As far as fitness trends are concerned, CrossFit has been on fire for the past years. From national competition to garage workouts, I also personally think that CrossFit is here to stay.
CrossFit is a good form of exercise and is based on the principles of high-intensity interval training. It gives you the best of both worlds, in terms of cardio training and strength.
This high-intensity power fitness workout may include dynamic exercises, including Olympic weight lifting, plyometric jumping, explosive bodyweight movement, and kettlebells. These HIIT-based workouts have been shown to increase the body’s fat-burning ability and metabolic response. Thus, CrossFit can be an important part of reducing your belly fat.
Other benefits of CrossFit aside from burning calories are that it boosts strength, builds muscle, improves joint health, increases confidence, and supports your cardiovascular health.
So, if you’re serious about CrossFit even after the workout has stopped, you need to monitor your progress. To do that, you will need a good fitness tracker.
In this article, I provide you a list of the best Fitness Tracker For Crossfit to learn everything you need to know before you buy.
Table of Contents
Top 5 Best Fitness Trackers For Crossfit
1. Polar Ignite Fitness Watch
Product Description
The Polar Ignite Fitness Tracker is great to track your CrossFit workout as well as overall fitness. It can also monitor your sleep and your heart rate (HR). In fact, I believe its built-in HR monitor is ahead of its class as it can track your heart rate even while you’re swimming!
Among its smart features that will complement your strength training includes the ability to provide you with a daily training guide for your fitness goals, It can also receive phone calls, images, and messages when connected to your smartphone.
I included it as one of the top fitness trackers for CrossFit because it lets you know where you stand in terms of recovery and activity. It utilizes your HR, activity, sleep quality, and other health data to determine how far you’ve pushed during training and if your body is ready for a full-force training again or you just have to take it easy for the day!
Best For:
CrossFit enthusiasts are looking for a fitness tracker for training and recovery and come with an accurate heart rate monitor.
Pros
- Polar Precision Heart Rate that combines optical sensors and bioimpedance electrodes
- Power Flow App (cross-training app) can track all your training or workout
- Glass fiber polymer case that makes it durable
- In-depth activity analysis, including recharge and recovery metrics
- Advanced sleep monitoring
- Integrated GPS tracking
- Equipped with a route, distance, and speed tracking
Con/s
- Power Flow application does not track reps or weight of Olympic lifts
Interested? Click here to buy it!
2. Suunto Spartan Fitness Tracker
Product Description
With up to 10 hours of battery life in training mode, the Suunto Spartan Fitness Tracker does not disappoint if you want a watch for your CrossFit or strength training workouts. It can be worn for all your sports, whether you’re into swimming, gym workouts, hiking, running, and cycling!
I especially like its compact size and it comes with different watch straps, like amber color, gold, or sand style. As for connectivity, it is compatible with smartphones or you can use the Bluetooth option.
Best For:
CrossFit athletes who are looking for a watch with pre-programmed sport modes and allows them to set interval time, recovery time, and repetition.
Pros
- With CrossFit-related features, like Tabata HIIT timer or beep timer and EMOM ((Every Minute on the Minute) timer
- Compact size
- With pre programmed sports modes
- Different strap style
- On and off toggle for the interval feature
- Ready for all sports
- GPS measures pace, altitude, distance, and pace
- Easy-to-follow color charts
- Provides 24/7 feedback for your activity level
- Long battery life
- Waterproof and durable
Cons
- Its heart rate monitor is not as accurate compared to other fitness trackers
- Quite expensive
Like what you see? Buy this product here today!
3.Garmin Fenix 6 Sapphire
Product Description
For those about to pick up a smartwatch or fitness watch for their CrossFit training, consider the Garmin Fenix 6 Sapphire, which is scratch-resistant. It’s also worth mentioning that this watch has all the best features of Fenix 5 Plus and then some of its own.
It has advanced training session features, like the PacePro. This feature provides you pace guidance so you stay on track during your training. Through the Garmin Connect IQ store, you can also find the Garmin Cross-Training app so it follows your workouts. It includes customizable timers as well, like the Tabata timer and AMRAP (As Many Reps As Possible).
Best For:
Fitness enthusiasts or professional athletes who are looking for a watch with advanced workout metrics.
Pros
- Very precise
- A constant stream of updates
- Great widget overview
- Rugged sophisticated design
- Advanced training features
- Water resistance rating of 10ATM (fully waterproof)
- Tracks calories burned
- Accurate HR monitor (in beats per minute). Graph of heart rate shown for the last 4 hours
Cons
- A bit heavy
- Expensive than other watches that track strength training and CrossFit progress
Don’t miss out! Buy this product here before it’s gone!
4.Garmin Vivoactive 3
Product Description
Do you want to customize your own workouts and track your CrossFit workout progress? If yes, then I recommend you check out the Garmin Vivoactive 3. This GPS smartwatch comes with a playback and music storage so your CrossFit training can be as fun as it can be!
It’s also easy to monitor your fitness age estimates and fitness level via VO2 max. Plus, you can see a status on how you handle stress.
Best For:
CrossFit gym-goers who want an all-around device that is not just for CrossFit
Pros
- 5ATM water resistance rating (can use it while swimming to around 50M depths)
- Stylish and aesthetic design
- Compatible with different activities
- You can connect to the online fitness community and get smart notifications
- Monitors sleep cycles
- Have GPS mode that works well in various activities and exercises
Cons
- Watch itself is a bit heavier
- Does not support offline music for biking or running in places without a wireless connection
- The backlight can possibly be turned on when you move during sleep
Limited quantities are available! Click here to buy it today!
5. Polar Vantage V
Product Description
One of the best fitness trackers in terms of heart rate accuracy, the Polar Vantage V is equipped with an LED optical HR sensor so it does not rely on the chest strap to get an accurate HR, except if you are using the Recovery Pro option.
It also has a Training Load Pro feature that measures how your training strains your body. It can help you better understand how your CrossFit sessions or overall functional fitness impact your performance.
Best For:
Pro CrossFit athletes who want to stay strict with their heart rate range and be efficient with their training without overexerting themselves.
Pros
- Board, accurate, and advanced heart rate sensor
- Polar Flow app as HIIT option can track your CrossFit workout and strength training
- Long battery life
- With advanced running power
- Separates cardio load status, perceived training load, and muscle load
- Features advanced workout metrics
Cons
- The touch screen is not so responsive
- It is challenging to navigate and takes a while to learn all the features
Convinced? You can buy the product here!
What to Look for in the Best Fitness Tracker for Crossfit 
Accurate Heart Rate Monitor
To better track your CrossFit performance, consider the fitness watches that have an accurate heart rate monitor. That way, you can adjust your energy output that will best match your heart rate.
Sports Modes
A lightweight fitness watch should have a multisport GPS function so the sport-specific features will empower you to train smarter for a certain activity. It can also allow you to add a custom routine even before you begin your workout or activity.
HIIT Option
It would be better if you can find a fitness watch that has a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) option for your cycles of intense exercises as well as short periods of recovery or rest.
The Apple Watch Series 5, for instance, has optimized heart rate algorithms for HIIT so your activity stats are more accurate for CrossFit when using this option.
Battery Life
While no feature-packed fitness tracker may be able to last for weeks of use, at least you should be able to buy a watch that has decent battery life. Garmin Vivoactive, for instance, can go for up to 21 days in one single charge as long as you turn off the GPS.
Let’s Sum Things Up: Which One Should You Buy For Your Crossfit Workouts?
Fitness trackers and smartwatches are useful for CrossFit. But still, you need to invest in the right fitness tracker so that you get your money’s worth. If you ask me what my top pick in this list would be, then it is the Garmin Fenix 6.
I consider it as the best fitness watch on this list because you can follow custom workouts, specifically for CrossFit. Also, it has a good interval feature like the Suunto Spartan Sport so you can set various timers and have work and rest periods.
If you like this article, you might want to read our other reviews at ExpertFitness.org.
Nathan Lloyd, MSc
LICENSED PERSONAL TRAINER
I’m a personal trainer, based in Boulder, Colorado.
I service clients physically in the Boulder area, mainly in the ONE Boulder Fitness Gym, but am also available for online consulting and coaching.
If you’re interested in my personal coaching programs, please contact me via the contact page.