The Mio Fuse is a fitness tracker and training device from Mio Global — a company known for wrist-worn heart-rate monitors — that is very much intended for people who work out. The device includes an optical sensor to measure your heart rate during workouts and will notify you when your heart rate has reached certain “zones.” It also measures your workout’s duration, distance, pace and speed, and even when you are not working up a sweat, it tracks total daily steps and calories burned.
It is a fitness-tracking wristband where heart-rate monitoring is the headline feature. Almost identical setup to the Adidas Mi Fit Smart band which uses the same Mio optical heart rate sensor but you also get daily activity tracking similar to that offered with other trackers available on the market.
Key Features:
- Read EKG-accurate heart rate data, with no chest strap required
- Tracks steps, distance, pace and calories
- Water resistant up to 30m
- Customizable display and heart rate zones
- Syncs heart rate to GPS watches and bike computers via ANT+
- Connects to third party fitness apps
- Provides a comprehensive look at exertion, recovery, and overall fitness performance
- Stores activity data (up to 2 weeks of daily activity and 30 hours of workout data) and wirelessly syncs to Mio GO app
- Full stopwatch functionality with 12-hr or 24-hr time display and chronograph timer
- 6-color LED shows current heart rate zone during workouts and allows customizable vibration and LED alerts
- Includes USB charger with magnetic alignment
- Battery lasts up to 6 – 7 days with 1 hour of heart rate monitoring per day
- Available in two sizes
The Mio Fuse wears like most watch strap. The multitude of sizing holes ensures there is a snug fit for most wrists and adequate ventilation.
To prevent accidental activation of the tracking modes, the Mio Fuse’s touch controls are only active when the tracker is in horizontal position. This plus the screen lock function should suffice to prevent unnecessary battery wastage due to accidental toggling.
To simplify HR training, Mio Global has added a HR indicator light. It is a tiny blip that can be customized to flash every 1 or 2 seconds, or to stay lighted throughout a workout. The HR indicator light only comes on when sports mode is activated.
Touch controls are sensitive but getting the controls right takes practice, especially the main touch control that toggles between all-day and workout mode.
The Mio Fuse is vibration enabled so the user will get a buzz when:
- HR monitoring is commenced
- starting, pausing, resuming, or ending a workout
- entering a new heart rate zone in 5-Zone Mode
- outside target zone in 1-Zone Mode
The Mio Fuse also tells time, distance, calories burned and provides a goal bar to tell the user how far away they are from hitting the daily step goal. Users can access and customize goals and what stats to be displayed on the display.
One thing the Mio Fuse does have over its tracking rivals is that it is water resistant to 30 meters so you can hit the swimming pool and still monitor your heart rate.
Taking care of motion tracking is a 3-axis accelerometer, while on the inside of the strap you will find the Mio heart rate sensor. It is an optical sensor so uses green lights which flash against the skin to detect blood volume and convert that into a BPM (beats per minute) reading.
To view progress, there is a sizeable vertical LED display that is easy to view at night and at day. On either side of display you will find three small dots creating a touch sensitive surface to navigate through on-screen data. Just above the display is another touch sensitive surface which is used to activate the heart rate tracking as well as pause and resume training sessions.
The very best aspects of the Mio Fuse relate to its strengths as a heart rate monitor. The HRM is really only meant to be used while you are working out, although you can flip it on and take your resting heart rate if you so choose. During workouts, however, the Mio Fuse has an indicator light that changes color to show you, out of the corner of your eye, your heart rate zone. For example, if the light flashes blue, you know your heart rate is in the low or “very light” exertion zone, maybe between 91 and 110bpm (you can customize the exact cutoff points). Get your heart pumping a little faster, between 112 and 127bpm, say, and the light changes to green.
Mio Fuse is competitively priced with its closest rivals. With an optical heart rate monitor for training , the device is an excellent activity tracker that is ideal for runners and cyclists. It boasts accurate HR monitoring, throws in step counting, has a vibration function, is waterproof to 30m and is both Bluetooth 4.0 ad ANT+ enabled. There is a lot more that can be done with the vibration functions and accelerometer, though. Perhaps sleep or even vibration alarm for waking could be future functions that can go a long way to getting people to wear the Mio Fuse even longer.
If your biggest concern is measuring heart rate without the chest strap, then Mio Fuse is one of the best for accuracy. The extensive third party app support does not limit possibilities of transferring your data to your preferred platform.
Pictures and product information by manufacturer’s website and available reviews.