Top 7 Best Fitness Trackers for Pushing a Stroller

What’s the best fitness tracker for pushing a stroller? If you are a parent who wants to hit your step goal but still enjoy taking your toddler out for a walk in their stroller, then you’ve probably asked yourself this question many times.

Well, you’re in luck. In this piece, we are going to share with you a list of some of the best fitness trackers that can help you monitor your daily steps as you navigate everyday life with your baby stroller.

We’ll also break down what to look for when selecting a fitness tracker for pushing a baby stroller. Here are the top fitness trackers for pushing a stroller.

1. Apple Watch Series 5

Does Apple watch track steps when pushing a stroller? If you asked us this question before the release of Apple Watch Series 5, we’d have said no. But it seems Apple noted their watches were not tracking steps when one is not moving their arms.

They worked hard to correct the mistake. Now, the new Apple watch count steps while pushing a stroller. It’ll do so without fail even if you are not moving your hands. Apart from tracking steps, this apple watch comes with powerful sensors that can track your heart rate, sleep pattern, weight, and calories.

But that’s not all. This unit can monitor the noise level around you and let you know if the level can impact your hearing. It can also track your breathing.

What we liked more about this watch is the fact that it can alert you if it detects a health problem (be it a breathing complication, low or high heart rate, you name it). And did we mention that it’ll detect these problems even when you don’t experience any symptoms? Yep! It’s that good.

The most controversial thing about the Apple Watch Series 5 is its price. The unit is a bit too pricey compared to other premium fitness watches. Also, it doesn’t pair with non-Apple devices. Overall, however, this device is worth every penny.

Design

There’s nothing much to say about the series 5’s design. The watch still looks like its predecessors, notably the series 3 and 4.

With that said, the watch still looks great. In fact, we can confidently say it ranks among the top ten best-looking watches out there. Its design is uniquely-luxurious.

The display is a killer. Unlike the displays on previous apple watches, the series 5’s display is always on. An always-on display is great, but it makes our battery drain quickly. The display can also adjust its lights, enabling you to use it even in direct sunlight.

Battery

Before we tested this apple watch, we were somehow sure that the battery would be great. Part of the reason why we had positive expectations is that all the apple watch that we had tested had great batteries. But this time around, the battery life was good but not as impressive as series 3 and series 4.

Pros

• Great user interface and viewing experience
• Always-on display
• Advanced monitors and data presentation
• Unique design

Cons

• Expensive
• Only syncs with Apple devices and Apple store apps

2. The Garmin Forerunner 45

While most of the wrist fitness trackers that we tested had some shortcomings when monitoring steps as one pushes a stroller, the Garmin Forerunner 45 counted all the steps accurately –without fail.

You will not experience the problem of Garmin not counting steps when pushing the stroller. This is a thing of the past. So how does it work? How does pushing a stroller track steps? From what we gathered, the technology in this bad boy does not rely on arm swinging or running movement to log in your steps.

So, if your stroller requires two hands for operation and are looking for a wrist fitness tracker that will count your steps even when your hands are not moving, invest in Garmin Forerunner 45.

In addition to logging all of your walk data, this Garmin unit also comes with a heart and sleep rate monitor that you can use to monitor the heart’s health and sleeping pattern.

We did not like the user interface of this watch; it was a bit unfriendly and was sometimes challenging to navigate. The unit also doesn’t sync with third-party apps. That said, we were amazed at how effective and efficient it’s tracking and data analyzing tech is.

Design

When designing Garmin Forerunner 45, Garmin was aiming for a design that speaks of elegance and stylishness. And, you guessed it right, they achieved the goal.

We can confirm that this watch is utterly striking to look at. The watch is lightweight and doesn’t feel- overly big. The bands also look good, but are not interchangeable.

The display is also great. The viewing experience is clear, sharp, and stable. Scrolling through the watch also feels fluid and silky. The display is also visible even in direct sunlight.

Battery

The Garmin Forerunner 45 can deliver a 1-week battery life. No bones about it: That’s a lot! But keep in mind that how long the battery lasts will depend on your settings and usability. When you buy it, be sure to adopt good battery life practices.

Pros

• Capable of monitoring steps without relying on arm movement/activity
• Impressive battery life
• More than a step tracker. It can track your heart, sleep, and other workouts
• Value for money

Cons

• The user interface can be better
• Lack of third-party app support

3. Fitbit One Wireless Activity Plus

If you are looking for a Fitbit fitness tracker that is small, easy to wear and hide, and lightweight, you can never go wrong with Fitbit One.

This unit also happens to utilize the most up-to-date Fitbit fitness tech. We’ve spent the last few weeks testing this unit while using a stroller. And the fact that it appears in this list means that were impressed.

But before we jump into the details, here’s a little confession: Fitbit One’s minimalist design and look made us doubt its capabilities, but it turns out our judgment was wrong. Advice: looks can be deceiving; don’t let minimalist design stop you from trying it.

This Fitbit comes with a powerful sensor that can monitor and record steps (even when your arms are not active), distance flight of stairs, and sleep. It also comes with monitors that can track your calories. What’s more, it has silent alarms that you can set to alert or wake you up.

While we found this fitness tracker useful and easy to operate, its small size makes it easy for the user to misplace or lose it. We almost lost one unit when conducting tests in the field. If you buy this unit, make sure you wear it correctly and keep it safe and easy to remember the place once you take it off.

The unit also does not track speed. This incapability means you’ll have some small gaps in your health data. These gaps, however, are unlikely to prevent you from achieving your fitness goals.

Design

The build quality makes it water and dustproof. It’s also resistant to wear and tear. It has an OLED display and comes with a replaceable silicone sleeve. Its design makes it easy for you to put or clip it anywhere on your body. You can put it in your pocket or clip it to your belt, bra, etc.

Battery

This unit boasts a rechargeable battery that comfortably provides a whooping 14-day usage. To recharge it, all you need to do is to connect it to your computer using the provided cable.

Pros

• Accurately tracks steps when pushing a stroller
• Can track sleep and calories
• Lightweight
• Easy to use

Cons

• Can’t sync with android devices
• Easy to misplace or lose
• Doesn’t track heart rates

4. Fitbit Zip

Does Fitbit work when pushing a stroller? Yes, there are many versions of Fitbits that count steps when one is pushing a baby stroller. If you are looking for a non-wrist fitness tracker that is affordable and has awe-inspiring, all-around performance, then you’ll fall in love with Fitbit Zip.

This unit is tiny and will discreetly track your daily walk and other workouts with awe-inspiring accuracy.

The tracker can also track your calories and distance traveled. It doesn’t track heart metrics. The data is not sophisticated, but it’ll give you enough info that can help enhance your overall health.

Design

The design is minimalist. The build quality makes it resistant to dust and debris. It’s also resistant to wear and tear. There’s nothing special about this unit’s display, though.

Battery

The battery is replaceable, and there is an LCD indicator to alert the user whenever the battery needs to be changed.

Pro

• Wallet-friendly and super accurate
• Long battery life
• Easy to use and wear

Cons

• Easy to lose or misplace
• Doesn’t track heart rate sleep or stairs climbed
• Basic design and features

5. Fitbit Versa

If you’re looking for a wrist Fitbit fitness tracker that is lighter than other Fitbit trackers, wallet-friendly, and well-designed, you can never go wrong with the Fitbit Versa.

But wait; does the Fitbit Versa count steps when pushing a stroller? Yes, it does. But not all the time. You might be forced to move your arms as you push the stroller for it to detect and log in your walks correctly.

The reason is that, like most Fitbit wrist trackers, Fitbit Versa relies mostly on arm movement to track steps and speed. When pushing a stroller that requires two hands to operate, your hands won’t be moving. And this means the device may have difficulties tracking your steps.

Luckily, we discovered that this is a minor issue that can be solved using either of the following tips: Making sure one of your arms is moving while pushing or putting your Fitbit in your pocket whenever you’re pushing a stroller.

In addition to counting your daily walks, the Fitbit Versa can also keep track of your heart rate, calories, sleep, and breathing. What really took us by surprise, though, was the fact that this unit can track swim workout. That’s really impressive. Not many smartwatches have this capability.

Design

This Fitbit has a design that feels more friendly than previous Fitbit fitness trackers. The design also makes it one of the most comfortable everyday wrist fitness trackers to wear. Trust us; you’ll feel comfortable wearing it, whether you have a small or large wrist.

While the material used to make this unit make it lightweight, it also makes it feel cheap. The display shows precise details in direct sunlight and water.

Battery

The battery is good but falls short of other trackers in the same category. What we liked about the battery is that it can be brought from low to full in an hour or less. This is great; some Fitbits take long to be fully charged.

Pros

• Lightweight
• Wallet-friendly
• Friendly and practical design
• High tracking accuracy

Cons

• Doesn’t function correctly sometimes
• Battery life not as impressive as other premium Fitbits

6. The Fitbit Charge 3 Pushing Stroller

The stylish and futuristic large screen is the first thing you’ll notice about, but there are more reasons to get excited about this Fitbit smartwatch.

For starters, the device utilizes the most recent Fitbit tracking technology. This enables it to track steps, calories, heart rates, sleep, swimming, workouts, and weight more accurately and in real-time.

The bands are interchangeable, but interchanging them can sometimes be a nightmare. They are also made of a material that makes the watch look cheap. But that’s okay because the unit has great performance and comes with advanced health-tracking capabilities.

Design

This Fitbit is thin and feels comfortable and less chunky when you wear it. The display is larger than the Charge 2’s display. This makes the viewing experience clearer and more immersive.

What we did not like about the Charge 3’s display is that it sometimes took too long to detect touch.

Battery

When Fitbit launched this smartwatch, they claimed that its battery could last for up to seven days, and like most people, we thought it was just a marketing gimmick. It turns out that they were telling the truth. The battery in our Charge 3 lasted for 6 days. The battery also only takes 50 minutes to charge fully.

Pros

• Entry-level price
• The display is easy to read even in direct sunlight
• User-friendly and easy to use
• Impressive accuracy
• Solid and good-looking design

Cons

• Replacing the bands can be frustrating
• The software feels somehow basic compared to competitors

7. Samsung Galaxy Watch

If you are looking for a stylish fitness tracker that works perfectly with android phones and features a premium design and functionality, Samsung Galaxy Watch is what you need.

You may have heard user complaints that Samsung watch does not count steps when pushing a stroller, and you may have some doubts about the performance of this unit. But take it from us, after vigorous testing, we can assure you that this Samsung unit works like magic when one is pushing a stroller.

The smartwatch boasts of advanced, sophisticated tracking sensors that can track your steps, whether your arms are moving or not. Also, like most premium smartwatches, this unit can monitor heart rates, sleep patterns, calories, and more.

The watch comes with a Samsung OS, which feels different and may take you a while to get used to. The OS works perfectly with most android phones. We noted that some third-party apps are not compatible with this Samsung. This is the best fitness tracker for android users and Samsung enthusiasts.

Design

The design is simple yet futuristic and luxurious. It also comes with a large display for effortless viewing and menu navigation. The touch sensitivity is great.

Battery

The battery in our Samsung Galaxy Watch lasted for 3 days. What’s even more impressive is that it took only 45 minutes to charge the battery fully.  There are only a few premium smartwatches out there that can compete with Samsung’s battery.

Pro

• Great battery life
• User-friendly and easy to use
• Advanced tracking tech

Cons

• Pricy
• Not compatible with some third-party apps

How to Choose the Best Fitness Tracker for Pushing a Stroller

What should you look for when choosing a fitness tracker for pushing a baby stroller? Selecting the best tracker for you can be an overwhelming task. But worry not. Here’s a guide that will help you make the right choice.

1. Display

Make sure the fitness tracker you choose has a display that is bright enough for you to see while working-out outdoors. Consider the size of the screen too. The size should neither be overly big nor too small. Also, make sure the view experience is clear and comfortable.

2. Brand

The brand is another important factor you should consider when choosing a tracker for pushing a stroller. Make sure the brand behind the device you buy is reputable and known for high-quality accessories.

Review websites can help you know if the fitness manufacturer makes quality products or not. So be sure to conduct thorough online research before you add an item to your cart.

3. Battery

Be sure to buy a tracker that has great battery life. Take time to read the battery details before you buy a fitness tracker. But don’t stop there. Read online reviews to find out what previous customers say about the device’s battery. If the reviews are positive, this is a sign that the device has an excellent battery life and will not disappoint you.

4. Price

Price should not be the deal-breaker when choosing a tracker for pushing a stroller. Avoid cheap devices; most of them are usually made using substandard materials, and they are never accurate.

5. UI and Overall Experience

Before you buy a fitness tracker, find out what people say about its user interface and overall experience when using it. Whether on your phone or the web, the UI and device’s apps should be easy to use. The data collected should also be easy to understand.

Choosing the best fitness tracker for pushing a stroller is not easy. It is challenging and consuming. Luckily, the guide we have provided above can help you make the right choice. Be sure to keep in mind when you go looking for a fitness tracker.