Gadget Fans: Fitbit Flex - Yes or No?

Options
2

Replies

  • aleggett321
    aleggett321 Posts: 186 Member
    Options
    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
    Options
    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
    Options
    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
    Options
    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
    Options
    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
    Options
    i better get me one.
  • sunny145
    sunny145 Posts: 73 Member
    Options
    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
    Options
    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
    Options
    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
    Options
    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/
  • JuliRamone
    JuliRamone Posts: 365 Member
    Options
    I ordered one last year, but I sent it back after 3 weeks.
    It's fun, yeah, but for me... it wasn't worth the money. Maybe you get the possibility to try it for one or two weeks.
  • tinglesby
    tinglesby Posts: 96 Member
    Options
    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







    I got one for christmas and i have to say i LOVE it!! It so motivating to get my butt in gear and MOVE!! it sets automatically to 10,000 steps per day, but i found that with a 30 min workout and what i do for a living i was smoking that!! So i upped my steps to 11,500 and i'll prolly keep it there for a couple weeks, then up it again!!! i highly recommend it!! you wont regret it!!
  • Booda101
    Booda101 Posts: 161 Member
    Options
    I've had the Flex since September. And while I do realize that it is a fancy pedometer, I believe it has aided in breaking a months long plateau. I like that it syncs to MFP and has certainly made me more aware of calories in/out.

    Would I recommend it? At this point I'd have to say no for the following reasons: 1) Many companies are entering the activity tracking market and will likely produce wearables that have even more features and style 2) after a couple of months of wearing the Flex, I developed a rash. Apparently this is not unique to the device. I've coated the clasp with a healthy dose of clear nail polish and applied copious amounts of hydrocortisone to the affected area.

    Good luck!
  • Angel03744
    Angel03744 Posts: 74 Member
    Options
    I love the fit bit one, Had it over a year now. never without it :)
    Also have the fit bit Aria weigh scales - those are a waste of money .. way to sensitive.. I tested them at 3 different spots in one room.. each gave a huge reading difference :(
  • Lifereclaiming
    Lifereclaiming Posts: 34 Member
    Options
    It has contributed significantly to my weight loss! I am naked without it and I really love it. It is by far the best pedometer until now. It is also not so bulky as the Jawbone UP. In other words, I LOVE MY FITBIT FLEX!
  • naariel
    naariel Posts: 37
    Options
    For me the Fitbit Flex is a meh. I tried my brother's one for about a month (he'd changed for a One) and had some issues with it. And since that test, I acquired my own gadget, which is a Withings Pulse.

    Anyway, my personal review and why I think other products are best (or worse).

    - Bluetooth connection was rubbish, my phone really had some trouble detecting the Flex and I frequently had to turn Bluetooth off/on/off/on until eventually it worked. Maybe it's just my phone (S4, which was brand new at the time so maybe some update fixed it since then) or other interferences but still, issues with syncing are annoying. My Withings Pulse is more smartly engineered in that way, because when you install it you have to pair your device with your phone in the Bluetooth connections, so your phone keeps the connection in its memory and identification is never a problem. That could be an improvement for the Flex, a permanent connection, like with the Aria scale permanently connected (to your wi-fi since it stays at home, but it's easily done with Bluetooth too). I have no idea how well/easily the One connects, but Pulse definitely has a point here.

    - Counting steps on the wrist isn't very accurate. Yes, it's more convenient, but seriously the steps can be VERY over or under estimated, usually over-estimated. If you have a desk job, you'll move your hands. Even if you put it on your non-dominant arm, it will still count non-existent steps. Same for driving. The only way to eliminate this miscalculation is to enter your driving and job hours as activity and delete the steps it counted during that. The other way around, if you push a caddie, or walk back from your groceries with your arms full, you won't move them around and it will not count very deserved steps (you're even carrying loads of fruits and veggies ffs, that's definitely an exercise). For an accurate pedometer, ones that are clipped on the waistband (or bra) are best, so for Fitbit the One has my preference. (Withings Pulse is also a waistband/bra clip. And both Fitbit One and Withings Pulse can be attached on the wrist, for sleep tracking mostly.)

    - The wristband broke easily, because of frequently taking the Flex in and out of it.

    - A great thing with Fitbit is their user pannel. Withings' one (called Health mate) is less extended, it doesn't have a food diary I think, though I never used Fitbit's one anyway since both sync with MFP. Since the pannel is the same for Flex and One, I would still rec One though. (And the One has more options.)

    - One thing Withings Pulse has that Fitbit hasn't is the pulse meter, hence the name Pulse. It's not a cardiometer though, can't use it while doing your cardio, it's just a gadget to track your pulse every morning and/or evening, or after exercise, whatever. I don't use it much since I have no need of checking my heart obsessively and even if I did a manual pulse check is better. (My principal use of Pulse is to track my sleep, and a bit my steps.)

    - One thing Fitbit (both One and Flex) has that Withings Pulse hasn't is the silent alarm. I didn't use it much when I tested the Flex since I have a great alarm app on my phone, but I can see the appeal for prescription reminders.

    Finally One and Pulse are the ones I would recommend. I went with Withings because they're more close to me (Europe) and I tend to support geographically closer firms, but based on specs and prices they're pretty much the same to me. (Prices may vary though, I don't really know.)
  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,065 Member
    Options
    I have a Flex and I really like it. I'd recommend it to anyone!
  • momesq33
    momesq33 Posts: 1
    Options
    I have a fit bit Zip. I love it because it is very motivating. While it might just be a glorified pedometer, I put it on every day and, no matter what, I tend to meet my goals.
  • janetteluparia
    janetteluparia Posts: 318 Member
    Options
    Love my Fitbit One. Clip it to my bra or slip it in my pocket. Easy peasy
  • karibj2010
    karibj2010 Posts: 264 Member
    Options
    I started with the Flex last May (2013) and then in ummm November, I believe, I upgraded to the Fitbit Force. I don't know what I would do with out it. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. I like the Force more because of the LED and actually numbers instead of dots. It has a watch, pedometer for steps, calories burned, stairs, and silent alarm. The charge lasts about 10 days and it's water resistent. I don't take a shower with mine on (like I did my Flex) but between showers and charging...it's the only times I take it off.

    Right now on Time magazine fitness trackers, the Force is rated #1. http://techland.time.com/2014/01/09/26-fitness-trackers-ranked-from-worst-to-first/

Categories