Once, we had Withings, makers of fab health tracking devices and Health Mate, my favorite weight and fitness tracking app. Withings was acquired by Nokia in 2016, but four months ago the original co-founder, Eric Carreel, bought Withings back from Nokia. So now there is a new Withings logo and we get a new product, the Withings Steel HR Sport.
The Withings Steel HR Sport has a 40mm 316L stainless steel that is water-resistant up to 50 meters. Available with either a black or white face, the Steel HR Sport looks good whether you are working out, working, or just hanging out. I’m a huge fan of the round, analog, traditional watch style. But this is a smart and connected health and fitness tracker, so telling time isn’t all the Steel HR Sport can do. It also syncs with the Health Mate app to help you keep track of your daily activity goals and heart rate; the small OLED display on the watch keeps you up to date with daily steps, distance, and heart rate tracking. You can also set the display to give you smartphone notifications if you prefer a discreet notification when something comes up versus continuously checking your phone.
The Withings Steel HR Sport offers multisport tracking “for over 30 different activities from yoga, volleyball and rowing to boxing, skiing and ice hockey. Users select the chosen activity on the watch display to start their workout session. During workout sessions, Steel HR Sport continuously tracks and displays heart rate and the duration of the workout directly on the watch screen. After the session, users can understand the intensity of their workout with heart rate zones and calories spent based on the specific activity selected.”
The Steel HR Sport is also the first product within the Steel HR range to feature GPS connectivity. Once you’ve paired the watch to your iOS or Android smartphone, you can track your pace, distance, elevation and map your workouts when walking, running or cycling. “Pace, distance and continuous heart rate are displayed on the watch face screen and can be tracked live on the user’s phone. After a session, the user’s workout route can also be viewed in the Health Mate app.”
The Steel HR Sport is also the first Withings product to offer fitness level assessments of its wearer. VO2 max, the new fitness indicator, “measures the heart and muscles ability to convert oxygen into energy during physical exercise.” The better shape you are in, the higher your VO2 max rating. After a running session, the Steel HR Sport will calculate your “personal Fitness Level using pace, heart rate and morphological data (age, weight, gender). This fitness metric will help users to optimize their training, increase performance and achieve long-term fitness objectives.” So now we can honestly say that our fitness trackers are judging us! But it’s worth it because your fitness, activity, and sleep patterns will be tracked around the clock by a slim and sleek device that looks like a traditional watch. 😉
One of the things I liked best about previous Withings (and Nokia, for that matter) Steel HR watches was their long battery life, and the Steel HR Sport will be no exception. You can expect to get up to 25 days from a full charge, but that can be extended an additional 20 days when the watch is in power reserve mode.
You’ll be able to pick up your own Withings Steel HR Sport starting today for $199.95 directly from Withings as well as from other retailers.
