Fitbit/Garmin fitness tracker---how/how much do you use it?

[Ottakee]

I am seriously considering a fitness tracker.....if I can ever decide which one to buy.  I found one that looks great for $35 and had great ratings.....until the newest update which has tons and tons of complaints.

 

I am now looking at fitbits or Garmin trackers.  I am just wondering how you really use yours, do you use it daily, wear it 24/7, etc.  Any features you wish you had or that you paid for but now find you never really use?

 

I am seriously considering something waterproof as then it would record my kayaking (and be OK just in case it gets wet).

 

My main activities are walking, kayaking, horseback riding,  and cross country skiing.  I do some indoor fitness videos once in a while.  My job has me moving quite a bit (special education teacher) so I would like it to record all of my steps/movement around the classroom.

[Laurie4b]

I wore my Fitbit 24/7. I liked checking my steps and the fact that I could also track my sleep. I didn't care that much if it tracked a particular exercise activity I was doing because I would already know that I swam 1/2 hour for instance. What I used it for was tracking how many "background" steps I was getting (ie just going about life) as a measure of my non-exercise activity level. 

 

I did NOT like constantly having to recharge it, and though customer service was very good when something broke down, there were way too many problems for my tolerance level and I just gave up. 

 

I am about to buy a Garmin because I won't have to charge it all the time!

[HSmomof2]

I have an older Fitbit. I wear it daily and like it overall. I don't like having to constantly charge it and often forget to plug it in. I stopped wearing it at night for tracking sleep. I was stressing myself out monitoring how well I was or wasn't sleeping. (I have insomnia fairly regularly and found that was worse when I was tracking it) But, I do like it for tracking activity.

 

ETA: When this Fitbit dies, I will likely buy a Garmin because of not having to charge it.

Edited June 26, 2017 by Bethany Grace

[blondeviolin]

I have a Fitbit Charge 2 that I wear regularly. I charge it once a week when I'm watching TV. I love the text notifications and the like on it.

 

My two older boys have a Garmin (the junior version). My oldest son is a competitive swimmer so he's definitely tested how waterproof it is! It runs off a watch battery which is fairly easy to replace.

 

I chose Fitbit over Garmin because Fitbit has more networking with it and that can be pretty motivating. I did but a Fitbit Zip to see how much I'd use it before plunging into a Charge.

[Carol in Cal.]

I waited a long time before finally getting a track last November.  Then I broke my little toe almost immediately and established a really low baseline, but I digress.

 

I am contact sensitive, so I never really considered wearing a tracker to sleep or in the shower. 

 

I studied all of the Fitbit options carefully and ended up buying two of them.  (I am always a late technology adopter, but when I get there, I REALLY go for it.)  One is a Flex 2, which is the only one that is waterproof.  I plan to do a fair amount of swimming and boating this summer, so I thought having that feature was very important.  It doesn't track heart rate, which is unfortunate, and it counts steps and strokes well but isn't so great at detecting my Healthrider exercise.  One thing I love about it is that you can buy jewelry-looking bands for it, so I did.  I got a couple of the bangles and that is how I wear it almost all of the time.  These are far less likely to trigger my potential skin allergies, and actually they look really nice.  I believe that the Alta also has jewelry options.

 

The other that I bought is an actual fitness watch, the Surge.  It has its own heart rate monitor, and detects exercise pretty accurately.  It also has an internal, self-contained altimeter and GPS, which is hugely valuable to me because unlike all the other fitbits, I don't have to have my cell phone within range and getting a signal to be able to get full tracking functionality.  One thing I really appreciate about this is being able to see the stats in real time rather than having to go onto a computer to see the details.  Since my major exercise sessions tend to be in the mountains out of cell phone range, owning this means that I am not missing that information.  Also, it's nice to have a watch when I'm in the wilds, rather than have to use my cell phone.  I know that sounds silly, but I've gotten out of the habit of wearing a watch, and my only remaining one is not really durable enough for nutsy hiking.  It's an important safety feature in my world, where I want to check the time when I hike out, and always be able to estimate how long it will take to get back and whether I need to turn around to get back before dark.

 

I thought that the Surge was overkill, and it is--it's really intended for much more athletic people than I--but there isn't a cheaper watch that does just what I want that has its own internal GPS, and that made it worthwhile to me.  The other things I have enjoyed about it have sealed the decision.

 

Either one can be set up to convey alarms and notifications from the cell phone or independently.  (although you do have to set them up in advance on the computer if you want to do them independently).  I think there is a way to sync them to my calendar, although I have not done so.

 

I am really, really glad I got these, and I use one or both of them every single day.

[Pawz4me]

When I had a Fitbit Charge HR I wore it 24/7. The only time I took it off was when I showered, and I plugged it in to charge at the same time.

[mamaraby]

I have a Garmin running watch with HR chest strap that also functions as a smart watch of sorts, sleep tracker, and step counter. I wear mine everyday and only take it off to shower. It has really good battery life and is rechargeable. There are networking functionalities through the Garmin Connect app on my phone if I want choose to use it, but it's definitely optional if that's more your speed.

 

I like mine for the running metrics and GPS tracking. The step counting/weekly step challenges help motivate me to move more than I already do. I like that I get text/calendar/severe weather/phone call alerts on my watch. The sleep tracking isn't particularly helpful or useful.

 

Prior to getting it, I hadn't worn a watch in...more than a decade? It felt weird for the first couple of days, but I mostly don't notice it now. I have taken it off twice at night in the time that I've had because it was annoying me when I was trying to sleep for reasons. If you don't care about sleep tracking, then I think not wearing it at night is no big deal.

[Carol in Cal.]

Forgot to mention--my Fitbit Surge measures heartrate without a chest strap, which I would never commit to using regularly.  So that is great.

[Ottakee]

7One is a Flex 2, which is the only one that is waterproof.  I plan to do a fair amount of swimming and boating this summer, so I thought having that feature was very important.  It doesn't track heart rate, which is unfortunate, and it counts steps and strokes well but isn't so great at detecting my Healthrider exercise.  

 

The other that I bought is an actual fitness watch, the Surge.  It has its own heart rate monitor, and detects exercise pretty accurately.  It also has an internal, self-contained altimeter and GPS, which is hugely valuable to me because unlike all the other fitbits, I don't have to have my cell phone within range and getting a signal to be able to get full tracking functionality.  One thing I really appreciate about this is being able to see the stats in real time rather than having to go onto a computer to see the details.  Since my major exercise sessions tend to be in the mountains out of cell phone range, owning this means that I am not missing that information.  Also, it's nice to have a watch when I'm in the wilds, rather than have to use my cell phone.  I know that sounds silly, but I've gotten out of the habit of wearing a watch, and my only remaining one is not really durable enough for nutsy hiking.  It's an important safety feature in my world, where I want to check the time when I hike out, and always be able to estimate how long it will take to get back and whether I need to turn around to get back before dark.

 

I am really, really glad I got these, and I use one or both of them every single day.

I am leaning towards the Garmin Vivosmart HR+ which is waterproof, tracks all kinds of activities....like kayaking and cross country skiing, etc. (and hopefully all of my barn chores) AND has a GPS.  I do not want to be tied to carrying my phone with me when walking/hiking as often I want to be free of the distraction and I also am out in areas where cell phone coverage is very spotty.....even though we aren't that far out of town, etc.

[Ottakee]

Thanks everyone for chiming in.  As I was putting hay up in the barn today I realized that I would want a tracker that gave me credit for that too.  It isn't like walking but carrying 50=# hay bales and stacking them 5 high IS exercise......even if it is only 65 today.

[Guest]

I have a Fitbit that I wear on y wrist. It misses a lot if steps. If I'm carrying a bag, holding a child's hand, pushing a stroller or cart, it misses those steps. The old one I had clipped on my clothes and it caught all the steps.

[Tenaj]

I love my Fitbit Charge 2.  I had a Fitbit One that I lost and replaced with this and I am surprised that the feature I seem to like the most is the ability to have a notification sent to it when I get a phone call or message on my cell.  I love being able to glance at the Charge and see who's calling/messaging and whether it's important before I go find my phone.

 

I also love that I can wear it all the time and generally only have to charge it once a week.

 

I do try to remember to put it in my pocket when shopping because it doesn't register steps when you are pushing a shopping cart but other than that it seems as accurate as my old Fitbit One.

[Callie]

Fitbit Blaze I wear 24/7 except when bathing or swimming.  I believe it is waterproof but cannot be submerged.  Fitbit does make one that can be worn while swimming.

 

I follow my steps throughout the day and can track almost any exercise or activity I do.  Wearing it has GREATLY increased my activity.  I can also track my sleep patterns/heart rate which I like and it seem very accurate.

 

The Blaze is akin to a smart watch in that I can view my texts & incoming phone calls from it.  I can also control my music from it.

 

I'll definitely purchase another or something similar when this one needs replacing.

[Callie]

I wore my Fitbit 24/7. I liked checking my steps and the fact that I could also track my sleep. I didn't care that much if it tracked a particular exercise activity I was doing because I would already know that I swam 1/2 hour for instance. What I used it for was tracking how many "background" steps I was getting (ie just going about life) as a measure of my non-exercise activity level. 

 

I did NOT like constantly having to recharge it, and though customer service was very good when something broke down, there were way too many problems for my tolerance level and I just gave up. 

 

I am about to buy a Garmin because I won't have to charge it all the time!

 

I only charge my Blaze every 4 or 5 days.  It takes about a hour to fully charge.

[gingersmom]

Fitbits are meant to count steps. So don't expect much from lifting hay bales and it may/may not pick up kayak motions as steps.

 

Lots of people at gyms attach Fitbit to shoe so it will record more things.

 

I don't charge mine more than 1-2 times/month and I wear it everyday.

 

I would double check with Fitbit how water safe any of them are. Getting splashed with water is very different than submerging for long period of time underwater. Mine has survived the washing machine twice (about 5-10 minutes each time)

 

The apple 2 watch is what I wish someone would gift to me :)

[mamaraby]

Forgot to mention--my Fitbit Surge measures heartrate without a chest strap, which I would never commit to using regularly. So that is great.

I don't need HR to be measured except when running so a HR chest strap that I only need to wear when running is more than sufficient. The optical HR sensor adds extra cost if all you want is workout specific HR monitoring. Putting on a chest strap isn't any different than putting on one's workout gear in that instance. Plus, I have greater issues with things being tight on my wrist and my preference is for my watch to ride in a different spot than you would need for HR reading.

 

This article is a pretty good summary of the pros/cons of both -

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/04/how-wearable-heart-rate-monitors-work-and-which-is-best-for-you/

 

In the end, when it comes to HR, it really is an issue of personal preference. The strap wins out for me at this point, YMMV.

 

DC Rainmaker is a good place for device reviews. He's a triathelete so his reviews definitely tend to skew that way. However, he does have device comparison charts that were really helpful when I was researching which device I was going to get.

 

ETA: Here's his recent review on the Fitbit Alta which does mention the different Fitbit models and compares the Alta to other devices - https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2017/06/fitbit-alta-hr-in-depth-review.html

Edited June 26, 2017 by mamaraby

[Zinnia]

I had a fitbit for a couple of years that died, and I was reluctant to replace it, thinking, "eh, silly toy that I don't need."  A friend bought me a replacement as a gift for carpooling this year.  I went about 6 months without?

 

The feature that I missed the most and enjoy having back is the silent alarms.  I'm terrible at losing track of time, and mine are set up to vibrate (pretty silently; no one notices unless they are sitting *this* close to me).  It jump starts me in the morning, I've used it in a meeting where I need to leave a few minutes early, it reminds me to get supper going, to start getting ready for bed.  I have 5 of them set to go off at various times of the day, and I find it immensely helpful

[wonderchica]

I had a Fitbit that I liked and wore all the time for about 6 months. It kept falling off when I was sleeping and during a nap one day the dog got ahold of it. 7 pound dog... no more Fitbit! Must've smelled good and sweaty like me lol.

[AngieC]

My daughter and I had Fitbit charges and both stopped working and were replaced by Fitbit. The replacements both died and I will not buy another. I now have a Garmin Vivosmart Hr+ and I love it! I wear it all the time and I don't have to worry about getting it wet. I also love the gps feature on it.

[Ottakee]

My daughter and I had Fitbit charges and both stopped working and were replaced by Fitbit. The replacements both died and I will not buy another. I now have a Garmin Vivosmart Hr+ and I love it! I wear it all the time and I don't have to worry about getting it wet. I also love the gps feature on it.

How does it record activities other than walking? I saw it was supposed to record cycling, kayaking, cross country skiing, etc.

 

Is it really big and bulky to wear all day? My wrist is bigger so I am at the top end for the regular size band so might have to go with the longer one.

[HollyDay]

I had trouble keeping the ftibits charged.  I loved my Garmin, but mine wasn't water proof.

 

My friend likes MisFit quite a bit. 

 

I LOVE my iWatch. 

 

Dh likes his Fitbit Blaze

[AngieC]

How does it record activities other than walking? I saw it was supposed to record cycling, kayaking, cross country skiing, etc.

 

Is it really big and bulky to wear all day? My wrist is bigger so I am at the top end for the regular size band so might have to go with the longer one.

It is a little bit thick, but not enormously so size-wise. I do not notice it, but I was used to the Fitbit (which is a bit thinner and narrower).

 

I've only used the watch to track running and cycling and that uses the gps. When I am done, I download to Garmin Connect on my phone and it gives me the route, pace, elapsed time and heart rate. It also provides elevation, calories and graphical information. I love data, so I enjoy looking at the stats.

[Ottakee]

Another quick question before I head to bed. Will these trackers track my steps while pushing a wheelchair or stroller?

 

I am a special education substitute teacher and some days can walk a mile or more pushing students in wheelchairs.

 

I push them.both inside the school and outside. Often I have 2 wheelchairs to push so no arm swinging at all.

[gardenmom5]

Another quick question before I head to bed. Will these trackers track my steps while pushing a wheelchair or stroller?

 

I am a special education substitute teacher and some days can walk a mile or more pushing students in wheelchairs.

 

I push them.both inside the school and outside. Often I have 2 wheelchairs to push so no arm swinging at all.

 

if you're walking - it's counting steps.

[Ottakee]

if you're walking - it's counting steps.

Even if it is on my wrist and my hand is not moving?

 

I asked as I saw some posts about it not recording steps while grocery shopping (pushing a cart) or pushing a stroller (again no arm movements). Since this is a large part of my activity at work I wanted to check.

[AngieC]

i don't watch my steps closely enough to be positive when it's not catching steps, but I am pretty sure I get credit for mowing the grass and my arms aren't moving then (but the mower is vibrating so that could be causing the step count).

 

Activity trackers are definitely not perfect. I racked up a lot of steps one day painting.

[Joyofsixreboot]

I wear my fitbit 24/7 usually. I like the feature telling me how many hours I was active. It has helped me keep moving through the day as opposed to running 3 miles and sitting the rest of the day. It helps me shoot for 10,000 steps a day AND I like it tells me the time :-)

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

[Guest]

if you're walking - it's counting steps.

My Alta would not track those steps unless I put it in my pocket.

[Scarlett]

I got a Fitbit for my anniversary last year.  I wear it 24/7 except for the shower or pool.  I love it.  A charge lasts for well over a week and only takes maybe 2 hours to fully charge again.  Mine tracks steps and sleep patterns.  I want a newer one that is waterproof, and tracks my heart rate since I have been diagnosed with AFib.

 

My son's phone tracks his steps which works because he keeps his phone on him constantly...he averages 14K steps a day.  No wonder that kid stays in shape. 

[Laurie4b]

Even if it is on my wrist and my hand is not moving?

 

I asked as I saw some posts about it not recording steps while grocery shopping (pushing a cart) or pushing a stroller (again no arm movements). Since this is a large part of my activity at work I wanted to check.

 

When I had mine, it went into sleep mode from the vibrations of pushing a grocery cart.  :001_rolleyes:  Apparently, that imitated the tap-tap-tap you have to do to put it into sleep mode. Ok. Whatever. 

Edited June 27, 2017 by Laurie4b

[AppleGreen]

I big puffy heart my fitbit and use it every single day. 

 

I wear it at night, unless it needs charging. I am a person who loves the feedback and visual. I was active prior to getting it, but having one helped me to stay active throughout the day. 

 

 

[Slache]

I love my Garmin and wear it 24/7.

 

[Ottakee]

I went out and bought one today. I got the Garmin Vivosmart HR+. In 6 hours I exceeded my step goal for the day.

 

We went for a hike today and climbed 250 stairs to the top of a sand dunes.....and it didn't register any :-(. I think it was because I had it on outdoor mode and most hikes don't have stairs.

 

I also turned on the gps but didn't turn it on to record the hike. Learning as I go.

[gardenmom5]

I think my alta is giving me credit for driving.  it says I've walked a lot today - when I've spent eight hours in a car. . . .