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Fitness ideas for kids

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Fitness ideas for kids – Parents everywhere will probably agree that our generation had a much more active childhood because we didn’t have the internet to contend with. As a parent now, you’ve probably worried about your kid spending too much time with a tablet or your phone and not getting enough exercise.

You don’t have to worry, though. We’ve got some great ideas to spark a little movement and you can try them all at home.

It’s a big task getting our kids away from screens, but we can make physical activity more fun and engaging. Keeping children fit and healthy is absolutely paramount for their growth.

So, let’s start the list!

Racing

This is an easy one. Set up a race with a prize at the end for your kid and their pals. You can do this in your garden or around your house if it’s safe. 

There are different types, too. Maybe a one-legged hopping race, a three-legged race with a partner, maybe an old-fashioned egg and spoon race!

Any version you set for your little ones will get their legs working and give them a good cardio workout. 

Obstacle course

This is a really exciting way to sneak some exercise into your kids’ day. By utilising your furniture, you can create a course indoors or outdoors. You can add a puzzle element as well as things like “the floor is lava” and hop-scotch. Get creative!

You might want to check that you’re doing a good job of getting your child into exercise. Luckily, there are smartwatches for kids that offer fitness tracking features, and we wrote a buyer’s guide for you which you can read here.

Treasure Hunt

This can be enjoyed indoors, outdoors, or a mix of both!

Organise a treasure hunt that spans a big area. All you need to do is hide treats and toys around the place, making sure they’re really spaced out so your children cover that area. Furthermore, if want to know how far your child has gone, we wrote about the GPS feature in a kids smartwatch in our article, here.

Green Fingers

Getting your kids into gardening is a great way to get your kids moving about. If you don’t have a house with a garden, no problem. You need a bag of soil, some pots and some plants of your choice. Get your kids to fill up the pots and get the saplings planted. They’ll be learning at the same time as moving! 

Dance

Another simple but highly-entertaining activity for kids. This will give them a good cardio workout. 

Find a pop playlist and get moving! If you organise to have your child’s friends around, suddenly you’ve got a party! If you can’t get their pals around, how about some family? Then you’re having quality time as well as exercise!

If you want to monitor your child’s fitness levels, but you’re worried about potential accidents with all this dancing, we think you should check out the Fitbit range for kids, known for being durable and resistant in case of any knocks and bumps.

Walking

Do you have a family dog? You’ve got a responsibility to walk it, right? Get over to the park and teach your pet how to play fetch. If the dog isn’t great at it, you can get your little one to pick up the stick until the pup gets the hang of it!

If there’s no fur baby, no worries. Don’t get in the car next time you need to go to the store for something. Get your sneakers on and walk with your kids and maybe tempt them by saying they can get something nice when you get there.

A fitness tracker will come in handy here. They give you, the parent, a decent idea of how much exercise they’ve gotten that day. This way you’ll know if your efforts are paying off. We found 7 awesome smartwatches for kids aged 8 and over that will encourage them to become more active and you can read about them here.

Hula Hooping

Kids think hula hoops are great fun. Get yourself a hula hoop and just watch them go. Teach them how and they’ll be hooked. You’ll probably get a few hilarious videos out of it, too.

Organised Tantrum

Huh? Bare with us. Kids throw tantrums all the time, right? Well, let them have a planned one! Teach them to blow off some steam intentionally whilst they’re in a good mood. Did you know this will help them become mentally healthy as well as physically?

A little jumping and screaming when they’re not in the height of negative emotion will help them to channel their energy better when they’re actually mad. They’ll also be spending all that seemingly never-ending energy they have. If there’s anything pent up in there, all that emotion will come out in a healthy way and you might avoid a meltdown later on. Win-win.

Tag, You’re It!

Chasing your little darling around will give them an absolute thrill. If you catch them, they’re ‘It’ and it’s your turn to run. This will get you both going. It’s an oldie, but a goodie. Again, if you’re nervous about the more potentially-chaotic activities and you don’t want them to break anything, we recommend some nifty waterproof smartwatches for kids, here, should any puddles suddenly become an attractive option for running through.

Summary

This list is just the start of so many options you can take for keeping your kids entertained as well as active. They all have the added bonus of sharpening their cognitive skills and improving their mental wellbeing, which is equally as important. 

The trick to getting this right is making exercise and movement as fun as you can. You’ll end up having some fun, too. You can work out in the comfort of your own home or in the great outdoors, even if that’s your front yard. You’ll see the enthusiasm on your kid’s face no matter what because they’ll love spending time with you, too.

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Fitness ideas you can do at home

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Looking for fitness ideas? We know the mental and physical benefits of staying fit. We feel mentally and physically better and we get a good night’s sleep. Yet we don’t all seem to get the amount of exercise we need to keep fit. There are plenty of reasons why you might skip a workout. No time around work and kids or maybe no spare money to buy at-home equipment. 

Luckily, you don’t need a gym or equipment or even a lot of spare time to fit exercise into your week. There are so many workouts you can do at home. Some only need ten minutes of your day.

Are you ready to learn more?

Yoga

There’s a yoga style and pace for everyone. If you like to gently stretch your body you’ll love Yin or Hatha. It’s calm and relaxed. If you’re into building your strength then power yoga will really push you.

There’s an abundance of classes accessible online. You can go to YouTube and find a class that suits you best. Eventually, you might create a routine of your own!

You don’t need much for this. A mat would be nice, but essentially a soft surface will do. 

To really benefit from this, you could incorporate your fitness tracker, if it comes with an app for breathing or meditation. Devices like the Fitbit Charge 4 come with a native relaxation app, so check it out!

Pilates

Pilates does require some equipment but luckily, there are two kinds and the other, much like yoga, only needs a towel or mat. There are about 34 classic movements and you can work your way through, and memorise them, to build your own routine. 

Dance (like no one is watching)

For almost every style of music there’s a dance. If you’re into pop, hip hop or ballroom dancing, you can go it alone or with a partner right there in your living room. Dancing is known to do wonders for mental health as well as physical. You can burn up to a whopping 500 calories during an hour of dancing. 

Have you succumb to the temptation of TikTok yet? Why not teach yourself one of those dances all the kids are doing?

You can curate a playlist on your music streaming service of choice and simply hit play. You can also look up instructional videos if you want to learn something specific.

If you’re keen to know how many calories a genre of music burns for you, you’ll need a reliable calorie counting fitness tracker. The Nike FuelBand is an excellent tracker to monitor this for you. Check out our review here.

Barre

We’re willing to bet not everyone has heard of this. Barre looks gentle, but really it’s a beast of a workout. Focused on improving your core strength and cardio endurance as well as your balance. You can use a wall or even ironing board for balance. If you’re in need of hand weights we all know you can grab a can of beans for that. You won’t want anything heavy; you’ll be burning after a 20 minute session. 

If you’re thinking of picking this style of workout up, and you want to monitor your activity levels, we recommend the Garmin Vivofit 4 to start. It’s a no-frills activity tracking device for those who love to keep fit.

HIIT

HIIT stands for “high-intensity interval training”. It’s wonderful for blasting through some calories in a short space of time. The premise of HIIT is to go as hard as you can in very short bursts. You might go burpees for 45 seconds then spend the remaining 15 seconds of that minute resting, then you go again for a given number of sets.  

Again, YouTube is your friend. You can easily create your own routines, too. Squats, jumping jacks, burpees, mountain climbers and push ups will be enough to get an all round body workout, all in one spot!

You will hugely benefit from using a smartwatch or fitness tracker that can record your sessions here. Knowing your heart rate zones will help you alter your sessions to suit your fitness goals. We recommend you check out our comparison of Garmin and FitBit, where you’ll find links to some great watches with heart rate zones for monitoring how you’ve performed during your workouts.

Planking

A plank is another dark horse. It looks easy, but it’ll have you sweating in 30 seconds or less. It works wonders on your core and upper-body strength. There’s more than just one position. You can try multiple positions and improve as you go. Variants like the side plank, for one. 

You can utilise your traditional timepiece for this exercise. Or, if you have a chronograph, you can time yourself incredibly accurately. The Omega range is perfect for this, and we wrote about it here.

Bodyweight leg day

If you’re keen on trying planks, you can incorporate some bodyweight leg work into the mix, too. As planks are the best thing for core strength, squats and lunges are the best for your lower-body. Again, two moves that look easy, but they’re a challenge. Try 10 in a row. If you’re just getting into fitness, this should be quite hard. Aim to add one or two more reps each time you workout.

You can easily fit these into your day. You can do a few reps whilst you wait for the kettle to boil or the microwave to ping. If you’re working from home, there’s ample time to squeeze a few lunges in between meetings or emails.

Climbing the stairs

If it’s wet and miserable outside and you live in a house or apartment block, guess what? You can get a great workout by climbing the stairs. See how fast you can complete all the steps, or mix it up by taking two at a time, or turning left to right as you go. 

You could incorporate this into a HIIT workout by doing a set of stepping followed by 45 – 60 seconds of jumping jacks or squats. This would be a great workout for your legs and bum. 

If you’re used to big outdoor adventures, your altimeter watch will come in handy for this kind of exercise. You can read our recommendations for altimeter smartwatches here.

Couch Potato

Did you know you can use your sofa to exercise? It’s as simple as tightening your entire body, every muscle you can, during the ad breaks and releasing when your show comes back on. 

You can go from sitting to standing during the breaks, too. This will get your heart rate going and will give your thighs a good blast. 

If you want to work your arms, you can also do tricep dips by holding onto the sofa.

Kickboxing

If you were born in the early 80s or before, you’ll likely remember Tae Bo, a set of home workouts in the 90s. It was a mix of taekwondo and boxing, hence the name. It was awesome for improving cardio endurance, flexibility and balance. Essentially, it was what we know as kickboxing today.

If you’re into fast-paced movements that get the blood pumping, kickboxing could be for you. The official Tae Bo YouTube channel is still running. You can do most of the classes without a punching bag or gloves.

Check out our review of the Moov Now. A no-frills fitness tracker that acts as a personal trainer on your wrist. Perfect for those reaching a new personal best.

Final thoughts

If you find it a challenge to get to a gym or if leaving your house isn’t easy, don’t feel downhearted. There are so many options to get a great workout into your routine, in your own home. Best yet, you don’t even need any equipment for the most part. Working in some of our suggestions will not only boost your physical fitness, but your mental health too.

What will you try first?

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An Introduction to 10 Top Luxury Men’s Watch Brands

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Luxury Watches

Introduction

Firstly, by nature of being on our site you already know not all watches are born equal. Some names stand out more than others, and we’re going to tell you the ten luxury men’s watch brands you should be aware of.

Montblanc

Montblanc probably brings a fountain pen to mind faster than a watch. However, did you know they make extraordinary luxury watches?

Crafted beautifully by hand, a Montblanc timepiece is certainly as functional as it is sophisticated. Which is no surprise. Montblanc has over a century of experience creating sensational items. The company started in Berlin in the 1900s and was handed down the family. Each new owner was a visionary and the brand soon built a reputation rivalling the quality of Cartier and Piaget.

Having fully-immersed into the world of luxury watches, you’ll certainly find some of the most modern technology in their smartwatches and revolutionary designs in their traditional pieces.

Michael Kors

Michael Kors holds a licence agreement with the Fossil Group so this means the former makes and distributes their watches. We know the Fossil Group is vast. They design, manufacture and distribute quartz and mechanical watches all over the world. 

At the high-end, you’ll find Swiss-made mechanical watches, ranging from $750 all the way up to $25k.

Fossil watches themselves are price-accessible, but Michael Kors is a different breed, being a well-known fashion brand. 

Specifically looking at the watches, they’ve become remarkably popular. This is down to successful digital marketing, along with superior development. 16m people follow the brand on Instagram, who posts frequently about their watches. It’s no doubt a Michael Kors watch is certainly at the pinnacle of timepiece fashion.

Luxury Watches
Michael Kors Smartwatch

Breitling

Follow our link for a cool history lesson on how Breitling came to be a watchmaker. 

Breitling is the 15th most-recognised Swiss watch brand, globally. It’s a major brand in the luxury watch market and known for superior quality at half the price of a Rolex.

Breitlings are certainly an excellent quality watch. Their brand recognition is a direct indication of this. 

Breitling has a speciality for professional watches for pilots, military personnel and rescue operators. The brand offers several smartwatches catering to these specific individuals due to features such as distress beacons and emergency locators.

If you started looking for a Breitling now, you’d have thousands of models to peruse, including many limited editions. Furthermore, they come with quartz or mechanical movements, depending on your need for precision.

Rolex

Rolex is, above all, the undeniable number one most-recognised Swiss-made watch brand in the world. With near-enough 100% brand recognition. Internationally, it’s the 3rd most recognised, behind Nestle and Nescafe. They’re one of the few brands where you’d get more for reselling your Rolex than what you paid for it.

Rolex has an absurd number of models. Dripping in diamonds and precious metals. 

The most iconic of all is the Submariner, closely followed by the Sea-Dweller. 

They produce mechanical timepieces with highly-accurate movements and chronographs. You can expect precision around +/- 2 seconds a day.

We know James Bond sported a Rolex in many of the films. You can read more about that in our article here.

Rolex

Bulova 

Bulova

OK, they’re not actually considered a luxury, but let’s give them the benefit of the doubt. At the $500 top end, you can find some superb timepieces that, to some dreamers, rival a lower-end Rolex.

Here’s why. Bulova, owned by Citizen, has an exceptional reputation for creating timepieces boasting stellar accuracy, durability and style. Their entire ethos is about developing something considered a luxury, but equally affordable.

Tag Heuer

Tag Heuer is another well-known brand that’s carved a name for itself worldwide. It offers a beautifully-crafted timepiece that makes a bold statement. 

Tag Heuer began around 1860. Year-after-year, building itself a fantastic reputation for accuracy and impressive design. The precision offered by a Tag Heuer watch is so good that they became the official Olympic Games timekeeper in the 1920s. If you’re interested in something cutting-edge, formed from years of experience and craftsmanship, check out our review of the Connected Modular 41.

Tudor

Tudor Pelagos

Tudor as a brand was founded in the early 1920s by the Rolex founder. Immediately you expect a level of quality. It’s not uncommon for a major brand to have a smaller sister company who can produce more cost-effective watches.

A Tudor looks like a Rolex. Over time, Tudor began introducing in-house movements. Stepping away from being the “Poor Man’s Rolex”. They focus on design and technology. Constantly developing. Making improvements from successful releases.

To see an example, read our review of the Pelagos, here.

Victorinox

Victorinox Watch

Victorinox is actually famous for creating the Swiss Army Knife. They made the knife for well over a century when the owners decided it was time for a new specialism. 

They wanted to encapsulate the knife-quality in something new. So began production of the Swiss Army Watch, sometime around 1990.

Today, Victorinox is a luxury watch brand offering Swiss watches with fine craftsmanship.

Maurice Lacroix

Maurice Lacroix is a Swiss watchmaker from Zurich. As with a lot of watchmakers, they didn’t start out as such. Originally making just components, their success was so unprecedented that they began making watches of their own.

By 1990, Lacroix was famous for making affordable luxury. The brand has grown to become one of the most highly-ranked Swiss manufacturers after they launched Les Mécaniques, their high-end range.

Cartier

We couldn’t write a whole article about luxury watches for men without ending on Cartier.

Back in 1903, Cartier created its first men’s watch. It was aimed specifically at pilots. The watch, named Alberto Santos-Dumont, was named after aviation pioneer and close friend to the designer himself.

Originally and still known for fine jewellery, Cartier watches became loved as a functional accessory. Their timepieces flourished into one of the most well-regarded in the world.

You can read more on both Cartier and Lacroix watches here.

Luxury Watches

Summary

If all those dollar signs have blinded you a little, take some respite in our article detailing the best watches for men under $200, here.

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Fossil Q Explorist (4th Gen) HR Review

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Fossil Sport

This Fossil watch covers all the bases.

There were some gripes about the Fossil Q Control 3rd Generation relating to the design. But, isn’t that subjective? Some wanted more features, too. It didn’t offer NFC payments, nor did it have built-in GPS. For the price, around $250, alternatives do offer these things.

So, Fossil are back with the 4th Gen. They have addressed all concerns and included NFC and GPS. Additionally, an optical HR sensor. 

Fossil are a big name in the smartwatch world and their latest offering does not fail to deliver. A great watch for a reasonable price

The details

As with other Fossil smartwatches, this one runs Wear OS and can be paired with any Android or iOS device. Unlike the 3rd Gen, you get everything you want, feature-wise, in a smartwatch. It’ll accurately monitor your heart rate, you can use it for contactless payments and track your location whilst outdoors using the built-in GPS.

It offers 50m of water-resistance so you can shower with it on knowing it won’t get damaged. You can swim in it, but it’s best to stick to a pool and nothing deeper. It will track those swims for you, too.

There’s a built-in speaker to use with Google Assistant (but not calls). It will deliver your notifications, which you can also respond to, but it needs to be near your phone to do that.

Design

The 4th Gen is undeniably good-looking. It has a classic mechanical look about it. It also hasn’t strayed too far from its predecessor, and why would it? Furthermore, it has a big glass face and bezel with characterful notches and crown-like buttons.

The thing that differentiates the Q Explorist from the traditional mechanical watches of the world is a clear 454 by 454 pixel 1.4 inch display. The OLED panel is lazer-sharp, bold and colourful.

Fossil haven’t included any overt branding. They’ve left a small logo on the buckle of the strap, but that’s it. There are options to include the Fossil logo by using some of their pre-set watch faces. 

By default, the OLED screen is always-on. So these preset faces have been specifically designed to be low-energy.

The watch is 45mm in width, which is big by watch standards, but it doesn’t feel chunky. It’s lighter than the 3rd Gen by a considerable 14g, as well as being 2mm thinner. Dimensions are similar to the Samsung Galaxy Watch. Essentially, you’re getting prime screen real estate and little bulk.

On the belly of the Q Explorist you’ll find a heart rate sensor. It does stick out a little from the back, but, arguably the benefit of this is that the wireless charger sits snugly on it. 

The watch comes in five different colours and they all offer a variety of materials and colours when it comes to picking a strap. They’re mostly 22mm. You’ll definitely be able to achieve your unique look.

Features

As we’ve already praised Fossil for; in terms of features, they addressed every limitation the 3rd Gen had. Now you get contactless payments, GPS and a decent heart rate monitor. You can now walk out the door free of your phone. It’ll accurately log your distance, time and pulse. Don’t put this watch on a pedestal, though. It’s not going to replace sport watches.

It only takes a short time to set up Google Pay. Making contactless payments even easier than using your phone. You don’t need to be connected to the internet for it to work, either. It’s so convenient being able to stop at the store if you’ve remembered that you need something whilst out on a run.

Performance

You get everything you’d anticipated from a WearOS device. You can easily access Google Assistant, including using “OK Google” as a command. Or by simply swiping right on your home screen.

Mimicking the capabilities of Google Now, it’ll display everything you might want to know for your day ahead. Travel/traffic, weather and your calendar entries. 

Swiping right can be customised to bring up Google Fit. Here you’ll get another useful update. It’ll tell you overall activity, broken down into your ‘move’ minutes and heart points, similar to Apple’s rings. 

In the Quick Settings section you’ll see a lot has changed from the previous version. You’ll find quick shortcuts to Google Pay and a power-saving mode. You might also want to switch to airplane mode, do not disturb or change the brightness of the screen. It’s much more intuitive. 

As for battery life, Fossil claim you will get a full day. This really depends on app use. It depends how you use your watch. There are some power-hungry apps, including Google Play Music. This might make your Q Explorist run other apps more slowly. But, if you’ve got music playing, logic would suggest you’re concentrating on a run and not other apps. When used intensely, the battery can be run down in as little as six hours. Again, you’ve been advised not to use this as a dedicated sports watch. 

This isn’t unusual for WearOS devices, though. Some will typically only give you half a day so you might want to charge it whilst you sleep.

Alternatives 

Prices have dropped significantly recently, which is great. You get a decent smartwatch at an acceptable price. Originally up for $250, you could spend a little more and get a Series 3 Apple Watch, which is arguably similar enough to a 5 that it’s still a powerful device. 

There’s always going to be the Samsung Galaxy Watch (around $280), which never disappoints. It might be a little more thickset at 46mm, but you get reliable GPS, NFC and offline Spotify. 

If those are too expensive, check out the Ticwatch E2 watch (closer to $125). Even more budget is the AmazFit Bip (around $75), which will give you a whole month of battery life. Can’t beat that!

Verdict

Fossil has taken some great leaps with the Q Explorist HR 4th Gen. It looks awesome and it has all the appeal of a fashion brand watch. It has some great features and smartwatch capabilities, even fitness.

For the price, you get a great watch. Our only advice is not to compare it to leaders Apple or Samsung, as it’s not on the same level. If Fossil continues to develop this range and a 5th Gen is in the making, you can guarantee it’s going to be a hot device to watch out for.

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Diesel On Full Guard 2.5 Review

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The Diesel On Full Guard 2.5 ($199.99) is a stylish Wear OS smartwatch with fitness capabilities.

Diesel Smartwatch On Full Guard 2.5

Introduction

The fashion-minded will love this Fossil Group production. In development, it had the same treatment as the fourth-generation smartwatches. This translates to contactless payments, a heart rate monitor, built-in GPS and the safety of water-resistance. There are very few reasons to take it off. Which you’re unlikely to, as it carries a design iconic to Diesel fans.

It comes in at just shy of $200 if you’re considering the stainless steel option. Certainly cheaper than the Apple Watch Series 5 or Galaxy from Samsung. Still, it costs more than a Fitbit Versa 2.

The first version of the On Full Guard was clunky. The software was a little underdeveloped. The battery life was poor. The 2.5 sees improvement across the board. 

Let’s take a look:

Design and features

  • Masculine 47mm case
  • 13mm thickness
  • Water-resistant to 50m
  • Heart rate monitor
  • Google Pay contactless payments
  • Built-in GPS
  • 300mAh battery
  • Microphone and speaker

If you’re into Diesel already then you’ll love what you see. It’s inspired by the classic Diesel watch design. Very industrial. 

There are 4 options. You can choose brown leather or silicone strap. The former is a little more expensive but looks awesome with the stainless steel.

Whilst the case is a hulk, this version isn’t as cumbersome as the first iteration. The diameter is the same, it’s 1mm thinner and considering the additional features, it’s actually lighter.

Some features remain. Two twistable personalised buttons. These sandwich the rotating crown which then gives you a way of navigating the menus. Great for those who don’t want to totally rely on the touchscreen alone.

The screen is a bold AMOLED that reads perfectly. It’s been shaved by 0.1mm to 1.39mm.

The best bit about this version is that it’s water-resistant. Similar to the Skagen Falster 2, you’re able to swim in this watch. It’ll track your activities via a third-party app. The silicon strap is certainly better if you’re a swimmer.

Extras

As with the first version, the 2.5 operates on Wear OS. This means you get notifications, bespoke watch faces (including a funky neon), Google Assistant and third-party apps. 

If you’ve been a Wear OS user before then you’ll get everything you’re used to. Google has made improvements to the interface. Google Fit had a software revamp. You swipe for notifications. It’s easy to turn Do Not Disturb on or change the brightness of the screen.

Wear OS is a fair contender but it doesn’t hold a torch to alternatives like Apple, Samsung or even Fitbit. The core features work consistently, but it’s just not as evolved as the others.

Diesel made this feel like more than just a host for Google software. They have given the user a load of individual watch faces. Some are very on-brand for Diesel.

There’s an additional app called Dial Effects. This lets you see secondary information like the weather or your activity.

There’s the stylish T-On-i, which gives you an overview of your day which includes the weather and your step count. It’s more novel than the choices that come with the watch, but it’s another way to make it uniquely yours.

There are no major complaints about the software. The watch is run on a Snapdragon 2100 Qualcomm processor. There is a newer version of this, the 3100, but Diesel didn’t put it in. Reasons unknown. Perhaps the hardware isn’t able to handle it. This can give a laggy performance at times. It’s possible there could be an update in the future which would fix any frustrations.

Fitness Features & GPS

Some question their necessity. It’s a smartwatch with fitness features, not a fitness tracker. This is similar to the likes of Fossil for the recreational fitness fan. They’re alright, but if you’re serious about sport then this isn’t the brand you want on your wrist for your training sessions.

Accuracy of the GPS seems to be fine for 5k runs. Heart rate tracking for exercise is generous in comparison to a heart rate chest strap for measure. Again, this watch is better for its convenience than as a dedicated fitness tracker.

If you’re relying on Google Fit, you’re advised to try a third-party app instead. The Google experience is a little lacking. It’s alright if you want an overview of your activities during the day but it can be underwhelming on data.

Battery life

The battery power is a lot better than the first version. You’ll get two days out of it. The first Full Guard would give you a day at best.

For Wear smartwatches, between one and two days is about what you get. Two days is wishful thinking. The brightness and apps drain it pretty quickly.

Summary

If you’re a Diesel fan this is a great smartwatch for you. If you have a casual interest in your fitness level and want something that looks masculine, you’ll love it.

However, if you’re looking for more of a sports watch with smart capabilities, we point you to the Garmin Forerunner 945.

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Coros Apex Review

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$350 for a Premium Multisport Watch?

The likes of Garmin, Polar and Suunto should be worried because the Coros Apex is making waves.

There are three things that make the Coros Apex special.

  • looks great
  • has an exceptional battery life
  • costs less than $350

Granted, there have been some issues with heart rate accuracy. It’s not perfect, but, the Apex is a great contender in the fitness tracker world that serious runners and athletes should consider.

Advantages

You get a design that feels as premium as a Suunto or Garmin. There’s a rotating button on the side that is used for navigating menu options and shows the data on the screen with one push. 

This 46mm beast offers 35 hours of battery in GPS mode. 

The more slimline 42mm option offers 25 hour (for $50 less)

It’s incredibly cost-effective; you get multisport tracking, a sophisticated look and great battery life.

It’s incredibly user-friendly, mostly because there is a lack of features in comparison to alternatives. It has a ‘stamina’ feature that’s great for tracking a run, but it does rely on the heart rate monitor for this. 

You get six stats on-screen which is easy to read as well as insightful. 

There’s a training feature that’s easy to follow during a run and there are guided sessions that offer a helpful structure to your workout. 

Your Apex offers breadcrumb trailing and offers a back-to-the-start navigation feature that you can tap at any point.

Disadvantages

  • It only tracks swimming, cycling and running.
  • The structured sessions are essentially interval sessions and nothing more complex.
  • Heart rate tracking is a little inaccurate during a run. This impacts other features like recovery.

Running

The Coros and its six statistics are wonderful to swipe between during a run. You’ll need to set up the in-run data that you want on-screen. You need the app for this. 

It delivers the data you’d expect like your pace, time, distance and a couple of more advanced things like stamina. This gives you an idea of how much energy you should have left for your run and a percentage that will decline as you go. This data is available during non-exercising times so you can monitor how quickly your energy is used up in between your runs.

Most watches with GPS offer a recovery feature. Brands like Polar offer far deeper insight in comparison but the Apex offers beauty in simplicity. If you’re running and wonder if you have one more mile in the tank, you’ll be able to make an informed decision.

This depends on how accurate you feel the stamina data is. Again, the heart rate tracking can impact this, but it’s good to give you an idea.

The Apex is great for both aerobic and anaerobic training. It’ll offer more of those guided workouts based on the two options. If you put a chest strap on, this will boost the accuracy of your heart rate readings and you’ll get better data from your session.

You’re able to create your own workout, which is simple intervals again but can be used in the running mode. 

The power used during a run on the 46mm version is great. It was tested during a 24 hour endurance challenge and still had a third of the battery life left.

If you run 3-5 times a week, you’ll get these on one charge.

Cycling

The biggest difference between the running and cycling modes on the Apex is the data it offers. Your stamina data isn’t available, unfortunately, but you get another new option which relates to power. It requires an additional sensor for this, but again, it’ll give you great insight on the grade of the hill you’re on.

Cyclists wishing to go on a long ride will love the battery life more than runners. The intensity seems to be less with cycling and the readings more accurate. A separate HRM is advisable, still.

Sports Tracking

Newer versions of the 46mm track more than swimming, cycling and running. Now you can track things like hiking, trail running, general outdoor and indoor cardio sessions. 

The modes and data still aren’t as intricate as what you get with Garmin or Suunto but remember the price here and you’ll still be impressed. If you’re new to a certain sport or just want a general reading, the Apex will be a great friend. 

You can customise the label for the cardio modes. The outdoor one uses GPS to record your speed and distance. The indoor one will record your heart rate, calories burned and time elapsed.

Activity Tracking

You can use the Apex to track your activities during the day. Steps, calories burned and active energy, workout time and floors climbed. You can access this information via scrolling your watch display. 

Daily tracking isn’t the main concern of the Apex. It’ll give you a notification if you haven’t moved for a given period of time. The heart rate monitor isn’t consistent if you’re not exercising. Rather, it’ll take your heart rate every 10 minutes.

Sleep Tracking

In the app, you won’t actually see sleep tracking most of the time. Your data is only produced if you wear the Apex at night. Makes sense. In the morning, you will be presented with a graph that plots your heart rate. This is on a background that is colour-coded to illustrate REM sleep, light sleep and awake time.

You get a total time for each and average heart rate. 

It won’t tell you how you can improve your sleep quality. It also doesn’t notice any trends in your sleep patterns. Some, more expensive alternatives can do this. If you’re happy with general data, the Apex isn’t uncomfortable to sleep in.

The App

The Apex itself isn’t overly complex. It doesn’t offer more than you need on the display menus. Things are similar in the app, too. On the front page, you’re given your graphs for daily activities. Things like steps and active energy are plotted. You get some information about your training load and fitness. It’ll tell you your resting heart rate and VO2 max.

The app is the place to go for your previous workout history to look over previous performance.

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