How is Garmin's build quality vs FitBit? What lasts?

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25lbsorbust
25lbsorbust Posts: 225 Member
edited May 2018 in Fitness and Exercise
Getting a new fitness tracker, and not replacing my Fitbit because they die on me at least once a year if not more often. I was thinking a Garmin Vivosmart 3 or whichever one it is that has heart rate tracking. But in y'all's experience actually using it consistently, have they held up? Is there another brand I'm missing? Has FitBits build quality improved since the Charge HR?

I'm not expecting it to last me a decade, but I've never made it a full year without having to replace my Fitbit. And that's just madness.

Replies

  • runnermom419
    runnermom419 Posts: 366 Member
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    I've worn my 920XT pretty much daily for almost 2 years and the only bad thing that's happened is the band wore out once. Garmin's quality is hands down the best and their customer service rocks.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,970 Member
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    I had my Fenix 3 HR on my wrist when I got hit by a car and almost broke my arm. That was several years ago and the watch still works like new. None of my Fitbits still work.
  • Davidsdottir
    Davidsdottir Posts: 1,285 Member
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    I had the same issue with my Fitbits. I have the garmin Vivoactive 3 now with a three-year warranty. Love it.
  • 25lbsorbust
    25lbsorbust Posts: 225 Member
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    runnermom419 wrote: »
    I've worn my 920XT pretty much daily for almost 2 years and the only bad thing that's happened is the band wore out once. Garmin's quality is hands down the best and their customer service rocks.

    Rad. I wouldn't quite be going that fancy-- I've only got about $100 to spend overall-- but it's good to hear that their customer service is on point. FitBit's is too, but I'm sick of having to talk to them haha

    NorthCascades wrote: »
    I had my Fenix 3 HR on my wrist when I got hit by a car and almost broke my arm. That was several years ago and the watch still works like new. None of my Fitbits still work.

    Impressive endorsement!
    Davidsdottir wrote: »
    I had the same issue with my Fitbits. I have the garmin Vivoactive 3 now with a three-year warranty. Love it.

    That's the one I'm getting, I think. I was going to go get it at Best Buy so I could have the Geek Squad warranty with it. Is their manufacturer warranty 3 years, or is that an added cost?
  • ellie7187
    ellie7187 Posts: 84 Member
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    Never tried a Garmin but had two different FitBits fall apart on me. Both times they still “worked” but completely delaminated from the wrist strap and became unusable. So I second not replacing the FitBit
  • Davidsdottir
    Davidsdottir Posts: 1,285 Member
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    25lbsorbust wrote: »
    runnermom419 wrote: »
    I've worn my 920XT pretty much daily for almost 2 years and the only bad thing that's happened is the band wore out once. Garmin's quality is hands down the best and their customer service rocks.

    Rad. I wouldn't quite be going that fancy-- I've only got about $100 to spend overall-- but it's good to hear that their customer service is on point. FitBit's is too, but I'm sick of having to talk to them haha

    NorthCascades wrote: »
    I had my Fenix 3 HR on my wrist when I got hit by a car and almost broke my arm. That was several years ago and the watch still works like new. None of my Fitbits still work.

    Impressive endorsement!
    Davidsdottir wrote: »
    I had the same issue with my Fitbits. I have the garmin Vivoactive 3 now with a three-year warranty. Love it.

    That's the one I'm getting, I think. I was going to go get it at Best Buy so I could have the Geek Squad warranty with it. Is their manufacturer warranty 3 years, or is that an added cost?

    Additional cost, but I think worth it.
  • scorpio516
    scorpio516 Posts: 955 Member
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    I had a Forerunner 405 that died within a year, but they were known for issues. I replaced it with a FR220. That worked great until I lost it 2 years ago. I've been wearing a FR230 every day since then.

    My wife has had a Vivoactive 1 she wears every day. The VA3 came out last August.
  • adk1971
    adk1971 Posts: 64 Member
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    Had a vivoactive (at least I think that's what it was called) for about 10 months followed by a Fenix 3HR for 18 months and am now 8 months into a Fenix 5. Pretty much indestructible. Gave up on Fitbit years ago as their support for Android devices is seriously poor.
  • cleesus
    cleesus Posts: 87 Member
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    Garmin > Fibit as far as longevity
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,970 Member
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    I think my Edge 800 (Garmin bike computer) still works too. It did a year ago when I lost it. I bought it ten years ago.
  • pomegranatecloud
    pomegranatecloud Posts: 812 Member
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    Garmin
  • 25lbsorbust
    25lbsorbust Posts: 225 Member
    edited May 2018
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    ellie7187 wrote: »
    Never tried a Garmin but had two different FitBits fall apart on me. Both times they still “worked” but completely delaminated from the wrist strap and became unusable. So I second not replacing the FitBit

    Yeah, I went through four fitbits (2 Flex 2 charge HR). The first flex stopped charging, the second stopped responding to taps, the first Charge HR only charged for seconds at a time, and the second had a broken button that kept switching into exercise mode randomly. The second one also had the wrist strap peeling up above the display, leaving an annoying bubble. Like, you'd think for something that's made to be worn while working out they'd be a bit more durable...
  • 25lbsorbust
    25lbsorbust Posts: 225 Member
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    NorthCascades wrote: »
    I think my Edge 800 (Garmin bike computer) still works too. It did a year ago when I lost it. I bought it ten years ago.

    I had a garmin Car GPS that was terrible (always thought I was on top of buildings?) but lasted years and years until someone stole it out of my car. Then my s/o erroneously left the replacement in a suitcase which sat outside his family home by the trash (in the north east) for well over a year until his mom was throwing away the suitcase and found it. So I'm pretty sure their products are indestructible because it still worked like the day it was bought.
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
    edited May 2018
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    I've got a garmin 205/305 and 310 that still tick away just fine when I charge them up. I've switched to a vivoactive1, but that 305 lasted me 5 or 6 years.

    And survived multiple deployments.

    Garmin. FTW!
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
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    i had the first vivosmart and it didn't last but it was a known issue and they offered a deal for a replacement which i took and now the 2nd one is doing well and is accurate with my HR (compared with a chest strap)

    i forget things so waterproof was important. good and sturdy
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,970 Member
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    25lbsorbust wrote: »
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    I think my Edge 800 (Garmin bike computer) still works too. It did a year ago when I lost it. I bought it ten years ago.

    I had a garmin Car GPS that was terrible (always thought I was on top of buildings?) but lasted years and years until someone stole it out of my car. Then my s/o erroneously left the replacement in a suitcase which sat outside his family home by the trash (in the north east) for well over a year until his mom was throwing away the suitcase and found it. So I'm pretty sure their products are indestructible because it still worked like the day it was bought.

    Mine was stolen too. Which is really a good way to produce anxiety, it has a history fill of rides that start and end at my front door.

    I hope yours routed the theif off a cliff or something.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    have a garmin 235 and boyfriend has a garmin fenix 3 sapphire. our watches are damn near indestructible.


    went through 4 seperate fitbits and have several friends whose fitbits just fell apart.
  • BruinsGal_91
    BruinsGal_91 Posts: 1,400 Member
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    stanmann571 wrote: »
    I've got a garmin 205/305 and 310 that still tick away just fine when I charge them up. I've switched to a vivoactive1, but that 305 lasted me 5 or 6 years.

    And survived multiple deployments.

    Garmin. FTW!

    @stanmann571 I have an old Garmin Forerunner 205 that lasted for years. I lost the charger when I moved from the UK to the US, but I'm pretty sure it would work if I ever find the charger. There is a guy I see regularly at races who wears the old Forerunner 305.

    I'm currently using a Garmin Forerunner 25 (had it since January 2017). Quite basic compared with the other Garmins, but it does everything I need. Battery lasts forever before needing a recharge.
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
    edited May 2018
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    BruinsGal_91 wrote: »
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    I've got a garmin 205/305 and 310 that still tick away just fine when I charge them up. I've switched to a vivoactive1, but that 305 lasted me 5 or 6 years.

    And survived multiple deployments.

    Garmin. FTW!

    @stanmann571 I have an old Garmin Forerunner 205 that lasted for years. I lost the charger when I moved from the UK to the US, but I'm pretty sure it would work if I ever find the charger. There is a guy I see regularly at races who wears the old Forerunner 305.

    I'm currently using a Garmin Forerunner 25 (had it since January 2017). Quite basic compared with the other Garmins, but it does everything I need. Battery lasts forever before needing a recharge.

    Those chargers go for a pretty penny on ebay and Amazon.

    But the bottom line is that somewhere out there someone is using a Garmin running watch that is older than Fitbit(corporation)

    I do miss the big screen. I don't miss the 3 lb wrist weight :)

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