Misfit Shine 2

SLEEK DESIGN, WITH SOME SLEEP TRACKING ISSUES.

THE LIGHTEST FITNESS tracker on test here is packed with features that will delight anyone looking for the basics in a slim, stylish packages. Primarily a steps tracker and watch in one, the Shine 2 utilises 12 tiny LEDs to communicate how far you’ve walked, as well as show off the time, and alert you of notifications on your phone. Everything is programmed via the app, as the only interaction with the unit is by tapping on the surface, which displays your steps and current time. A rapid triple tap begins your registered, dedicated exercise, though the Shine 2 is smart enough to recognise more intense activity.

Because it runs off a regular watch battery, and with only basic Bluetooth functions, you won’t need to change it for months and months. While we spent most of our time testing this as a watch, the unit can be popped out of the band and secured in a clip. If you want, you can wear it on your lapel, shoe laces or waist — very flexible.

Once your step quota is met for the day, the ring of lights illuminates. Stay still for too long and a gentle vibrating reminder prompts you to get up and move — a function common to most of the devices here. The app gives an adequate snapshot of how your day went, listing the minutes of intense and moderate exercise, steps taken and so on, and shows when you were sleeping lightly or heavily. It’s a shame that you can’t expand this latter graph to pinpoint when this was happening, and sleep tracking is the Shine 2’s only real downfall. An afternoon spent on the couch watching movies registered this tester as being asleep, though this can be edited.