If the buyer wants every item in the package and the overall price is cheaper than purchasing each item individually, the answer is almost always yes. If the targeted buyer doesn't need or appreciate everything in the package, however, the answers will be mixed.
The Under Armour Health Box is the first of its kind. The 3-in-1 package deal—which sells for $400—groups together three popular fitness accessories. All products are synced with the UA Record app to provide an all-encompassing health monitoring system.
We tried out the HealthBox over a span of several weeks. Here are our thoughts:
UA Band
1 of 5
If you've used an activity tracker before, it won't take long to figure out the UA Band.
Designed by HTC, this easy-to-use activity tracker can now be purchased individually for $180. It has a low profile and a small, one-line OLED touch screen. The screen shows the time and your activity, sleep and resting heart rate (active heart rate can only be tracked when you're wearing the heart rate monitor chest strap).
The band can control music from your smartphone and provide calendar, text and call notifications. It's water resistant to 65 feet, so it's safe to wear in the pool or shower. It's advertised to last five days when fully charged, and we found this to hold true.
We were pleased with the overall accuracy of the band when it came to tracking steps and alternate forms of activity, although it would be nice to have an automated system rather than one that requires you to choose running, biking, weightlifting or walking before doing each. On the contrary, the automatic sleep tracking was great, as it can be difficult to remember to press a button before dozing off and again when waking up.
UA Heart Rate Monitor
2 of 5
Wearing a heart rate chest strap isn't the most comfortable or convenient option, and it's not the most necessary piece of equipment for casual exercisers, but it's proven to be the most accurate.
The UA Heart Rate Monitor is fairly similar to most other chest straps. Unlike the others, though, it features an LED light that changes color depending on what zone your heart rate is in. This was a cool idea, but when you're wearing a shirt at the gym or on a run—which most people do—you don't want to have to keep looking underneath it.
When we synced the monitor with the UA Band, it provided what appeared to be very accurate heart rate tracking. We'd still prefer to avoid the monitor all together and receive accurate readings from the band on our wrist, but until that technology improves, this gets the job done for those who need it.
UA Scale
3 of 5
With a sleek design from HTC featuring black glass and LED readings, the UA Scale looks like something from the future.
The scale, which is about 14 inches across (you'll need some floor space), measures weight and body fat percentage. It was fairly easy to set up and sync with the app—no wires or plugs needed.
As a bonus, the scale can recognize up to eight users, and it's auto-recognition technology allows everyone to step on board without adjusting anything. If you have four people using it twice a day, it's advertised to offer five months of battery life (uses four AA batteries).
Overall
4 of 5
If you're in need of a boost to reach your health and fitness goals, and if you have the time and effort to master and utilize each of the three gadgets within the Under Armour HealthBox, the investment is worth it.
Do any of the following apply to you?
• You don't feel the need to track your steps
• You don't like wearing activity trackers on your wrist
• You don't plan on using the heart rate monitor
• You don't like wearing chest strap heart rate monitors
• You don't feel the need to track your weight or body fat percentage
If so, you may want to consider other options, or consider purchasing one of the items individually.
Overall, the software and technology within the connected fitness system is somewhat revolutionary, and the smartphone app that presents everything is impressive. The products in the package are great, but the price tag is a bit steep.
The bundle only saves you about $40 as opposed to buying all three items individually, and this doesn't feel like much of a bargain. What is a bargain, however, is investing a few hundred dollars into something that can make a positive impact on your health and overall well-being if you put in the necessary time and effort.
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