Fitbit or Polar? Pls help

MyaPapaya75
MyaPapaya75 Posts: 3,143 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am just about to order one or the other online ....which do you guys think is best?...Im leaning towards the fitbit because it does track sleep and I do have a severe case of sleep apnea
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Replies

  • 2hungariangirls
    2hungariangirls Posts: 220
    Bumping. Interested also
  • manders2
    manders2 Posts: 22
    I LOVE my polar but I don't know anything about the Fitbit.
  • slim422
    slim422 Posts: 104 Member
    Thanks for posting this as I am trying to decide as well - I liked the sleep feature also but in reading the reviews found it was somewhat unreliable. I'll be interested in what others say - please post what you decide.
  • findingfit23
    findingfit23 Posts: 845 Member
    The fitbit will base your calories burned off of steps taken. A Polar will actually use your heart rate.
  • HeaderAutumn
    HeaderAutumn Posts: 119 Member
    I just ordered the fitbit because my dogs wake me alot at night. If you want I can let you know if you don't get many responses. It should be arriving tomorrow. The fitbit website wasn't letting me order, so I ordered from BEST BUY
  • princessjarvis
    princessjarvis Posts: 97
    POLAR ALL THE WAY! :) x
  • BigDaddyBRC
    BigDaddyBRC Posts: 2,395 Member
    Do more research into the different brands. From there, its about preference and your price range. I use a SportLine Duo 1060. Works awesome
  • TubbsMcGee
    TubbsMcGee Posts: 1,058 Member
    I did a lot of research between the two when I bought my heart rate monitor.

    I ended up going with the Polar FT4, because I didn't want to be wearing the Ftibit 24/7. Plus I heard that the software for it doesn't properly work in my country and that there was a monthly fee?

    I love my Polar, it's super accurate, plus it links to all the exercise equipment at my gym so that I don't have to hold their sensors when choosing a work out program :)
  • renocyclist
    renocyclist Posts: 3 Member
    Depends on what you are looking for. :-) Got the Fitbit for my wife for Christmas. Very slick package, worked as advertised. Very easy to use. Now she does more intense workouts, so she has shifted to a Polar HRM. Ultimately, we gave her Fitbit to my sister-in-law, she is more of a walker, so for her the Fitbit was perfect.
  • BaconMD
    BaconMD Posts: 1,165 Member
    I thought about it myself, did some research, and the FitBit is basically just a fancy pedometer. Do you really need the extra accuracy? You could just get a cheapo pedometer for under $10 at practically any store.

    So far, I want the Garmin Forerunner 210, but I haven't looked at Polar yet. Still researching. I definitely want something that actually tells me my heart rate.
  • kenlad64
    kenlad64 Posts: 377 Member
    I have a Polar, I'm going to let them work all the kinks out of the FitBit and how it interacts with MFP before I look into one ...
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    The Polar will only give you fairly accurate caloric burns during aerobic activity (cardio), whereas I beleive the fitbit will give you daily caloric burns based on various factors
    .
  • cmhenely
    cmhenely Posts: 4 Member
    Which polar HRM do you recommend?
  • MaynardLD50
    MaynardLD50 Posts: 36 Member
    Polar FT7

    http://www.amazon.com/Polar-Heart-Monitor-Watch-Silver/dp/B001U0OFDC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329329245&sr=8-1

    POLAR
    POLAR
    POLAR
    POLAR

    I really should work for Polar considering how much I advocate it. Tracks calories burned using your actual heart rate vs steps taken (Meh.)
  • Chloe_Chaos_
    Chloe_Chaos_ Posts: 150 Member
    I looked in to fitbit and I read that it is a pedometer so it will track based on steps counted. So for example, if you work out on an elliptical it might not track that right because your body might not always move like a step. I'm not sure about the sleep feature but I read again that it is unreliable and if you roll over a lot (like myself) then it shows you as being awake rather than rolling over.

    I've used a polar for several months and it's amazing. But I recently bought a New Balance N4 because it was a bit cheaper and the watch was more stylish and I love it!

    So I would say Polar (or NB) over fitbit :/

    (PS: I used to Polar FT4, works AMAZING, but so does my NB)
  • mhankosk
    mhankosk Posts: 532 Member
    Bodybugg! :)
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    OP: have you considered looking into the Bodybugg, that tracks cals all day and night as well, but I beleive is more accurate then a fitbit, based on the way it estimates burns.
  • Makethefatcry12
    Makethefatcry12 Posts: 133 Member
    The fitbit is not a HRM. It tracks steps taken, miles gone, flights of stairs climbed, your sleep and calories burned through out the day. It also syncs with MFP.

    If you are looking for a HRM definitely go with polar. =)
  • htimpaired
    htimpaired Posts: 1,404 Member
    I have had both. Here's my experiences:

    Fitbit-I bought one a year ago, wore it for six months, then the plastic cracked and came off. customer service replaced it and after another 4-6 months it broke in the exact same spot. I wore it in between my bra cups just like the directions said, so I don't believe the fitbit broke from misuse. As far the the usefulness of the fitbit, I did love tracking my steps. It was a great motivator to try to get over 10,000 each day and really brought to my attention just how much sitting I was doing at work. I used the sleep tracking function but I really don't know how accurate it was because I move ALOT in my sleep. (so it would think I was waking up) Also, If you lay still, it thinks you're sleeping, but in my case all I was doing was laying there wishing I was asleep! Sometimes I do miss my fitbit, but really it's because of my compulsive need to count steps!

    After the last fitbit broke I bought a Polar FT4. I've been using that for a few months now and I love it. I wear it during my cardio workouts to get my heartrate and calorie count. I've found that my heartrate is much higher than I thought, and was able to track my own personal target heart rate/zone. The chest strap is comfortable and doesn ot fall off. Mostly, I find it helpful to monitor how efficient my workouts are and see if I'm working hard enough.

    So, I guess it depends on what you want your gadget to do. Hell, if I had another $100 lying around, I'd probably go with both! :-)
  • AnaNotBanana
    AnaNotBanana Posts: 963 Member
    The biggest difference between the two is that the FitBit is designed for use all day whereas the Polar (or any other HRM) is meant to use during any cardio activity. I personally have never used the FitBit but I wonder how accurate it would be being that you just clip it to your pants or put it in your pocket. It doesn't take any type of readings like what you heart rate actually is. I previously used a Polar FT4 and always got good results when I used it during cardio activities. I had a bit of trouble getting it to work during my strength training when I didn't sweat a lot. In the last two months I've been using a Body Media Fit which is an armband that you wear all day and LOVE it! However it is more expensive and requires a monthly subscription. Hope this info helps!
  • MyaPapaya75
    MyaPapaya75 Posts: 3,143 Member
    ty for your replies ...hmm yeah if fitbit is a monthly fee thing they can forget it haha....im leaning towards Polar thus far.....my next question is the Polar I wanted was on amazon BUT sold by some ricks collectibles...do u think its best just to buy from Polar site?..I wanted a colorful one
  • gagesmom314
    gagesmom314 Posts: 101 Member
    I have had my Fitbit for almost a week. I LOVE it! I love how small it is and how I just clip it to my bra and don't even think about it. At night the wrist band for it is very comfortable. I love how MFP pulls all of the data over and so far it has been very accurate. When I jog it seems to log it quite well.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,316 Member
    They are two completely different things.

    The polar HRM is meant for use only during exercise. Its calorie calculations are not accurate for all day wear, but only during times of cardio exercise.

    The fitbit is a modified pedometer which includes an accelerometer and in the Ultra an altimeter. That allows it to not only measure steps, how vigorously you are moving and how many stairs, hills you have climbed. That gives it a somewhat more accurate picture of your daily calorie burn. It is meant for all day wear.

    Ideally, both would be the best. The fitbit for daily activity, and the HRM for times of exercise since on the fitbit site you can enter those times of exercise as well.

    As to the question of which to purchase, just realize they are both estimates of calories burned. They can be fairly accurate, but can also be over or under estimating calorie burn by a fairly large factor (I have heard up to 30%).

    Just so you know. I have a HRM which I have had for almost 2 years, and I am considering getting a fitbit now as well.
  • chell53
    chell53 Posts: 352 Member
    Which polar HRM do you recommend?

    I have the Polar FT4 and love it.............
  • tgh1914
    tgh1914 Posts: 1,036 Member
    The Polar will only give you fairly accurate caloric burns during aerobic activity (cardio), whereas I beleive the fitbit will give you daily caloric burns based on various factors
    .
    Yes ^^^

    It really depends on what you're primarily after, cuz they're built for different purposes. I use my FT4 for cardio tracking WHEN I'm doing true steady state cardio only. The fitbit would be useful for getting a more accurate count of your typical daily expenditure, but not as accurate as the HRM during intense cardio.
  • 2fit4fat
    2fit4fat Posts: 559 Member
    i also say polar (LOVE IT!) fitbit is basically a glamorized pedometer. i like to see my cals burned base on my HR not steps taken (i went through this same problem about a month ago and i dont regret my choice at all. the polar keeps me motivated seeing my cals burned i know the Fitbit wouldnt so much since its not based on anything but my steps so it doesnt know how hard i am working or not working
  • lizard053
    lizard053 Posts: 2,344 Member
    After all my reading, and all the reviews I've seen. I'm going to be getting both! Fitbit first, then the Polar.
  • htimpaired
    htimpaired Posts: 1,404 Member
    Fitbit does not have a monthly fee like the bodybugg, so that is a plus.
  • MyaPapaya75
    MyaPapaya75 Posts: 3,143 Member
    OP: have you considered looking into the Bodybugg, that tracks cals all day and night as well, but I beleive is more accurate then a fitbit, based on the way it estimates burns.
    Looking at the site now
  • LatinaGordita
    LatinaGordita Posts: 377 Member
    I did a lot of research between the two when I bought my heart rate monitor.

    I ended up going with the Polar FT4, because I didn't want to be wearing the Ftibit 24/7. Plus I heard that the software for it doesn't properly work in my country and that there was a monthly fee?

    I love my Polar, it's super accurate, plus it links to all the exercise equipment at my gym so that I don't have to hold their sensors when choosing a work out program :)

    ^^^
    This I have a Polar FT7. No regrets.

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