Activity tracker recommendations

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awesomewastaken
awesomewastaken Posts: 92 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have decided that I will reward myself with a fitness or activity tracker when I reach my 1st goal weight (65 kg) :) . But I am completely lost when it comes to choosing one. What activity trackers do you have experience with, are they any good and what did you base your selection on when you were buying yours?

I already have a HR monitor (Polar RS300X), so that is one function I not need.

All advice appreciated!
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  • awesomewastaken
    awesomewastaken Posts: 92 Member
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    Bump
  • EricNewark
    EricNewark Posts: 295 Member
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    Personally I have a Garmin vivosmart and while I love it I don't know if I'd pay for the smart notifications part again. I like it - but if I had to buy it again I might just go with a vivofit.

    Fitbits are well liked. I have some friend that have the misfit shine and they both love it.
  • HelenWater
    HelenWater Posts: 232 Member
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    Polar Loop as eventually everything will sync and the Polar Flow app is very compact.
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
    edited February 2015
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    I have a misfit shine, which I purchased after having a fitbit zip for about a year. I found via strict logging that the Fitbit and MFP consistently underestimated my calorie needs - so if I ate what they told me to, I was losing faster than my aim. The Misfit gives me more accurate numbers for me, personally.

    I also LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE that the Misfit uses a user-replaceable button battery that lasts 6+ months, no keeping track of a charge cord, no "it mysteriously won't charge anymore" issues like I see so frequently with Fitbit products.

    It tracks sleep, which I like to see (but wasn't a deal-breaker for me).

    It tracks several different kinds of exercise such as running/walking, cycling, tennis, soccer - not JUST step-based exercise, which is what you're limited to with Fitbit.

    I've been in contact with their customer support team at Misfit several times too and it is just as good as Fitbit's (actually IMO better, because when Fitbit found out that I got my - brand new, factory-sealed in package Zip - on eBay they refused to extend their "fabulous" customer support to me because eBay is "not an authorized retailer." However, when I got my Misfit used from a seller on Amazon, Misfit was swift to help me set it up and erase the previous owner's data from it. Win.)
  • fafej
    fafej Posts: 14 Member
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    Polar Loop.
    I also have Polar HR monitor (RCX3) and recently got a Polar Loop. These two is a killer combo and has everything I need.
  • debbienewton08
    debbienewton08 Posts: 5 Member
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    Another vote for the Polar Loop. I use mine with the H7 heart rate monitor and find it really good for motivation and tracking. Cutting the loop to size is daunting, but I think it's better for it. It feels much more secure than some of the other makes on the market.
  • awesomewastaken
    awesomewastaken Posts: 92 Member
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    Thanks for the advice!

    I've been reading up on activity trackers and I think what I truly want is something with GPS that is also waterproof so that I could track my swimming. But it seems to me that's not possible (unless I get a smart watch or a fitness watch, but they are too bulky for my liking)?

    Currently I track my walks and other outdoor exercise with the Endomondo app. What I'm wondering is that if I get an activity tracker that does not have GPS built in, but it's synced with my phone, will the route still be logged via the phone's GPS?
  • janinab75
    janinab75 Posts: 147 Member
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    bump
  • jadumz
    jadumz Posts: 80 Member
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    awesomewastaken wrote: »

    I've been reading up on activity trackers and I think what I truly want is something with GPS that is also waterproof so that I could track my swimming. But it seems to me that's not possible (unless I get a smart watch or a fitness watch, but they are too bulky for my liking)?

    If you solve this one let me know haha I want a waterproof heart rate monitor included too haha
  • awesomewastaken
    awesomewastaken Posts: 92 Member
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    jadumz wrote: »
    awesomewastaken wrote: »

    I've been reading up on activity trackers and I think what I truly want is something with GPS that is also waterproof so that I could track my swimming. But it seems to me that's not possible (unless I get a smart watch or a fitness watch, but they are too bulky for my liking)?

    If you solve this one let me know haha I want a waterproof heart rate monitor included too haha
    Maybe I should just build my own, imagine the money I'd make :smiley:

    The Fitbits seem like a no-go as they are not waterproof.
    So far I've looked at the Jawbone Up24 and UP 3, which seem like good bets. I'm not sure whether the Polar Loop is compatible with my phone, although it too seems like a good choice. The Garmin Vivofit has a good battery life but no silent alarm, whereas the Vivosmart has the alarm but the battery life is noticeably worse. Withings Activite Pop looks great (I really do not want the gadget to be very obviously fitness related) but I'm not too sure about the specs, on the other hand the Misfit Shine has pretty much everything I need but looks uncomfortable. The Runtastic Orbit has also popped up numerous times on searches and it's also something I'm considering.

    So I guess it's a "good thing" I'm still a fair bit from my 65 kg goal because it looks like picking a monitor to buy is not going to be easy :neutral_face:
  • jadumz
    jadumz Posts: 80 Member
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    I've got the fitbit flex. It's waterproof. Only counts steps but with a friend on the side of the pool we worked out that each 17 steps counted is a length in the pool. It's pretty cool seeing it on the app afterwards. Doesn't break it down as far as I'd like but does it into 15 minute intervals
  • jeneveg
    jeneveg Posts: 57 Member
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    I have a misfit shine and I don't find it uncomfortable at all, I have super small wrists and it fits like a watch unlike the Fitbit flex which felt odd.
  • silvercat76
    silvercat76 Posts: 15 Member
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    I have the misfit shine which is water resistant and tracks swimming.
  • rhondabockcso884
    rhondabockcso884 Posts: 1 Member
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    Can I use this with my fitness PAL? lol I just bought the shine too and learning as I type this :-)
  • mlboyer100
    mlboyer100 Posts: 101 Member
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    jadumz wrote: »
    awesomewastaken wrote: »

    I've been reading up on activity trackers and I think what I truly want is something with GPS that is also waterproof so that I could track my swimming. But it seems to me that's not possible (unless I get a smart watch or a fitness watch, but they are too bulky for my liking)?

    If you solve this one let me know haha I want a waterproof heart rate monitor included too haha

    Take a look at the new Garmin VivoSmart with the chest strap HRM. The wrist band is waterproof. I know for a fact because I wore mine in the hot tub to text it out! I believe the HRM is waterproof too. It does say it doesn't transmit under water but I'm thinking it stores the activity until out of water and it gets a strong signal. I haven't tried that feature yet. You'll have to verify that. As far as I know Garmin is the only WATERPROOF tracker on the market, which is why I got it. Others are just water resistant. Unfortunately it doesn't have GPS.
  • Luke_Benson
    Luke_Benson Posts: 1 Member
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    I purchased a Viovsmart, and am happy with it. The wrist trackers are not very accurate. I purchased a fitbit flex to check the accuracy compared to the vivosmart. I love the vivo's notifications!
  • verdejt
    verdejt Posts: 24 Member
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    Be careful when looking at waterproof listings. The fitbits are truly not waterproof. Polar products are up to about 60ft and the Garmin Vivofit is. As far as tracking swimming since I dont do that I cant speak on it except to say if your heart rate strap is Bluetooth only it wont work underwater. Its a problem with the technology itself not a particular product. Having said that all of the Polar chest strap monitors transmit both Bluetooth and Gymlink. Gymlink is 5Khz which the other Polar products use such as the FT7 and others. 5Khz can be read underwater and track your swimming workout.
  • aaliceinw
    aaliceinw Posts: 747 Member
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    I'm going to try the vivofit in the pool with the HRM today. I'll give feedback on how and what it records and transmits.
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
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    GPS means watch format now. The nature of the beast right now. That means Garmin Vivoactive, Polar M400, and similar devices.

    Most HR straps do not work under water. The bluetooth and ANT+ signals do not travel through water as they do through air. It is one area where older Polar systems with Gymlink signals provide something that the current batch of devices don't. The work around with newer watches/bands is a HR strap that saves data like the Wahoo Tickr X.
    verdejt wrote: »
    Be careful when looking at waterproof listings. The fitbits are truly not waterproof. Polar products are up to about 60ft and the Garmin Vivofit is. As far as tracking swimming since I dont do that I cant speak on it except to say if your heart rate strap is Bluetooth only it wont work underwater. Its a problem with the technology itself not a particular product. Having said that all of the Polar chest strap monitors transmit both Bluetooth and Gymlink. Gymlink is 5Khz which the other Polar products use such as the FT7 and others. 5Khz can be read underwater and track your swimming workout.

    Only the H7 strap transmits both signals. The H6 is bluetooth only. All Polar straps before the H6 and H7 lack bluetooth.
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
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    I have a fitbit one, its a cheaper model and I don't like wearing things on my wrist so that was the appeal for me (I clip it to my jean pocket every day but you can clip it pretty much anywhere you want it, have never had it fall off so the clip is very sturdy, that was my biggest worry when buying it). I have found it to be pretty accurate for most step based activities, except when I line dance that seems to confuse it some because of all the directional changes. It still tracks it just only counts probably 3/4 of the "steps". It is great when running or walking.

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