Need recommendations for a good fitness watch

Susieq2466
Susieq2466 Posts: 17 Member
edited March 2018 in Fitness and Exercise
Looking to see what fitness trackers everyone has had luck with when it comes to accuracy and etc.

Replies

  • _mr_b
    _mr_b Posts: 302 Member
    I love my Garmins, have had a Vivosmart HR and recently upgraded to a Fenix. Both are great, HR accuracy was very good and both would pair to a HR strap if I want. Step accuracy is always subjective, I'd say they've very good and the Fenix is better than the Vivosmart was but it's just a number and the aim with all trackers is just to get you to aim for and achieve a bigger one/more steps.
    Syncing is generally good and easy to do, Garmin Connect talks nicely to MFP too.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    Susieq2466 wrote: »
    Looking to see what fitness trackers everyone has had luck with when it comes to accuracy and etc.

    What activities do you want to track, how regularly do you train and what sort of duration are you looking at? Do you have friends and family that currently use any form of tracking?

    Without some insight into you, this becomes nothing more than a random selection of suggestions.
  • Davidsdottir
    Davidsdottir Posts: 1,285 Member
    I went from Fitbits (4 different ones) to Garmin Vivoactive 3 and couldn't be happier that I made the switch.

    Which one is best for you will depend on the kinds of workouts you do and what you want out of the device.
  • palifany
    palifany Posts: 1 Member
    I love my Samsung frontier. It's a bit pricey, but I love how it can be customized. You can text and place calls as well.
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    Susieq2466 wrote: »
    Looking to see what fitness trackers everyone has had luck with when it comes to accuracy and etc.

    First, decide if you want an activity tracker that has some training features, or a training watch that has some smart features.

    If the first, most any of the main stream trackers will be fine - fitbits, garmin bands, apple watch, etc.
    If the latter, you should really be looking at the garmin watches and/or suunto watches.
  • Margee1965
    Margee1965 Posts: 24 Member
    Fitbit blaze is a great one !!
  • Susieq2466
    Susieq2466 Posts: 17 Member
    Thanks everyone for your input . I am looking to go hard or go home at the gym , but I want it to sync with MFP to count my steps etc. Any other feature is a bonus. My friends don’t do any competition with steps etc so that is not a concern for me . They have apple or Fitbit trackers.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    Susieq2466 wrote: »
    Thanks everyone for your input . I am looking to go hard or go home at the gym , but I want it to sync with MFP to count my steps etc. Any other feature is a bonus. My friends don’t do any competition with steps etc so that is not a concern for me . They have apple or Fitbit trackers.

    So in that case you're probably looking at an entry level device. I'd recommend the reviews on DCRainmaker.com.

    Personally I'm not keen on FitBit and would get towards Garmin; VivoActive, VivoSmart or VivoMove.

    FitBit have a poor rotation for build quality.
  • OldAssDude
    OldAssDude Posts: 1,436 Member
    Susieq2466 wrote: »
    Thanks everyone for your input . I am looking to go hard or go home at the gym , but I want it to sync with MFP to count my steps etc. Any other feature is a bonus. My friends don’t do any competition with steps etc so that is not a concern for me . They have apple or Fitbit trackers.

    If you want to go hard or go home, check out the Garmin fenix 5 series devices.

    They are pricey but you get what you pay for. They have all the standard fitness features plus very advanced features as well.

    If you want to get serious with your fitness, it would be a device that you will not out grow.
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    Susieq2466 wrote: »
    Thanks everyone for your input . I am looking to go hard or go home at the gym , but I want it to sync with MFP to count my steps etc. Any other feature is a bonus. My friends don’t do any competition with steps etc so that is not a concern for me . They have apple or Fitbit trackers.

    So in that case you're probably looking at an entry level device. I'd recommend the reviews on DCRainmaker.com.

    Personally I'm not keen on FitBit and would get towards Garmin; VivoActive, VivoSmart or VivoMove.

    FitBit have a poor rotation for build quality.

    Seconded, on all points.
  • misskatieanne
    misskatieanne Posts: 39 Member
    _mr_b wrote: »
    I love my Garmins, have had a Vivosmart HR and recently upgraded to a Fenix. Both are great, HR accuracy was very good and both would pair to a HR strap if I want. Step accuracy is always subjective, I'd say they've very good and the Fenix is better than the Vivosmart was but it's just a number and the aim with all trackers is just to get you to aim for and achieve a bigger one/more steps.
    Syncing is generally good and easy to do, Garmin Connect talks nicely to MFP too.

    Just wondering what band you paired the vivosmart HR to, as I read somewhere else (when I was searching for which chest strap to buy) that this is the only Garmin HR watch that won't pair with a chest strap. I really want to start using a chest HRM for hill sprints etc as the vivosmart doesn't work well for this on me, so any info on how to do this is appreciated, thanks

    OP- I like my Garmin vivosmart HR with gps for running but it is only good for steady state cardio. If I do circuit training or anything that causes spikes in HR it doesn't record properly but I think this is common with all wrist based HR monitors.
    I'm not keen on using it to gauge calories burned when doing weights either, and the strap is coming away after 8 months. The start/ stop button is on the strap so its not a straightforward strap swap either.
    Having the watch has made me more conscious of my sleep and how (in)active I am outside of the gym/ running, which is a good thing and not something I thought about much before. But when this watch breaks I will get a better Garmin that hopefully lasts longer.



  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    Susieq2466 wrote: »
    Thanks everyone for your input . I am looking to go hard or go home at the gym , but I want it to sync with MFP to count my steps etc. Any other feature is a bonus. My friends don’t do any competition with steps etc so that is not a concern for me . They have apple or Fitbit trackers.

    So in that case you're probably looking at an entry level device. I'd recommend the reviews on DCRainmaker.com.

    Personally I'm not keen on FitBit and would get towards Garmin; VivoActive, VivoSmart or VivoMove.

    FitBit have a poor rotation for build quality.

    This is the one area where MM and I agree heartily and enthusiastically

    Gettta getta geta Garmin!!
  • Creofan
    Creofan Posts: 11 Member
    I've had Fitbit, Microsoft and Garmin for fitness tracking, and I like my Vívoactive HR and the tracking it provides the best. Well thought-out app, easy to tie into MFP and the link between both is seamless and fast. I'm not easy on my devices, and it has held up well. As noted above, if you want to monitor HR spikes, any wrist-based device is not going to be accurate enough. I too will upgrade to a higher-level Garmin once this one no longer functions.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    OldAssDude wrote: »
    Susieq2466 wrote: »
    Thanks everyone for your input . I am looking to go hard or go home at the gym , but I want it to sync with MFP to count my steps etc. Any other feature is a bonus. My friends don’t do any competition with steps etc so that is not a concern for me . They have apple or Fitbit trackers.

    If you want to go hard or go home, check out the Garmin fenix 5 series devices.

    They are pricey but you get what you pay for. They have all the standard fitness features plus very advanced features as well.

    If you want to get serious with your fitness, it would be a device that you will not out grow.

    Or the Garmin 935, which has all the features of the Fenix 5 (same internals) but a polymer case - and is considerably less expensive.
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    OldAssDude wrote: »
    Susieq2466 wrote: »
    Thanks everyone for your input . I am looking to go hard or go home at the gym , but I want it to sync with MFP to count my steps etc. Any other feature is a bonus. My friends don’t do any competition with steps etc so that is not a concern for me . They have apple or Fitbit trackers.

    If you want to go hard or go home, check out the Garmin fenix 5 series devices.

    They are pricey but you get what you pay for. They have all the standard fitness features plus very advanced features as well.

    If you want to get serious with your fitness, it would be a device that you will not out grow.

    Or the Garmin 935, which has all the features of the Fenix 5 (same internals) but a polymer case - and is considerably less expensive.

    Yep - love mine. Heck, I've even gotten into developing my own custom watchface. But that's beyond the scope of this thread, obviously. IMO. the 935 is a great value buy.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    OldAssDude wrote: »
    Susieq2466 wrote: »
    Thanks everyone for your input . I am looking to go hard or go home at the gym , but I want it to sync with MFP to count my steps etc. Any other feature is a bonus. My friends don’t do any competition with steps etc so that is not a concern for me . They have apple or Fitbit trackers.

    If you want to go hard or go home, check out the Garmin fenix 5 series devices.

    They are pricey but you get what you pay for. They have all the standard fitness features plus very advanced features as well.

    If you want to get serious with your fitness, it would be a device that you will not out grow.

    Or the Garmin 935, which has all the features of the Fenix 5 (same internals) but a polymer case - and is considerably less expensive.

    And both way beyond what would meet the originators needs.
  • OldAssDude
    OldAssDude Posts: 1,436 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    OldAssDude wrote: »
    Susieq2466 wrote: »
    Thanks everyone for your input . I am looking to go hard or go home at the gym , but I want it to sync with MFP to count my steps etc. Any other feature is a bonus. My friends don’t do any competition with steps etc so that is not a concern for me . They have apple or Fitbit trackers.

    If you want to go hard or go home, check out the Garmin fenix 5 series devices.

    They are pricey but you get what you pay for. They have all the standard fitness features plus very advanced features as well.

    If you want to get serious with your fitness, it would be a device that you will not out grow.

    Or the Garmin 935, which has all the features of the Fenix 5 (same internals) but a polymer case - and is considerably less expensive.

    Yes, the 935 is also great.

    I did not mention it because I thought the OP may want something a little smaller (like the 5 or 5s), but if she don't mind the larger size, the 935 is also a great choice.
  • 1985mattie
    1985mattie Posts: 9 Member
    I’ve had my fenix 5 for a year and have put it through its paces and it still amazes me what it can do. If you want to know every last detail of your run or workout it’s a winner. Although I would say it is really overkill if you just want something to track a run or two a week and your daily steps.

    The Garmin app is also very good and easy to use. It syncs well with MFP
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Depends on what you want out of it...
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    OldAssDude wrote: »
    Susieq2466 wrote: »
    Thanks everyone for your input . I am looking to go hard or go home at the gym , but I want it to sync with MFP to count my steps etc. Any other feature is a bonus. My friends don’t do any competition with steps etc so that is not a concern for me . They have apple or Fitbit trackers.

    If you want to go hard or go home, check out the Garmin fenix 5 series devices.

    They are pricey but you get what you pay for. They have all the standard fitness features plus very advanced features as well.

    If you want to get serious with your fitness, it would be a device that you will not out grow.

    Or the Garmin 935, which has all the features of the Fenix 5 (same internals) but a polymer case - and is considerably less expensive.

    And both way beyond what would meet the originators needs.

    Very true. Way to keep us on topic.
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
    I wear a Swatch which is waterproof. It's fine for counting intervals on the elliptical and I can wear it in the shower too.
  • mabearof6
    mabearof6 Posts: 684 Member
    Garmin!
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    OldAssDude wrote: »
    Susieq2466 wrote: »
    Thanks everyone for your input . I am looking to go hard or go home at the gym , but I want it to sync with MFP to count my steps etc. Any other feature is a bonus. My friends don’t do any competition with steps etc so that is not a concern for me . They have apple or Fitbit trackers.

    If you want to go hard or go home, check out the Garmin fenix 5 series devices.

    They are pricey but you get what you pay for. They have all the standard fitness features plus very advanced features as well.

    If you want to get serious with your fitness, it would be a device that you will not out grow.

    Or the Garmin 935, which has all the features of the Fenix 5 (same internals) but a polymer case - and is considerably less expensive.

    I've got a 3HR and bought it because it was less expensive by ~$400, hardier than the 935 and all but the most expensive 5 and did everything I needed. Only thing it doesn't do is mapping (vs 5x) and link to the run dynamics pod.

    But it's as big as the 5x or 935 so may be a bit big for a lady (it looks funny on my wife's wrist). My wife has my old Vivoactive HR.
  • Azercord
    Azercord Posts: 573 Member
    Also what hasn't been said outright but has been implied. Go to the store and try them on first. I have a Fenix 5, it looks funny on my wife's wrist. She wears a Fitbit, cheaper, smaller, and fits her needs (also going on 3 years of service despite Fitbit's usual M.O.).