Best fitness gadgets for walking, running and cycling

A new wave of devices designed to feed information on our wellbeing are hitting shop shelves. The collated information is teaching us more about how we eat, sleep, exercise and more. Some simply provide the little push we need to get off the couch and onto the treadmill, but for many, that's enough.

Buying a fitness companion has never easier. The range is bigger, they’re better equipped and prices are tumbling. Good Gear Guide has brought together the fitness gadgets that have made us run that extra mile.

Samsung Gear Fit

Fitness professionals in particular will relish the supreme functionality of Samsung’s Gear Fit. The fitness tracker dons the form of a smartwatch distinguished by a curved Super AMOLED display. The Gear Fit has an inbuilt heart monitor, a water- and dust-resistant IP67 rating and has been designed to complement your smartphone. This means the wearable will work with the S-Health application found on Samsung Galaxy smartphones and can display notifications on its touchscreen.

Price: $249

Magellan Cyclo 500 range

Magellan’s Cyclo 500 series is a great tool for cyclists always on the look out for new tracks. The water resistant GPS unit comes preloaded with maps tailored to the needs of cyclists. The maps feature relevant points of interests, such as bike tracks and bike repair shops, and it will map a bike-friendly route.

Information is displayed on a toughened 3in screen, including calories burnt, speed, distance, laps and time. The Cyclo 505 and Cyclo 505HC are differentiated by compatibility with an ANT+ compatible heart sensor.

The best part of the Magellan Cyclo range is the functionality of its online portal. In a few simple steps the GPS can be configured to automatically upload your workouts to the Magellan cloud service. Log in and all of your workouts and more can be easily viewed and analysed in an intuitive interface.

Price: From $379

FitBit Zip

FitBit’s Zip is more than just a pedometer. The little device measures step-count, distance and calories burned, and then uploads the information to your smartphone, tablet or computer. The FitBit application is a resource rich in analytics, a place where you can log your food and compare your performance with your FitBit friends.

Price: $79

Jawbone Up24

Jawbone’s Up24 collects information on how you eat, exercise and sleep and then presents the findings in easy-to-digest graphics on your Apple or Android smartphone. The Bluetooth band, which doesn’t need to be charged for seven days, then sets achievable goals that will improve how you sleep or exercise.

The water-resistant band can be worn in the shower and is durable enough to withstand daily scuffs.

Price: $179

TomTom Runner GPS Watch

TomTom was among the first to enter the wearable market with its Runner GPS Watch. A simple monochrome menu is presented on the watchface. Navigating it is easily done with a directional pad positioned below. This simple layout ensures that, when you are on your last legs, you can still get the most out of the Sports Watch’s functionality.

Unclasp the plastic band and the watchface pops out. This isn’t a design shortcoming — quite the contrary. TomTom has designed the two separately to make charging the watchface simple. GPS isn’t the most economical technology, but the advantages include geographically mapping tracks and a more accurate measurement of your speed, distance and burned calories.

Price: From $199.