The Moov is a crowd-sourced activity tracker co-founded by a former Apple engineer with a concept that is definitely unique in a market filled with “steps taken.” In fact, the Moov is a fitness tracker in the purest sense of the word, only tracking your activity when you’re actually doing a fitness-based activity such as boxing or swimming. While not ideal for beginners, the Moov caters to the demographic of fitness junkies looking for an extra push to meet their fitness goals.

The Moov tracking device itself is made of polycarbonate, while the wrist band and ankle strap are made of food-grade silicone and polycarbonate. The only two color options for this no-nonsense tracker are black and white, and replacement accessories are not sold separately. This means that if a band is broken or a tracker lost, an entire new set will have to be purchased.

The Moov comes with the core device, a wrist band, and ankle strap, and a charging pod and cable in a sleek box that is very reminiscent of current trends in cell phone packaging. The sensors snap into the bands securely; however, they are incredibly difficult to snap in and out. Once secured, however, it’s stylish, minimalistic, and chic. The only indicator lights on the device are for charging purposes, another interesting shift away from standard in this segment.

The Moov is lightweight without feeling too cheap, and we found that it was comfortable being worn on both the ankle and wrist. In fact, even during the most intense runs, the Moov was barely noticeable on our ankle. The only time it ever really felt in the way was during planks when the band sort of dug into our wrist; however, a quick adjustment beforehand seemed to remedy the issue. It’s important to remember that the Moov is not meant to be worn 24 hours a day like most trackers on the market today; they encourage it only be used during actual fitness activities.

Instead of counting steps, the Moov integrates three sensors for a 9-axis motion-sensing device. The data obtained from the sensors allows the device to understand what you’re doing and how you’re doing it. From this information, the app is able to coach users through the workout, correcting form and pace throughout the duration of the activity to give not only a better workout experience, but a more fine-tuned and efficient workout. The hardware and software combine into a less expensive and intrusive personal training experience. The band is only worn during fitness activities, and it is able to capture 8 hours of high frequency movement tracking without needing a recharge. This breaks down to roughly two weeks of battery life when working out one hour a day, four days a week.

Inconveniently enough, Moov does not have one centralized app; instead, there are separate apps for different workouts. Moov boasts ten programs with 200 levels; however, this won’t be true for all users. iOS users currently have four apps to choose from: running, 7 minute workout, swimming, and boxing, but Android users are only able to use the 7 minute workout and running apps. There is currently a cycling app in beta stages, though we suspect it will only be released for iOS when it debuts. While it’s fantastic that swimmers finally have an option on the market that is not only waterproof but capable of measuring swimming activity specifically, it’s unfortunate that it still alienates the segment of the market that prefers Android.

The technology that backs these apps, however, is incredibly impressive. During an intense run, the app will occasionally feed notes about your form through your headphones; for example, it may remind you to land more softly to minimize impact and maximize your workout, or let you know when you start to slow down so you can keep up the pace.

The 7-minute workout is a series of high intensity, equipment-free, full-body exercises squeezed into about seven minutes. With constant in-ear coaching and rep counting, the seven minutes flies by and leaves the user with an effective and addicting workout experience.

It’s sad that the cardio boxing app, which has been hailed as the “Dance Dance Revolution” of fitness programs, is iOS exclusive because it is a phenomenal addition to the Moov app line. Despite the fact that you have to purchase two separate Moovs to use the app, one for each wrist, the benefits outweigh the price tag. The app creates fast-moving combinations of jabs, cross punches, uppercuts, and hooks to easily make a user of any skill level break a sweat.

With any of these apps, the metrics that follow on the app are intuitive to navigate, detailing accuracy, cadence, and ways to improve general performance. Users can compare their progress between days with Moov’s unique level system. It’s motivating to not only see progress laid out day to day, but also to unlock new levels as fitness goals are achieved. Each level is a 2% increase in intensity. Although it sounds like a small jump, these small goals are more achievable and rewarding. It completely sets the Moov apart from other fitness trackers.

The Moov has a long way to go in securing a solid place in the market and succeeding without the standard features the fitness band market has come to expect such as a centralized app, color customization options, and step tracking. Despite this, it finds strength as a fitness band in its unique personal coaching and genius level up systems. The Moov is a fitness tracker that might alienate beginner audiences, or it could just be what a novice needs to take their workouts a step further to the pure fitness enthusiast level. Without a doubt, the Moov is a spectacular niche value in a market of high-price, all the bells and whistles activity trackers.