Fitness gadgets so walkers can track heart rates, triathlon training, even walks

TECHNOLOGY is no longer just for the sedentary. Fitness gadgets are flooding the stores as the weather heats up, helping users get fit for summer.

Suunto Ambit3 Peak exercise-tracking watch.

Suunto Ambit3 Peak

Suunto / 4.5/5 / $650 / suunto.com

Suunto Ambit3 Peak exercise-tracking watch.

SUUNTO’S flagship fitness watch is a device for all sports. The gadget measures altitude and barometric pressure (good for hikes), tracks your path with GPS (good for runs), and records your heart rate with an included chest strap (good for cycling and swimming). Modes for these exercises plus others, like mountaineering, alpine skiing and triathlon, feature in its menus, which are easy to navigate thanks to a large display. This watch can track your location with GPS for up to 50 hours on one charge, though its form is 1.8cm thick and weighs 89g as a result. An accompanying app delivering phone notifications only works with Apple devices.

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Jabra Sport Pulse

Jabra / 4.5/5 / $249 / jabra.com.au

Jabra Sport Pulse Wireless Earbuds that measure the wearer's heart rate.

RUNNERS need not wear an uncomfortable chest strap while jogging. Danish company Jabra has created surprisingly effective wireless earbuds that check heart beats per minute from inside your ear canal. They sit firmly in place, using interchangeable ear wings, and deliver pulse rate, step counts, and pace details to an accompanying app, while providing phone calls and music to the wearer’s ears. The heart rate measurements are impressively accurate, the earbuds stay in place, and training tips are also available, if you’re so inclined. The earbuds block out a lot of external noise, however, which is not desirable in traffic.

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Sony Walkman NWZ-WS613 MP3 player

Sony / 4/5 / $199 / sony.com.au

Sony Walkman NWZ-WS613 MP3 Player

The latest Walkman evolution adds Bluetooth connectivity and (pun warning) a handy ringmaster. These headphones are waterproof so you can them swimming or, more likely, wear them running or working out without worrying about sweat. You can load your music on to them or, more conveniently, play music directly from a paired Apple or Google-based phone. Their ring-shaped controller, worn on a finger, is a little chunky but much more convenient for controlling music play and answering calls than the tiny buttons on the earphones.

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Huawei TalkBand B1

Huawei / 3.5/5 / $177 / harveynorman.com.au

Huawei TalkBand B1

This unusual, two-for-one take on the activity tracker lets you track steps and answer calls wirelessly. As an activity tracker, the TalkBand has some good points: the USB charger is built into the band, it fits snugly wrists, and it’s waterproof. Charge it up, pop it on to your wrist, and the Android or iOS app will give you basic details on your daily activity. When you receive a call, slip the unit out of the band and pop it into your ear like a Bluetooth headset. Switching between modes is awkward, and its split nature means it isn’t top of the class as either an activity tracker or a headset. Its versatility does make it stand out, however.

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Scosche Rhythm+

Scosche / 4/5 / $129 / scosche.net.au

Scosche Rhythm+

If wearing a chest strap is not your thing, this ANT- and Bluetooth-compatible optical sensor delivers another option. You can pair it with a range of popular fitness apps and devices. Unlike other optical sensor heart-rate monitors, you don’t wear it on your wrist but further up your arm, either just below your elbow or just above it. There are two strap sizes which are easy to adjust and one button to control it. For people serious about monitoring their heart rate during workouts, this solution is worth consideration.

Originally published as Fitness gadgets so walkers can track heart rates, triathlon training, even walks