Wearable hardware guide

What device should
your team wear?

Vygard runs on three hardware tiers — Apple Watch + Garmin at the premium end, a Mi Band or Polar in the middle, or zero-hardware on the worker's existing iPhone or Android. Below: every device we've tested, plus what we recommend for each of the 12 sectors we serve.

01
Premium

Apple Watch S10/SE, Garmin Instinct 2, Garmin tactix 7, Samsung Galaxy Watch 7. Native HR + fall + SpO₂ + (Apple) chainsaw-cut auto-detect.

02
Mid (BYO-device friendly)

Polar H10, Polar Verity Sense, Wahoo TICKR, Mi Band 9, Amazfit Bip 5, Huawei Band 9. HR streaming via standard BLE — no vendor lock-in.

03
Phone-only

Existing iPhone or Android. Fall detection, voice SOS, GPS, no-movement man-down. No vitals — but the safety net still fires.

Tier 1 · the closing argument

Premium smartwatches

Native sensor stack — HR, fall detect, SpO₂, GPS, multi-day battery on the rugged options. The closing argument for high-risk sectors where vitals matter.

Apple
iOS

Apple Watch Series 10

Killer feature
Chainsaw-cut auto-detect via CoreMotion + HR spike pattern
What Vygard captures
HRSpO₂ECGSkin tempFall detectCrash detectGPS
~18 hours

Best-in-class for forestry — the chainsaw-cut detection algorithm only works on Apple's accelerometer + HealthKit data fusion.

Apple
iOS

Apple Watch SE (2nd gen)

What Vygard captures
HRFall detectCrash detectGPS
~18 hours

Mid-budget Apple option. No SpO₂ or ECG — but fall detection works identically to Series 10.

Garmin
iOS Android

Instinct 2 Solar

Killer feature
Military-grade durability + 28-day battery
What Vygard captures
HRSpO₂GPSAltimeterCompass
28 days (+ solar = unlimited in daylight)

Best for outdoor / off-grid sectors where a daily-charge watch is a non-starter.

Garmin
iOS Android

tactix 7 Pro

Killer feature
Tactical-grade — used by mountain rescue + offshore teams
What Vygard captures
HRSpO₂GPSAltimeterBody BatteryStress
21 days smartwatch / 28 days expedition

Premium option for North Sea offshore + SAR. Not ATEX-certified itself — pair with an IS handset for Zone 1.

Samsung
iOS Android

Galaxy Watch 7

What Vygard captures
HRSpO₂ECGSkin tempFall detectGPS
~40 hours

Best premium option for Android-heavy workforces (most construction + logistics). Some HealthKit-equivalent features need Samsung Health Premium.

Tier 2 · the commercial sweet spot

Mid-tier BLE wearables

Standard BLE Heart Rate Profile means no vendor lock-in — any compliant strap pairs out the box. Bring-your-own-device friendly, ideal for cost-sensitive sectors with large crews.

Polar
iOS Android

H10 chest strap

Killer feature
Gold standard for HR accuracy — used by sports scientists + cardiologists
What Vygard captures
HR (medical-grade accuracy)
400 hours

Uses standard BLE Heart Rate Profile (GATT 180D) — works with any phone, no vendor app needed.

Polar
iOS Android

Verity Sense arm band

Killer feature
No chest strap, no watch — wear above the bicep under a sleeve
What Vygard captures
HR (optical, arm-mounted)
20 hours per charge

Best for workers who can't wear a chest strap (uniforms, scrubs, PPE).

Wahoo
iOS Android

TICKR FIT arm band

What Vygard captures
HR (optical, arm-mounted)
30 hours

Polar Verity alternative. Same BLE HRP standard. Slightly cheaper, broader retailer availability.

Wahoo
iOS Android

TICKR X chest strap

What Vygard captures
HRMotion (cadence, vertical oscillation)
500+ hours

Chest strap with built-in motion tracking — useful when the worker doesn't carry a phone all shift.

Xiaomi
iOS Android

Mi Band 9

Killer feature
Best value on the market — full feature set for £35
What Vygard captures
HRSpO₂SleepStepsStress
~21 days

Requires Mi Fitness app for full sync; basic HR works via standard BLE for Vygard. The cheap-and-cheerful option for cost-sensitive sectors.

Amazfit
iOS Android

Bip 5

What Vygard captures
HRSpO₂GPSSteps
~10 days

Built-in GPS — useful for drivers + collection crews who need route tracking without a phone.

Huawei
iOS Android

Band 9

What Vygard captures
HRSpO₂SleepStress
~14 days

Slimmer than Mi Band, slightly more accurate HR sensor. Comparable price.

Tier 3 · the zero-hardware fallback

Phone-only (no wearable)

Runs on whatever phone the worker already owns. No vitals — but motion, fall detect (iPhone 14+), voice SOS and no-movement man-down all still work.

Apple
iOS

iPhone (any iPhone 6s or later)

Killer feature
Zero hardware cost — works on the device the worker already owns
What Vygard captures
Motion (CoreMotion)Fall detect (iPhone 14+)GPSVoice SOS (wake word)
Same as worker's phone

Best fallback when budget is zero. No vitals (no HR) — but fall detection + voice SOS + man-down via no-movement still fire.

Any Android
Android

Android phone (Android 10+)

What Vygard captures
Motion (Sensor API)GPSVoice SOS
Same as worker's phone

Same fallback story for Android-equipped teams. Fall detection slightly less reliable than iPhone 14+'s dedicated sensor stack.

Per-sector procurement guide

What we recommend for each sector.

Twelve sector packs, three tiers each. Pick the row that matches your industry; we'll quote the exact kit when you book a call.

Care provider

Slim, washable, doesn't trigger client anxiety. Daily-charge OK because the carer is between visits.

Premium
Apple Watch SE (2nd gen)
Apple
Mid
Mi Band 9
Xiaomi
Phone-only
iPhone (any iPhone 6s or later)
Apple

Construction

Survives concrete, drops, paint. Heart rate matters for heat-stress + heart-attack risk on +50 male workforce.

Premium
Galaxy Watch 7
Samsung
Mid
TICKR X chest strap
Wahoo
Phone-only
Android phone (Android 10+)
Any Android

Logistics / driver fleet

Driver fatigue detection (HR variability). GPS for route tracking. Phone in cradle, watch on wrist.

Premium
Apple Watch SE (2nd gen)
Apple
Mid
Bip 5
Amazfit
Phone-only
iPhone (any iPhone 6s or later)
Apple

Security firm

Discreet (not flashing 'I'm a guard'). Long battery for 12h shifts. NFC for patrol checkpoints.

Premium
Instinct 2 Solar
Garmin
Mid
Verity Sense arm band
Polar
Phone-only
Android phone (Android 10+)
Any Android

SAR / Mountain Rescue

Multi-day battery, sunrise/sunset, altimeter + compass, satellite SOS, survives a swim.

Premium
Instinct 2 Solar
Garmin
Mid
H10 chest strap
Polar
Phone-only
iPhone (any iPhone 6s or later)
Apple

Forestry & tree surgery

Chainsaw-cut auto-detection. Survives sap + bark. Fall detection from a climbing harness 12m up.

Premium
Apple Watch Series 10
Apple
Mid
H10 chest strap
Polar
Phone-only
iPhone (any iPhone 6s or later)
Apple

Refuse & waste

Cheap (high crew turnover), survives the dirtiest environment, no daily-charge nag.

Premium
Galaxy Watch 7
Samsung
Mid
Mi Band 9
Xiaomi
Phone-only
Android phone (Android 10+)
Any Android

Elder care tracker

Fall detection (#1 killer for over-65s). One-button SOS the wearer can press without glasses on.

Premium
Apple Watch SE (2nd gen)
Apple
Mid
Mi Band 9
Xiaomi
Phone-only
iPhone (any iPhone 6s or later)
Apple

Oil, gas & petrochemical

ATEX-certified for Zone 1/21. Pair with IS handset (Bartec, Ecom, i.safe). Heat stress index needs skin-temp sensor.

Premium
tactix 7 Pro
Garmin
Mid
TICKR X chest strap
Wahoo
Phone-only
Android phone (Android 10+)
Any Android

Agriculture & farming

Survives livestock, mud, machinery. Multi-day battery — farms have no signal AND no charger to hand.

Premium
Instinct 2 Solar
Garmin
Mid
Mi Band 9
Xiaomi
Phone-only
Android phone (Android 10+)
Any Android

NHS community nursing

Bare-below-elbow compliance (no chest strap). Hospital IT often Android-fleet — but iPhone allowed for personal use.

Premium
Apple Watch SE (2nd gen)
Apple
Mid
Verity Sense arm band
Polar
Phone-only
iPhone (any iPhone 6s or later)
Apple

Field engineers & technicians

Cheap fleet rollout, mixed iOS + Android, swap-friendly. Heart rate optional (low-risk work).

Premium
Galaxy Watch 7
Samsung
Mid
Band 9
Huawei
Phone-only
Android phone (Android 10+)
Any Android
Need help procuring?

We'll quote you a complete hardware bundle.

Tell us crew size + sector + budget — we'll come back inside 24 hours with a costed bundle (devices + charging rack + spare straps + first-year warranty), shippable next-day across the UK.

Frequently asked

Do we have to buy from Vygard?
No. Bring your own — all the mid-tier devices use the standard BLE Heart Rate Profile (GATT 0x180D) so any compliant strap pairs out the box. We can also procure on your behalf if you'd prefer a single invoice + warranty contact.
What about ATEX / IS environments (Zone 1/21)?
Consumer wearables (including Apple Watch) are not ATEX-rated. For oil & gas Zone 1/21 work, pair an intrinsically-safe handset (Bartec Pixavi Impact X, Ecom Smart-Ex 03, i.safe IS530, Aegex 10) with an IS biometric vest (Equivital LifeMonitor, Hexoskin Pro IS). We integrate with those too — see /sectors/petro.
Can workers use their own personal smartwatch?
Yes. If they already own an Apple Watch, Garmin or Samsung Galaxy Watch, Vygard pairs and uses it. Means zero hardware cost for that worker. The dispatcher dashboard treats personal + company-issued devices identically.
What if a device's battery dies mid-shift?
The Vygard platform falls back to the next tier automatically — if the watch goes offline, the phone takes over (motion + GPS + voice). The dispatcher gets a notification that vitals stopped streaming so they know to escalate if no check-in arrives.
What about Android Wear OS smartwatches?
Supported via the Vygard Android app's BLE pairing flow. The Galaxy Watch 7 (Wear OS 5) is the lead-recommended Android smartwatch. Older Wear OS 2 devices may have reduced sensor accuracy.