Fitbit problems

0somuchbetter0 · December 2014

I've had a Fitbit since September 2013 and I love it. Problem is my THIRD device is malfunctioning. The company has been great about replacing them for free when they stop working, but I'm getting sick of this. It's the cheapo version -- the Zip. Should I upgrade to a fancier version or just try a different brand altogether?

shadow2soul · December 2014

I'm trying out Garmin VivoFit. Mostly because it was on sale for $75.

I had a Zip. Loved it. Even went through the wash once. It still works to this day, but I gave it to my Mom at the beginning of the year. I bought it April 2013.

Now, in Jan this year, I bought the Flex model. The extra features looked nice and I liked the fact that it was rechargeable. I was pregnant at the time and not doing a lot of walking, so I didn't notice until I recovered from my csection (June/July), but it was defective. It wouldn't pick up steps for long periods of time and it was completely random as to when it would do it. I had several 5 mile walks were it only tracked 2.5 miles or less. Fitbit was great and replaced it for me.

Since I got a replacement, I ended up with two Flex chargers. Well after having the replacement flex for about a month, the charger from my original Flex stopped working. No big deal. I have another charger. That was my thought anyway. The charger that came with the replacement Flex lasted about 2/3 months and then it stopped working.

I was going to try the Fitbit One. My husband has one and hasn't had any issues at all with his. However, I saw that the Garmin VivoFit was on sale for $75 and figured it was worth a try since Fitbit's weren't on sale.

I could have contacted Fitbit about the issue I was having with the chargers, but I was just kind of tired of fighting with the Flex. I apparently had really bad luck with them.

slucki01 · December 2014

I've had the Fitbit One since Feb 2013 and I've had no problems with it.

SlimSonic · December 2014

I have had the flex since September with no issues, looking forward to the release of the Charge HR in beginning of 2015.

Gr8ChangesAhead · December 2014

I have been having issues with mine off and on, notified the company but of course then it started working we will see

Lourdesong · December 2014

The Zip is their introductory model, but $50 for a pedometer is not cheapo, lol.

Mine has a problem where it occasionally claims the battery is low; I put in a new energizer brand battery and it's still telling me every so often that my battery is low and needs to be replaced. But I really like the Zip that if it broke I'd replace it immediately myself if the company didn't. And I would get the Zip again, I wouldn't upgrade.

I like the window on it, that it has screens to swipe though that gives me the data I need right there and then. I like that I can clip it anywhere and it's small. And, my own battery issues aside, I like that I don't need to charge it or worry about whether it has any charge. I think I'd be mighty annoyed if I had to wait around for the device to be charged, or not have my steps counted because the device has to be charged instead of being clipped to me.

The only upgraded features of other fitbit devices that I envy is the ability to count stairs and the ability to set an alarm. I don't think these features are enough to motivate me to shell out $50+ more though, not on a bracelet type device anyway, especially those that have no screen where I'd have to interpret flashing lights or whatever are the least appealing options from Fitbit for my needs.

But it depends on what you want, what you find to be appealing or annoying features will determine whether you find it worthwhile to upgrade.

sheepotato · December 2014

I'm mostly posting to bookmark this to read other's suggestions. I've had a Fitbit One since early 2013 and it haven't had any problems with it. I got one for my husband around the same time and his clip broke after several months but the device still works.

I sort of wish it would break so I could justify replacing it with something that is more multipurpose, but I haven't seen anything really compelling to replace it with yet anyway. It would be nice to not wear redundant things that serve similar purposes. (ie fitbit for normal activity tracking and a hrm for cardio.) When I was just wearing my fitbit on the elliptical it did okay with estimating for me but then it was useless when I started swimming more and doing elliptical/bikes less. It was also useless for riding an actual bike around.

I've seen a garmin version of a fitbit that can work with their HRM, but it feels like the name garmin means 'add $30 to the price of all our competitors.' Maybe their products justify the price, I don't know? I thought they were a boat GPS company until recently.

I just don't like having 3 different gadgets to wear (pedometer, hrm and swimwatch) I think I'm going to just wait and see what brand emerges from the big pile of competition. It seems like there are several new brands popping up, but I would rather wait a while and here what others say about them then buy something myself to try out. I see that there are many fitness trackers as cheap as $20 now, but the appeal of fitbit for me is syncing instead of manually logging everything. I also like that mine is rechargeable and I won't have a buy a battery for it. However I was looking at the zip and it isn't rechargeable? I like the sleep tracking part of fitbit too but I lost the separate wrist thing for sleep a while back so I haven't even been using it for that anymore.

There is a pebble pedometer I've been considering solely because it will sync up with my gym's record system (Fitlinxx). It would be nice to never need to manually log my cardio at the gym again, but that would be another device, another $60. Mentioning this is a moot point to anyone who's gym doesn't use Fitlinxx anyway.

thefatveganchef · December 2014

I have had the Flex, Force, Charge and now Surge with relatively little issues, my Flex died on me once (not as waterproof as they say) and the Force the glue they used to hold the band to the unit failed (this was after the recall so I was SOL until the Charge came out). I love the Surge, so far no issues with it or with the Charge for the little time I had it. The Charge was a lot more advanced than the Force was, and the Surge is nice with the HRM built in, I already sold the Garmin I was using. The only other thing I can think of that sucks about the Fitbits is their face scratches very easily. That I think has been my main issue. I scratched the Charge within the first week I had it.

hazleyes81 · December 2014

Lourdesong wrote: »

I like the window on it, that it has screens to swipe though that gives me the data I need right there and then. I like that I can clip it anywhere and it's small. And, my own battery issues aside, I like that I don't need to charge it or worry about whether it has any charge. I think I'd be mighty annoyed if I had to wait around for the device to be charged, or not have my steps counted because the device has to be charged instead of being clipped to me.

The only upgraded features of other fitbit devices that I envy is the ability to count stairs and the ability to set an alarm. I don't think these features are enough to motivate me to shell out $50+ more though, not on a bracelet type device anyway, especially those that have no screen where I'd have to interpret flashing lights or whatever are the least appealing options from Fitbit for my needs.

But it depends on what you want, what you find to be appealing or annoying features will determine whether you find it worthwhile to upgrade.

I use a Fitbit One. Charging only takes like 20 minutes max, so I plug it in while I am sitting on the computer or driving somewhere and by the time I finish going through email or get to where I am going bam it is done and good for another 10-14 days. I like the sleep tracking, stairs, and alarm. I very rarely ever look at the screen, which may be why I charge so infrequently.

hazleyes81 · December 2014

sheepotato wrote: »

I sort of wish it would break so I could justify replacing it with something that is more multipurpose, but I haven't seen anything really compelling to replace it with yet anyway. It would be nice to not wear redundant things that serve similar purposes. (ie fitbit for normal activity tracking and a hrm for cardio.) When I was just wearing my fitbit on the elliptical it did okay with estimating for me but then it was useless when I started swimming more and doing elliptical/bikes less. It was also useless for riding an actual bike around.

I just don't like having 3 different gadgets to wear (pedometer, hrm and swimwatch) I think I'm going to just wait and see what brand emerges from the big pile of competition. It seems like there are several new brands popping up, but I would rather wait a while and here what others say about them then buy something myself to try out. I see that there are many fitness trackers as cheap as $20 now, but the appeal of fitbit for me is syncing instead of manually logging everything. I also like that mine is rechargeable and I won't have a buy a battery for it. However I was looking at the zip and it isn't rechargeable? I like the sleep tracking part of fitbit too but I lost the separate wrist thing for sleep a while back so I haven't even been using it for that anymore.

I wear my Fitbit One for sleep clipped to my underwear (which is where I wear it all the time except while bathing). I have it set to extra sensitive and it picks up my restlessness just fine. I don't like wearing things on my wrist while I sleep.

Zip is not rechargeable.

Most activity monitors are not going to be good at tracking swimming. I currently use a Polar RCX5 but should have a new Garmin 920xt arriving today. The 920xt, like the Polar V800, is an activity tracker plus a waterproof HRM that will track performance and calorie burn running, biking, and swimming... if you're willing to pay the price and get the accessories.

waterproof activity trackers: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2469977,00.asp

Azexas · December 2014

I've had the flex since Christmas last year. I've had very few problems with it- most of it being operator error on my part-

sheepotato · December 2014

hazleyes81 wrote: »

sheepotato wrote: »

I sort of wish it would break so I could justify replacing it with something that is more multipurpose, but I haven't seen anything really compelling to replace it with yet anyway. It would be nice to not wear redundant things that serve similar purposes. (ie fitbit for normal activity tracking and a hrm for cardio.) When I was just wearing my fitbit on the elliptical it did okay with estimating for me but then it was useless when I started swimming more and doing elliptical/bikes less. It was also useless for riding an actual bike around.

I just don't like having 3 different gadgets to wear (pedometer, hrm and swimwatch) I think I'm going to just wait and see what brand emerges from the big pile of competition. It seems like there are several new brands popping up, but I would rather wait a while and here what others say about them then buy something myself to try out. I see that there are many fitness trackers as cheap as $20 now, but the appeal of fitbit for me is syncing instead of manually logging everything. I also like that mine is rechargeable and I won't have a buy a battery for it. However I was looking at the zip and it isn't rechargeable? I like the sleep tracking part of fitbit too but I lost the separate wrist thing for sleep a while back so I haven't even been using it for that anymore.

I wear my Fitbit One for sleep clipped to my underwear (which is where I wear it all the time except while bathing). I have it set to extra sensitive and it picks up my restlessness just fine. I don't like wearing things on my wrist while I sleep.

Zip is not rechargeable.

Most activity monitors are not going to be good at tracking swimming. I currently use a Polar RCX5 but should have a new Garmin 920xt arriving today. The 920xt, like the Polar V800, is an activity tracker plus a waterproof HRM that will track performance and calorie burn running, biking, and swimming... if you're willing to pay the price and get the accessories.

waterproof activity trackers: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2469977,00.asp

Thanks for the info!

I thought I had a fitbit one, but after looking online the model I have is called an 'ultra' instead (and apparently I started using it in '12 not '13) I guess the newer 'one' was an improvement on the ultra, when I bought mine it was the only model they sold. I think that's why I thought it was called a one.

Right now I'm happy with my garmin swim for tracking swimming, but I feel silly wearing two watches because I wear polar HRM while swimming too. I had read that Garmin's HRM doesn't work in water (it's waterproof but it doesn't work the same way that polars does and won't be able to give readings. https://support.garmin.com/support/searchSupport/case.faces?caseId=%7B83a2a020-6ade-11dd-436f-000000000000%7D) I'll check on that, if Garmin's HRM works okay while swimming then the Garmin 920xt does seem to combine everything I was looking for.

I usually leave my fitbit in the locker room while swimming, I don't think the few steps into the pool area are worth counting. I was surprised to see so many trackers that are waterproof enough to wear in the pool. I like the idea of having a combined tracker even though the price point is kinda steep compared to the others, you've given me something to think about.

hazleyes81 · December 2014

I had the ultra prior to the one but got annoyed with it being on my wrist one night and tried to set it on my nightstand. I woke up in the morning to find it in my glass of water

Needless to say, that was the end of that. I went a year or so without using a tracker then a friend gave me a one. It did fall in the toilet once, back when I used to clip it to my jeans rather than my underwear, but still works. That is why I switched to clipping on my underwear - it fell off frequently if I clipped it to my jeans, plus I would forget it when changing.

I know I read about a multisport HRM that gives HR while swimming but now I can't find it. It may not have had the activity tracker feature though.

editorgrrl · December 2014

0somuchbetter0 wrote: »

I've had a Fitbit since September 2013 and I love it. Problem is my THIRD device is malfunctioning. The company has been great about replacing them for free when they stop working, but I'm getting sick of this. It's the cheapo version -- the Zip. Should I upgrade to a fancier version or just try a different brand altogether?

I have a Fitbit Flex & a Jawbone UP24. They've each failed multiple times & been replaced. After all, they're tiny computers I wear on my wrist 24/7. (I only take them off to charge.)

Fitbit customer service is way better than Jawbone's.

Edited to add that MFP has a Fitbit Users group: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users

Fitbit problems

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