Best wearables for dads and grads, May 2015

With graduation, Father's Day, and the upcoming summer months it's the perfect time to consider picking up a new wearable device for your grad or dad.

I've spent time with many wearables over the past year and put together this gallery from the most expensive to the least expensive. While wearables may not be essential, they can serve important functions for many folks. If someone is interested in tracking activity then you will be happy to know that all of these wearables fill that role.

Pros: Excellent hardware, thousands of apps, robust notifications, solid battery life

Cons: Expensive, no integrated GPS receiver

Price: $350 to $10,000

What user is this good for? The user must be an iPhone user for Apple Watch compatibility. For early adopters, those who want to triage notifications and communications while reducing iPhone use, and those who love Apple products.

Pros: Waterproof, integrated GPS and WiFi, two day battery life, standard microUSB to charge

Cons: Limited to Android smartphone connectivity

Price: $249.99

What user is this good for? The Sony SmartWatch 3 is my favorite Android Wear device with all of the advanced connectivity of Android Wear in a waterproof design. Runners will enjoy the ability to track via GPS and listen to music without a phone.

Pros: Comfortable design, week long battery life,  iOS, Android, and Windows Phone connectivity, integrated heart rate monitor

Cons: Limited smartwatch functionality

Price: $249.95

What user is this good for? Fitbit is a standard for daily activity tracking and the Fitbit Surge adds in a GPS receiver for full fitness support. There is an active community of Fitbit users too so you can get motivated by friends and family.

Pros: User customizable, continuous heart rate monitor, integrated GPS receiver, two day battery life, works with iOS, Android, and Windows Phone

Cons: Bit large and rigid for some people, not waterproof

Price: $199.99

What user is this good for? The Microsoft Band is great for those who want one device that provides daily activity tracking, smartwatch functionality, and basic GPS running capability. It is not for the avid marathoner or the runner who spends more than a couple hours on the road.

Pros: Tracks steps, sleep, stairs, and more, robust Fitbit platform with open support for other services, caller ID functionality, one week battery life, integrated heart rate monitor

Cons: No real smartwatch functionality

Price: $149.95

What user is this good for? Fitbit sets the bar for activity tracking and the new Charge HR is one of the best. If you want a more extensive life tracking experience than that provided by Misfit and want heart rate monitoring in a small form factor, then the Fitbit Charge is one to consider

Pebble will soon be launching the new Pebble Time and Pebble Time Steel smartwatches, but those won't hit the streets for a few months. The first generation Pebble is a good choice at a low price.

Pros: Cross platform support for Android and iOS devices. Waterproof, durable, and well designed. Long battery life.

Cons: Monochrome, low resolution display, proprietary charging cable

Price: $99

What user is this good for? Many people do not want to charge up their smartwatch every day and the Pebble lets you go nearly a week between charges. With recent software updates, you can even use it as a basic activity tracker so one wearable can be left behind. The Pebble is a great choice for first time wearable owners.

Pros: Small form factor that can be discretely mounted or worn on a watch band, long battery life, multiple color options, capability to monitor sleep without any user interaction

Cons: None for the intended purpose

Price: $49.99

What user is this good for? The Misfit Flash is a great device for a dad or grad gift, especially given the low price. It lets people experience daily activity tracking in a discrete fashion while also being able to be worn without worry.