Fitbits Advice

Jim Gazebo

Hi all,

Firstly, my apologies if I am posting in the wrong place but feel free to move/delete as appropriate.

The recent snow has given me time to think, just before the snow I had got back into running 5/6k in the mornings, just as a cardio thing and to make me feel good as much as anything else, but I have the budget and interest to get something to track that activity accurately. Use pacer at the moment but have to use strap for phone. I have a couple of questions that you people that have them might be able to answer as it's quite difficult to find answers online.

• How does Fitbit work? Does it need an internet signal? As I do quite a bit of work abroad which is where I want to track a lot of my stuff and up mountains etc.
• Do you have to download a fitbit app? If so is it massive in size and is it compatible with an older android phone?
• Is it worth paying for a proper fitbit? Or get a cheap model?
• And finally, how do the people that use them, rate them? Is it worth it?

Thanks in advance,
JG

arybvtcw0eolkf

Would you consider a GPS watch like a Polar M400 or similar?.

I had a Samsung Fitbit, I found it ok but a bit flimsy.

Tenigate

I got a nuband. I figured if i found it useful id buy a fitbit.
It's been in a drawer since xmas.

aquinn

I am on my 3rd Fitbit and do enjoy it but not for running. I still use a Garmin as more accurate and more options available so you can program workouts into it and set paces etc.

CastielJ

I have The Fitbit Alta
Every morning you can see how long you spent in each stage, and the app offers up some tips for rest from Sleep Insights.
Feature check:

Steps
Optical heart rate
Sleep tracking
Screen and notifictions
SmartTrack automatic exercise detection
Swappable bands

Tenigate

Jim Gazebo wrote: »

• How does Fitbit work? Does it need an internet signal? As I do quite a bit of work abroad which is where I want to track a lot of my stuff and up mountains etc.
• Do you have to download a fitbit app? If so is it massive in size and is it compatible with an older android phone?
• Is it worth paying for a proper fitbit? Or get a cheap model?
• And finally, how do the people that use them, rate them? Is it worth it?

Op, I thought you'd get more advice and didn't want to add "wrong stuff".. I'll try to help and am open to correction.

1. Fitbit features vary by model. Some don't have heart-rate monitor, and most don't have GPS (some use your phones GPS Signal ).
2. It doesn't need an internet signal.
3. you need an app. doubt it takes up much space though as with any old phone, if there are a lot of apps on a phone with little memory it can cause performance issues - and don't forget that the phone drags data from the fitbit though bluetooth so if you have performance problems with the phone, you might notice it when syncing data.
4. my view was see how you get on with a cheap model. Argos UK do Nuband for £40. It has sleep tracking, movement tracking and notifications.

Now, here's the truth about fitness and sleep trackers on your wrist.
* They can give you a good indication of your activity, but in terms of steps walked or calories burned they can be inaccurate. They can overestimate cals burned by 20% (for example, they'll register the movement you make when driving as activity). If you want to see steps walked, use a pedometer (the type that were all the rage years ago). For longer walks/runs, I like using GPS.
* They can give a reasonable indication of how much you've slept. It measures this simply by the fact your arm stayed in one place. They don't do a great job at measuring sleep quality (at least the ones without heart rate monitoring, I'm not sure if they'd do a better job).

If you are pretty sedentary and getting into fitness, or have a hard time getting to bed at a reasonable hour, the measurements provided by fitbit are great motivators. I understand you can add friends to take part in competitions with the real fitbit.

If you want accurate measurements for distances cycled or calories burned, then a wrist-mounted fitbit is probably not very useful.

Jim Gazebo

I only just checked on this as thought it was a lost cause! Appreciate the advice, haven't got anything yet but I can see where you are coming from with this nuband. I might try it out when home, I'm away with work now for a few weeks and will see then. Thanks all

Roberto_gas

I got Amazfit blip recently and its amazing...inbuild GPS and 30 days battery made me fall for it...

Acey10

I have a charge 2, it's great for steps but the heart rate I have doubts about and also daily calories burned. Was wondering if anyone knows if they are vaguely accurate or way off?

Penn

Acey10 wrote: »

I have a charge 2, it's great for steps but the heart rate I have doubts about and also daily calories burned. Was wondering if anyone knows if they are vaguely accurate or way off?

I got a Charge 2 earlier this week. I think it's going to just be a guide more than anything accurate, especially since yesterday evening I got a notification on my phone telling me I unlocked a badge for climbing over 40 flights of stairs. Turned out the time it thought I was doing that, I was just driving.

ted1

Alvin Calm Turtleneck wrote: »

Would you consider a GPS watch like a Polar M400 or similar?.

I had a Samsung Fitbit, I found it ok but a bit flimsy.

Fitbit is a brand name and not connected to Samsung. So not sure what you had.

stecleary

Roberto_gas wrote: »

I got Amazfit blip recently and its amazing...inbuild GPS and 30 days battery made me fall for it...

just one or two questions about the watch if you don't mind

the GPS, Will it work with out phone connectivity? as in can i leave my phone at home, go for a run and the watch will do all the tracking?

whats the strap like? i have a fitbit blaze and it keeps leaving a dry patch on my wrist

the HR monitor is it accurate? I've compared my fitbit to my Garmin edge using a hr strap and it was out by about 10%, i know the wrist and chest will show a difference but that's too big for my liking