UWear: a smart sports watch for hikers
Walking in nature is a popular recreational activity which draws millions of Americans into the outdoors each year. Latest statistics show that about a half of those living in the US participated in some sort of hiking activity in 2016.
UWear is a new device that has pretty much everything you would wish for from a hikers watch. It sports an integrated navigation system, 45 days battery life, wrist based heart rate monitor, always on display, real time location monitoring, and various sports modes. You will also find a compass, barometer, altimeter, as well as a thermometer and hygrometer.
Probably the most important feature for hikers is the navigation system. UWear supports three major navigation systems (GPS, GLONASS and BDS), so you can rest assured you will always find your way back, even if your smartphone is not around. The watch marks your starting point and tracks you along your trail loging your distance, speed and pace. It also makes sure you don’t take the same trail over and over again.
As a preventive safety measure, the smart timepiece allows you to share your location with your family and friends in real-time. All they need to do is install the UWear app on their smartphone. This also has a social element to it, as it allows you to share your latest adventure with your loved ones. If something unfortunate does happen, the watch has a built in SOS function which, at the press of a button, sends a distress signal to your chosen contacts.
So you get credit for your efforts, UWear also functions as a standard activity monitor. In addition to your heart rate, it will keep tabs on your steps and calories. Furthermore, you can select from one of ten different sports modes and UWear will measure useful data based on your chosen sport.
And lets not forget the more standard smartphone features. When connected to your smartphone, UWear will dish out notifications on incoming calls, texts and push notifications.
Made from high-performance materials, this hikers’ watch is durable and strong, but at the same time lightweight. It has a water rating of 10 ATM or 100 meters, so you can definitely leave it on when you are on those water trails.
Price: HK$968 and up (equates to around $120 USD)
Funding open:
HK$163,584 pledged of HK$100,000 goal
27 days to go
Estimated delivery: August 2017
View on:
Like this article? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter and never miss out!
Unfortunately, the battery life is misleading. It’s only 45 days if you use it strictly as a watch and none of the navigation and communication features. I was close to funding it until it was made clear by a follow up to a question answered by the designer.