Wearable fitness tracker???

megquenzer

Looking for a new fitness tracker and would love to hear reviews of your favorite and why?

Richie2shoes

I just got a Garmin Vivosmart HR. It's my first and I like it. I'm in cardio therapy and they hook me up to a monitor while exercising and the HR rate is consistent with what their monitor reads. It has an option that buzzes and tells me to move every hour or so, which is handy at work. It monitors sleep, counts steps and "active minutes".

Bee_Le

=O I second that notion, it's also waterproof. I swim with it.

cbusnightowl

I recently bought a Withings Activite. I originally got a Garmin Vivomove but it wouldn't connect to my smartphone. I didn't want that fitness tracker look to my fitness tracker and these two look like analog watches. The app is nice and you can connect it with mfp to view your calories on the apps dashboard. It doesn't subtract calories from your daily activity on mfp (not that I wanted that feature and would have disabled it if it did).

thunder1982

I have the fitbit surge, great if you want the GPS feature without having to take your phone with you on runs. If your not a runner or dont need the GPS than I wouldn't go with this model, its bulky, and I do have tear issues underneath the watch though this doesnt affect performance.

I previously had the force which didnt make it to all countries before the recall and I found difficulty going back to a flex after the addition of a screen. I was affected by the 'allergic' reaction that some people had to the force but have not had any issues with the surge (nor did I with the flex).

songbird13291

I have a Fitbit Charge HR and a new Flex 2. Love the charge HR, got the Flex 2 because it's the only Fitbit that is waterproof and will provide swim metrics. I really want a Fitbit with all the features of the Charge HR or the Charge 2, but with the swim features of the Flex.

Bearbo27

I have a Fitbit Alta and I love it. Best part is the removable band. All the tear issues with some of the other models are fixed with this feature. You no longer have to replace the whole thing, you can just change the band if there is an issue. I have mine synced to mfp and it works great. It tracks sleep and when I log my extra workouts here, it shows up on my Fitbit app. It is not as wide as some of the other models too.

I also got the Fitbit Aria scale which is also synced to mfp and the Fitbit app so I hop on the scale and it automatically entered my weight here and the Fitbit app.

ronjsteele1

I have a Misfit Shine and I love it. For me, the big thing was I didn't want to have to charge it. This uses a 2032 battery that lasts for a good 3 months or longer before I have to change it out. Been very very happy with mine and it was half the cost of a fitbit. It says it's waterproof but I never wear mine in the shower. I really don't care about tracking anything during my shower. I can wear it like a watch or I can wear it attached to a belt loop. Both ways work well (belt loop only for grocery shopping). Thus far, it seems to be very accurate with calories burned for exercise when I compare to a treadmill I'm within 50-100 calories or less. Since I only eat back half of my cardio calories this works fine for me. Syncs well with my iphone.

maidengirl_

I have a POLAR A300 but I will be upgrading to the M200 once it releases. A300 is waterproof, monitors most things, and best part about it that I only have to charge it once a month You can charge the bands out. I've had it for almost a year now and it has helped me lose nearly 45 pounds ^_^

Eleanor_82

I'm one month into using my Polar M400 and I used to have a Polar FT4. I think it's really good value for money for a watch that combines GPS, step tracking, sleep monitoring and links to the Polar chest strap and online tracking options. It syncs easily with the MFP app on my phone too (so it can update my calorie allowance for the day) and you can charge it by mini USB once every few weeks if you don't use the GPS. With GPS on, I think it lasts about 8 hours. It has an alarm also.

The M400 tracks steps, estimates distance walked and calories burned per day and gives you an activity target you're expected to work towards each week depending on your self-reported activity level. It doesn't track calories through heart rate at the wrist but I wear the chest heart strap when I'm doing cardio to get a reading of calories burned per workout. People say the chest straps are the most accurate for calorie burn calculations and it's really not that uncomfy, even with a sports bra.

The best thing about it is the mobile phone Flow app and website which it connects to. I can see what times in the day I was sleeping, sitting, walking or running. Each day comes with a readout of calories burned, steps, distance covered, hours slept (including % restful sleep). I can compare these stats on a daily, weekly or monthly basis and the readout gives an average of the stats by week or month. The workout information is pretty helpful too- total calorie burn, average heart rate, time spent in each of the five heart rate zones and a graphic of the heart rate from workout start to end so I can see where I was really going for it and where I was slacking (you can track this to a GPS map if you're running so you can see which stretch was challenging etc). You can select from about a hundred sports 'profiles' which include things like treadmill running, cross trainer, indoor bike, field hockey, yoga.

I've got the white one. It's very obviously a sports watch because of the size but it's a stylish one as far as they go, with different options for the watchface readings.

Fayecg89

I highly recommend anything Garmin, build quality is great and battery life is brilliant compared with others ones, they last a week easy. My boyfriend and I have tried a few and we both now have different Garmin trackers and can't fault either. I have a Garmin vivoactive gps smartwatch and he has a Garmin vivosmart hr activity tracker. The phone app syncs with my fitness pal perfectly and the Garmin app is easy to use, I have an android smart phone and he has a iphone and we both have never had a problem linking these devices to the phones. I love the choice of activities you can use it for and the waterproof feature as I swim. My advise would be look at what you will use it for exercise wise, for example mine one maps my swimming really well as it allows me to put in the pool length when I select that activity whereas my boyfriends although its fully waterproof as well doesn't offer this but he doesn't swim and uses his for running mainly. Happy shopping

gojaqs

I'm waiting for my Apple Watch. It's finally waterproof. I just use my phone for step tracking, so I'll probably switch to the watch. I just hope I get in the habit of wearing it.

The average amount of time people use a tracker is six months,I've read.

SezxyStef

I have a jawbone 2...I've had a jawbone for 2 years now...

Customer service is great
UA product and syncs with mapmyXXXXX and MFP
tracks sleep
tracks steps
tracks exercise
water resistant
silent alarm with smart window meaning it wakes me up with a buzz on my wrist while I am in light sleep if it is within 10 mins of my alarm
Activity alarm...so if I have been inactive for X minutes it buzzes (mine is set to 15mins)
sleep tracking is automatic and if you get the 3 it tracks REM sleep and hrm I think...
the 4 has a HRM and i think it has American express Quick pay

I like it as it looks like jewellery...as I said I've used it for 2 years..love it.

tress29

gojaqs wrote: »

I'm waiting for my Apple Watch. It's finally waterproof. I just use my phone for step tracking, so I'll probably switch to the watch.

I use my phone too, but if you walk off and leave it at your desk, it doesn't track anything! My problem is I don't like the look of many of the devices. I may end up with a model I can clip on (my pajamas!) or carry in my pocket.

ericwhitt

I grabbed a note 7 at launch, came with the Samsung fit watch. No longer have the note, but they let me keep the watch. I enjoy it for what it is, but it's not very accurate. My wife and one of her friends have since bought it since we all have Samsung phones, we use the Samsung health app to keep each other motivated since we can all see each others steps. It's more convenient than a phone because you generally have the watch on at all times, I leave my phone charging/playing music on my desk a lot at work and get up to walk without the phone, so I was losing out on a few thousand steps a day.

Gotrek1

Xiaomi Band for me, too bad MFP doesn't work with it. It's cheap, works well and the battery lasts for months without a charge.

U2R2

I just received the Xiaomi Mi Band 2

It is a low budget alternative to the better known fitness tracking wearables with most of the features.

It may never get direct integration with MFP but an easy workaround is to link the Mi Band with Google fit which you can link to MFP. Personally I just manually log my cardio workouts and use the Mi Band as a daily activity tracker.

I like the inactivity alarm which causes the device to vibrate if you are inactive for an hour. I will do five minutes of light calisthenics type of cardio exercise each time it goes off. You can set a range of time as Do Not Disturb so the device doesn't interrupt your sleep.

For anyone attempting to transition from a sedentary lifestyle, a tracker can be helpful just by bringing "move more" thoughts to the forefront.

ENJOY

Bakins929

Anyone using a UA Band?

I have a Moov, and I really liked it, but it started disconnecting during runs a lot, plus it does not sync with MFP directly. I got a full Endomondo subscription, and I like all of the stats and auto syncing with MFP. Thinking the UA Band and UA Record may be a better option.

tress29

U2R2 wrote: »

For anyone attempting to transition from a sedentary lifestyle, a tracker can be helpful just by bringing "move more" thoughts to the forefront.
ENJOY

THIS!!

SezxyStef

tress29 wrote: »

U2R2 wrote: »

For anyone attempting to transition from a sedentary lifestyle, a tracker can be helpful just by bringing "move more" thoughts to the forefront.
ENJOY

THIS!!

or if you are semi active like I was it's a good motivator when you are "tired" or "it's cold" etc...

vickiandrews

cbusnightowl wrote: »

I recently bought a Withings Activite. I originally got a Garmin Vivomove but it wouldn't connect to my smartphone. I didn't want that fitness tracker look to my fitness tracker and these two look like analog watches. The app is nice and you can connect it with mfp to view your calories on the apps dashboard. It doesn't subtract calories from your daily activity on mfp (not that I wanted that feature and would have disabled it if it did).

I've got the Activite watch for the exact same reason. And I'm impressed with the battery life too.

Feel free to add me as a friend on the app - http://within.gs/p/cY0T5

megquenzer

Thanks! I have had a UP and a UP24. Now I have a Garmin Vivosmart. I like it but feel like my screen went bad very quickly. I love it but can't really see anything!

Missbright14

I have a fitbit one. I got this as I can clip it onto my bra (or trousers) as I push a pram a lot and when I had a jawbone that didnt register steps while it was on my wrist and pushing the pram so upgraded to fitbit one and love it!!!

Tacklewasher

I have a Garmin Vivosmart HR and am extremely frustrated by it. The unit is nice but it has software issues that mean some of it's advertised functions don't work. Worst is if you turn on an activity (say walking) it tracks calories for that activity and calories for your steps. So you end up double counting the calories. It's been over a year and several firmware updates and the problem is still there.
See https://forums.garmin.com/forumdisplay.php?556-vivosmart-HR-HR for more discussion
I'm looking for a replacement but need HR, waterproof and may want GPS. I plan to snowshoe this winter and would like to not to have to carry my phone.

RobynTheresa

I have a Garmin Vivofit. Never take it off. Never needs charging. I change the band colour depending on what I'm wearing. MFP and Garmin apps synch nicely. The Vivofit isn't the fanciest tracker, but it suits me. For swimming I have a Poolmate. Really your choice depends on what you do and what you want to track. I can't run (arthritis) so a simple tracker suits me fine.

I've been wearing it for 2 years.

RoxieDawn

grmckenzie wrote: »

I have a Garmin Vivosmart HR and am extremely frustrated by it. The unit is nice but it has software issues that mean some of it's advertised functions don't work. Worst is if you turn on an activity (say walking) it tracks calories for that activity and calories for your steps. So you end up double counting the calories. It's been over a year and several firmware updates and the problem is still there.
See https://forums.garmin.com/forumdisplay.php?556-vivosmart-HR-HR for more discussion
I'm looking for a replacement but need HR, waterproof and may want GPS. I plan to snowshoe this winter and would like to not to have to carry my phone.

Garmin does not give you calories for the calculated steps you get for the exercise. It gives you a step count yes, but the calories are not added (or doubled).. You can work with your activity level in Garmin.

Garmin does have a convoluted method of calculating BMR and total calories burned, but it does not double count steps and double your calories.

xX_PhoenixRising_Xx

I've had 4 Fitbit Charge HRs since February this year. So far I've had dead HR sensors, serious undercounting of steps, huge bubbles in one of the bands, more serious undercounting and erratic counting of steps (on average it counted 60% of what I did), erratic HR readings while exercising, not tracking sleep properly and since receiving another replacement one yesterday, it's now on its 3rd charge in the 30 hours I've had it. It's gone dead from low battery twice today. I've tried every troubleshoot under the sun, had direct contact with Fitbit support (who are at least helpful and good to deal with, thank goodness) but all I can say is don't buy one! Probably why they've brought out the Charge 2, but I know the HRs are going cheap because of that... not even worth a reduced price IMO.

I have also had a Samsung Gear Fit, I loved all the features of it BUT it kept falling off all the time because it didn't have a proper buckle. Now I've changed to an iPhone so I can't use it.

svel713

If you have an Android, Google Fit is free. It will track you automatically without being in, with your permission. Just make it your step source under Steps to track service calories.

gojaqs

Just got my Apple Watch. It says I did 10 steps 2 days ago. All I can do is change the band. Tomorrow I'm taking a workshop on how to use it. Why are the instructions in 3 point type?

capaul42

I have a Charge HR (got for my bday in Feb) and have had zero issues with it. No bad data issues, no band issues. My Charge has been as close to 100% as its probably possible for a wearable to get lol. Lost 40+ lbs since I got it and maintained my current weight for the last 6 wks with it.

Just ordered the Charge 2 and hope it's as accurate and reliable as my Charge has been.

SusanMFindlay

svel713 wrote: »

If you have an Android, Google Fit is free. It will track you automatically without being in, with your permission. Just make it your step source under Steps to track service calories.

This is good advice if you live with your phone in your pocket. I don't so, when I upgraded from Google Fit to a FitBit, I found that Google Fit had been missing half my daily steps. (It got the "going for a walk" ones, but missed all the putzing around ones - which, it turns out, I do a *lot* of.)