As expected, a big theme in this year's Consumer Electronics Show was wearables -- particularly watches and wristbands -- trying to enter the mainstream. What were niche gadgets or curiosities for early adopters in 2013 are now poised to come to a store near you, if they can convince critics and the general public of their mainstream appeal now.

CES 2014 saw probably the largest number, and range, of wearable computing devices in the Las Vegas show's history. Some went for a high fashion angle, while others are trying to prove their everyday usefulness and still others continued to display that they can do just a few things, but do them really well. Here's a rundown of the top wearable gadgets on the showroom floor this year.

Fitness

Fitness trackers have had an early start in the wearable market, because they have an immediate advantage over smartphones and other devices: they're small, durable, always on, and useful to those who have obsessively sought to track themselves long before the "Quantified Self" became a thing.

Among the popular fitness trackers at CES, there were newcomers seeking to snare some users away from the likes of Fitbit and the Nike FuelBand. Those included the "Reign" by Jaybird, which will be "available in time for your 2014 summer workout," the LG Lifeband Touch, which includes notifications and music on its slim touchscreen, and the Razer Nabu (from the Razer gaming company), which seeks to go beyond workouts and "gamify any activity" by giving you "points" towards unlocking achievements for positive activities.

2014: The First Year of Wearable Tech?

With the global wearable market already at nearly $10 billion by the end of 2013, and according to research firm IHS, set to grow to over $30 billion by 2018, expect to see a battle of smartwatches and wristbands this year, reminiscent of the MP3-player explosion in the early 2000s. And who knows, by the end of 2014, you just might have bought one.