As my fitness tracking bracelet became a prominent feature in my life, so too did it start to make regular appearances in my Snapchats, Instagrams, and other social media. A lot of people have been asking me about the particular bracelet I use, so I thought it would be good to give you alllllll the dirty deets. An exercise exposé, if you will!
Here is my review of the trackers I have experience with...
1. The Jawbone Up2 My first initiation into the world of fitness tracking was with the Up 2. Though I've upgraded to the Up 3 recently, the Up 2 was the perfect entry-level bracelet. It's very thin and low-profile, which can be nice if you want to have a more upscale look on, but with the amazing color options (hello, eggplant and gold!) this piece is practically jewelry itself. The price is nice too since it retails for under $100. The charge lasts for 7-10 days (someone get iPhones that technology) and my experience syncing it with the app, Up by Jawbone, were great. The reason I got the Up2 over the Fitbit was all the reviews I read saying the app was super easy to use. The Up2 doesn't have a screen but since I'm on my phone alll the time anyways, it's easy to check in on the app to see my step progress. I loved that I could be on a team with my friends on the app so we can see each other's steps and virtually cheer or comment. I also became obsessed with the sleep tracker, an automatic part of the band/app, that lets you know how long you slept and how much of it was REM vs. deep sleep etc. (although the Up3 tells you more about your sleep - more on that below). The band itself has three little light icons that tell you a minimal amount of info, for example there's a little running man that glows halfway if you've only walked half your goal steps. Overall, I really loved the Up 2! Its accurate counting, easy function, and low-key fashion all got me addicted to the world of fitness tracking.
2. Which is why I needed to upgrade! Enter the Jawbone Up 3, which both Joey and I currently have. This design is slightly thicker than the Up 2, but it has more features — namely the heart rate monitor. At first I was confused because I thought it was going to function like the heart rate monitors that you wear when you work out - that reads your active heart rate and shows you instantaneously on a watch or workot machine screen. The Up3's monitor does not work like that, instead, the tiny sensors on the inside of the band take random, periodic readings of your pulse thus letting you know (on the app) what your resting heart rate is throughout the day and night. This can help you determine environmental stressors or dietary changes that are benefiting or bullying your body. You'll notice what effect caffine or stress has on your heart. Interestingly, my heart rate goes up at weird times of the night when I'm sleeping - maybe I'm having some scary-ass dreams?
You have to wear the Up3 band tightly to register your heart rate though, which can leave some painless but visible little indents when you take off the band. Joey and I love using the Smart Alarm function that allows you set alarms that will wake you up at *precisely* the best time for your brain because it gauges when you're in the lightest level of sleep. The wake-up is pretty chill too because it just buzzes on your wrist and doesn't make a sound. You just tap it to turn off the alarm. The charge doesn't last as long as the Up2 but still around 5 days, which is a lot. Oh yeah, and if you input your diet into the app, your Up 3 will buzz to remind you to drink more water, or if you've been idle for too long, etc. It's basically your mom ... in a fitness bracelet. Overall, I'm really happy with the Up3 and it's really changed the way I approach fitness and sleep. I am getting a little sick of the color that I have and I wish I could change out the band, like you can do with the Fitbit.
3. The Fitbit - Mr. Kate team member, Sofia has the Fitbit. Her Swedish aesthetic senses appreciate the simplicity of the design, but she thinks it's not as jewelry-like as some of the other brands. One of the most famous traits of the Fitbit, which is also one of the best, is that you can tap it to see your steps and progress throughout the day by the little dots. No need to pull out your phone to check it! But if you do pull out your phone, the app (which, like Up, can be used without the corresponding bracelet) has challenges you can participate in, and food, water, and sleep monitoring.
4. Some other fitness trackers. These, I haven't had direct experience with but have some friends who have them or have read other reviews - basically this is a list of reasons why I didn't get these. The Apple Watch, which Joey likes for its super sleek design, but doesn't hold a charge for much more than a day, also I'm not down with the size of it always on my wrist. The Mira, which is well-loved by bloggers for its jewelry-like design and the one I allllmost got, but was dissuaded by the reports of inconsistent step tracking, and the Up 4, which you can sync with an American Express card to pay in stores - maybe a little too high-tech for me at the moment.
So, tell me, do you have a fitness tracker bracelet? If so, which one? What do you like or dislike about it? Let's have a kiki in the comments!
Bonus! I have so much fun styling my Up 3 with lots of different Mr. Kate jewelry looks. Some of my faves to layer it with are the Forest Horizon Cuff, Treasure Cuff, Worm Cuff, and WEIRD Cuff!
Shop the Fitness Tracker Bracelets mentioned in the story:
