Android watch fitness experiences out there?

singletrackmtbr

Hi all,

I currently own a Fitbit Blaze. I very quickly realized the HR monitoring for my types of exercise (HIIT, weight training) is less than stellar from wrist based devices. I now use a chest strap HRM paired with Digifit for exercise. This information feeds to Fitbit, which takes this data, makes some adjustments based upon my activity level, and feeds a calorie adjustment to MFP.

I'm pretty happy with the setup of Digifit>Fitbit>MFP. However, now that I'm not using the Blaze for HR monitoring during exercise, I'm looking at Android watches that seem to do much more for the same price as the Blaze (which I can still return), while still monitoring steps and BHR.

Does anyone out there use an Android watch with a different app then Fitbit (Jawbone, Google Fit, etc)?

Ideally I would like to remove the Fitbit (app and device) from the equation and maintain the same chain/adjustments as I described above, i.e.:

1. Digifit and chest strap to capture all workouts and calculate calories during the workout. Information from here is sent to:
2. Android wear watch and app. This app monitors steps and accounts for BHR the rest of the day (when not exercising). This app, like Fitbit would then make a calorie adjustment and send it to MFP.

Sorry for the long post, but I wanted to be specific. Thanks for any help!

LazSommer

No experience with the watch, but it seems lie you're getting deep into wearables - do you have weight loss goals or are you already athletic and trying to get more input on your training?

NorthCascades

I got my girlfriend a Huawei Watch, the top of the line Android Wear smartwatch. Hers has an optical HRM built into it to measure her heart rate at the wrist. Unfortunately, it seems to be a limitation in Android Wear that you cannot use the built-in HRM for continuous monitoring during exercise. She had to buy a chest strap! The watch has been disappointing on the exercise front, it's a beautiful gimmick.

I have a Garmin Fenix 3 ABC+GPS watch. Has all notifications from the phone, music control, all that stuff, it's great for exercise (including swimming), has a fitness tracker, and the battery lasts up to a month and a half. (In practice, I charge it weekly because I use the GPS so much.)

singletrackmtbr

@ LazSommer I'm already pretty fit but trying to push it to the next level.

jennybearlv

Check out Garmin. They have smart fitness devices that sync with a chest strap. A Vivofit smart would do what you describe or a Vivoactive or Fenix has more features for more money. I have been wearing a Vivoactive continuously for a year and love it. Had a dumb Vivofit for a year before that which synced with a chest strap.

singletrackmtbr

Jenny I like the sound of the vivoactive. I'm guessing this works with Garmin android app? If so how well does the Garmin app play with others?

I recall like the way my digifit sends exercise info to fitbit and fitbit passes it along to MFP with an adjustment.

jennybearlv

Garmin has their own app and social network called Connect. MFP is one of the very few apps that syncs with Connect, and they work very well together. If you want to sync with a wide variety of different apps Fitbit wins that contest.

singletrackmtbr

Thanks for all the help. I'm heading towards getting the vivoactive hr when it comes out. Planning on using it in the same way I currently use my Blaze (activity tracking and BHR data). I'm going to continue to use digifit and a chest strap for scheduled exercise and link digifit directly to MFP. . The only difference is I'll have to remove the Garmin during these sessions so I don't get double credit!

I'm glad to hear Garmin and MFP work well together. I've seen a lot of discussion about some syncing difficulty between the two apps.

I downloaded the Connect app and created a profile even though I don't have a device yet. Question for you Jenny. I see there is an activity level of 1-10 in the Garmin app. Is this the equivalent of the activity level in MFP? When using fitbit everyone said to make both settings the same (most recommended sedentary) . So with the Garmin app how does this work?

NorthCascades

The "activity level" setting in Garmin Connect is meaningless unless you own one of a handful of specific devices, all of which are 5+ years old.

The calories from a Garmin device with a chest strap HRM will be more accurate than the ones from digifit because it uses the Firstbeat algorithm. (Source)

fishgutzy

The limitation with the wrist based in that once you start sweating it interferes with the optical sensor. Also means they don't work for swimming.
However the chest strap type also don't work for swimming because they flip over on push off from the wall. They would do okay in open water swimming but not so much in the pool.
Personally, I just stopped trying wearables. and just manually track.

singletrackmtbr

Thanks for the information. I followed your link to the article, which is a nice review of the vivoactive, but I didn't see evidence that the Firstbeat algorithm is superior. I'll do more research on this.

singletrackmtbr

I'm fine with using a chest strap for exercise. Just want a wrist based for BHR and one off stuff when a chest strap might not be feasible.

NorthCascades

fishgutzy wrote: »

The limitation with the wrist based in that once you start sweating it interferes with the optical sensor. Also means they don't work for swimming.
However the chest strap type also don't work for swimming because they flip over on push off from the wall. They would do okay in open water swimming but not so much in the pool.

FYI, here's a test I did with my Fenix 3 and a Mio Fuse wrist-based optical HRM. Because the radio signal they use to communicate can only travel an inch or two through the water I wore them next to each other on the same wrist.



Notice the Mio has lots of drop-outs, periods with no data.

These days Garmin has two chest straps and Suunto has one, that store HR data internally and then sync it with your watch when you get out of the water. I don't know about Suunto but the Garmin ones are designed to stay put when you swim; one was meant to be used with a wet suit and the other without.

betheriver wrote: »

Thanks for the information. I followed your link to the article, which is a nice review of the vivoactive, but I didn't see evidence that the Firstbeat algorithm is superior. I'll do more research on this.

The Firstbeat algo is generally considered the best energy expenditure algorithm available for personal/athletic use. That's why companies like Garmin and Suunto (who compete against each other) both use it.



Source.

Note this requires a chest strap. That's what "requires beat-by-beat HR data" means. We're getting really deep into the details here, if you want to research it's called HRV.

blues4miles

I'll add a recommendation to check out dcrainmaker's reviews online of various wearables.