Gadget Fans: Fitbit Flex - Yes or No?

MiekeJ
MiekeJ Posts: 139
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey Guys,

I am looking for any opinions on the Fitbit Flex:
http://www.fitbit.com/au/flex

Do you have one? Do you like it? Would you recommend it? Is it useful/accurate?

Any info would be appreciated before I decide to make the investment or not! :)

Danke!

Mieke
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Replies

  • GothyFaery
    GothyFaery Posts: 762 Member
    I have been looking at the Flex too but some people have said that it is just a glorified pedometer. Would love to hear what others think
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    I like it. I put it on and forget it for a few days. Then it emails me and asks me to charge it.
    I wear it 24/7, including the shower. I counts my steps, tells me how many calories I've burned, gives me a gauge with a range of calories remaining. Syncs nicely with myfitnesspal.

    It's very motivating. You set a steps goal (or calories burned, or distance...), and it indicates your progress toward that goal and lets you know when you've achieved it.
    It sends you weekly emails telling you your totals, calories in and out...everything you'd want.
  • SEC_RULES
    SEC_RULES Posts: 63 Member
    Bump to keep up with this thread
  • grneyedgoddess77
    grneyedgoddess77 Posts: 58 Member
    My Dh gave me mine for X-mas - otherwise I wouldn't have bought it. I really like it though. It seems very accurate for me, syncs quickly and easily, and tracks my sleep. It IS a glorified pedometer but you can wear it in the shower and it's very easy to forget.

    Edit to add: Some people use it as their silent alarm, though I have yet to. The buzz it gives you to notify you of stuff is perfect - not too strong but definitely noticeable.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    My Dh gave me mine for X-mas - otherwise I wouldn't have bought it. I really like it though. It seems very accurate for me, syncs quickly and easily, and tracks my sleep. It IS a glorified pedometer but you can wear it in the shower and it's very easy to forget.

    Edit to add: Some people use it as their silent alarm, though I have yet to. The buzz it gives you to notify you of stuff is perfect - not too strong but definitely noticeable.
    I used the silent alarm feature to remind me to take a prescription. Very handy.
  • Tomahawk3Niner
    Tomahawk3Niner Posts: 61
    I got one at the beginning of December and really it was the key thing I needed to get motivated to start losing weight. All the weight gone in my ticker happened because I got the Fitbit, which then led me to MFP, etc.

    It may take a little fine tuning to get it to record things accurately but once you get it set right it's usually really accurate.

    At 3.5mph walking or slower, it'll put me within 1/10 of a mile difference of my GPS tracker. In other words if I log 1.5 miles on the GPS, fitbit is usually going to come in right around 1.4 to 1.45. Adjusting your stride length is the trick with that.

    If I go faster than 3.5mph sometimes I've noticed it has trouble counting, but if I break into a jog or run it counts accurately again.

    The sleep records offer a lot of insight and I've noticed I've been feeling better rested after having paid attention to it. Probably a combination of being more active, leading me to being more tired, and maybe some psychological effect??

    The awesome thing about it is after you've linked your fitbit and mfp accounts, you don't have to duplicate logs.

    I log activities, sleep and weight change via fitbit and food/water through MFP and it works great sharing the information.
  • TribeHokie
    TribeHokie Posts: 711 Member
    I got the flex for this past Christmas. It pretty much IS a glorified pedometer but I love it because it is not bulky, the battery life is excellent (I can usually go 6 days without charging, and then a full charge-up only takes 2-3 hours), and I love the android app and fitbit.com dashboard. I find that their food database is not necessarily as comprehensive as MFP but that is mostly because they don't allow five hundred different entries for baby carrots, so it is easy to find what you want and to modify amounts (it even has several different measurement options for each food item). I would say the step accuracy is very good, but it is not a heart rate monitor and does not have an altimeter for stairs/hills, so if you want that increased functionality I believe the new Force has those features. The app and site are extremely easy to use and it can sync through a bluetooth connection with your phone so the only time you ever have to take it off is when you charge it.

    So in summary, I really like it but I also wasn't looking for a lot of bells and whistles. What it does do, it does well.
  • tameraterndrup
    tameraterndrup Posts: 1 Member
    Have it and love it. It has really motivated me to walk more. It even tracks my sleep patterns and it integrates myfitnesspal so that you can seamlessly keep track of calorie intake vs. calorie outtake.:smile:

    Tamera
  • Kevalicious99
    Kevalicious99 Posts: 1,131 Member
    Love my Flex .. but you have to check the accuracy of the steps. Mine was way out .. cause I have short legs and take lots of steps compared to the normal person my height. So .. you can go online to Fitbit and adjust your stride length. Still not sure if it is any better .. but it is a fun little gadget. Love the sleep part of it .. it basically tells me that I suck.

    I only use it to log my steps and sleep. My food, exercise and weight I track at MFP.

    For the money .. a pretty good little toy.

    Garmin is coming out with a competing model very very soon, it looks really good. So might be an option for those considering a Flex.
  • gemmalu
    gemmalu Posts: 56 Member
    Someone on here did a comparison review of the fitbit flex and the fitbit one and wore them both for a week to see how they did. After the week she decided to stick with the fitbit one and that's what made me buy mine. I guess it's each to their own though - the flex would have been my choice if I still swam a lot with it being waterproof. Wish I could find the review now - it was really informative.

    I like that mine logs stairs as well as steps, and that I can set goals to reach each day. I just put on my PJ's and ended up running up and down the stairs a few times before actually getting into bed so that I could meet my goal of 15 floors in a day. It's certainly a motivator to move around more!
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    I've had both and decided to stick with the One but my reasons are pretty unique. I thought it was ugly and it felt claustrophobic and it didn't synch to my phone. But people find them less accurate in terms of just steps count, I think. I don't think it matters for most, unless you spend a lot of time on a treadmill gripping the rail, or work teaching ASL or something hand-intensive.

    But the Flex is getting some Tory Burch bands and pendants, which better be insanely expensive or I might be jealous. :laugh:
  • PMcLinn
    PMcLinn Posts: 27 Member
    I have the one and love it..I am afraid if I got the flex or force it would not be as accurate as I talk with my hands and it would be moving all day, while i am sitting in an office chair...at least that is my take on it
  • Wild_Hare
    Wild_Hare Posts: 1,070 Member
    I will have had my Fitbit One for one year tomorrow! I LOVE it!

    Yes, it is a glorified pedometer, but I love gadgets and this one is very motivating. It was quite shocking to see how little I moved during the day when I first got it. I really like the silent alarm. I set it to remind me to get up and move around throughout the day.

    The Flex had not released when I bought the One. I really like the idea of having it on the wrist. That being said, I've had zero problems with having the One clipped to my pants or bra.
  • skinnyme47
    skinnyme47 Posts: 794 Member
    I don't have the Fitbit Flex, but I do have a Fitbit One and it is worth every penny to me. It syncs with Everymove and Earndit apps. It helps keep you motivated as well.They make a leash (on Amazon I think) for the Fitbit One to keep it attached to your clothes.
  • lonypony
    lonypony Posts: 130 Member
    Hi Mieke

    I have the Fitbit one. I love it. It is a pedometer but it encourages me to walk that little further to get over 10000 steps. I think the accuracy of calories spent when it syncs with MFP is fairly accurate. That is all I use. I used the sleep function for a week and found that quite interesting logging how much I actually slept each night was surprising, when I thought I was waking up and staying awake for long periods I was actually falling sleeping in-between those periods! I team it with MapMyWalk app on my phone also and using them (they don't sync) gives me the motivation to get up off the couch ......

    Cheers, Leonie
  • 360hope360
    360hope360 Posts: 29
    Bump i wanna keep up with this board as im buying the force next month , my step counter fell in the commode and well now dont work, so i need something connected to my arm thats water proof seems like the force will work as its water proof- forgot if it keep heart rate but i love that it counts steps and stays connected to me will be so happy when im able to count steps again.
  • ghostfingers
    ghostfingers Posts: 24
    I would advise against getting the Flex or the Force, personally.

    I have a pedometer on my phone and my ipod, and I have found that my Flex severely under-counts my steps- unless I wear it on my hip/in my pocket.

    I love it, I love fitbit products, I love the sleep tracking and the dashboard and how it keeps me motivated- but you're going to be paying more money for a Flex or Force (than, say, a One) and it cannot be reliably worn on the wrist.
  • NavyKnightAh13
    NavyKnightAh13 Posts: 1,394 Member
    Bump to keep up with thread. Thinking about getting one down the line
  • EmilyJackCO
    EmilyJackCO Posts: 621 Member
    I LOVE my Flex. It's the only thing that even remotely works with Windows 8 or Windows Phones. Even then, it only syncs with my laptop dongle, but I still love it to bits. It's been very motivating and has gotten me to even start jogging. It is very accurate for me. I also went with this one especially for the sleep tracking - as I have terrible insomnia.... it really helped my doctor to see some more issues and help adjust my medications.
  • Losingthedamnweight
    Losingthedamnweight Posts: 536 Member
    Someone on here did a comparison review of the fitbit flex and the fitbit one and wore them both for a week to see how they did. After the week she decided to stick with the fitbit one and that's what made me buy mine. I guess it's each to their own though - the flex would have been my choice if I still swam a lot with it being waterproof. Wish I could find the review now - it was really informative.

    I like that mine logs stairs as well as steps, and that I can set goals to reach each day. I just put on my PJ's and ended up running up and down the stairs a few times before actually getting into bed so that I could meet my goal of 15 floors in a day. It's certainly a motivator to move around more!

    Care to linky to that review?
  • aleggett321
    aleggett321 Posts: 186 Member
    Bump i wanna keep up with this board as im buying the force next month , my step counter fell in the commode and well now dont work, so i need something connected to my arm thats water proof seems like the force will work as its water proof- forgot if it keep heart rate but i love that it counts steps and stays connected to me will be so happy when im able to count steps again.

    Look into the Force carefully before expecting it to be waterproof! In the user guide, which can be viewed on the website, it specifically says not to wear it in the shower or swimming. It's "rain-proof" and "sweat-proof", not waterproof. I had preordered the Force because I like new toys but cancelled the order for that very reason and stuck with my Flex.

    That being said...I love my Flex!! For my stride I find it pretty accurate and I would not ever have guessed that it would motivate me as much as it does. I park my car farther out, stay on the treadmill that extra few minutes and sometimes just walk in circles around the house all "to keep my fitbit happy"! I just bought my daughter one for her birthday because she was having serious gadget envy. We are definitely fans
  • MiekeJ
    MiekeJ Posts: 139
    Thanks everyone for your responses! Will read through them more thoroughly and think a bit more about it. Most seem pretty positive though which is good!
  • Ndnrosie
    Ndnrosie Posts: 2 Member
    Fitbit Flex - I got one for my birthday, and although I haven't lost a whack load of weight since then (really just been motivated since December), I find syncing it with MFP really helps to know how many calories I have burned or how many I have left to eat in any particular day.

    As far as accuracy goes, I have been on the treadmill and watched the Fitbit app accurately track each and every step I took, some people report problems with it, but I haven't experienced it.

    I find it motivating in terms of being able to reach the goals (and the Flex lights up and buzzes on your wrist).

    So my two cents - Go for it!

    R.
  • sami_83
    sami_83 Posts: 161
    I love my flex! But I lost the charger the week before xmas :sad: I have ordered another, but it's on back order so I won't have it for another few weeks. Frustrating!

    Anyway it's so nifty. I love the sleep tracker and the alarm, I enjoy checking how many steps I've done and it seems quite accurate to me. Easy to use, easy to charge, easy to wear. It made me more active than I had been in a long time. Definitely recommended. I did consider the others (One? Zip?) but I find it really convenient to have it on my wrist. If I had to clip it on my clothes every day I'd be so annoyed and I'm a bit senile so I'd probably forget all the time.

    Can't wait til that charger arrives...
  • gemmalu
    gemmalu Posts: 56 Member
    Sorry, took me a while to find the review - internet on my iPhone is tiny!

    Here it is: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/992573-fitbit-flex-vs-one-review
  • susanrechter
    susanrechter Posts: 386 Member
    i better get me one.
  • sunny145
    sunny145 Posts: 73 Member
    I had the FitBit Ultra (I think that's what it was called) for a year and lost it going through security at an airport. I was devastated! I don't know what it is about this little gadget, but I feel naked if I leave the house without it. I bought the FitBit One the day after I lost my first one. I love how it syncs with my phone and I can see my place on the leader board go up and down throughout the day. I don't think I would ever want the Flex. It seems intuitive to me that it would have a harder time measuring steps and I wouldn't really like the idea of it being visible all of the time.
  • Firekeeper66
    Firekeeper66 Posts: 116 Member
    I've had my Fitbit One for a week and I'm down 2.8 pounds this week. It really made me aware of how many (or how little!) steps I was taking in a day. I love the data it gives me since I'm a bit of a nerd and it works perfectly with my Samsung s4 Android phone.

    I did see some concern over the Fitbit Flex and Force causing some wrist rashes and when I compared all the reviews (like I said, I'm a nerd), the One came out on top so that's why I picked it.

    I FREAKIN' LOVE THIS THING!
  • swaymyway
    swaymyway Posts: 428 Member
    Also got one for Christmas - for me it isn't much use, I was already active and had a handle on my diet so I don't really find it motivating or helpful. I find the sleep tracking utterly pointless as it isn't accurate at all (I was awake for an hour or so in the middle of the night last night but the tracker said I was 'restless' for 2 minutes' - I guess because I didn't actually get out of bed and walk around it didn't count). It really is just an expensive pedometer.

    On the other hand I can see it's benefits for people that are just starting out and it is easy to just put on and forget - you don't have to do much faffing about with it.
  • johnthomasmoore
    johnthomasmoore Posts: 59 Member
    I love my Fitbit One. Doubtful that a wear on wrist model (Flex, Force) would work for me. I'm a bit of a geek and am into collecting and analyzing data. Started the weight loss thing due to high blood pressure. Put together a system that pretty much automates collection and analyzing my data. Check out my blog: http://johntmoore.blogspot.com/

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