Nike FuelBand: A simple but highly motivational fitness monitor

A pioneer in the fitness tracking industry, Nike FuelBand truly made some waves and revolutionised the world when it was first released, back in 2012. That’s why we can’t help but wonder why Nike discontinued it after a mere three years and two versions later.

Nike FuelBand wasn’t the first fitness tracker on the market – it was launched after the first Fitbit – but it was the first to make fitness tracking feel personal rather than abstract, with its ingenious Fuel Points system. Even if no one ever really knew what Nike’s metrics meant.

Five years after the brand discontinued its production, the FuelBand still makes waves. People who bought it are still wondering how to reactivate and whether they can keep using their bracelet. New users wonder if they can still find one to buy somewhere.

In short, they can. Nike still sales the Nike FuelBand SE, the upgraded version of the first model that is as popular as its predecessor. But what is all this hype about? Read our Nike FuelBand review to find it out.

Background

Nike designed its first FuelBand with a noble purpose in mind. That of making more people ditch the couch in favour of movement.

Motivation laid in the possibility to compare your performance with that of members of the FuelBand community.

While the idea had huge success, design flaws caused the actual bracelet to fail constantly.

As a response, Nike replaced the original FuelBand with the FuelBand SE shortly after, advertising it as a smart, fun, and simple way to get more active.

While there are no later versions of the band, the SE model is still available in many sports and fitness stores.

Features

At its core, the Nike FuelBand SE is a pedometer meant to track your total daily steps and motivate you for staying active. It does so by displaying rainbows of colours on its screen while a cartoon guy jumps for you enthusiastically each time you reach your goal.

Childish?

Definitely. But it works wonderfully for hoards of people. You even get a banner on your Nike app to celebrate the achievement, not to mention that the banner is even displayed at NikePlus.com.

As an addition to the original FuelBand functionality, the SE also allows you to track exercise sessions, giving incentives and reminding you that you have to move through fun reminders. Undeniably, an excellent choice for most office workers and freelancers who forget to get up from the office chair and take a few steps around the desk to boost their health.

Design

Like most fitness trackers, the FuelBand SE is minimal, but it won’t pass unnoticed. A simple construction makes it very easy to snap on and off your wrist, but due to its solid nature, you can’t adjust it.

It works as it’s supposed to do even if you can’t achieve a snug fit, but some users may find it uncomfortable. The device comes in several styles, including a more fashionable, transparent variant.

A simple interface makes it very easy to set goals and achieve them. The bracelet’s motivational nature shows off from the first use, displaying a big GO on the screen. Once you’ve reached your goal, Nike sends a message to your account automatically, with a cute cartoon figurine performing a celebratory dance.

I don’t know about you, but that dance alone gives me sufficient reasons to wear the bracelet and reach daily goals.

Setting up the bracelet and syncing it with the NikePlus account is relatively easy, despite it coming with no instructions whatsoever.

Fitness Tracking

The FuelBand SE is essentially a pedometer, and even if it can track other activity too, most people still use it for this basic function alone. Surprisingly accurate, it records all your steps and transforms them into Fuel Points.

After so many years, it’s still completely unknown what criteria Nike uses to convert the steps, but you can rest assured that all your activity is counted during the conversion.

Besides scoring points, the band also shows you how many calories you’ve burnt throughout the day, by simply pressing a button on the bracelet.

To boost your motivation, the tracker also displays a colourful line that changes its colour from red to green as you progress throughout the day. For easier reading of this vital information, the FuelBand adjusts its brightness automatically, based on the ambient light.

Nike FuelBand Advantages

• Motivational, very fun to use fitness band that can truly make you get up and start exercising.
• Automatic syncing with your devices thanks to the Bluetooth 4.0 integration.
• The bracelet has a solid, sturdy build that can withstand wear and tear beautifully.
• Very accurate recording of the number of steps you’ve taken throughout the day.
• Tracking your goals and competing against other members of the NikePlus community can enhance your activity level and overall health.

Nike FuelBand Disadvantages

• Functionality is very basic. Don’t expect a heart rate or sleep monitor.
• While it could work with an Android device, the band is only truly compatible with Apple handsets.
• Sizing the band is a sort of miss and hit, as there is no way to adjust it to a snug fit.

Verdict

It may never become clear what determined Nike to stop producing the FuelBand. Perhaps it was the arrival of the Apple Watch – it is notorious that the two companies collaborated in the manufacturing of the band. Or maybe the technical glitches and mishaps the users complained about.

Nike FuelBand doesn’t deliver many workout tracking possibilities. Nevertheless, it truly knows how to motivate.

Seeing that cute guy dancing at the end of the day may easily become a goal. After all, who cares about some drawbacks and lack of super-tech features if the band manages to get you moving? If that’s your real aim, rest assured the FuelBand lives up to expectations.

If you’re looking for the next generation of fitness tracking, check out the Apple Watch 6 here.

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Last Updated on October 9, 2020