Activity trackers - which one?

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Moz2ie
Moz2ie Posts: 17 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Which activity tracker do people recommend?

Replies

  • Josh_ATX
    Josh_ATX Posts: 3 Member
    edited March 2015
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    I have tried several different devices but I keep coming back to the BodyMedia Fit. As with any device, the Fit is just an estimate, but it seems to be a very good one. It picks up on much more subtle activity than just steps so I can use it reliably when cycling or weight training, for example.

    BodyMedia was just purchased by Jawbone too so I'm excited to see what the next version has in store.

    Pros:
    - Seems to be extremely accurate
    - Long battery life
    - Great bluetooth connectivity with iPhone
    - Integrates well with MFP

    Cons:
    - A little bulky
    - Not waterproof
    - Can be uncomfortable if you have sensitive skin


    Edit: It doesn't look like Jawbone is selling them anymore... I would expect an update to the product line pretty soon though.
  • UrnAsh_
    UrnAsh_ Posts: 242 Member
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    I love my Fitbit One. Their website compares all of their devices. I've also noticed that in the local Walmart and Target they have some different activity trackers out on display.
  • oludi
    oludi Posts: 15 Member
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    Using fitbit charge hr. Love it since it's using heart rate to estimate calorie burn.
  • lilbea89
    lilbea89 Posts: 62 Member
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    I've got a jawbone fitband and I love it. The Nike one and the fitbit bands didn't seem as comfortable to me and one of my friends started getting a bad rash from wearing her fitbit band all the time. The jawbone one was slimmer and more flexible so it didn't bother my skin.
  • AlisonTheNerd
    AlisonTheNerd Posts: 41 Member
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    It depends on what exercise you do. I use the Runtastic Orbit, I got it because it is water proof. I have a heart problem, so I can't run, but it can track my motion while I do water aerobics. Water proof trackers are less common.

    Also, the Orbit does inflate your sets a bit if you are using it as a watch (comes with two watch bands and a clip). I use it as a watch, but I am aware of how much it inflates so I can track my movement for the day, while keeping it realistic in my head.
  • sgit820
    sgit820 Posts: 5
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    I've been using the Microsoft Band since the beginning of the year and I like it better than the Fitbit Force that I had last year. The only negative review that I have for the Microsoft Band is battery life and the need to charge it every 24-48 hours, depending on how you use it.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
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    Josh_ATX wrote: »
    I have tried several different devices but I keep coming back to the BodyMedia Fit. As with any device, the Fit is just an estimate, but it seems to be a very good one. It picks up on much more subtle activity than just steps so I can use it reliably when cycling or weight training, for example.

    BodyMedia was just purchased by Jawbone too so I'm excited to see what the next version has in store.

    Pros:
    - Seems to be extremely accurate
    - Long battery life
    - Great bluetooth connectivity with iPhone
    - Integrates well with MFP

    Cons:
    - A little bulky
    - Not waterproof
    - Can be uncomfortable if you have sensitive skin


    Edit: It doesn't look like Jawbone is selling them anymore... I would expect an update to the product line pretty soon though.

    The next one is supposed to be the UP3.... It's been delayed for a few months now though.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
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    herrspoons wrote: »
    None of them. They're all pretty inaccurate and tend to overestimate calorie burn.

    Unless you're using it as a GPS tracker, avoid.

    Not always.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    The first thing you need to do is decide what you want to get out of it. Do you just want to know your step count? Do you do other activities like swimming? Are you interested in a heart rate monitor? Do you want to track your sleep efficiency? Once you know what you want, then look for the models that give you that.

    I chose a Fitbit flex because I wanted a step tracker, sleep tracker, and one that can be worn in water. I also wanted a wearable instead of clip on because I know myself and I would regularly forget to put it back on after showering or changing clothes. An article I read a while ago rated the accuracy and Polar and Fitbit were the top two. Jawbone was in the middle, Garmin and Nike were near the bottom. Even the burn calculated by the best was off by about 15% so you need to know the limitations (as herrspoons said above).
  • brideau74
    brideau74 Posts: 13 Member
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    I have a Fitbit Zip but I no longer have it linked to MFP. I use it simply to meet a self imposed daily goal for steps. I didn't find it was accurate as far as calories burned but I have no way to prove it. In the end, I enter my exercise manually in MFP to get an estimate of my calories burned that day.

    I like my Fitbit a lot but I don't rely on it for tracking calories but I do check it often as I am interested. I only use it to track approximately how many steps I took that day with or without exercise.

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