Fitness watches/ trackers

[stampsx2]

Let’s take a break from all the covid and political drama.

Wondering what everybody has for fitness watches?

I’m looking at the fitbit sense. I absolutely love the detailed sleep scores. I currently have the charge 2 and my sleep has improved significantly since i got it. I feel better and am probably healthier. I know most people probably focus more on the cardio side of things but sleep is what i needed to work on most. The sleep monitoring i’ve found to be quite accurate. I’m impressed.

Sleep scores are the main reason i wouldn’t go with an apple watch since apples version is significantly watered down and the third party apps are pretty weak and charge annual fees. Who knows how accurate they are. I’m not sure apple watches even have a scale that gives even more info like body fat. I’m sure there’s apple watch users that swear by it. Apple watches would be good for anyone looking for just basic health info. Maybe i’m wrong.

Waterproof (like swimproof) would be awesome in a watch but i take manufacturer waterproof ratings with a grain of salt.

What do you have? What do you like and not like about your watch? Would you buy it again?

Bonus points if you can tell me which insurance companies offer benefits discounts to people who wear them.

Disclaimer: yes i’m aware there was a thread on this six years ago. That was when the charge was first coming out.

[flylock shox]

I have a Fitbit Versa 2 and it's basically perfect for me, with just the features I need and not a whole lot of other mumbo jumbo.

In particular, the fact it's waterproof, stores songs independently from my phone (so I can run phoneless), allows simple voice responses to texts and alerts to texts and phone calls, has the usual timer and stopwatch features, and syncs with my phone to give me calendar alerts to keep me on track. Also good for all the fitness tracking features, and has a very good ability to auto detect when I'm on a bike ride.

There are others with more bells and whistles (like the Versa 3 for example), but nothing I'm in the market for. If this one failed, I'd just pick up another one on sale.

Well, unless maybe they made one that takes a SIM card so I could ditch my phone entirely...

[hesh329]

If sleep is the measurement then the readiband is the most effective, however it only measures sleep. The rest are all about the same when it comes to sleep. They tend to underestimate sleep disruptions and over record sleep length.

As for watches i have a garmin vivofit that i like and my wife has a fitbit that she likes. The accuracy of them is about the same for sleep.

[marsplasticeraser]

I moved from Fitbit to garmin based on a recommendation of a friend. Love the garmin (garmin instinct). My problem with Fitbit was hr and sleep tracking wasn’t great. HR on Fitbit was especially terrible working out.

Instinct really good, I like the garmin app, and overall happy with the move, as it can do more when I’m running, hiking and cycling.

If you are into fitness and the Fitbit doesn’t track your hr very well consider a garmin.

[Ironhorse]

Garmin 920XT. But it is more of a GPS sports watch that also happens to count steps. Great for all my activities. I only track HR during training though, with a chest strap which is much accurate than wrist based anyhow.

[Faust]

I have an Apple Watch tied into the Apple Fitness+ program that was recently launched in December:

https://www.businesswire.com/news/ho...es-December-14

I am pretty happy with it so far.

[STeeLy]

Originally Posted by marsplasticeraser

I moved from Fitbit to garmin based on a recommendation of a friend. Love the garmin (garmin instinct). My problem with Fitbit was hr and sleep tracking wasn’t great. HR on Fitbit was especially terrible working out.

Instinct really good, I like the garmin app, and overall happy with the move, as it can do more when I’m running, hiking and cycling.

If you are into fitness and the Fitbit doesn’t track your hr very well consider a garmin.

I use a Garmin Instinct Solar. I haven't had a lot of use out of it yet, it's mostly for when I go hiking or out for a walk. Independent GPS so you don't have to have it paired to a phone to get the signal.


It's not fancy, it's not a colour display, but has pretty much everything that I would need it for.

[Oling_Roachinen]

I'm a Garmin forerunner fanboy. However, its biggest weakness appears to be the sleep function so probably not up your alley. I have the bad habit of laying in bed watching Netflix or on my phone/laptop etc. but half the time it will think I was asleep and way overestimates my sleep.

Its strength are the ability to have music on it (so no phone) HR wrist monitor (and having compared it to chest strap, which you can also use, it's relatively comparable), VO2Max estimate, workout load analysis to tell if you're overdoing it/detraining/recovering/etc., and will also tell recovery hours after a workout and I found its calorie counter is really accurate as far as they go.

Then the app, Garmin Connect, is integrated easily with Strava and MyFitnessPal.

[Northendzone]

i have a garmin fenix 3. i bought mine primarily for mtn biking. works decently for golfing (i just need to remember to reset the units back to imperial otherwise all of the distances show are metric)

i like it. my only negative comment would be that it is thick. it is also my most expensive watch.

[Wastedyouth]

I have a samsung Galaxy watch. I like it as a watch, but honestly the Tizen operating system kinda sucks. I won't be getting another Samsung watch (and I really like they other gear, phones, laptops, tablets).

I have heard the Mobvoi Ticwatch pro is pretty awesome.

I am also looking for a good fitness tracker to compliment my routine. The Samsung watch is ok, but clunky. And I teach taekwondo and can't be wearing a watch during classes. Same with dirtbiking. Wearing a watch is dangerous to both the watch and my wrist.

What do people think of the Charge 4?

I wish they put the technology that they put into the watches into the actual fitness trackers. It seems kinda nonsensical that they wouldn't (The Sp02, cardiogram, etc.).

[Winsor_Pilates]

Since you're looking mainly for sleep data, look into the Oura ring or Whoop strap.

I haven't used either both both reviews well for that.
They aren't watches and might be easier to have on all the time (Oura especially).

Whoop is monthly subscription based so that might suck, but I think they send you the strap for free.

[Kybosh]

Originally Posted by Oling_Roachinen

I'm a Garmin forerunner fanboy. However, its biggest weakness appears to be the sleep function so probably not up your alley. I have the bad habit of laying in bed watching Netflix or on my phone/laptop etc. but half the time it will think I was asleep and way overestimates my sleep.

Its strength are the ability to have music on it (so no phone) HR wrist monitor (and having compared it to chest strap, which you can also use, it's relatively comparable), VO2Max estimate, workout load analysis to tell if you're overdoing it/detraining/recovering/etc., and will also tell recovery hours after a workout and I found its calorie counter is really accurate as far as they go.

Then the app, Garmin Connect, is integrated easily with Strava and MyFitnessPal.

I've got a Forerunner 945, which I absolutely love, but it's definitely way more watch than most anyone really needs. Tons of functionality but lots of stuff is really unnecessary.

[tvp2003]

I’m intrigued about the sleep tracking benefits. Once you establish your “baseline” are there specific and/or customized ways to improve your overall level or quality of sleep?

It hasn’t been an issue per se but happy to look at options that might help (thanks to CP I ended up getting a better pillow which has been well worth it IMO).

[FlameOn]

I have an Amazfit Bip and GTR2. Both have worked fairly well and the app was decent for fitness and smart watch usage. They had all the activity tracking, calendar, app/text notifications, GPS, etc. The GTR2 has blood oxygen and sleeping monitor as well. Battery life was huge for these things. 30 days for the Bip and 14 days for the GTR2.

Reasonably priced and both were far more durable than my old Fitbits where my strap broke and fell off the unit.

[Wastedyouth]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

I’m intrigued about the sleep tracking benefits. Once you establish your “baseline” are there specific and/or customized ways to improve your overall level or quality of sleep?

It hasn’t been an issue per se but happy to look at options that might help (thanks to CP I ended up getting a better pillow which has been well worth it IMO).

Ooh. Tell me more!

I have yet to find a pillow that I like. In 39 years!!!

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

Ooh. Tell me more!

I have yet to find a pillow that I like. In 39 years!!!

See this thread: https://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=179133

(I got the adjustable shredded memory foam pillow linked in the first reply and have been happy with it)

[the_only_turek_fan]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

i have a garmin fenix 3. i bought mine primarily for mtn biking. works decently for golfing (i just need to remember to reset the units back to imperial otherwise all of the distances show are metric)

i like it. my only negative comment would be that it is thick. it is also my most expensive watch.

That watch is so heavy!!!! It is like a wrist weight.

I have the Forerunner 235. But I am mainly a runner.

[Wastedyouth]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

See this thread: https://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=179133

(I got the adjustable shredded memory foam pillow linked in the first reply and have been happy with it)

Ordered! Here's hoping I have as much success as you!

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

I’m intrigued about the sleep tracking benefits. Once you establish your “baseline” are there specific and/or customized ways to improve your overall level or quality of sleep?

It hasn’t been an issue per se but happy to look at options that might help (thanks to CP I ended up getting a better pillow which has been well worth it IMO).

At first, the benefits of sleep tracking is really just determining if you can quantify why you had a crappy day.

After a while, you mainly use it to determine when you went to sleep/woke up and whether you should sleep earlier.

Then later on, you determine whether minor tweaks to your sleep (pillows, blankets, temperature etc.) actually benefited sleep quality.

I've tried around a dozen activity trackers ranging from random brands to Apple Watches and Sports ones like Suunto. What annoys me to no end is that many are larger and clunkier, constantly flicker/make you check it at night, questionable accuracy and are expensive.

The best overall sleep tracking I used to have was with the Jawbone 3 (discontinued). It's so small and light with no interface and not as clunky as most other activity trackers and I only had to charge it once a week or two. I also liked that it had a vibrating alarm. Unfortunately the bluetooth kept failing on it until it wasn't really usable, but it lasted like 3 years.

The next best sleep tracker was my phone. I installed sleep cycle (not sure the price and add on costs now) and just positioned the phone nearby. It tracks sleep either via motion (if on your mattress) or sound (less accurate). I found with this app on, I was far less likely to use my phone at night. Two other bonuses was that I could pair it up with a Hue light as a gentle light alarm as well as intelligent snooze/wake up which meant that I was less likely to be groggy when I woke up.

https://www.sleepcycle.com/how-sleep-cycle-works/


The Fitbit sleep tracker attributes aren't bad and some benefits providers like Manulife are willing to offer discounts for you to acquire one. IMO one of the best balance between value, accuracy and unobtrusive at night at the moment.

[Wastedyouth]

Has anyone tried the Oura ring?