Do I need a Fitbit Charge HR or will a Fitbit Flex do?
Speculaas14
Posts: 5
Hello, I'm looking for some advice about purchasing a fitbit product. I don't currently own a fitbit but I do have an Omrom pedometer. I use it to get my 10,000 steps a day but that is pretty much all it tells me. The distance, calories etc. doesn't seem accurate.
I am considering buying a fitbit and wondered if it is worth spending the extra money on the Charge or Charge HR compared to the Flex? Will there be any extra benefit that justifies the extra cost. I am a runner and use a Garmin 610 with HR monitor so I don't need it for my structured exercise (run approx 6 hours a week). I'm more interested in my general activity. I'd love to hear some thoughts from experienced users.
I am considering buying a fitbit and wondered if it is worth spending the extra money on the Charge or Charge HR compared to the Flex? Will there be any extra benefit that justifies the extra cost. I am a runner and use a Garmin 610 with HR monitor so I don't need it for my structured exercise (run approx 6 hours a week). I'm more interested in my general activity. I'd love to hear some thoughts from experienced users.
0
Replies
-
I wavered between the two myself and I went with the HR. I like having the display on the device. With the Flex you can only see stats on your phone. Surprisingly, that makes a difference.0
-
I had the same conondrum, and I got the Flex. But in my case, it's because I am beginning to lose weight and have a long way to go. I'd have to get an XL Charge HR, and when I lose weight I'd likely go down to a Large - the Flex comes in only 2 sizes, and you can change the band out at will. I'll upgrade to an HR once I've lost a certain amount of weight (TBD). For what it's worth, I *love* my Flex and I'd recommend it to anyone. The flashing lights really motivate me.0
-
That is interesting, thank you for replying. I wondered about the display thing. I can imagine wearing the charge is just like wearing a watch (or can be instead of a watch) whereas the flex is like a bracelet. I can't decide!0
-
I can't speak from much experience as I'm new to Fitbit, but, I had been thinking about getting one for 2 years (!) as well as looking at other products and my needs. I was debating between the Flex and Charge HR as well but in the end I came to the conclusion that the HR had more than I really needed - I am not doing consistent exercise at the moment and so the Flex covers my needs as the main addition, in my opinion, for the HR is the heart rate monitor. The watch is nifty, but the other elements don't seem necessary for me (like caller display). Whenever I do get into more solid exercise I would be more interested in a standard HRM. Seeing as you have one already and are just looking at a Fitbit for general activity then I would go with the Flex, it's compact, comfortable and covers everything. However if you'd like something a bit more beyond more along the lines of wearable tech in general - like the watch, caller display, seeing your stats etc - then that is what you're paying for with the Charge HR, imo. Where I am the Flex is half the price of the HR so for me the extra HR features weren't worth double as I didn't feel I needed them.0
-
I had a Flex for a year and I LOVED it, which is actually why I upgraded to the Charge HR, which I like even better! (I gave my Flex to my husband. ) I wanted more information. Below are some insights that I have about each.
For the first day with my Charge HR, I wore both the Flex and Charge so that I could compare results. Steps were within 50 steps of each other I think. Don’t remember the exact number, but it was very close.
Flex: takes a bit of getting used to understanding how it works. Not that it’s hard, but you have to know what things mean by the different ways the lights flash. Do a tap or two to see how far you’ve gone and it tells you by a percentage of your daily goal, 20% represented for each of 5 lights. So you don’t ever see any actual step counts until you log into the app on a phone or computer. As for sleep tracking, for the Flex you have to Tap Tap Tap a few times to put it into sleep mode. Again not hard, but something I found I very seldom bothered doing. Plus it would go into sleep mode with certain jerky movements, hand clapping, etc. I think my husband feels the same, because it’s so cryptic with just the lights, he hasn’t gotten used to it yet. He has said to me, “you have to show me how to use this.” All he really knows at this time is that if he reaches 10,000 steps it will buzz. Where if he had the Charge (or Charge HR) it would be all right there for him to see. Nothing really to “figure out.” Again, granted this is not Rocket Science, but it can be confusing when you first get it.
Charge HR: Has all the great qualities of the Flex, but gives much more info and is easier to understand for the newby since it’s right there on the display. Info is easy to see on the display at any time. I really like that, even though I find I don’t look at it much, but at the same time I don’t use the app quite as much either, because I CAN look at the display. I like the HR information. It’s just nice to see what my heart rate is doing now and again and maybe that makes it more accurate? Though I think the jury is still out on that. Sleep tracking is automatic. No extra tap tap taps. Plus it counts stairs as well, which is another thing I really like. It gives me another goal to meet. One other thing I haven’t taken advantage of yet is the Activity Tracker. Press a button before and after an activity and get the stats specific for that activity. Just a bonus I haven’t tried yet, but will.
With the Flex I did like the ability to swap out bands. Not that I liked changing colors, though some do. I just worry that the Charge HR band will break and I’ll be out of luck because it’s all one piece. Not that I’ve heard of that happening, but it was nice that with the Flex you could just put a new one on. On the Flip side I LOVE that the Charge HR band has a buckle and is much more secure. Absolutely no worries it will fall off. (The regular Charge has a similar band as the Flex, no buckle.)
Battery life is similar enough for me. The Flex battery lasts longer, but I found when I let it “run out” it is a pain to get a good connection for it to charge. I make sure to charge it (for my husband now) as soon as we get the low battery notification. There have been charging problems with the Flex in general in the past anyway. The Charge HR runs out a day or two quicker, but it connects easily and only takes about 2 hours to charge. (Charging times are similar to both.)
Sorry to be so long winded, but I wanted to give you all my thoughts having owned both.0 -
From a technical standpoint if you are debating over the 30 dollar difference consider the following.
In general. Having a hart rate monitor is most useful when actually exercising. The fitbit product line is not waterproof and likely the hr monitor will be innacurte t.and I have not heard people use is in water for this reason.
fitbit in terms of accuracy will be out because it is monitoring only wrist movement and mat equations. It knows nothing about your skin temp, sweat and other factors that contribute to many forms of exercise. When you do strength training it will not record it properly.
if you have a hr watch that will give you the best caloric response during deliberate structured exercise. I would consider it a un needed component if you are just doing non stressful activists around the house.
I'd be interested in users who use he fitbit hr hot monitoring 247 but I don't think that is the intent od any monitor because of the hit on battery life.
One reviewer thst the fitbit surge can do 24/7 monitoring and is a cool thing to see but also said there are better options out there which you said you had assuming you don't swim.
Also consider you are talking about the improvement of resting heart heart which er all know changes on average very slowly.
Also consider this is a heart hate monitor and not a blood pressure device which would reveal more information.
0 -
I currently have a Flex and I love it; been using it for almost a year. However I recently upgraded to the Charge (Regular not HR) because I got tired of seeing my stats on the phone. Plus it still has the caller ID and stuff that I want, also the battery life lasts longer.
I didn't spend the extra for the HR because I don't trust the Heart Rate Monitor on it, lol. From what I've read online it isn't really that accurate.
But regardless either the Flex or Charge is a good choice.0 -
@ lzepeda89, do you know what specific areas it is inaccurate? I don't think there are any cheap/consumer level products that measures HR that can doit long term.
OR do you mean when you most need it during exercise it's said to be out?0 -
Wow, thank you for all the replies!! Makes for interesting reading. I don't know much about the accuracy of the HR monitor but I did read DC rainmaker's reviews (a great website btw) and he wonders how well it can work given that the light isn't completed blocked from the sensors. http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2014/10/thoughts-activity-trackers.html
After reading these comments I have decided that I don't need 'added' features and I am happy to see my stats on the app on my phone. I have purchased a bright pink flex from Garmin (it was the cheapest colour!) and I have saved £56 (I'm in the UK), spending £64 on the flex compared to £120 on the charge HR (or £100 without the HR). I should get it next week and will let you know what I think! Thanks again for the responses.0 -
Speculaas14 wrote: »Wow, thank you for all the replies!! Makes for interesting reading. I don't know much about the accuracy of the HR monitor but I did read DC rainmaker's reviews (a great website btw) and he wonders how well it can work given that the light isn't completed blocked from the sensors. http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2014/10/thoughts-activity-trackers.html
After reading these comments I have decided that I don't need 'added' features and I am happy to see my stats on the app on my phone. I have purchased a bright pink flex from Garmin (it was the cheapest colour!) and I have saved £56 (I'm in the UK), spending £64 on the flex compared to £120 on the charge HR (or £100 without the HR). I should get it next week and will let you know what I think! Thanks again for the responses.
Aw man I wish I had seen this sooner so you could have saved even more money - sainsburys are currently selling the flex for £53 (I bought it just over a week ago!)0 -
I just got a charge HR and I like it! Hard to tell how accurate the HR is but it was within 10 b/m when I compared it to the grip hand sensors on the treadmill at the gym. I don't take it too seriously, I look at it as big picture.
I'm not crazy about the fact that I have to push a button/tap to see the time. I think I would like it more if the time showed by default.
I like seeing stats on the band. I look at the phone a lot too but if I'm out walking and I want to check my steps it's nice to not have to get the phone.0 -
Just had a look at Sainsburys online and it doesn't seem to be available. I should have made a decision last week it seems!0
-
Speculaas14 wrote: »Just had a look at Sainsburys online and it doesn't seem to be available. I should have made a decision last week it seems!
It was'nt online when I bought it either, just instore. I saw it instore and was going to order online as I had a discount code, so I quickly checked online on my phone and it was'nt showing on their website. So I just bought it in the store.0 -
Just quickly had a google, its on their grocery site but its gone back up to £79.99 now and is out of stock
0 -
I just got my Flex a couple of days ago on Amazon for £59 - certain colours, don't remember all but Black and Slate were among the cheapest (which was great as I wanted Slate!).
Just checked - Slate is cheapest at £61:
amazon.co.uk/Fitbit-Wireless-Activity-Tracker-Wristband/dp/B00CIV6990/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422548085&sr=8-1&keywords=fitbit+flexhttp://0
This discussion has been closed.