HELP! Fitbits

[sapper]

Wifey wants a Fitbit, or other wristband that will count her steps. She uses her phone but doesn't want to have to carry it around with her all day. She only really needs one for steps. Any advice on a decent device that would do for her? She goes into hospital on Monday for a couple of days and I would like to have one for her when she comes out. Not Covid 19 related.

[Olybirder]

I have no personal experience of Fitbits but this month's Saga magazine has a short feature about them. They have chosen Three Of The Best and cheapest and simplest is the Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 4. There are plenty of reviews and places selling them online from around £25 upwards.

Ron

[Phill D]

I have a fitbit charge 2. I think it's an old model now but it's worked fine the past 18 months. I think there is a water resistant one now. For me I don't use any of the pay for features or the social or real exercise stuff I just like to see how active I've been in steps plus I do like to see the sleep analysis. I think it was about £80 at the time. From Ron's post the competition seems to be very keenly priced these days.

[Ian]

I use a Samsung Gear Fit2 Pro - sounds flashy but I got it for a song on eBay over a year ago; they were bundled with new phones so people were selling them, box-unopened on eBay. I had the two previous models but both ended up broken. The Gear Fit2 Pro is much better built although the strap has only just given up in the last couple of days, but I'm now using the strap from the previous one I had. You can download alternative free or paid for watch faces, it uses an altimeter function to calculate flights of stairs climbed, it has a nice OLED touch screen, it has WiFi and you can use it for playing music over Bluetooth. The Samsung Health app it works with is very good too. Oddly, I think it is now discontinued and the replacement Samsung Galaxy Fit is a cheaper and less sophisticated alternative. But it's worth a look. Otherwise the ones I see recommended the most are the Fitbit Inspire HR and Huawei Band 3 Pro - Julia has the latter; the battery lasts a couple of weeks before needing a recharge while my Samsung really needs to be charged every other day.

Ian

[OM USer]

The fitbit 2 in rose gold with a matching magnetic fastening strap is quite stylish and may appeal. Simple tap to show the time is easy to use (but then I guess most of the competition are much the same).

[Otto]

A friend of mine is a great fan of the FitBit and competes with members of his family on step counts etc. I don't know which model he has but when we've been out together on walks its reports differ significantly from my iPhone's, especially in ascent figures. My iPhone's idea of distance walked differs from my Garmin GPS too. Who knows which is right? The discrepancies can be as much as 20%! Step counts are obviously going to differ as I have longer legs, but I'd have thought GPS-based measurements would match fairly well.

[gphemy]

Currently on second Charge 2 (the first developed screen bleeding, and was replaced FoC) after an earlier Fitbit Flex which had only LED battery charge display, so dependent on Smartphone for data. Before that I had a succession of two cheap Chinese trackers. ALL of them have difficulty maintaining bluetooth connection with the various smartphones, and I have to suggest that the cheap Chinese trackers are the best value!

[jonesy]

I currently have a versa, but only because it was the only fitbit you could swim with at the time. I did upgrade from a charge 2. I do find the versa a little big, and I know when it breaks I will choose another fitbit, but a smaller face. I like the community behind them, one of my online friends does fitbit "bingo" and that encourages me to step more at the moment

[sapper]

Thanks guys.I ordered a Garmin Visosmart 4 in the finish.Nice colour