The Best Fitness Trackers for CrossFit for 2017

The Best Fitness Trackers for CrossFit for 2022

Crossfit is still widely popular in the fitness world.  This fitness regimen was created back in 2000 and quickly seemed to take over.  Now you can find Crossfit gyms, or boxes as they are called, in nearly every large city throughout the US.  Although there is some debate about the safety of Crossfit over the past couple of years, there is no doubt that when it is done properly it is an incredibly effective way of getting in shape.

Fitness trackers are a great way to keep you safe from injuries.  They provide you with the data to know whether you are doing it right, whether your body is responding to your exercises, and even whether your exercises are doing nothing for your body.  They allow you to know your current fitness level and even gives you a chance to appreciate your progress.

Our picks, upfront. There has been a lot of fitness trackers that came out in the past few years and our favorites have changed.  For example, the Moov Now fitness tracker, which used to be our utmost favorite, is now here for mainly sentimental reasons.  It does have great features for a variety of sports and exercises, but it is quickly getting more and more obsolete.

UPDATE: Our new favorite is Fitbit’s Alta HR  It may not have an embedded GPS sensor, but in Crossfit, you really do not need that.  If you are looking for an affordable device, we also have one to recommend!  Lastly, we included two smartwatches that might change your mind about buying a fitness tracker.

Whether you are new to Crossfit or have been a fan of it for years, getting a fitness tracker can give you some better insight on how your body is doing and the progress you are making.  Many people who enjoy Crossfit also tend to enjoy a variety of outdoor or fitness activities.  The right fitness tracker can really improve your overall experience and can efficiently handle your active lifestyle.

1. Fitbit Alta HR

The Fitbit Alta HR is an excellent fitness tracker that has the PurePulse Heart Rate feature that keeps track of your pulse 24/7, as well as monitors calorie burn and heart rate zones.  You will know if your exercise is burning fat, or if you are strengthening your heart and improving your fitness, or if you are at peak performance.

Features of the Fitbit Alta HR

  • Continuous heart rate from your wrist
  • Slim yet eye-catching design
  • Better calorie burn, improved sleep tracking with sleep stages, heart zones, and workout intensity are measured
  • Works with the Fitbit app

The best reason to get the Fitbit Alta HR, or any Fitbit for that matter is the companion app.  This software rocks and you can get a lot of fitness data right on your smartphone.  What’s more, your data are presented in easy to read graphics, tables, charts, and pie graphs.  You can get a better understanding of your health and get better insights.

With the Alta HR, you can get an awesome fitness tracker that lasts up to seven days on a single charge.  It helps that it looks great too, and the automatic exercise is also a plus.  Pricing for this device is attractive, too, it sells for anywhere from $90 to $130. The Fitbit Alta HR gets an average of 3.9 stars out of 5.0 from more than 4,200 customers on Amazon.

2. Microsoft Band 2

If you are a Crossfitter who also leads an otherwise busy life, the Microsoft Band 2 is worth considering. This band is ideal for those new to wearables and don’t want a workout-only band, but rather a tracker that they can wear all day.

Features of the Band 2

  • Continuous heart rate tracker via wristband
  • Customizable tracking while working out, running, biking and more
  • Sync to your phone to receive call, text, email and calendar notifications
  • Window 8.1 and later can use Cortana to reply to text messages
  • All-night sleep tracking so you can learn your habits
  • Continual calories burned tracked
  • Bluetooth allows you to control your music via wristband
  • Has a GPS and barometer
  • UV monitor will alert you when you’ve had too much sun
  • Battery will last 2 days with full use

The Microsoft Band 2 isn’t as fancy as other fitness trackers but it’s a good all-around, versatile option for those who don’t want to spend a lot on a gadget that can’t perform double-duty. This band can easily handle strenuous Crossfit workouts in the gym and it can be worn while running around or lounging around the house.

3. Moov Now Multi-Sport Wearable Coach

Moov’s original fitness tracker was a simple clip-on device but they have since improved their design.  Their current device is called the Moov Now, which is a wearable that goes above and beyond what you would expect from a fitness watch.

Features of the Moov Now:

  • Can be worn on the wrist or on the ankle
  • Ideal for running, walking, swimming, cycling, HIIT, and more
  • Built-in audio coaching will motivate, improve, and guide you
  • Use the 7Min+ options for automatic rep counting
  • Super accurate omni motion sensors
  • Waterproof and dustproof design that makes it highly durable
  • Get up to 6 months of battery life from one charge (depending on usage)

The Moov Now is ideal for Crossfit in a number of ways.  First off, the design of the watch is excellent.  It is tough and you don’t have to worry about getting it wet.  The watch itself is slim and despite not having a display, it looks quite nice on the wrist.  It is easy to sync it up with your phone and some find the lack of display as actually a benefit as it prevents distraction.

One of the most useful features of the Moov Now is the 7 Minute+ workout option.  It offers a high intensity workout that would work well for those doing Crossfit part-time.  This total body workout will get you sweating and the audio coach will keep at the right amount of effort.

4. LETSCOM Fitness Tracker HR

Just two to three years ago, having a heart rate monitor on board means that a fitness tracker is going to cost a lot of money.  The good news is that this is no longer the case.  We now have fitness trackers that can measure your fitness, steps, sleep, calories burned, and yes, heart rate, but are very affordable.  Devices such as the LETSCOM Fitness Tracker HR does all these at a price that you would love.

Features of the LETSCOM Fitness Tracker HR

  • Continuous heart rate monitoring
  • Automatic sleep tracking, including sleep quality information
  • Tracks the number of steps you make, distance travelled, active minutes, and calories burned
  • Connected GPS uses your smartphone’s global positioning system to give you location data, and more fitness statistics such as pace and distance
  • Smart notifications alert you if you get calls and messages on your phone

This fitness tracker from a little-known company is an Amazon best-seller.  It gets an average of 3.9 stars rating out of 5.0.  It works like a Fitbit Alta HR without the expensive price tag.  The price for this fitness tracker ranges from $25 to $30.

Side-by-side comparison of the best fitness trackers for 2019

Feature Fitbit Alta HR Moov Now Microsoft Band 2 LETSCOM Fitness Tracker HR
Price Ranges $98.96 $57.09 $399.00 $29.98
Step counter Yes Yes Yes Yes
Calories burned Yes Yes Yes Yes
Sleep monitoring Yes Yes Yes Yes
Distance travelled Yes Yes Yes Yes
Heart rate monitor Yes No Yes Yes
Built-in GPS No No Yes No
Connected GPS No No No Yes
Smart notifications Yes No Yes Yes
Water resistant No Yes No Yes
Has display Yes No Yes Yes
Maximum battery life (days) 7 180 2 10

Two Smartwatches You Might Want to Consider

Apart from these fitness trackers, there are two notable smartwatches that offer excellent features for those who are into Crossfit.  These smartwatches are going to be more expensive than fitness trackers, but you can wear them outside the Crossfit box and they have a variety of purposes.  Mostly, however, it is the additional fitness data they offer that makes them irresistible for Crossfit fans.

Apple Watch Series 4

If you are looking for an overall watch that you can use for your Crossfit training, then you should check out the Apple Watch Series 4.  The latest Apple Watch version has more fitness-related features, and the company claims that it acts more like a trainer than a fitness tracker.  It can automatically detect what type of exercise you are doing and is able to track activities without you prompting it.  The Apple Watch Series 4 will also tell you when to stop.

The device can customize tracking according to the exercise you are doing and it can even help you set goals and count how much calories you are burning.  Every metric and measurement you need is there on your wrist.  It works with a companion app, allowing you to see your history and progress.  This device is water-resistant, so you can sweat all you want without worrying about your watch.

The biggest feature that you should know about the Apple Watch Series 4 is the ECG app that allows the watch to alert you if your heart rate rhythm has abnormalities you should know about.  The Apple Watch Series 4 gets an average of 4.7 stars out of 5.0 on Amazon.

Pricing for the Apple Watch Series 4 is rather steep.  It will cost you anywhere from $399 to $799, depending on whether you get one that has cellular connectivity, as well as the included band and case material.

If that is too much for you, you can also check out the Apple Watch Series 3, which already has excellent fitness tracking capabilities.  The Series 3 devices have prices ranging from $250 to $350.

Garmin Fenix 5X Plus

The Garmin Fenix 5X Plus is a multisport watch that you can use for your outdoor adventures, or for your time at the gym.  It comes with the Pulse Ox sensor that can also track the blood oxygen saturation levels and other metrics.  You can get up to 20 days of battery juice if you use the device in smartwatch mode.

The range of fitness-related measurements that you get from this device is amazing.  For Crossfit, there are several physical metrics that you can get from this device, including VO2 Max, performance condition, training effect, recovery time, heart rate variability, training load, and recovery time, among others.  All of these data will tell you if you are still benefiting from your exercise, if you are just wasting energy and not gaining anything, or if you are putting yourself in danger. Click here for a full list of physiological measurements that this smartwatch offers.

The Garmin Fenix 5X Plus is one expensive device, mainly due to the materials used in its construction and its range of sensors.  You can expect to pay anywhere from $1,000 to $1,100 for this device. There are other options, though, such as the Fenix 5S Plus, which sells anywhere from $550 to $650 (check here for the latest).  However, the fitness data tracked might be as complete as the Garmin Fenix 5X Plus.

The Garmin Fenix 5X Plus gets an average rating of 4.1 stars out of 5.0 on Amazon.

Final Word

Crossfit is still widely popular in the fitness world. This fitness regimen was created back in 2000 and quickly seemed to take over. Now you can find Crossfit gyms, or boxes as they are called, in nearly every large throughout the US.

Although there is some debate about the safety of Crossfit over the past couple years, there is no doubt that when it is done properly it is an incredibly effective way of getting in shape.

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Want to your kids to engage in more fitness activities? Check out some of the best fitness trackers to encourage them to be healthier here.