Shape Best In Fitness Awards 2023: Best Wearable Technology

Shape Best In Fitness Awards 2023: Best Wearable Technology

What does fitness look like in the future? If this list of the best wearable tech products is any indication, it's easy to predict that it'll include lots of personalized biodata, fitness trackers that offer a holistic view of your health, and sunglasses straight out of a sci-fi movie. Read on to learn what Shape editors and experts chose as the best wearable tech of 2023.

Best heart rate monitor: Polar H10

For a more personalized and accurate way to track your exercise intensity, the Polar H10 is both easy to set up and easy to use. It connects to any fitness device with Bluetooth or ANT+ compatibility (wireless technology that allows your devices to communicate with each other) and can also view your data in the Polar app. Plus, Polar has a reputation in the fitness industry for its incredible accuracy and reliable results.

Polar
H10
$90.00

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Expert Rating:"I'm not particularly tech savvy, but I was pleasantly surprised when the Polar H10 connected instantly to my Peloton bike. I was curious if the chest strap would cause any chafing, but it was actually super comfortable - I forgot I was wearing it most of the time." — Kristen Geil, NASM-certified personal trainer and Shape Senior Fitness Editor

Best affordable fitness tracker: Amazon Halo View

An updated version of the Amazon Halo Band, this fitness tracker features a screen that allows you to easily track your heart rate, activity points, sleep metrics and blood oxygen levels. It connects to an app on your phone to provide further metrics, and you can choose from several sleek-looking bands to suit your style.

Amazon
Halo view
$50.00

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Expert Rating:"I'm not usually a fan of wearable technology, but this minimalist fitness tracker gives me just the right amount of information without compromising my wardrobe. I enjoy checking my stats via the easy-to-use app on my phone." – Christie Calucchia, Shape news editor

Best fitness tracker watch: Apple Watch SE

The Apple Watch SE is the cheapest of the Apple Watch lineup, but we think its features are more than enough for the average user. It's waterproof, can recognize dozens of workouts, and displays your workout data in clear, easy-to-use graphics.

Apple
View SE
$249.00

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Expert Rating:"I've been using my Apple Watch religiously to track my workouts for the past few years, and I love how easy it is to start, pause and stop workouts with a simple tap. Plus the additional information about my heart and sleep health gives me a more holistic picture of my health than just fitness." - Cool

Best high-tech tracker: Garmin fēnix 7S – Solar Edition

Our expert has loved Garmin's fēnix 5 Plus for years, and this new upgrade includes the same must-have features - and then some. Despite its classic watch design, the touchscreen fitness tracker is packed with high-tech features including heart rate monitoring, built-in navigation sensors, a battery that can last up to 14 days with the help of solar charging, music streaming and tracking for your VO2 max, lactate threshold, recovery time, sleep stages and more. A unique map function shows you ski slopes and golf courses around the world. The device also has a security feature that allows you to send your location to your emergency contacts at the touch of a button.

Garmin
fēnix 7S – Solar Edition
$800.00

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Expert Rating:"In addition to counting daily steps, the fēnix watch keeps me up to date on so many health statistics, from heart rate to sleep quantity and quality - it even measures my daily stress levels. As an avid hiker, I also really value the GPS capabilities, so I can be sure I'm staying on the trail when I'm out of radio range." – Maggie Peikon, social media editor at Shape

Best running watch: Garmin Forerunner 245 Music

Garmin has built a solid reputation as a running watch brand due to its superior metrics and tracking capabilities. In addition to mileage, heart rate and pace, the Garmin Forerunner 245 Music can also track cadence, display real-time maps and record fastest miles and races, as well as plan workouts and store and stream music.

Garmin
Precursor 245 Music
$350.00

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Expert review: "I've owned a Garmin watch for over 10 years and my favorite features are scheduling workouts and customizing data screens - I focused on running cadence this year and having that number on the watch face and checking it over time has made a huge difference to my workouts. I would recommend the Garmin Forerunner 245 Music to anyone who wants the data insights and music for a slightly lower investment than other models." —Shannon Bauer, Senior Commerce Editor at Shape and InStyle

Best headphones: Adidas RPT Sol

These high-tech headphones harness the power of the sun (and artificial light) to play your favorite music while you workout - for up to 80 hours. The sweat- and splash-proof headphones are made from 87% recycled plastic and feature removable, washable parts to ensure you don't have to worry about ear slag.

Adidas
RPT Sol
$230.00

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Expert Rating:"These babies are the perfect outdoor headphones - no wires required. (They don't even come with one!) The sound quality is incredible. My boyfriend loves them for running and I love them for weight lifting. And we both especially love them because they can be easily washed between sweat sessions." – Marietta Alessi, Social Media Director at Shape

Best running headphones: Shokz OpenRun

Running headphones need to be able to do so much more than just play motivating music. First, they need to be comfortable for long runs, and the fit needs to stay in place and not slip and slide when sweat starts dripping. The Shokz OpenRun does all of that, and open-ear bone conduction technology means the bud sits outside your ear (on your cheekbone), so you can also hear traffic or conversations around you. This safety measure ensures you are aware of your surroundings during early morning or late evening runs. The sound quality is excellent and powerful bass turns a run into a concert experience.

Shokz
OpenRun
$130.00

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Expert Rating:"I could write an entire love letter to these headphones, oh wait, I've already done that. The open-ear design and long battery life made them my best running friend. My original pair played their swan song this fall and I delivered a new express pair faster than you can say you're running PR. - Bauer

Best swimming headphones: Zygo Solo

For too long, swimmers have been left in the water with their own thoughts. No more: The Zygo Solo headphones let you stream directly from your phone to these (waterproof, of course) headphones. The companion Zygo app includes downloadable guided audio workouts to make the most of your time in the pool.

Zygo
Solo
$299.00

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Expert Rating:"I grew up swimming and I can't tell you how many times I've wished there was something like Zygo Solo. Most other waterproof headphones on the market require you to upload content from a computer to the headphones, which becomes tedious and time-consuming. I love the seamless streaming of Zygo's headphones and the guided audio workouts are a great bonus." - Cool

Best sleep tracker: Fitbit Luxe

In addition to standard fitness tracker features, this watch automatically logs how much you sleep each night, especially in each phase, and gives you a personalized sleep score that shows your sleep quality. You can also turn off your blaring alarm clock indefinitely - the clock will gently vibrate to wake you during the optimal sleep phase, so you feel refreshed and not groggy.

Fitbit
luxury
$130.00

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Expert Rating:"I'm a Fitbit Luxe fan because the bracelet-like strap doesn't disrupt my sleep and I can switch bands to match any look. On the tech side, I love how the app provides digestible sleep information that doesn't just show your last night's zzz's, but also gives you a monthly insight into your sleep habits." — Alesi

Best VR training experience: Meta Quest 2

These VR glasses help you escape reality and get a solid workout through games that include laser sword fighting, rock climbing and even mini golf. The headset tracks the movement of your head and body, so you don't need to set up additional sensors around your home to keep your VR character moving in sync with your IRL self.

Meta
Search 2
$400.00

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Expert Rating:"From fitness to meditation to guided experiences, this VR headset sparked my curiosity and took me to places I never thought I'd go. It brought the fun back into my life during pandemic quarantine and allowed me to try new sports, both real (climbing around the world) and imaginary (I played baseball with a foam finger as a bat!). — Alesi

Best fitness tracker ring: Oura Ring Gen3 Horizon

Loved by athletes and casual exercisers alike, Oura's fitness tracker offers users insights into their activity and sleep, period prediction, and guided meditation sessions.

Oura ring
Gen 3 Horizon
$349.00

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Expert Rating:"The Oura Ring is small but mighty; many people are surprised when I tell them it's a health and fitness tracker. I love that you can use the app to get an accurate balance of heart rate variability, sleep efficiency, etc. to give you time to recover." — Renee Cherry, co-editor of Shape

Best screenless fitness tracker: WHOOP 4.0

For those looking for less screen time in 2023, WHOOP lets you access your fitness data on your own terms. The screenless device offers biometric tracking (e.g. skin temperature, blood oxygen and heart rate) in addition to usual exercise tracking. Its coolest feature: You can now slide the tracker into WHOOP's functional clothing (e.g. a sports bra) to get rid of the strap, but not your data.

WHOOP
4.0
$300.00

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Expert Rating:"I tend to get a little obsessed with my movement data, so WHOOP has been invaluable in helping me prioritize movements I love over metrics - and yet the data is incredibly thorough and helpful when I want to look at the app. I also love how WHOOP prioritizes recovery, which gives me the push I need to take a rest day." - Cool

Best high-tech sunglasses: RayBan Stories Wayfarer Smart Glasses

In addition to protecting your eyes from strong and harmful rays, these sunglasses take photos and videos - up to 500 images and 30 clips on a single charge - with the push of a button on one of the arms. The sunglasses come with open-ear speakers and three microphones, making it easy to take calls and listen to music while you walk around the block with your pup.

Radiation protection
Stories Wayfarer Smart Glasses
$299.00

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Expert Rating:"This is without a doubt my favorite fitness product I've come across in the last year. These stylish glasses play music and fuel my runs while I record videos. I've taken them on countless hikes and the footage I get is simply stunning. I also love using them on my walks with hot chicks because I can safely notice what's going on around me so I can hear cars or when people are trying to talk to me." — Alesi