It's not vaporware - it's the Misfit Vapor X

I’ve reviewed a number of fitness and smart watches over the years (in fact, I’ve got Polar’s latest in the works for a review), but Misfit is a brand I’ve just not managed to get a hold of. Will that change? Time will tell. However, if you want to get your hands on their latest, the Misfit Vapor X is currently up at a discount.

On it’s surface, the Misfit Vapor X is actually a watch I’d normally want nothing to do with. Sure, it’s running Google’s Wear OS, and it’s got a super lightweight aluminum alloy case and a new “sport” strap. But at the end of the day, it’s a smart watch, and that’s something I’ve simply not found a use case for in my day to day routine. I wear a regular “dumb” watch daily, but smart watches just haven’t felt like a smart choice for me. However, you throw a heart rate monitor in the mix, then things get a bit different.

With HR detection, the Misfit Vapor X moves from just being a smart watch with some activity tracking to something that you could use to work out with, and (ostensibly) get some more accurate sleep tracking on. Fitness watches are an area I’m keenly interested in, as I’ve been using one at the gym 4-5 days per week for a few years now. Sure, I’m not training for anything specific (other than general health) but it’s nice to know how hard I’ve worked.

The Misfit Vapor X also brings the capability to play music without needing a phone, so that’s one less thing to carry during your workout at the gym (or if you go out for a run). This seems clever, and I’m wondering how much I’d make use of it (since gym time these days is most often podcast catchup time). Still, all of this makes the watch feel like it’s more fitness capable.

Unlike a watch that is fitness first (and happens to have some notifications via a bluetooth lashup), battery life is, well, what we’ve come to expect from a smart watch. The Misfit Vapor X claims a few battery saving modes, but most prominently calls out a 24-hour battery life. If you’re using it just to work out (and you can actually turn the watch off) then you’d easily get several days out of it between charges. If you wanted to use it on an extended trip, though, well, bring that charger along. MSRP on the Misfit Vapor X is $279.99 but currently has an asking price of just $199.99. That’s not bad in the realm of smart watches, but is a harder sell in the world of workout-specific watches. That said, we’re reaching out to the brand to see if we can’t get a loaner in to see if they’ll change my mind. misfit.com

Watch Overview

Brand & Model: Misfit Vapor X

Price: MSRP is $280, but currently is sitting at $200
Who we think it might be for: You’re into smart watches, and want something more than basic fitness tracking
Would I buy one for myself based on what I?ve seen? On the fence, but leaning towards no, simply because I don’t see a good use for smart watches in my life

If I could make one design suggestion, it would be: After battery life, I’d say don’t be afraid to pump that water resistance up
What spoke to me the most about this watch: It’s a clean design, and sounds like it’s fairly lightweight

Tech Specs from Misfit

CASE SIZE: 42mm

DISPLAY: 1.2″ full round AMOLED display, 328 pixels per inch
HARDWARE
- Qualcomm? Snapdragon Wear? 3100 Platform
- Accelerometer
- Altimeter
- Gyroscope
- Microphone
- Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Connectivity
- Features Sport Strap+

STORAGE & MEMORY
- 4GB of storage
- 512MB memory (RAM)

BATTERY
- 24+ hours battery life + 2 additional days in battery saving mode
- Magnetic charger with pin
- 300 / 330 mAh battery power
- Charges to 80% in 50 minutes
SWIMPROOF: Water resistant up to 30M + 10k stroke swim test (ok for shallow swimming)