The Basis for Better Fitness (Part 2)

With Basis, you have two options for uploading data: wireless syncing via Bluetooth to the iOS or Android app, or connecting the watch to your computer with the included USB cord. The same USB cable used for syncing doubles as the charger. It’s a proprietary design, though, so if you lose it, you can’t just replace it with any other cord. I tested the iPhone app, but I experienced some trouble syncing, particularly when outdoors and not connected to Wi-Fi.

Out of the box, you’ll need to charge the battery by removing the top wrist strap and sliding the watch into the included plastic cradle, which connects via a USB cord to your computer. During setup, you’ll install software on your machine that uploads data from the watch to your Web account, where you can see your fitness habits over time. You can also sync data via Bluetooth to the mobile app for iPhone and Android, but the Web account is where you’ll see amazingly detailed data.

With Basis, you have two options for uploading data

I found the watch needed a solid two hours of charging about every three days. Given the dimness of the screen, the outlook for better battery life any time soon seems grim. In all fairness, the Basis does a lot of work all day long, using an infrared light to measure your heart rate frequently. Diving into the details of your data, you can analyze metrics about your body down to the minute.

I dislike that Basis doesn’t measure distance the way the Fitbit One does. It’s much harder to verify the number of steps taken because it counts well past 10,000 on most days. But whether the step counts are accurate or not, you quickly learn whether the device gets a consistent baseline for you, and to me, that’s more valuable and meaningful. You get a sense for how many steps you take in an active day, lazy day, high- intensity day, and so forth.

Personal metrics

The online account you use to access your data, MyBasis, shows not just how many steps you’ve taken and other raw metrics, but whether you consistently meet thresholds you set for yourself. In other words, it focuses on habits, rather than numbers or single events. This really sets MyBasis apart from every other fitness dashboard and app I’ve tested.

When it comes to making use of your data, Basis is less concerned with the total number of steps you take in a day and more focused on whether you get enough movement day after day. The way Basis homes in on habits starts out with cards. When you create an online account, the home screen shows a card that challenges you to wear the Basis for at least 12 hours on two days. You can add new, customizable “Habit Cards,” such as Get More Sleep, Don’t Be a Sitter, Run Club (for runners), and Let’s Ride (for cyclists). At first, Basis only lets you have a limited number of cards, but you can unlock more as you meet existing goals. And Basis automatically adjusts your goals every week based on whether or not you reached them.

It focuses on habits, rather than numbers or single events

Poised for perfection

The Basis B1 Band delivers everything I want in personal fitness data reporting and then some. There are a few minor drawbacks: the display, the strap, and the fairly steep price. But Basis has the potential to radically change how other activity trackers handle personal data collection and analysis. Its formula is innovative, inspiring, and downright practical, and its features, mobile apps, and wireless syncing are excellent. For half the cost, many people will be pleased with the Fitbit One or the Withings Pulse, our top two picks for clip-on trackers, and the new $129 Fitbit Force is stellar for anyone who wants a wrist- based tracker, but is on a budget or doesn’t care about 24/7 heart rate data. The Basis is by far the most interesting activity tracker I’ve set sights on yet, and a well-deserved Editors’ Choice.

The Basis B1 Band delivers everything I want in personal fitness data reporting and then some