FitBit Charge HR: Pros & Cons
I got a FitBit a few months ago and I love it. (Ok, Alex would probably say I’m a little obsessed with it.) I’m kind of a nerd when it comes to tracking and quantifying health related things, so it’s not too surprising that I fell in love with it quickly.
Since I’ve had it for a little while, I thought I’d share the pros and cons of the FitBit Charge HR!
Pros of the FitBit Charge HR
It’s a great motivator! Actually, it’s almost crazy how motivating it is. (I think at one point Alex had to remind me that steps still count even if they’re not tracked with the FitBit…) I love hitting my step goal and it was one of the reasons I was so excited about my DIY Treadmill Desk!
The silent alarm is a nice way to wake up. It vibrates in the morning to wake me up a minute or two before my alarm. It’s a nice way to start the day, rather than relying on a jolt-you-out-of-your-sleep-siren noise.
The challenges are a fun way make it social. My coworkers and I have had more than one “Work Week Hustle” challenge which tracks everyone’s steps Monday-Friday. Maybe I’m just competitive… but I think it’s a fun way to keep each other accountable!
I actually like having a watch. That probably sounds silly but I’ve never worn a watch before so having the time on my wrist is handier than I thought. That’s not a reason to buy one of these but I’ve found it’s kind of nice!
Cons of the FitBit Charge HR
Sometimes I love it a little too much. I get a little crazy if I don’t get my 10,000 steps for the day. I know that it’s more about the overall trends rather that one specific day but… I get kind of disappointed if I can’t hit my goal!
It doesn’t track all my steps. If I’m pushing a cart, for instance, the steps won’t register (because my wrist is still) so it’s not always accurate. It’s not a big deal, but it’s a bummer when I use my treadmill desk because it doesn’t count all those steps when I’m typing!
It’s not exactly discrete. Since it’s on my wrist and it’s not very small, it stands out a bit. I’m so used to it by now that it doesn’t bother me, but one day I’ll look back at this period in my life and laugh that I have it on in every single picture.
Overall, I’m really happy with it! I had a fitness tracker about 4 years ago but back then, the technology was pretty poor, you had to manually plug it into the computer to get a read, and it was even less discrete than the wrist band (if you can believe it). It’s pretty cool to see how far these things have come in just a few years! If you like being able to track your steps, calories, and sleep, I definitely recommend it!
i’m glad you posted this. i had a fitbit flex but got bored with it after about a year. i’m still debating getting the charge!
I keep hearing about these and I really want to try it!
I’ve debated buying a fitbit so this was really helpful. I started wearing a watch recently as well and I really like it. Thanks for sharing this review, it was super helpful!
I wear a FitBit Zip, which I like because I can clip it on to my sports bra when running or waistband, or pretty much anywhere, and it’s hidden. I actually don’t like wearing anything on my wrist! I like that I can get a general sense of how far I’ve run on my runs (I figured out after looking after races where the distance is strictly measured that it tracks from .9-.95 miles per mile I run, which I had to calculate after consistently wondering why the loop in the park felt shorter during a race than on a run the prior day!) The Zip is way cheaper and I didn’t want to buy a GPS watch or something (and the Zip I got as a free giveaway) but if I go for a marathon I may have to bite the bullet!
I can relate to loving my FitBit a little too much. I have my daily goal of 10,000 steps, too and I have been known to do laps around my dining room to get the last 200-400 steps. Marty just looks at me awkwardly. Also, it is frustrating that it doesn’t track all of the cart steps (I was wondering about that); I push Charlotte around the grocery store and it only registers 200-300 steps when I feel like it’s been a lot more. Hopefully this is something that’ll possibly be corrected on future FitBit watches?
I have been trying to figure out if I want to get one or not…I just don’t know how much I will really use it and if it is worth the money….I know everyone says how much they love it I just….ha ha ha I just don’t know!
I love my Charge HR! Have you updated it yet? Now, all I have to do is move my wrist as if I’m checking the time and it automatically pops up on the screen. LOVE!
What I don’t love so much is the lack of accuracy. Like you said, I know it’s more about the trends but it annoys me when my steps aren’t logged OR if steps I never took are logged. Drives me nuts!
Ha! Yes! I love my fitbit but had the same concerns about having it on all the time, in all my pictures. When I went to a wedding recently, I debated whether I should wear it or not. Obviously I didn’t, but I lost all those steps. I have a very similar pro/con list with my fitbit too!
Debbie, you should look into getting some of the cute fashion Fitbit bracelets, they are cute & will be perfect for a wedding or night out
Good idea! Will look into it!
I have the first fitbit so it doesnt have a screen just little dots where each dot represents 2k steps with my goal being 10k. I like how it synchs with my phone and my cousin recently got the fitbit HR so doing the challenges are fun! I do agree it is annoying when I am grocery shopping and my steps arent picked up but then there are times like when i sit at my desk at home on an exercise ball and bounce it counts that as steps and also when I use my arms to talk sometimes I suddenly hit my 10k goal and havent really moved so maybe it evens out? Like you I am a little too addicted to it though. When I have to take it off to charge sometimes I dont want to move because my steps arent being counted
I wondered why I’d get an idle alarm on my Garmin Vivosmart after grocery shopping! Guess I need to learn to push with one hand while swinging the other. 😉