Is anyone going to get the fitbit Alta?

2

Replies

  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    @BarbieAS Thanks for that link! Here I've been paranoid about getting my Charge HR wet in the rain and trying to keep it covered, but I needn't worry!
  • drummygurl
    drummygurl Posts: 19 Member
    I pre-ordered the Alta as soon as they announced. I have a Flex currently and it just sounds like a much better version of the Flex. I don't need the HRM stuff either. Mine's been shipped. Delivery says Tuesday, but FedEx updated the tracking that it arrived at the nearby FedEx post at 8pm tonight. So maybe tomorrow?

    Can't wait, so excited!
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    drummygurl wrote: »
    I pre-ordered the Alta as soon as they announced. I have a Flex currently and it just sounds like a much better version of the Flex. I don't need the HRM stuff either. Mine's been shipped. Delivery says Tuesday, but FedEx updated the tracking that it arrived at the nearby FedEx post at 8pm tonight. So maybe tomorrow?

    Can't wait, so excited!

    Oooh how exciting! I can't believe I'm this excited by a bloody fitness tracker! :lol:

    I can't wait to hear all your reviews.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    drummygurl wrote: »
    I pre-ordered the Alta as soon as they announced. I have a Flex currently and it just sounds like a much better version of the Flex. I don't need the HRM stuff either. Mine's been shipped. Delivery says Tuesday, but FedEx updated the tracking that it arrived at the nearby FedEx post at 8pm tonight. So maybe tomorrow?

    Can't wait, so excited!

    Oooh how exciting! I can't believe I'm this excited by a bloody fitness tracker! :lol:

    I can't wait to hear all your reviews.

    :) I like your enthusiasm, it's catching! I want to hear too!

    Are you going to get one?

    I'm not, because I've got a brand new Charge HR unopened. It's a free replacement for the one I'm using that has its band coming loose, and I'm waiting for it to fall apart. I do love my Charge HR, but I still like hearing about all the other Fitbit gadgetry!
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    edited March 2016
    Orphia wrote: »
    drummygurl wrote: »
    I pre-ordered the Alta as soon as they announced. I have a Flex currently and it just sounds like a much better version of the Flex. I don't need the HRM stuff either. Mine's been shipped. Delivery says Tuesday, but FedEx updated the tracking that it arrived at the nearby FedEx post at 8pm tonight. So maybe tomorrow?

    Can't wait, so excited!

    Oooh how exciting! I can't believe I'm this excited by a bloody fitness tracker! :lol:

    I can't wait to hear all your reviews.

    :) I like your enthusiasm, it's catching! I want to hear too!

    Are you going to get one?

    I'm not, because I've got a brand new Charge HR unopened. It's a free replacement for the one I'm using that has its band coming loose, and I'm waiting for it to fall apart. I do love my Charge HR, but I still like hearing about all the other Fitbit gadgetry!

    Yes I'm planning on getting one, I've only ever had the zip, so the Alta is a big upgrade for me.

    Just wanted to wait and hear from real people what they think, instead of the fitbit site or online reviews from strangers. It's not available here til late march/early April at the earliest :(
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    Orphia wrote: »
    drummygurl wrote: »
    I pre-ordered the Alta as soon as they announced. I have a Flex currently and it just sounds like a much better version of the Flex. I don't need the HRM stuff either. Mine's been shipped. Delivery says Tuesday, but FedEx updated the tracking that it arrived at the nearby FedEx post at 8pm tonight. So maybe tomorrow?

    Can't wait, so excited!

    Oooh how exciting! I can't believe I'm this excited by a bloody fitness tracker! :lol:

    I can't wait to hear all your reviews.

    :) I like your enthusiasm, it's catching! I want to hear too!

    Are you going to get one?

    I'm not, because I've got a brand new Charge HR unopened. It's a free replacement for the one I'm using that has its band coming loose, and I'm waiting for it to fall apart. I do love my Charge HR, but I still like hearing about all the other Fitbit gadgetry!

    Yes I'm planning on getting one, I've only ever had the zip, so the Alta is a big upgrade for me.

    Just wanted to wait and hear from real people what they think, instead of the fitbit site or online reviews from strangers. It's not available here til late march/early April at the earliest :(

    Good plan! And good luck waiting!
  • pamelajmcnab
    pamelajmcnab Posts: 18 Member
    I've had a fitbit One for a long time. I quit wearing it probably for over two years because I didn't know where it was. When my husband and I finally launched an all-out search for it because I'm back to being conscientious about my health, we found it lodged behind the silver ware holder in a kitchen drawer. ??? What ??? Anyhow, my Alta comes TODAY!

    Musicfan4life: I need to pick your brain! You seem to have a plan already. I'm curious about how you're going to count calories while riding and not have it count steps? We own three horses and while we haven't been able to ride yet this spring (IS it spring?), that's on the horizon.

    For the record, I have washed my One uh, let's just say "more than once" in the washing machine and it never quit functioning!
  • Nettie_Marie
    Nettie_Marie Posts: 1 Member
    edited March 2016
    I recently ordered my first FitBit device after using a Mysync, Apple Watch, and Samsung Gear S2. I spent many hours researching various models of various brands and decided to get the FitBit Alta. It is supposed to be delivered today and I am excited. I like the fact that, apart from standard FitBit measurements, it also gives activity reminders, it can notify me of messages to my phone so I don't have to pull it out during a workout, and I will have the option of swapping bands. I love the idea of having a fitness tracker to help me regulate my sleep, activity, and caloric intake. I need a tracker that is small and made of a material that won't get scratched or scratch the equipment I'm using while wearing it (pole, lyra, bars, and other gymnastic/aerial equipment). After my research, FitBit Alta seemed to be the best solution for my needs and wants. Can't wait to get it and start using it.
  • fougamou
    fougamou Posts: 200 Member
    I pre-ordered mine and got it over the weekend. It is replacing a One. So far, I am really liking it. I do find it buzzes often -- even to remind me to move or for a text or calendar notification.
  • BarbieAS
    BarbieAS Posts: 1,414 Member
    Mine arrived on Saturday!

    It's too early to make some judgments re: accuracy and such, but I can tell you about the aesthetics and some of the newer features.

    Fit/feel: The screen/actual tracking unit is kind of heavy and makes the Fitbit slide around a lot, if that makes sense, when the wristband is hooked at an otherwise comfortable spot. It's kind of noticeable/annoying, but I'm 100% sure that it's one of those things I'll get used to with time (I'm already noticing it less on day 4).

    Look: The screen is super shiny and sleek looking, and I'm just WAITING to get a giant scratch on it. I've looked into some after market screen protectors but haven't found one that makes sense yet. The standard wristband is fine - nothing special looking, sort of similar to the Charge/Charge HR bands - but I can't wait to get the gray leather one that I ordered - it's supposed to ship tomorrow. I think that will look really nice and more professional for work. It's significantly thinner than my Charge HR (obviously) and I think a lot more feminine (not to discourage gentlemen from buying it! I just always thought my other one looked super bulky on my wrist and I never cared for it).

    Features: I'm really digging the movement reminder. You can set it for any days you want and up to any 14 hours in the day, and when you haven't taken 250 steps by 10 minutes before the next hour it buzzes. It's definitely reminded me to just get off my butt at work a few times and at least go to the bathroom or something.

    The display isn't my favorite, though I knew what I was getting into with that. The vertical options for the display are hard to get used to reading, and it doesn't display your full step count that way (would just show, for example, "6.7K" instead of "6,714"), and for some reason that really bothered me. I changed it to the horizontal display, and that's better, but it's not natural to try to read something on your wrist in that direction. (If you look at a picture of the Alta display I think you can see what I'm talking about.) It's not a deal breaker for using it, and with the thin profile they were going for I think this is truly the best they could do, but it's still not the greatest.

    I was really annoyed at first that I couldn't get the tapping to wake it up thing to work as well as I wanted to until I realized that you have to double tap to get it to turn the display on and then single tap to go through the various stats. :lol:
  • BarbieAS
    BarbieAS Posts: 1,414 Member
    fougamou wrote: »
    I pre-ordered mine and got it over the weekend. It is replacing a One. So far, I am really liking it. I do find it buzzes often -- even to remind me to move or for a text or calendar notification.

    I turned off the calendar notifications. That was too much for me. But I like the text/call notifications (I feel like I'm looking at my phone less during work, which is a very good thing!).
  • tmj4477
    tmj4477 Posts: 145 Member
    got it didn't like it and already mailed it back. I do a lot of mini stepper and treadmill work at my desk and my steps were not being counted. So it went back
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    edited March 2016
    Thank you so much for the reviews guys, mucho appreciated, especially @BarbieAS for your detailed response :smiley:
    I've never had a wrist tracker, so have nothing to compare it too. I imagine it will be weird at first, but I'm sure i'll get used to it...
    tmj4477 wrote: »
    got it didn't like it and already mailed it back. I do a lot of mini stepper and treadmill work at my desk and my steps were not being counted. So it went back

    That sucks @tmj4477 :( I do long intentional walks throughout the day, so hopefully this wont be an issue for me.
  • Sweedeez
    Sweedeez Posts: 5 Member
    Just got the Fitbit Alta in the mail today (preordered it early this month) and it is AWESOME. Got it in teal - it's GORGEOUS and there are so many options for it to customize it :smiley: I especially like how sleek it is and non-bulky it's shape is when wearing it. Definitely my new best friend!! :wink:
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Sweedeez wrote: »
    Just got the Fitbit Alta in the mail today (preordered it early this month) and it is AWESOME. Got it in teal - it's GORGEOUS and there are so many options for it to customize it :smiley: I especially like how sleek it is and non-bulky it's shape is when wearing it. Definitely my new best friend!! :wink:

    Yay @Sweedeez , can you let me know what you think of it once you've got used to it all.

    Everyone, how does the calorie burn/step count compare with your previous fitbit? Accurate??
  • seahorsepenguin
    seahorsepenguin Posts: 12 Member
    @BarbieAS thank you for your review especially the double tap vs single tap tip. I should be getting mine in the mail tomorrow. Glad to hear that it is much sleeker design hoping it looks okay for work.
  • muziique
    muziique Posts: 82 Member
    I just ordered the Alta today! Can't wait to receive it! I had purchased the Charge HR around the holidays when it went on sale but returned it after a month because the heart rate monitoring wasn't accurate at all and it was too bulky for everyday wear. I love that the Alta is smaller and you can change the bands. I just wanted something I could use to track steps while still looking nice on my wrist. Looking forward to receiving it.
  • BarbieAS
    BarbieAS Posts: 1,414 Member
    Sweedeez wrote: »
    Just got the Fitbit Alta in the mail today (preordered it early this month) and it is AWESOME. Got it in teal - it's GORGEOUS and there are so many options for it to customize it :smiley: I especially like how sleek it is and non-bulky it's shape is when wearing it. Definitely my new best friend!! :wink:

    Yay @Sweedeez , can you let me know what you think of it once you've got used to it all.

    Everyone, how does the calorie burn/step count compare with your previous fitbit? Accurate??

    For me, so far steps appear most comparable to how my Charge HR counted them but calories closer to my One (which I did end up going back to for about a week before getting my Alta and which did give me significantly fewer calories than my Charge HR for comparable days of activity, which I suspected would happen). All of that is 100% in line with my expectations. No complaints on accuracy thus far, though I really need at least 4-6 weeks of data to really test it out.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    I just had a look through the Alta fitbit forum.. And I get the distinct impression that it's terribly inaccurate, underestimating by ALOT. I haven't got mine yet, it's on lay-by.

    How are you guys going, have you found it be accurate?
  • BarbieAS
    BarbieAS Posts: 1,414 Member
    edited April 2016
    I just had a look through the Alta fitbit forum.. And I get the distinct impression that it's terribly inaccurate, underestimating by ALOT. I haven't got mine yet, it's on lay-by.

    How are you guys going, have you found it be accurate?

    Underestimating calories or steps or both?

    I've found my steps to be a tiny bit lower, but I attribute that to being busier at work than usual (which means fewer trips to the gym, getting out at lunch less often....just in general more time on my behind at a computer). My calories are also hundreds lower than my Charge HR...but that was an expected and hoped-for change due to some tweaks I've had to make to get my Fitbit to spit out an accurate TDEE based on my true (medically tested) RMR as compared to what they would use for my BMR based on my actual stats (I won't go into too many details, it's kind of boring and majorly long-winded, but Fitbit tracking my HR and using it in calorie burn calculations was majorly messing me up).

    According to my own recordkeeping, from 11/26/15 through my change to the Alta about 6 weeks ago, using my Charge HR I averaged 7,687 steps per day and a 2,383 TDEE. From the change to the Alta until last Thursday (my weigh-in day), I've averaged 7,242 steps/day and a 1,776 TDEE. However, compared to my actual change in weight, my Alta TDEE is much more accurate - I was calculating my Charge HR was overestimating my TDEE by about 400-500 calories per day on average, and my Alta is almost dead on - certainly within an acceptable margin of error. But, that's me, and I'm a bit of a special snowflake in this regard. And, as I said, I had to tweak my stats to get to where it was accurate for me - if I had my real stats listed in Fitbit, I'd still be getting a significant overestimation, just less of one than with my Charge HR.