Fitbit recommendations?

VpinkLotus
VpinkLotus Posts: 849 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I think I want to get a Fitbit for Christmas. Any advice on how to choose and where to get one? I should note that I am seriously technologically challenged. So perhaps one that’s not so confusing to use...

Replies

  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    My first recommendation is to not get a Fitbit. The batteries on them last less than 2 years. I would go with either a Garmin or an Apple watch. Many Garmins run on watch batteries so you never have to charge them.

    As far as determining which model to get, what do you want out of a fitness tracker? Are you looking for something just to count steps and calculate calories burned? Do you do enough cardio to take advantage of an HRM? Do you want GPS? What non-fitness features do you want? Do you just need a watch? Do you want it to notify you of incoming calls and texts? Do you want to be able to listen to music? Decide what you want first, then more specific recommendations can be made. Most are pretty user friendly.

    I have a Garmin Vivofit. I first got a Fitbit but it bit the dust after 18 months. The Vivofit is still going strong 4 years later.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,129 Member
    I think the best way to is to look at what you need it to do for your own goals and then look at what models serve your needs and check out reviews (DC Rainmaker's website very good for this).

    I personally am a Garmin fan rather than Fitbit, but it was the same process. What works for me or other MFP users may not be any use at all to you.

    For example when I was looking to upgrade my tracker I was looking for the following priorities:
    • Built in GPS - I hike a lot and do a lot of endurance rowing events so having to rely on my phone for GPS signal runs down the battery on both my phone and my device because of the required bluetooth connection.
    • Waterproof - on account of the rowing.
    • Rowing stats beyond distance - it's useful for me to know things like stroke rate, pace, etc. This isn't available on Fitbit, so this narrowed down my search significantly.
    • Sleep stats - helped with trying to sort out my insomnia.
    • Heart Rate - Not absolutely necessary, but I like seeing it.

    This basically narrowed me down to 2 trackers.

    So if you work out what you want it for, that should give you a better idea of what suits you and be easier to make recommendations for.

  • Girlheidi
    Girlheidi Posts: 60 Member
    Yep. Former Fitbit user, now garmin convert. Much better.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    Well, I'm in the minority so far, I love my Fitbit! I had a Flex for a couple of years but it didn't have a display, just dots, so I got an Alta a couple of years ago. I charge it for a couple of hours maybe once a week. Keep in mind, this is just a basic activity tracker, I can't be bothered with an HRM. I find the calorie adjustment I get to be spot on. They only have one non HRM tracker now I believe. I got both of mine from Santa, but I've gotten generic brand replacement bands from Amazon, and my mom got a belt clip on Amazon for hers as she doesn't like to wear it on her wrist.
  • moonangel12
    moonangel12 Posts: 971 Member
    I just switched to a Garmin after my 3 year old (refurb) Fitbit started getting glitchy (the next day it stopped synching altogether). I like Garmin for the water resistance - sweat, rain, washing hands, doing dishes, hopping in the shower and forgetting to take off my watch, kayaking, SUPing... so many reasons it appealed to me!

    I don’t know much about models and ease of use to help there, but wanted to give a heads up that Garmins are nicely priced for the season, not sure how long it will last. I just bought the Instinct I have been eyeing for a while.

    Definitely think through what you are wanting it for. Some are better suited for steps, basic fitness, and entertainment (texting, music, etc.), others lean more heavily on fitness foregoing the phone like features.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,254 Member
    I traded my vivofit (lowest end Garmin) for a Fitbit Charge / Charge 2 HR / Charge 3 over the years. The only thing that matches my tracker churn is my cell phone churn. Neither is always voluntary!

    Garmin: more options for athletes
    Fitbit: (at the time I standardized) more oriented to the general "walkies and stepsies" population that includes me! Social aspect more advanced at the time and useful initially as a layer of motivation eve
  • LighterBites
    LighterBites Posts: 38 Member
    I'm on my 3rd Fitbit Versa. First one I ordered last December. It died three months later. They replaced it for free but it took two weeks to ship. Second one died three months later. Again, they replaced it for free but I complained hard enough and they expedited shipping to two days. This third one has been glitchy almost from day one. When this one dies, and I'm pretty sure it will, I will step away from the Fitbit family, especially since Google bought them out, and go for something else. My husband has a Fitbit Charge 3 that he's really enjoyed for about eight months now but just in the last couple of days he has had some issues with it randomly dying during the middle of his workouts.

    One thing I really like about my Fitbit is the dashboard both on my phone and computer but that's not enough to keep me committed to the family if the thing isn't reliable.
  • PrismaticPhoenix
    PrismaticPhoenix Posts: 65 Member
    I got a pretty cheap Fitbit (the Fitbit HR Inspire, I think) because I was terrified it wouldn't get used. So far I'm liking, but I just started using it, so who knows. It was really important to me to be able to monitor my heart rate during exercise and I think I'm finally getting it to do that (for a while, if I sweated, it lost its mind, but I eventually got that fixed by moving it up my arm high enough). Honestly, the rest of it has kind of been taken over by MFP. If/when it poops out, I could be persuaded to move elsewhere, if the replacement did the same thing. I'd like something that helped with my sleep, but I think it always just tells me that my sleep is bad.
  • airforceman1978
    airforceman1978 Posts: 100 Member
    I have had one fitbit are another for over 10 years now I love them an they seem to average 3 years for me I have the ionic now and I love it

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