The Best and Worst Fitness Products of 2018

Fitness products in 2018 can do some pretty incredible things, like detect when you've fallen or give you an electrocardiogram. Unfortunately, the industry has yet to create a product that exercises for you. From headphones that improve your running form to Bluetooth-equipped swimsuits, we've compiled some of the best (and worst) new fitness products of the past year.

Looking for a simple, inexpensive piece of wearable tech to supplement your workouts? Check out the Xiaomi Mi Band 3, a waterproof watch that can track metrics like sleep patterns, heart rate, steps, distance, pace, and calories burned for less than $40.

Transportation system. Portable gym. Bowflex on wheels. These are all words that could describe The Frog, billed on Amazon as "The Next Big Thing in Fitness." But if there's one word that best characterizes this eccentric fitness product, it's "expensive." You might be able to get toned abs and a decent workout using The Frog, but you could achieve those same effects for much less than $1,500 — in fact, you could do that for free. The one-star reviews aren't encouraging, either.

Fitbit released its Charge 3 in October to generally positive reviews. The newest model in the Fitbit family is thinner and lighter, and it features a larger screen, a faster processor, and improved waterproofing. If you want to get into wearable tech through a reputable brand but don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on the Apple Watch Series 4, the Fitbit Charge 3 ($129 on Amazon) is a great option.

In March, Kylie Jenner took to Instagram to endorse a waist trainer product designed to help new mothers "snap back" into slimmer shape. Many fans responded negatively, partly because there's no evidence showing these expensive, corset-like products help people lose weight or do anything besides slightly change body shape in the short term. Waist Gang Society stops short of making such claims, but wrote on Instagram that its products can help "target every troubled area" of the body.

This pair of wireless headphones only plays music and phone calls in high fidelity, but also features a digital coach that puts personalized running advice directly into your ears. The headphones have built-in sensors that monitor your speed, step length and width, vertical oscillation, head tilt angle, consistency, and balance. For $112, these sweat-proof headphones are reasonably priced, especially if you could use some tips on your running form.

With the Spire Health Tag, you can track your workouts, sleep, and even stress levels with a tiny device that discreetly attaches to your clothing or undergarments. It's a great option for those who want to monitor their activity and receive personalized tips, without having to wear (or remember to charge) a clunky fitness band. A single stick-on tracker costs $49, while a three-pack costs $129. And in early 2018, Spire announced a partnership with Swim.com to soon offer swimmers the ability to permanently add a tracker to their swimsuit to track their workouts.

Once best known for its ski machines, NordicTrack has been one of the world's top sellers of treadmills since the late 1990s. In 2018, the Utah-based company released its Commercial 1750 treadmill, which features a foldable frame, incline and decline options, and 38 pre-programmed workouts. At about $1,500, it's hard to find a better option in the mid-priced category.

One of the year's most anticipated releases in wearable tech, the Apple Watch Series 4 improves upon past models with a larger screen, a faster 64-bit dual-core processor, improved cellular reception, louder speakers, and a slimmer body. There are drawbacks, however — battery life won't last over two days, and watch face options are limited. Still, this health-focused smartwatch can detect when a person slips, falls, or trips, and it will eventually be able to provide users with electrocardiograms. Apple offers two versions of the Series 4: GPS ($399) and GPS with cellular capability ($499).

Asics' 20th edition of the Gel-Cumulus road-running shoe features a lighter weight, more breathable upper, and a comfy FlyteFoam midsole, bringing a functional makeover to this long-standing favorite. With a price tag of about $120, the Gel-Cumulus 20 is a reasonably-priced option from one of the industry's most trusted names in running shoes.

Coros, a leading manufacturer of smart bike helmets, made headlines in 2016 with its Bluetooth-equipped Coros Linx bike helmet, which used bone-conduction technology to deliver audio through vibrations that pass through the user's cranial bones. The company's new SafeSound helmets replace that bone conduction technology with what it calls an Ear Opening Sound System that allows bikers to play music and take phone calls, all while keeping the ear canal open to hear important traffic noises. Bikers can control audio functions with a wireless mounted remote.

This new product from ProSource might not be radically different from other foam rollers, which promise relief from muscle pain through self-myofascial release. But this reasonably priced roller ($35) distinguishes itself with its ability to convert into two sizes and its flexible, hexagonal bumps that ProSource Premium says are designed to target "trigger points" in your muscles. It can also be used as a long roller or conveniently twisted apart to become two short rollers for targeting specific areas or for travel.