Apple Watch vs. Fitbit (esp. Pulse or Surge)

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roxxie25
roxxie25 Posts: 32 Member
edited May 2015 in Fitness and Exercise
If you own both the fitbit and the apple watch, how do they compare? particularly if you had the pulse or surge -- is the calories burned measurement on the apple vs fitbit similar? step total roughly comparable? Also, is the apple watch as comfortable as the fitbit in terms of being lightweight enough to wear 24/7? Thanks! I love my fitbit pulse but am tempted to get an apple watch.

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  • TheSurge0n
    TheSurge0n Posts: 113 Member
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    I'm using Fitbit HR, I guess both are okay. Not a necessary device but if it motivates to be healthy then worth buying.
  • jamesdc71
    jamesdc71 Posts: 11 Member
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    I've use practically all trackers since 2008, FitBit, Ki Fit, Jawbone & a few other, have recently when from FitBit Charge to Apple Watch Sport, 2 weeks I had one on either wrist for comparison however it's worth pointing I'm in a wheelchair which complicates matters however with the GPS & heart rate monitor on the Apple Watch I found it to be far more accurate when I was doing workouts which consists of free weights, resistance & wheelchair sprinting & general wheelchair journey's out & about which was pretty much spot on with cals burnt compared to the Charge which was out by a great deal it stated much less calories burnt.

    I did a number manual calculations based on wheelchair weight, my weight, distance travelled, inclines, declines etc which came out with a +/- 4% for Apple which would be down the the heart rate monitoring to determine intensity & GPS & 11% for FitBit Charge, I'd assume the Charge HR or surge would be more accurate since they has HR & the surge has HR & GPS although the Apple Watch has more sensors, all in all I've very happy with the Apple Watch so using that solely, doesn't really bother me about sleep tracking but may purchase a tracker just that purpose which in UK can be purchased for < £20 & regardless of workout, exercise, activity etc I always get a full day out of my watch which goes on at 7am then on charge anything from midnight to 2am.

    As for comfortability I have the 42mm sport at 30 grams & personally can forget it's there after just a short time, I've also showered with it on, been in a swimming pool for hydrotherapy and been able to use in in the pool & shower when wet & indeed when under the water too, I never did anything like that with any of my previous trackers.

    Hope at least some of that helps you a bit.
  • roxxie25
    roxxie25 Posts: 32 Member
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    jamesdc71 wrote: »
    I've use practically all trackers since 2008, FitBit, Ki Fit, Jawbone & a few other, have recently when from FitBit Charge to Apple Watch Sport, 2 weeks I had one on either wrist for comparison however it's worth pointing I'm in a wheelchair which complicates matters however with the GPS & heart rate monitor on the Apple Watch I found it to be far more accurate when I was doing workouts which consists of free weights, resistance & wheelchair sprinting & general wheelchair journey's out & about which was pretty much spot on with cals burnt compared to the Charge which was out by a great deal it stated much less calories burnt.

    I did a number manual calculations based on wheelchair weight, my weight, distance travelled, inclines, declines etc which came out with a +/- 4% for Apple which would be down the the heart rate monitoring to determine intensity & GPS & 11% for FitBit Charge, I'd assume the Charge HR or surge would be more accurate since they has HR & the surge has HR & GPS although the Apple Watch has more sensors, all in all I've very happy with the Apple Watch so using that solely, doesn't really bother me about sleep tracking but may purchase a tracker just that purpose which in UK can be purchased for < £20 & regardless of workout, exercise, activity etc I always get a full day out of my watch which goes on at 7am then on charge anything from midnight to 2am.

    As for comfortability I have the 42mm sport at 30 grams & personally can forget it's there after just a short time, I've also showered with it on, been in a swimming pool for hydrotherapy and been able to use in in the pool & shower when wet & indeed when under the water too, I never did anything like that with any of my previous trackers.

    Hope at least some of that helps you a bit.

    Thank you -- that is very helpful!
  • creeperlegume
    creeperlegume Posts: 171 Member
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    I LOVE my Apple Watch. I've had both the Fitbit One and the Fitbit Surge, and I think the Apple Watch is more comfortable than the Surge by a long shot. Sidenote: I had to return my Surge after contracting the dreaded Fitbit Rash after just one month of wear, which is why I bit the bullet and went Apple. Never looking back. I've got the 42mm Watch version, so it's heavier than the Sport mentioned above, but it's still totally comfortable for exercise. Tracking seems to be better with the Apple watch too, for me at least. I haven't had any issues with battery life either. Love love love (and promise I I don't work for Apple). :)
  • stuffinmuffin
    stuffinmuffin Posts: 985 Member
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    I just got the apple watch and did a comparison with the watch and the Fitbit one that I have loved and not been parted from for nearly two years. The data was almost identical and also the Apple watch provides a lot more data.
    I also compared it to my Polar FT HRM when doing some cardio and it again was spot on, even telling me when I had bunked off my exercise for the odd minute to faff about! (It knows when you're shirking!).

    I am so pleased with these results that the Fitbit has been given to a buddy of mine who'd like it and the HRM is going in it's box to be used if I do any water sports.
  • MonsoonStorm
    MonsoonStorm Posts: 371 Member
    edited May 2015
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    jamesdc71 wrote: »
    I've use practically all trackers since 2008, FitBit, Ki Fit, Jawbone & a few other, have recently when from FitBit Charge to Apple Watch Sport, 2 weeks I had one on either wrist for comparison however it's worth pointing I'm in a wheelchair which complicates matters however with the GPS & heart rate monitor on the Apple Watch I found it to be far more accurate when I was doing workouts which consists of free weights, resistance & wheelchair sprinting & general wheelchair journey's out & about which was pretty much spot on with cals burnt compared to the Charge which was out by a great deal it stated much less calories burnt.

    I did a number manual calculations based on wheelchair weight, my weight, distance travelled, inclines, declines etc which came out with a +/- 4% for Apple which would be down the the heart rate monitoring to determine intensity & GPS & 11% for FitBit Charge, I'd assume the Charge HR or surge would be more accurate since they has HR & the surge has HR & GPS although the Apple Watch has more sensors, all in all I've very happy with the Apple Watch so using that solely, doesn't really bother me about sleep tracking but may purchase a tracker just that purpose which in UK can be purchased for < £20 & regardless of workout, exercise, activity etc I always get a full day out of my watch which goes on at 7am then on charge anything from midnight to 2am.

    As for comfortability I have the 42mm sport at 30 grams & personally can forget it's there after just a short time, I've also showered with it on, been in a swimming pool for hydrotherapy and been able to use in in the pool & shower when wet & indeed when under the water too, I never did anything like that with any of my previous trackers.

    Hope at least some of that helps you a bit.

    Couple of points here:

    The apple watch doesn't have GPS, it will however utilise your phone's GPS if you have it with you. No phone = no GPS

    Optical HR sensors are pretty awful when it comes to weights. They start out ok, but as the workout goes on they become more and more unable to read your HR. I use the scorsche rhythm+ which is supposedly one of the best optical sensors going, and it never manages to capture my HR throughout a weights session. This is due to blood flow to your arms being generally restricted during a session.

    The other thing is what exercise are you doing? Is it something where having a watch on your wrist is going to be a pain? (Yoga, Kettlebells etc). Is it likely to get wet? (apple watch isn't technically waterproof).

    Some of the above issues can be worked around by using a bluetooth chest strap monitor and just having your watch near you, but that's an extra expenditure to add a functionality.

    Last point, you won't be able to wear the apple watch 24/7, it will need charging each night.
  • minizebu
    minizebu Posts: 2,716 Member
    edited May 2015
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    roxxie25 wrote: »
    Also, is the apple watch as comfortable as the fitbit in terms of being lightweight enough to wear 24/7?

    My understanding is that the Apple watch has an 18-hour battery life. It must be recharged nightly. This is why it doesn't have a sleep-quality tracking function.

    It's also my understanding that, while the Apple watch is minimally water resistant, it is not something that can be worn in the shower, as some of the Fitbit products can.

  • AngelicusKC
    AngelicusKC Posts: 2 Member
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    I have both and have been wearing both since I got my Apple Watch. I'm finding that the Apple Watch is tracking more steps than the Fitbit One every day. So I'm not sure which one is more accurate. I like to think the Apple Watch is. ;) I like the workout app on the watch and the heart monitoring. I'm not sure how it compares to the Fitbit with the heart monitoring, though. I keep my Fitbit on at night for the sleep tracing because my Humana Vitality program gives me 5 pts every night for proof of sleeping. I might give this up at some point, though.

    As far as being waterproof. There have been many verifications that the Apple Watch is waterproof. You can find reviews of this by Googling. You can shower, sweat, swim, etc. with it. It's rated to be at a depth of 3 feet for 15 minutes, although some tests have proven it will last longer. You won't have any problems showering with it if that's what you'd like to do.
  • michelegreen99
    michelegreen99 Posts: 28 Member
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    Great question, OP! I am in the market as well for a new HRM as my Polar F5 is showing signs of dying once again (I have to buy a new one every 2-3 years as it suddenly stops finding my heart rate or captures a crazy number. I've replaced both batteries in band and watch and this does not fix it. This has happened so many times over the years I now buy the cheapest Polar and keep an extra one on hand for the day the polar dies).

    So I was looking at the Apple watch, FitBit and Nike Fuel. I was having a hard time believing that my HR could be tracked on my wrist. Ive been reading up on how this is possible but was also curious about its accuracy.

    I appreciate all the insight from all the posters!
  • liberaltendencies
    liberaltendencies Posts: 150 Member
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    I had a Fitbit Flex for a year and really loved it. It bothered me at night, so I didn't sleep track for long. I preordered the Apple Sport edition the first day I could. I've had it for about a week, a few things I really enjoy:

    - Standup reminders are super helpful and give me an excuse to get up at work more often.
    - I like being able to quickly glance at my circles in the health app and see where I'm at as far as calories burned, standup activity, and exercise goals. I also like that it displays my active calories vs. total calories burned with the Fitbit.
    - All of the benefits from being able to see notifications/respond to texts via voice while leaving my phone in my purse all day.

    A few not so good points worth mentioning:

    - Let me first say, I'm an Apple fangirl, so this is hard for me to dog them... :) but! it's first gen, so I should've known. The two times I've run on the treadmill with the watch, I selected indoor run and set a time goal of 30 minutes. The watch significantly overcounted my distance vs. the treadmill. So that part is frustrating. I did, however, work harder for a strength workout where I set a calorie goal. I found the heart rate to be pretty accurate compared to my Polar. Now I'm definitely rambling... in summary, I like it. If you're looking for a dedicated fitness monitor, I'm positive something better exists.
  • minizebu
    minizebu Posts: 2,716 Member
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    AngelicusKC wrote: »
    As far as being waterproof. There have been many verifications that the Apple Watch is waterproof. You can find reviews of this by Googling. You can shower, sweat, swim, etc. with it. It's rated to be at a depth of 3 feet for 15 minutes, although some tests have proven it will last longer. You won't have any problems showering with it if that's what you'd like to do.

    This would seem to contradict the above: http://www.idownloadblog.com/2015/04/28/you-shouldnt-shower-with-your-apple-watch/

    The conclusion: "I’m not going to shower with my Apple Watch ever again. That makes me sad, but it’s just not worth the risk, and Apple explicitly tells us not to do it."
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
    edited May 2015
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    I haven't showered with my apple watch but I have run in a hard rain with it, sweated all over it every day for nearly a month, and rinse it off in the sink every day or two and it is still working perfectly

    Step count seems to be roughly about 3% under Fitbit. Maybe this is because it doesn't count steps when I'm driving in a car?

    It is as, or more, comfortable than any other watch I have ever worn. Mostly, I don't notice it's there.

    The HR monitor is very accurate compared to my Garmin 610 with chest strap.

    I do not regret getting it at all.
  • minizebu
    minizebu Posts: 2,716 Member
    edited May 2015
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    scottb81 wrote: »
    I have run in a hard rain with it, sweated all over it every day for nearly a month, and rinse it off in the sink every day or two and it is still working perfectly

    This jives with the expected usage and exposure to moisture that Apple says the watch should withstand (if by "rinse off in the sink" you mean normal exposure when washing hands).

    I was pointing out that showering with the Apple watch is not one of the recommended uses.

    Edit:

    Although, to be completely fair, I just found out that Fitbit does not recommend showering with the Fitbit, either. I had been previously operating under the impression that they had no such admonition.

    http://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/Can-I-swim-or-shower-with-my-tracker. "Do not swim with your tracker. We also don't recommend showering with your tracker; though the water won't hurt the device, wearing it 24/7 does not give your skin a chance to breathe. Whenever you get your tracker wet, dry it thoroughly before putting it back on."

  • roxxie25
    roxxie25 Posts: 32 Member
    edited May 2015
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    I can attest from personal experience that wearing the fitbit in the shower daily will cause the band to disintegrate at the joint where the rubber meets the digital screen -- not so much of a problem with the flex but it certainly is with the recent models where the band is not removable.

    I guess by wearing it 24/7, I meant, can you forget that it is on like the fitbit, or do you want to rip it off as soon as you get home, like most watches.

    Thanks so much for all of the feedback -- keep in coming, even though I already bit the bullet and order my apple watch :) p.s. I can no longer edit my original post but the Fitbit model that I have been using and am referring to is the Charge HR, not a "Pulse" -- not quite sure where that name came from.


  • jamesdc71
    jamesdc71 Posts: 11 Member
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    My phone is usually always with me however with the watch having it's own WiFi antenna so if both connected to the same WiFi network then there is no limit to distance from the phone you can be, I've not had any issues with HR when comparing doing manually or against my polar bluetooth HR monitor on occasion marginally out by 2 or 3 BPM, I've showered with my Apple watch on, been in swimming pool for hydrotherapy for an hour with it & clearly states by Apple waterproof to IPX7 so technically to 150m, doesn't get in the way with anything I do with it on my wrist & currently getting 2 full days out of it when taking it off before going to bed.
  • therayeraye
    therayeraye Posts: 17 Member
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    I have had a Fitbit Flex since they came out (and for a short time before that I had a Jawbone Up band) and honestly my Apple Watch is the one I find the most comfortable. The sleep tracking is my favourite part of the Fitbit but if I want to I can just throw it on at night (but it turns out I never want to its nice to prep for bed and take off all your daily gear). I also like the my fitness pal app reminds me on my watch to input my deals which I had trouble doing consistently before.
  • MasterPhin
    MasterPhin Posts: 6 Member
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    Used a bunch of trackers and as of late fitbit surge, up3 and apple watch. I like the apple watch better due to its iPhone integration and features beyond fitness - but it's spot on when it comes to fitness, for sure. The fitbit is my backup system now, meaning it's sitting in its box. I use the apple watch all day long and the up 3 for sleep tracking. Even though the fitbit holds battery like 3 days with GPS usage while running every day, it is uncomfortable, even when worn loosely at night. It's bulky and its rubberized surface gets caught on linen or comforter. It's HR track is on par with apple watch - and absolutely useful during exercise. I have not noticed any accuracy drop during weight training - which is anaerobic and does not effect heart rate or caloric burn at the same level as aerobic cardio. The tip towards chest strap is valid, yet it's like the recommendation to get an analog vinyl record player vs buying digital music - yes, someone with trained concert hall hearing may find it sounds better but it's anachronistic. I for that part find chest straps totally uncomfortable, they always slip off target - even if worn so tight that they leave deep red marks (hate 'em). I gladly take the drop in accuracy on the wrist and let my body weight/measurement changes determine exercise success.

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