The AXTRO Fit 2 is the latest next-generation fitness tracker developed in collaboration with the Singapore Health Promotion Board for the upcoming National Steps Challenge™ Season 5, which officially kicks off on 26th October.

Originally launched in 2015, the National Steps Challenge  aims to get all Singaporeans walking their way to health, whilst having a chance to win attractive prizes such as Business Class air tickets.

And touted as being bigger than ever, the AXTRO Fit 2 is an all-day fitness tracker with continuous, wrist-based heart-rate tracking, step counting and workout mode to keep track of your fitness goals.

Received the AXTRO Fit 2 Tracker

I received a unit of the AXTRO Fit 2 tracker, which I have been using over the past few days.

Appearance and features of the device

The tracker is packaged in a simple-looking white box, with the official logo of the National Steps Challenge printed on it. Inside the box, there is an instruction manual, a charging cable, and the tracker itself.

The AXTRO Fit 2, by default, comes in black colour. It is also quite slim, meaning that it does not look chunky on slim-built Asian wrists.

And when I switch the device on, the first thing that greets me is a colourful screen on which shows the time, date, battery life and Bluetooth connectivity.

The time screen has two versions, a digital and analogue one, so you can take your pick on how you want the time to be shown.

As well, three more screens can be accessed via swiping right, and the are the steps counter screen, the workout screen and a product copyright screen. 

I would have actually preferred a separate heart-rate screen, but unfortunately it seems as though this feature can only be accessed by turning on the Workout mode of the tracker.

Not as intuitive as I hoped

Though the AXTRO Fit 2 is supposed to be touch-screen sensitive, I felt that it is not very intuitive, and that  quite often, I have to tap on the screen a few times before the device responds to my touch.

The AXTRO Fit 2 syncs to the Health Promotion Board’s Healthy365 app. It is very easy and fuss-free to sync, simply by picking the “AXTRO Fit 2” tracker under the App Settings.

Steps counter and accuracy

I have been using the tracker for the past few days to log my daily steps, and I find that the steps counter is not the most accurate. The AXTRO Fit 2 clocks 20 percent less steps as compared to my everyday tracker. 

For example, when my normal fitness tracker had hit 10,100 steps, the AXTRO Fit 2 only clocked in at 8,700 steps. 

This difference appears to be due to differences in the stride length calculated by the tracker, but unfortunately there does not appear to be any way of changing the stride length of the AXTRO Fit 2 tracker.

Little encouragements along the way

But what I do like about the AXTRO Fit 2 is that it encourages the wearer to keep on moving, at 5,000 steps and again at 7,500 steps. This little motivation really does make me want to keep on going.

So as a result, on my off-days from running, I confess to doing things like walking around my block, just to clock more steps, for that added motivation.

I also quickly noticed that the AXTRO Fit 2 has a pre-programmed goal of hitting 10,000 steps each day, by default.

And when you finally do hit 10,000 steps in a day, the tracker celebrates your achievement. The magic number will flash on the screen and the tracker will also vibrate. 

I admit that it was a pleasant surprise when it happened the first time around. Nonetheless, this small addition to the AXTRO Fit 2’s features definitely gives me a feel-good feeling when I achieve the prescribed target.

Typing is counted as steps

I also have to point out that I realised one other thing about the AXTRO Fit 2 tracker – that when I am typing on my laptop with the tracker on my wrist, the tracker counts my hand movements as steps.

Workout Mode feature

The Workout Mode function is quite easy to access. If you want to go for a run or walk, this feature can be activated by pressing and holding the home button for a few seconds. However, the AXTRO Fit 2’s workout feature is inferior to that of a GPS watch. It uses an accelerometer to log your workout. 

So you get to see your steps clocked and your heart rate, but there is no distance measurement due to the lack of a GPS in the device.

I like seeing my heart rate in real time in this mode, though, so that I am able to gauge the level of intensity that I am working out.

As such, the AXTRO Fit 2 is good for casual exercisers, who go for the occasional walk, but if you are an avid runner, then you would be better off with an actual GPS watch instead, for improved accuracy.

Sedentary Reminder

While using the AXTRO Fit 2, I also noticed that the tracker has a “sedentary reminder” feature. This means that if you have been sitting down for a stretch of time, the tracker will tell you to “get moving.” I would say that the reminder comes after approximately an hour of being stationary. 

While I think this is good for the average person as a daily reminder, to get me to say, get up and go for a short walk when I am busy and engrossed in my work, I also feel that it would be good to be able to turn off this feature. 

This is because there are times when I just don’t want to move, such as when I want to relax and recover after a long run session.

Battery Life

The battery life of the AXTRO Fit 2 lasts around seven days, which I think is pretty standard for a fitness tracker. 

With the magnetic charging cable, it is very easy to charge the AXTRO Fit 2 – as compared to the previous iteration of this device by AXTRO Sports.

Where to get the tracker

The AXTRO Fit 2 is available for purchase at S$19 from AXTRO Sports through their online store at https://www.axtrosports.com or by visiting their shop at #02-22 Peninsula Shopping Center.

The tracker will be free for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents who have signed up for Season 5 of the National Steps Challenge and have not received a heart-rate monitoring fitness device during Season 4.

Head to https://www.healthhub.sg/programmes/37/nsc#eligibility for more information on whether you are eligible to receive a free tracker.

As the special fitness tracker designed for this season’s National Steps Challenge, AXTRO Fit 2 will be given out for free exclusively to the Silver Generation, that is, Singaporeans born in or before 1959.