The Best Fitness Trackers for Getting Healthy in 2024

We’ve all seen a few of our friends hop on the fitness train at some point, and whether it’s getting really into Strava, starting a cringe fitspo Instagram page, or turning their one-bedroom apartment into a home gym, all of these folks have one thing in common—they love gear. And we don’t blame them! Stocking up on gear can change your whole fitness routine and greatly improve the performance and efficiency of your workouts, and one of the most common (and practical) pieces of gym kit on the market is the fitness tracker: a wearable device that measures your vitals and logs activity to gather data on your overall health.

You’ve probably heard about the big brands and the common use cases for fitness trackers: being able to count steps, track your heart rate during workouts, and record mileage on long runs or bike rides. While these are all great features that make it easier for you to plot out your long-term health roadmap—and playfully shame your buddies for not hitting an arbitrary 10,000 steps a day—you shouldn’t get bogged down by all the bells and whistles a particular tracker has. At the end of the day, it’s about prioritizing your health, and picking up a fitness watch is a great way to get on track to hit your wellness goals in 2024. It’s not only an investment in your future; it’s also a daily, physical reminder that you’ve committed to giving your body the tools it needs to keep chuggin’ along. 

Yep, we here at VICE want to help you stick around long enough to send your buds as many memes as possible—our collective raison d'être—which is why we’ve compiled a short list of some of the best fitness trackers on the market, from high-tech smartwatches to no-frills activity monitors and more. Kick back, guzzle a protein shake, and enjoy.

The built-in GPS to track mileage for an accurate assessment of outdoor pace is an absolute must-have for runners. For track or treadmill running, you can set the watch to specifically record that kind of workout. Battery life can last up to 26 hours in GPS mode and 12 days in smartwatch mode, all while it can hold up to 500 songs from Spotify or Amazon.

Lacking motivation? This watch features an AI-powered coach that generates workout plans tailored to you. If you have plans to hike in the middle of nowhere, you can use the Zepp App to import route files. Other features include a 14-day battery life, the ability to answer incoming calls, and storing music.

Fitbit is likely the first company you think of when you hear the term “fitness tracker”—its smartwatches and fitness bands have become the gold standard in the industry and for good reason. Fitbit’s new Charge 6 has a ton of sweet features, including a daily stress management score, irregular heart rhythm notifications, and seven-day battery life.

Runners and other endurance athletes (aspiring or otherwise) have probably ogled a Garmin fitness tracker or two, but this Garmin Vivoactive 4S GPS Smartwatch takes the cake. It comes with a broad range of all-day health monitoring features such as the Body Battery energy monitor, which logs your respiration, menstrual cycle, stress, sleep, heart rate, hydration level, and more—along with music storage and on-screen, animated workouts.

If you’ve been thinking about copping an Apple Watch but haven’t been ready to pull the trigger, here’s your sign. For members of #TeamApple, the new Apple Watch Series 9 is the natural progression, with its new S9 chip for a mega bright display. Besides having all of your texts, calls, and notifications sent to your wrist, the Apple Watch lets you measure your blood oxygen levels; take an ECG anytime and anywhere you want; track your heart rate and get irregular heart rhythm notifications; monitor your sleep and track recovery goals; sync your favorite music, podcasts, and audiobooks to your wrist; and pay instantly and securely using Apple Pay without having to dig around for your wallet.

If you’re talking pure aesthetics, the Samsung Galaxy Watch6 is number one. It’s sleek, low-profile, and super customizable, and if you’re running Android, the Galaxy Watch6 becomes an extension of your phone, allowing you to talk, stream, and text from your wrist. Plus, the Advanced Sleep Coach is one of Samsung’s most sophisticated tools yet for detecting snoring and tracking sleep stages.

See you at the gym—wait, did you get workout shoes yet? 

The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story. Want more reviews, recommendations, and red-hot deals? Sign up for our newsletter.