Most Accurate Fitness Trackers?

faiths13
faiths13 Posts: 22 Member
edited December 3 in Fitness and Exercise
Which fitness trackers have the most reliable stats on exercises? I do a variety of activities and would like to see how many (or close to) calories I'm burning.

Replies

  • CincyNeid
    CincyNeid Posts: 1,249 Member
    If you run, cycle and swim you might want tot look into the Moov Now
  • Liz6843
    Liz6843 Posts: 29 Member
    CincyNeid wrote: »
    If you run, cycle and swim you might want tot look into the Moov Now

    I just bought the Moov Now, I love it! But specifically for the training aspect, I have no idea how accurate the calorie counts actually are. It doesn't have a heart rate monitor so I feel like, in theory, it should be less accurate - but I just eat 1/3rd of my exercise calories anyway and I've lost weight since I started.

    I guess for accuracy, something with a heart monitor would be best.

  • olymp1a
    olymp1a Posts: 1,766 Member
    The most accurate ones are the ones with heart rate monitor. That being said, you then have to choose according to your training needs. If you run or cycle a lot then get one that also has GPS routing, if you swim a lot get one that's waterproof (Fitbit for example is splash proof but can't be worn while swimming, Polar on the other hand I've used it for swimming many times).
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    faiths13 wrote: »
    Which fitness trackers have the most reliable stats on exercises? I do a variety of activities and would like to see how many (or close to) calories I'm burning.

    There is no most accurate. Different types of monitoring are more appropriate to different types of exercise. They're all prone to some error, with that being much higher as soon as you go into exercise that involves transitions of effort.

    A more meaningful question would be which is least inaccurate for the type of activities you do.

    For running and cycling personally I use GPS supplemented by HR data.
  • ozgurvh
    ozgurvh Posts: 182 Member
    I use Garmin vivosmart HR and looks good. HR tracking is fine but not perfect. I have also another tracking device with chest band and its not perfect either. Also you can use under armour app, you can log different activities and it will give mean calorie amount that you have burned.
  • faiths13
    faiths13 Posts: 22 Member
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    faiths13 wrote: »
    Which fitness trackers have the most reliable stats on exercises? I do a variety of activities and would like to see how many (or close to) calories I'm burning.

    There is no most accurate. Different types of monitoring are more appropriate to different types of exercise. They're all prone to some error, with that being much higher as soon as you go into exercise that involves transitions of effort.

    A more meaningful question would be which is least inaccurate for the type of activities you do.

    For running and cycling personally I use GPS supplemented by HR data.

    I do not run or cycle, although sometimes I jog or ride my bike. I also go roller skating and take dance class and workout with a kettlebell or do cardio workout videos. So I don't do "the norm" I supoose, but I want to be able to get a good idea on what I'm burning everyday.
  • CincyNeid
    CincyNeid Posts: 1,249 Member
    Any fitness tracker with a optic HRM will serve it's purposes for most people. But keep in mind Optic HRMs are known to not be as fluid and delayed compared to chest mounted HRMS. But all caloric burn readings are just guesstimates at best.

    With that being said Garmin's Elevate sensor has been known to be accurate, and the Mio Fuse is known to have a good Optic HRM on it.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    faiths13 wrote: »
    I do not run or cycle, although sometimes I jog or ride my bike.

    Huh? Jogging is a type of running, and cycling is riding a bike.
  • faiths13
    faiths13 Posts: 22 Member
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    faiths13 wrote: »
    I do not run or cycle, although sometimes I jog or ride my bike.

    Huh? Jogging is a type of running, and cycling is riding a bike.

    No, what I'm saying is it is not a lifestyle for me, as it is for many people. When people say they run or cycle, they do it several times a week and are very into it. I do it occasionally. I have a 50's style bike, not the kind most people use for serious riding. My point is, I don't need something geared to either of those things.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    faiths13 wrote: »
    So I don't do "the norm" I supoose,

    That's pretty typical of most people asking the best fitness tracker question. Runners and cyclists are easy in that respect.
    but I want to be able to get a good idea on what I'm burning everyday.

    That's trickier, as no single device can really cover a broad spectrum of activities.

    I'd suggest that a pretty elementary step tracker would do what you need. You don't need to bother with an HRM as HR isn't a particularly meaningful indicator of calorie expenditure in most circumstances.

    Nothing is particularly useful for dance classes, cardio videos or kettlebell, but a step tracker will give you the basic idea of your background level activity. Your best bet with those activities is just log them by time and recognise that it's a bit of number generation that may or may not be accurate.
  • johnnylloyd0618
    johnnylloyd0618 Posts: 303 Member
    haven't used an actual tracker...have been using the mapmyfitness app and it has done pretty well for what I need it to do. For the activities that don't use GPS, you can manually add... As long as the GPS in your phone is good, it works pretty well.
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