ChargeHR or HRM?

redperphexion

Hi guys, I have a FitBit One and love it. I really like data and trends and graphs - they keep me on track and motivated seeing changes. As I'm getting more active, I'm becoming more curious about heart rate and target training, more accurate workout burns, etc. I'm considering buying either a a ChargeHR or a HRM (Polar ft4 or 7, for example).

ChargeHR: I'm not sure about having to wear my 'Bit on my wrist all the time - insights? But I like that It would all be in one package. But I've heard that the HR function isn't super accurate; I could use it for trends, but not necessarily for accurate burns.

HRM/Watch: I like the idea of a HRM/sport watch, as I would continue to use my One, but then I would have a second piece of technology to remember to use (or another toy to play with to motivate me....?). I would also get accurate burns for my workouts, but would have to put on the chest strap all the time. But I wouldn't have to wear something on my wrist all day in order to track my daily activity.

Who has what gear and can make suggestions one way or the other? Do you love/hate what you have tried? Why?

Thanks guys!

editorgrrl

I lost the weight & maintained with a Fitbit Flex—no HRM required. I upgraded to the Charge HR because it has a real buckle (like a watch) and comes in purple.

It's way bigger than the Flex, though. If you don't like things on your wrist, you'll hate any HRM watch. Buy one at a store near you, keep the receipt, and return it if you don't like it.

But if you just want a new fitness gadget, what about a Fitbit Aria wi-fi scale? The body fat percentage is rubbish, but I love never having to log my weight. I weigh daily & sync with Trendweight. The charts & data are amazeballs—TW made my loss & maintenance easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Edited to clarify: you can sync your Fitbit to Trendweight without an Aria. You just have to manually log your weight.

redperphexion

Thanks, editorgrrl. I don't hate things on my wrist, but not sure how I'd feel about wearing something there 24/7, or at least as often as I wear my FitBit currently. Good idea to purchase locally and return it if I don't like it. It seems so automatic to buy online now!

redperphexion

(maybe I should have put this in the main discussion instead of the FitBit section?)

NancyN795

No, this is a good place. You've got a Fitbit and you want opinions on whether you should get a different Fitbit, so this is perfect.

I had a One. I loved it. When I got the One (November 2013), I didn't want the Flex because I didn't want to wear anything on my wrist and I wanted a display.

Then, last New Year's Eve... I washed it. I had already been thinking that I'd consider getting a Charge HR after it had been out a while, but when my One went dead after I washed it and a few days later Fitbit sent the email saying they were ready to start shipping the Charge HR, I ordered one right away.

I love my Charge HR. I no longer have to hassle with the chest strap HRM. I tested the Charge HR against the chest strap HRM a couple of times and for me it was just as accurate. I also no longer have to remember to move my Fitbit from one piece of clothing to another, so it is in much less danger of being washed and I never accidentally leave it behind when I go out for a walk. It detects my sleep automatically - no more remembering to push the button - and I don't have to hassle with the sleep wristband.

I've gotten used to having it on my wrist. Last week, I had taken it off and put it in my pants pocket for a trip to Costco (long shopping trip + big cart that can't be pushed one handed = lots of missed steps with my tracker on my wrist) and it fell out! (Big mistake putting it on the pocket of those particular pants.) Fortunately, someone had found it and turned it in, but I was without it on my wrist for several hours and it bothered me that it wasn't there.

Ten days after I washed it, and 2 days before my Charge HR came, my One came back to life. Since, at that time, Fitbit didn't support multiple trackers on one account, I gave it to a friend who is still using it.

However, now Fitbit supports multiple trackers on one account. So, you can get a Charge HR, but keep your One and use it when you don't want to wear it on your wrist. Best of both worlds.

DaveAkeman

I've had a FitBit Surge for a couple weeks. And I think it's great. I have talked to people who say the FitBit HRM isn't accurate instantaneously, but is accurate for trends. However, I find that mine is very repeatable and responsive. (I haven't compared it to anything, so I don't know about ACCURACY, but it doesn't jump around, it goes up when it should go up and down when it should go down, and my resting HR is about right . . .)

One thing I love about having it all in one device, and all in a FitBit, is that it can calculate my total 24 hour calorie burn. No more adding TDEE plus my extra calories from runs plus some factor of my steps for the day . . . FitBit gives me a number. And, I have been checking that number by taking the total calorie deficit calculated for my FitBit over the past couple weeks, dividing by 3500 (calories per pound), and comparing to my ACTUAL weight loss (as measured by my FitBit Aria!!!) and I have been incredibly impressed. The total calorie deficit seems to be within about 8% of actual. And, frankly, I suspect that there is AT LEAST this much error in my food logging, so, as near as I can calculate, the FitBit Surge is calculating my total calorie burn PERFECTLY ACCURATE. I'm really, really, really impressed.

I don't know if a FitBit without a HRM would be able to calculate the total burn quite as accurately.

DaveAkeman

By the way - I don't like things on my wrist. I haven't worn a watch since cell phones became small enough to cram into a pocket. Even before that I only wore a watch when I HAD to.

I've gotten used to wearing the Surge. It occasionally bothers me a little, but I remember why it's there, and it's not too bad. The first night I slept with it was incredibly awkward. From the second night onward, however, it's been fine - hasn't bothered me at all. And I am starting to like being able to see the time on my wrist at night without having to crane my neck toward the night stand . . .

NancyN795

DaveAkeman wrote: »

By the way - I don't like things on my wrist. I haven't worn a watch since cell phones became small enough to cram into a pocket. Even before that I only wore a watch when I HAD to.

I've gotten used to wearing the Surge. It occasionally bothers me a little, but I remember why it's there, and it's not too bad. The first night I slept with it was incredibly awkward. From the second night onward, however, it's been fine - hasn't bothered me at all. And I am starting to like being able to see the time on my wrist at night without having to crane my neck toward the night stand . . .

Heck, we no longer even have a clock in the bedroom! I can check my Fitbit or my phone, but my semi-Luddite husband has to go out into the hall and check the thermostat.

I am very sensitive to what I'm wearing and many things drive me nuts. I don't wear rings, bracelets, necklaces, etc. (Even nail polish and lip balm are intolerable.) I have to have a really good reason to want to wear something in order to go through the adjustment period. So, I wear glasses because I can't see without them and I got used to the Fitbit because the positive aspects of having it outweighed the negative of getting used to wearing it. I do still move it around - up and down my wrist - quite a bit so that the skin under it can get a chance to breathe.

retirehappy

I have a Charge HR, I had not worn a watch since my first cell phone days. I charge mine over night instead of wearing it because I know what my sleep pattern is , works fine, as Fitbit uses a calculation primarily for your overnight burn anyway.

I had been using a polar HRM and I would forget to put it on before I went to the gym etc. But I found for me, the two had very little difference. If HIIT the polar was more accurate, but for other step based non HIIT activities the Charge HR and it were the same. I do 10K steps per day minimum, Zumba and other aerobic activities, along with yoga and a circuit training class. If your activity is mainly HIIT or biking, rowing or other non step based activity then you might prefer using a chest strap HRM for more accuracy. I am totally happy with my Charge HR, because I can just log those activities, biking is about all I do in that realm and that is sporadic.

MamaBirdBoss

I use a treadmill desk a lot, so it's not really an option for me.