Fitness tracker - which one do you use?
Akibo23
Posts: 88 Member
Hello,
I am trying to invest in a fitness tracker to help track my running pace and monitor my heart rate. It would definitely be a bonus if I could get one that is compatible with Samsung. Heard some good reviews about the Fitbit range. Which ones are you using and which would you recommend ?
Cheers !
I am trying to invest in a fitness tracker to help track my running pace and monitor my heart rate. It would definitely be a bonus if I could get one that is compatible with Samsung. Heard some good reviews about the Fitbit range. Which ones are you using and which would you recommend ?
Cheers !
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Replies
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Tracking pace means you need something with GPS. Options are either a dedicated device, like a Garmin or a phone app with HRM. A FitBit, per se, isn't what you're after unless you go to the expensive end of the range where you'd be as well buying a Garmin or Polar.
Personally I use a Garmin Forerunner.
App options include Endomondo, Runkeeper, Strava or MapMyFitness. A BLE HR strap from Polar should integrate.0 -
MeanderingMammal wrote: »Tracking pace means you need something with GPS. Options are either a dedicated device, like a Garmin or a phone app with HRM. A FitBit, per se, isn't what you're after unless you go to the expensive end of the range where you'd be as well buying a Garmin or Polar.
Personally I use a Garmin Forerunner.
App options include Endomondo, Runkeeper, Strava or MapMyFitness. A BLE HR strap from Polar should integrate.
Thanks for the answer. I am considering a Polar v800 now. I will compare that versus a Garmin.0 -
I use the V800 with H7 sensor and love it, but the M400 also comes with gps. I like having gymlink so it connects to most cardio equipment to display my heart rate, and control the levels/incline. I know they have an app for android, but not sure if it will sync to MFP yet, but they are working on it.0
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I purchased a Fitbit (Charger HR) this weekend and I really like it. It synchs easily with MFP, so I can get a total picture of what I've been doing and it can easily control the music on my iPhone. I am totally addicted to the Fitbit!! Sadly, I don't know much about the others on the market.0
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ScubaSteve1962 wrote: »I use the V800 with H7 sensor and love it, but the M400 also comes with gps. I like having gymlink so it connects to most cardio equipment to display my heart rate, and control the levels/incline. I know they have an app for android, but not sure if it will sync to MFP yet, but they are working on it.
DH is hooked on the V800 as well and is routing for it. I am a bit confused if I should go in for something a bit simpler.
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I purchased a Fitbit (Charger HR) this weekend and I really like it. It synchs easily with MFP, so I can get a total picture of what I've been doing and it can easily control the music on my iPhone. I am totally addicted to the Fitbit!! Sadly, I don't know much about the others on the market.
Fitbit Charge HR was investigated but I did not quite like how it displayed data and its inaccuracy. Maybe I did not set it up well enough but i was not impressed. Will look into the other Fitbit trackers
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I've found the polar products very simple to use. Once you enter your information, and do the Orthostatic test, and fitness test, you're pretty much set. When you want to record an exercise you pull up that profile and hit record. The only draw back is like what all arm based activity trackers, the step counts aren't as accurate as a hip based pedometer. I also like the fact that it will only sync when I tell it too.0
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M400 is my love!! helps me control my pace and measure my progress0
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ScubaSteve1962 wrote: »I've found the polar products very simple to use. Once you enter your information, and do the Orthostatic test, and fitness test, you're pretty much set. When you want to record an exercise you pull up that profile and hit record. The only draw back is like what all arm based activity trackers, the step counts aren't as accurate as a hip based pedometer. I also like the fact that it will only sync when I tell it too.
I will most likely use a chest strap HRM and sync that to the watch band to get an accurate reading Thanks for the recommendation 0 -
jessicatombari wrote: »M400 is my love!! helps me control my pace and measure my progress
Polar devices seem popular I shall go check them out 0 -
Buy a Garmin Device (Fenix 2, Edge 510 or many other choices as well), it'll make all other devices seem like the toys that they are!0
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I have the garmin vivofit. Not only does it track my calories, but it track my steps, heartrate and sleep pattern. I never take it off!0
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jessicatombari wrote: »M400 is my love!! helps me control my pace and measure my progress
Polar devices seem popular I shall go check them out
Garmin or Polar are the market leaders, in the various classes they swap top spot on a regular basis.
Check dcrainmaker.com for his very comprehensive reviews0 -
Chain_Ring wrote: »Buy a Garmin Device (Fenix 2, Edge 510 or many other choices as well), it'll make all other devices seem like the toys that they are!
Why would you recommend a multisport watch and cycling computer to a person looking for running pace?0 -
MeanderingMammal wrote: »Tracking pace means you need something with GPS. Options are either a dedicated device, like a Garmin or a phone app with HRM. A FitBit, per se, isn't what you're after unless you go to the expensive end of the range where you'd be as well buying a Garmin or Polar.
Personally I use a Garmin Forerunner.
App options include Endomondo, Runkeeper, Strava or MapMyFitness. A BLE HR strap from Polar should integrate.
Thanks for the answer. I am considering a Polar v800 now. I will compare that versus a Garmin.
Take a look at the Polar M400, I wear it everyday. Accurate pedometer and awesome for GPS. Battery life is amazing, I can go 3 weeks on 1 charge using GPS 2x week for an hour. It's compatible with my Note from Samsung and came with the Polar H7 HR monitor from amazon at $159. A great tracker.0 -
Garmin vivofit has worked well for me0
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Justinelovezumba32 wrote: »I have the garmin vivofit. Not only does it track my calories, but it track my steps, heartrate and sleep pattern. I never take it off!
I like how sleek the vivofit looks but DH isn't convinced and is still routing for V800 or the likes.0 -
MeanderingMammal wrote: »Garmin or Polar are the market leaders, in the various classes they swap top spot on a regular basis.
Check dcrainmaker.com for his very comprehensive reviews
Thanks for the link. Will check it out!0 -
Leslierussell4134 wrote: »Take a look at the Polar M400, I wear it everyday. Accurate pedometer and awesome for GPS. Battery life is amazing, I can go 3 weeks on 1 charge using GPS 2x week for an hour. It's compatible with my Note from Samsung and came with the Polar H7 HR monitor from amazon at $159. A great tracker.
Sounds great ! I will however mainly use it to track my runs outside, on the treadmill and HIIT workouts.
Compatibility to Samsung / android devices is a bonus 0 -
brianpperkins wrote: »
Why would you recommend a multisport watch and cycling computer to a person looking for running pace?
I would mainly use it to track running and HIIT workouts. An occasional hike and cycling trip might be thrown into the mix but it is definitely not a weekly activity for the moment. What do you recommend ?0 -
I've got a Polar A300 and love using it along with the Polar Flow app.0
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MercuryBlue wrote: »I've got a Polar A300 and love using it along with the Polar Flow app.
Suits my need. But looks bulky. How comfortable is it ?
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brianpperkins wrote: »
Why would you recommend a multisport watch and cycling computer to a person looking for running pace?
I would mainly use it to track running and HIIT workouts. An occasional hike and cycling trip might be thrown into the mix but it is definitely not a weekly activity for the moment. What do you recommend ?
My earlier comment was at the person that mentioned a cycling computer (the type mounted on handlebars that lacks a running funcionality) and an expensive multisport (triathlon) device for your needs.
For running pace you'll need a GPS equipped device. The more basic models that include the ability to connect a heart rate strap include the Garmin Forerunner 15, TomTom Runner (older version heavily discounted now that they introduced a model with optical HR) and Polar M400. The addition of cycling is doable with the M400, TomTom Multisport, or the Garmin Vivoactive.
The V800 along with Garmin's (920XT, Fenix 2 and 3) and Suunto's (Ambit) multisport devices are great products ... but the additional features come at a hefty price. Is the ability to log a triathlon or track open water swimming worth the additional expenditure it takes?
None of them accurately calculate HIIT.0 -
I would mainly use it to track running and HIIT workouts.
Dreadmilling puts a different complexion on the issue. From a Garmin perspective you'd need either a footpod or on the more modern devices, the Running Dynamics chest strap. They'll both give you length of pace, as well as vertical oscillation and ground contact time, but the distance will be more reliable than the machine, once you've calibrated the system. I'm not sure how Polar do that as the simple step counter is optimised for walking, rather than running.
And nothing is going to give ou an accurate assessment of HIIT, as thats anaerobic. A GPS watch will give you distance run in a high intensity session, but that's of limited accuracy if you're doing grid sprints or hill repeats.
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MercuryBlue wrote: »I've got a Polar A300 and love using it along with the Polar Flow app.
Suits my need. But looks bulky. How comfortable is it ?
the a 300 doesn't have gps, it seems the main difference between the a300 a m400 is A300 can read your heart rate while swimming, the M400 has gps.
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MeanderingMammal wrote: »I would mainly use it to track running and HIIT workouts.
Dreadmilling puts a different complexion on the issue. From a Garmin perspective you'd need either a footpod or on the more modern devices, the Running Dynamics chest strap. They'll both give you length of pace, as well as vertical oscillation and ground contact time, but the distance will be more reliable than the machine, once you've calibrated the system. I'm not sure how Polar do that as the simple step counter is optimised for walking, rather than running.
And nothing is going to give ou an accurate assessment of HIIT, as thats anaerobic. A GPS watch will give you distance run in a high intensity session, but that's of limited accuracy if you're doing grid sprints or hill repeats.
I have the V800, and I'm not sure what you are referring to by grid sprints, or hill repeats. But just to see how far I would walk cutting my grass, I had the gps on, it counted every pass I made as a lap, and gave me a total distance.
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ScubaSteve1962 wrote: »I have the V800, and I'm not sure what you are referring to by grid sprints, or hill repeats. But just to see how far I would walk cutting my grass, I had the gps on, it counted every pass I made as a lap, and gave me a total distance.
So I'd ask how accurate that total distance is, as the pool of error on a civilian grade GPS using a nine-spacecraft fix is around 5 metres. The effect of cumulative error depends on the distance of the repeat. Gridders might be a 10 or 20 metre distance, hill repeats might be 100 metres, so less gross effect but still substantial.
To put that in context, on my Turbo trainer I can ride for 40km in an hour long session, using my GPS as a head end for the instrumentation on my bike, but letting it track GPS. The GPS could measure as much as 1km in that time, just from the cumulative effect of location accuracy errors as it chops between different spacecraft and tracks them. Looking at the trace from above it'll show a disc of 10 to 15 metres diameter.
So if the originator is looking for calorie estimation then from distance based a HIIT session like that is going to be wrong, and from an HR perspective it'll be wrong. There is no way to forecast how wrong that is, so one might as well just pluck a figure from thin air.0 -
i own a garmin fenix2. As much as I like it, be aware it's gps is not as good as polar or some older garmin devices due to a change of gps chip they use. I wish I had waited for the polar v800 as the gps seems pretty accurate. With my fenix2 75% of the time, the gps track is almost spot on......the other times I can get wild offsets or delayed turns. I do like it but it is not worth the large price tag.
Also be aware the fenix2 does not have a 24/7 fitness tracker.....only individual defined activities.
We are looking at a polar m400 for my other half as we feel her Vivofit doesn't cut it for serious exercising.0
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