By the time January 1 rolls around, you’ll need to roll right into your New Year’s resolutions with a clear game plan and the tech necessary to keep you on track. That includes smartwatches, smart rings, smart glasses, and fitness accessories, but also the tech needed for your lifestyle goals related to reading, nutrition, work, and more.
As the site’s resident Wearables lead, eight-time marathoner, and hopeless fitness nerd, I’m someone who takes New Year’s resolutions seriously, using them to stay on task for my running, walking, hiking, steps, strength, cross-training, and weight loss goals. And I’ve reviewed all of the tech necessary to motivate you — and track your progress.
My 2026 New Year’s resolution starter kit is full of devices and apparel that either my colleague or I have used extensively, so we can recommend them wholeheartedly. Here’s where to start with your health and fitness resolutions!
Smartwatches, trackers, & bands
Beginner trackers for basic steps and sleep data
Fitness trackers give you essential health data to stay on task and try to hit 10,000 steps per day, without being too bulky to be comfortable for sleep data! The Inspire 3 unlocks the Fitbit Personal Health Coach, while the Mi Band 10 is newer and subscription-free and the Bip 6 prioritizes a bright 2-inch screen.
Your affordable couch-to-5K running watch companion
You won’t find a better affordable option than the Garmin Forerunner 165, my best running watch pick for its personalized coaching and run recs that help beginners know where to start. The COROS PACE 4 is a fantastic alternative with better battery life and coach-made 5K plans, with the Suunto Run offering similar perks like dual-band GPS and an AMOLED display.
Fitness watches built for hiking, rucking, and camping
You need a rugged, long-lasting fitness watch that’ll survive the wilderness. The COROS NOMAD has a 3-week battery, maps to keep you on trail, and voice notes to document your journey. The military-grade Instinct 3 features a rucking mode with adjustable pack weight and a flashlight, while the Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro is my colleague Nick’s favorite daily watch, boasting maps and sapphire glass.
Watches for gym rats and indoor workouts
Only a few fitness watches will accurately count your gym reps. The Garmin Venu 4 has a built-in Fitness Coach that mixes cardio with strength and bodyweight workouts, plus training load data and animated exercises. The Balance 2 also tracks gym reps with surprising accuracy. While the Pixel Watch 4 doesn’t track reps, it does have Gemini-powered training plans based on your available equipment.
Fitness bands for athletes who already wear a luxury watch
People used to wearing Rolexes can swap to a fitness watch for workouts, then swap back. But if you’re looking for an all-day tracker you can wear on your other wrist, there are a few subtle, screenless options with accurate data. Since Whoop bands require a subscription, I’ll recommend the Polar Loop and Amazfit Helio Strap as more affordable alternatives.
The best tech accessories to augment your training
HR monitors to improve your workout stats
Even the best smartwatch doesn’t always deliver the most accurate HR results. For people who do lots of high-intensity, anaerobic workouts, an arm or chest strap shows your real-time data more accurately, so you avoid pushing too hard as you get back into fitness.
My fiancée and I love the COROS HRM for gym workouts and running, while the Garmin HRM 200 and Polar H10 chest straps are more accurate (though less comfortable).
Smart glasses that sync with your watch or stream your playlist
Smart glasses are a relatively new category, but the Oakley Meta Vanguard and Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) glasses have blown up in popularity: They stream your phone’s music, take photos or videos, answer questions via Meta AI, and read out your live Garmin watch stats like heart rate and pace. As an alternative, ENGO 2 glasses show your live workout stats in a small HUD.
Why buy these? They’ll protect your eyes, sure, but they’ll also keep you motivated, especially the Meta glasses that can document your fitness journey to share with others — keeping yourself accountable!
Workout earbuds to keep you on pace
You may not think you need smart glasses, but the best workout earbuds are essential for keeping you motivated when you’re pushing past your limits. I use these Shokz OpenFit 2 earbuds daily, with rich sound paired with an open-ear design built for safe outdoor use. The Powerbeats Pro 2 also have a hook, but also a proper seal for ANC focus indoors, while TREBLAB earbuds are more budget-friendly.
Smart scales to track your weight loss goals
Weight loss is one of the most common New Year’s resolutions. But it’s not just about losing weight; you also want to track body composition, so you know if you’re losing fat or muscle, as well as hydration levels and other stats.
My scale, the Withings Body Smart, has an Eyes Closed mode that lets you weigh in without showing the data on the scale, perfect for people with weight anxiety. The Wyze Scale Ultra Bodyscan gives you segmented data, showing where your fat is accumulated, while Etekcity is a popular and affordable body comp option.
Smart rings to keep you honest for your sleep goals
Smart rings have some fitness tracking tools, but they’re most useful for sleep data. Whether your goals are for health, fitness, or productivity, you need proper sleep, and rings will track things like sleep debt, nightly stress, and signs of illness. The Oura Ring 4 is the obvious first choice, but for subscription-free options, try a Ringconn Gen 2 or Samsung Galaxy Ring.
Productivity tech to keep you on task
A new e-ink reader to hit your 2026 reading goals…and more
If you’re someone who prefers physical books or free library books, I respect that! An e-ink reader is lighter and easier for travel or a commute, though, and many recent models support productivity software too, so you can use them to stay organized at work or journal your resolutions progress. These picks are some of our favorites, from premium, full-color options to a basic e-reader.
Apparel and at-home workout equipment
At-home gym tech to kickstart your goals
If you’re struggling to get out the door to work out, then remove any excuses and fill your home with workout gear that you can use without wandering out into the cold! From treadmills and weights to jump ropes and massage guns, there’s plenty of gear to help you hit your New Year’s resolutions.
Excellent starter athletic shoes for any athlete
While my focus is wearable tech, I have plenty of recommendations for the apparel and equipment you’ll need to improve as an athlete! For starters, whether you’re planning to run, hike, weightlift, or just walk more than last year, you’ll need strong support to make sure that you don’t hurt yourself! That includes both good shoes and supportive insoles!
