opinions on fit watches

[Hooperski]

Hello,I had a Garmin fit watch 2 years ago that I liked but kept braking on me. Now had a Fitbit HR charger because I liked the idea of having a HR monitor on the watch itself. But after having it for a couple of weeks it doesn't keep accurate milage or calorie count. Also not sure of accurate HR either. Can somebody Recommend A fit watch that keeps HR, calories and steps accurately or is it a waste of money?

[Shureshock]

Hello,I had a Garmin fit watch 2 years ago that I liked but kept braking on me. Now had a Fitbit HR charger because I liked the idea of having a HR monitor on the watch itself. But after having it for a couple of weeks it doesn't keep accurate milage or calorie count. Also not sure of accurate HR either. Can somebody Recommend A fit watch that keeps HR, calories and steps accurately or is it a waste of money?

Waste of money IMO. I had a charge HR (Fitbit) and it was horribly inaccurate. I also went through a period of living my life by the watch, calculating deficits from the total calorie burn for the day, I would also use the sleep graph to judge whether I was tired or not, instead of actually listening to my own body.

[Psylas]

I have the Fitbit Surge and like it a lot. I don't really put much weight on the calories burned and I'm sure there are many "phantom" steps under steps taken. The hr monitor is spot on with the gym machines. It just lags a bit when going high intensity before it gets to your working heart rate. What I like the most is it gets me moving. I can't end my day not meeting 10k steps or climbing at least 30 flights of stairs. It's a mental motivator for me, I don't like ruining my weekly stats missing goals for the day lol

[Hooperski]

I understand every time I move my arm ts a step as silly as that sounds. So I agree with the Phantom steps. Also I like to hit a certain amount of steps a day. My thing is when I'm weight lifting it's never giving me my true numbers. I would like to knowwhat I'm burning when going all out. Just for Peace of mind

[surfj9009]

I have a surge. Mine tracks right along with the gym machines as well. And I have noticed it lags when doing HIIT also.

I don't rely on its calorie counting measurement. I love it, albeit know I wish I had waited a couple months. I have already preordered the new Blaze

[Maverick2015]

You can buy a ****meter for a couple bucks if you are just looking to count steps. It really depends on how you want to use it. If you are using it to track calories, then I am not sure if that is the best thing. If you are using it to see your improvement over time, then that would make the most sense to me. Your phone is another tool for a lot of these things though. That said, I know a lot of people that love their fitbits and it has helped them keep motivated and moving.

[ironwill2008]

Hello,I had a Garmin fit watch 2 years ago that I liked but kept braking on me. Now had a Fitbit HR charger because I liked the idea of having a HR monitor on the watch itself. But after having it for a couple of weeks it doesn't keep accurate milage or calorie count. Also not sure of accurate HR either. Can somebody Recommend A fit watch that keeps HR, calories and steps accurately or is it a waste of money?

If it's something that might motivate you to exercise, it might be worth the $$$.

If you plan to use it for calorie tracking, forget it; it's little more than a novelty gizmo. These threads asking about these things always pop up after the first of the year.

[GSXRMax]

If it's something that might motivate you to exercise, it might be worth the $$$.

This. I have an apple watch that tracks movement and active time throughout the day. it's not accurate, but it has these 3 circles that will motivate the hell out of you if you have a mostly sedentary lifestyle. it's towards the end of the day, you look down and see no progress on it and say "damn i need to get moving"

it's more novelty than necessity but it can give you a small push to walk around and burn up an extra 200 calories a day

[Hooperski]

I like the idea that it gives you the motivation to get moving. Calories was the lease of the 3 I was interested in. Think I may just save my money. Thank you

This. I have an apple watch that tracks movement and active time throughout the day. it's not accurate, but it has these 3 circles that will motivate the hell out of you if you have a mostly sedentary lifestyle. it's towards the end of the day, you look down and see no progress on it and say "damn i need to get moving"

it's more novelty than necessity but it can give you a small push to walk around and burn up an extra 200 calories a day

[GSXRMax]

i don't use it for much more than just a watch. but it is linked to the myfitnesspal app, so it can be used to quick reference your calories and such. but it's really just an expensive time piece.

[asteroidbooty]

Waste of money IMO. I had a charge HR (Fitbit) and it was horribly inaccurate. I also went through a period of living my life by the watch, calculating deficits from the total calorie burn for the day, I would also use the sleep graph to judge whether I was tired or not, instead of actually listening to my own body.

I have a Fitbit HR and I find it to be pretty accurate for steady state aerobic activity. As someone else mentioned, it will lag behind for HIIT.

If you need to track calories, I would not use a device, but if you are looking to track general activity level and sleep it is wonderful. It does work best when you just forget that it's there, rather than modifying your life around all the numbers. I only check in midday to make sure I am on track with my perceived activity. Also nice to have a watch again (used to check time on my cell phone frequently, battery drain).

My only complaint about the HR version is that it is bulky and sometimes uncomfortable to sleep in. But I have sleep issues--so I like to track how many hours I am getting and how restful the sleep is. I have noticed that the 2nd day after an unrestful sleep, I will feel more sluggish.

[birdlegs]

I love my Fitbit Charge HR. I know the calories burned aren't exact, but there are other features I like a lot. I average 20k steps per day the past 2 months while being on a cut. It's very motivational and keeps you active. I can't wait for the new one to come out next month. It looks really cool and has more functions.

[cerigitts]

If it gets you motivated to become more active & maintain a healthy lifestyle then it's worth it for you.

But IMO they are a complete waste as all modern smart phones do the same thing just as well.

[birdlegs]

If it gets you motivated to become more active & maintain a healthy lifestyle then it's worth it for you.

But IMO they are a complete waste as all modern smart phones do the same thing just as well.

iPhones count steps and track your HR?

[Hooperski]

One of my problems was it didn't pick up my workout 2xs in less then 3weeks. I always make sure it's in the proper position on my wrist. The funny thing was after I ordered it all the negative post came up. Guess it's inconsistently made.

[Psylas]

One of my problems was it didn't pick up my workout 2xs in less then 3weeks. I always make sure it's in the proper position on my wrist. The funny thing was after I ordered it all the negative post came up. Guess it's inconsistently made.

If your not happy with it give Fitbit a call. Let them know the problem your experiencing. I've heard they have great customer service and will send you out a new one if yours is acting up.

[IamJesterGirl]

I've always used Polar for HR monitoring during exercise and have loved them. I currently use the Polar Loop and while I question the calorie count, it's also a good motivator for getting more activity throughout the day

[cerigitts]

iPhones count steps and track your HR?

It'll track steps, use GPS too, you can measure HR but not constantly but unless you are wearing a chest monitor then the wrist ones are a waste of time, calorie calculations are just guesstimates at best, so they are ok for monitoring activity, but just a gimmick for everything else.

You can use your phone to track activity & with GPS built in I think it's a better tool, and on some android devices you can pair up a chest piece monitor with the phone for under £40 / $60

[birdlegs]

It'll track steps, use GPS too, you can measure HR but not constantly but unless you are wearing a chest monitor then the wrist ones are a waste of time, calorie calculations are just guesstimates at best, so they are ok for monitoring activity, but just a gimmick for everything else.

You can use your phone to track activity & with GPS built in I think it's a better tool, and on some android devices you can pair up a chest piece monitor with the phone for under £40 / $60

Chest straps that pair up with an iPhone? That's good to know. I will look into it. Thanks man.

[squatnonymous]

I got one for free and it was a bunch of crap, got tired of it. I think it comes down to how MOTIVATED you are. But to each their own...

[Hooperski]

I had the chest monitor with my garmin. For me can get uncomfortable and slide down or pop off if running. They do keep HR more accurate but on lifting days can get in the way of certain exercises like chest.

[Hooperski]

Thank you everybody for your advice. I have used my phone apps for steps in past. For me the watches didn't work out. For some they seem to have good results. I like the idea have having a watch that keeps your HR,calories,steps and sleep. Just think these companies may have to get a little more consistent before I try again with my experience.