Fitbit

[Bann]

Right now I have a Polar watch to keep track of heart rate, calories burned, length of workout, etc. I have to wear a chest strap/band which transmits the heart rate to the watch.

I've been looking at the Fitbit models because they're the latest technology in this type of device. Specifically, I'm looking at the Fitbit Charge HR, as I think it will be the one which suits my needs/wants. There is no band to wear, it can detect the heart rate with a magic LED light thingy.


Does anyone have one of the Fitbit models? Do you like it? How has it held up? Would you recommend it?

 

[mamatutu]

Right now I have a Polar watch to keep track of heart rate, calories burned, length of workout, etc. I have to wear a chest strap/band which transmits the heart rate to the watch.

I've been looking at the Fitbit models because they're the latest technology in this type of device. Specifically, I'm looking at the Fitbit Charge HR, as I think it will be the one which suits my needs/wants. There is no band to wear, it can detect the heart rate with a magic LED light thingy.


Does anyone have one of the Fitbit models? Do you like it? How has it held up? Would you recommend it?

Yes, recommend. Gave one to daughter as one of her Christmas presents because she asked for it. She is into fitness. Then her hub bought one for himself. He competes with her now on how many steps a day that they do. He will walk around the house just to beat her! He actually has recorded 15,000 steps in a day. Too cute. Fitbits are a good thing. It is one of those times when one thinks, I wish I had thought of that!

 

[Beta]

The regular Fitbit flex can fall off easily...I know a couple people who have lost them. The plastic wristband isn't very good considering the tracker is semi pricey. I can't speak to the charge HR but it seems to clasp like a watch instead, so that might be an upgrade.

For the Flex, if you only use it as a pedometer as most people do, it is a really expensive pedometer. It also has an alarm, tells you how "active" you've been (when your step count increases at a certain pace over at least a 10 minute period of time), tracks sleep patterns, and the app helps you track calorie intake and some other stuff. Nice features overall, but they're really not necessary given that you can use a clock alarm and use other apps for calorie counting (you can also use other apps paired with your Fitbit). I don't know how it can tell how many calories I've burned in a day, because if I check mid-morning when I wake up and don't have my Fitbit on, it still claims I've burned a decent chunk of calories. :shrug:

I don't know the cost of competing heart rate products, but if that's worth the cost to you then it makes sense. Just remember that with fitbit products you need to be moving your arms when you walk to get accurate step counts (if that's part of your goal). It won't get every step if you're walking but not swinging your arms (i.e. pushing a stroller, per their FAQ). Also for the sleep tracking, since it automatically tracks that with the one you're looking at, all they do (from what I can tell) is track movement during sleep. If you're wide awake but sitting still, it thinks you're sleeping. If you're sleeping but thrashing violently, it thinks you're awake. It's fun for a little while to see when you woke up at night, but it's just a nice-to-have.

I'm not saying Fitbits are bad products -- they're fine for what they do. They just charge a nice premium for putting together a few things into a more convenient package.

I found this review interesting --> http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/feb/13/fitbit-charge-hr-review-heart-rate-tracker

 

[Chasey_Lane]

The Charge HR is not comfortable. It does an okay job keeping track of things, but not great. There are much better options on the market.

 

[Bann]

The regular Fitbit flex can fall off easily...I know a couple people who have lost them. The plastic wristband isn't very good considering the tracker is semi pricey. I can't speak to the charge HR but it seems to clasp like a watch instead, so that might be an upgrade.

For the Flex, if you only use it as a pedometer as most people do, it is a really expensive pedometer. It also has an alarm, tells you how "active" you've been (when your step count increases at a certain pace over at least a 10 minute period of time), tracks sleep patterns, and the app helps you track calorie intake and some other stuff. Nice features overall, but they're really not necessary given that you can use a clock alarm and use other apps for calorie counting (you can also use other apps paired with your Fitbit). I don't know how it can tell how many calories I've burned in a day, because if I check mid-morning when I wake up and don't have my Fitbit on, it still claims I've burned a decent chunk of calories. :shrug:

I don't know the cost of competing heart rate products, but if that's worth the cost to you then it makes sense. Just remember that with fitbit products you need to be moving your arms when you walk to get accurate step counts (if that's part of your goal). It won't get every step if you're walking but not swinging your arms (i.e. pushing a stroller, per their FAQ). Also for the sleep tracking, since it automatically tracks that with the one you're looking at, all they do (from what I can tell) is track movement during sleep. If you're wide awake but sitting still, it thinks you're sleeping. If you're sleeping but thrashing violently, it thinks you're awake. It's fun for a little while to see when you woke up at night, but it's just a nice-to-have.

I'm not saying Fitbits are bad products -- they're fine for what they do. They just charge a nice premium for putting together a few things into a more convenient package.

I found this review interesting --> http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/feb/13/fitbit-charge-hr-review-heart-rate-tracker

Thanks, Beta! I did price the Mio Fuze, which is a HR monitor, also. It's in the same price range. Polar HR monitor watches use the chest strap and I'm just trying to get away from that whole aspect, so the wireless devices are very attractive to me for that reason. There are Garmin devices(for much more money!) which look like waaay more than I need - with GPS and all that. I don't run - hate it. But, I don't walk anywhere I need a GPS! I really only use the HR monitor for walking and for Biking. (Stationary spin class) I don't need a top of the line model - but this does seem to be the next generation after the chest strap.

The Charge HR also has other features like calorie tracking and can sync with your phone to do a bunch of stuff I may or may not use. (more technology to learn!) It might be fun to see how many steps I take in a day at work, but not for anything other than curiosity.

I'm going to read the reviews on the other 2 products I mentioned, as I only spent time last night looking at the different models' features, price, etc.

Another review...
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2476100,00.asp

Thanks!

 

[JeJeTe]

I was given a Fitbit Flex free from work. I use it basically to keep track of sleeping and steps. That's about it. I don't like the silent alarm on it....it's a great idea but scared the hell out of me when I used it. I synced it with My Fitness Pal, which I liked.

 

[lucky_bee]

I was given a Fitbit Flex free from work. I use it basically to keep track of sleeping and steps. That's about it. I don't like the silent alarm on it....it's a great idea but scared the hell out of me when I used it. I synced it with My Fitness Pal, which I liked.

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