Leading a healthy lifestyle takes more than exercising and monitoring your vitals. A holistic approach involves making sure you get enough restful sleep, eat to fuel your body, practice mindfulness and more. However, it can be challenging to find a fitness tracker that does all this at a reasonable price.
Amazon has a solution. The company’s Halo tracker promises to monitor sleep, movement, nutrition, body composition and more. Amazon advertises that the Halo is “more than a band — a membership,” as the app claims to offer hundreds of on-demand workouts, daily meditations, sleep and nutrition support.
We wanted to see if the Amazon Halo Band really delivered on all of its promises at a price that is a fraction of what Apple charges, so we put it to the test. Here’s what we found.
Our tester was a fitness enthusiast who has used multiple fitness trackers for logging workouts, steps, movement, heart rate and exercise time throughout the day. They prefer a device that is user-friendly and easy to read. Throughout the testing period, they tried all the advertised features and took extensive notes to share, based on their experience, what Amazon’s fitness band can and cannot do.
Amazon’s Halo fitness tracker is a comprehensive digital fitness journal. It has an adjustable fabric band with a sensor that has a hook-and-loop closure to offer a comfortable yet snug fit. The device has no screen, so it is unobtrusive, and it tracks and logs your workouts on its own, so it requires very little attention from you.
Since there is no screen, you must check the Halo app on your phone to view data. The information is simple to locate, and the display is large, so it is easy to see.
Besides the typical monitoring of activity and rest, the Halo offers a comprehensive approach to fitness. It analyzes your body composition, suggests a weekly menu, syncs to your shopping list, monitors your speaking tone and more. You can explore an ever-growing library of workouts from Amazon partners such as SWEAT, Orangetheory and Halle Berry’s rē•spin.
The Halo Band is currently available on Amazon for $84.99 (regularly $99.99). If you are approved for an Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Card, you can make six interest-free payments of just $14.17. Your purchase includes six months free of Halo membership. After the introductory period, the subscription auto-renews at $3.99 per month plus tax.
After unboxing, the first step is to charge the band. The charger is unique, so it is crucial to read the instructions to learn to clip the watch to the sensor. When you get a white light, you know you’ve performed the task correctly.
The second step is to download the Halo app to your smartphone and set it up. You will need to create an Amazon account if you do not already have one.
We found the entire setup process to be straightforward, with clear instructions. It took roughly 15 minutes to complete, and most users should be able to go through the setup process easily.
The Tone Analysis feature monitors your speaking tone, so you know how you communicate with others. To engage this feature, you use the app to schedule a time frame. At the end of the monitoring period, you get a score with a list of adjectives and notable moments that reveal the tone you used. This feature is useful for anyone trying to improve their tone to enhance relationships. However, it could cause privacy concerns for some as it monitors what you say.
The Body Composition feature offers a unique take on your overall fitness that we have not seen in other trackers. The Halo calculates your percentage of body fat using many pictures taken from various angles and your weight. The app then creates a 3D image that lets you view your body in a way you have never seen before. For anyone serious about sculpting their physique through diet and fitness, this could prove to be an invaluable tool.
The Sleep Score feature on this fitness band was intriguing and beneficial. Halo monitors your activity while you sleep to let you know how long you take to fall asleep, your overall sleep time, the different stages you enter while sleeping and more. All the information is clearly presented on your smartphone and you can use it to deduce why some days you might not feel as energized or sharp as others.
Amazon Halo offers the user many unique features not found in other fitness trackers on the market. This device analyzes your sleeping patterns, offers tools that can improve your nutrition, monitors your speaking tone and stress level and helps you learn how to improve the way you move. Through the app, you have access to hundreds of workouts, and the impressive battery life means you can go for days between charging. The band is waterproof, making it safe to wear while swimming and easy to clean.
The biggest drawback is the lack of a screen. While this is an excellent way to reduce distractions, it means that every single time you want to view your data, you’ll need to use your smartphone. Most of the time, this isn’t an issue because the typical user would likely keep their smartphone nearby while using the Halo. However, it can be frustrating if you are in the middle of a run and want to check your distance or how long you’ve been working out. Also, there is no watch feature on this band, so you can not monitor the time that way either.
Amazon’s Halo Band is an excellent tool for someone just starting their fitness journey. Even if you have been working on your health goals for years, this model can still be beneficial because it offers unique features that other trackers do not have. You can use the Halo to monitor and evaluate every aspect of your lifestyle, from diet and exercise to sleep and overall wellness. Priced at just under $100, the Halo Band can help you reach your fitness goals, whatever they may be.
This is a crack-resistant, dust-resistant, swim-proof fitness watch that can monitor your heart, measure blood oxygen and track your sleep. It has a mindfulness app as well as workouts for tai chi, Pilates, running, yoga, dance and more.
This rugged watch is made to withstand shock, heat, water and more. It connects to multiple global navigation satellite systems to better track your exact location in any environment. The TracBack feature ensures you never get lost, while the battery lasts up to 14 days in smartwatch mode.
Sold by Amazon, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Kohl’s, Macy’s and Staples
The Fitbit Charge 5 gives you a daily stress management score to help you learn how your body responds to stress. The health metrics on this Fitbit include skin temperature, SpO2 and heart rate variability. You can use the built-in GPS to see a map of your workout route.
Sold by Amazon, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Kohl’s and Macy’s
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Allen Foster writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
