone calls as they come in or message friends, but if you don’t care about that, then a thin fitness tracker band is where it’s at. A screen might offer a bit more personalisation for your workout, but you can still get all the important things tracked without one.
Here are some of the best thin fitness trackers:
- Fitbit Flex
- Misfit Ray
- Jawbone UP
- Garmin Vivosmart 4
- Fitbit Alta
- Amazfit Equator
- Xiaomi Mi Band 3
The Boyfriend
Are you the type of person who is constantly stealing her boyfriend’s pants and hoodies? Well, there is a fitness tracker for you. Oversized watches has been on trend for a few years now and has no signs of going away soon. So it is safe to say, if you are the type of person who likes things a little bigger, there are fitness trackers–mostly smartwatches that will fill that need.
One important thing to note, however, many people who wear oversized watches will wear them loosely, meaning that the band doesn’t fit snugly against their skin. If this is the style you are going for, you may need to just look for an analog watch. Fitness trackers should be worn snug against the skin so that the wearer can get the most accurate heart rate reading.
So if the band isn’t oversized, what exactly makes it a “boyfriend” fitness tracker? Below is a compiled list of the smartwatches on the market with some of the largest screens. These big watch faces will give a woman the appearance of a petite wrist, which is what the boyfriend craze is all about anyway–appearing small in oversized clothes and accessories.
- Tissot T-touch
- Fossil Gen 5
- Samsung Galaxy
- Garmin Forerunner 245
- LEMFO Lem4 Pro
- Diesel Full Guard 2.5
- Movado Face
The Changeable Bands
It’s imaginable that most women don’t feel like they belong to one particular category mentioned above. The good news is that you don’t have to put yourself into a box like that. You can actually have it all. You can have a fitness tracker that can morph into whatever persona you are putting on for the day or the event. The way you can do this is through changeable bands.
The manufacturer of the fitness trackers that have removable bands typically have a couple of options available, but there is a whole slew of options on the market that will fit any style you can think of.
There are straps that are ultra comfortable and don’t trap sweat. There are bands that are feminine and flirty. There are leather bands that add a little bit of sophistication and class to your outfit. Then, of course, there are blingy bands that will really make your ensemble pop. You can even find a faux scrunchie smartwatch strap for Apple Watches, which will please any VSCO girl out there.
Anyone can find interchangeable straps for their fitness tracker bands in department stores or on sites like Amazon, Ebay, or Etsy. The two best fitness trackers with the most options for changeable straps are:
- Apple Watch (any series)
- Fitbit Versa
Your style is what you make it, and there really aren’t any bad designs for any of the above mentioned fitness trackers. Though some may be more durable and others may be more feminine, you will still be able to find a great quality product from the above lists with a stunning design that will impress anyone who sees it.