Fitbit, garmin or other

[BlancPetal]

I'd like to buy my partner a fitbit or similar for their birthday next month but don't know enough about them - budget not more than £150 - is this reasonable?

Looking for recommendations please.

I love my Garmin, but it depends what features you want. There are hundreds of em! There are tech "Top ten fitness trackers" if you believe them? Also MSE has an article on how to get the fancy ones cheaper, or it used to have.

Thanks, I will take a look

I have the Garmin venu2s and love it. Managed to get it in the sale in JL

Depends what he would want it for. My fitbit is perfect for me (regular but not intense exerciser & no interest in competition or 12 hour events), while my partner (into endurance fitness) prefers Garmin & Polar products.

Some people just want step counts & calorie burn (Fitbit is as good as any for those). Others want precise maps (Garmin can be better); very committed athletes might well go up from there. Swim watches are different from best cyclist product, etc.

Fitbit is annoying because some features require a subscription. So I don't have one.

Garmin is fine for that, the free training programmes are fine...

Think Garmin is entry level for the "real" GPS watch market.

Consider wrist size and what size watch they already wear, some smart watches are huge. I find the Garmin 245S pretty comfortable and have small wrists but found the more shaped band type trackers less comfortable to wear because the curve was wrong for my wrist. The traditional round shaped watch works better for me.

Thing is, my fitbit cost me £15 (2nd hand) & has every feature I want (free).
If OP wants to spend £150 & have lots of features her partner won't use but at least "there's nothing extra" to obtain those bells & whistles, then fair enough, some people like that better.

Would be good to check what the bells & whistles are, though.

(I guess) these are the extras (+ suggested workouts) I could have with Fitbit Premium... I don't want them, or the games/challenges that comes with FP.

Partner wanted Garmin because he has it mounted on the bike, better for his sport. Fitbit doesn't even have an equivalent product.

I went from fit bit to garmin and hated it. I never got the hang of it. I'm not old and reasonably tech savvy but it drive me mad. Went back to Fitbit and am happy again.

I really like to have plans on my device -something that buzzes at me and tells me when to run faster or slower.
You need to know what they want it to do.

I got a Fitbit versa for Christmas I love it. X