Seemingly everyone was into fitness and wellness during the pandemic, and even now, we see a massive interest in equipment and accessories that help you stay healthy and active. Although we saw a lot more action in the fitness industry using lockdown, the past 12 months haven't been uneventful, as the winners of the fitness categories clearly show.
We tirelessly tested, reviewed and ranked all fitness products in the last years or so to ensure the prestigious T3 Awards 2023, in association with ROG Ally, are given only to the very best companies and products. In this list, you'll find everything from top-rated home gym equipment and performance wearables to blisteringly fast running shoes and pumped-up workout kicks. Congratulations to all winners – you deserve this!
Best Fitness Innovation: Therabody SmartGoggles
The Therabody SmartGoggles are powered by SmartSense Technology and can help you relax and fall asleep almost immediately, which is why we awarded it our best Fitness Innovation award. It's a compact and brilliant relaxation aid with integrated sensors that measure your heart rate and deliver a personalised experience every time.
What we love about SmartGoggles the most is the almost instant effect it has on the body and mind. Just putting the goggles on can help you relax, but applying heat and massage to the tender areas around your eyes will melt away all your worries. It's an amazing product we simply can't stop using!
Read our hands-on experience with Therabody SmartGoogles here.
Best Fitness Innovation Shortlist
Red Paddle Co MSL PACT Inflatable Paddle Board, Huawei Watch D, Tut Trainer 2.0, Withings Body Scan, Therabody SmartGoggles
Highly commended
Red Paddle Co MSL PACT Inflatable Paddle Board and Huawei Watch D
Best Fitness Tracker: Fitbit Sense 2
Last year, we crowned the Whoop 4.0 activity tracker in this category, but this year we're giving the Best Fitness Tracker award to the Fitbit Sense 2. These two wearables are entirely different; Whoop focuses on workout strain measurements, while Fitbit on stress tracking and improving general well-being. And the latter looks pretty handsome, too.
Fitbit improved the physical design as well as the features of the Sense 2. It has a better stress tracking system, a more user-friendly interface, a physical button, and the same handsome design we all admired in the original Sense. Better still, the watch didn't change the features that worked well, including passive activity tracking, sleep tracking, and more.
If you want to know more about your how body and mind work, you can't miss the Fitbit Sense 2. Read our full Fitbit Sense 2 review (the watch is also our top pick for the best Fitbits).
Best Fitness Tracker Shortlist
Huawei Band 7, Huawei Watch Fit 2, OPPO Band 2, Fitbit Sense 2, Polar Ignite 3
Highly commended
Huawei Watch Fit 2
Best Home Gym Equipment: Ergatta Rower
The Ergatta Rower brings an ergonomic angle of friendly competition to an already dynamic exercise – rowing. It packs a lot of value into a surprisingly stowable package, and this is why we think it's the best rowing machine and best home gym equipment right now.
Whether you want to gamify your next cardio routine or simply escape to wayward waterways of the world in a virtual canoe, the cherry-flavoured Ergatta Rower makes an excellent addition to any home gym. Read our full Ergatta Rower review for a deep dive into what makes this the best home gym equipment today.
Best Home Gym Equipment Shortlist
Wahoo Kickr Bike (V1), Technogym Bench, Ergatta Rower, Hydrow Wave, NordicTrack Vault
Highly commended
Hydrow Wave
Best Home Weights: Eleiko Plate Dumbbell
We only recently reviewed the Eleiko Plate Dumbells, but they made a lasting impression on us. These premium home weights are a delight to look at and use, thanks to the sloped, oversized plate design that might seem odd initially, but once you start using the weights, you'll start appreciating them very soon. Premium non-adjustable dumbbells don't get much better than this!
Read our full Eleiko Plate Dumbbell review for more information about why we think this is the Best Home Weight right now.
Best Home Weights Shortlist
Corength CrossTraining Hex Dumbbell, ONNIT Primal kettlebell, GoRuck Sandbag 2.0, Again Faster Black Dynamic Weight Plates, Eleiko Plate Dumbbell
Best Multisport Watch: Garmin Enduro 2
Right now, the Garmin Enduro 2 is the best multisport watch for endurance athletes at any level to track their training. If you take training – especially off-road workouts – seriously and want a wearable that can keep up with you, your best option is the Garmin Enduro 2. Read our full Garmin Enduro 2 review to find out more about one of the best Garmin watches out there.
Best Multisport Watch Shortlist
Amazfit T-Rex 2, Coros Apex 2 Pro, Garmin Enduro 2, Apple Watch Ultra
Highly commended
Coros Apex 2 Pro
Best Running Shoes: Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite
The Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite came out of the blue and went under the radar of most running enthusiasts, despite being a really, really good running shoe. It provides out-of-this-world responsiveness and has a bold design that's not only eye-catching but also works well. We would like more people to try and enjoy the shoes, so we gave it the best running shoes award. Did we mention it's really, really good? Read our full Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite review for more info.
Best Running Shoes Shortlist
Kiprun KD900X, Inov-8 Trailfly G270 V2, The North Face Summit Vectiv 2.0 Pro, Adidas Adizero Prime X Strung, Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite, Saucony Endorphin Elite, Nike Air Zoom Alphafly NEXT% 2
Highly commended
Kiprun KD900X, Adidas Adizero Prime X Strung
Best Running Watch: Garmin Forerunner 965
The Garmin Forerunner 965 is everything we hoped the Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar would be and more. The watch uses the same sensors and has the same features as its predecessor, but it's lighter and thinner, which is ideal for a performance wearable. The titanium bezel is a nice touch, as are the different colourways, allowing people to buy the best Forerunner in colours other than black.
The AMOLED display is bright and responsive, and the glance view is as good as it's always been. If you need an accurate running watch and have enough disposable income to justify the price, the Garmin Forerunner 965 is a must-have.
Read our full Garmin Forerunner 965 review to find out why we think it's the best running watch right now.
Best Running Watch Shortlist
Apple Watch Series 8, Garmin Forerunner 255S, Garmin Forerunner 965, Kiprun GPS 500, Casio G-SQUAD GBD-H2000
Highly commended
Apple Watch Series 8
Best Workout Shoes: Lululemon Chargefeel
The Lululemon Chargefeel could have been at risk of being a ‘jack of all trades and master of none’. Instead, it’s a multi-tasking workhorse that lets you jump, skip, kick, lift, HIIT, lunge, box and sprint your way to fitness.
Best of all, it’s housed in a very stylish package, so it’s easy to understand why the Chargefeel has now become the workout shoe of choice for female fitness editors everywhere who want to look good in the office but also require the ability to attend any kind of workout or running event at a moment’s notice, without having to lug around extra pairs of running and gym shoes in their gym bag.
Read our full Lululemon Chargefeel review to learn more about what we think are the best workout shoes these days.
Best Workout Shoes Shortlist
Reebok Nano X3, Lululemon Chargefeel, Nike Metcon 8, Puma Fuse 2.0, NoBull Trainer+
Highly commended
Reebok Nano X3
Best Fitness Headphones: Jabra Elite 7 Active
Jabra raised the bar even higher of what you should expect from running headphones with the Elite 7 Active. They’re a significant update over the Jabra Elite Active 75t and offer more personalised sound, better fit and even improved call performance thanks to the three-microphone-per-bud setup.
The battery life is also excellent. Taking into account the size of the buds, eight hours of continuous playback is nothing short of awe-inspiring. The case holds another 22 hours of battery life, enabling you to keep the buds and the case charger cable-free – or wireless charging base – for 30 hours. Impressive!
Read our full Jabra Elite 7 Active review or peruse our best running headphones guide for more options.
Best Fitness Headphones Shortlist
Jabra Elite 7 Active, LG Tone Free fit UTF8, Jaybird Vista 2, Sennheiser SPORT True Wireless, Adidas RPT-02 SOL
