Good activity tracker band?

[desura]

I'm interested in a good fitness activity tracker band. The big thing for me is that it should be able to function fairly well independently of a smartphone and an internet connection. Also, have a display for time. Recommendations? what to steer clear of?

 

[PhoKingGuy]

I just got a Fitbit Charge HR a few weeks ago, loving it so far. It keeps track of everything independently of my phone and the battery lasts about 3-4 days depending on how much I workout. It has a display but you need to "double tap" the screen for the time to show, its off otherwise.

 

[luv2liv]

first off, what do you want to keep track of?
if you only need a pedometer, the fitbit zip is fantastic! the replaceable battery lasts at least 3 months! the display will toggle between time, steps, calorie, distance whenever u tap the screen. it works fine without a phone but you do need to sync the first time for setup.

 

[Denly]

Check out ZeWatch2, looks like a watch w/ time, 3 days battery, will store data while not connected.

 

[cronos]

I have never actually been interested in this type of thing (and would rather get a smartwatch, which at this point to me is 1-2 generation away until I'm seriously considering of getting one), but because of a mini health-scare a couple of weeks ago I started to look around.

Right now I'm really interested in the Microsoft Band. Looks like exactly what I'm looking for. Tracks everything, sleep, walk/run, heart rate, etc. and has apps for all OS (extra features with WP, I think). Tells time if I need it to, and worn like a wristband (display on the inside). Would love to hear personal experience if someone here has tried it.

 

[spacejamz]

just upgraded from a garmin vivo fit to the vivofit 2...

I believe these and the polar are the only ones that can pair with a chest strap for a more accurate heart rate measurement (not sure if the newer generation of fitness trackers are better at heart rate measurements now...they were pretty unreliable last year)...

the garmin battery is supposed to last one year (two C2032 watch batteries)...

 

[Deeko]

I've owned a lot of these...my thoughts on each:

Fitbit One
Not technically a band, but my thoughts here transfer well enough to the Charge / Charge HR. I'll be simple - I love Fitbit. The device holds up well, has great battery life (I charge it once a week or so), tracks accurately, is the only device that also tracks altitude gained, their website is decent, their app is multiplatform, they have a nice blend of detailed statistics and motivational / competitive features. They integrate with lots of other products too. They're the market leader for a reason.

Nike FuelBand
Pour one out for the fallen. I loved my FuelBand. It's simple - the data may not be perfectly accurate, "fuel" doesn't really mean anything...but I still loved it. Definitely more motivational than any other tracker out there, and I liked the fact that the more intense your activity, the more points you'll get - running a mile gets you way more fuel than walking a mile. Sadly, Nike no longer sells the FuelBand and is focusing on their app, which is a horrible alternative.

Microsoft Band
Jack of all trades, master of none. The Band can do everything. Steps tracking is reasonably accurate (ends up somewhat near my Fitbit). Heart rate tracking is nice, the built in GPS works pretty well, and the basic smartwatch features are really all I need on that front. It's got some ridiculous bells and whistles I could never care about (UV sensor? Really?). That said, it's a little hard to recommend. The battery life is just terrible, it really needs to be charged every 36 hours or so, it's big and bulky, it's not terribly refined yet, there's absolutely no motivational / competitive aspect. I have a feeling that the 2nd rendition of the Band will be the one to buy.

JawBone Up
I have a curious relationship with the Up. I want to like it. The app is beautiful, I love the smart coach features. It's small and understated which is nice, and the battery lasts a long time...I just...don't like it. It doesn't do anything my Fitbit can't, other than the smart sleep feature, which is a neat idea, except it always wakes me up at the earliest possible time (clearly I sleep restlessly). The stupid cap you have to unplug to sync / charge it is easy to lose (or in my case, your dog to find and eat). Maybe Up3 will be the one, but I dunno.

Overall, I feel like it's a weird time in the fitness band market. The 1st generation is still around and doing well, the 2nd generation products are starting to integrate more advanced features like GPS, heart rate, and notifications, but those features aren't terribly refined yet. It might be worth it to wait for the next round - but if you're buying one now, I'd recommend the Fitbit Charge HR. Best blend of features, accuracy, refinement, and motivation.

 

[bassoprofundo]

I have never actually been interested in this type of thing (and would rather get a smartwatch, which at this point to me is 1-2 generation away until I'm seriously considering of getting one), but because of a mini health-scare a couple of weeks ago I started to look around.

Right now I'm really interested in the Microsoft Band. Looks like exactly what I'm looking for. Tracks everything, sleep, walk/run, heart rate, etc. and has apps for all OS (extra features with WP, I think). Tells time if I need it to, and worn like a wristband (display on the inside). Would love to hear personal experience if someone here has tried it.

I'm pretty much in the same boat as you in that I'd never been particularly interested in the category. I've had a couple of Fitbits that were given to me, but I never really felt the need to track my workouts/steps/etc. (I workout 6 days a week and am in decent shape and don't need a band to tell me that. ) Only my inner gadget freak wanted a smartwatch, and even then only out of sure curiosity. Add to that the fact that there wasn't one that worked well with my platform of choice (WP), and I held off for a long time. When the Band came out, though, something made me jump on it right away, and I've had one since launch week.

At this point, it's still more of a curiosity to me than a necessity. I love the WP integration and the fact that it does everything in terms of sensors/tracking. There's a ton of potential here, especially in the platform. I'm more curious about the sleep tracking than anything else, and in general, the notifications are convenient without being annoying. It's comfortable enough, but it still feels like a cuff more than a watch. I'm hoping a 2nd gen product will address that. Battery life is acceptable for me (1.5-2 days, charged during the day when I'm at my desk doing nothing active). I'm appreciating the cross-platform compatibility after a recent forced switch to Android, and I'm back to using it full-time after a couple week comparison with Android Wear (LG G Watch) despite being on an LG G2 as my primary phone for now.

I'd sum it up as follows... If you just need fitness tracking, and if battery life and unobtrusiveness are paramount, get a Fitbit. The platform is fairly mature now, and you can get used to wearing it and not even notice that it's on your wrist.

If you want to go the smartwatch route, also want good fitness capability, and if $200 isn't a hardship for you, the Microsoft Band is a safe bet. It'll work with any platform, and it's capabilities are only going to get stronger. Make sure to either use their online sizing guide or go try one on at a Microsoft store, though, so you get the right size. (A lot of folks ordered online and guessed wrong.)