Fitbit Flex or Jawbone Up?

I won a Jawbone UP at a work event, otherwise I don't know I would have paid $130 for it. However I do like challenging myself to up my steps daily and seeing how much I sleep light vs deep.

Pros:
- No Nickle: so you don't run the risk of breaking out which I've heard can be an issue with some of the Fitbits.
- Comfortable: I barely notice I'm wearing it
- Easy tracking: You can click the button in different patterns to track sleep/activity/power naps
- Idle Alarm: best feature and the only one that has it. I set mine at 30 minutes so it reminds me to get up from my desk.

Cons:
- My Idle Alarm has gone off twice during an intense Elliptical workout (I found cliping it to my hip works better).
- You have to plug it in to your phone to sync and a USB port to charge.
- Calorie Estimation: I use my Polar FT4 during workouts but the UP doesn't allow me to enter calories burned


Using with MFP.
Calorie Burn: MFP estimates I would burn @1650 calories a day if I am Sedentary. On non-gym days I hit @10,000 steps and UP estimates my burn as @1600 calories. So once they sync I end up with -50 exercise calories. I am on the fence about this, I know I can turn off negative calories but part of me feels that is defeating the point. The other part feels I was doing fine losing before the UP so it is a matter of which app you think calculates correctly.

Exercise: I workout hard using my Polar FT4. I time my activity on my UP with a simple click pattern. Once I sync my band I can enter the actual exertion/activity. If I pick "difficult" it generally is 50-100 calories less then what the Polar says. If I pick "gut buster" it is generally 50-100 calories over what the Polar says. You can play around with time and exertion to get it to match the Polar but then I would think it throws other things out of whack. I've been thinking about either taking it off during my workout and just entering my workout into MFP - or wearing it and subtracting the calories it says I burned if I leave it on "easy" from the Polar estimate and entering that into MFP. For now I'm just rolling withi it and leaving it 50-100 calories less then what the Polar says as I feel it is always better to underestimate burn.

If you have any specific questions feel free to PM me

I have a Fitbit One. Not exactly the same as the Flex - but no subscription required. There is an optional premium service, with a 7 day free trial. I've never had reason to use the trial. It syncs w/ MyFitnessPal which is nice - MFP has a larger nutritional database.

The Flex is worn on the wrist - my One is clipped on. I generally wear it around my waste/hip area. The One logs flights of stairs, Flex does not. Flex I think is water resistant, One is not. Both sync by bluetooth. The Flex does not have a display, so you can't look at it to see how many steps you're at for the day. The One does have a display. The Flex has lights that show you progression toward your goal. So all lit = 100% of goal and I think it vibrates when you hit it.

i have the fitbit flex and quite like it...i couple it with my wireless HRM i bought last week as well. the motivation for me is GINORMOUS...

Sadly the best Fitbit .. the Force is no longer available. But I do have one and love it. I also have a Flex .. and well hate it. It honestly .. just did not have at all the nice features of the Force and was a ***** to get into sleep mode.

Of the Fitbit products .. of all the ones they have, I would probably choose the One. Not ideal ... but it is what it is.

But the good thing is that the fitness tracker market has blossomed, and there are many options. Samsung has some very promising model .. as well as Garmin.

Personally, I would look into neither of those, but rather the Garmin vivofit.

I had the FitBit Force and loved it. Sent it back when they were recalled. Decided to go with the Jawbone Up24 (the one that syncs wirelessly to your phone), and I'm so happy I did. Both have pros and cons, but the Jawbone app is so much better! Syncs with Runkeeper, MFP, Withings,,etc. and all the info in on your timeline. I can see everything in one place.

Another thought: these are both just motivational tools IMO. You should really get a HRM for when you workout if you're looking for calories burned.

No you don't. There is an optional premium membership that has a 7 day trial option. I've not bothered with the trial.

You need to create a profile, kind of like how you do here at MyFitnessPal. Enter your stats, etc.

Wait. You need a subscription for Fitbit?

I cant live without my flex went out walking and lost it a few weeks ago and fitbit replaced it free of charge.

When I first got it in January I couldn't even get my steps to 10000 a day now I get over 15000 a day my highest is 18000 would really like to hit 20000 so I get the next badge so it does make me move more

Neither. Go for a FitBit One for better accuracy and the ability to wear it discreetly. You want to be measuring whole body movement by preference rather than having it on your wrist.

I had the fitbit force and was VERY depressed to have to send it back. Tried the Garmin vivofit and sent it back after a week (like an above poster mentioned--simply awful). Right now, I'm actually using the Fitbit flex in conjunction with a Polar F4 heart rate monitor to track my workouts. So far, it has been a very effective combination. After tons of research and trial and error, I honestly believe that fitbit products are the easiest, simplest, and most useful activity trackers currently on the market.

Just my two cents.