Fitbit vs Garmin

ise311

Hey all. Sorry if I posted this in the wrong section.

My cheapo Xiaomi Band 2 went bonkers on me, so I'm needing to buy another tracker. Between Garmin Vivosmart 3 vs Fitbit Charge 2 (which are similarly priced) -- may I know which is the better option in terms of:

- Functions
- Reliability/Durability
- Sync with MFP app

Otherwise I might just go with another cheapo brand
Thank you!!

BrianSharpe

Here are the DC Rainmaker reviews (he probably goes into more detail than many need but he's pretty much the go to source for objective reviews.

https://dcrainmaker.com/2016/11/fitbit-charge2-review.html

https://dcrainmaker.com/2017/10/garmin-vivoactive-3-in-depth-review.html

I've never used a fitbit but through Garmin Connect my data (I use a different Garmin model) synchs reliably and I'm a long time Garmin fan (generally speaking very reliable, well made products & reliable customer support if a problem arises)

NorthCascades

Functionality goes to Garmin hands down, it's like asking if a Toyota is a better car than a wheelbarrow.

Durability is a Garmin thing, too. Fitbits break after a year, there are a billion threads about it. I just stopped using a Garmin bike computer I bought ten years ago.

Fitbit wins for social experience through their site.

Duck_Puddle

I have and use both a Garmin and a Fitbit. I haven’t used the specific Garmin you’re looking at, but having used both brands (and having had the Fitbit you’re looking at), I’d go with the Garmin because it’s waterproof and has additional metrics like stress tracking/potential for weight rep counting (if you like to fiddle with your watch during a workout), etc.

Fitbit would win if
1.) waterproof isn’t important to you,
2.) you’re fashion minded and want to be able to swap out your band every 7 seconds to match an outfit,
3.) you’re motivated or interested in friends, step challenges/adventures (like @NorthCascades said-fitbit excels on the social side),
4.) you are connecting to other systems that don’t connect to Garmin (I have a Fitbit because I get a health insurance incentive $$$$ but it only syncs to Fitbit).
5.) you want to have some GPS maps for walks/runs/biking (the Fitbit will do this through your phone. This particular Garmin doesn’t have GPS tracking of any kind).

If those aren’t important to you, then I would go with Garmin.

Both connect to Mfp and sync fine (although slightly differently). Fitbit occasionally has blips which seem magnified because the user base is larger and every time there’s an incident, there are 174959955 brand new forum threads about it. I’ve had one linked for 5 years and it works more consistently than MFP itself.

pomegranatecloud

Definitely Garmin.

fishgutzy

My first 'fitness tracker ' is the Garmin Fenix 5X.
I'll never by "just a watch" again.
Garmin definitely makes a more rugged device.
I couldn't care less about "social interaction" when choosing a device.
Functions I'll use and durability.

krazy1sbk

I have a super cheap garmin (vivofit 3) and I absolutely love that it's waterproof - that was the biggest selling point for me. It also syncs perfectly with mfp. I haven't owned a Fitbit, so I can't compare, but I think if I ever get a new device it will still be garmin.

ise311

Thanks guys, I appreciate the input. Seems like Garmins has many fans lol

fuzzylop72

ise311 wrote: »

Thanks guys, I appreciate the input. Seems like Garmins has many fans lol

Yeah, nothing else really has made much of an effort to add sport-specific metrics to help you improve. Fitbit (and honestly, pretty much everyone else) just tries to get calorie burn right for different sports profiles, and doesn't add much in way of metrics.

Even simple things like cadence for running isn't all that common on a lot of devices (apple is only just now adding it in watchos5, for example).

rsclause

I just bought the fit bit Versa. Seems okay but does have lots of apps and features. Not sure if I will dig into them or just use it to count steps, and sleep track & heart monitor. My Blaze died and I missed being able to have step challenges.

NorthCascades

fuzzylop72 wrote: »

ise311 wrote: »

Thanks guys, I appreciate the input. Seems like Garmins has many fans lol

Yeah, nothing else really has made much of an effort to add sport-specific metrics to help you improve. Fitbit (and honestly, pretty much everyone else) just tries to get calorie burn right for different sports profiles, and doesn't add much in way of metrics.

Even simple things like cadence for running isn't all that common on a lot of devices (apple is only just now adding it in watchos5, for example).

Yep. Nothing else in this segment can talk to a power meter, for example.

Purplebunnysarah

I like my Fitbits I've used in the past (One, Charge HR, Blaze) and the Garmin Forerunner 735XT I have now.

They were good for different things. And both had good customer support/warranty replacement services. My Charge HR had the band bubble and break (not an issue with the Charge 2) and my Garmin drowned the very first time I took it swimming (suspect a manufacturing defect). The Blaze worked great while I was waiting for my replacement Garmin!

etruscansunited

I had a terrible experience with trying to establish a fitbit watch (gift) and account. Returned watch. Cancelled every trace of a connection with Fitbit.

Later, gratefied with that when I realised how many 9 year olds in a class I occasionally visit had a Fitbit watch, especially the girls.

Cobbled together voucher cards from reward points hither and thither and so funded a Garmin Fenix 5x.

The online comparisons exhausted my attention span and often were of dubious independence.
My final choice was more informed by reccomendations on Strava by runners and orienteers who are similar to me.

The Fenix 5X was pre-loaded with my country's local topo maps.
It suits me for linking runs with my Strava account (which is where I engage in minuscule social interaction); orienteering; and basic navigation off tar toads on my motorbike (thus avoiding a specialist m/c gps navigation unit - I am yet to try to integrate it with Garmin's BaseCamp).

This Garmin watch has superior GPS precision for my uses.

Best, though, are the unexpected benefits of prompts to move; tracking sleep patterns*; feedback on steps per day etc.
I was not looking for all of that palaver and obviously it will not suit all.
The complete range of measures not just steps per day showed me how sedentary I am day to day between exercise / training sessions.
It is helping make changes in my habits that have been entrenched for years.

(*It has helped resolve a bedroom controversy as to whether I have sleep disturbed by CSGM alarm rage. More generally, I am reliably informed that wives can spend years trying to convince their partner that they have sleep apnoea. A watch that tracks sleep levels or a phone App that listens during the night might help. Since sleep is some important to general health and probably cognitive functioning, not just recovery from training, give more weight in your assesment of watch / trackers to sleep than you might have thought.)

Obviously a watch with fewer gizmos could give something similar.

If you are inclined to use the features, see if you can scrounge ways to buy a watch / tracker with more features than you think you want. It is easier to ignore or switch them off than outgrow a kiddies playground accessory.

kayten76

Whilst Fitbits are great, they dont seem to last for more than 18 months.