A Fit Bit or similar suggestions!

purplecow1977

Hi

I was away recently and quite a few people I spoke with had fit bit type watches on to record their steps etc

I would like to get one and I am hoping it will work as a type of motivation to reach a certain amount of steps and targets

There seems to be quite a few different types and I feel boggled looking at all of them so thought I'd ask here for more expert opinions!!

I don't want anything too technical but a woman had one I really liked that recorded heart beat, calories used, distance tracked and of course THE TIME!

Does anyone have any suggestions? I understand they can reach a couple hundred euro in price but I'd like something less than 100 if this was possible.

Thanks in advance.

Oh and for anyone who already has one, how accurate are they in recording the various data?

GalwayGrrrrrl

The thing that will increase the price on your list of "wants" is the heart rate monitor part. I've got the cheapest Fitbit - Fitbit zip. Its a tiny pedometer that clips on your belt. Costs around 50 Euro and does steps, distance, calories and time. You can get a strap for your wrist for it on eBay for about 10 euro. I find it very accurate for distance (I use it for running and walking).
Garmin do GPS watches which would be even more accurate and have heart rate monitor options- some of those involve wearing a chest strap so look into whether that's something you want to do or not.

seamus

For your budget the closest thing you'll get to one with a display and a HR monitor is the Fitbit Charge HR. If you shop around, particularly on UK sites where they're using Sterling, you should be able to find one close to your budget. I got one a month ago for €110.

This is about the top of the line in fitness trackers before you start getting into devices more geared towards athletes.

Accuracy is pretty good. I have a Garmin GPS watch specifically for running so can compare the two. The fitbit is pretty close for HR, though it doesn't take readings as often, so is less second-to-second accurate. But you don't need that. Distance seems hit-and-miss; it's attempting to calculate how far you walk based on the number of steps you've taken, so it might take some tweaking in your profile to make this work properly.

Blacktie.

I've got the Fitbit Charge HR. I like it. The calories burned even seems to be pretty accurate based on what I've worked out my TDEE to be. The only issue I've had with it is the rubber starting to peel off after about 6 months. This appears to be a known issue with them but in saying that I've contacted customer support and they're sending me out a replacement. They will set you back about 150ish euro though. I got mine for E130 on sale.

granty1987

Sign up for Sportpersuit.com - online flash sale website for sportswear.

At the moment they have Garmin and TomTom devices which could suit your needs at around 40% off.

https://www.sportpursuit.com/sales/garmin-fenix-3-sapphire-aug16

https://www.sportpursuit.com/sales/tomtom-11072016

purplecow1977

Thanks all for your replies. I will look into those. I'm definitely not looking for a chest strap heart monitor thing as my partner already has one for his own use and it's just a watch strap type I'm looking for. I'm only a beginner! Thanks all.

innad

I really like my FitBit Charge HR. Got it in a Black Friday sale last year for about €90.

livedadream

ive got a fitbit flex (the cheapy one) i love it but its only as good as you make it,

i have 5 friends that all have them and we use the challanges on the app to motivate ourselves during the work week hustle or weekend warrior challanges, person with the lest steps buys brunch or person with the most steps picks the movie or whatever simple but effective (it helps that we are hype competitive with each other but super supportive.)

Hugh_C

I use a Jawbone Up 2, pretty basic step counter but has great software.

Archeron

I've the fit bit charge too and I love it. I paid about 150 in argos for it, but I didn't shop around. I find it very accurate, perhaps a little less so when recording cardio in the gym, but close enough. It works really well with the my fitness pal app too, once you get used to how the data is shared . I do find it a motivator as well, I have about five friends on the fit bit app and we do challenge each other to do more, and some take the their league of highest steps quite to heart.

Like mentioned about, mine has started to fall apart within the year of owning it. Just the same, the rubber is peeling away from the strap above the display, and a piece of plastic has fallen off inside and is blocking part of the screen. I got onto customer service (I mailed them from the same email address as i have the fit bit logged to, so they could see when I activated it) and the whole experience was brilliant. Great customer service and a new one has been confirmed to be on the way to me to replace the faulty one. Reading online when mine went faulty though, it seems to be a thing with the charge model in particular, so might be a consideration. I couldn't justify buying any of the range more expensive than the charge though, and if they replace it when it falls apart, I reckon that's a good compromise .

I find the heart rate monitor good, but the reading of monitors on gym cardiovascular machines differs hugely, the fit bit records a much lower heart rate. I could be flat out on a machine, which tells me my heart rate is 160, but fit bit only records about 115. You can set it in mfp app,though so you manually enter rates for your cardio and the fit bit won't double count.

This is the first device like this I've used so I can't comment on the other brands out there.

Blacktie.

Blacktie. wrote: »

I've got the Fitbit Charge HR. I like it. The calories burned even seems to be pretty accurate based on what I've worked out my TDEE to be. The only issue I've had with it is the rubber starting to peel off after about 6 months. This appears to be a known issue with them but in saying that I've contacted customer support and they're sending me out a replacement. They will set you back about 150ish euro though. I got mine for E130 on sale.

Do you really find the calories burned to be accurate?? I think mine is way overestimated
I was only losing half a kg a week when it said i was burning on average 1300/day more than calories in

mirrorwall14

Does it need to be Fitbit?

I have the garmin vivismart HR which I got for 90 pounds on amazon. It has everything you want PLUS its waterproof, controls music, a proper watch clasp and allows notifications depending on your phone. I love it. It has been so good that three other members of my family have already bought it and we're all friends. Love it

emeraldstar

bluewolf wrote: »

Do you really find the calories burned to be accurate?? I think mine is way overestimated
I was only losing half a kg a week when it said i was burning on average 1300/day more than calories in

Same. Mine tells me I burn 3,000-plus calories a day. Now I am bloody active, but there's no way that can be right.

Re the point about the rubber peeling off - mine did so after about 8 months. I contacted them on Tuesday or Wednesday and had my shiny new replacement arrive yesterday

Blacktie.

bluewolf wrote:

Do you really find the calories burned to be accurate?? I think mine is way overestimated I was only losing half a kg a week when it said i was burning on average 1300/day more than calories in

Yeah I find the inaccuracies I've had in the past were more about my food inputs rather than the fitbit. For my normal day to day I find it more accurate but if I do take more walks during the day I think it does over estimate by a chunk alright. But that was never my thing so tends to be a minor issue. I got it more out of interest for the heart rate than the pedometer.

caviardreams

Blacktie. wrote: »

Yeah I find the inaccuracies I've had in the past were more about my food inputs rather than the fitbit. For my normal day to day I find it more accurate but if I do take more walks during the day I think it does over estimate by a chunk alright. But that was never my thing so tends to be a minor issue. I got it more out of interest for the heart rate than the pedometer.

A lot of reviews suggest the in-built HRM function on these trackers can actually be off by 10-20% when compared with a chest strap HRM. I think there is even a court case about it (http://bgr.com/2016/05/24/fitbit-heartrate-inaccuracy-revealed/).

It is actually what has put me off getting one, and am thinking of going for a Polar or other model with a chest strap (as annoying as it is to have to wear one).

purplecow1977

mirrorwall14 wrote:

I have the garmin vivismart HR which I got for 90 pounds on amazon. It has everything you want PLUS its waterproof, controls music, a proper watch clasp and allows notifications depending on your phone. I love it. It has been so good that three other members of my family have already bought it and we're all friends. Love it

No doesn't have to be fit bit. Which is why title said "or similar"!
Thanks for your suggestion, what price region is it?

mirrorwall14

purplecow1977 wrote: »

No doesn't have to be fit bit. Which is why title said "or similar"!
Thanks for your suggestion, what price region is it?

Sorry, everyone else went with Fitbit. I paid 90 sterling but it was 110 sterling for mum in July