Best Activity Trackers
Make every beat count with Fitbit Charge 2—the all-new heart rate and fitness wristband built for all-day, workouts and beyond. PurePulse continuous, automatic wrist-based heart rate tracking to better measure calorie burn all day.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I found the Fitbit to be an incredible fitness device compared to the Apple watch. The fitbit can also track sleep, and give you an estimate of your cardio fitness score (V02 Max). Other features: Clearly the fitbit is not a smart watch, but the text and call notifications are great when you're working out and don't have quick access to your phone. Accuracy: Tie. I have no idea what the negative reviews are talking about (Maybe they received a defective device or have exceptionally hairy arms?). The apple watch is slightly more accurate when it comes to distance, and probably more suited for someone who runs at a competitive pace. I love watching my cardio fitness score change and keeping an eye on my resting heart rate overnight. Apple has a ton of 3rd party apps which are great, but it lacks the complete integration of the fitbit. I haven't decided which one I will be keeping yet, but if I were basing my decision on fitness alone, at a non competitive level, I would choose the fitbit hands down. There are other useful features that make the Apple watch appealing in my line of work, so I'll have to weigh those into my decision. The apple watch doesn't have the same coolness factor with regard to fitness, and really doesn't motivate me to workout anymore than my iPhone would. It is perfect for someone who doesn't care about tracking fitness goals, but wants to leave their phone at home during a workout. The ability to stream music, track distance with a built in GPS, and respond to text messages are wonderful. I have a 7 inch wrist and the large band fits me on the last 2-4 holes (keep it loose when not working out)."
"As a Blaze and original Charge HR owner, figured I'd try my hand at the newest Fitbit Charge 2. It replaces the original best selling Charge & Charge HR. Steps, Flights, Heart Rate, Calories Burned, Connected GPS (shows a little map post workout when tied to your phone, and yes, you need to bring your phone with you on walks/runs), and notifications (as of now, just texts, calendar alerts, and displays phone number of incoming calls). The Charge watch has been the workhorse of the fitbit line. Since you're familiar with the Charge already, let's go over some of the issues you may have experienced and highlights/common questions answered: 1) Build Quality: The Charge 2 is a far far superior quality than the original Charge. **If you had problems with your original Charge band bubbling, the ability to swap bands and how the tracker is connected to the bands should eliminate the issues you have experienced ** Obviously way too early to make a call on how the device will hold up, but given my experience with Blaze & Alta, this feels similar in build quality, if not better, and neither of those devices have suffered from bands falling apart on a wide scale. 5) Display is nice, 4x larger than the original Charge. The font is a bright offwhite, as opposed to the original Charge that had a soft almost blue to it. Some display day & date, and most have option to where when you tap the display it will cycle through stats (may display heart rate, date, steps taken, how far you are in your goals, your hourly movement reminders, etc). Yes, two of the watch faces are digital (numbers display, not hands) and have seconds displayed. There is no 3rd party support at this time such as facebook, instagram, etc (The Blaze watch will be offering these soon in next software upgrade, so I guess there is hope the Charge 2 will get those as well). Heart rate was spot on as it usually was with original Charge HR & my Blaze. Obviously some folks have trouble with them due to body hair and whatnot, but the sensors on Charge HR, Blaze, and now Charge 2 seem to be spot on. An issue I had with the original Charge was it getting "lost" when I hit higher cardio levels. CONS: - vibration is notably weaker than the original Charge. The Charge HR slowly scrolls texts and notifications to you, which can be annoying if you're used to the Blaze. They serve their purpose well though, and I can't ding it for this as it's a step up from the original Charge. The Blaze is their high end product at the moment, but the Charge 2 is a very close second. I'll happily answer questions as I did for when I originally reviewed the Blaze out of the gate, and edit this review to reflect common questions or any issues I face as I put the device through its paces in the coming days."
Make every beat count with Fitbit Charge 2—the all-new heart rate and fitness wristband built for all-day, workouts and beyond. PurePulse continuous, automatic wrist-based heart rate tracking to better measure calorie burn all day.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I found the Fitbit to be an incredible fitness device compared to the Apple watch. The fitbit can also track sleep, and give you an estimate of your cardio fitness score (V02 Max). Other features: Clearly the fitbit is not a smart watch, but the text and call notifications are great when you're working out and don't have quick access to your phone. Accuracy: Tie. I have no idea what the negative reviews are talking about (Maybe they received a defective device or have exceptionally hairy arms?). The apple watch is slightly more accurate when it comes to distance, and probably more suited for someone who runs at a competitive pace. I love watching my cardio fitness score change and keeping an eye on my resting heart rate overnight. Apple has a ton of 3rd party apps which are great, but it lacks the complete integration of the fitbit. I haven't decided which one I will be keeping yet, but if I were basing my decision on fitness alone, at a non competitive level, I would choose the fitbit hands down. There are other useful features that make the Apple watch appealing in my line of work, so I'll have to weigh those into my decision. The apple watch doesn't have the same coolness factor with regard to fitness, and really doesn't motivate me to workout anymore than my iPhone would. It is perfect for someone who doesn't care about tracking fitness goals, but wants to leave their phone at home during a workout. The ability to stream music, track distance with a built in GPS, and respond to text messages are wonderful. I have a 7 inch wrist and the large band fits me on the last 2-4 holes (keep it loose when not working out)."
"As a Blaze and original Charge HR owner, figured I'd try my hand at the newest Fitbit Charge 2. It replaces the original best selling Charge & Charge HR. Steps, Flights, Heart Rate, Calories Burned, Connected GPS (shows a little map post workout when tied to your phone, and yes, you need to bring your phone with you on walks/runs), and notifications (as of now, just texts, calendar alerts, and displays phone number of incoming calls). The Charge watch has been the workhorse of the fitbit line. Since you're familiar with the Charge already, let's go over some of the issues you may have experienced and highlights/common questions answered: 1) Build Quality: The Charge 2 is a far far superior quality than the original Charge. **If you had problems with your original Charge band bubbling, the ability to swap bands and how the tracker is connected to the bands should eliminate the issues you have experienced ** Obviously way too early to make a call on how the device will hold up, but given my experience with Blaze & Alta, this feels similar in build quality, if not better, and neither of those devices have suffered from bands falling apart on a wide scale. 5) Display is nice, 4x larger than the original Charge. The font is a bright offwhite, as opposed to the original Charge that had a soft almost blue to it. Some display day & date, and most have option to where when you tap the display it will cycle through stats (may display heart rate, date, steps taken, how far you are in your goals, your hourly movement reminders, etc). Yes, two of the watch faces are digital (numbers display, not hands) and have seconds displayed. There is no 3rd party support at this time such as facebook, instagram, etc (The Blaze watch will be offering these soon in next software upgrade, so I guess there is hope the Charge 2 will get those as well). Heart rate was spot on as it usually was with original Charge HR & my Blaze. Obviously some folks have trouble with them due to body hair and whatnot, but the sensors on Charge HR, Blaze, and now Charge 2 seem to be spot on. An issue I had with the original Charge was it getting "lost" when I hit higher cardio levels. CONS: - vibration is notably weaker than the original Charge. The Charge HR slowly scrolls texts and notifications to you, which can be annoying if you're used to the Blaze. They serve their purpose well though, and I can't ding it for this as it's a step up from the original Charge. The Blaze is their high end product at the moment, but the Charge 2 is a very close second. I'll happily answer questions as I did for when I originally reviewed the Blaze out of the gate, and edit this review to reflect common questions or any issues I face as I put the device through its paces in the coming days."
PurePulse continuous heart rate and multi-sport modes enhance every exercise, while next-generation features like Connected GPS and FitStar workouts on your wrist help you take your fitness to the next level. Stay connected with call, text & calendar alerts and notifications from your favorite apps like Gmail, Facebook and more (when phone is nearby).Start a FitStar workout on your wrist and get step-by-step instructions and graphics to ensure you complete each move correctly.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"PROs: - Large screen, easy to read display. - Nice gorilla glass screen that doesn't get scratched. - Accurate heart rate monitor without the need for chest strap. - Automatically tracks steps, sleep, workouts, heart rate. You really don't need to manually start activities like running, walking, or elliptical, the watch automatically picks up these activities and logs them based on movement and heart rate. CONs: - Hexagonal design may not be aesthetically pleasing (but not bad once you get used to it). - No built-in GPS to map runs and bike rides (need to carry phone to map). - Not waterproof so can't be worn in the pool. - Watch needs to be removed from frame every time for charging. - Screen doesn't always come on when I raise my wrist. **. SCREEN – I am used to wearing somewhat large watches like the Garmin 920XT, and the Blaze is just fine. Yes, the design may seem odd a bit at first given the width and the space between the frame and actual watch, but the benefit of a large size is that the screen is super easy to read without having to pull your wrist up, a simple flick and you can view all snapshots and smart notifications in a discrete way (useful when you're sitting in meetings). The screen, similar to the Apple watch, stays off, and can be turned on with the simple turn of a wrist. I have found that raising the wrist doesn't always turn on the screen (this works flawlessly with the Apple watch), however if you "flick" your wrist towards you, the screen will turn on right away. I have extensively compared heart rate shown by the Blaze to that shown by the Apple watch (which is usually WAY off) and that shown by my Garmin chest strap HRM, which is considered the most accurate. With the built-in heart rate monitor, it automatically tracks your activities and calories burnt in case you forget to manually start a workout on the watch. With the Blaze, it has an Auto-Sleep feature that doesn't require you to turn on the sleep mode, it will automatically detect that you are sleeping based on lack of movement and heart rate. I did notice that if I am using my phone like listening to music (and not looking at the phone screen), notifications do not show on the watch. I charger like the Apple watch would have been ideal where you can simply drop the watch on the charging pad and it will charge right away. That being said, I have accidentally worn the Blaze in the shower a few times already (I'm probably still used to my Garmin watch which I didn't need to take off) and the watch held up just fine. QUICK COMPARISON WITH APPLE WATCH: - Apple watch is sleeker and feels more comfortable on the wrist. - Apple watch has a better and crisper resolution compared to Blaze's screen. Apple watch doesn't track sleep and requires you to manually start logging an activity. - Both have smart notifications and show text messages, calls, calendar appointments, but Apple watch lets you do more like view WhatsApp messages and other phone notifications, and answer calls right on the watch. - Blaze has a 5-6 day battery life with normal use compared to Apple watch which needs to be charged every 1-2 days. - Blaze - $199, Apple watch - $349 for base model. BOTTOM LINE: - If you have an older fitness tracker band like the Fitbit Flex or Jawbone Up, the Blaze is a great upgrade with all its new features (heart rate monitor, auto activity/sleep tracker, smart notifications). - If you have an Apple watch, I guess the Blaze doesn't offer that much more to make it worthy of a switch (though I'm a huge fan of the accurate HRM and auto tracking in the Blaze). Just adding a few minor observations in addition to the initial review: - If you let the watch automatically track a workout, it starts logging it after the first 5-10 minutes, basically only once your heart rate picks up. Minor issue, immaterial in my opinion - if you want a precise log of your workouts, you can manually start the workout on the watch and it will log it as a 1-hour workout. - The watch automatically detects when you're sleeping based on movement (lack of) and heart rate, however it doesn't automatically turn off notifications during this time. To turn off notifications when sleeping, you can either put your phone in sleep mode, or switch off notifications on the watch by simply swiping down on the main screen."
"It continually tracks your heart rate, your steps, stairs climbed, calories burned, active minutes, miles, exercise, and sleep. It seamlessly works with the FitBit app, which can also help you keep track of your calories consumed (works with apps like MyFitnessPal, Weight Watchers, etc), water intake, and weight. All of them have been the Milanese style bands and the ones that came from china caused major hives/break outs on my wrist, one of which required a prescription cream to resolve. One milanese band has worked consistently well for me without skin issues and no problems with the magnet slipping. Please note this is NOT an affiliate link and none of the things in the post are sponsored. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01J0RAP3U/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1. -As of the date of this review, the watch does NOT have "reminder to move" functionality. Doing some reading, it looks like FitBit plans to have a firmware update in the future to include this, but as of now, it does not. What I would like to see is a reminder to move during hours that you set based on the amount of steps you want to achieve in a day. I had a fitness tracker several years ago that would buzz if you had been sedentary for 10 minutes. This functionality would be great for people with office jobs that sit all day. FitBit has a proprietary charger so you can't just use any standard cord to plug it in. You have to take the face of the watch out of the band and put it in a boxed-frame like charger to charge. I haven't had a problem with it, but I did have a couple of glass screen protectors on it and they both broke within a day, but my watch face is still fine without scratches."
Best Fitness & Activity Monitors
Make every beat count with Fitbit Charge 2—the all-new heart rate and fitness wristband built for all-day, workouts and beyond. PurePulse continuous, automatic wrist-based heart rate tracking to better measure calorie burn all day.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I found the Fitbit to be an incredible fitness device compared to the Apple watch. The fitbit can also track sleep, and give you an estimate of your cardio fitness score (V02 Max). Other features: Clearly the fitbit is not a smart watch, but the text and call notifications are great when you're working out and don't have quick access to your phone. Accuracy: Tie. I have no idea what the negative reviews are talking about (Maybe they received a defective device or have exceptionally hairy arms?). The apple watch is slightly more accurate when it comes to distance, and probably more suited for someone who runs at a competitive pace. I love watching my cardio fitness score change and keeping an eye on my resting heart rate overnight. Apple has a ton of 3rd party apps which are great, but it lacks the complete integration of the fitbit. I haven't decided which one I will be keeping yet, but if I were basing my decision on fitness alone, at a non competitive level, I would choose the fitbit hands down. There are other useful features that make the Apple watch appealing in my line of work, so I'll have to weigh those into my decision. The apple watch doesn't have the same coolness factor with regard to fitness, and really doesn't motivate me to workout anymore than my iPhone would. It is perfect for someone who doesn't care about tracking fitness goals, but wants to leave their phone at home during a workout. The ability to stream music, track distance with a built in GPS, and respond to text messages are wonderful. I have a 7 inch wrist and the large band fits me on the last 2-4 holes (keep it loose when not working out)."
"As a Blaze and original Charge HR owner, figured I'd try my hand at the newest Fitbit Charge 2. It replaces the original best selling Charge & Charge HR. Steps, Flights, Heart Rate, Calories Burned, Connected GPS (shows a little map post workout when tied to your phone, and yes, you need to bring your phone with you on walks/runs), and notifications (as of now, just texts, calendar alerts, and displays phone number of incoming calls). The Charge watch has been the workhorse of the fitbit line. Since you're familiar with the Charge already, let's go over some of the issues you may have experienced and highlights/common questions answered: 1) Build Quality: The Charge 2 is a far far superior quality than the original Charge. **If you had problems with your original Charge band bubbling, the ability to swap bands and how the tracker is connected to the bands should eliminate the issues you have experienced ** Obviously way too early to make a call on how the device will hold up, but given my experience with Blaze & Alta, this feels similar in build quality, if not better, and neither of those devices have suffered from bands falling apart on a wide scale. 5) Display is nice, 4x larger than the original Charge. The font is a bright offwhite, as opposed to the original Charge that had a soft almost blue to it. Some display day & date, and most have option to where when you tap the display it will cycle through stats (may display heart rate, date, steps taken, how far you are in your goals, your hourly movement reminders, etc). Yes, two of the watch faces are digital (numbers display, not hands) and have seconds displayed. There is no 3rd party support at this time such as facebook, instagram, etc (The Blaze watch will be offering these soon in next software upgrade, so I guess there is hope the Charge 2 will get those as well). Heart rate was spot on as it usually was with original Charge HR & my Blaze. Obviously some folks have trouble with them due to body hair and whatnot, but the sensors on Charge HR, Blaze, and now Charge 2 seem to be spot on. An issue I had with the original Charge was it getting "lost" when I hit higher cardio levels. CONS: - vibration is notably weaker than the original Charge. The Charge HR slowly scrolls texts and notifications to you, which can be annoying if you're used to the Blaze. They serve their purpose well though, and I can't ding it for this as it's a step up from the original Charge. The Blaze is their high end product at the moment, but the Charge 2 is a very close second. I'll happily answer questions as I did for when I originally reviewed the Blaze out of the gate, and edit this review to reflect common questions or any issues I face as I put the device through its paces in the coming days."
Best Smart Watches
Stay connected with call, text & calendar alerts and notifications from your favorite apps like Gmail, Facebook and more (when phone is nearby).Start a FitStar workout on your wrist and get step-by-step instructions and graphics to ensure you complete each move correctly.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"PROs: - Large screen, easy to read display. - Nice gorilla glass screen that doesn't get scratched. - Accurate heart rate monitor without the need for chest strap. - Automatically tracks steps, sleep, workouts, heart rate. You really don't need to manually start activities like running, walking, or elliptical, the watch automatically picks up these activities and logs them based on movement and heart rate. CONs: - Hexagonal design may not be aesthetically pleasing (but not bad once you get used to it). - No built-in GPS to map runs and bike rides (need to carry phone to map). - Not waterproof so can't be worn in the pool. - Watch needs to be removed from frame every time for charging. - Screen doesn't always come on when I raise my wrist. **. SCREEN – I am used to wearing somewhat large watches like the Garmin 920XT, and the Blaze is just fine. Yes, the design may seem odd a bit at first given the width and the space between the frame and actual watch, but the benefit of a large size is that the screen is super easy to read without having to pull your wrist up, a simple flick and you can view all snapshots and smart notifications in a discrete way (useful when you're sitting in meetings). The screen, similar to the Apple watch, stays off, and can be turned on with the simple turn of a wrist. I have found that raising the wrist doesn't always turn on the screen (this works flawlessly with the Apple watch), however if you "flick" your wrist towards you, the screen will turn on right away. I have extensively compared heart rate shown by the Blaze to that shown by the Apple watch (which is usually WAY off) and that shown by my Garmin chest strap HRM, which is considered the most accurate. With the built-in heart rate monitor, it automatically tracks your activities and calories burnt in case you forget to manually start a workout on the watch. With the Blaze, it has an Auto-Sleep feature that doesn't require you to turn on the sleep mode, it will automatically detect that you are sleeping based on lack of movement and heart rate. I did notice that if I am using my phone like listening to music (and not looking at the phone screen), notifications do not show on the watch. I charger like the Apple watch would have been ideal where you can simply drop the watch on the charging pad and it will charge right away. That being said, I have accidentally worn the Blaze in the shower a few times already (I'm probably still used to my Garmin watch which I didn't need to take off) and the watch held up just fine. QUICK COMPARISON WITH APPLE WATCH: - Apple watch is sleeker and feels more comfortable on the wrist. - Apple watch has a better and crisper resolution compared to Blaze's screen. Apple watch doesn't track sleep and requires you to manually start logging an activity. - Both have smart notifications and show text messages, calls, calendar appointments, but Apple watch lets you do more like view WhatsApp messages and other phone notifications, and answer calls right on the watch. - Blaze has a 5-6 day battery life with normal use compared to Apple watch which needs to be charged every 1-2 days. - Blaze - $199, Apple watch - $349 for base model. BOTTOM LINE: - If you have an older fitness tracker band like the Fitbit Flex or Jawbone Up, the Blaze is a great upgrade with all its new features (heart rate monitor, auto activity/sleep tracker, smart notifications). - If you have an Apple watch, I guess the Blaze doesn't offer that much more to make it worthy of a switch (though I'm a huge fan of the accurate HRM and auto tracking in the Blaze). Just adding a few minor observations in addition to the initial review: - If you let the watch automatically track a workout, it starts logging it after the first 5-10 minutes, basically only once your heart rate picks up. Minor issue, immaterial in my opinion - if you want a precise log of your workouts, you can manually start the workout on the watch and it will log it as a 1-hour workout. - The watch automatically detects when you're sleeping based on movement (lack of) and heart rate, however it doesn't automatically turn off notifications during this time. To turn off notifications when sleeping, you can either put your phone in sleep mode, or switch off notifications on the watch by simply swiping down on the main screen."
"It continually tracks your heart rate, your steps, stairs climbed, calories burned, active minutes, miles, exercise, and sleep. It seamlessly works with the FitBit app, which can also help you keep track of your calories consumed (works with apps like MyFitnessPal, Weight Watchers, etc), water intake, and weight. All of them have been the Milanese style bands and the ones that came from china caused major hives/break outs on my wrist, one of which required a prescription cream to resolve. One milanese band has worked consistently well for me without skin issues and no problems with the magnet slipping. Please note this is NOT an affiliate link and none of the things in the post are sponsored. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01J0RAP3U/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1. -As of the date of this review, the watch does NOT have "reminder to move" functionality. Doing some reading, it looks like FitBit plans to have a firmware update in the future to include this, but as of now, it does not. What I would like to see is a reminder to move during hours that you set based on the amount of steps you want to achieve in a day. I had a fitness tracker several years ago that would buzz if you had been sedentary for 10 minutes. This functionality would be great for people with office jobs that sit all day. FitBit has a proprietary charger so you can't just use any standard cord to plug it in. You have to take the face of the watch out of the band and put it in a boxed-frame like charger to charge. I haven't had a problem with it, but I did have a couple of glass screen protectors on it and they both broke within a day, but my watch face is still fine without scratches."
Best Smart Watches
Stay connected with call, text & calendar alerts and notifications from your favorite apps like Gmail, Facebook and more (when phone is nearby).Start a FitStar workout on your wrist and get step-by-step instructions and graphics to ensure you complete each move correctly.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"PROs: - Large screen, easy to read display. - Nice gorilla glass screen that doesn't get scratched. - Accurate heart rate monitor without the need for chest strap. - Automatically tracks steps, sleep, workouts, heart rate. You really don't need to manually start activities like running, walking, or elliptical, the watch automatically picks up these activities and logs them based on movement and heart rate. CONs: - Hexagonal design may not be aesthetically pleasing (but not bad once you get used to it). - No built-in GPS to map runs and bike rides (need to carry phone to map). - Not waterproof so can't be worn in the pool. - Watch needs to be removed from frame every time for charging. - Screen doesn't always come on when I raise my wrist. **. SCREEN – I am used to wearing somewhat large watches like the Garmin 920XT, and the Blaze is just fine. Yes, the design may seem odd a bit at first given the width and the space between the frame and actual watch, but the benefit of a large size is that the screen is super easy to read without having to pull your wrist up, a simple flick and you can view all snapshots and smart notifications in a discrete way (useful when you're sitting in meetings). The screen, similar to the Apple watch, stays off, and can be turned on with the simple turn of a wrist. I have found that raising the wrist doesn't always turn on the screen (this works flawlessly with the Apple watch), however if you "flick" your wrist towards you, the screen will turn on right away. I have extensively compared heart rate shown by the Blaze to that shown by the Apple watch (which is usually WAY off) and that shown by my Garmin chest strap HRM, which is considered the most accurate. With the built-in heart rate monitor, it automatically tracks your activities and calories burnt in case you forget to manually start a workout on the watch. With the Blaze, it has an Auto-Sleep feature that doesn't require you to turn on the sleep mode, it will automatically detect that you are sleeping based on lack of movement and heart rate. I did notice that if I am using my phone like listening to music (and not looking at the phone screen), notifications do not show on the watch. I charger like the Apple watch would have been ideal where you can simply drop the watch on the charging pad and it will charge right away. That being said, I have accidentally worn the Blaze in the shower a few times already (I'm probably still used to my Garmin watch which I didn't need to take off) and the watch held up just fine. QUICK COMPARISON WITH APPLE WATCH: - Apple watch is sleeker and feels more comfortable on the wrist. - Apple watch has a better and crisper resolution compared to Blaze's screen. Apple watch doesn't track sleep and requires you to manually start logging an activity. - Both have smart notifications and show text messages, calls, calendar appointments, but Apple watch lets you do more like view WhatsApp messages and other phone notifications, and answer calls right on the watch. - Blaze has a 5-6 day battery life with normal use compared to Apple watch which needs to be charged every 1-2 days. - Blaze - $199, Apple watch - $349 for base model. BOTTOM LINE: - If you have an older fitness tracker band like the Fitbit Flex or Jawbone Up, the Blaze is a great upgrade with all its new features (heart rate monitor, auto activity/sleep tracker, smart notifications). - If you have an Apple watch, I guess the Blaze doesn't offer that much more to make it worthy of a switch (though I'm a huge fan of the accurate HRM and auto tracking in the Blaze). Just adding a few minor observations in addition to the initial review: - If you let the watch automatically track a workout, it starts logging it after the first 5-10 minutes, basically only once your heart rate picks up. Minor issue, immaterial in my opinion - if you want a precise log of your workouts, you can manually start the workout on the watch and it will log it as a 1-hour workout. - The watch automatically detects when you're sleeping based on movement (lack of) and heart rate, however it doesn't automatically turn off notifications during this time. To turn off notifications when sleeping, you can either put your phone in sleep mode, or switch off notifications on the watch by simply swiping down on the main screen."
"It continually tracks your heart rate, your steps, stairs climbed, calories burned, active minutes, miles, exercise, and sleep. It seamlessly works with the FitBit app, which can also help you keep track of your calories consumed (works with apps like MyFitnessPal, Weight Watchers, etc), water intake, and weight. All of them have been the Milanese style bands and the ones that came from china caused major hives/break outs on my wrist, one of which required a prescription cream to resolve. One milanese band has worked consistently well for me without skin issues and no problems with the magnet slipping. Please note this is NOT an affiliate link and none of the things in the post are sponsored. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01J0RAP3U/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1. -As of the date of this review, the watch does NOT have "reminder to move" functionality. Doing some reading, it looks like FitBit plans to have a firmware update in the future to include this, but as of now, it does not. What I would like to see is a reminder to move during hours that you set based on the amount of steps you want to achieve in a day. I had a fitness tracker several years ago that would buzz if you had been sedentary for 10 minutes. This functionality would be great for people with office jobs that sit all day. FitBit has a proprietary charger so you can't just use any standard cord to plug it in. You have to take the face of the watch out of the band and put it in a boxed-frame like charger to charge. I haven't had a problem with it, but I did have a couple of glass screen protectors on it and they both broke within a day, but my watch face is still fine without scratches."
Best Heart Rate Monitors
Make every beat count with Fitbit Charge 2—the all-new heart rate and fitness wristband built for all-day, workouts and beyond. PurePulse continuous, automatic wrist-based heart rate tracking to better measure calorie burn all day.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I found the Fitbit to be an incredible fitness device compared to the Apple watch. The fitbit can also track sleep, and give you an estimate of your cardio fitness score (V02 Max). Other features: Clearly the fitbit is not a smart watch, but the text and call notifications are great when you're working out and don't have quick access to your phone. Accuracy: Tie. I have no idea what the negative reviews are talking about (Maybe they received a defective device or have exceptionally hairy arms?). The apple watch is slightly more accurate when it comes to distance, and probably more suited for someone who runs at a competitive pace. I love watching my cardio fitness score change and keeping an eye on my resting heart rate overnight. Apple has a ton of 3rd party apps which are great, but it lacks the complete integration of the fitbit. I haven't decided which one I will be keeping yet, but if I were basing my decision on fitness alone, at a non competitive level, I would choose the fitbit hands down. There are other useful features that make the Apple watch appealing in my line of work, so I'll have to weigh those into my decision. The apple watch doesn't have the same coolness factor with regard to fitness, and really doesn't motivate me to workout anymore than my iPhone would. It is perfect for someone who doesn't care about tracking fitness goals, but wants to leave their phone at home during a workout. The ability to stream music, track distance with a built in GPS, and respond to text messages are wonderful. I have a 7 inch wrist and the large band fits me on the last 2-4 holes (keep it loose when not working out)."
"As a Blaze and original Charge HR owner, figured I'd try my hand at the newest Fitbit Charge 2. It replaces the original best selling Charge & Charge HR. Steps, Flights, Heart Rate, Calories Burned, Connected GPS (shows a little map post workout when tied to your phone, and yes, you need to bring your phone with you on walks/runs), and notifications (as of now, just texts, calendar alerts, and displays phone number of incoming calls). The Charge watch has been the workhorse of the fitbit line. Since you're familiar with the Charge already, let's go over some of the issues you may have experienced and highlights/common questions answered: 1) Build Quality: The Charge 2 is a far far superior quality than the original Charge. **If you had problems with your original Charge band bubbling, the ability to swap bands and how the tracker is connected to the bands should eliminate the issues you have experienced ** Obviously way too early to make a call on how the device will hold up, but given my experience with Blaze & Alta, this feels similar in build quality, if not better, and neither of those devices have suffered from bands falling apart on a wide scale. 5) Display is nice, 4x larger than the original Charge. The font is a bright offwhite, as opposed to the original Charge that had a soft almost blue to it. Some display day & date, and most have option to where when you tap the display it will cycle through stats (may display heart rate, date, steps taken, how far you are in your goals, your hourly movement reminders, etc). Yes, two of the watch faces are digital (numbers display, not hands) and have seconds displayed. There is no 3rd party support at this time such as facebook, instagram, etc (The Blaze watch will be offering these soon in next software upgrade, so I guess there is hope the Charge 2 will get those as well). Heart rate was spot on as it usually was with original Charge HR & my Blaze. Obviously some folks have trouble with them due to body hair and whatnot, but the sensors on Charge HR, Blaze, and now Charge 2 seem to be spot on. An issue I had with the original Charge was it getting "lost" when I hit higher cardio levels. CONS: - vibration is notably weaker than the original Charge. The Charge HR slowly scrolls texts and notifications to you, which can be annoying if you're used to the Blaze. They serve their purpose well though, and I can't ding it for this as it's a step up from the original Charge. The Blaze is their high end product at the moment, but the Charge 2 is a very close second. I'll happily answer questions as I did for when I originally reviewed the Blaze out of the gate, and edit this review to reflect common questions or any issues I face as I put the device through its paces in the coming days."
Best Heart Rate Monitors
Make every beat count with Fitbit Charge 2—the all-new heart rate and fitness wristband built for all-day, workouts and beyond. PurePulse continuous, automatic wrist-based heart rate tracking to better measure calorie burn all day.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I found the Fitbit to be an incredible fitness device compared to the Apple watch. The fitbit can also track sleep, and give you an estimate of your cardio fitness score (V02 Max). Other features: Clearly the fitbit is not a smart watch, but the text and call notifications are great when you're working out and don't have quick access to your phone. Accuracy: Tie. I have no idea what the negative reviews are talking about (Maybe they received a defective device or have exceptionally hairy arms?). The apple watch is slightly more accurate when it comes to distance, and probably more suited for someone who runs at a competitive pace. I love watching my cardio fitness score change and keeping an eye on my resting heart rate overnight. Apple has a ton of 3rd party apps which are great, but it lacks the complete integration of the fitbit. I haven't decided which one I will be keeping yet, but if I were basing my decision on fitness alone, at a non competitive level, I would choose the fitbit hands down. There are other useful features that make the Apple watch appealing in my line of work, so I'll have to weigh those into my decision. The apple watch doesn't have the same coolness factor with regard to fitness, and really doesn't motivate me to workout anymore than my iPhone would. It is perfect for someone who doesn't care about tracking fitness goals, but wants to leave their phone at home during a workout. The ability to stream music, track distance with a built in GPS, and respond to text messages are wonderful. I have a 7 inch wrist and the large band fits me on the last 2-4 holes (keep it loose when not working out)."
"As a Blaze and original Charge HR owner, figured I'd try my hand at the newest Fitbit Charge 2. It replaces the original best selling Charge & Charge HR. Steps, Flights, Heart Rate, Calories Burned, Connected GPS (shows a little map post workout when tied to your phone, and yes, you need to bring your phone with you on walks/runs), and notifications (as of now, just texts, calendar alerts, and displays phone number of incoming calls). The Charge watch has been the workhorse of the fitbit line. Since you're familiar with the Charge already, let's go over some of the issues you may have experienced and highlights/common questions answered: 1) Build Quality: The Charge 2 is a far far superior quality than the original Charge. **If you had problems with your original Charge band bubbling, the ability to swap bands and how the tracker is connected to the bands should eliminate the issues you have experienced ** Obviously way too early to make a call on how the device will hold up, but given my experience with Blaze & Alta, this feels similar in build quality, if not better, and neither of those devices have suffered from bands falling apart on a wide scale. 5) Display is nice, 4x larger than the original Charge. The font is a bright offwhite, as opposed to the original Charge that had a soft almost blue to it. Some display day & date, and most have option to where when you tap the display it will cycle through stats (may display heart rate, date, steps taken, how far you are in your goals, your hourly movement reminders, etc). Yes, two of the watch faces are digital (numbers display, not hands) and have seconds displayed. There is no 3rd party support at this time such as facebook, instagram, etc (The Blaze watch will be offering these soon in next software upgrade, so I guess there is hope the Charge 2 will get those as well). Heart rate was spot on as it usually was with original Charge HR & my Blaze. Obviously some folks have trouble with them due to body hair and whatnot, but the sensors on Charge HR, Blaze, and now Charge 2 seem to be spot on. An issue I had with the original Charge was it getting "lost" when I hit higher cardio levels. CONS: - vibration is notably weaker than the original Charge. The Charge HR slowly scrolls texts and notifications to you, which can be annoying if you're used to the Blaze. They serve their purpose well though, and I can't ding it for this as it's a step up from the original Charge. The Blaze is their high end product at the moment, but the Charge 2 is a very close second. I'll happily answer questions as I did for when I originally reviewed the Blaze out of the gate, and edit this review to reflect common questions or any issues I face as I put the device through its paces in the coming days."
Best Fitness Technology
Make every beat count with Fitbit Charge 2—the all-new heart rate and fitness wristband built for all-day, workouts and beyond. PurePulse continuous, automatic wrist-based heart rate tracking to better measure calorie burn all day.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I found the Fitbit to be an incredible fitness device compared to the Apple watch. The fitbit can also track sleep, and give you an estimate of your cardio fitness score (V02 Max). Other features: Clearly the fitbit is not a smart watch, but the text and call notifications are great when you're working out and don't have quick access to your phone. Accuracy: Tie. I have no idea what the negative reviews are talking about (Maybe they received a defective device or have exceptionally hairy arms?). The apple watch is slightly more accurate when it comes to distance, and probably more suited for someone who runs at a competitive pace. I love watching my cardio fitness score change and keeping an eye on my resting heart rate overnight. Apple has a ton of 3rd party apps which are great, but it lacks the complete integration of the fitbit. I haven't decided which one I will be keeping yet, but if I were basing my decision on fitness alone, at a non competitive level, I would choose the fitbit hands down. There are other useful features that make the Apple watch appealing in my line of work, so I'll have to weigh those into my decision. The apple watch doesn't have the same coolness factor with regard to fitness, and really doesn't motivate me to workout anymore than my iPhone would. It is perfect for someone who doesn't care about tracking fitness goals, but wants to leave their phone at home during a workout. The ability to stream music, track distance with a built in GPS, and respond to text messages are wonderful. I have a 7 inch wrist and the large band fits me on the last 2-4 holes (keep it loose when not working out)."
"As a Blaze and original Charge HR owner, figured I'd try my hand at the newest Fitbit Charge 2. It replaces the original best selling Charge & Charge HR. Steps, Flights, Heart Rate, Calories Burned, Connected GPS (shows a little map post workout when tied to your phone, and yes, you need to bring your phone with you on walks/runs), and notifications (as of now, just texts, calendar alerts, and displays phone number of incoming calls). The Charge watch has been the workhorse of the fitbit line. Since you're familiar with the Charge already, let's go over some of the issues you may have experienced and highlights/common questions answered: 1) Build Quality: The Charge 2 is a far far superior quality than the original Charge. **If you had problems with your original Charge band bubbling, the ability to swap bands and how the tracker is connected to the bands should eliminate the issues you have experienced ** Obviously way too early to make a call on how the device will hold up, but given my experience with Blaze & Alta, this feels similar in build quality, if not better, and neither of those devices have suffered from bands falling apart on a wide scale. 5) Display is nice, 4x larger than the original Charge. The font is a bright offwhite, as opposed to the original Charge that had a soft almost blue to it. Some display day & date, and most have option to where when you tap the display it will cycle through stats (may display heart rate, date, steps taken, how far you are in your goals, your hourly movement reminders, etc). Yes, two of the watch faces are digital (numbers display, not hands) and have seconds displayed. There is no 3rd party support at this time such as facebook, instagram, etc (The Blaze watch will be offering these soon in next software upgrade, so I guess there is hope the Charge 2 will get those as well). Heart rate was spot on as it usually was with original Charge HR & my Blaze. Obviously some folks have trouble with them due to body hair and whatnot, but the sensors on Charge HR, Blaze, and now Charge 2 seem to be spot on. An issue I had with the original Charge was it getting "lost" when I hit higher cardio levels. CONS: - vibration is notably weaker than the original Charge. The Charge HR slowly scrolls texts and notifications to you, which can be annoying if you're used to the Blaze. They serve their purpose well though, and I can't ding it for this as it's a step up from the original Charge. The Blaze is their high end product at the moment, but the Charge 2 is a very close second. I'll happily answer questions as I did for when I originally reviewed the Blaze out of the gate, and edit this review to reflect common questions or any issues I face as I put the device through its paces in the coming days."
Best Activity, Health & Wellness Monitors
Make every beat count with Fitbit Charge 2—the all-new heart rate and fitness wristband built for all-day, workouts and beyond. PurePulse continuous, automatic wrist-based heart rate tracking to better measure calorie burn all day.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I found the Fitbit to be an incredible fitness device compared to the Apple watch. The fitbit can also track sleep, and give you an estimate of your cardio fitness score (V02 Max). Other features: Clearly the fitbit is not a smart watch, but the text and call notifications are great when you're working out and don't have quick access to your phone. Accuracy: Tie. I have no idea what the negative reviews are talking about (Maybe they received a defective device or have exceptionally hairy arms?). The apple watch is slightly more accurate when it comes to distance, and probably more suited for someone who runs at a competitive pace. I love watching my cardio fitness score change and keeping an eye on my resting heart rate overnight. Apple has a ton of 3rd party apps which are great, but it lacks the complete integration of the fitbit. I haven't decided which one I will be keeping yet, but if I were basing my decision on fitness alone, at a non competitive level, I would choose the fitbit hands down. There are other useful features that make the Apple watch appealing in my line of work, so I'll have to weigh those into my decision. The apple watch doesn't have the same coolness factor with regard to fitness, and really doesn't motivate me to workout anymore than my iPhone would. It is perfect for someone who doesn't care about tracking fitness goals, but wants to leave their phone at home during a workout. The ability to stream music, track distance with a built in GPS, and respond to text messages are wonderful. I have a 7 inch wrist and the large band fits me on the last 2-4 holes (keep it loose when not working out)."
"As a Blaze and original Charge HR owner, figured I'd try my hand at the newest Fitbit Charge 2. It replaces the original best selling Charge & Charge HR. Steps, Flights, Heart Rate, Calories Burned, Connected GPS (shows a little map post workout when tied to your phone, and yes, you need to bring your phone with you on walks/runs), and notifications (as of now, just texts, calendar alerts, and displays phone number of incoming calls). The Charge watch has been the workhorse of the fitbit line. Since you're familiar with the Charge already, let's go over some of the issues you may have experienced and highlights/common questions answered: 1) Build Quality: The Charge 2 is a far far superior quality than the original Charge. **If you had problems with your original Charge band bubbling, the ability to swap bands and how the tracker is connected to the bands should eliminate the issues you have experienced ** Obviously way too early to make a call on how the device will hold up, but given my experience with Blaze & Alta, this feels similar in build quality, if not better, and neither of those devices have suffered from bands falling apart on a wide scale. 5) Display is nice, 4x larger than the original Charge. The font is a bright offwhite, as opposed to the original Charge that had a soft almost blue to it. Some display day & date, and most have option to where when you tap the display it will cycle through stats (may display heart rate, date, steps taken, how far you are in your goals, your hourly movement reminders, etc). Yes, two of the watch faces are digital (numbers display, not hands) and have seconds displayed. There is no 3rd party support at this time such as facebook, instagram, etc (The Blaze watch will be offering these soon in next software upgrade, so I guess there is hope the Charge 2 will get those as well). Heart rate was spot on as it usually was with original Charge HR & my Blaze. Obviously some folks have trouble with them due to body hair and whatnot, but the sensors on Charge HR, Blaze, and now Charge 2 seem to be spot on. An issue I had with the original Charge was it getting "lost" when I hit higher cardio levels. CONS: - vibration is notably weaker than the original Charge. The Charge HR slowly scrolls texts and notifications to you, which can be annoying if you're used to the Blaze. They serve their purpose well though, and I can't ding it for this as it's a step up from the original Charge. The Blaze is their high end product at the moment, but the Charge 2 is a very close second. I'll happily answer questions as I did for when I originally reviewed the Blaze out of the gate, and edit this review to reflect common questions or any issues I face as I put the device through its paces in the coming days."
Best Pedometers
PurePulse continuous heart rate and multi-sport modes enhance every exercise, while next-generation features like Connected GPS and FitStar workouts on your wrist help you take your fitness to the next level. Stay connected with call, text & calendar alerts and notifications from your favorite apps like Gmail, Facebook and more (when phone is nearby).Start a FitStar workout on your wrist and get step-by-step instructions and graphics to ensure you complete each move correctly.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"PROs: - Large screen, easy to read display. - Nice gorilla glass screen that doesn't get scratched. - Accurate heart rate monitor without the need for chest strap. - Automatically tracks steps, sleep, workouts, heart rate. You really don't need to manually start activities like running, walking, or elliptical, the watch automatically picks up these activities and logs them based on movement and heart rate. CONs: - Hexagonal design may not be aesthetically pleasing (but not bad once you get used to it). - No built-in GPS to map runs and bike rides (need to carry phone to map). - Not waterproof so can't be worn in the pool. - Watch needs to be removed from frame every time for charging. - Screen doesn't always come on when I raise my wrist. **. SCREEN – I am used to wearing somewhat large watches like the Garmin 920XT, and the Blaze is just fine. Yes, the design may seem odd a bit at first given the width and the space between the frame and actual watch, but the benefit of a large size is that the screen is super easy to read without having to pull your wrist up, a simple flick and you can view all snapshots and smart notifications in a discrete way (useful when you're sitting in meetings). The screen, similar to the Apple watch, stays off, and can be turned on with the simple turn of a wrist. I have found that raising the wrist doesn't always turn on the screen (this works flawlessly with the Apple watch), however if you "flick" your wrist towards you, the screen will turn on right away. I have extensively compared heart rate shown by the Blaze to that shown by the Apple watch (which is usually WAY off) and that shown by my Garmin chest strap HRM, which is considered the most accurate. With the built-in heart rate monitor, it automatically tracks your activities and calories burnt in case you forget to manually start a workout on the watch. With the Blaze, it has an Auto-Sleep feature that doesn't require you to turn on the sleep mode, it will automatically detect that you are sleeping based on lack of movement and heart rate. I did notice that if I am using my phone like listening to music (and not looking at the phone screen), notifications do not show on the watch. I charger like the Apple watch would have been ideal where you can simply drop the watch on the charging pad and it will charge right away. That being said, I have accidentally worn the Blaze in the shower a few times already (I'm probably still used to my Garmin watch which I didn't need to take off) and the watch held up just fine. QUICK COMPARISON WITH APPLE WATCH: - Apple watch is sleeker and feels more comfortable on the wrist. - Apple watch has a better and crisper resolution compared to Blaze's screen. Apple watch doesn't track sleep and requires you to manually start logging an activity. - Both have smart notifications and show text messages, calls, calendar appointments, but Apple watch lets you do more like view WhatsApp messages and other phone notifications, and answer calls right on the watch. - Blaze has a 5-6 day battery life with normal use compared to Apple watch which needs to be charged every 1-2 days. - Blaze - $199, Apple watch - $349 for base model. BOTTOM LINE: - If you have an older fitness tracker band like the Fitbit Flex or Jawbone Up, the Blaze is a great upgrade with all its new features (heart rate monitor, auto activity/sleep tracker, smart notifications). - If you have an Apple watch, I guess the Blaze doesn't offer that much more to make it worthy of a switch (though I'm a huge fan of the accurate HRM and auto tracking in the Blaze). Just adding a few minor observations in addition to the initial review: - If you let the watch automatically track a workout, it starts logging it after the first 5-10 minutes, basically only once your heart rate picks up. Minor issue, immaterial in my opinion - if you want a precise log of your workouts, you can manually start the workout on the watch and it will log it as a 1-hour workout. - The watch automatically detects when you're sleeping based on movement (lack of) and heart rate, however it doesn't automatically turn off notifications during this time. To turn off notifications when sleeping, you can either put your phone in sleep mode, or switch off notifications on the watch by simply swiping down on the main screen."
"It continually tracks your heart rate, your steps, stairs climbed, calories burned, active minutes, miles, exercise, and sleep. It seamlessly works with the FitBit app, which can also help you keep track of your calories consumed (works with apps like MyFitnessPal, Weight Watchers, etc), water intake, and weight. All of them have been the Milanese style bands and the ones that came from china caused major hives/break outs on my wrist, one of which required a prescription cream to resolve. One milanese band has worked consistently well for me without skin issues and no problems with the magnet slipping. Please note this is NOT an affiliate link and none of the things in the post are sponsored. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01J0RAP3U/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1. -As of the date of this review, the watch does NOT have "reminder to move" functionality. Doing some reading, it looks like FitBit plans to have a firmware update in the future to include this, but as of now, it does not. What I would like to see is a reminder to move during hours that you set based on the amount of steps you want to achieve in a day. I had a fitness tracker several years ago that would buzz if you had been sedentary for 10 minutes. This functionality would be great for people with office jobs that sit all day. FitBit has a proprietary charger so you can't just use any standard cord to plug it in. You have to take the face of the watch out of the band and put it in a boxed-frame like charger to charge. I haven't had a problem with it, but I did have a couple of glass screen protectors on it and they both broke within a day, but my watch face is still fine without scratches."
Best Sports Accessories
Make every beat count with Fitbit Charge 2—the all-new heart rate and fitness wristband built for all-day, workouts and beyond. PurePulse continuous, automatic wrist-based heart rate tracking to better measure calorie burn all day.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I found the Fitbit to be an incredible fitness device compared to the Apple watch. The fitbit can also track sleep, and give you an estimate of your cardio fitness score (V02 Max). Other features: Clearly the fitbit is not a smart watch, but the text and call notifications are great when you're working out and don't have quick access to your phone. Accuracy: Tie. I have no idea what the negative reviews are talking about (Maybe they received a defective device or have exceptionally hairy arms?). The apple watch is slightly more accurate when it comes to distance, and probably more suited for someone who runs at a competitive pace. I love watching my cardio fitness score change and keeping an eye on my resting heart rate overnight. Apple has a ton of 3rd party apps which are great, but it lacks the complete integration of the fitbit. I haven't decided which one I will be keeping yet, but if I were basing my decision on fitness alone, at a non competitive level, I would choose the fitbit hands down. There are other useful features that make the Apple watch appealing in my line of work, so I'll have to weigh those into my decision. The apple watch doesn't have the same coolness factor with regard to fitness, and really doesn't motivate me to workout anymore than my iPhone would. It is perfect for someone who doesn't care about tracking fitness goals, but wants to leave their phone at home during a workout. The ability to stream music, track distance with a built in GPS, and respond to text messages are wonderful. I have a 7 inch wrist and the large band fits me on the last 2-4 holes (keep it loose when not working out)."
"As a Blaze and original Charge HR owner, figured I'd try my hand at the newest Fitbit Charge 2. It replaces the original best selling Charge & Charge HR. Steps, Flights, Heart Rate, Calories Burned, Connected GPS (shows a little map post workout when tied to your phone, and yes, you need to bring your phone with you on walks/runs), and notifications (as of now, just texts, calendar alerts, and displays phone number of incoming calls). The Charge watch has been the workhorse of the fitbit line. Since you're familiar with the Charge already, let's go over some of the issues you may have experienced and highlights/common questions answered: 1) Build Quality: The Charge 2 is a far far superior quality than the original Charge. **If you had problems with your original Charge band bubbling, the ability to swap bands and how the tracker is connected to the bands should eliminate the issues you have experienced ** Obviously way too early to make a call on how the device will hold up, but given my experience with Blaze & Alta, this feels similar in build quality, if not better, and neither of those devices have suffered from bands falling apart on a wide scale. 5) Display is nice, 4x larger than the original Charge. The font is a bright offwhite, as opposed to the original Charge that had a soft almost blue to it. Some display day & date, and most have option to where when you tap the display it will cycle through stats (may display heart rate, date, steps taken, how far you are in your goals, your hourly movement reminders, etc). Yes, two of the watch faces are digital (numbers display, not hands) and have seconds displayed. There is no 3rd party support at this time such as facebook, instagram, etc (The Blaze watch will be offering these soon in next software upgrade, so I guess there is hope the Charge 2 will get those as well). Heart rate was spot on as it usually was with original Charge HR & my Blaze. Obviously some folks have trouble with them due to body hair and whatnot, but the sensors on Charge HR, Blaze, and now Charge 2 seem to be spot on. An issue I had with the original Charge was it getting "lost" when I hit higher cardio levels. CONS: - vibration is notably weaker than the original Charge. The Charge HR slowly scrolls texts and notifications to you, which can be annoying if you're used to the Blaze. They serve their purpose well though, and I can't ding it for this as it's a step up from the original Charge. The Blaze is their high end product at the moment, but the Charge 2 is a very close second. I'll happily answer questions as I did for when I originally reviewed the Blaze out of the gate, and edit this review to reflect common questions or any issues I face as I put the device through its paces in the coming days."
Best Wearable Technology
Stay connected with call, text & calendar alerts and notifications from your favorite apps like Gmail, Facebook and more (when phone is nearby).Start a FitStar workout on your wrist and get step-by-step instructions and graphics to ensure you complete each move correctly.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"PROs: - Large screen, easy to read display. - Nice gorilla glass screen that doesn't get scratched. - Accurate heart rate monitor without the need for chest strap. - Automatically tracks steps, sleep, workouts, heart rate. You really don't need to manually start activities like running, walking, or elliptical, the watch automatically picks up these activities and logs them based on movement and heart rate. CONs: - Hexagonal design may not be aesthetically pleasing (but not bad once you get used to it). - No built-in GPS to map runs and bike rides (need to carry phone to map). - Not waterproof so can't be worn in the pool. - Watch needs to be removed from frame every time for charging. - Screen doesn't always come on when I raise my wrist. **. SCREEN – I am used to wearing somewhat large watches like the Garmin 920XT, and the Blaze is just fine. Yes, the design may seem odd a bit at first given the width and the space between the frame and actual watch, but the benefit of a large size is that the screen is super easy to read without having to pull your wrist up, a simple flick and you can view all snapshots and smart notifications in a discrete way (useful when you're sitting in meetings). The screen, similar to the Apple watch, stays off, and can be turned on with the simple turn of a wrist. I have found that raising the wrist doesn't always turn on the screen (this works flawlessly with the Apple watch), however if you "flick" your wrist towards you, the screen will turn on right away. I have extensively compared heart rate shown by the Blaze to that shown by the Apple watch (which is usually WAY off) and that shown by my Garmin chest strap HRM, which is considered the most accurate. With the built-in heart rate monitor, it automatically tracks your activities and calories burnt in case you forget to manually start a workout on the watch. With the Blaze, it has an Auto-Sleep feature that doesn't require you to turn on the sleep mode, it will automatically detect that you are sleeping based on lack of movement and heart rate. I did notice that if I am using my phone like listening to music (and not looking at the phone screen), notifications do not show on the watch. I charger like the Apple watch would have been ideal where you can simply drop the watch on the charging pad and it will charge right away. That being said, I have accidentally worn the Blaze in the shower a few times already (I'm probably still used to my Garmin watch which I didn't need to take off) and the watch held up just fine. QUICK COMPARISON WITH APPLE WATCH: - Apple watch is sleeker and feels more comfortable on the wrist. - Apple watch has a better and crisper resolution compared to Blaze's screen. Apple watch doesn't track sleep and requires you to manually start logging an activity. - Both have smart notifications and show text messages, calls, calendar appointments, but Apple watch lets you do more like view WhatsApp messages and other phone notifications, and answer calls right on the watch. - Blaze has a 5-6 day battery life with normal use compared to Apple watch which needs to be charged every 1-2 days. - Blaze - $199, Apple watch - $349 for base model. BOTTOM LINE: - If you have an older fitness tracker band like the Fitbit Flex or Jawbone Up, the Blaze is a great upgrade with all its new features (heart rate monitor, auto activity/sleep tracker, smart notifications). - If you have an Apple watch, I guess the Blaze doesn't offer that much more to make it worthy of a switch (though I'm a huge fan of the accurate HRM and auto tracking in the Blaze). Just adding a few minor observations in addition to the initial review: - If you let the watch automatically track a workout, it starts logging it after the first 5-10 minutes, basically only once your heart rate picks up. Minor issue, immaterial in my opinion - if you want a precise log of your workouts, you can manually start the workout on the watch and it will log it as a 1-hour workout. - The watch automatically detects when you're sleeping based on movement (lack of) and heart rate, however it doesn't automatically turn off notifications during this time. To turn off notifications when sleeping, you can either put your phone in sleep mode, or switch off notifications on the watch by simply swiping down on the main screen."
"It continually tracks your heart rate, your steps, stairs climbed, calories burned, active minutes, miles, exercise, and sleep. It seamlessly works with the FitBit app, which can also help you keep track of your calories consumed (works with apps like MyFitnessPal, Weight Watchers, etc), water intake, and weight. All of them have been the Milanese style bands and the ones that came from china caused major hives/break outs on my wrist, one of which required a prescription cream to resolve. One milanese band has worked consistently well for me without skin issues and no problems with the magnet slipping. Please note this is NOT an affiliate link and none of the things in the post are sponsored. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01J0RAP3U/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1. -As of the date of this review, the watch does NOT have "reminder to move" functionality. Doing some reading, it looks like FitBit plans to have a firmware update in the future to include this, but as of now, it does not. What I would like to see is a reminder to move during hours that you set based on the amount of steps you want to achieve in a day. I had a fitness tracker several years ago that would buzz if you had been sedentary for 10 minutes. This functionality would be great for people with office jobs that sit all day. FitBit has a proprietary charger so you can't just use any standard cord to plug it in. You have to take the face of the watch out of the band and put it in a boxed-frame like charger to charge. I haven't had a problem with it, but I did have a couple of glass screen protectors on it and they both broke within a day, but my watch face is still fine without scratches."
Best Men's Watches
PurePulse continuous heart rate and multi-sport modes enhance every exercise, while next-generation features like Connected GPS and FitStar workouts on your wrist help you take your fitness to the next level. Stay connected with call, text & calendar alerts and notifications from your favorite apps like Gmail, Facebook and more (when phone is nearby).Start a FitStar workout on your wrist and get step-by-step instructions and graphics to ensure you complete each move correctly.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"PROs: - Large screen, easy to read display. - Nice gorilla glass screen that doesn't get scratched. - Accurate heart rate monitor without the need for chest strap. - Automatically tracks steps, sleep, workouts, heart rate. You really don't need to manually start activities like running, walking, or elliptical, the watch automatically picks up these activities and logs them based on movement and heart rate. CONs: - Hexagonal design may not be aesthetically pleasing (but not bad once you get used to it). - No built-in GPS to map runs and bike rides (need to carry phone to map). - Not waterproof so can't be worn in the pool. - Watch needs to be removed from frame every time for charging. - Screen doesn't always come on when I raise my wrist. **. SCREEN – I am used to wearing somewhat large watches like the Garmin 920XT, and the Blaze is just fine. Yes, the design may seem odd a bit at first given the width and the space between the frame and actual watch, but the benefit of a large size is that the screen is super easy to read without having to pull your wrist up, a simple flick and you can view all snapshots and smart notifications in a discrete way (useful when you're sitting in meetings). The screen, similar to the Apple watch, stays off, and can be turned on with the simple turn of a wrist. I have found that raising the wrist doesn't always turn on the screen (this works flawlessly with the Apple watch), however if you "flick" your wrist towards you, the screen will turn on right away. I have extensively compared heart rate shown by the Blaze to that shown by the Apple watch (which is usually WAY off) and that shown by my Garmin chest strap HRM, which is considered the most accurate. With the built-in heart rate monitor, it automatically tracks your activities and calories burnt in case you forget to manually start a workout on the watch. With the Blaze, it has an Auto-Sleep feature that doesn't require you to turn on the sleep mode, it will automatically detect that you are sleeping based on lack of movement and heart rate. I did notice that if I am using my phone like listening to music (and not looking at the phone screen), notifications do not show on the watch. I charger like the Apple watch would have been ideal where you can simply drop the watch on the charging pad and it will charge right away. That being said, I have accidentally worn the Blaze in the shower a few times already (I'm probably still used to my Garmin watch which I didn't need to take off) and the watch held up just fine. QUICK COMPARISON WITH APPLE WATCH: - Apple watch is sleeker and feels more comfortable on the wrist. - Apple watch has a better and crisper resolution compared to Blaze's screen. Apple watch doesn't track sleep and requires you to manually start logging an activity. - Both have smart notifications and show text messages, calls, calendar appointments, but Apple watch lets you do more like view WhatsApp messages and other phone notifications, and answer calls right on the watch. - Blaze has a 5-6 day battery life with normal use compared to Apple watch which needs to be charged every 1-2 days. - Blaze - $199, Apple watch - $349 for base model. BOTTOM LINE: - If you have an older fitness tracker band like the Fitbit Flex or Jawbone Up, the Blaze is a great upgrade with all its new features (heart rate monitor, auto activity/sleep tracker, smart notifications). - If you have an Apple watch, I guess the Blaze doesn't offer that much more to make it worthy of a switch (though I'm a huge fan of the accurate HRM and auto tracking in the Blaze). Just adding a few minor observations in addition to the initial review: - If you let the watch automatically track a workout, it starts logging it after the first 5-10 minutes, basically only once your heart rate picks up. Minor issue, immaterial in my opinion - if you want a precise log of your workouts, you can manually start the workout on the watch and it will log it as a 1-hour workout. - The watch automatically detects when you're sleeping based on movement (lack of) and heart rate, however it doesn't automatically turn off notifications during this time. To turn off notifications when sleeping, you can either put your phone in sleep mode, or switch off notifications on the watch by simply swiping down on the main screen."
"It continually tracks your heart rate, your steps, stairs climbed, calories burned, active minutes, miles, exercise, and sleep. It seamlessly works with the FitBit app, which can also help you keep track of your calories consumed (works with apps like MyFitnessPal, Weight Watchers, etc), water intake, and weight. All of them have been the Milanese style bands and the ones that came from china caused major hives/break outs on my wrist, one of which required a prescription cream to resolve. One milanese band has worked consistently well for me without skin issues and no problems with the magnet slipping. Please note this is NOT an affiliate link and none of the things in the post are sponsored. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01J0RAP3U/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1. -As of the date of this review, the watch does NOT have "reminder to move" functionality. Doing some reading, it looks like FitBit plans to have a firmware update in the future to include this, but as of now, it does not. What I would like to see is a reminder to move during hours that you set based on the amount of steps you want to achieve in a day. I had a fitness tracker several years ago that would buzz if you had been sedentary for 10 minutes. This functionality would be great for people with office jobs that sit all day. FitBit has a proprietary charger so you can't just use any standard cord to plug it in. You have to take the face of the watch out of the band and put it in a boxed-frame like charger to charge. I haven't had a problem with it, but I did have a couple of glass screen protectors on it and they both broke within a day, but my watch face is still fine without scratches."
Best Men's Smartwatches
Stay connected with call, text & calendar alerts and notifications from your favorite apps like Gmail, Facebook and more (when phone is nearby).Start a FitStar workout on your wrist and get step-by-step instructions and graphics to ensure you complete each move correctly.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"PROs: - Large screen, easy to read display. - Nice gorilla glass screen that doesn't get scratched. - Accurate heart rate monitor without the need for chest strap. - Automatically tracks steps, sleep, workouts, heart rate. You really don't need to manually start activities like running, walking, or elliptical, the watch automatically picks up these activities and logs them based on movement and heart rate. CONs: - Hexagonal design may not be aesthetically pleasing (but not bad once you get used to it). - No built-in GPS to map runs and bike rides (need to carry phone to map). - Not waterproof so can't be worn in the pool. - Watch needs to be removed from frame every time for charging. - Screen doesn't always come on when I raise my wrist. **. SCREEN – I am used to wearing somewhat large watches like the Garmin 920XT, and the Blaze is just fine. Yes, the design may seem odd a bit at first given the width and the space between the frame and actual watch, but the benefit of a large size is that the screen is super easy to read without having to pull your wrist up, a simple flick and you can view all snapshots and smart notifications in a discrete way (useful when you're sitting in meetings). The screen, similar to the Apple watch, stays off, and can be turned on with the simple turn of a wrist. I have found that raising the wrist doesn't always turn on the screen (this works flawlessly with the Apple watch), however if you "flick" your wrist towards you, the screen will turn on right away. I have extensively compared heart rate shown by the Blaze to that shown by the Apple watch (which is usually WAY off) and that shown by my Garmin chest strap HRM, which is considered the most accurate. With the built-in heart rate monitor, it automatically tracks your activities and calories burnt in case you forget to manually start a workout on the watch. With the Blaze, it has an Auto-Sleep feature that doesn't require you to turn on the sleep mode, it will automatically detect that you are sleeping based on lack of movement and heart rate. I did notice that if I am using my phone like listening to music (and not looking at the phone screen), notifications do not show on the watch. I charger like the Apple watch would have been ideal where you can simply drop the watch on the charging pad and it will charge right away. That being said, I have accidentally worn the Blaze in the shower a few times already (I'm probably still used to my Garmin watch which I didn't need to take off) and the watch held up just fine. QUICK COMPARISON WITH APPLE WATCH: - Apple watch is sleeker and feels more comfortable on the wrist. - Apple watch has a better and crisper resolution compared to Blaze's screen. Apple watch doesn't track sleep and requires you to manually start logging an activity. - Both have smart notifications and show text messages, calls, calendar appointments, but Apple watch lets you do more like view WhatsApp messages and other phone notifications, and answer calls right on the watch. - Blaze has a 5-6 day battery life with normal use compared to Apple watch which needs to be charged every 1-2 days. - Blaze - $199, Apple watch - $349 for base model. BOTTOM LINE: - If you have an older fitness tracker band like the Fitbit Flex or Jawbone Up, the Blaze is a great upgrade with all its new features (heart rate monitor, auto activity/sleep tracker, smart notifications). - If you have an Apple watch, I guess the Blaze doesn't offer that much more to make it worthy of a switch (though I'm a huge fan of the accurate HRM and auto tracking in the Blaze). Just adding a few minor observations in addition to the initial review: - If you let the watch automatically track a workout, it starts logging it after the first 5-10 minutes, basically only once your heart rate picks up. Minor issue, immaterial in my opinion - if you want a precise log of your workouts, you can manually start the workout on the watch and it will log it as a 1-hour workout. - The watch automatically detects when you're sleeping based on movement (lack of) and heart rate, however it doesn't automatically turn off notifications during this time. To turn off notifications when sleeping, you can either put your phone in sleep mode, or switch off notifications on the watch by simply swiping down on the main screen."
"It continually tracks your heart rate, your steps, stairs climbed, calories burned, active minutes, miles, exercise, and sleep. It seamlessly works with the FitBit app, which can also help you keep track of your calories consumed (works with apps like MyFitnessPal, Weight Watchers, etc), water intake, and weight. All of them have been the Milanese style bands and the ones that came from china caused major hives/break outs on my wrist, one of which required a prescription cream to resolve. One milanese band has worked consistently well for me without skin issues and no problems with the magnet slipping. Please note this is NOT an affiliate link and none of the things in the post are sponsored. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01J0RAP3U/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1. -As of the date of this review, the watch does NOT have "reminder to move" functionality. Doing some reading, it looks like FitBit plans to have a firmware update in the future to include this, but as of now, it does not. What I would like to see is a reminder to move during hours that you set based on the amount of steps you want to achieve in a day. I had a fitness tracker several years ago that would buzz if you had been sedentary for 10 minutes. This functionality would be great for people with office jobs that sit all day. FitBit has a proprietary charger so you can't just use any standard cord to plug it in. You have to take the face of the watch out of the band and put it in a boxed-frame like charger to charge. I haven't had a problem with it, but I did have a couple of glass screen protectors on it and they both broke within a day, but my watch face is still fine without scratches."
Best Cycling Electronics
Make every beat count with Fitbit Charge 2—the all-new heart rate and fitness wristband built for all-day, workouts and beyond. PurePulse continuous, automatic wrist-based heart rate tracking to better measure calorie burn all day.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I found the Fitbit to be an incredible fitness device compared to the Apple watch. The fitbit can also track sleep, and give you an estimate of your cardio fitness score (V02 Max). Other features: Clearly the fitbit is not a smart watch, but the text and call notifications are great when you're working out and don't have quick access to your phone. Accuracy: Tie. I have no idea what the negative reviews are talking about (Maybe they received a defective device or have exceptionally hairy arms?). The apple watch is slightly more accurate when it comes to distance, and probably more suited for someone who runs at a competitive pace. I love watching my cardio fitness score change and keeping an eye on my resting heart rate overnight. Apple has a ton of 3rd party apps which are great, but it lacks the complete integration of the fitbit. I haven't decided which one I will be keeping yet, but if I were basing my decision on fitness alone, at a non competitive level, I would choose the fitbit hands down. There are other useful features that make the Apple watch appealing in my line of work, so I'll have to weigh those into my decision. The apple watch doesn't have the same coolness factor with regard to fitness, and really doesn't motivate me to workout anymore than my iPhone would. It is perfect for someone who doesn't care about tracking fitness goals, but wants to leave their phone at home during a workout. The ability to stream music, track distance with a built in GPS, and respond to text messages are wonderful. I have a 7 inch wrist and the large band fits me on the last 2-4 holes (keep it loose when not working out)."
"As a Blaze and original Charge HR owner, figured I'd try my hand at the newest Fitbit Charge 2. It replaces the original best selling Charge & Charge HR. Steps, Flights, Heart Rate, Calories Burned, Connected GPS (shows a little map post workout when tied to your phone, and yes, you need to bring your phone with you on walks/runs), and notifications (as of now, just texts, calendar alerts, and displays phone number of incoming calls). The Charge watch has been the workhorse of the fitbit line. Since you're familiar with the Charge already, let's go over some of the issues you may have experienced and highlights/common questions answered: 1) Build Quality: The Charge 2 is a far far superior quality than the original Charge. **If you had problems with your original Charge band bubbling, the ability to swap bands and how the tracker is connected to the bands should eliminate the issues you have experienced ** Obviously way too early to make a call on how the device will hold up, but given my experience with Blaze & Alta, this feels similar in build quality, if not better, and neither of those devices have suffered from bands falling apart on a wide scale. 5) Display is nice, 4x larger than the original Charge. The font is a bright offwhite, as opposed to the original Charge that had a soft almost blue to it. Some display day & date, and most have option to where when you tap the display it will cycle through stats (may display heart rate, date, steps taken, how far you are in your goals, your hourly movement reminders, etc). Yes, two of the watch faces are digital (numbers display, not hands) and have seconds displayed. There is no 3rd party support at this time such as facebook, instagram, etc (The Blaze watch will be offering these soon in next software upgrade, so I guess there is hope the Charge 2 will get those as well). Heart rate was spot on as it usually was with original Charge HR & my Blaze. Obviously some folks have trouble with them due to body hair and whatnot, but the sensors on Charge HR, Blaze, and now Charge 2 seem to be spot on. An issue I had with the original Charge was it getting "lost" when I hit higher cardio levels. CONS: - vibration is notably weaker than the original Charge. The Charge HR slowly scrolls texts and notifications to you, which can be annoying if you're used to the Blaze. They serve their purpose well though, and I can't ding it for this as it's a step up from the original Charge. The Blaze is their high end product at the moment, but the Charge 2 is a very close second. I'll happily answer questions as I did for when I originally reviewed the Blaze out of the gate, and edit this review to reflect common questions or any issues I face as I put the device through its paces in the coming days."
Best Women's Smartwatches
PurePulse continuous heart rate and multi-sport modes enhance every exercise, while next-generation features like Connected GPS and FitStar workouts on your wrist help you take your fitness to the next level. Stay connected with call, text & calendar alerts and notifications from your favorite apps like Gmail, Facebook and more (when phone is nearby).Start a FitStar workout on your wrist and get step-by-step instructions and graphics to ensure you complete each move correctly.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"PROs: - Large screen, easy to read display. - Nice gorilla glass screen that doesn't get scratched. - Accurate heart rate monitor without the need for chest strap. - Automatically tracks steps, sleep, workouts, heart rate. You really don't need to manually start activities like running, walking, or elliptical, the watch automatically picks up these activities and logs them based on movement and heart rate. CONs: - Hexagonal design may not be aesthetically pleasing (but not bad once you get used to it). - No built-in GPS to map runs and bike rides (need to carry phone to map). - Not waterproof so can't be worn in the pool. - Watch needs to be removed from frame every time for charging. - Screen doesn't always come on when I raise my wrist. **. SCREEN – I am used to wearing somewhat large watches like the Garmin 920XT, and the Blaze is just fine. Yes, the design may seem odd a bit at first given the width and the space between the frame and actual watch, but the benefit of a large size is that the screen is super easy to read without having to pull your wrist up, a simple flick and you can view all snapshots and smart notifications in a discrete way (useful when you're sitting in meetings). The screen, similar to the Apple watch, stays off, and can be turned on with the simple turn of a wrist. I have found that raising the wrist doesn't always turn on the screen (this works flawlessly with the Apple watch), however if you "flick" your wrist towards you, the screen will turn on right away. I have extensively compared heart rate shown by the Blaze to that shown by the Apple watch (which is usually WAY off) and that shown by my Garmin chest strap HRM, which is considered the most accurate. With the built-in heart rate monitor, it automatically tracks your activities and calories burnt in case you forget to manually start a workout on the watch. With the Blaze, it has an Auto-Sleep feature that doesn't require you to turn on the sleep mode, it will automatically detect that you are sleeping based on lack of movement and heart rate. I did notice that if I am using my phone like listening to music (and not looking at the phone screen), notifications do not show on the watch. I charger like the Apple watch would have been ideal where you can simply drop the watch on the charging pad and it will charge right away. That being said, I have accidentally worn the Blaze in the shower a few times already (I'm probably still used to my Garmin watch which I didn't need to take off) and the watch held up just fine. QUICK COMPARISON WITH APPLE WATCH: - Apple watch is sleeker and feels more comfortable on the wrist. - Apple watch has a better and crisper resolution compared to Blaze's screen. Apple watch doesn't track sleep and requires you to manually start logging an activity. - Both have smart notifications and show text messages, calls, calendar appointments, but Apple watch lets you do more like view WhatsApp messages and other phone notifications, and answer calls right on the watch. - Blaze has a 5-6 day battery life with normal use compared to Apple watch which needs to be charged every 1-2 days. - Blaze - $199, Apple watch - $349 for base model. BOTTOM LINE: - If you have an older fitness tracker band like the Fitbit Flex or Jawbone Up, the Blaze is a great upgrade with all its new features (heart rate monitor, auto activity/sleep tracker, smart notifications). - If you have an Apple watch, I guess the Blaze doesn't offer that much more to make it worthy of a switch (though I'm a huge fan of the accurate HRM and auto tracking in the Blaze). Just adding a few minor observations in addition to the initial review: - If you let the watch automatically track a workout, it starts logging it after the first 5-10 minutes, basically only once your heart rate picks up. Minor issue, immaterial in my opinion - if you want a precise log of your workouts, you can manually start the workout on the watch and it will log it as a 1-hour workout. - The watch automatically detects when you're sleeping based on movement (lack of) and heart rate, however it doesn't automatically turn off notifications during this time. To turn off notifications when sleeping, you can either put your phone in sleep mode, or switch off notifications on the watch by simply swiping down on the main screen."
"It continually tracks your heart rate, your steps, stairs climbed, calories burned, active minutes, miles, exercise, and sleep. It seamlessly works with the FitBit app, which can also help you keep track of your calories consumed (works with apps like MyFitnessPal, Weight Watchers, etc), water intake, and weight. All of them have been the Milanese style bands and the ones that came from china caused major hives/break outs on my wrist, one of which required a prescription cream to resolve. One milanese band has worked consistently well for me without skin issues and no problems with the magnet slipping. Please note this is NOT an affiliate link and none of the things in the post are sponsored. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01J0RAP3U/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1. -As of the date of this review, the watch does NOT have "reminder to move" functionality. Doing some reading, it looks like FitBit plans to have a firmware update in the future to include this, but as of now, it does not. What I would like to see is a reminder to move during hours that you set based on the amount of steps you want to achieve in a day. I had a fitness tracker several years ago that would buzz if you had been sedentary for 10 minutes. This functionality would be great for people with office jobs that sit all day. FitBit has a proprietary charger so you can't just use any standard cord to plug it in. You have to take the face of the watch out of the band and put it in a boxed-frame like charger to charge. I haven't had a problem with it, but I did have a couple of glass screen protectors on it and they both broke within a day, but my watch face is still fine without scratches."