Skagen Jorn Hybrid HR Review: Nearly A Winning Combination

Skagen Jorn Hybrid hr review wrist up

Jorn Hybrid Smartwatch HR

“The Skagen Jorn Hybrid HR combines watch-like looks with more tech features, including a heart rate monitor, for a better connected experience. However, it's often too complex on its own and hasn't cracked some of the basics either. "

  • The screen adjustment is excellent

  • Two sizes and different color options available

  • Two weeks of battery life with moderate use

  • Unstable connectivity

  • Often too complex for your own good

The Skagen Jorn Hybrid HR is a new generation of hybrid smartwatches. When hybrid smartwatches first hit the market, they bridged the gap between a full touchscreen smartwatch and a traditional watch. They were smaller, thinner, and designed like a normal watch rather than a technology.

Smartwatches are now more compact, more powerful and better designed than ever before. Because of the outstanding importance of the Apple Watch, they are also more easily accepted as wristwatches. So where are hybrid smartwatches? The Skagen Jorn Hybrid HR is the answer. It uses Fossil's latest hybrid platform, which emphasizes the technical side more than ever, moving closer to a full smartwatch and moving further away from a traditional watch. I've been wearing it for a few weeks now to see if the increasing technology makes it worth buying.

design

The Fossil Q Crewmaster was launched in 2016 and remains a great looking hybrid smartwatch because of the flashy colors. It shares a design with an established and popular non-intelligent Fossil watch. It has character, weight, and welcome watch-like features, including a rotating chronograph bezel and raised indexes. The technical side was secondary, but functional, and I wore it a lot.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Now, five years later, the Skagen Jorn HR is a step further than the simplicity of the Q Crewmaster, but still a step further than Skagen's Falster 3 and other touchscreen smartwatches. In the center of the dial is a screen under two mechanical hands. However, it is a monochrome e-ink screen rather than a full-color touchscreen. It shows three complications (although the layout can be adjusted), but it doesn't sit flush against the bezel, which means you know it's a screen when you look at the face. The glass over the dial is flat and leads into an angled edge, then down to a metal case.

The Danish brand is known for its simple, minimalist design. My test model is black with a black strap and a yellow flash on the otherwise dark hands and dial. The case has a size of 42 mm and a modest size. However, if it's still too big for your liking, there is a 38mm version too. I have a 6.5 inch wrist and the 38mm Skagen Jorn is way too petite while the 42mm version is just right.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

On the side of the case there are three buttons that each control the watch's navigation system. They are easy to find and squeeze, but they don't have an elevated feel for movement. It's all attached to a really nice looking textured rubber strap which is one of the design highlights of the Jorn. It's not the longest strap out there, however, and there are only five holes left when it's on my wrist. The 38mm Jorn strap is tailored for much smaller wrists.

While the screen is minimalist, it ruins the illusion that this is not a smartwatch.

I struggled to really connect with the design of the Skagen Jorn. The minimalism borders on boredom, which is not supported by the completely black color scheme, but mainly by the screen. If not viewed directly, it will catch the light and ripples can be seen on the screen, ruining the illusion that this is a "watch" and not a smartwatch. The flat glass is also a let down and adds to the fundamental nature of watch design. Double tapping the glass activates a backlight. I would have liked to have it turned on when I lift my wrist too.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

If you compare it directly to the Q Crewmaster 2016, you really see the design differences. From the curved glass to the soft-touch buttons, it feels like a far higher quality product that leans towards a watch. The Skagen Jorn's screen means it's a piece of technology and didn't grab me in the same way. If I wanted a piece of wearable technology I'd buy a full touchscreen smartwatch, not a hybrid.

Screen adjustments

Does that mean I didn't warm up at all at Skagen Jorn HR? No, as the hybrid platform has a very interesting customization feature that allows you to completely change the look and layout of the e-ink screen. This really helped make the Jorn HR my own and reduced the overly technical feel a bit. The complications can be changed or eliminated entirely as needed. Skagen offers a selection of alternative background designs in black or white. You can also choose a photo from your gallery that you want to use.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

I've used the Oppo Find X3 Pro with the Skagen Jorn, and some of its "microscope" macro shots worked very well in the background. A macro shot of some metal satisfied the watch freak in me as the monochrome screen gave it a very weathered, almost marble-like look. Removing the complications gave him a real visual boost. It's easy to customize the screen in the Skagen app.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

This personalization is obviously lacking in hybrid smartwatches without screens and is a key benefit for the new hybrid platform from Fossil. After days of experimenting to get just the right look, the watch took on a new identity when I found it. What is interesting, however, is that I preferred the simpler, cleaner, and less technical look I had chosen to a face with digital complications.

Features and activity tracking

Appreciation of the design will always be subjective, but what about the new functionality? Do you remember the Pebble Smartwatch? It's a bit like that because the e-ink screen isn't "instantaneous" like a touchscreen and there is a light tap or two before it reacts to your actions. Everything is only controlled via the three buttons on the side and is a bit too complicated for your own good.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The Skagen Jorn HR can track a small selection of general workouts and even has a heart rate monitor on the back. There is automatic exercise tracking that wasn't very reliable. So how do you choose a workout in the app? It is good that you can configure the training mode for one of the buttons, otherwise it will be a multi-button operation, made even longer by the slight pauses caused by the screen refresh rate.

This is not a smartwatch for the fitness enthusiast.

Once it starts, I like the way the hands line up and count the first minute of activity, and the screens provide information about heart rate and calories burned. Hence, it's obviously much more comprehensive than a screenless hybrid smartwatch. Except that it's nowhere near as informative as Google Fit or Apple Health.

The number of steps was slightly overestimated compared to my Apple Watch, but the heart rate sensor stayed constant. I don't find the watch comfortable enough to wear overnight, but if you do it will track sleep. The watch is waterproof to 3ATM, but not suitable for swimming. The fitness data can be synchronized with Google Fit. The Skagen Jorn is a decent training and activity partner, but not for the very keen or dedicated athlete.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Notifications arrive on the watch, you can view daily calendar appointments and control your music from the watch. Notifications can be read to some extent, and hands move out of the way to make this easier. However, there is no option for interaction. It took a while to get used to the operating system in general, especially a touchscreen system, as many buttons have to be pressed to navigate the menus. It feels a little dated, but once you get the hang of it it's almost quick enough not to be irritating.

App and battery

The Skagen Jorn requires the Skagen hybrid app to connect to your phone. Don't make the mistake of using Fossil's Hybrid Smartwatch app as it won't work. Annoyingly, it doesn't always work with the Skagen app either. I found the connection to the watch unreliable. I tried to refuse a consistent connection on multiple phones.

I also found that the range of the connection was pretty short, and if I simply moved from one room to another the watch would be disconnected. Worse, it often required manual reconnection rather than doing it automatically. These issues are likely software-related issues and an update may fix them. However, this doesn't stop them from making the owner experience frustrating.

It's a shame, because the app is attractive and very easy to use. It's easy to customize the watch face and buttons, as large, easy-to-use screen settings are activated with just a tap. Step count, sleep time, active minutes and heart rate are clearly displayed. There is a challenge mode where you can work on fitness goals with friends. I also like the ease of choosing which apps to send notifications and the speed at which changes to the watch are synced.

With minimal use, it's realistic to get two weeks of battery life – but tracking sleep hits hard.

Skagen expects the battery to last for two weeks, but that depends on how you use it. If you don't track exercise or sleep, this is nearly achievable as the watch is barely losing 10% per day. Add a workout plus sleep tracking each day and usage can drop to around 10 days or less. During my mixed usage, I charged it on the 12th day. It's a quick charger and it takes a little over an hour to fully charge. However, the proprietary magnetic disk is different from the one that comes with other Skagen smartwatches.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

While the battery life is better than a touchscreen smartwatch with Wear OS software installed or the Apple Watch, it doesn't have the six months or more seen with mild hybrid watches from Casio or Alpina. Therefore, the Skagen Jorn HR has to keep up with feature-rich touchscreen smartwatches like the Huawei Watch GT2 Pro or the Amazfit GTR 2. This is a tough question because of the better usability with a touchscreen model.

Price and availability

The Skagen Hybrid Jorn HR is priced at $ 195 regardless of the size or combination of strap and case you choose. The black model shown here is complemented by a gray version with a steel mesh strap and a steel version with a brown leather strap, while the 38 mm models in gold come with a gold mesh strap or a black leather strap. They are available directly from Skagen's online store or from other retailers, including Amazon.

Our opinion

The Skagen Jorn Hybrid HR Fits between full hybrid smartwatches like the old Q Crewmaster and full touchscreen watches like the Falster 3. It eliminates the simplicity and real watch-like look of a full hybrid, but doesn't offer the convenience or speed of a touchscreen to get the added functionality activate.

The customizable screen is a highlight, but the connectivity issues are frustrating. While the battery life is reasonable, it doesn't go beyond what you get from some touchscreen watches. Wearing the Skagen Jorn HR has sometimes made me miss the days of a simple hybrid watch, and sometimes I've wondered why I didn't put on something like the Apple Watch instead, and it's unlikely to be very satisfying to own them.

Is there a better alternative?

If you're looking to spend less than $ 200 on a new smartwatch and don't need a touchscreen, the $ 179 Amazfit GTR 2 or the $ 139 GTR 2e can do it all for less. Buying a Wear OS smartwatch costs more, with the $ 300 Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 being our recommendation. If you own an iPhone, we recommend spending a little more and getting the $ 279 Apple Watch SE. It works perfectly with iOS, has more features and functions, and looks great too.

If you're looking for a connected watch that looks like a watch, the Withings Steel HR or Withings ScanWatch are great options. Although functionality varies, Casio's attached G-Shock range adds some related elements to a wide variety of designs.

How long it will take?

Time is on Skagen Jorn Hybrid HR's side. The lifespan of the watch is really only limited by the app support and the internal battery and shouldn't cause any problems for at least two or three years. The design is classic and is unlikely to go out of style. The splash resistance and metal case should also be secure.

Should you buy it?

No. If you're looking for a smartwatch that is more than just a simple hybrid, buy a full touchscreen model.

Editor's recommendations




A Skin Care Routine For Combination Skin

Combination skin is the most common skin type, but it's also one of the most difficult to treat as you need to take a two-pronged approach to skin care. The Goal: Control excess oil in your T-Zone and add moisture to your dry areas.

How to take care of combination skin

When you look in the mirror at a greasy chin and dry patch on your cheek, you may be frustrated and wondering how to deal with multiple skin problems. Combination skin is a difficult skin type to live with. However, there are some lifestyle changes that can benefit your skin. We will unpack these below. Not sure if you have combination skin? Check out the ultimate guide to combination skin here.

Woman puts face cream on

Blotting papers are your new best friend

Blotting papers are compact, portable, and can also effectively remove grease. Use the sheets to target specific areas to be matted while leaving the dryer areas alone. As the day progresses, and as your skin becomes oily, a quick tap with blotting paper will absorb the excess oil.

Prepare for the colder months

Combination skin, like all skin types, is affected by the changes in the winter months, especially when the central heating comes on. The areas of dryness worsen and the rest of your skin may behave differently from day to day. Use a lightweight to prepare for the colder months Moisturizer on dry areas of the skin as it doesn't clog the oily areas of the skin.

Use a face mask

Using a Face mask is a great way to care for combination skin. To solve different problems at the same time, you can apply different face masks to multiple areas of your face. Eminence Organic Skin Care Various masks use concentrated amounts of vitamins and nutrients to create a radiant, youthful glow.

Treat different areas appropriately

To balance your skin, use different products to treat these issues appropriately. Dry skin can benefit from a thick moisturizer, but you don't necessarily have to use the same skin care product on an oily area of ​​your forehead. Because different parts of your skin have different needs, we've put together a skin care routine below to help balance your complexion.

A step-by-step combination for skin care

Suffering from skin that is oily and dry at the same time is more than frustrating. It's time to balance your complexion. Here are the We recommend skincare steps to keep your combination skin type in check.

1. Cleaning

Unsurprisingly, combination skin often needs different types of cleansing at different times of the day. "The biggest challenge in choosing products for combination skin is finding the ones that are the best of both worlds," he said Dr. Hooman Khorasani, Dermatological and Cosmetic Surgeon.

“Start with a mild, gentle cleanser that won't irritate or dry out the skin,” he explains Dr. Khorasani. A mildly foaming cleanser in the morning will absorb oil. At night, you can switch to a cream-based cleanser to replenish lost moisture. Most importantly, walk gently! You want to effectively remove dirt, oil, and grime without exposing your skin to harsh chemicals that can increase the feeling of dryness and trigger even greater oil production.

Product selection: Acne Advanced Cleansing Foam and Coconut Milk Cleanser

2. Peeling

Clogged pores are a common characteristic of combination skin. Eminence Organics Product Support Officer Alicia Hawthorne recommends regular peeling to avoid deposits on the surface of the skin and to clog and minimize pores. But don't go overboard. Opt for a non-abrasive scrub that is gentle on your complexion.

Product selection: Stone Crop Oxygenating Fizzofoliant

Product selection

Acne Advanced Cleansing Foam

Acne Advanced Cleansing Foam

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Product selection

Stone Crop Oxygenating Fizzofoliant

Stone Crop Oxygenating Fizzofoliant

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3rd tone

Toners ensure a balance between dry and oily skin and are therefore the perfect addition to combined skin care. Not all toners are created equal, however: to keep combination skin balanced, look for toners that contain it anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory ingredients. The best toners minimize shine and replenish moisture to promote a healthy and balanced complexion.

Product selection: Frosting red currant mist

4. Mask

A great way to combat combination skin is through Multiple masking. This technique, which was developed for combination skin, uses two or more face masks to solve multiple skin problems at the same time. We recommend that you apply a clay mask to your T-zone to absorb oil, combat breakouts, and refine pores. Then add a cream mask to the normal to dry areas of your face to replenish moisture and soften dry skin.

Product selection: Balancing Masque Duo

5. Treat

When you have combination skin it can feel like you're struggling with skin problems from opposite sides of the spectrum. Products that replenish moisture can feel too rich for your oily skin, and products that zap oil can make you feel tight and dry. Adding a lactic acid treatment to your combo skin care regimen is one way to level the playing field: this AHA gently removes pore clogging and helps the skin retain moisture.

Product selection: Mangosteen Daily Resurfacing Concentrate

6. Moisten

With combination skin, oily and dry areas must be treated differently. Often times, the best course of action is to part and conquer: apply an oil-balancing moisturizer to your T-zone to control shine and a richer moisturizer to your cheeks to moisturize. What if you want to use a moisturizer all over your face? Opt for a lightweight lotion that combines mattifying ingredients like salicylic acid with moisturizing ingredients like hyaluronic acid.

Product selection: Red Currant Protective Moisturizer SPF 40 for the T-Zone, Stone Crop Whip Moisturizer for the cheeks or Acne Advanced Clarifying Hydrator everywhere.

Do you have combination skin? We'd love to hear how you approach this tricky skin type. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below and join the conversation on social media.

Product selection

Red Currant Protection Moisturizer SPF 40

Protection from red currants Moisturizer SPF40

VIEW PRODUCT

Product selection

Stone Crop Whip Moisturizer

Stone Crop Whip Moisturizer

VIEW PRODUCT

Combination Skin: What It Is & How To Manage It

Is your skin dry in some areas and oily in others? Combination skin can be difficult to work with and often feels like a balancing act. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution for this skin type, we have some skin care tips and tricks to help you find a happy medium. Read on to learn more about your combination skin and how to handle it.

Combined skin signs and symptoms

5 signs that you have combination skin: the skin test

Because combination skin and oily skin are similar, people often confuse these skin types. Here are five symptoms related to combination skin. Are you that?

1. You have oily and dry patches of skin

To test for combination skin, wash your face, leave it exposed, and wait an hour. Does your skin look and feel oily in your T-zone, but normal or dry on your cheeks and jaw? If so, you likely have combination skin. This skin type is exactly what it sounds like – a combination of several skin types – and as a result, you'll notice both oily and dry spots on your complexion.

2. You experience light breakouts and dryness at the same time

Clogged pores are often the same Outbreaks. Because of the excessive oil production, combination skin often shows occasional and mild acne breakouts, especially with hormonal fluctuations such as monthly menstruation. These blemishes tend to be concentrated in the T zone, where the oil glands are most active, while the areas around the cheeks, jaw, and hairline feel dry to the touch.

3. You have larger pores on your nose, chin and forehead

Are you obviously noticing large pores on your nose, chin and forehead? Combination skin is characterized by overactive oil glands in the T-zone. As a result, the nose, chin, and forehead of combination skin are more prone to clogged pores. As sebum builds up in the pores, they need to expand to accommodate the excess oil, giving them an enlarged appearance. Fortunately, they can shrink back to their normal size (more on this below).

4. Your makeup looks uneven

Is your makeup sliding off your T-zone and sticking to your cheeks? It is probably a combination skin type. If your makeup is looking blotchy by noon, it is best to tweak your makeup Skin care for your skin type.

5. Your skin becomes oily in summer and drier in winter

For combination skin, your ratio of fat to dryness tends to fluctuate with the seasons. During the summer, heat and humidity increase sebum production, which makes the T-zone feel extra oily and your dry areas feel more feeling. "normal. "In winter, the opposite is the case: environmental influences suck moisture from your skin and your T-zone feels" normal "while your dry areas feel drier. If you identify with this skin type and are concerned about it Why you have combination skin in the first place, read on to find out why (hint: blame your genetics).

Latino woman examines her skin

What is combination skin?

Combination skin refers to people with both dry and oily areas on their faces, confirmed Dr. Hooman Khorasani, Dermatological and Cosmetic Surgeon. This skin type is characterized by uneven oil production: more active oil glands in the T-zone and less active oil glands elsewhere. “Typically the oily area is the T-zone, which extends over the forehead and the bridge of the nose to the tip of the chin. This is where you can find sebum glands on the face, as well as larger pores that make this area oily, ”says Dr. Khorasani.

Dry combination skin vs. Normal combination skin

Sometimes your symptoms may not fit exactly as listed above, making you feel confused about whether you have combination skin. Well, you can further subdivide the categories into normal combination skin and dry combination skin. To see if you have For normal combination skin, check to see if you have an oily T-zone and if the skin on your cheeks feels "normal" – in other words, not dry. This is known as normal combination skin. In comparison, if you have an oily T-zone but dry cheeks, you are likely to have dry combination skin. With dry combination skin, you may have a shiny forehead or chin, but dry cheeks.

What causes combination skin?

Some possible causes of your combination skin are:

Genes

Combination skin, like all skin types, is genetically determined. In general, this skin type is characterized by uneven oil production: more active oil glands in the T-zone and less active oil glands elsewhere. Combination skin tends to have certain characteristics – oily skin (large pores, sheen, blackheads) on the forehead, jaw and nose, and characteristics of dry skin (flaking, dullness, fine lines and wrinkles) on the cheeks, jaw and hairline.

Hormonal influences

Skin problems can be exacerbated by hormonal and environmental factors that aggravate the symptoms of oily and dry skin. Your sebum glands (sebum) have receptors that respond to yours Hormones, including testosterone and estrogen. The more testosterone that is produced, the more oil is produced in the skin.

Environmental factors

Another important factor is the environment when dealing with heat and humidity. According to Byrdie: “Prolonged humid conditions cause the sweat glands to produce more sweat and the skin stays moist and shiny, while prolonged heat (low humidity) dries the skin and increases sensitivity (as the water content of the epidermis tends to reflect the level of moisture around him). "

How to treat combination skin

Understanding your skin type is important so we can choose the right products and skin care routines for your combination skin. Here are some easy ways to improve combination skin.

Find the best products for combination skin

The goal for combination skin is to treat both oily and dry areas for a clear, even complexion. You can do this by using the right products. As Dr. Khorasani explains, choose desiccants for the oily areas of our face (like gels and lotions) and moisturizing products for the dry areas (like oils and ointments).

Reduce breakouts with a BHA

Use a BHA scrub on the oily problem areas to clog pores and bring new skin to the surface. Similarly, you can use a to reduce excess oil Salicylic acid cleanser to reduce oil build-up and clogged pores.

Use blotting paper

If you feel areas of your face getting oily, have the blotting papers ready. They remove the shine and absorb excess sebum. Avoid rubbing the paper vigorously on the skin as this could irritate and disperse the oil instead of absorbing it.

Treat the dry cheeks against the oily T-zone separately

Since your T-zone is usually oily and other areas of your face are much drier, you'll want to treat each area with different products. Use a lightweight instead of putting the same moisturizer all over the place Moisturizer on your T-zone and a richer moisturizer on your cheeks for deeper hydration.

Do you have combination skin? We'd love to hear how you approach this tricky skin type. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or on social media.

This post was originally published in January 2019 and has been updated for accuracy and completeness.