If you want a scale that tells you more than just your weight, then it’s worth investing in a smart scale. It can give you more information on your body fat percentage, as well as other metrics including your bone mass, protein mass, body water and more.
The FitTrack Dara Smart Body BMI Scale can do all of these things, plus it’s compatible with other fitness apps including Apple Health, Fitbit and Google Fit – and it’s FDA approved. I’ve spent some time with this device to see how it performs in day-to-day use.
Design and build
The FitTrack Dara has a refined and understated design which blends in perfectly with any environment – proving that you don’t need to be out of pocket for a premium design. It’s rather compact which was fine for members of my household, but if you have large feet you may want to consider something bigger.
The scale comes in a choice of two translucent glass colours – white and black – and boasts a square shape with curved edges. Your weight appears at the top, and there’s four silver electrode pads on the scales to indicate where you should place your feet for an accurate reading.
It’s worth noting that this scale is powered by four AAA batteries, so isn’t rechargeable. Nonetheless, you should get a few months’ use out of them. In addition, this scale isn’t suitable for carpets – you’ll need hard floors to get accurate readings. This of course won’t be a problem if you usually keep your scales in the bathroom.
The scale sends a low electrical signal through your body to measure it, which takes around 15 seconds. It connects to your phone via Bluetooth to display the measurements as soon as the reading is complete. There is no Wi-Fi support available.
FitTrack advises that users should board the scale first thing in the morning, and not use them either after just showering or doing vigorous exercise as these things can give you inaccurate results.
Metrics and app
The data recorded on the scales is sent over to the FitTrack Pro app, which is available on iOS and Android. When you first get your scale, connect it to the app via Bluetooth, and then input your weight, age, gender, height and name.
If you’re looking for a large breadth of metrics, this scale is perfect. The app counts a whopping 17 different measurements. There’s rates and mass for your protein, muscle, subcutaneous fat, body water, bone and more – along with the standard weight and BMI levels.
You also have a metabolic age estimate – which measured as my actual age, so no ego boost nor knock for me. Each metric is colour coded to indicate whether the number is low, high or standard, and then you can click on the name of the metric to give a quick summary of what exactly the measurement is.
Whilst the descriptions themselves aren’t the most comprehensive, you can find further information over on the FitTrack website. The history tab compares figures for all the metrics across a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly trajectory to see how these numbers change over time and what your average score is.
You can add up to eight different members of your household to this scale, with profiles on the app. We had no issues switching between each person on the app. There’s also an infant mode, should you want to track the growth of your little ones.
Unfortunately, the scale itself only displays your weight. If you want to see all the extra measurements, you’ll need access to the app. In addition, you need to have the app open before you board to get the full reading.
The scale is FDA approved, and FitTrack claims that research has shown that it “consistently measures +/-3% off from the DEXA scan, the Gold Standard, in measurement.” I would say that readings seemed largely accurate and in line with how I know my own weight fluctuates.
It’s worth pointing out that the measurements used for BMI and weight ranges are not in line with the NHS, which has slightly more lenient boundaries. For example, my BMI according to the app was considered high at 24.1, but on the NHS scale it was in the normal range (high is 24.9 or over).
Whilst the metrics themselves are literally a few pounds difference, it is something to keep in mind.
Price and availability
The FitTrack Dara Smart Body BMI Scale has had an average price of £75/$85 since it first went on sale. However, at the time of writing you can get it for around £49/$79. You can purchase it directly from FitTrack or Amazon in the UK, and FitTrack and Amazon in the US.
This is a competitive price, considering that other scales which offer similar measurements, such as the Withings Body Cardio, cost a lot more. The most similar rival would be the Eufy BodySense Smart Scale, which comes in slightly cheaper, but measures fewer metrics.
You can take a look at further options in our list of the best smart scales right now. We also have similar charts for fitness trackers and running headphones as well.
Verdict
The FitTrack Dara Smart Body BMI Scale offers great accuracy, a vast range of metrics and a refined design, all for a decent price. It does lack the ability to charge, offers no carpet support and the metrics don’t line up with NHS guidelines – however these are minor gripes for what is an extremely fairly priced set of scales.
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