With an estimated worth of around $34 billion by 2020, the wearable technology industry can fairly be said to be taking the world by storm. And given tech’s true ubiquitousness in everyday life, it’s no wonder that the health and fitness world is also starting to see its fair share of smart tech.
There’s some serious upside to this, too: the use of fitness technology helps inspire, motivate, educate, socially engage, and improve overall fitness for many of the consumers who swear by it. People can use smart wearable tech at the gym for everything from friendly competition to health monitoring to personal record-setting.
But with so many products to choose from though, it can be hard to find products that truly add value to your workouts, instead of serving as just another gadget to get sweaty.
To help you cut through the fray, we’re sharing a few of our favorite wearable tech pieces.
5 Items of Wearable Tech & Gym Gadgets to Test Out
1) Smart Watches
The hallmark items of the wearable tech industry, FitBits, Apple Watches, and similar devices offer tons of features that can help you get a clearer picture of your health not only as you workout, but as you rest and recover, too. Strap these on to track (and increase) daily steps, assess sleep quality, monitor heart rate (no awkward chest straps required), and more.
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2) Wireless Blood Pressure Cuff
When those free blood pressure readings at the drug store just aren’t enough, investing in a simple blood pressure cuff that syncs with your phone can be a great on the go option. We love this technology especially for people who know they are hypertensive or at risk for high blood pressure and would like to easily and quickly share this information with their physician.
3) Smart Water Bottles
It’s almost comical how many tricks we have to play with ourselves in order to drink enough water throughout the day. If you love tech and struggle with maintaining adequate hydration, a smart water bottle that tracks your water intake can make a world of difference for you!
4) Wireless Headphones
Nothing is quite as heart-wrenching as catching your hand on your headphone wires and watching your phone topple off the treadmill. A quality pair of wireless headphones takes care of that problem for you. You’ll get to workout with your favorite tunes without feeling tied down.
5) Smart Clothes
Yup—you’re reading that correctly. If you’re so inclined (and willing to shell out a few extra bucks), you can now find everything from shoes and shorts to t-shirt and bras that are embedded with smart technology fabrics to track things like biometrics, running pace, cadence, and even body position.
Got a piece of wearable technology you can’t workout without? Let us know about it in the comments below, and be sure to save this article for some stellar gift ideas!