My Surge review after several weeks...
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Timshel_
Posts: 22,841 Member
I've posted here before about how much I really WANT to love my Surge and much as I love my Force. The TLDR response to that is, I don't. Here is the deal (based on me, and me only. I know some others who it works for):
I have lost weight and know where my calories need to be. I also have had a very high end fitness watch for years, including a good HRM strap, so I know where my exercise calories and HR should be. Problem is, the Sruge is WAY off on both for me. Even my Fitbit Force was better aligned to the numbers I am used to.
First, the Surge regularly has be burning over 4000 calories a day, and my intakes are half of that. You would think I would be dropping weight like crazy. It just is NOT the case. So calories are WAY off in their estimation and calculation. What would improve this is if I could adjust what it has my BMR set at and also be able to adjust calories per minute for exercises. If I was to go by the Sruge numbers, I would never lose weight.
Next, the HRM built in is exactly what I was interested in. For me though, it does not work. It regularly misses sections of the day and exerise, and has never gotten over 150ish when doing full HIIT training, which I know pegs me upwards of 170bpm. It is regularly high on BPM, which calculates high calorie burns all day, which I think is what is messing up my numbers.
I have worked with Fitbit and they have been responsive and great. I have tried a few different units as well to make sure mine was not defective, but it really is that the Surge does not work for ME. I am still going to try and figure out how to make it work since I have put in so much time with it. I am hoping they will be able to increase the accuracy with software updates.
But for anyone looking at the Surge, make sure you run it through the paces to make sure it will do as you expect. If not, return it ASAP and find something that does work for you.
Any questions or comments, feel free to chime in.
I have lost weight and know where my calories need to be. I also have had a very high end fitness watch for years, including a good HRM strap, so I know where my exercise calories and HR should be. Problem is, the Sruge is WAY off on both for me. Even my Fitbit Force was better aligned to the numbers I am used to.
First, the Surge regularly has be burning over 4000 calories a day, and my intakes are half of that. You would think I would be dropping weight like crazy. It just is NOT the case. So calories are WAY off in their estimation and calculation. What would improve this is if I could adjust what it has my BMR set at and also be able to adjust calories per minute for exercises. If I was to go by the Sruge numbers, I would never lose weight.
Next, the HRM built in is exactly what I was interested in. For me though, it does not work. It regularly misses sections of the day and exerise, and has never gotten over 150ish when doing full HIIT training, which I know pegs me upwards of 170bpm. It is regularly high on BPM, which calculates high calorie burns all day, which I think is what is messing up my numbers.
I have worked with Fitbit and they have been responsive and great. I have tried a few different units as well to make sure mine was not defective, but it really is that the Surge does not work for ME. I am still going to try and figure out how to make it work since I have put in so much time with it. I am hoping they will be able to increase the accuracy with software updates.
But for anyone looking at the Surge, make sure you run it through the paces to make sure it will do as you expect. If not, return it ASAP and find something that does work for you.
Any questions or comments, feel free to chime in.
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That sucks that it doesn't work for you. So far for me, mine has been fairly accurate (even picking up HR as high as 190 when expected during workouts/based on chest strap monitor). Good luck, have you tried seeing if Fitbit will let you exchange it for maybe the Charge (essentially the relaunch of the force)?0
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Thanks @shadow2soul . I decided today that my Fitbit Surge is going back. I really wanted to like the unit, but the optical HR technology just does not work, - or like I said, at least for me. Did an active HIIT workout this afternoon, and even after each interval, where I was gasping for breath and could feel my heart pounding outta my chest, the HR monitor only registered 140bpm. I know from using a chest strap and my trusty Motoactv that my average bpm is 140 and peaks should be upwards of 170bpm with this routine. Oh well.
Good call checking out the Charge though. I think I could be happy with that, but I REALLY do love using a HR monitor for my workouts. Will have to see.0 -
I agree with you regarding the HR monitor. I really like the device for pretty much everything else - the text messaging feature in particular has been fantastic as I can slyly see if I need to return a call or ignore it when I'm with a patient without having to pull out my phone to see who's calling. It's comfortable and I like that is actually a watch! But I just can't get the HR monitor to work which I don't think is unique to the Surge as it seems this wrist based technology is just not very accurate period.
I'm hoping that the tech will improve with some firmware updates over time. I'm going to keep it for now because I like everything else so much. We'll see, maybe I'll get enticed by the iWatch when it comes out.....0 -
Again, I will say that Fitbit has been great to work with me on this. I've tried certain setting updates for firmware and they even sent a new unit. I just got the confirmation to send the two units back and they were more than kind enough to thank me for working with them to test the Surge and see if they could get it to work properly. Just no go.
So I am sad to see it go, but I am still hopeful that down the road they will have a product I can use like the Force, but that includes the HRM function I really want.
All the best peeps!0
