Garmin V's Fitbit fitness watch

Garmin V's Fitbit fitness watch


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luckyfox

She's the cats pajamas
Location
County Durham
So i got a Fitbit one for Christmas last year and i've lost a third of my body weight through diet and exercise. The whole point was just to get fit. Going forward I'm competitive with myself and I want to push my fitness and be the best version of me. I've been waiting for the Fitbit Surge to come out which it now has done. This has all the features I need except it's not waterproof so I can't track my swimming. Currently I use Swim Tag at my local pool and this gives a great read out. However I have just seen the VivoActive does track swimming and it's a bit of aright!

I've not has a 'fitness smart watch' before so anyones genuine advice is welcome. I do like the battery life of the Fitbit and i'm used to the app etc but it's a shame i cant wear it while swimming as this is where i want to improve the most this year. The VivoActive does look a bit sexy with it's colour screen, customisable design, performance alerts, extra features and of course swimming tracker but it is missing some of the Fitbit features like sleep tracking and heart rate monitor.

Do i really need any of this? No, i could go out for a run, or cycle or swim and save myself a couple of hundred quid. However, I like it. I like the feeling of beating my own times or distances, I like seeing the improvements, it keeps me motivated. I have more 'fitness' friends now and it's a good way to touch base and connect with them too. Normally i take my phone for GPS but it's a pain, a watch is much easier.

Advice, suggestions, be nice and keep your hands in the ride at all times...
 

Fubar

Guru
So i got a Fitbit one for Christmas last year and i've lost a third of my body weight through diet and exercise. The whole point was just to get fit. Going forward I'm competitive with myself and I want to push my fitness and be the best version of me. I've been waiting for the Fitbit Surge to come out which it now has done. This has all the features I need except it's not waterproof so I can't track my swimming. Currently I use Swim Tag at my local pool and this gives a great read out. However I have just seen the VivoActive does track swimming and it's a bit of aright!

I've not has a 'fitness smart watch' before so anyones genuine advice is welcome. I do like the battery life of the Fitbit and i'm used to the app etc but it's a shame i cant wear it while swimming as this is where i want to improve the most this year. The VivoActive does look a bit sexy with it's colour screen, customisable design, performance alerts, extra features and of course swimming tracker but it is missing some of the Fitbit features like sleep tracking and heart rate monitor.

Do i really need any of this? No, i could go out for a run, or cycle or swim and save myself a couple of hundred quid. However, I like it. I like the feeling of beating my own times or distances, I like seeing the improvements, it keeps me motivated. I have more 'fitness' friends now and it's a good way to touch base and connect with them too. Normally i take my phone for GPS but it's a pain, a watch is much easier.

Advice, suggestions, be nice and keep your hands in the ride at all times...

I'm a bit like you in that when I started out I wanted all the gadgets - I have a Garmin 500 for the bike, Garmin Forerunner 110 for running and a Fitbit strap for walking - I have looked at the watches etc but I do find that what I have (combined with HRM) gives me everything I need except power output (which apparently isn't very reliable anyway). I can't comment on the devices you mentioned but I think the main thing is to compare your ride/run/swim with previous attempts and monitor your improvement over a period of time (and useful to see how less effort is required for the same/better outcome), which these devices allow you to do. If you have the money and want the gadget then go for it! It's totally up to you. Personally I get used to a device and feel quite sad replacing it with a "newer version" just for the sake of it - give it 6 months and another better version will come along! But that's just me and no criticism of your choices.

p.s. well done on the weight loss! Regards, Mark
 
I been using a Forerunner 15 (activity tracking and gps for running) since last summer and a garmin Swim (for swimming...Doh!) for a few months. I'm actually a little annoyed about the Vivoactive as it would replace both and do a fair bit more as well for less than the cost of the 2 devices. Still, the Swim lives in the swim bag and has a long battery life and the FR15 has been faultless.
The FR 15 was actually a replacement for a Fitbit Flex - it died at work in 40+ degrees and high humidity.
If I could go back in time I would probably have waited for the Vivoactive, but it won't be available until "2nd quarter" and garmin has a history of their devices software being a bit flaky at first release. Heartrate monitoring could be by means of a cheststrap rather than the optical means built into the Fitbit. FR15 sort of does sleep tracking - you have to input times into the web interface - it then displays a graph of you movement between the times. Fitbit Flex was a couple of taps to tell it you were going to sleep, Up24 does it automatically but apparently sitting watching TV can fool it into thinking you're having a crafty kip, so I wouldn't get to hung up on it.

Another thought, which web interface do you prefer? And Fitbit integrates pretty much seamlessly with MyFitnessPal and other health tracking sites.
Maybe just stick with what you use now and wait for the Vivoactive?
Lastly DCrainmaker is your guru when it comes to fitness techy geekiness stuff, and well done on the weight loss!
 
OP
OP
luckyfox

luckyfox

She's the cats pajamas
Location
County Durham
Thanks for the info. I think the familiarity of FitBit got me. After all i never even knew of the VivoActive until today.

I didn't know Vivo Active does sleep tracking too, it is handy for me as I have a sleeping disorder and it's good to keep track of this.

I am intrigued by the HRM now because i thought i'd really need it but really, im not bothered about being in a 'fat burning' zone as my body is at a healthy fat percentage now. Marathon running or the suchlike could require this data but my fitness doesnt really demand this info. Besides i can always work it out myself!

Hmmm agree with the annoyance of the 'newer versions' of things. My fitbit is fab but I do want to progress so either way it really comes down to my needs. I need a swim watch, maybe the water will degrade it over time and im better off not using it?? Advice on this would be fab. The Fitbit One lasted me a year, if this one lasts that long id be happy. It is more money and yeah i have to wait till the end of March for the Garmin but the idea of just being able to do the three things i love most run/cycle/swim without having to take my phone... sounds peachy!!
 

Stephenite

Membå
Location
OslO
Surely this thread belongs in health and fitness?

I have a Vivosmart, and it is great. The Garmin community, and a facebook group really help out to keep me motivated. I haven't lost weight in the six weeks i've been using it, though i have become 'trimmer' and lost some excess around the middle. I agree about the Vivoactive - it looks very good indeed. But i have a Vivosmart for everyday use, and a Forerunner 910XT for specific activities already.
 
My Activite Pop arrives today...

They've got the grey one on sale in Currys PC World, but the other colours are only available direct from Withings in France at the moment.

I'm still tempted to get the Activite itself though...
Would appreciate your thoughts on it when you've had it a few days. I like the FR15 but it is a bit clunky.
 

david k

Hi
Location
North West
I have a garmin 800 for cycling a garmin forerunner for walking, hiking and a Fitbit surge for steps and sleep logging

Very happy with the Fitbit, I wanted the garmin version as I like garmin but the sleep tracker wasn't automatic. The Fitbit battery lasts a week which is better than many others, the only thing I wish it had would be hrm which is coming on the next model. I'm surprised at the accuracy of the sleep tracker and steps. It even knows when I've been cycling? No idea how although it's less accurate. However I use garmin and endomondo for that anyway so wasn't the reason I wanted it

I also wanted it for the link with a smartphone although I haven't set it up yet, has anyone set it up and can provide feedback?
 
What amuses me is the difference with readings

I Used the Fitbit One and it was fine, but lost it and replaced with a Garmin VivoSmart

Bizarrely the exercise went down.

Cycling was recorded as exercise with the Fitbit, but not with the Garmin

Looking back at similar days

Fitbit:15,000 steps

Garmin: 9,850

iPhone (Withings app) 5,400


A massive difference in readings
 

Stephenite

Membå
Location
OslO
but the sleep tracker wasn't automatic.

With the vivosmart you can set the time you went to sleep and woke up retrospectively. Or, for fun, set it to 09:00 to 08:45 for almost 24hrs.

What kind of sleep data do you get on a fitbit? You couldn't post a pic could you? I put a pic up of the sleep data from the vivosmart on another thread about sleep tracking. It's in the 'health, fitness and training' subforum.
 
What amuses me is the difference with readings

I Used the Fitbit One and it was fine, but lost it and replaced with a Garmin VivoSmart

Bizarrely the exercise went down.

Cycling was recorded as exercise with the Fitbit, but not with the Garmin

Looking back at similar days

Fitbit:15,000 steps

Garmin: 9,850

iPhone (Withings app) 5,400


A massive difference in readings
I think of it more as a benchmark to aim for and try to keep activity level the same. Pushing a trolley around a supermarket may not count for much as you'll have a hand on the trolley.
There is the flyfit which being ankle worn should be better at counting steps than something worn on your wrist. I've been keeping half an eye on it but there doesn't seem to be any product appearing as yet. It may also be an issue for some as it wearing it may be mistaken for being tagged.
The FR15 works for me as at the time it had some advantages over a fibit flex, waterproof and a watch. Seemed a little silly wearing a tracker and a watch. The gps for running was a bonus.
 

david k

Hi
Location
North West
With the vivosmart you can set the time you went to sleep and woke up retrospectively. Or, for fun, set it to 09:00 to 08:45 for almost 24hrs.

What kind of sleep data do you get on a fitbit? You couldn't post a pic could you? I put a pic up of the sleep data from the vivosmart on another thread about sleep tracking. It's in the 'health, fitness and training' subforum.

It's fully automatic which I still find bizarre, often it knows what time you went to bed but only records when you fell to sleep?? It will then give you a percentage of quality of sleep and average sleep per week. I'll look for your sleep data and try to upload a picture
 

Andrew_Culture

Internet Marketing bod
Having pretty much given up on my Pebble watch I decided the only thing I'd really miss about the pebble would be the notifications. So when I realised the vivosmart does notifications buying one was a no-brainer.

It just arrived but needs a full charge before I can set it up. It really bugs me when devices arrive dead!
 

bozmandb9

Insert witty title here
I'm probably going to plump for the Garmin Forerunner 225. The only thing which annoys me is that the HRM will not work with any other products, which seems a bit silly, since I'll probably also get a Garmin Edge of some description, but not be able to use the HR data from the watch.
 
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