I’ve been writing about fitness for almost ten years: Here are three gadgets I can’t live without

When 2025 comes, I will have been a professional fitness writer for ten years and a professional technology writer for five years. In my long career writing about fitness and fitness technology, I have tried almost every category of exercise equipment and health-based technology you can imagine.

I really mean it.

In the name of reviews, I’ve tried all sorts of gadgets, from smart glucose meters that require needles in your arms to smart sleep masks that play soothing sounds. I tried smart insoles that slip into your shoes to tell you about your running gait, and AI-powered cameras that help you exercise with dumbbells.

Smart training mirrors? Smart rings? Peloton classes? Electrostimulation to improve muscle tone? Bone conduction headphone technology? All boxes checked.

This is a far cry from reviewing the best fitness trackers and best running shoes on the market. During this time, of all the gadgets I’ve tested, there are only a few pieces of hardware that I actually use regularly in my personal life.

It almost says a lot about the state of the industry that every piece of wellness technology is touted as game-changing and problem-solving, and yet I keep coming back to the same old pieces of kit. For someone who has unlimited access to all the equipment in TechRadar’s towers, that says a lot. So, without further ado, below are the only pieces of technology I return to from time to time.

Bone conduction headphones: Shokz OpenRun

after Aeropex shock

(Photo: TechRadar)

Whether you’re running, cycling, or exercising outdoors, it’s important to pay attention to your surroundings.

I’ve been using Shokz OpenRun for years as a way to listen to music or podcasts broadcast from my phone while running without losing situational awareness. Technically, you can do the same with AirPods or other training headphones by using HearThrough or Conversation modes, but the best bone conduction headphones are built to leave your ears free.

Even though OpenRun Pros are more expensive, offer faster charging and longer battery life, I still use the original OpenRun and even after all this time I haven’t experienced any battery issues.

They are comfortable to wear for long periods of time, and during very long runs I also call my wife or family to break the monotony and they can hear me perfectly.

This is a set of headphones that helped me complete two marathons in the next two years.

In-ear headphones: Jabra Elite 8 Active

Jabra Elite 8 Active

(Photo: Becca Caddy)

Outside of marathon season, I like to go to the gym to regain the muscle mass I lose when running takes over my life.

This is where a lot of my gear comes down: for example, even the best smart rings run the risk of getting scratched and damaged when lifting weights, so I use a watch instead.

It’s the same with bone conduction headphones: when I’m outside I like to hear my surroundings, in a commercial gym you need headphones to drown out the gym music and noise of other gym goers so you can focus on your own workouts.

I used to use a cheap pair of Anker Soundcare P20s for this, but when those finally died, I switched to a pair of Jabra Elite 8 Active, the best workout headphones on the market right now, and haven’t looked back.

They are comfortable, durable, completely waterproof (at least they survived being submerged in a glass of water) and have active noise cancellation. I can turn them on and off if I need to ask a question to an employee or another lifter if I can work. Easy to set up, simple to use, strong as nails and durable.

Smartwatch: Garmin Epix Pro

Garmin Epix Pro

(Photo: Future/Matt Evans)

I really want to recommend the Apple Watch Ultra 2 here because it’s functionally capable, but I still find the short battery life on smartwatches frustrating.

The Garmin Epix Pro lasts ages and has the running tool I use most often: creating routes. For walkers, runners and cyclists who don’t yet plan routes using Garmin Connect and don’t follow the directions displayed on their watch, this is a game-changer. This is the one smartwatch feature that has made the biggest difference in my training.

I also like big, chunky watches and don’t like having to charge often, so the Fenix range (including the Epix Pro) is great for that. Although I know that some people find wearing smartwatches in bed uncomfortable, it doesn’t bother me at all.

Also, while I don’t use the smartwatch to formally track sets and reps at the gym, it doesn’t interfere with my weight training in the same way as the smart ring, so I passively track activity and calorie burn in the background and factor it into my recovery metrics .