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Have you set yourself a New Year’s resolution to get fit?
If so, you’re probably trying to keep a tab on your health or want to do an in-depth fitness analysis. Either way, there’s a fitness tracker out there tailored for your specific needs!
For this fresh New Year, you’re probably looking for the best of the best, too, right? Well, you’re in luck! We have rounded up every product that qualifies as the best fitness tracker for teenagers only so you can stay true to your resolutions.
What Is a Fitness Tracker?
You can consider these devices as electronic analyzers, specially designed for your health. These gizmos are worn on our wrists – just like a watch – but they also constantly measure your vitals! There are even some products that monitor your pulse, count your steps, or measure the quality of your sleep among so many other cutting-edge features.
Some people have started calling fitness trackers ‘smart bracelets’ because they DO look as trendy as modern jewellery or accessories. While this is the case, all of these products are so minimalistic that you’d hardly notice yourself wearing one!
Now, as promised, it time for us to begin evaluating all the products that qualify as the best fitness tracker for teenagers. You’ll find that this guide has been designed to help you get the best product within your budget. We’ll also share how each product ranks in terms of quality of software, design, price, specs, and, of course, those stand-out features.
So, are you ready to take the plunge? Great! If you’re in a hurry, let’s first introduce you to our top pick:
In a hurry?
This is our Winner!
Our Pick
Why it’s Our Top Pick
The Fitbit Charge 3 is an upgrade of the Charge 2, and this tracker just doesn’t have a slightly larger display than the previous model. If you choose this product, you’re also in for a more slick and lightweight design alongside so many new features.
We know that there are many high-tech devices offered by the same brand, like the Fitbit Ionic and the Fitbit Versa 2, but we feel that this is a better offering. We think that Fitbit stuck the landing with the Charge 3. Even though the product was released back in August 2018, it has managed to remain this brand’s highest-spec fitness tracker. What’s even more surprising is that this product managed to stay on top even though the brand has newer offerings like the Fitbit Inspire HR!
So what’s so good about this product? Well, you’ve got to scroll on further to find out what all the fuss is all about. Who knows, you may even find other products on our list that seem the best according to your personal preferences.
Best Fitness Tracker for Teenagers – Comparison Table
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Best Fitness Tracker for Teenagers – Reviews
We’ve already determined that Charge 3 is probably the most accomplished production from the brand, and here’s why. Right off the bat, this product has a much more lightweight design than Charge 2, but that’s not all. It even looks so much better on our wrists!
Since the price of this product dropped recently, it has managed to become the best fitness tracker for teenagers, even though it still has a black-and-white screen. What’s more? The screen is clearer and bigger than any other product on this list!
There is no built-in GPS functionality, but to make it up for it, they’ve made the Charge 3 completely waterproof alongside adding a full fitness suite. This fitness suite also includes a heart rate tracker, and if you pair it to your phone, you will also have a GPS tracker! Problem solved!
If you’ve enjoyed the whole experience of the previous Fitbits, then you’re going to love this version’s sleep tracking and access to notifications. You may have to spend a little more than other products on this list, but in exchange, you’ll have the best fitness tracker for teenagers in 2020!
Pros
Cons
Since our top pick was the most accomplished product universally, this 2nd best fitness tracker for teenagers is the highest ranked product in Garmin’s range of products. This particular device has been designed for the most serious athletes, and therefore, you should expect it to track every kind of exercise.
The Vivosmart has the biggest screen among Garmin’s health bands, and you’ll be surprised at how long its battery lasts. Depending on how much exercise you plan on doing, this product’s battery can last up to as much as a week!
This fitness tracker is also great because it features an exclusive feature called the ‘Body Battery.’ This feature helps the user understand what times are the best to work out in terms of your average energy levels. This feature alone makes this fitness tracker a must-buy.
If you know your brands, you will also know that Garmin is primarily known for sports-specific products like their Approach S10 GPS watch – which was designed for golfers. This product, however, has been designed for everyday fitness. This is also probably why it has a very affordable price!
Pros
Cons
The Huawei Band 3 Pro has grabbed the baton from the Band 2 and has managed to become the best fitness tracker for teenagers, especially if you’re on a budget. This product has some great features, considering the fact it is a mid-tier offering.
First off, this product is the first health band with an onboard GPS tracker, and it has also managed to add a water-resistant design. This means that you can take this fitness tracker with a 0.95-inch color screen (YES! It has a color screen), and you can still manage to see all your stats right on your wrist.
When we tested this product, we found that the heart rate monitor was very accurate. Now, you may be wondering why it isn’t our top pick, right? Well, this product’s features may be perfect for an entry-level fitness tracker but, for pro athletes, not so much.
All-in-all, the Band 3 Pro is much more comfortable than the newer Band 4 – not to mention more user-friendly. So, if you aren’t looking to spend too much and don’t want a specialist product like the Garmin, then look no further.
Pros
Cons
While you already know that this isn’t the most capable Fitbit on our list, you shouldn’t dismiss it altogether. This product has a lower price than our top pick but still gives you access to all those top-end services the brand is known for.
This product is fourth on our list of best fitness tracker for teenagers is its heart rate tracker. Now, this feature IS available in its sibling products, but all others are a touch more expensive. With this product, however, the brand decided to put it all under one roof for a more affordable price.
You can buy clips that can latch the Inspire HR onto your pocket, belt, or bra. Yes, the whole point of a health band is to wear it on your wrist, but isn’t it nice to know that you have more options available? This small detail makes this product a great choice.
What puts this product in fourth place is that there are so many more affordable options out there than the Fitbit. If you’re good for the money, as it were, then you’ll find that this health band is also the most stylish. Do check out their white and lilac versions to be impressed!
Pros
Cons
Finally, our fifth best fitness tracker for teenagers isn’t the most stylish, but we would highly recommend this product all the same. Now, this product is quite similar to the Vivosmart HR+ in terms of top-end features, but there are some differences.
If you choose this product, you’ll have a health band that is more touch-focused. If that seems like something you’d use, then you’ll be happy to find that it also features stress testing and VO2 Max readings.
The downside, however, is that this product is much more expensive than the Vivosmart HR+. So, if you think that a stylish design can be traded-off for two extra features, then you shouldn’t hesitate to get the Garmin Vivosport.
Lastly, this product may be waterproof, but our team of experts found that this product can’t easily track your swimming stats as opposed to other products. If you’re going to buy this fitness tracker, you should know that this product can track your cycling and jogging workouts very easily. Also, you’ll find that this product’s heart rate tracker is on point!
Pros
Cons
Best Fitness Tracker for Teenagers – Buyers Guide
Introduction
Say what you want, but most people believe that their teenage years were probably the most confusing times in their lives. Well, with so much going on and you trying to learn a lot on-the-go, things are bound to get chaotic.
Other than this, most teenagers find themselves balancing families, studies, friends, and school, among so many other things. There is hardly any time left for a healthy routine, and our health gets neglected.
What if managing your fitness was automated?
Important Features to Consider
Once you have decided on what functions and features are most important to you, you will have refined your options for a fitness tracker based on your personal preferences. Here are the most important set of features that you should look for in fitness trackers:
Style
There are many trackers out there that have been designed to be worn on your wrist. There are, however, some products that can also be clipped to any piece of clothing or can be worn as pendants. In the past, these devices used to look very technical, but now manufacturers seem to be really picky about style.
If you’re looking for the best fitness tracker for teenagers, then we’d recommend looking through products that have a greater variety of colors, shapes, and materials. You may even come across some products that were made in collaboration with the best fashion designers out there.
Alternatively, you could just choose something comfortable because you’re going to be wearing it every day!
Display
The most advanced fitness trackers in the industry are meant to reveal data with the help of words, symbols, and, of course, numbers. All of this is displayed on a watch-like surface, while some products have been designed to display this data on an app or an LED light display.
What’s more? Whenever you sync this data onto your computer or smartphone, the fitness tracker’s companion app will archive all your health records. Besides this, the app will interpret each stat individually and even analyze it according to your body.
This is why we would recommend checking out each product’s companion app on Google Play or Apple App Store to check whether the product actually lives up to your expectations.
Compatibility
Before you make a decision, you need to be absolutely sure that your fitness tracker is compatible with your computer or mobile device. There are quite a few trackers out there that sync only with the Apple iOS, while others may only sync with Android.
Accuracy
Fitness trackers aren’t necessarily foolproof. They use algorithms and sensors to parse down your hours slept, stairs climbed, punches thrown, and footsteps walked. This means that mistakes are bound to happen, and there will be some imprecision.
If you’re looking for absolute data, you may want to look into function-specific devices. Generally, heart rate monitors that can be strapped onto the chest are more precise. However, when you are buying a fitness tracker, you’ve got to count on the honesty of the product’s reviewer or customer testimonials.
Battery Life
Depending on how sophisticated the device is, battery life has the ability to stretch from just one day to a couple of months too! The battery in trackers with color screens or a whole armada or sensors will, naturally, have to be charged much more frequently than simpler devices. You should also know that there are some trackers out there that use those cell batteries that are used in calculators and cameras.
Water Resistance
If you don’t swim, how often is it that someone who works out will encounter a lot of water? This is why water resistance is an important consideration. You’ll find some trackers in the market which are just splash-proof – and for people like me, this is quite enough.
If, however, you wish to wear your fitness trackers in showers or while swimming, then you should look for completely waterproof devices.
FAQs
Why Is Physical Activity So Important?
An effective fitness routine is important for people of every age. If you remove physical movement and activity from the equation, then you’re left with nothing but health issues – but you already know that. Being fit and getting involved in physical activities from a young age removes the likelihood of quite a few serious illnesses like vascular or heart diseases.
What’s more? Teenagers already have so many hormonal fluctuations happening, which means that they’ll face things like a generally negative attitude, low self-esteem, and general irritability. If you begin to exercise regularly or have a fitness routine in place, then your body will naturally stimulate the release of a certain group of endorphins.
Simply put, you’ll start feeling so much better!
How Can Fitness Trackers Help?
Most of us believe that fitness trackers were made for adults or, more specifically, middle-aged adults. This isn’t entirely true. Fitness trackers were made for anyone who wished to track their activities, and there are no age or gender restrictions.
These fitness monitors or trackers can be any device that you have on your person for the sole purpose of monitoring your levels of activity – among other things. Depending on the type and model of fitness tracker, these gizmos should be able to:
- Track your activity
- Track how many calories you’ve burnt on a daily basis
- Record how many calories you have consumed with every meal and how many you are left with for the rest of the day
- Monitor the distance you walked or run on a daily basis
- Monitor your heart rate constantly
- Track the number of hours you sleep
- Track your levels of stress
There is quite a lot that fitness trackers can do, and if you take advantage of these, you will get a very comprehensive picture of your lifestyle and health as a whole. The best fitness tracker for teenagers will have just one added feature– they’ll look super trendy and sleek.
Every fitness tracker in the market uses sensors to monitor movements, often syncing and connecting wirelessly with a mobile device or computer to store data about all your activities. Now the types of activities being monitored may vary by product but will mostly include options like perspiration levels, skin temperature heart rate, hours of sleep, and even the number of steps taken.
Often, there are additional sensors too – which may include:
- Barometers to determine your altitude, and calculate how many flights of stairs you’ve climbed
- Magnetometers to determine which direction your move or to detect a specific set of movements
- GPS tracking to determine your location (with or without your mobile phone)
- Gyroscope to determine if you’re cycling, swimming, reclining, sitting, or standing
- A heart rate monitor to record your pulse during and after exercise
Why Not Just Buy a Smart Watch?
If you opt for the best fitness tracker for teenagers, you should know that these products have been designed to accommodate a wide variety of requirements. If, however, you wish to simply know how many steps you’ve walked on any given day, just opt for a product that costs less than $100.
If you’re looking for accurate details on your strides, pace, speed, the number of steps walked, and your heart rate all along the way, then you would need something a lot more advanced. Some fitness tracker models are so advanced that they can even track how much or rather ‘how well’ you’re sleeping! There are even some models out there that provide specific data for the routines of marathon runners, weight lifters, skiers, golfers, and even avid swimmers.
If, however, you’re into both fitness and productivity, then you could choose to look into smartwatches as well. These devices are designed to offer a larger variety of features – BUT at a more premium price.
How Much Should You Spend on a Fitness Tracker?
In general, the best fitness tracker for teenagers will cost somewhere between $50 and $250. If you pay below $50, you will probably end up with a very subpar product with mediocre to inaccurate readings. Other than this, those less expensive fitness trackers in the market don’t have displays. So, unless you have a smartphone on you at the time, you won’t be able to see how many steps you’ve taken.
The more expensive trackers in the market usually have GPS and optical heart rate monitors. These features are often tailored for the likes of exercise enthusiasts and athletes. Even though this is the case, we would advise that you don’t get suckered into purchasing fitness trackers with heart rate monitors if all you’re going to do is walk. If this is the case, then you should probably stick to buying products that fall somewhere between $49 and $149.
If, however, you do work out quite often, then we would highly recommend spending anywhere around $99. Around this price point, you’ll begin to see all the features that you need.
How Do Fitness Trackers Track Sleep?
While reading some of our reviews, you may have wondered how fitness trackers record sleep. Generally, fitness trackers measure movement on a 3-axis accelerometer. For the sleep setting, these fitness trackers work on a more sensitive degree than during the day. You will also come across devices that provide health stats for the duration you were in a deep sleep and when you slept light – simply based on your motions throughout the night.
There are also some products that are called dedicated sleep trackers, and these can also be attached to your mattress! Even though it may seem like it, experts haven’t been able to determine whether these are more accurate than wrist-based fitness trackers.
Do You NEED to Go Sport-Specific?
Yes and no. Now, swimmers should definitely look for waterproof trackers, but you should also keep in mind that not all waterproof products were designed for swimmers. Similarly, runners will want to watch their lap times, pace, and distance, but if you wish to get the most accurate metrics, then we would highly recommend using smartphones.
