Are fitness/activity trackers worth it?
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My company sponsors fitness challenges that help you get discounts on health insurance, so I have a Fitbit Alta (that they offered at a discounted rate) that I wear during those to keep track of my steps. For a while I wore it every day, even when we didn't have a challenge, but the plastic kind of gives me a rash so now I don't wear it as much anymore. It was nice to challenge myself to get all of my steps in (and then some!).
I am quite active though and also have a Garmin Fenix 5S that I use for all of my other sports (skiing--both nordic and alpine, running, cycling, swimming, triathlon...). Like others, I appreciate all of the extra features (but they come at a price). I don't actually wear my Garmin all day every day like others (including my husband who has a 3X). I tried it for a while and same thing as the Fitbit--I ended up getting a rash under the plastic band due to trapped moisture.1 -
What has your experience been like? Would you recommend them?
I think these are the wrong questions to ask. You should be more interested in:
What is your budget?
What do you want out of a tracker?
What are you doing now, are you happy with your progress on your current plan, and how do you think a tracker will change it?
I have a germin FR230. I like to have a general idea of how active I am being throughout the day, and I like having GPS capability to track runs. I love mine, but that doesn't mean you would.0 -
My company sponsors fitness challenges that help you get discounts on health insurance, so I have a Fitbit Alta (that they offered at a discounted rate) that I wear during those to keep track of my steps. For a while I wore it every day, even when we didn't have a challenge, but the plastic kind of gives me a rash so now I don't wear it as much anymore. It was nice to challenge myself to get all of my steps in (and then some!).
I am quite active though and also have a Garmin Fenix 5S that I use for all of my other sports (skiing--both nordic and alpine, running, cycling, swimming, triathlon...). Like others, I appreciate all of the extra features (but they come at a price). I don't actually wear my Garmin all day every day like others (including my husband who has a 3X). I tried it for a while and same thing as the Fitbit--I ended up getting a rash under the plastic band due to trapped moisture.
I could not wear anything on my wrist for years due to eczema. But I have found that I can now wear my Fenix 5X all the time without any skin issues. Love the big display so I don;t need my glasses pool side.
Re: rash. Garmin has other bands available. Other companies make after market band too. Maybe one of those will solve that issue.
Does your employer not allow for using other devices? I understand that "FitBit" uses the "Hipppa" compliance as a sails pitch. Once the employer ties activity tracking to health insurance discounts, all of that tracking info become HiPPA protected health records.0 -
eeeehhhhhhhhhh I have a cheap one, it's nice, but I realized I could live without it.2
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My company sponsors fitness challenges that help you get discounts on health insurance, so I have a Fitbit Alta (that they offered at a discounted rate) that I wear during those to keep track of my steps. For a while I wore it every day, even when we didn't have a challenge, but the plastic kind of gives me a rash so now I don't wear it as much anymore. It was nice to challenge myself to get all of my steps in (and then some!).
I am quite active though and also have a Garmin Fenix 5S that I use for all of my other sports (skiing--both nordic and alpine, running, cycling, swimming, triathlon...). Like others, I appreciate all of the extra features (but they come at a price). I don't actually wear my Garmin all day every day like others (including my husband who has a 3X). I tried it for a while and same thing as the Fitbit--I ended up getting a rash under the plastic band due to trapped moisture.
The Fenix 3 had a bug in the XC Ski app, it would freeze the watch randomly during an activity and require a reboot. I've only skied once so far this year with my F5X, and it hasn't done this. How has yours been?0 -
I have a FitBit blaze. I love it. Never had problems with it. It syncs with my MFP app. I don't really track workouts on it, just steps. I like it for the heart rate monitor and it tells me the quality of my sleep. I don't think they are a neccessity but it's a good motivator for me. I work a desk job and I like that it will buzz and tell me how many steps left to reachmy goal every hour. Forces me to get up and move!
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I finally bought a Garmin Fenix 5X. I'd never but "just a watch" for the price I paid for the Garmin.
I chose this because it is great for swimming and the display is large enough that i can read it without my glasses.
Wow! $500-700 for a Fenix5? Couldn't believe when I saw it.
That's over half the price I paid for my Concept2. I've got the $ but no way I'd pay that for a wristband device, regardless of what it can do.
Besides, I stopped wearing things on my wrist after I realized that I didn't need one to tell time.
Been using my phone for that for years and all of the apps that I use on my phone for measuring steps, HR, mapping trails, navigation and hill gradiants & elevation are free.
Instead, I bought my GF a pair of diamond studed hoop rings for $750 (marked down from $1.5k) for Xmas from Blue Nile and they will give me much greater mileage and traction w/her than a Fenix5 ever would for me.
LOL!
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I went back and forth with the idea of this for a few months. Hubby pulled the trigger for me last weekend and got me a Garmin Forerunner 35 that was on sale. I didnt really want a Fitbit. Guess I saw too many threads of problems with them and a friend of mine is always futzin around with hers.
I absolutely love it! Granted it has only been a week but I love the data I am getting from it. I don't really think the sleep tracker is that useful. I have big doubts about it but I didnt want it for that anyway. All the other stuff it gives me is well worth it.
It's an ugly thing and I have a small wrist so the face of it is a bit large for me. I didn't buy it to be stylish though. I bought it for function and it does great in that department!
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I finally bought a Garmin Fenix 5X. I'd never but "just a watch" for the price I paid for the Garmin.
I chose this because it is great for swimming and the display is large enough that i can read it without my glasses.
Wow! $500-700 for a Fenix5? Couldn't believe when I saw it.
That's over half the price I paid for my Concept2. I've got the $ but no way I'd pay that for a wristband device, regardless of what it can do.
Besides, I stopped wearing things on my wrist after I realized that I didn't need one to tell time.
Been using my phone for that for years and all of the apps that I use on my phone for measuring steps, HR, mapping trails, navigation and hill gradiants & elevation are free.
Instead, I bought my GF a pair of diamond studed hoop rings for $750 (marked down from $1.5k) for Xmas from Blue Nile and they will give me much greater mileage and traction w/her than a Fenix5 ever would for me.
LOL!
Wow, you paid $250 to $350 for a boat that isn't waterproof? I've got the money but there's no way I'd pay that much for a boat even if it could move.
Different strokes for different folks.2 -
NorthCascades wrote: »I finally bought a Garmin Fenix 5X. I'd never but "just a watch" for the price I paid for the Garmin.
I chose this because it is great for swimming and the display is large enough that i can read it without my glasses.
Wow! $500-700 for a Fenix5? Couldn't believe when I saw it.
That's over half the price I paid for my Concept2. I've got the $ but no way I'd pay that for a wristband device, regardless of what it can do.
Besides, I stopped wearing things on my wrist after I realized that I didn't need one to tell time.
Been using my phone for that for years and all of the apps that I use on my phone for measuring steps, HR, mapping trails, navigation and hill gradiants & elevation are free.
Instead, I bought my GF a pair of diamond studed hoop rings for $750 (marked down from $1.5k) for Xmas from Blue Nile and they will give me much greater mileage and traction w/her than a Fenix5 ever would for me.
LOL!
Wow, you paid $250 to $350 for a boat that isn't waterproof? I've got the money but there's no way I'd pay that much for a boat even if it could move.
Different strokes for different folks.
Boat???
I get the sarcasm and agree - - diff strokes for diff folks - - that was my point, a Fenix5 isn't 4 me - - but I bought diamond earrings for $750 for my GF, not boat for $250 to 350.
In fact, I hate the water. Can't swim worth a lick and don't even like being in a boat if I don't have to.
But aren't you the guy who used his Garmin (was it a $600-700 Fenix5?) to figure out when he bought his $300 xcountry skis? So, obviously the Garmin is "worth it" to you. It's just not worth it to me.
PS: Nothing perdonal. Trust you get that I'm just being sarcastic back. Tit for tat.
MFP, LOL!! 1 -
NorthCascades wrote: »My company sponsors fitness challenges that help you get discounts on health insurance, so I have a Fitbit Alta (that they offered at a discounted rate) that I wear during those to keep track of my steps. For a while I wore it every day, even when we didn't have a challenge, but the plastic kind of gives me a rash so now I don't wear it as much anymore. It was nice to challenge myself to get all of my steps in (and then some!).
I am quite active though and also have a Garmin Fenix 5S that I use for all of my other sports (skiing--both nordic and alpine, running, cycling, swimming, triathlon...). Like others, I appreciate all of the extra features (but they come at a price). I don't actually wear my Garmin all day every day like others (including my husband who has a 3X). I tried it for a while and same thing as the Fitbit--I ended up getting a rash under the plastic band due to trapped moisture.
The Fenix 3 had a bug in the XC Ski app, it would freeze the watch randomly during an activity and require a reboot. I've only skied once so far this year with my F5X, and it hasn't done this. How has yours been?
Oh--sorry--just saw this... Mine has been working fine, although I have only gone XC a couple of times. It's been bitterly cold here in New England this year! I do love, love, love that the alpine skiing app calculates only active time (although I'm very annoyed that it comes over into mfp as "snowboarding").0 -
NorthCascades wrote: »I finally bought a Garmin Fenix 5X. I'd never but "just a watch" for the price I paid for the Garmin.
I chose this because it is great for swimming and the display is large enough that i can read it without my glasses.
Wow! $500-700 for a Fenix5? Couldn't believe when I saw it.
That's over half the price I paid for my Concept2. I've got the $ but no way I'd pay that for a wristband device, regardless of what it can do.
Besides, I stopped wearing things on my wrist after I realized that I didn't need one to tell time.
Been using my phone for that for years and all of the apps that I use on my phone for measuring steps, HR, mapping trails, navigation and hill gradiants & elevation are free.
Instead, I bought my GF a pair of diamond studed hoop rings for $750 (marked down from $1.5k) for Xmas from Blue Nile and they will give me much greater mileage and traction w/her than a Fenix5 ever would for me.
LOL!
Wow, you paid $250 to $350 for a boat that isn't waterproof? I've got the money but there's no way I'd pay that much for a boat even if it could move.
Different strokes for different folks.
Boat???
I get the sarcasm and agree - - diff strokes for diff folks - - that was my point, a Fenix5 isn't 4 me - - but I bought diamond earrings for $750 for my GF, not boat for $250 to 350.
In fact, I hate the water. Can't swim worth a lick and don't even like being in a boat if I don't have to.
But aren't you the guy who used his Garmin (was it a $600-700 Fenix5?) to figure out when he bought his $300 xcountry skis? So, obviously the Garmin is "worth it" to you. It's just not worth it to me.
PS: Nothing perdonal. Trust you get that I'm just being sarcastic back. Tit for tat.
MFP, LOL!!
I think they are talking about your rower0 -
NorthCascades wrote: »I finally bought a Garmin Fenix 5X. I'd never but "just a watch" for the price I paid for the Garmin.
I chose this because it is great for swimming and the display is large enough that i can read it without my glasses.
Wow! $500-700 for a Fenix5? Couldn't believe when I saw it.
That's over half the price I paid for my Concept2. I've got the $ but no way I'd pay that for a wristband device, regardless of what it can do.
Besides, I stopped wearing things on my wrist after I realized that I didn't need one to tell time.
Been using my phone for that for years and all of the apps that I use on my phone for measuring steps, HR, mapping trails, navigation and hill gradiants & elevation are free.
Instead, I bought my GF a pair of diamond studed hoop rings for $750 (marked down from $1.5k) for Xmas from Blue Nile and they will give me much greater mileage and traction w/her than a Fenix5 ever would for me.
LOL!
Wow, you paid $250 to $350 for a boat that isn't waterproof? I've got the money but there's no way I'd pay that much for a boat even if it could move.
Different strokes for different folks.
Boat???
I get the sarcasm and agree - - diff strokes for diff folks - - that was my point, a Fenix5 isn't 4 me - - but I bought diamond earrings for $750 for my GF, not boat for $250 to 350.
In fact, I hate the water. Can't swim worth a lick and don't even like being in a boat if I don't have to.
But aren't you the guy who used his Garmin (was it a $600-700 Fenix5?) to figure out when he bought his $300 xcountry skis? So, obviously the Garmin is "worth it" to you. It's just not worth it to me.
PS: Nothing perdonal. Trust you get that I'm just being sarcastic back. Tit for tat.
MFP, LOL!!
I was just being tongue-in-cheek, as you realized. No hard feelings.
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I have a Fitbit Charge HR and I don't find it to be very accurate. The sleep tracker is awful, it has no idea when I'm sleeping versus when I'm awake and lust lying there or watching TV. The heart rate monitor is nice to have occasionally, but it kills the battery and I'm not sure how accurate it is. It's hard to say how accurate it is for burning calories, is anything really accurate though?
But I will say, when it's on my wrist it makes me think about being more active and I'm more likely to try a little harder and get a few more steps in than I normally would.0 -
people love them or hate them.
im in the hate camp. lol1 -
I went through three FitBits that all broke. The best feature was sleep monitoring and silent alarm, I thought. The step counter is rather inaccurate as are the "activity calories." The heart rate determination is also pretty spotty unless you wear it high and tight on your wrist.0
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