Fitness Tracker

[disneychrista]

I am thinking about getting a fitness tracker. I am looking for any recommendations. Looking for step tracking, sleep tracking, BP & heart rate monitoring and should sync with my iPhone. Ultimately, I would love an Apple Watch but that isn't in the budget right now. FYI budget is $200 including tax & any shipping.

 

[eticketplease]

there might be something out there that meets all of those requirements but if you can budget another $100, what you want, the Apple Watch 11 is on sale this week at Target for $300.

Is this something you need right now or can you wait a little and save some more to add to your budget? Target has had these on sale a few times so far since they came out and they and other retailers will have more sales down the road for when the 12 comes out in September or October.

 

[EACarlson]

Fitbit Versa has all of that other than BP. I've never seen a fitness tracker that has BP monitoring. I've had my Versa 4 since Christmas and had a Sense previous to that. Price right now is $150.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I have the Apple Watch and I really like that. I just have the SE version which is significantly cheaper. If you keep an eye out, those seem be available for under $200 every now and then. I don't know of any smartwatches that do blood pressure. I know Apple does a good job with heartrate and sleep tracking. It looks like Walmart.com has some SE2 (appears to be a previous generation) for $159 right now. Unfortunately it's the bigger sized one. The bands can be changed out really cheap and within a matter of seconds.

 

[soccerdad72]

For heart rate monitoring (only during active workouts, however), our gym uses MyZone bands, which synchs to your phone and tracks heart rate and calories burned during a workout. But it's not something you wear throughout the day. For that, like others, I wear an Apple Watch (although it doesn't track my sleeping, simple because I take it off at night to charge it).

 

[tx911]

I am thinking about getting a fitness tracker. I am looking for any recommendations. Looking for step tracking, sleep tracking, BP & heart rate monitoring and should sync with my iPhone. Ultimately, I would love an Apple Watch but that isn't in the budget right now. FYI budget is $200 including tax & any shipping.

Take a look at the Garmin Vivosmart 5 (149.99)

 

[disneychrista]

I must have miss understood the BP monitoring on the ones I have looked at. I looked again and it seems they have an app that tracks BP but you still need a cuff.

The total budget is set because this is the amount being reimbursed through a wellness program. I could technically add more to it but I am hesitant to because I am not sure how much I will like wearing something all day every day.

 

[disneychrista]

Fitbit Versa has all of that other than BP. I've never seen a fitness tracker that has BP monitoring. I've had my Versa 4 since Christmas and had a Sense previous to that. Price right now is $150.

The Versa 4 is the one I had picked as my "choice" when I looked at them last night. I had to look at my Amazon account to double check, since I saved it in my cart.

But if I can get an Apple Watch from Walmart like @Kathryn Merteuil mentioned I might have to go that route. I don't need the latest & greatest. And am mostly interested in the fitness type tracking. The other stuff that the Apple Watch does would just be a bonus.

 

[eticketplease]

The Versa 4 is the one I had picked as my "choice" when I looked at them last night. I had to look at my Amazon account to double check, since I saved it in my cart.

But if I can get an Apple Watch from Walmart like @Kathryn Merteuil mentioned I might have to go that route. I don't need the latest & greatest. And am mostly interested in the fitness type tracking. The other stuff that the Apple Watch does would just be a bonus.

Well it sounds like you "can" get an apple watch you would just be paying out of pocket on anything over $200 correct?

It sounded like that was what you were wanting from the start and if you don't need a top of the line one the SE 3 is on sale at Target for $220.

It doesn't do everything but it would do enough and it would ultimately cost $20 out of pocket. I think the apple watches might be the only ones that can also act as a magicband for getting into the parks and lighting lanes.

https://www.target.com/p/apple-watch-se-3/-/A-94966464?preselect=94482689#lnk=sametab

 

[unrequited23]

Best Buy has the Apple Watch SE 2 for $185 with free shipping. If your tax rate is 8% or lower it just squeaks by your budget threshold.

 

[disneychrista]

Those that have used both an Apple watch and a Fitbit, which did you like more for actual fitness/health monitoring?




The more I am reading about the Fitbit the more I am actually leaning toward getting that vs the Apple watch. I won't be getting cellular service for the watch so I am not sure how helpful it will really be to have the watch vs the Fitbit.

 

[eticketplease]

Those that have used both an Apple watch and a Fitbit, which did you like more for actual fitness/health monitoring?




The more I am reading about the Fitbit the more I am actually leaning toward getting that vs the Apple watch. I won't be getting cellular service for the watch so I am not sure how helpful it will really be to have the watch vs the Fitbit.

I have had many starting with the Jabra Up! many fitbits from the one that would clip onto clothing and wearables, garmin trackers and watches and apple watches.

Fitbit was certainly up there in reliablility but in my opinion they lost their edge when google bought them. All of them require a seperate app except the apple watch since you have an iPhone so it makes it nice in that regard.

You don't need the cell data model but you will be able to answer calls and communicate on both the Fitbits and apple watch as long as your phone is nearby and connected with bluetooth. I assume the same would be true with Garmin but mine were to old so I could answer the call but then had to find my phone to actually speak and hear.

It's really going to be a personal choice with style and size. Perhaps going into a best buy and seeing if you can feel a display unit.

 

[disneychrista]

It's really going to be a personal choice with style and size. Perhaps going into a best buy and seeing if you can feel a display unit.

I thought about that but we don't have a Best Buy near buy. The closest one is over an hour away. I might go by Walmart and see what if anything they have in stock. Honestly, looking at them online the Apple watch and Fitbit look the same. The Fitbit is suppose to be lighter though, which would be nice. Can you tell I am a chronic overthinker?

 

[eticketplease]

I thought about that but we don't have a Best Buy near buy. The closest one is over an hour away. I might go by Walmart and see what if anything they have in stock. Honestly, looking at them online the Apple watch and Fitbit look the same. The Fitbit is suppose to be lighter though, which would be nice. Can you tell I am a chronic overthinker?

Nothing wrong with that you certainly want to get something that will work for you.

I don't really shop at walmart but if you go ask about there return policy. You might be able to play with them for a few days to see what feels the most comfortable for you.

Someone early mentioned swapping out bands. If the one that comes with a watch doesn't feel nice you might want to ask about that as well. DS has sensory issues so it took a long time to find something comfortable that would do the job.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I have had both Apple and Fitbit. I can honestly say I hated the Fitbit. I liked the really really old Fitbit from like 2013 (before Apple Watch even existed), but the modern ones, not at all. I had a newer Fitbit to replace my first generation Apple Watch. I used it a while, and ended up giving it to somebody and buying an Apple Watch SE.

What I didn't like about Fitbit was:

Doesn't work as well with iPhone as Apple Watch as far as syncing and stuff.

Lack of customization. It seems like all the backgrounds and stuff, anything good you had to pay for.

Accessories were harder to find, and lack of variety in bands etc.

The ONE positive thing I have to say about Fitbit was the battery life was much, much better.

 

[Mommb]

If you already have an iPhone, I would try to find an Apple Watch at or near your price point. I didn't think I would use one enough to justify the cost, but after my previous tracker wore out and my family bought me an Apple Watch as a birthday gift, I started using it a lot. I do not pay for it have cellular service, but as mentioned above, when it's near (in the same room as) my phone or within my house's WiFi, I can use it to check text messages and can even answer phone calls on it. I charge it for 1 hour before going to sleep, and then wear it all night as a sleep tracker. I exercise in the morning, then charge the watch again while I eat breakfast, which keeps it working the rest of the day.

If you don't already have an iPhone, the Apple Watch may be more than you need, but I haven't investigate other devices to know what they do.

 

[kanne323]

Those that have used both an Apple watch and a Fitbit, which did you like more for actual fitness/health monitoring?




The more I am reading about the Fitbit the more I am actually leaning toward getting that vs the Apple watch. I won't be getting cellular service for the watch so I am not sure how helpful it will really be to have the watch vs the Fitbit.

I currently have an Apple watch and have had a number of Fitbits. I've never had one of the more expensive Fitbits, so only the ones without all the bells and whistles, which means I probably can't give a good comparison. I was gifted the Apple watch and never intended to get one, but I quickly fell in love with it. It's pretty intuitive since I'm familiar with Apple products (well, phone.) It was super easy to set up. I definitely don't use all it has to offer, but I'm happy with what I do use (activity and step tracking, heart rate, etc.) The pulse ox feature works well sometimes for me, verified by a finger pulse ox, but not overnight- I suspect my band loosens too much. I love that I can use my Map My Walk/Map My Ride apps on it as well as the regular exercise tracker. I like seeing my calendar on it, seeing texts and calls come in (but I don't answer calls on it or respond to texts on it), and the GPS.

Someone early mentioned swapping out bands. If the one that comes with a watch doesn't feel nice you might want to ask about that as well. DS has sensory issues so it took a long time to find something comfortable that would do the job.

I can't speak for Fitbit, but my Apple watch is very easy to swap bands out for, and I found I like stretchy cloth bands the best. I found some very inexpensive ones on Amazon that I can throw into the washer and dryer.

 

[disneychrista]

If I hate android phones will I also hate the interface for the Fitbit?