Another UP Band Bites the Dust

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p2smommy
p2smommy Posts: 64
in Fitness and Exercise
Okay.. in less than a year, I have gone through 2 UP Bands.. IMHO & Experience, they are NOT worth it. That being said.. what do you all think about the FitBit (Flex or the Clip).. vs a Polar FT4 HRM?

I'm on the fence with the Polar just because I don't want to have to mess with the HRM chest strap every day.. the FitBit Flex looks nice and not nearly as bulky to me as the UP Band was...

Other than those two, anybody got any suggestions for me to look at? With this horrible winter finally nearly over.. and spring time breaking through, I'm getting ready to suit up and head back out for my running and outdoor exercise, so I need something reliable..

Thanks!

Replies

  • lyricsmamma6469
    lyricsmamma6469 Posts: 37 Member
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    I bought the polar ft4 a couple months ago and I love it! It was super easy to set up and the chest strap really isn't that inconvenient. It's comfortable and I put it on before I go to the gym so that I don't have to mess with it in the locker room. The only issue I have is remembering to take it off when I get home since I can't feel it under my sports bra. lol The FitBits as far as I know do not accurately track your calories burned. It has no way of knowing if you're working harder (ie walking at an incline or jogging). I could be wrong about that though.
  • cinemaone
    cinemaone Posts: 15 Member
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    My first up band broke in the 1st month. After that I have one the same of them for the last 10 months with not a single problem. I actually cannot live without mine
  • AEROBICVIC
    AEROBICVIC Posts: 159 Member
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    I had the same issue... on my 2nd Up band. compared to a Polar HRM, I prefer the Polar. I have always used one to train with. I tried the Up band to monitor my sleep patterns. Pretty cool info! Both are helpful, I just get more from the HRM for my training needs.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    I've had my HRM for years and can't imagine workouts without it. I picked up a Fitbit Zip in January and love it too, but they do different things for me.

    I still use the HRM for all my workouts, as the Zip doesn't really track HIIT & weights or circuit type workouts I do at home where I'm not moving around a lot. It does give me a pretty decent calorie burn for the day that has matched up pretty well with what I had my TDEE figured at. And it motivates me to move more with the step tracking and active minutes goals.

    If money is an issue and you're patient, check for both items on eBay. I found my HRM (I have a New Balance N4) and my Zip on eBay for much less than regular retail. Both items were brand new, still in the box, and have worked great for me.
  • TribeHokie
    TribeHokie Posts: 711 Member
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    I love my fitbit flex but without researching the UP I can't exactly tell you the tradeoffs in functionality. It is true that the flex can't tell how hard you are working, as it is basically a glorified pedometer and not a HRM, but I believe the new force is an HRM? Use-wise my flex holds a charge for around 6 days, charges back up in about two or three hours, is water resistant, definitely not more bulky than a regular watch (even less so for guys), and I love the app for the phone. The web-based dashboard that you can access from a computer is easy to use and intuitive, but if you have a bluetooth enabled phone you can wirelessly sync to your phone and use the fitbit app to log and check progress. I actually find the fitbit food database to be a lot more searchable and easy to use than the database for MFP. I find it easy to log faithfully with the fitbit app whereas I have never made it more than a few days in a row logging on MFP before getting frustrated and giving up.

    So tl;dr, I like my flex. It's pretty much a pedometer so if you're looking for more then check out the force. Either way the app and other device features are all really good.
  • jaz050465
    jaz050465 Posts: 3,508 Member
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    Do searches for the following:
    Bodymedia Fit
    Polar loop
    Garmin Vivofit
    Nike fuelband SE
    basis Bi
    Mio
    Amiigo
  • speckled_raven
    speckled_raven Posts: 7 Member
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    I have had my Up band since August and I'm already on my 3rd. My first one stopped vibrating 3 months in. My second one had the push button fall off last month. I REALLY am not hard on it at all. Truly I'm not! :) That said, the customer service has been great and they have replaced my band both times with no hassle at all. But when this one inevidibly bites the dust and is no longer under warranty, I will definitely be comparing other bands!

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