Best Fitness Trackers for Monitoring Heart Rate
Fitness trackers can be a great way to track your heart rate during exercise. But there are so many different models and features that it takes time to know which is right for you.
Some fitness trackers have built-in heart rate sensors that continuously monitor your pulse throughout the day and night. Others only measure heart rates when you manually activate them during a workout session.
Other features may or may not be important to you, such as GPS tracking, sleep tracking, built-in GPS tracking, waterproofing, onboard storage, and social media sharing through various apps.
We've rounded up some of the best fitness trackers on the market right now with built-in heart rate monitoring capabilities:
Fitbit Charge 2
The Fitbit Charge 2 is the successor to the original Charge. It has a beautiful OLED display with a tap-sensitive screen, so you can use it as a watch or see your stats at a glance. You can also customize your screen with different watch faces; many are available on the Fitbit app store.
The Charge 2 is water-resistant up to 50 meters, which means you can swim with it on and not worry about getting it wet. It also has GPS, but the GPS feature in this device works only when connected to your phone, which is something we don't like because it drains your battery faster than if it used Wi-Fi to connect instead of Bluetooth.
Apple Watch Series 4 with Cellular
The Apple Watch Series 4 with Cellular is an excellent choice for those who want their fitness tracker to double as a smartwatch. Not only does it connect to GPS satellites, so you can track your runs without carrying your phone around, but it also comes with a built-in cellular service to make calls and send texts without needing to connect your iPhone via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. This model also includes an electrocardiogram (ECG) function that detects abnormal heart rhythms such as atrial fibrillation (AFib), although it doesn't detect any other heart conditions.
Fitbit Versa Lite Edition
The Fitbit Versa Lite Edition is a great fitness tracker for the price. It's the cheapest option in Fitbit's range, but it still offers all the features you want from a fitness tracker.
The device comes with a heart rate monitor, step counting, and all the usual features such as sleep tracking, notifications, and swim proofing. There are also on-screen workouts available to help you stay active.
Garmin Vivosmart 4
The Garmin Vivosmart 4 is a great fitness tracker for people who want an accurate heart rate monitor. It has a built-in optical heart rate sensor that uses green light to take your pulse. The tracker measures your heart rate every second and provides real-time readouts on its screen or in the Garmin Connect app.
The device has a long battery life of up to five days before charging. It also provides step counts, calories burned, and distance traveled information. The Vivosmart 4 is water-resistant up to 50 meters (164 feet) and can be used while swimming or showering.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2
Samsung's latest fitness tracker is different from its predecessor. The Galaxy Watch Active 2 has a heart rate monitor on the underside of the watch face and is designed to be more fashion-forward than the original.
The Galaxy Watch Active 2 includes built-in GPS, so you don't need your smartphone nearby to track your run or bike ride. It also has 15 built-in workouts, including yoga and strength training routines. You can customize your routines in the Samsung Health app for Android or iOS.
The watch tracks steps taken, calories burned, and sleep quality. It also has a built-in altimeter for measuring elevation gain when hiking or climbing mountains. You don't have to worry about charging it every night; Samsung says it'll last up to four days between charges.
Conclusion
Accurate heart rate tracking is one of the most important factors when choosing a fitness tracker. You need to know how many steps you take or how far you walk; there are other metrics to consider before making a decision. The variety of trackers available on the market gives you plenty of choices, and knowing your options can make that decision easier.
