Fitbit reliability

[weetabix07]

Folks, who here has a fit bit? I've got the Alta HR. It cost just over £100 but it's not always reliable. I am just wondering what other peoples experiences are with these things. I've had a flex in the past but I think next time I may opt for another brand.

It often fails to recognise cardio effectively and I have the settings correct. For example it might record 90 mins cardio at 29. It's done this twice now. A restart fixed it the first time but I'm just wondering how robust and reliable these things really are in other peoples experiences?

Thank you

[eurochick]

I have an old and battered Charge HR. It seems pretty accurate for everything apart from sleep - one sleep setting is too sensitive and the other not sensitive enough. It picks up cardio accurately. Is yours tight enough on your wrist? Are you actually working at a higher heart rate for the full 90 mins?

[weetabix07]

Hi Euro yes - I do high intensity. Most of the time it is accurate. I've had it for a couple of months and it's been incorrect twice. Perhaps I need to restart it regularly.

[citybzg]

I hate mine with a passion. It racks up steps when I'm driving. I haven't got time to piss about win a 'drive' app on and off all day so the Fitbit may as well be in the bin. Totally inaccurate.

[eurochick]

I've worn mine daily for two years. It's not perfect - you can shake your wrist to rack up steps - but is pretty good.

[PsychoPumpkin]

Mine sometimes doesn’t register steps and doesn’t do the advanced sleep tracking because it loses my heart rate at night. The 4th notch on my wriststrap is too tight, the 5th is too loose.

It’s definitely a flawed product.

[weetabix07]

Thank you. I've been looking into it's performance in a few places now and the sentiments are similar to yours. I may look at other options next time I'm in the market for one of these!

[MsMartini]

Hi OP, I have an old battered Charge HR and do high intensity. I tend to start and stop exercise sessions manually (press and hold the button) - makes it more accurate especially as a lot of mine are weight/strength (so HR based not movement) - they are fairly consistent over times with some clear trends which fit with what I am feeling like. I don't think it is super accurate in the way a serious athlete might want but I find it pretty good most of the time. the odd workout reading seems out - I think that may be to do with sweat or band positioning.

[weetabix07]

Has anyone here tried another brand such as a garmin or Apple Watch? I really wouldn't like to spend loads of money though. I fear the lower end spectrum fit bits may be a bit unreliable. The charge is a higher spec I believe so perhaps more reliable?

[lljkk]

DH was given a Flex.
Totally inaccurate for everything it claimed to measure, both of us found. I could write 500 words about all the ways it was inaccurate.

I'm wearing a heart rate monitor right now which is useful way to calculate a lot of things activity-related, but it drains the battery & it's not as comfy as a mere wrist watch thing.

DH likes his iPhone apps for measuring his steps, uses Strava-Garmin for cycling + a power meter.

[weetabix07]

I've returned for an exchange - I'll give it the benefit of the doubt as can't afford more at the moment.

[weetabix07]

Exchange arrived. So far so good...🤔

[eggsandchips]

Update: strap broke (I'm weetabix previously). Got a refund via Amazon. Will wait and see what other options there are - imo something which costs over £100 should last more than two months.

[Strongbeatsskinny]

I’ve got an Apple Watch series 2 had it a year it’s very accurate doesn’t clock up steps whilst driving.

[eggsandchips]

Thanks - H has the first generation and likes it. I guess you get what you pay for with these things.

[eggsandchips]

My main issues were;

Strap gets filthy really easily. Rose gold looks rather in rose gold after a week or so.

Strap is a bit irratating on the skin.

The monitoring aspect is not always accurate - needs re booting often.

After just over two months the strap broke connecting the monitor to the band.