7 Fitness Gadgets Worth Buying… And 3 That Aren’t (Personal Trainer’s Opinion)
Over the last decade or so there has been a sharp increase in the amount of accessories you can buy for your training. In this post, I’m going to show you 7 fitness gadgets worth buying, and 3 that aren’t.
Like any industry that grows in popularity, there are lots of people who will jump on the train, trying to sell accessory equipment. The problem is, a lot of it is just useless junk, serving no real benefit. In this post, I’ll show you where you can save your money and where you should consider making an investment.
Fitness Gadgets Worth Buying
We’ll start with the good fitness gadgets on the market. These are the fitness accessories that offer real benefit to the user. They’ll vary in price, but they’re the equipment with a genuine use case.
Heart rate monitor
If you’re a regular reader of my fitness blog, you’ll know that I’m a big fan of heart rate monitors. I’ve used them for years, I’ve recommended them to thousands of people and I don’t see a day where I won’t use one myself.
In the list of fitness gadgets worth buying, they’re a complete winner.
Whether you’re a runner/cyclist and you want to track times and distances, a CrossFitter/HYROXer and want to track heart rate and recovery periods, or you’re simply a general exerciser and want to keep track of your activity levels, there’s no better way than a heart rate monitor.
I’m currently using a Polar Grit X (read my review of it here), but I’ve used different models over the years. As well as being great for tracking your training, they’re also a useful tool for monitoring daily calorie expenditure, which is super helpful for anyone trying to lose weight.
Lifting Straps
These are a little more advanced, but they’re super cheap and really helpful for anyone who is strength training.
The idea behind lifting straps is that they help you to lift a weight, when your grip is the limiting factor. Take deadlifts for example. You might be physically capable of lifting a weight, but your grip strength prevents you from doing so.
By using lifting straps, you give your grip a little support. It means you can continue building your strength without being limited by your grip.
Make sure you keep working on your grip strength though – don’t rely solely on lifting straps!
Foam Roller
Whilst many people think of a foam roller as nothing short of a torture device, it’s actually a really useful maintenance tool for your soft tissues.
Regular foam rolling helps to keep your muscles and connective tissues supple. It helps prevent injuries, stimulates blood flow, and prepares your body for exercise. Whilst it’s not a miracle cure for all things soft tissue-related, it’s a useful device when used properly.
The good news is the more you use it, the less painful it becomes!
Infrared Fabric Clothing
These are relatively new to the fitness space. Whilst the technology has been around for a while, the crossover into the mainstream is slow. Frankly though, infrared fabrics could be a literal cheat code.
Put simply, minerals woven into the fabric absorb infrared light waves from the air. They then redirect this into the skin, where it penetrates into the tissues. This stimulates the production of nitric oxide, which in turn increases blood flow. More bloodflow improves tissue recovery, energy production and muscle function.
There’s a significant body of research in support of these claims as well. This study highlights the impact of infrared technology on grip strength, and this one looks at the amount of oxygen uptake in the body during submaximal exercise. Both studies show positive impact of infrared clothing on exercise performance.
I prefer infrared fabrics for the convenience and cheaper cost, but if you have the cash to spend, an infrared device at home can also be useful.
Massage Gun
In general, I think there’s a place for a massage gun. What I don’t like is the idea that they’re marketed as a miracle cure for all things muscle-injury.
Massage guns are a great way to improve localised blood flow, prep tissues for movement and stay on top of minor ailments. What they’re NOT designed to be is a replacement for regular mobility work and full range of motion training. They won’t be a fix for crappy posture and exercise technique over the long term.
If you want to use one as an additional tool to maintain your muscle tissue health, they’re great. Certainly a fitness gadget worth buying.
Weightlifting Shoes
Every sport has specialist footwear, and weightlifting is no different. If you want to optimise your clean, jerk, snatch, squats and presses, you need to wear specialist weightlifting shoes.
Here’s their design, and how they’re different from ‘normal’ gym trainers…
It means that you don’t leak power during the lifts, because there are no soft elements to the shoe. The elevated heel gives you better positioning in the torso, and the flat soles provide you with better ground contact throughout the lift.
For anyone going down the weightlifting route, weightlifting shoes are a fitness gadget worth buying.
Lifting Belt
Lifting belts have earned a bad rep in some quarters of the fitness industry, because occassionally you’ll see people who rely on them all the time. This isn’t what they’re designed for, and it can lead to a longer-term weakness of the core and lower back.
Weightlifting belts are designed to offer lumbar (lower back) support when you’re performing very heavy lifts. They’re not supposed to be used for your curls, lat raises, push-ups, etc. They’re supposed to be used for very heavy (1-3 rep) squats, deadlifts, snatches and clean and jerk.
Used correctly, they’re an excellent training aid. If you use them incorrectly, you risk weakening your lower back and core because the muscles aren’t recruited as effectively. You also risk looking clueless as you walk around the gym, using a belt for your curls. I’m not sure which is worse, frankly.
Fitness Gadgets That Are NOT Worth Buying
Lots of industries have products sold within them that are rather useless. Fitness is no different. Here are three of the common ones that I think you can avoid…
Altitude Training Masks
Around 10 years ago, these exploded in popularity, fuelled by a social media wave. I was sceptical back then, and I’m even more sceptical now.
Essentially, an altitude mask is worn over the face whilst performing cardio. The idea is that it makes breathing more difficult and replicates training at altitude. The theory and the practicality don’t match up though.
Whilst there’s no doubt that the mask makes breathing more difficult, research shows it doesn’t replicate training at altitude. A research study from 2022 noted ‘no improvements in sports performance were observed.’ In their conclusion, the researchers went on to say… “altitude simulation device induces, if at all, a mild hypoxic stimulus that is clearly insufficient to trigger adaptive physiological responses on target organ systems.”
In English, it means that the masks make the workouts harder, but for no obvious major benefit. Save your money and spare yourself the embarrassment of walking around the gym looking like Hannibal Lecter.
Whoop Bands
I can almost hear the sharp intake of breath here, as the Whoop crew prepare to defend their device!
I’ve got nothing against Whoop per se, I think they’re a great tool for monitoring training performance, recovery, calorie burn and the like. The reason I suggest you avoid them is down to their business model.
You can get all of the information your Whoop band reports from a quality heart rate monitor. You also get a watch thrown in, and best of all… NO NEED TO SUBSCRIBE! With Whoop, you’re signing up to a subscription plan, ranging between a starting price of £169/ $169 per year, through to the most expensive plan, which starts at £349/$359 per year.
It’s not that Whoop isn’t good; it’s just that it’s unnecessary. You don’t need to subscribe to get most of the data you’d get from it. It doesn’t tell the time either, so you’d need to wear a watch as well! Whilst it’s a good product, I wouldn’t put it in the list of fitness gadgets worth buying.
Compression Wear
Compression wear was the darling of the sports world about 20 years ago, but it fell in popularity as it became clear that compression garments don’t offer any performance benefits.
There has been a lot of research around compression since the technology became mainstream, and unfortunately for manufacturers of compression garments, it doesn’t make for good reading. A 2025 study titled ‘Do compression garments enhance running performance? An updated systematic review and meta-analysis‘ concluded….
“Data synthesis of current Randomised Controlled Trials offers no updated evidence favouring the support of wearing compression garments during running as a viable strategy for improving running and endurance performance among runners of varying performance levels and types of running races.”
Save your money. Buy infrared garments instead, which actually have a positive body of research recommending it.
Fitness Gadgets Worth Buying – Final Thoughts
In a world where there’s a product for everything, it can be difficult to know what’s worth buying, and what’s not. Hopefully this list will help you to decide which fitness gadgets are worth buying, and put you off others that could just be a waste of money for you!
I put this guide together with over 20 years as a personal trainer, so my opinion on these things is valid. I have experience using every single product in the list, so I can assure you it’s not agenda-driven, it comes from experience and a want to help you make good fitness decisions.
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