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Original poster

What activity tracker? garmin, jawbone, fitbit

26 replies

mrswhiskers · 19/03/2015 11:12

I quite fancy an activity tracker that would count my steps, estimate calories burned and that I could use with a heart rate monitor for running, swimming and cardio circuits. GPS to calculate distance would be good too.
I use the endomondo app at the moment on my phone so basically something that does what endomondo does but in activity tracker form.

It would be handy if it could sync with MFP which is why I'm leaning toward garmin vivofit.
I'm bamboozled by how many there are out there!
any advice or recommendations?
thanks.

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Wrongmoreoftenthannot · 19/03/2015 13:01

I have a fitbit flex which I love and am thinking about upgrading to the charge HR at a later date! Mine is basic and does everything you've mentioned - I'm unsure if I can link a heart monitor. I do know that the Fitbit Charge HR has one built in as my Dad uses it! They're fabulous and very addictive!

YoureMyWifeNowDave · 19/03/2015 13:21

I have the fitbit charge HR which i love Grin it syncs with MFP and measures steps, distance, floors climbed, calories burned, heart rate and it also records your sleep times and shows if you have been restless in the night etc.

Fitbit also do a surge which does all of the above plus it has GPS too

The only thing with the fitbits is you cant use them while swimming but you can log the swimming as an activity (just not able to record heart rate while doing it)

Original poster
mrswhiskers · 19/03/2015 13:59

The fitbit charge HR looks good but it's a bit more than I planned on paying.
does the fitbit flex have a battery and how long does it last?

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Original poster
mrswhiskers · 19/03/2015 14:02

I mean I know it has a battery but is it a replaceable watch type battery?

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YoureMyWifeNowDave · 19/03/2015 16:35

Flex has a battery but its a rechargeable one you get a charger with the flex that plugs into a USB port and i think it needs charging about every 5 days or so

Original poster
mrswhiskers · 20/03/2015 19:58

Is the HRM on the fitbit HR quite accurate?

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HotGiggity · 21/03/2015 17:50

I was considering the same thing, but I like the look of the Jawbone UP3.

It's not out yet but should be soon, it looks a it prettier (at least I think so) than the charge hr and it works for swimming too.

It's also suppose to capture sleep cycles and has a smart alarm function.

I read a review on the charge hr and the guy reviewing said it agitated his skin?

YoureMyWifeNowDave · 21/03/2015 20:14

The HR monitor on mine seems to be pretty accurate

I do find I get a little irritation under the band on mine but its no worse than what I get from wearing a normal watch or bracelet (I have ridiculously sensitive skin and suffer a lot with contact dermatitis)

Original poster
mrswhiskers · 22/03/2015 08:25

giggity the jawbone up3 looks exactly what I'm after!

The price is much higher than what I wanted to pay but I might treat myself.
It looks like there's been a lot of changing of the release date though I wonder when it will be available.

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HotGiggity · 22/03/2015 08:37

It's not out yet, and I've been looking at the Facebook page, there's a lot of customer in the US who placed preorders but haven't had theirs or any real kind of update which is a bit worrying.

But it looks like the perfect one!

Indomitable · 22/03/2015 08:45

I've got a mio fuse which tracks steps, distance, calories (I don't count calories so I've no idea if it's accurate) pace, and heart rate without a chest strap (and this appears to be very accurate).

It doesn't do sleep tracking and it doesn't have GPS. But it is waterproof and can be used to swim.

And it wasn't heinously expensive. (And it makes lovely colourful HR graphs!)

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 22/03/2015 08:50

I've just switched from Fitbit to a Garmin Vivofit 2. The main reasons for the switch were that I wanted the "move bar" and because you can use the Garmin with a standard HRM chest belt. I did lots and lots of reading, all of which suggested that trying to detect heart rate through the wrist/arm (fitness trackers) just isn't there yet.

fattymcfatfat · 22/03/2015 08:51

before I got pregnant I downloaded map my walk onto my phone. it syncs with mfp you just turn it on and it measures how far you travel, how fast you are going and calories burned then sends it over to mfp for you.

fattymcfatfat · 22/03/2015 08:52

forgot to say it uses gps so have to have interweb on for it

Indomitable · 22/03/2015 09:01

Itsall the mio ones are really good for wrist-based HR. It's fairly new, so you have to look for recent reviews. DH has a Polar chest strap - we've checked and they're as accurate as each other.

Mrscog · 22/03/2015 09:06

I've heard good things about the fitbug (not fitbit) too - a UK company apparently, who were slightly dsiadvantaged by the fitbit becoming so popular and people get the brands confused!

Suzannewithaplan · 22/03/2015 09:55

I've been very happy with the mio wrist heart rate monitor, my old chest strap pissed me off no end!
?
I've a garmin vivosmart which I'd like to use for sleep tracking but it bugs me to wear it when I'm trying to sleep so I don't.
Still waiting for the holy grail of fitness tracking devices. ?

DrHarleenFrancesQuinzel · 22/03/2015 10:14

Im also after a fitness monitor and no idea which to get. I do a lot of exercise classes so I am really interested. A lot of the cheaper ones appear to be glorified pedometers arent they?

Also Im a bit worried that I will use it and find out that Ive burned X amount of calories during Metafit then not bother again because I know how many Ive burned so will be a waste possibly.

Suzannewithaplan · 22/03/2015 13:03

none of them can measure calorie burn DrHarleen, they only infer it from other metrics, the most reliable of which is probably heart rate.

ragged · 22/03/2015 13:11

I sold a Fitbit flex (we got it for free) because it was so ridiculously unreliable. DH couldn't programme it for sleep at all. It insisted I woke up 47 x in one night (I actually only slept for 2 short spells, had jet lag). It recorded 700 steps because I was jiggling my leg thru a boring talk. I couldn't get accurate distances or step counts out of it no matter how I calibrated it.

Friend showed me sleep profile numbers from her jawbone and they looked much more sensible, but maybe none of them can deal with insomniacs like me?

Maybe none of them are any better? DH prefers his smartphone ap for running.

Suzannewithaplan · 22/03/2015 13:22

might be worth checking this blog
www.dcrainmaker.com/product-reviews/activity-monitors

I've also found some youtube reviews helpful

magicbeans4733 · 22/03/2015 16:38

The jawbone up3 looks good. I have the up24 which is it's predecessor and the sleep tracking, smart alarm and activity tracking is great. The only thing that I don't like is that it's not waterproof, it's only splash proof.

Panga63 · 22/03/2015 16:55

Check out jawbone reviews on amazon about customer service/reliability Sad

x3x3 · 25/03/2015 06:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
mrswhiskers · 25/03/2015 09:56

x3x3 when you say it breaks is it that it snaps or that it stops working properly?

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