As CNET’s resident fitness expert, I’ve spent countless hours evaluating the latest health and wellness gadgets, from the subtle nuances of smart rings to the intense demands of connected home gyms. In a market flooded with innovative technology, it takes a truly exceptional product to stand out and earn a permanent spot on my recommendation list. Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or just starting your fitness journey, integrating smart tech can elevate your workouts, optimize recovery, and provide invaluable insights into your overall well-being.
After extensive testing and real-world application, here are the nine fitness tech items that I consistently find myself recommending to friends, family, and anyone looking to enhance their active lifestyle. These devices aren’t just trendy; they offer tangible benefits that can truly transform how you approach health and fitness.
Elevate Your Tracking and Performance with Smart Wearables
Wearable technology continues to be at the forefront of fitness innovation, offering detailed insights into our bodies and activity levels.
Apple Watch Series 10: The Ultimate Smartwatch Companion
The Apple Watch has long been a benchmark in the smartwatch category, and the Series 10 continues this legacy with significant advancements for fitness enthusiasts and health-conscious individuals. It offers an advanced display, a thinner and lighter case, and sophisticated health monitoring capabilities. Beyond tracking a vast array of workouts and activity goals, the Series 10 boasts FDA-cleared features like the ECG app for heart health and notifications for high/low heart rate and irregular rhythms. New additions include improved respiratory tracking, temperature sensing for cycle insights, and even sleep apnea notifications, which leverage accelerometer data to detect breathing disturbances during sleep. For those deeply embedded in the Apple ecosystem, its seamless integration and comprehensive suite of health tools make it an indispensable recommendation.
Garmin Forerunner 965: Precision for Serious Athletes
While the Apple Watch excels as an all-around health device, the Garmin Forerunner 965 is my go-to recommendation for dedicated runners and multi-sport athletes. This premium GPS running watch features a vibrant AMOLED display, making it easy to read crucial data on the go. What truly sets it apart is its robust data tracking, including advanced metrics like Body Battery, Training Readiness Score, and detailed sleep insights that even detect naps. The Forerunner 965 provides wrist-based running dynamics and power, helping athletes fine-tune their form and effort. With exceptional battery life, even with the always-on AMOLED display, and built-in maps, it’s a powerful tool for anyone serious about optimizing their training and recovery across various disciplines.
Oura Ring Generation 3: Discreet Health and Sleep Tracking
For those who prefer a less conspicuous wearable, the Oura Ring Generation 3 is a game-changer. This sleek, titanium ring provides comprehensive health tracking discreetly from your finger. It continuously monitors vital signs, including 24/7 heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), skin temperature, and blood oxygen saturation (SpO2). However, its standout feature is its highly accurate sleep tracking, which provides detailed insights into sleep stages (REM, deep, light), efficiency, and an overall “Readiness Score” that indicates how well your body has recovered. For individuals prioritizing holistic health insights, especially sleep quality and recovery, without the distraction of a screen, the Oura Ring is unparalleled.
WHOOP 4.0: Recovery-Focused Performance Coach
The WHOOP 4.0 takes a unique approach to fitness tracking by emphasizing recovery and strain rather than just activity. This screen-free, strap-based wearable is designed for 24/7 wear, continuously monitoring key physiological metrics. It tracks heart rate, skin temperature, blood oxygen, respiratory rate, and HRV to provide daily recovery and strain scores. The WHOOP app then uses this data to offer personalized recommendations on how much you should train or if you need a rest day. Its sleep coaching feature, complete with haptic alerts that gently vibrate to wake you at an optimal point in your sleep cycle, is particularly innovative. For athletes focused on optimizing performance through data-driven recovery, WHOOP 4.0 is an invaluable coach.
Revolutionize Your Home Workouts with Smart Gym Equipment
The rise of connected fitness has transformed home workouts, making it easier than ever to access expert-led classes and personalized training without leaving your house.
Peloton Bike+: Immersive Cycling Experience
The Peloton Bike+ remains the gold standard for at-home interactive cycling, providing an immersive and motivating workout experience. Its impressive 23.8-inch HD touchscreen swivels 360 degrees, allowing you to seamlessly transition from cycling classes to off-bike workouts like strength training, yoga, and meditation. The Bike+ features automatic resistance adjustment, which syncs with instructor cues, letting you focus entirely on your ride. With a vast library of live and on-demand classes led by world-class instructors and a strong community element, the Peloton Bike+ is more than just a bike; it’s a complete fitness ecosystem that keeps you engaged and challenged.
Tonal 2 Smart Home Gym: Digital Resistance and AI Coaching
For serious strength training at home, the Tonal 2 Smart Home Gym is a revolutionary device. This wall-mounted system replaces an entire gym’s worth of equipment with digital weights, offering up to 250 pounds of resistance. What makes Tonal truly exceptional is its AI-powered coaching. With 17 sensors, it provides real-time form correction, counts your reps, and automatically adjusts the weight based on your fatigue and capabilities. This personalized guidance helps prevent injury and ensures you’re maximizing every workout. Tonal offers a wide variety of modalities, from strength and HIIT to yoga, making it an incredibly versatile and space-saving solution for building muscle at home.
Hydrow Rower: On-Water Immersion for Full-Body Fitness
The Hydrow Rower brings the serene yet challenging experience of on-water rowing directly into your home. Its patented electromagnetic drag mechanism provides smooth, quiet, and realistic resistance that mimics the feel of gliding through water. The centerpiece is its large 22-inch HD rotating screen, which transports you to picturesque waterways around the world with live and on-demand classes led by world-class athletes. Rowing offers a full-body, low-impact workout that engages over 86% of your muscles, and Hydrow’s immersive technology, performance tracking, and live leaderboards make it an incredibly motivating way to get fit.
Optimize Recovery and Wellness with Specialized Tech
Recovery is just as crucial as the workout itself. These tech items ensure your body gets the attention it needs to repair and rebuild.
Theragun PRO Plus: Advanced Percussive and Multi-Therapy Recovery
When it comes to muscle recovery, the Theragun PRO Plus is a powerhouse that goes beyond traditional percussive therapy. This professional-grade massage gun delivers deep muscle treatment with 16mm amplitude, reaching 60% deeper into the muscle than average massagers. What makes the PRO Plus stand out is its integration of multiple therapies: percussive massage, heat therapy (with three temperature levels), vibration therapy, and even near-infrared LED light therapy to stimulate circulation and support tissue healing. With a built-in biometric sensor for heart rate readings, customizable speeds, various attachments, and Bluetooth app integration for guided routines, it’s an all-in-one recovery tool for serious athletes and anyone suffering from muscle soreness or tension.
Hyperice Normatec Go Boots: Portable Compression for On-the-Go Recovery
For targeted and portable recovery, the Hyperice Normatec Go Boots are a fantastic recommendation. These TSA-friendly compression boots are designed to be compact enough to fit in a backpack, making them ideal for recovery on the go, whether after a run, a tough leg day, or during travel. They specifically target the calves, offering dynamic air compression that helps improve circulation and reduce muscle soreness. With a 3-hour battery life and easy rechargeability, these boots provide convenient and effective relief, allowing you to recover faster and stay consistent with your training, no matter where you are.
In an ever-evolving landscape of fitness technology, these nine items have consistently proven their value, offering innovative solutions for tracking, training, and recovery. As your CNET fitness expert, I confidently stand behind these recommendations as tools that can genuinely make a difference in your pursuit of a healthier, more active life.
