Misfit Ray review: This fitness band looks like a bracelet, but trades function

Posted by Ava Ashley on August 21st, 2017

I could tell the Misfit Ray was gonna be trouble when I couldn’t figure out how to turn it on.

Misfit is taking slim and sleek fitness bracelet trackers to the next level with the newest addition the lineup, the 0 Ray. The band resembles a futuristic androgynous fitness bracelet and doesn’t have a screen, which is why I couldn’t figure out exactly how this activity tracker that doesn’t look like an activity tracker was going to track my activity. The smart part of this fitness bracelet is an aluminum cylinder, which comes in black or rose gold. It's also detachable from its band, as I soon learned.

After trying in vain to pair the Bluetooth Ray to my phone, I realized I was missing something: batteries. Three tiny button cell batteries were buried in the Ray’s packaging, when I stupidly thought they were already placed inside the device. Batteries in hand, I stared at the band. How do I get these little coins inside this little fitness bracelet?

One video tutorial later, I was in business. The Ray was flashing its joyful, multicolored LED light at me, and the thought of using this fitness bracelet to track my activity and sleep for eight months without having to charge it because the last thing I need is another proprietary charger should have put me in a cheerful mood.

But the irritations continued. I’ll get to those in a minute.                             

As far as undercover activity trackers go, the Ray is definitely more subtle than the Fitbits and Jawbones of the world. But sacrificing accuracy for the sake of style just leads to irritation.

I prefer the subtlety of fitness bracelet bands that look like analog watches the Withings Activité Steel is a particular favorite of mine. A useful fitness braclet tracker shows you your progress with just a glance at your wrist. If it tells the time,even better. A vibrating alarm and text notifications are the organic cherries on top of a super-healthy sundae made with frozen yogurt instead of good ice cream.

I get what Misfit is going for. I just don’t think the Ray is the best 0 activity tracker on the market not even for the style-conscious.

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