Fitness Tracker

Fitness trackers have come a long way. A few years ago it was hard find a device that could track your fitness beyond the simple clip-on pedometer and an atrocious wrist watch. Today, there are dozens of options that collect a broad swath of biometric data all in a tiny, wearable device no larger than a bracelet. And while 2013 didn’t favor fitness gadgets in a statistical sense, 2014 could be a different story thanks to a growing interest in wearable technology and the ever-persistent swath of smartwatch rumors. The industry is bustling, with giants like Sony, LG, and Nike taking the helm and lesser-known companies such as Fitbit closing the gap. That said, there are dozens of fitness devices on the market. Most are conveniently designed to be worn directly around your wrist or neck, while others easily clip to your pocket or zipper. Though each device touts different capabilities and functionality, most chart everything from the amount of calories you burn on a run to the number of times you wake up while sleeping, while curating data on your heart rate, elevation gain, and travel distance among other statistics. The bulk of fitness devices even connect your smartphone via built-in Bluetooth, automatically syncing health data with accompanying apps and showcasing your progress through wealth of analytical trends and charts. Here are our top picks for the best fitness gadgets, so you can keep track of all those calories you burn — or don’t — on your daily commute around town or jog through the park. Additionally, check out our handpicked selection of the best fitness apps for Android and the best fitness apps for the iPhone, or our choices for the best headphones for running.