Fitbit or Garmin??

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Gator4RTR
Gator4RTR Posts: 119 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Friends... I am in need of a new heart rate monitor. Between Fitbit and Garmin comma what would you recommend?

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  • cufflinks101
    cufflinks101 Posts: 11 Member
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    I have Garmin vivosmartHR and am kinda wishing I had bought fitbit... it's not tracking correctly. I have tried calling support as well as email, but they don't seem to give a flip...
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,970 Member
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    Garmin. Girlfriend returned her Fitbit Charge HR because it was very inaccurate at exercise intensities. It could track her heart rate just fine when she sat on the couch, but she didn't need to know her HR then.
  • VegasFit
    VegasFit Posts: 1,232 Member
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    I went with Garmin because I like using my chest strap. I only take my wrist unit off if it needs a charge. That being said my BF has the Fitbit HR and likes it. Unfortunately he can only wear it on weekends. I've had good luck with Garmin support. They actually sent me a new chest strap when I thought mine had died. Turned out to be user error but it was the chest strap from my Forerunner so at least 6, 7 years old. During initial set up of the Vivosmart they were very helpful too.
  • thefuzz1290
    thefuzz1290 Posts: 777 Member
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    Another vote for Garmin. I bought a Vivosmart HR and couldn't be happier. I wanted to wait for the Vivoactive HR, but I wasn't sure I wanted to spend that much on a HR monitor right off the bat. I will say the Vivosmart over estimates steps, but that's just due to arm movement throughout the day.
  • Anaris2014
    Anaris2014 Posts: 138 Member
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    Does anyone recommend a HRM with a chest strap that has a memory. I don't want to track my HR while I am exercising (triggers panic attacks), I want to be able to look at the stats later and amend my training for subsequent sessions.

    The memory function is intended for times that I can't take my phone/watch (such as on the football pitch).
  • chrisfwood
    chrisfwood Posts: 37 Member
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    I have a Garmin Forerunner 235, I can change it while it is on via a phone booster battery pack, not HR function stops but not the step count. It does track HR 24 7 although it adjusts it sample rate to save power. But if you start it tracking an activity it does the fast sample rate and it will link to a chest strap if you wish. As for miss-tracking I had a fitbit one and this at the same time and the fitbit gave 1 or 2 percent more steps so I guess they are roughly the same. I am not sure if you could use it on a football pitch as I assume you don't mean soccer, I can't see why you couldn't for soccer. The only down side is syncing with MFP is a bit iffy from time to time.
  • Anaris2014
    Anaris2014 Posts: 138 Member
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    chrisfwood wrote: »
    I have a Garmin Forerunner 235, I can change it while it is on via a phone booster battery pack, not HR function stops but not the step count. It does track HR 24 7 although it adjusts it sample rate to save power. But if you start it tracking an activity it does the fast sample rate and it will link to a chest strap if you wish. As for miss-tracking I had a fitbit one and this at the same time and the fitbit gave 1 or 2 percent more steps so I guess they are roughly the same. I am not sure if you could use it on a football pitch as I assume you don't mean soccer, I can't see why you couldn't for soccer. The only down side is syncing with MFP is a bit iffy from time to time.

    I do mean soccer. The issue is that you're not allowed to wear the watch on the pitch.

    I did wear the fitbit during games for a while (until I lost the fitbit) in the little pouch that some compression gear has (presumably for that purpose). But that doesn't give HR data only steps (13,000-15,000 during a game).

    I suppose my point was I do want to track HR, but not see it at the time - I'd like to be able to look at the data on the computer later and see where I needed to work harder and where I had pushed myself a little too hard.

  • chrisfwood
    chrisfwood Posts: 37 Member
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    The only one I have seen when I was looking at replacing my strap was a wahoo one but no idea if it is any good.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    edited May 2016
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    Anaris2014 wrote: »
    Does anyone recommend a HRM with a chest strap that has a memory.

    The Garmin Swim HR strap has onboard memory and work with a range of ForeRunner head ends

    fwiw HR doesn't tell you much meaningful given what you describe.
  • Pickleheadgirl
    Pickleheadgirl Posts: 17 Member
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    I have a vivofit 2 and love it. (garmin.) I really like the chime/red bar feature on it - helps me get up and move more every single day. I find it to be pretty accurate. However, I suggest buying a different strap than the one it comes with - if you take it off and on (one doesn't have to do so as it's waterproof...) the regular stap it comes with is really fiddley.
  • workout_junkee
    workout_junkee Posts: 473 Member
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    Garmin all the way.
  • ROBOTFOOD
    ROBOTFOOD Posts: 5,527 Member
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    Garmin Forerunner all day er day.

    Or Fenix 3 if you have money to blow and love tech like me haha.
  • Katerbels
    Katerbels Posts: 106 Member
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    Another vote for Garmin, I had a Fitbit Blaze for all of 24 hours before returning it, I've had my Vivosmart HR for about a month or so now and still love it. From talking with friends who have a Fitbit (any Fitbit), my Garmin seems to be much more strict about counting steps, move reminders, etc. It certainly doesn't give me any steps for free and the HRM seems very accurate compared to every other way I've tried and compared the two.
  • espressomane
    espressomane Posts: 17 Member
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    I had a fitbit charge HR for about 5 months and returned it Fitbit. I now have a garmin vivosmart HR... about 1 week :) Lets see how it goes. Feel free to add me Meenah_Jo... its waterproof. Not sure why fitbit thinks they can charge the same amount but I cant swim in it!
  • espressomane
    espressomane Posts: 17 Member
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    Katerbels wrote: »
    Another vote for Garmin, I had a Fitbit Blaze for all of 24 hours before returning it, I've had my Vivosmart HR for about a month or so now and still love it. From talking with friends who have a Fitbit (any Fitbit), my Garmin seems to be much more strict about counting steps, move reminders, etc. It certainly doesn't give me any steps for free and the HRM seems very accurate compared to every other way I've tried and compared the two.

    I agree on the free steps. My spouse would get free steps when lifting weights. :neutral:
  • rockmysocks22
    rockmysocks22 Posts: 3 Member
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    I love the garmin. Hands down. I have the vivoactive (wish I had waited for the vivoactive HR) but it is amazing.
    It is an affordable smart watch that tracks everything I need it to...PLUS---IT IS WATERPROOF!

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