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Fitness Tracker recommendation

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G

grmlin

Member
Ok,
I'm really unhappy right now regarding my fitness (kids, lots of work, weight gain...) and I consider buying a Fitness Tracker of some sort to keep me motivated.

It should be wearable the whole day, so it should not look like shit. Activities I would like to track:

- walking etc (obviously)
- bike (using a bike almost daily for about 20km)
- swimming
- rowing (indoor)

I will definitely not pay 500€ for one of these crazy sports watches, as I have no idea if it's worth for me.


If I understand it correctly, I'll need something with GPS for the biking. After some research, the Garmin Vívoactive HR looks like a good candidate. Sadly, it's pretty ugly.

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/538374

Does anyone use one of these? Do you know any alternatives?


Thanks a lot!
 
N

NoWayOut

Member
I am training for a marathon so I run almost every day. I use a Garmin FR235 and I love it, the best $300 I ever spent.

If you want to track multi sport accurately the Garmin 920XT, 735XT or the new 935 are great. If you want something that does all that and also look very nice as a watch, the Fenix 3 or the 5 are awesome, but they are very expensive.

Bottom line is if you want a good multi sport tracker you will have to spend $300 and up. Whether that's worth, it's your call.
 
MilkLizard

MilkLizard

Member
I use a Xiami Yi Band 2. Dirt cheap at around 40$ and does everything you need. And if you find out that the whole fitness tracker thing isn't for you, you only lost 40$.
 
TTOOLL

TTOOLL

Member
I recommend my Mi Band 2 because it's very cheap, but compatibility is pretty limited. It has no GPS.

I don't recommend my Gear Fit 2 because Samsung support and ecosystem is terrible, also compatibility. It's much more expensive than the Mi Band. PROS: it has gps and mp3 support, you can listen to music using a bluetooth headphone.


If you want something that will be recognized by pretty much all fitness apps get something from Garmin.
 
L

Like the hat?

Banned
If you're in the US I'll send you a gear fit 2 that I got for getting a note 7. Barely worn because of that whole battery recall. I switched over to iPhone and they don't really play together.
 
M

MarkMclovin

Member
+1 for a fit bit. The calorie burn was spot on, the app is pretty good and there are some great features too. I had the Charge HR and would keep wearing it now if I didn't get a Pebble 2.
 
O

owlbeak

Member
Fitbits are pretty good and the app is great, but I have had nothing but problems with them. Things from not syncing with the app unless you delete the device entirely and add it back, the display not turning on (but the tracker is actually working), the band falling apart or bubbling, and various other issues. The band issues are not as big of a problem since you can replace just the band now on the Charge 2, but still. I take good care of my tracker and have gone through two Charge HRs and two Charge 2s, and they all have begun having various issues after 4-6 months, which isn't something I expect from a $125+ product.
 
G

grmlin

Member
Thank you all!

I'll look into fitbit, but the flex 2 seems to be the only one I can use when swimming?

I think I'll have to decide if I want to go with a full blown smart watch thing that tracks everything or a wristband of some sort.


The Garmin Fenix looks awesome, amazing what they can fit into a watch these days.
 
G

grmlin

Member
Uh, the TomTom one looks good, too. And it's not too expensive either.

I'll try to find them somewhere in a store around here to actually see them.
 
E

eosos

Banned
I recommend to start working out now, before you get some sort of tracker. Make sure that you can stick with it before dropping $200. Maybe give it a shot for two weeks? Might find out that you don't like biking at all and don't need the GPS.

Good luck on the fitness journey. Tough at first, but hugely rewarding.
 
G

grmlin

Member
eosos said:
I recommend to start working out now, before you get some sort of tracker. Make sure that you can stick with it before dropping $200. Maybe give it a shot for two weeks? Might find out that you don't like biking at all and don't need the GPS.

Good luck on the fitness journey. Tough at first, but hugely rewarding.
Click to expand...

You're right of course!

The biking is more of a "I want to know how much I do" thing, as I use my bike all the time anyway. I use it to get to work and thats about 20km a day. I could use an app on my phone, but most of the time I'm too lazy and forget it.

I have an indoor rower at home (that I use more or less regularly), and the only thing I really want to get into (again) is swimming.


As I said, I hope that the nerd in me gets motivated by all the nice graphs and charts in the tracking apps. Thats why I want to get one of these :)
 
JimiNutz

JimiNutz

Banned
I'm looking for one of these too but I only really need it to track my runs and check my heart rate. I'm guessing they all do this? Fitbit my best bet?
 
L

LogicStep

Member
I got a Fitbit blaze and it looks nice and works fine. No GPS. You'll need your phone with you for that. Also, like I was told, I wouldn't worry about swimming, you can log that easily manually. Don't really need the tracker for that. If you have to have GPS on it because you don't want to carry your phone and also waterproof you'll have to pony up.
 
The Lamonster

The Lamonster

Member
If you have an iPhone I would recommend Apple Watch.

It's great for fitness tracking, but also really nice as a companion for your phone.
 
U

UpperCaseN

Member
Last year I found a crazy deal and got a Misfit flash for $5. That thing is bare minimum and I would only recommend it for $5. My wife got me a Fitbit Charge 2 for Christmas. I don't know what the competition is like but I love this device. It syncs up to my phone, vibrates for alarm and notifications, and the biggest feature for me is that it tracks heart rate. That alone is enough for me, I try to do cardio 3x a week and keeping your heart rate in your target zone is much easier when you can look at your watch and it tells you immediately
 
G

grmlin

Member
LogicStep said:
I got a Fitbit blaze and it looks nice and works fine. No GPS. You'll need your phone with you for that. Also, like I was told, I wouldn't worry about swimming, you can log that easily manually. Don't really need the tracker for that. If you have to have GPS on it because you don't want to carry your phone and also waterproof you'll have to pony up.
Click to expand...

Yeah, most trackers are not waterproof, let alone capable of tracking swimming.

Maybe I should get rid of that feature to have more options.


The Apple Watch is nice and all but way too expensive for now.
 
M

Messofanego

Banned
Maybe it's cause of the blur and graininess and crying but that's one creepy avatar, OP.

I just use Strava on my phone. Fitbits are too expensive.
 
J

Jack Scofield

Member
I'm looking for one as well. I just want a simple band that tracks heart rate, GPS, and maybe sleeping. I was initially interested in the Fitbit Flex 2 but it doesn't have all of this functionality.

I don't need a watch (since I already wear a normal watch). I just want an unobtrusive band that collects this information. Any suggestions?
 
S

Soldiussnaku

Member
FitBit
Fitbit
Fitbit...

Helped me lose 2 stones over 18 months, couldve been more if I worked out more, but work can get in the way.

The set up is very simple, the app is very nicely laid out and can keep track of a whole load of things. The HR montior is accurate enough for me and to calculate how many Cal's I burn in a day.

The design is quite nice too. It does not draw strange looks or look out of place with almost anyhting I wear, with gen 2 products you can easily change the bands to fit your look.

It's also reasonably priced, my fit bit 2 that I replaced number 1 with didn't break the bank.

The fitbit line is great for weight loss and exercise. You can get trackers that track more and so more but also have a steeper price tag.

I use my fitbit with both my iPhone and back up android, no issues with connectivity or syncing data.
 
S

shadowkat

Unconfirmed Member
I had a Jawbone 2 & 3. I liked them quite a bit but the bands snapped in the same place for both within 8 months or so. I lost about 50 lbs using it in conjunction with changing my diet.

Recently got a FitBit charge 2 and love it so far. Does everything that the Jawbone did plus a couple more things. And it's a watch which I like.
 
V

Vanillalite

Ask me about the GAF Notebook
Looking into getting a Samsung Fit 2 for the wife, but she has a Galaxy phone.

That being said I'd stay away from that if you don't have a galaxy.

Also honestly I wouldn't overpay at first. You can get something that works and does most of what you need for cheap.
 
G

GatorBait

Member
grmlin said:
Ok,
I'm really unhappy right now regarding my fitness (kids, lots of work, weight gain...) and I consider buying a Fitness Tracker of some sort to keep me motivated.

It should be wearable the whole day, so it should not look like shit. Activities I would like to track:

- walking etc (obviously)
- bike (using a bike almost daily for about 20km)
- swimming
- rowing (indoor)

I will definitely not pay 500€ for one of these crazy sports watches, as I have no idea if it's worth for me.


If I understand it correctly, I'll need something with GPS for the biking. After some research, the Garmin Vívoactive HR looks like a good candidate. Sadly, it's pretty ugly.

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/538374

Does anyone use one of these? Do you know any alternatives?


Thanks a lot!
Click to expand...

I actually just bought the Vivoactive HR two weeks ago after doing a copious amount of research. It seemed to have the best feature-set without getting into $400+ territory, especially if you do a variety of activities instead of just running.

I can give you more feedback later, or answer specific questions, if you'd like. I'm just heading into a meeting now, but wanted to give you a heads up that I just bought the one your looking at.
 
P

Pedrito

Member
I'm also looking for one but can't seem to pull the trigger. It doesn't help that most of them are really bulky and/or ugly.

I'm hesitating between:

-Polar M400
-Garmin Vivoactive
-Garmin Vivoactive HR
-Garmin Forerunner 230/235
-Suunto Armbit Race

The Garming Fenix 5 is ultimately what I would want, but I can't justify dropping that much money on that.
 
G

grmlin

Member
GatorBait said:
I actually just bought the Vivoactive HR two weeks ago after doing a copious amount of research. It seemed to have the best feature-set without getting into $400+ territory, especially if you do a variety of activities instead of just running.

I can give you more feedback later, or answer specific questions, if you'd like. I'm just heading into a meeting now, but wanted to give you a heads up that I just bought the one your looking at.
Click to expand...

That would be awesome if you share your thoughts on it later!
 
K

Kastrioti

Persecution Complex
If you want to use multiple fitness apps, download the 100 Push-up app.

Gives you an amount of push-ups you should do a day based on how many you can do in your first set.
 
M

mrmyth

Member
I'm also using the Vivoactive HR for walks, rides, and eventually runs. Bought it two weeks ago, caught a refurbished on Amazon for $144. I love it, mainly because it does what I need and stays out of my way. All the fitness apps on Android were getting too obnoxious and needy, and I just wanted something to track me and shut up about it.
The screen isn't going to blow you away, but it's perfectly legible (and you can download faces to customize it). Depending on the size of your wrist it's either going to look ok or like you're wearing a TV. I'm fine, but on my wife it looks like a county pager ( house arrest bracelet).
Let me know if you have specific questions.
 
H

hirokazu

Member
MarkMclovin said:
+1 for a fit bit. The calorie burn was spot on, the app is pretty good and there are some great features too. I had the Charge HR and would keep wearing it now if I didn't get a Pebble 2.
Click to expand...
How do you know if the calorie burn is spot on? What are you comparing it to?
 
W

Winterblink

Member
I just got a new Fitbit Alta HR, had no idea it was the newest model but I love it so far. It's pretty unobtrusive to the point I forget I have it on, wear it all day and all night (not waterproof though) and what it tracks is of use to me.
 
T

The_Inquisitor

Member
Garmin, TomTom or Polar are your best bets if you value fitness tracking over smartphone compatability. You will still get smartphone notifications on the more expensive models though.
 
F

Fularu

Banned
Like the hat? said:
If you're in the US I'll send you a gear fit 2 that I got for getting a note 7. Barely worn because of that whole battery recall. I switched over to iPhone and they don't really play together.
Click to expand...

They play together perfectly fine.

My Gear Fit2 does everything I want out of it and pairs perfectly with my iPhone 6+
 
Oppo

Oppo

Member
the vivoactive is honestly really good.

that said... i like the fitbit blaze better. i always have my phone with me for runs or hiking so connected gps is fine for me.

3-4 day battery
notifications
music control
and a watch that looks likei t was designed by DeLorean if that's your thing

the Charge 2 is probably the best all rounder but i was seduced by the colour screen and swappable bands and all that.

fitbit software is unmatched, also, imo. lots of things do a pretty good job of collecting stats, but presentation? insights? no contest, even from Apple.

p.s. water proof is cool but it's not worth a premium - swim laps are the easiest thing to add manually

Count Dookkake said:
Mirror, scales, and measuring tape.
Click to expand...
weren't you giving people crap about using an app before? who cares, if it keeps them motivated? gameification works!
 
B

bennywhatever

Member
I have had the Polar M400 for 1.5 years now and live it.

Highlights - great battery life (about a month with basic use), awesome sports profiles, does Pace really well, waterproof, good companion app, sturdy, great for bike rides, basic smart watch features work well, low price

Cons - slow to sync unless you do it daily, sometimes GPS takes a while to find you, not very attractive watch, heart rate monitor rules but it's the chest strap so an extra accessory

I'm pretty happy with it. I take it on runs, rides, and long hikes all the time. Only used it swimming a few times but it did fine.


Also just my 2 cents. Fit bits are only OK unless you get the Surge. Their functionality is flashy at best at any level below the Surge. I personally carry a cheapo Fit bit Zip in my pocket at all times for the frinds competition it brings and because it uses a 2025 watch battery that lasts 6 months. Then I use the Polar for the real stuff.
 
O

otapnam

Member
If u are running biking and swimming you're going to want the Fenix. None of the fitbits can track that and i doubt the Apple watch too. I have a forerunner 620 that i use for running only. Love it. All the features and information is great if youre semi serious about your exercise
 
H

hirokazu

Member
otapnam said:
If u are running biking and swimming you're going to want the Fenix. None of the fitbits can track that and i doubt the Apple watch too. I have a forerunner 620 that i use for running only. Love it. All the features and information is great if youre semi serious about your exercise
Click to expand...
Apple Watch tracks swimming.

EDIT: And cycling too.
 
P

pestul

Member
Does anyone have the Garmin Vivosmart HR+ (revised model)? It seems to have excellent reviews and I'm looking for a good price in Canada. I'm settled between that or a Fitbit Charge 2, but I really love the built-in GPS on the HR+ and running is my primary physical activity. HR and sleep tracking are secondary but welcome as well.
 
S

SSGMUN10000

Connoisseur Of Tedium
I honestly think any of the mentioned above trackers will help. It really depends on what features you plan on using. I own a Fitbit charge 2, I think it's great but only really look at a few features.
 
P

Pedrito

Member
pestul said:
Does anyone have the Garmin Vivoactive HR+ (revised model)? It seems to have excellent reviews and I'm looking for a good price in Canada. I'm settled between that or a Fitbit Charge 2, but I really love the built-in GPS on the HR+ and running is my primary physical activity. HR and sleep tracking are secondary but welcome as well.
Click to expand...

I bought one last week. It was 250$ in most places (Source, BB, Amazon) but it's now back to 300$.

I like it more than I expected. It's not as ugly in real life. It looks like a big fitness band. The GPS and all the stats have been great for running. I did two PBs back to back and I think it's because I had the pace alerts each km that made me push a little more.

I didn't think I would bother with the move bar and the steps count, but it's surprisingly addictive so far.

The HRM seems to be working well. I don't know if it's super exact, but it's clearly proportional to whatever I'm doing.

The battery life seems good. I'll probably charge it once a week on Sunday.

edit: Maybe you meant the Vivosmart HR+? I'm talking about the Vivoactive HR.
 
G

GoldenEye 007

Member
I just got a Fitbit Charge 2 yesterday. Seems ok so far, but I haven't really done much with it yet. I took it on a walk with my dog and it seemed accurate enough when it comes to stairs, steps, and distance (paired with my phone for GPS).

It seems like across the board, heartrate info is.... spotty and likely more of a very general guide and not for scientific examination or anything.
 
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