Fitbit/ Garmin or Apple watch

[Silencewouldbegolden]

I accidentally put my Fitbit in the washing machine so I need a new one. DH has a Garmin which is very fancy and seems to have a great battery life so thought I’d explore my options.

I don’t need anything fancy in reality. I’d prefer it was fairly small in size. It simply needs to give step count, heart rate, sleep analysis would be handy.

What does everyone have and do you recommend?

DD swapped her apple watch for a Garmin just for battery life, because she was going on a days long trek. It is huge though. She has slim wrists and although it was the smallest one available and she has got used to it, I think on a daily basis she preferred the relative size of the Apple.

Huewi (sp?) All the way.

Brilliant battery life and cost around £100. Loads better than fitbit.

I wouldn’t touch Fitbit again - Google has stuffed it up. Useless app. And they have done 2 forced resets on me at really inconvenient times - abroad and trying to use early alarms - with no explanation. Not had that in previous 12 years of use.

Had a fitbit and swapped for a Garmin, would never go back. I love my Garmin. I have the smallest they did at the time, its still a bit big (42mm). But I have got used to it. I use it for step tracking, sleep tracking, hydration, connected to my fitness pal for calorie count when needed and tracking my runs. I love it. If you want a less sporty model that just does steps I think they now do a very simple 35mm model that's more lifestyle than sports watch.

When I had the same issue after my last fitbit died, fitbit won by being much cheaper than any of the Garmin options. I absolutely do not want an Apple watch as it needs charging every day and I do not need every bloody notification on my wrist (yes I know you can turn this off but then it becomes a very expensive fitness watch).

Fitbit have been ruined by Google. I'd avoid them.
I'm going for a garmin next time. One of them has a torch.

Loved my Apple Watch for functionality but the battery life pissed me off so I replaced it with a Fitbit. That's coming to the end of it's natural life (I find 18months-2 years and they are done) and so now I am going to get a Garmin. They have some really nice styles and last for a really long time.

Have to say on longevity of watch's. My Garmin is still going strong after 6 years I fancy getting a new one (the Venu) but I cant justify the cost as mine is still in perfect condition and the battery lasts as well as it did on day 1.

Yep my DH always has Garmin watches and they last forever!

My Fitbit has lasted 4 + years !

I had a Fitbit but now have the Garmin Venu 3S. I like that it’s round a looks more like a watch and the battery is phenomenal, lasts nearly a week.

Garmin 55 forerunner is very good and got quite cheap from Sigma sports. Had to give up on Fitbit - last one was replaced 3 times ! under warranty.

My Fitbit died when just outside the warranty period. I have a Garmin now and prefer it.

I’ve had them all and currently have an Apple Watch. Wouldn’t go back. If you have an iPhone it just works. My Garmin and Fitbit I just used for tracking exercise but once you get texts, WhatsApp flashing up on your watch you realise how useful it is. I like the Apple Watch and phone fitness tracker thing with the rings. I love being able to pay for stuff on the watch. I just charge overnight and it lasts all day. I have useful apps on it such as hiking navigation apps and can just look at my watch not my phone.

Have a look at a Garmin Lily

I had Fitbit for years but bought a garmin once google got involved.

I like the look of my garmin but I don’t feel like I get the most of its functionality. Also, it doesn’t detect my sleep properly and tells me I have had a stressful day when I’ve been for a walk and the next day it says I didn’t sleep well because of low physical activity. I’m not a fan.

I've come to hate my Fitbit since everything went to Google health. It reports my pool swims at under 50% of what I actually swim. I don't know where to find the gps maps of my long walks. It's impossible to find somewhere you can email a human about it. I have just lost all interest in it. What is happening to my total step count? I'd walked to the moon or the Great Wall of Vhina or something. I think i'm just going to go back to a watch.... Garmin are good but expensive.

I’ve had Garmin for the last 8 years. Wouldn’t have any other watch. My current one is the venu3s.

I like my Garmin Lily 2 Active, it’s quite discreet

Garmin! The vivoactive is fantastic! So much better than previous fitbit!

I have the Garmin Vivoactive 6. The sports stuff and step count is fine, and I love the smart features, but I have found really annoying quirks like if I pause for too long on a walk, it ends it after about 5 minutes - and I have tried really hard to fix this. Also sleep tracking is poor and spo2 measurements are inaccurate, so don't buy if those are important. Other than that I like it!

interesting to see I’m not the only one to despise my Fitbit since Google got involved.

One of my daughters has a Coros and loves it.

Thanks all! I think it’s going to be between the Garmin Lily and Garmin vivoactive. Has anyone tried both? Swaying towards the Lily purely because it’s smaller and I don’t think I need all the extras that the vivoactive offers but maybe I do?

I want to wear a normal watch and a fitness band and was looking at a Fitbit for this. Can anyone recommend anything else if the Fitbit isn’t good?

I have a Garmin vivoactive and it’s absolutely brilliant and more! And I don’t use it to its full potential either.