Fitbit vs Polar

millerv77

Does anyone have any recommendations on which they prefer? I want something I can wear on my wrist because I have lost so many pedometers & I'm tired of wasting my money. I want something that is water proof & that will track my steps, swimming, bicycling both mobile & stationary and stair climbing.
Thank you for your help

Kimsied

I have a Fitbit One and a Polar HRM watch and H7 strap. I don't have the Polar Loop tracker, but I looked pretty carefully at the specs as I often do when new activity trackers come out.

Both the Loop and Flex can be worn on the wrist, are waterproof and can track steps.

I don't believe either would track swimming well. The reason with the Loop the optional heart rate monitor it works with does not work in water (I have the same HRM strap). and they are not programmed with the movement only data from swimming. I was curious about the loop and swimming, but from the Amazon reviews and discussions and the product specs on the Polar site I realized it isn't the best option for swimming. I don't know about the Loop, but it is easy to manually log exercise to fitbit. I use the calorie burn from my old waterproof Polar HRM watch for water activities. But I would not use my HRM watch for tracking general activity like I do with fitbit.

For cycling--neither will track it well. You would probably want to use a heart rate monitor. If you have or get a waterproof HRM watch you could also use it to manually log your cycling (to fitbit, not sure about to Loop). If you get a Loop, you will also want to buy the H6 or H7 Polar Bluetooth strap since that is required for the optional heart rate monitoring. In this case, your HRM burn would automatically be on your Polar account. I use the H7 (the strap that works with Polar Loop) with my smart phone and the app Digifit that automatically logs to fitbit for me. So with a fitbit, I would use my HRM/digifit combo to track cycling and it automatically logs to fitbit. If you are buying both I think the loop + H7 and the Fitbit + H7 would cost similar. If going the fitbit route, make sure your phone is one that can sync with the H7 or H6.

Stair climbing on machines? Or actual stairs? I ask because the floor climbing in devices is based on actual elevation change so they may not credit floors taken on a cardio machine. For the calorie burn, I would likely prefer some heart rate monitoring method.

I think the benefit of going the Polar route is that it would be on one account--your HRM stats and the general activity. I read that the software isn't as good as fitbits though. I considered the Loop, but since it wouldn't track swimming well I felt it had nothing to offer that I wasn't already getting from Fibit + Digifi + Polar H7 (and my smart phone). One benefit to Fitbit, is it can link with a lot of other accounts or services, Polar doesn't linked to as many (if any). I've used Polar's HRM app (the same that the Loop works with) and it really isn't as good (in my opinion) as Dififit. But I don't mind using multiple accounts to track stuff. Some people don't like doing that. I think they both have their plus and minus.

Another option, the Missfit Shine might be good for you. They claim it is programmed for cycling, swimming, walking and running. I don't think it counts stair floors, though. For swimming you wear it on your wrist, for cycling on your foot/ankle, for pedometer use on your torso or wrist. I think you have to indicate swimming or cycling in the app though to get it to count it correctly. I don't know how accurate it is. The reviews I have seen are usually raving about it's appearance.

hoktauri

I have a fitbit flex and happy with it. It doesn't track stairs, cycling or other things like that but for what it does I like it and probably going to buy one for my mom.

stuffinmuffin

Fitbit is not waterproof and can't track cycling and swimming anyway.

I have a Fitbit one and Polar Ft40 HRM for exercise. Love them both.

millerv77

Thank you for the info & I climb actual stairs

millerv77

Thank you

millerv77

ok, thank you