Your guide to wearable fitness trackers and devices in Australia

Key Points

• The best wearable fitness device is the one that matches your unique goals, lifestyle, budget and aesthetic.
• In general, fitness trackers tend to be simpler to use, have longer battery life and are more friendly on the wallet compared to other wearables.
• If you want more advanced features and accurate tracking, smartwatches might be your best choice.

Whether you’re looking to upgrade or a newcomer to the wearable fitness device party, we’ve got you covered in our guide to wearable fitness trackers in Australia.   

With so many fitness devices on the market, it may be a little overwhelming to sort through what’s available. Don’t worry though because we’ve done the hard work for you.

Let’s look at each of the major wearable fitness tracker categories in Australia so you can find the right device to match your lifestyle. But first, let’s explore why you might want a wearable fitness device in the first place. 

The best wearable fitness device is the one that matches your unique goals, lifestyle, budget and aesthetic

Why use a wearable fitness device?

While they’re popular, do wearable fitness devices actually help to get people moving? Like with many things, the research results are mixed. 

Researchers recently reviewed 12 studies looking at whether wearable fitness trackers improved physical activity levels among healthy adults. They found that wearable trackers “may be associated with modest short-term increases in physical activity.”

The findings of another recent review of more than 28 studies suggest that those who used fitness trackers and apps were more likely to do an extra 1,850 steps per day compared to those who didn’t.

So, wearable fitness devices may be helpful for you if your goals include:

• moving more
• doing more incidental exercise 
• being more active in your daily life 
• tracking how much exercise you do per day  

If you want more advanced features and accurate tracking, smartwatches might be your best choice

What type of wearable fitness device is right for you?

The best wearable fitness device is the one that matches your unique goals, lifestyle, budget and aesthetic. 

Fitness trackers

In general, fitness trackers tend to be simpler to use, have longer battery life and are more friendly on the wallet compared to other wearables. They’re great for those who want to dip their toes into the wearable fitness device trend and aren’t looking for all the bells and whistles. 

So, if you’d rather track your steps while enjoying the benefits of your morning walk instead of recording every fitness metric imaginable, fitness trackers could fit the bill. Fitness trackers could also be a great choice to help motivate your kids to be more active.

Some brands make fitness trackers designed specifically to make exercise for kids more fun. For example, 60 minutes of daily physical activity unlocks quizzes and games. Kids could even earn virtual coins to redeem for agreed-upon rewards that you manage. 

Smartwatches

If you’re looking for something that’s got all the bells and whistles and is more than a step counter watch, a smartwatch might be what you’re after. However, the downside of smartwatches is that they tend to be more expensive and bulkier with less battery life than other types of wearables. 

If you like to enjoy the benefits of running, a smartwatch may be a better option for you because most come with built-in GPS. The GPS helps track your pace and distance more accurately, and often only the more advanced fitness trackers offer this feature. 

Smartwatches also tend to be better at keeping you connected through the ability to make calls and send texts while you’re on the go. Other features worth noting include the capability to store music and make mobile payments. 

Looking for the best fitness smartwatch? The Australian Institute of Fitness recently released its list of the top 10 health and fitness wearables for everyday consumers. The top 10 were selected based on a survey of industry professionals. The Apple Watch topped the list in the overall performance category, while the cheapest fitness watch that made the list was by Fitbit.

If you like to enjoy the benefits of running, a smartwatch may be a better option for you

Smart Jewellery

If the aesthetics of a wearable fitness device is what matters most to you, smart jewellery might be an ideal choice. Various rings, necklaces and fitness bracelets are on the market in Australia. If you don’t want bulk, smart rings tend to be the smallest fitness trackers available.   

Smart fashion

Smart fashion is taking wearables to the next level. Glasses, clothing, shoes, bras and socks double as wearable fitness devices. There are even some yoga pants with embedded sensors to help you improve your practice so you can really enjoy the benefits of stretching.

Storing music and making mobile payments are some smartwatch features to factor in.

Where to next for wearable fitness devices?

According to experts at the Australian Institute of Fitness, the future of wearable fitness devices is looking very high-tech. In the future, we could be using devices like in-ear fitness trackers with biosensors, hologram personal trainers, implantables and contact lenses with built-in virtual assistants. How cool is that?

Related:

• Best free online workouts
• Is Yoga exercise?

Reviewed by the healthylife Advisory Board November 2021.