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    A Beginner’s Buying Guide: What Fitness Tech You Actually Need (and What You Don’t)

    A Beginner’s Buying Guide: What Fitness Tech You Actually Need (and What You Don’t)

    Fitness tech can be a game-changer — but only if you choose the right tools. With hundreds of devices, from GPS watches to recovery gadgets, it’s easy to buy the wrong thing and waste time (and money).

    This simple guide cuts through the noise.
    Here’s exactly what you need if you’re building your fitness toolkit for the first time — and what you can skip until later.


    1. Start With a Heart Rate Monitor (Mandatory for Real Progress)

    If you want to train smarter, not harder, this is non-negotiable.

    The Polar H10 and COROS HRM are the two most accurate devices available, and they help you:

    • Train in proper zones

    • Build Zone 2 endurance

    • Avoid overtraining

    • Improve recovery

    • Track interval intensity

    Best for: Anyone who wants measurable progress.


    2. Add a GPS Watch (The Brain of Your Training)

    A great GPS watch tracks pace, distance, recovery, sleep and training load.

    Top picks:

    • COROS Pace 3 / Pace 4 (runners, cyclists)

    • Amazfit Cheetah (budget-friendly, great value)

    This is your all-in-one training dashboard.


    3. Choose a Breathwork Device (Game-Changing for Stress + Performance)

    For stress, performance or sleep, these tools make a huge difference:

    • Airofit — trains lung strength

    • Moonbird — guides breath rhythm

    • Pulsetto — calms the nervous system

    You don’t need all three — choose based on what you struggle with most.


    4. Get a Smart Water Bottle or Electrolytes

    Hydration is often ignored but affects performance more than any other variable.

    Best tools:

    • Equa Smart Bottle (daily hydration tracking)

    • Electrolytes like Humantra or Form (when stocked)

    This is an easy win for energy, endurance and cognition.


    5. Recovery Tools (Buy These Last)

    Recovery tools are powerful, but you don’t need everything upfront. Prioritise:

    Red light therapy mats (HigherDOSE)
    PEMF recovery mats
    Massage guns (Therabody / MyoMaster)

    Buy 1–2 tools, not 10.


    6. Don’t Waste Money On…

    • cheap no-name fitness bands

    • low-accuracy wrist HR monitors

    • untested supplements

    • trend products with no scientific backing

    Invest in what moves the needle: tracking, breathing, recovery.


    ⭐ Final Make-It-Simple Buying List

    If you’re starting TODAY:
    1️⃣ Heart rate monitor
    2️⃣ GPS watch
    3️⃣ Breathwork device
    4️⃣ Smart bottle/electrolytes
    5️⃣ One recovery tool

    This is the combo used by real athletes and coaches.

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