I don’t think many of you know this, but T3 stands for ‘Tomorrow’s Technology Today’ so it only makes sense for us to test and review gear that is on the cutting edge of innovation. It is both a blessing and a curse to try things that not many people try; sometimes products turn out to be true innovations, but more often than not, they are total bullshit.
The original Airofit Pro 1.0 belonged to the first category in my opinion. The seemingly simple respirator, coupled with the Airofit app, helped me reconnect with my lungs, so to speak, and even after just a few days of use, I was able to better control my breathing. Needless to say, I eventually fell off track and stopped using it for a while after I wrote my first article.
A shame, especially when you consider that it takes about 5-10 minutes a day to train the lungs with the Airofit Pro 1.0. The app even offers some gamification to help you stay on track (i.e. login/practice sequences). So when I was offered to test the device’s successor, the aptly named Airofit Pro 2.0, I accepted the offer without hesitation. Exactly the motivation I needed to start training my lungs again!
I had another less obvious reason for using the Airofit Pro 2.0. I’m participating in a 100 mile running challenge in Mongolia (opens in new tab) late February/early March, that will be 1500 meters higher than where I live, which means my lungs will be under more pressure. Well, technically I think less pressure, but since the air is less oxygenated, my breathing muscles will have to work harder than usual.
That’s where the Airofit Pro 2.0 comes into play. Even at my usual altitude, I can train my lungs using a breathing device that restricts airflow in and out in a structured way. The app recommends two workouts per day based on the goal you’ve set, and you can also access various breathing exercises from the Discover tab. To clarify, these suggestions are for improving muscle strength, not the calming, meditation-like stuff you’ll find in the Fitbit app.
I used the new Pro 2.0 for a few weeks and the experience was very similar to the ‘old’ device. The new breathing trainer is said to have more advanced lung function measurement, improved guidance and feedback, more accurate tracking of results, etc. It also uses a magnetic charging cable instead of the non-magnetic version of the Airofit Pro 1.0. However, the actual user experience of the device is much the same, for better or for worse.
I think athletes who need accurate data – and this is probably Airofit’s primary target audience – will appreciate that the data is more accurate; anyone else wouldn’t care about the refinements, not least because the app hasn’t changed much (or at all from what I can tell) since I tried the Airofit Pro 2.0 predecessor. Bluetooth connection can still be a bit patchy (I used an Android phone for the test), making it a pain to follow the real-time guidance in the app. It’s not a constant problem, but Bluetooth can be a pain at times.
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
Would I recommend the Airofit Pro 2.0? Yes, because this uncomplicated device and the Airofit app can improve muscle strength in the lungs, which can significantly improve your well-being, even if you do not plan to exercise at altitude. By training your lungs daily for 10 minutes with the Airofit Pro 2.0, you can improve lung capacity and lower heart rate without excessive cardio training. What’s not to like?
That said, if you’re not interested in super-extra-mega-precise data, you might be able to save a few bobs by buying the Airofit Pro 1.0 instead, which again offers the same user experience through the same app. For the next iteration, it would be nice to see Wi-Fi connectivity and some hardware improvements – I’m still not the biggest fan of how you have to flip open the head unit to charge the Airofit Pro 2.0. It’s only a minor inconvenience, though, given the benefits of using the device.
If you want to try the Airofit Pro 2.0 for yourself, check out Airofit today (opens in new tab) to find out more about pricing and availability (the Pro 2.0 retails for £302 in the UK). Airofit offers free worldwide shipping, a 45-day money-back guarantee and a 2-year warranty on its products.