Which is the best Fitness Tracker?

There are lots of Fitness Band or you can Say Fitness tracker in the market but Can you plz tell me the new best Fitness Tracker for sporting?

Conversation 18 comments

  • Jules Wombat

    17 January, 2018 - 8:05 am

    <p>Still using my Microsoft Band 2, really excellent for various reasons, but no longer sold :(</p>

    • Paul Thurrott

      Premium Member
      17 January, 2018 - 9:53 am

      <blockquote><a href="#238355"><em>In reply to Jules_Wombat:</em></a></blockquote><p>Especially the need to charge it every day.</p>

      • Jules Wombat

        17 January, 2018 - 1:44 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#238364"><em>In reply to paul-thurrott:</em></a></blockquote><p>I only need to put mine on charge every 3 days or so, but I don't wear it all day, just when I do daily my runs. </p>

  • jwpear

    Premium Member
    17 January, 2018 - 8:24 am

    <p>It would help to know which activities you're interested in tracking. Some are general purpose and others are specific. I'm more interested in general purpose and sleep tracking is important to me, so below is my take from that perspective.</p><p><br></p><p>I loved my Band 2, until it died due to a broken strap and MS had no inventory to replace. I'm currently using a Fitbit Blaze. The Blaze isn't the best looking device on the market, but it is solid. </p><p><br></p><p>The Blaze does a good job for what I use it for. In fact, and I hate to admit this, it is better than the Band was. For workouts, such as weight lifting, elliptical, treadmill, or biking, I find it to be pretty accurate at tracking heart rate; although, I do have to slide it up wrist. I've compared to a Polar heart rate monitor and it is pretty darn close.</p><p><br></p><p>Of course, the Blaze tracks steps. I think it is a bit generous with steps, but I don't know that it is that important. If I want to track distance accurately, I'll use the connected GPS feature.</p><p><br></p><p>I know some folks don't care for the frame design of the Blaze, but I like that I can swap the frame out to change the color and look. I also like that I can easily swap out bands. There are many aftermarket band and frame options. You just can't quite match that with an Apple watch or even the newer Fitbit Iconic. Yes, you can get bands, but not frames. Of course, it seems Fitbit is moving away from the frame design.</p><p><br></p><p>One of my favorite things about the Blaze is that I get five days of battery life. I just love not having to charge each day or two, which is what I had to do with the Band and what my daughter has to do with her Apple Watch. I get a good chuckle every time I think about the folks that are shackled to their charging cable on such a frequent basis.</p><p><br></p><p>I thought I would miss the on-device GPS after switching from Band 2 to the Blaze, but I have not. I find the connected GPS to be faster and more accurate, plus it doesn't zap the battery of the Blaze or the phone. Bottom line, I typically have my phone with my anyway. If I'm out riding, I want a phone in case I have an emergency. I've gotten caught out in a fast moving, severe thunderstorm a couple of times and it was nice to be able to call my wife to come pick me up.</p><p><br></p><p>The Blaze has been absolutely solid from a durability perspective. I have had mine for over a year now and have had zero problems with the device itself–no issues with the band, frame, or battery life. I cannot say the same for the Bands or Fitbit Charges I've owned. Those things were lemons with either battery or band issues. I did have problems with the Fitbit app forgetting who I was last fall, but this got fixed with an update from Fitbit. I could log in and a day or so later, it'd forget who I was. Apparently had something to do with Apple and iOS 11.</p><p><br></p><p>Several years into it, I still enjoy the occasional step challenge from friends in the Fitbit app. I thought this would get old, and it has to some extent, but I do find it still motivates me to get out and do a little more to compete with them. In fact, this is what motivated me to get a Fitbit to begin with. Just about everyone had a Fitbit. I don't know if that's the case today. I see a lot of Apple Watches now.</p><p><br></p><p>Fitbit has done a great job of supporting the device. They've added new features over time (e.g. better sleep tracking), which is very nice when you've spent a lot on such a device.</p><p><br></p><p>The Blaze is a bit dated at this point. One might be better off with an Ionic, Charge 2, or a non Fitbit device, depending on what tracking one had in mind. The Blaze is a capable tracker at a good price, so I think it is still viable for the near term. </p>

  • vonronge

    17 January, 2018 - 8:39 am

    <p>If you're serious about sports you need something with a band around your chest that measures heart rate electrically. The wrist models currently available are not accurate at the one thing you should care about: heart rate. Just use your phone and a chest strap like the <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Wahoo Tickr X. It's cheaper and works better.</span></p>

    • wright_is

      Premium Member
      17 January, 2018 - 10:20 am

      <blockquote><a href="#238357"><em>In reply to vonronge:</em></a></blockquote><p>I've not noticed any problems with heart rate. At the doctor's, my Fitbit has always been within 1 – 2 beats of the nurse / machine that they use.</p>

      • PincasX

        17 January, 2018 - 11:51 am

        <blockquote><a href="#238371"><em>In reply to wright_is:</em></a></blockquote><p>Optical heart rate monitors tend to really poop the bed when you have a fluctuating heart rate (HIIT, Running/Cycling intervals …) for steady state they tend to do just fine hence what you are seeing at the doctors office. For most people an optical HRM is absolute antiquate. </p>

    • matsan

      18 January, 2018 - 10:03 am

      <blockquote><a href="#238357"><em>In reply to vonronge:</em></a></blockquote><p>In colder climate a chest-band is required since you will have the watch visible on your arm with layers of clothes preventing the heart-beat monitor to work. </p><p>I have Garmin ForeRunner 630 with a very comfortable chest-band.</p>

      • wright_is

        Premium Member
        19 January, 2018 - 12:08 am

        <blockquote><a href="#238703"><em>In reply to matsan:</em></a></blockquote><p>I alway wear mine direct on the skin, usually under layers of clothing.</p>

  • PincasX

    17 January, 2018 - 8:59 am

    <p>There are a lot of good options out there but for the best recommendation it would help to know what you are looking for. Step counter? Calorie counter? Specific sports or activities?</p>

  • Paul Thurrott

    Premium Member
    17 January, 2018 - 9:53 am

    <p>You need to go with Fitbit. The question is which Fitbit, based on your needs (heart-rate monitoring, etc.) These devices provide 5+ days of battery life, which is key.</p>

  • wright_is

    Premium Member
    17 January, 2018 - 10:12 am

    <p>I have had the Charge and Charge 2 and have been relatively happy, they have certainly kept me active.</p><p>The only downside is that they aren't that reliable at registering steps.</p><p>Sometimes I'll get up, walk through the house, go up the stairs and go to bed, around 90 paces. Sometime it registers 0 steps, sometimes 90… Shopping, pushing the cart around the store is often good for 15 steps (around 600 without the cart).</p><p>On the other hand, chopping vegetables and cooking in general can be good for several hundred steps.</p><p>Missing a few steps? Rub your tummy.</p><p>I think they shouldn't call it steps, but activity…</p>

  • lvthunder

    Premium Member
    17 January, 2018 - 1:28 pm

    <p>There is no way to tell which is best. I haven't tested them all. All I can tell you is I enjoy using my Apple Watch. I like the wide choice of non Apple bands. It also depends on your needs which you don't list.</p>

  • Travis

    17 January, 2018 - 6:36 pm

    <p>I recommend the Garmin Vivoactive 3. It is a watch, with 5 days of battery life, heart rate sensor, smart notifications, weather, 50M water resistance which Fitbit doesn't do and great fitness tracking. I picked one up at Target for $199. For some reason Garmin isn't mentioned as often as Fitbit but I don't understand why, I believe they have better products.</p>

  • bmere

    18 January, 2018 - 11:09 am

    <p>I would definitely recommend a device from Xiaomi. They are a little harder to get, but are equipped with an extremely good price-performance ratio.</p><p><br></p><p>I have been using the Mi Band 2 for 1.5 years and switched to Amazfit BIP (also from Xiaomi) a few weeks ago, because it is much better as a real replacement for a wristwatch. Time between two charging cycles is more than one month – with 24h pulse monitoring and occasional use of the built-in GPS for running, outdoor and indoor use.</p><p><br></p><p>Price for the Band 2 here in Germany is currently €19, for the BIP it's €52</p><p><br></p><p>Hope I could help a little bit?</p><p><br></p><p>Greetings from Berlin</p>

  • Alexander Rothacker

    Premium Member
    18 January, 2018 - 12:16 pm

    <p>I would argue that it heavily depends on what you want to use it for. I used to have one of the early simple fitbits that did nothing but count steps and track sleep, and stopped using it within a few month. I know I don't walk enough.</p><p>I do however bicycle a fair bit for exercise and ended up with a Garmin 630, which I love, except for the display indoors. It's awesome outdoors. I like it so much that I'm seriously considering upgrading to a Garmin Fenix5, which is pricey, but awesome.</p><p>If I didn't bike as much, I would go with some cheaper options, or options that have better notifications, which are not the strong suite of Garmin.</p><p>Garmin devices seem to have by far the best battery life, with close to 2 weeks between charges if I don't use GPS, and still a few days if I use GPS for occasional rides and to track walking the dog.</p>

  • Tim

    Premium Member
    19 January, 2018 - 9:11 am

    <p>Realistically this goes beyond a "fitness tracker" but since you asked for the best…</p><p><br></p><p>https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/552982</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><img src="https://static.garmincdn.com/en/products/010-01688-00/v/cf-lg.jpg"></p&gt;

  • lachlan392

    21 December, 2018 - 5:55 am

    <p>There are many fitness tracker bands in the market. Personally, I like <span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">fitbit Charge 3: Best fitness tracker. I recommend this for you </span><a href="https://prepaidgiftbalance.net/&quot; target="_blank">prepaidgiftbalance</a><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">.</span></p>

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