For the first time in my life, I actually have a monetary incentive to complete my fitness goals. A new health insurance I have taken promises a 30 per cent cashback if I stay active — that is 10,000 steps daily. So I am using all that I can to quantify my activity. Every step counts and I am not taking any chances. And if it comes to counting steps, what could be better than a shoe that can count it for you. The Under Armour HOVR Sonic 2 does just that. The UA HOVR Sonic 2 looks like any other sneaker, but packs in more than just insoles and laces. The design is conventional, but I was impressed by the stiff support it offers the ankle. The shoes are comfortable and have a snug fit all through. It feels like a sturdy pair and not something that is more like a fabric cover for your feet. The shoes need to be paired just once to the Under Armour MapMyRun app on the phone and it remembers the connection from then on. For the first time, in case the phone can’t see the shoe, you just need to tap the right one to initiate pairing. Once paired there is nothing much happening on the shoe. However, smart it might be, it is a show after all. So don’t expect an LED panel to show your step count and calorie burn. All of that happens on the MapMyRun app, which is one of the best fitness apps I have used. On the app, once you start a workout, the app will give you a step count, clock the speed per kilometre and plot your steps on a map using the phone’s GPS. The app also has integrated music, which plays from Apple Music on the iPhone overriding other music apps. The app is also integrated with the Apple Watch a new watch face pops up as soon as you start walking. The app gives realtime audio guidance as you run or walk. For me, a daily walker, the guidance was useful as it gave me my time per kilometre and I was constantly trying to improve it for the next kilometer. And being on the shoe, the tracker is able to give data on strides and cadence which is not possible for wrist bands. The steps/Km data was very useful for me to be faster in my pace and thus burn more calories. At a starting price of Rs 9,999, the Under Armour HOVR Sonic 2 is actually more affordable than a lot of top of the line sneakers. And given that it has the added advantage of being able to track your data, and track it really well, this pair of shoes should appeal to those who lead an active lifestyle and are serious about reaching their fitness goals.
