fitbit flex - any good?

pippaw21
pippaw21 Posts: 22 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
hi all,

i'm thinking of getting a fitbit flex and would be grateful for any thoughts/reviews, or alternative recommendations. mostly i like the flex because it seems to be the cheapest option i can find right now! i'm probably going to primarily use it to log workout calories, but it will also come in handy if i begin commuting by bike (which is a definite possibility).

tl;dr if yu have a fitbit flex, what do you think of it?

Replies

  • pippaw21
    pippaw21 Posts: 22 Member
    Anyone? :)
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    The Zip is almost half the cost of the Flex. Neither will track biking. Both are better at estimating your calorie burn for the other 23 hours of the day, not your workout, unless your workout is walking or running or otherwise steps-based.
  • tiggsnanny
    tiggsnanny Posts: 366 Member
    I have been looking into buying a Fitbit, but i'm not sure which one I really need. I use mapmywalk on my phone, because that's basically all I do, walk and a little bit of hula hooping lol
  • citalk2much
    citalk2much Posts: 50 Member
    I have the flex and love it
    however for workout and biking I would go with a heart rate monitor ,
  • sumatracane
    sumatracane Posts: 1 Member
    I've had a fitbit flex for a year and have had lots of issues with it. The band has broken three times. The charger has stopped working twice. The company will send you replacements, but its slow and annoying. Also, it's not super accurate. I've been on a boat ride before and it counted thousands of steps from the bouncing of the boat. If you move your arm around a lot while sitting or standing, it counts steps (for example, stirring something while cooking or doing dishes).
  • puppup73
    puppup73 Posts: 75 Member
    I have a fitbit one and love it. My husband got a flex at the same time. We walked side by side and his results were way off. We found it better to have the screen tell you what steps you have do be etc. makes you walk more. He ended up taking his back and got a zip. Much more consistent with my one. I think it was picking up the arm movements. I use Polar HRM for cardio workouts.
  • pippaw21
    pippaw21 Posts: 22 Member
    Thanks guys - I did some reading on HRMs and I think you're right, that's much more suited to what I want :) just ordered a polar h7!
  • MrsUptonOgood
    MrsUptonOgood Posts: 1,897 Member
    I have had my fitbit flex for just 5 days now......it counts steps when I move my hands (brush my teeth, washing dishes, talking with my hands) and it Doesn't count steps if I'm walking with something in my hands or pushing a shopping cart.

    I only want it to count my true steps!! I paid 99 bucks for this thing and it is not at all accurate! So I think I am going to try wearing it on my ankle (without the wristband) and just secure it with some of that stretchable vetwrap stuff (the stuff they use at the dr office when they take blood instead of a bandaid). This way it is only counting my TRUE steps and not counting my hand movements.

    Don't know why they haven't come up with this concept by now anyway....one to wear on your ankle and that can measure your stride and speed (wouldn't that be worth the 99 bucks?!?)

    Wish I hadn't wasted my money at all. I already had a hrm to use while doing workouts, that's all I needed.

    If you still really, really want one....check on ebay and get it a little cheaper.
  • GingerLolita
    GingerLolita Posts: 738 Member
    I've had mine for about six months and I really love it. It's made me much more active and helped me understand myself better.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    I have had my fitbit flex for just 5 days now......it counts steps when I move my hands (brush my teeth, washing dishes, talking with my hands) and it Doesn't count steps if I'm walking with something in my hands or pushing a shopping cart.

    I only want it to count my true steps!! I paid 99 bucks for this thing and it is not at all accurate! So I think I am going to try wearing it on my ankle (without the wristband) and just secure it with some of that stretchable vetwrap stuff (the stuff they use at the dr office when they take blood instead of a bandaid). This way it is only counting my TRUE steps and not counting my hand movements.

    Don't know why they haven't come up with this concept by now anyway....one to wear on your ankle and that can measure your stride and speed (wouldn't that be worth the 99 bucks?!?)

    Wish I hadn't wasted my money at all. I already had a hrm to use while doing workouts, that's all I needed.

    If you still really, really want one....check on ebay and get it a little cheaper.
    You should exchange yours for a One of Zip (or a Misfit Shine or other non-Fitbit tracker designed to be worn on the shoe). Fitbit admits the Flex is less accurate than the torso-worn models but people want the convenience of a bracelet.

    Please, no one buy Fitbits from Ebay. A lot of them don't work right out of the box and you have no manufacturer warranty if you purchase from there. I've unboxed 7 Fitbits, 3 didn't work right. I'd buy from a local store you can take it back to. Fitbit will take returns but they're slow and annoying.
  • BreakinTheChains
    BreakinTheChains Posts: 381 Member
    I have a FITBIT one... I LOVE IT :) I had the ultra, which they do not make anymore.. The one replaced it.. Keeps me motivated.. I like how it syncs to MFP :)
  • sdb111
    sdb111 Posts: 11 Member
    I love mine... it is much more durable than the other. I can wear it in the shower... wherever. It is great. The only thing, I wish it would count the stairs. It does not.
  • botography
    botography Posts: 95 Member
    I have the same question. My phone tracks also, but it has to be placed correctly in a pocket and it is a SMARTPHONE that has a large screen. I guess what is good for one thing is not necessarily good for another. Love to have a good tracker that works easily and I don't have to worry about WHERE to wear it.

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