The TomTom Spark Cardio + Music is a fitness tracker for just about everyone: Bicyclists, gym rats, runners, and swimmers can all record their workouts and monitor their heart rates with it. But for $249.99, you're paying for more than just the ability to track your trip to the gym—you're also getting the ability to listen to music during your workout without your phone nearby. In addition to a large monochrome display, a lightweight design, and good battery life, the Spark has local storage for your favorite tunes. It's a solid choice if you're looking to seamlessly incorporate music into your workout, though our top activity tracker is still the Fitbit Surge ($234.73 at Amazon) for its robust companion app and its ability to deliver messages and notifications from your smartphone.

Availability Design

There are three models of the TomTom Spark . The base model costs $149.99 and includes fitness tracking and GPS, but lacks the heart rate monitor and music storage. The $199.99 Spark Music includes fitness tracking, GPS, and 3GB of music storage for use with Bluetooth headphones, but no heart rate monitor. I tested the $249.99 TomTom Spark Cardio + Music, which includes fitness tracking, GPS, 3GB of music storage, and a heart rate monitor. All of the trackers are waterproof, and can be submerged up to 130 feet. Color options include combinations of black, blue, pink, purple, or white. Our review model is all-black.

The overall design looks somewhat similar to the Pebble Steel smartwatch, except not as attractive. I had no trouble viewing the bright, 2-inch monochrome LCD outside in direct sunlight. With a 168-by-144 resolution, it looks suitably sharp. And you don't need to keep your eyes glued to it while working out, since it uses small audio and vibration cues to let you know when you've hit your marks. A backlight can help you view it in the dark, but you have to cover the display with your hand to activate it, which isn't convenient.

The tracker weighs just 1.66 ounces and the face measures 2.7 by 1.5 by 0.5 inches (HWD). The strap is made of rubbery silicone that gets sweaty while running or working out, but it's easy to wipe off. It uses a simple, watch-style band for a comfortable, snug fit.

TomTom eschews touch-screen control for one large button below the bezel. It's big, so it's easy to activate even if you're sweaty or wearing gloves. You can click it at the top, bottom, left, or right to navigate your way around the on-screen interface. One press is usually all it takes to change an option, metric, or music track while working out.

The GPS receiver is located behind the button so that it's positioned toward the sky. However, it often took a couple of minutes for it to obtain a signal, which feels like a long time when you're standing in the cold, stretched and ready to run. Once it locked on, the signal was never lost.

The battery lasts about five hours when using GPS, and double that when not. It's designed for marathon runners to complete a race while wearing the tracker. It lasted for about a week on a single charge when used several times for jogging. That's pretty much identical to the Fitbit Surge. You need to use a proprietary cable to charge the Spark, which plugs into a charging point behind the face, within the strap. It's a little awkward, but it gets the job done.

The Spark's design is modular, so you can pop the tracker portion out of the band and lock it onto a flexible bike mount.

Setup, Features, and App

The Spark uses a three-axis accelerometer to measure calories, distance, and steps. You can check these stats on the tracker's display by tapping left on the button, or by syncing it with your smartphone and using the free TomTom MySports app (for devices running Android 4.3 or later, or iOS 7 or later). To pair your device with the Spark you need to turn on Bluetooth, download the app, and choose Pair. Once paired you can check the battery, change the clock to 12- or 24-hour time, set fitness goals, turn the heart rate sensor on or off, switch into airplane mode, and adjust your profile settings (age, gender, weight).

The app's layout is clean and simple, but once you see your data there's not much you can do with it. There are no suggestions or anything in the way of coaching, so you know what to do for your next workout. However, you can hook the Spark up with the TomTom MySports software for Mac and PC, and you can view all of your workout stats, complete with graphics and a map of your cycling or running route.

All of the supported activities—Cycle, Freestyle, Gym, Indoor, Run, Swim, Treadmill—have their own menu where you can customize your goals and settings. For example, you can change your bike's wheel size for cycling, adjust the size of the pool for swimming, and set your goals for distance individually with all the activities. You can also use the Spark as a simple stopwatch, set up certain heart rate zones to stay within while working out, and race against previously logged times.

The GPS accurately tracks your time and distance traveled, though an easier way to check times would be appreciated. You have to start a new session and then press up on the button to view your stats each time.

The heart rate monitor is solid. It automatically monitors your heart rate when working out, but not all the time, like the Fitbit Surge. Accuracy is comparable with the Surge, as well as old-fashioned pulse checks. TomTom offers a heart rate recovery assessment test and score for the end of each workout.

While it's nice to be able to stream music directly from the Spark to a pair of Bluetooth headphones, actually getting your music onto the device is a bit of a hassle. You need to use TomTom's MySports Connect software, which you can download for free on your Mac or PC. But Mac users have to put up with iTunes as a middle-man to funnel music through the MySports Connect app. And PC users aren't allowed to simply drag and drop; you still need to upload files using the TomTom app, making the whole process slower than it needs to be. And music can only be uploaded in the form of playlists, so you can't simply skip through every track you have (unless they're all in one playlist).

That said, sound quality over a pair of connected Bluetooth headphones was solid and the signal was uninterrupted. It's nice to have motivational music without needing to keep your phone nearby (especially when swimming), though the chimes to let you know you've reached a goal could stand to be a bit louder.

From left to right: Microsoft Band 2, TomTom Spark, Fitbit Surge

Conclusions

The TomTom Spark Cardio + Music fitness tracker is a good choice for music-minded fitness buffs, and its waterproof design makes it safe for swimmers. But $250 is a lot to spend on a fitness tracker (especially when there are very solid low-cost options like the $20 Misfit Flash Link ($58.13 at Amazon UK) available). And for the price, we prefer the Fitbit Surge. It offers continuous heart rate monitoring, a superior app, and call and text notifications. It's our Editors' Choice, and a better option if you're willing to forgo the music support.

Best Fitness Tracker Picks

Further Reading