Fitbit Flex users

johnm8703

Just a general question to Fitbit Flex users out there. How durable is it? Is it something that I could wear playing flag football? while swimming? etc. Just trying to find something that will give me a good idea for my entire day and not just when I workout and were the HRM with the strap.
Thanks in advance.
John

FireOpalCO

I'm not sure about the swimming, but I wear mine the shower. You might lose it during flag football if you have people who are bad about not grabbing at limbs and they snag your wrist. (My 4 year old son lunged at me when I was trying to lift him out of a paddle boat and I nearly had mine fall in the lake.) The plus side is the replacement bands are cheap and come in many colors, including bright red. So if it fell on a field, you should be able to find it immediately. If it becomes truly lost, FitBit does have a lost fitbit program so if someone turns it in to them, they can tell it's yours and send it to you.

I take mine off for charging, when I'm washing dishes, or giving my son a bath. Otherwise it's on all the time.

kar328

It's water resistant to 10 meters (double check that) so it's good for swimming. I wore mine once, then decided I didn't need to count the steps in the pool since it's not a regular activity for me. I wear mine 24/7 except for charging, or when my bird wants attention and wants to sit on my arm - he's not a fan of the band so I take it off. I've only snagged it off my arm once in the 13 months I've had it. I'm a nurse, so I use my arms for a lot of physical stuff, although I don't play sports :happy: I love the thing and am anxiously awaiting my preorder of the red band, I've wanted them to make that color since I got this.

WalkingAlong

It's not going to track swimming. It only does steps-based activities. It might do ok with flag football, assuming that's mostly running around. It's not going to track anything with resistance (weights, incline, etc) or a vehicle (bike, etc), either.

Alatariel75

It's not going to track swimming. It only does steps-based activities. It might do ok with flag football, assuming that's mostly running around. It's not going to track anything with resistance (weights, incline, etc) or a vehicle (bike, etc), either.

I've been thinking about getting one, but I didn't realise this - I thought as an HRM it would measure my heart beat and be calculating the burn from that? Do I have the wrong idea of what it does?

yarwell

Fitbit Flex isn't an HRM

Alatariel75

Fitbit Flex isn't an HRM

OH, ok? so it's just what... a really fancy pedometer?

kar328

You make a profile with weight, height, sex etc. You pick a goal - I do what most do - the 10K steps a day, so the lights on it are based on how far along in the goal I am during the day. It calculates your steps and calories burned - obviously not as a heart rate monitor would do - but you can get a TDEE number based on your previous 30 days numbers, as well as your caloric intake. It'll tell you distance, active minutes and if you set the sleep mode, how efficient your sleep is - it shows you when you wake up, and how long it took you to fall asleep. You can also use it as an alarm, and it'll vibrate and buzz - no obnoxious noise.

I sync mine here, but log all my food and exercise on here and let it cross over to Fitbit, mostly because I was on here first. It's not a HRM, but wearing it on your wrist 24/7 is much easier and more realistic than wearing a chest strap 24/7 and a watch with beeping noises. I do have my HRM and use it for particular exercises but for overall day to day tracking of my numbers, I go by my Flex. I've had it for 13 months and have about doubled my daily steps, I hit 10K almost every day, I hit 15K twice this week (each mile is approx 2K). I find when I'm downstairs cooking, I do laps back and forth instead of sitting in front of the tv. It makes me take longer routes to where I'm going just to reach my numbers, so that's a good thing. I love it

WalkingAlong

Fitbit Flex isn't an HRM

OH, ok? so it's just what... a really fancy pedometer?

Exactly.

imalooser

I am pretty new to this but started using the Fitbit Flex. My sister in law is a very strong athlete (runs Ironman) and told me to get The Basis watch. It costs twice what the Fitbit does but seems a bit more accurate. It does HR, steps, daily calories burned, sleep pattern (including time spent in REM, light and deep) and quite a bit more. You can check out the website here:

http://www.mybasis.com/

Not knocking the FItbit because I really liked that one as well but this one is a watch as well.

StrawberryPolly

The Fitbit Flex is really too high priced for me. I use the MFP to keep track of calories, nutrient, etc and also add in my exercise. That is precise enough for me...I am 68 years old. I have the MOVE app on my iPhone to track my walking. I also add my time in water aerobics.

WalkingAlong

I am pretty new to this but started using the Fitbit Flex. My sister in law is a very strong athlete (runs Ironman) and told me to get The Basis watch. It costs twice what the Fitbit does but seems a bit more accurate. It does HR, steps, daily calories burned, sleep pattern (including time spent in REM, light and deep) and quite a bit more. You can check out the website here:

http://www.mybasis.com/

Not knocking the FItbit because I really liked that one as well but this one is a watch as well.

It's been a while since I looked at the Basis but I think it doesn't do much more than the Fitbits. The Fitbit Flex doesn't tell time but the other model Fitbits do. The Basis has a spot HR check but they admit it's nothing like the continuous monitoring that a chest strap HRM does.

The Withings Pulse is another, similar option, for under $100. Though with that one you initiate the spot pulse check by holding it to your finger rather than it taking spot readings from your wrist on its own schedule.