Fitbit flex

flip26
flip26 Posts: 7 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am thinking of getting a fitbit flex, I was wondering if anyone has any thoughts on the product. I have a bodymedia core and I like it but I am tired of people always asking me about it (I live in Hawaii)and I don't like having to pay the monthly fee.

Please share your thoughts and experiences with the fitbit or the fitbit flex. I am more interested in the fitbit flex.

Thank you

Replies

  • kashaas
    kashaas Posts: 130 Member
    I have the fitbit flex and I love it! It definitely gets me moving... I love that it lets me set goals and it vibrates when I reach the goal. I have mine set at 10,000 steps a day. It syncs directly to MFP so I don't have to do anything.. I would definitely recommend it.
  • seedhousel
    seedhousel Posts: 2 Member
    I would not recommend buying this product. Mine arrived and all seemed good, until 6 weeks when it broke. It stopped charging, wouldn't reset, totally useless. Having looked into this I have been able to see that this is in fact a regular occurance with most Fitbits breaking between 6-24 weeks. Gutted. The only positive is I have replaced it with a Polar Loop which is even better!
  • lmann72
    lmann72 Posts: 82 Member
    I've had mine since May and love it - I've also heard that if there is issues with it that you can call customer service and they will do replacements.

    It really does remind me to keep moving!
  • tyoung75
    tyoung75 Posts: 51 Member
    I don't have the flex, I have the One but.... still love it. I've never heard of anyone having issues with any of their fitbits within my fitness circle.
  • MargoQuigley
    MargoQuigley Posts: 8
    I've just had my 2nd Fitbit flex crap out on me after about 7 months. I have a msg into Fitbit now, but I'm not entirely sure what the longevity is supposed to be on these. Fitbit did replace my first one back in January, but still waiting to hear about the second. If no replacement, I'm also considering the Polar Loop.
  • Lelah77
    Lelah77 Posts: 177 Member
    I have mixed emotions about my Flex. I like the features already mentioned, like the progress dots & vibrating celebration of my walking goals, sleep tracking (my fave), etc. I also like that it can get wet - I like to swim sometimes to switch up my workouts.
    HOWEVER: I HATE the charging unit. It is unpredictable and unreliable. I called to complain when I got my FitBit last August and no real resolution was reached other than "return your FitBit and we'll replace it." which didn't help - it was an ongoing problem. I don't know if it was ever really resolved, either.
    Second, because it is a motion sensor worn on the wrist, it doesn't track my walking when I am pushing a stroller or carrying my children around, which is a good part of my day. I haven't figured out a resolution to this.
  • JenniferSpindel
    JenniferSpindel Posts: 56 Member
    I started with an Ultra, then moved onto a Flex.

    I had my first flex for well over a year when the charging dock stopped charging it. I called customer service, the recommended a cleaning (which unfortunately didn't work) and then immediately sent me a replacement which I wear everywhere but the shower (honestly, how many steps do you really take in a shower?!?!?)

    I hate seeing naysayers on this message cause I LOVE my Fitbit, but to each his/her own. I love that it was inexpensive in comparison to other trackers, that there's no fee to use it, I can monitor my progress via my phone (and it syncs through Bluetooth), and just how simple it is.

    Is it perfect? No. Should it be used as a tell-all for your exercise progress? Not a single tracker can. But, would I recommend it? Abso-frickin-lutely!

    Now I'm just waiting for the new one to come out.... I really do miss my altimeter! I walk up several flights of stairs a day and the flex doesn't count floors like my ultra did. However, rumor is the new on is supposed to do that (the Force was their new one but it was recalled cause people were getting rashes from some sort of material).

    Anyway, hope that helps!
  • JenniferSpindel
    JenniferSpindel Posts: 56 Member
    I have mixed emotions about my Flex. I like the features already mentioned, like the progress dots & vibrating celebration of my walking goals, sleep tracking (my fave), etc. I also like that it can get wet - I like to swim sometimes to switch up my workouts.
    HOWEVER: I HATE the charging unit. It is unpredictable and unreliable. I called to complain when I got my FitBit last August and no real resolution was reached other than "return your FitBit and we'll replace it." which didn't help - it was an ongoing problem. I don't know if it was ever really resolved, either.
    Second, because it is a motion sensor worn on the wrist, it doesn't track my walking when I am pushing a stroller or carrying my children around, which is a good part of my day. I haven't figured out a resolution to this.

    There are some additional products through external sites that have various Fitbit holders... I think one was even a pocket for the shoes! Try Etsy... they might have something for that cause you're not the first to have the "I'm carrying a child" issue with tracking.
  • kendrak06
    kendrak06 Posts: 14 Member
    I have mixed emotions about my Flex. I like the features already mentioned, like the progress dots & vibrating celebration of my walking goals, sleep tracking (my fave), etc. I also like that it can get wet - I like to swim sometimes to switch up my workouts.
    HOWEVER: I HATE the charging unit. It is unpredictable and unreliable. I called to complain when I got my FitBit last August and no real resolution was reached other than "return your FitBit and we'll replace it." which didn't help - it was an ongoing problem. I don't know if it was ever really resolved, either.
    Second, because it is a motion sensor worn on the wrist, it doesn't track my walking when I am pushing a stroller or carrying my children around, which is a good part of my day. I haven't figured out a resolution to this.

    I'd try wearing it on your ankle then.. I don't know if it'll work, but it's worth a shot! I've seen other people suggest that too.
  • kendrak06
    kendrak06 Posts: 14 Member
    I have the Fitbit Flex! I absolutely love it! It's gotten me on track with my exercising. I've had mine since May. So far, the only issue I've had with it, is the charging dock.. the tracker doesn't seem to want to "click" into place.. so I have to put it in there, and then slowly release it.. it usually stays in place and it doesn't take long to charge. I only have to charge it once a week. And yes, it's neat that you can wear it in the water. However, I don't.. I've seen people mention that theirs crap out on them and I wonder if maybe that has something to do with it? And like someone else said.. how many steps are you really taking in the shower anyway? Anyway - I know two other people personally with one and they love it. My daily goal on there is 10k steps and I'd say 6 days out of the week I reach that! I love that it syncs up to MFP. I just plug in my food on MFP, and Fitbit tells MFP how many calories I've burned that I can eat back. I don't even enter my exercise on MFP because I think that might be double-booking it. Anyway - I definitely recommend it! It's changed my life :)
  • MargoQuigley
    MargoQuigley Posts: 8
    "I hate seeing naysayers on this message cause I LOVE my Fitbit, but to each his/her own. I love that it was inexpensive in comparison to other trackers, that there's no fee to use it, I can monitor my progress via my phone (and it syncs through Bluetooth), and just how simple it is."

    Don't get me wrong - I've been using the Fitbit since the Ultra came out, then had a One, then got a Flex. I like the products and usually the customer service is very good, but the reliability of the Flex leaves something to be desired. I have talked many of my friends intros getting Fitbit products, but unfortunately, a lot of them had similar problems with the Flex, even including skin rashes similar to the issue with the Force.

    I've just ordered the Polar Loop, partly because I already have the H7 HRM and I now live someplace with a pool and have been trying to go swimming more often. It's really a matter of preference.
  • housemamma
    housemamma Posts: 30 Member
    I have a fitbit but it doesn't accurately measure my steps. I've walked the same as my husband and he ends up with twice as many steps. My husband and I have decided that since I'm recovering from frozen shoulder (both shoulders) I don't move my arms as much or I have a light step. I've tried resetting my step stride and the fitbit itself with little success. I even wore my husbands around my ankle and mine on my arm the same day and got more with my husbands. I'd switch it to my ankle, but the "larger" size band has disappeared somewhere in my home and my search efforts have gotten me nowhere. However, I still wear it because it is better than nothing and keeps me moving. I don't know if this is helpful, but its my "two cents".
  • Censor76
    Censor76 Posts: 48 Member
    I just got mine last week and I love it. I've been playing around with the settings and no complaints.

    I bought mine because I don't seem to realize I'm more active than I think...I should have easily lost 5-10 lbs by this point. I think I'm not eating enough so I wanted to see what I'm actually burning instead of my guessing...since my guessing isn't working.

    I bought the flex because I knew people who had it and were happy.

    Good luck!
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    I have had mine since March and have had no issues whatsoever. I wear it 24/7 unless charging, including the shower and the pool during water aerobics. It gives me the info I need and the motivation I want and I am thrilled to pieces with it.
  • inneedofanap
    inneedofanap Posts: 63 Member
    I've had my Fitbit One since April. No problems at all. I totally love my Fitbit. I never realized how sedentary I was before I started tracking my steps. In the past few months I've tripled my daily steps and lost 2 pant sizes. ;)
  • x311Tifa
    x311Tifa Posts: 357 Member
    I've had my flex since Christmas/January. Only once did I have to deal with resetting it and troubleshooting. Other than that, it's been fine.

    I use it purely as motivation. I'm not sure how accurate it really is, but I get that "yay!" feeling when I hit my 10,000 steps for the day. I also love that it syncs automatically with MFP.
  • janatarnhem
    janatarnhem Posts: 669 Member
    I'm hoping for a flex or loop from Santa this year, still debating which! Taken me a while to narrow it down to these two! LOL
  • shawndaleigh7
    shawndaleigh7 Posts: 1 Member
    I have the flex and I love it as well. I had the Jawbone UP originally, but I went through three of those and got tired of having them replaced. My husband got me the flex and I did have to replace it once, because it just completely stopped working, but the customer service was great and I haven't had any issues since. It helps get me moving because I can actually see the number of steps I'm taking throughout the day and I also compete with my husband and my friends to get the most steps. I love that it syncs with MFP, because I did have some issues with my UP doing that correctly. I also like that it uses bluetooth to sync with your phone, as the UP that I had required you to take the bracelet off and plug it into your phone.
    Of course, there are a couple of things I don't like. The battery life seems short compared to the Force (the one that was recalled) and the UP. Also, I wish it had a display on the bracelet to tell you how many steps you have taken. It has 5 little lights that help to show your progress, but I would like to know the exact number of steps I have taken without syncing with my phone.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    The One and Zip are more accurate than the Flex. Buy from an authorized retailer and you get a one year warranty and they DO break frequently or do not work out of the box, so forget ebay. Their site and support are pretty mediocre at times. I've been a Fitbit user since day 1 and have been a fan but am going to move on the next time I need a new one.
  • Lisah8969
    Lisah8969 Posts: 1,247 Member
    I have mixed emotions about my Flex. I like the features already mentioned, like the progress dots & vibrating celebration of my walking goals, sleep tracking (my fave), etc. I also like that it can get wet - I like to swim sometimes to switch up my workouts.
    HOWEVER: I HATE the charging unit. It is unpredictable and unreliable. I called to complain when I got my FitBit last August and no real resolution was reached other than "return your FitBit and we'll replace it." which didn't help - it was an ongoing problem. I don't know if it was ever really resolved, either.
    Second, because it is a motion sensor worn on the wrist, it doesn't track my walking when I am pushing a stroller or carrying my children around, which is a good part of my day. I haven't figured out a resolution to this.

    Put it in your pants/shorts pocket when you aren't swinging your arms. The motion will then credit you for steps taken.

    That being said, I got my Fitbit Flex for free through work. I don't know if I would have paid for one on my own, but I do really like it. I have had it since March and am on my third one. Fitbit was good about sending replacements for the first two. For the third one, I decided not to wear it in the shower like I did the first two and no problems so far. I am highly competitive so this is great for me so I keep trying to make sure I have more steps than those on my friends list. I love the buzz when I hit my 10,000 steps and I also use this as an alarm to get up in the morning.
  • gail1961
    gail1961 Posts: 111 Member
    I have the fitbit one since January and I really like it. I know others are concerned about the small size and losing it. I do "lose" mine in the house, but then I find it within a few minutes. I lose my phone though too and its huge (I have the note). Dropped my fitbit in the toilet once (yuck). Got it out IMMEDIATELY, dried it off and then sanitized it like crazy. It NEVER quit working. You should wear it on the INSIDE of your pocket (not outside as it can get hooked on things like a seat belt and fall off). I also dropped mine outside and didn't realize it. It was about zero degrees out in January. The screen was blank, but then in a few minutes started working when it warmed up. The reason it fell off was because I had it hooked on my pocket facing out (not inside the pocket) and it must have gotten caught on my seat belt and then fell off when I got out of the car. I have also heard of people washing them! My advice on that is ALWAYS know where it is before doing wash! I washed my phone once, and it NEVER worked after that. So I always make sure I know where my phone and fitbit are before doing laundry!!! I did a lot of research before deciding on the fitbit one. It consistently got high ratings.
  • katro111
    katro111 Posts: 632 Member
    I've had the Flex for a little over a year and just this week I got the BodyMedia Link. I'm going to wear them both for a few weeks to see how they compare, but so far BodyMedia says I take more steps and burn more calories. I knew the Flex was shorting me on steps, but I kinda of assumed it was over-estimating my burns. Apparently not? I'm not sure how I feel about either of them at this point, but I just made a pros and cons list for them.

    Fitbit Flex
    Pros:
    Inconspicuous wrist band
    Can wear 24/7
    Waterproof
    Web dashboard is user-friendly
    Android app is user-friendly
    Data is free
    Bluetooth sync updates the Android app AND the web dashboard
    Doesn't make any noises
    Has external progress display (albeit a bit primitive)

    Cons:
    Short on steps
    Short on calories
    Smells like feet/old cheese if not washed out with peroxide
    Charger doesn't always work
    Data cannot be exported to Excel

    BodyMedia Link
    Pros:
    More accurate on steps taken
    More accurate on calories burned
    Data can be exported to Excel

    Cons:
    When synced with MFP, the calories eaten do not match MFP (dashboard shows 2-4 calories less for some reason)
    Activity manager not very user-friendly
    Android app not very user-friendly
    Bluetooth sync only updates Android app, not the web dashboard
    Android app has issues syncing with MFP (multi-hour delay with updating calories consumed)
    Not waterproof
    Can't wear 24/7
    Has weird beeps/chimes
    Armband is kind of annoying
    No external display/external display can be purchased for additional $$
    Only 3 months of free access to data, then must pay monthly fee
  • Canuname
    Canuname Posts: 182 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/user/seedhousel/status said
    I would not recommend buying this product. Mine arrived and all seemed good, until 6 weeks when it broke. It stopped charging, wouldn't reset, totally useless. Having looked into this I have been able to see that this is in fact a regular occurrence with most Fitbits breaking between 6-24 weeks. Gutted. The only positive is I have replaced it with a Polar Loop, which is even better!

    Fitbit has one of the best customer service departments. I have had problems with the bands and they have replaced them every time with new bands. My tracker stopped working after 11 months of heavy use and contacted customer service and they sent me a brand new tracker (complete retail package 2 bands, Charger, and USB fob, not just the tracker). Polar Loop is a great product except Polar is famous for not letting you link to external websites like MFP and they decided to make the loop only Bluetooth so you can't use their other chest straps that make it capable to swim with. Bluetooth doesn't work underwater, not enough power. If they would fix both of those problems I would buy it in a heart beat.
  • Starlage
    Starlage Posts: 1,709 Member
    I just ordrered a flex so I can't review that yet but I wore a bodymedia fit for most of a year and it didn't help me lose weight even though I would eat a deficit of it's crazy high burns. It *did*, however, teach me how to eat at maintenance! The fact that i didn't lose weight with it could have been for many reasons- maybe by food logging, maybe the device- who knows, really. I just know that I wore it for a long time, measured and weighed my food and ate a 500 calorie deficit of it's burns (which regularly would say between 2300-3000 depending on whether I'd exercised or not that day), and didn't lose weight. It'll be interesting to have the flex and see what it says. Plus I got it super cheap on ebay, so if it's crap at least I didn't lose a bunch of money! haha
  • tjphelps73
    tjphelps73 Posts: 171 Member
    I got my fitbit flex yesterday. So far I am happy. I am not understanding the calories it is taking away when it syncs with MFP, but I will get there.

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