One of the key reasons to own a smartwatch is its use as a fitness tracker. From the Apple Watch to the Moto 360 (and everything in-between), smartwatches come with a range of neat tricks designed to help you train and track your fitness levels. There's just one problem: your wrist isn't necessarily the best place to wear a smartwatch when you're training. Shift is a (currently crowdfunding) attempt to fix that.
Shift is, simply, a wrist strap designed to move your smartwatch into a more sensible position for training. That being the stretch of skin above your index finger and thumb, with your choice of smartwatch orientated diagonally so it's easier to view when active.
Shift, which is made from a combination of silicone rubber and zinc, is designed to work with your body as you put it through its paces. And thanks to a spring pin tool included with the strap, you can swap back to your regular watch strap (supposedly) quickly and easily. Because, let's face it, you're unlikely to want to wear the Shift to a social function.
Shift is compatible with a number of smartwatches and fitness trackers, including the Apple Watch, Moto 360, Gear S2 Classic, Pebble Time (including the new Round version), the Garmin Forerunner and more. Aiding this compatibility is an adjustable strap offering a custom fit around your wrist, and suitability for both right- and left-handers.
EdgeGear is currently seeking to raise US$45,000 via Kickstarter to fund the production of Shift (at the time of publication, it's 95 percent there with 12 days to go). A pledge of $30 is enough to secure you a Shift band if and when the creators deliver on their promises. Should all go to plan, the first run is scheduled to begin shipping in March 2016.
The video below shows the Shift in action, as well as some of the logic behind its design.
Sources: EdgeGear, Kickstarter
