There's no shortage of apps and activity trackers to monitor basic workouts. But what if you need all the data about your rock climb, weightlifting, or personal hydration? The niche fitness gadgets are coming.
1. Push Band
Price: US$149
This fitness tracker will help you get ripped. The Push Band slips over your forearm and connects to an app. You can plan a lifting workout - say, shooting for 50 reps in 20 minutes - and have the band keep track for you. It also tracks information such as your balance, explosive lifts, tempo, and speed. As with most fitness bands, you can share the results with friends and push the results out to Facebook or Twitter.
2. The Hug
Price: US$65-US$70
Currently in an alpha stage with testers, The Hug is an armband for your water bottle. As you work out, the device tracks how often you are hydrating. It syncs to a smartphone via Bluetooth, so you can check to see if you are drinking enough water during a workout. The app analyzes your bottle movements for each sip against the hydration levels you need for your age, weight, and even the local temperature in your area. No exact ship date has been announced yet.
3. Climbax
Price: TBD
Climbax, a climber's activity tracker includes two different bands, one for each wrist. Each time you climb, the wristbands track your movements, holds, and how long you pause between ascents. You can then compare each recorded climb using an app. The Kickstarter campaign did not reach its funding goal, but the founders say they are going to continue developing the Climbax anyway.
4. RunPhones Intensity
Price: TBD
Due out later this year, the RunPhones Intensity is a personal motivator in the form of a headband with built-in speakers. As you work out, a training instructor gives you motivational tips that last about 10 minutes. Upbeat music plays for about 20 seconds to pump you up and slower music plays for about 10 seconds to cool you down. The headband also tracks your movements using a built-in accelerometer so you know how long you exercised.
5. Reebok CheckLight
Price: US$150
Built for players of impact sports like football or boxing, the CheckLight helmet can track the severity of bows to the head. Lights on the back show the impact level as light, medium, or heavy (green, yellow, or red). The CheckLight cap is available in sizes from S to XL. Reebok says the device is not intended to track concussions but is more of a tool to measure impact levels to help you know if you need to take a break.
6. Goji Play
Price: US$100
The Goji Play workout device includes a small sensor that clips to clothes and a wireless game controller that clips to a workout machine such as a treadmill. The idea is to make fitness a game: Goji Play offers several free games for the iPhone or iPad (sorry, no Android) that involve boxing, racing, or collecting power-ups with an animated character. As you progress, the game tracks your calories, movements, and speed. You can get higher scores by running faster in the game or working out longer.
7. Zepp Tennis
Price: US$150
Tennis is one of those sports that can be hard to track, at least if you go beyond the final score and simple stat. Zepp Tennis is a small sensor that clips to the buttcap (or bottom) of a tennis racket. The sensor uses dual accelerometers and a three-axis gyroscope to track the racket movement, then uses algorithms to analyze thousands of data points to determine your swing position. As you play, the sensor feeds data to an app (available for iOS or Android phones and tablets) to track your motions including forehands, backhands, and smashes. You can also see how many spins and if you used topspin or sliced the ball. The device also measures the power of each stroke from 1 to 100.
8. TAO-Wellness WellShell
Price: TBD
TAO Wellness is one of the more unusual workout devices you'll find, but the 5.3-ounce device is something you can bring with you every day. The basic workout involves pushing on the device with your hands, knees, or thighs by following the coaching instructions on the iOS or Android app. For example, the app will instruct you to push and hold, or to push and repeat in succession for a set period of time. This is known as an isometric (or pressure based) workout. The TAO WellShell, available sometime this year, measures the force and tracks your reps. When you are done working out, the device becomes an activity tracker for steps, calories burned, total activity time, sleeping, and your heart rate.
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