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should I get a FitBit or Garmin
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Just looking for some advice on getting a new activity tracker.
Currently own both a Garmin Vivoactive HR and a Fitbit Charge HR. Use the Vivoactive to record swim, run, HR during yoga, elliptical, and strength training. The rest of the time it lives in the gym bag. Use the fitbit to track daily steps, sleep, all the other shit it tracks.

I'm interested in the fitbit charge 3 or a vivosmart 4. (may also consider replacing the Vivoactive HR with VA3 since it actually looks like a regular watch)

I think it might be nice to have all my data, both workouts and daily tracking, in one app (garmin connect) but looking for other pro's or con's I may be overlooking.
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Re: should I get a FitBit or Garmin [jbugno] [ In reply to ]
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I am a big Garmin fan. I've tried Fitbit and I like Garmin better. Garmin has a much better UI.
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Re: should I get a FitBit or Garmin [jbugno] [ In reply to ]
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I have no experience with the others, but I have a Vivoactive 3 and love it, because it looks like a regular watch, like you say. I use it for sleep tracking, running, hiking, skiing, and I like the Garmin Pay feature. I also like that it is not an Apple Watch but does everything that I would use an Apple Watch for (text/email notifications, mobile pay, activity tracking).
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Re: should I get a FitBit or Garmin [jbugno] [ In reply to ]
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I had 2 FitBit's and completely trashed both of them within 6 months (second one was a replacement for the first one).

I've now owned a garmin Fenix 5 for about 1.5 years, and this thing is pretty solid. Had an issue with a band (not the unit itself), and garmin replaced it for free, no questions asked.

I'd buy the garmin again in a heartbeat, whereas I'd never buy a FitBit again.
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Re: should I get a FitBit or Garmin [jbugno] [ In reply to ]
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IMHO, Fitbit has the best overall activity tracker platform. The Charge 3 is excellent as is the Alta HR for all-around tracking. But, the decider is what does everyone else around you have? I use Garmin for my workout stuff and Fitbit for activity tracking because everyone else I know uses Fitbit for activity tracking. If it was just me, I would have a VĂ­vosmart 4.
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Re: should I get a FitBit or Garmin [jbugno] [ In reply to ]
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Another in the Garmin camp here.

Whilst many can sometimes moan about Garmin (and I have in the past) the quality seems FAR better.

I've had 3x Fitbit Charges via a workplace deal (repaced each time as they kept failing) whereas my wife paid with our own money for the Garmin equivalent (but with GPS too, for about 30 quid more than the fitbits sell for) and the quality is night vs day. The Fitbit Charges (inc a charge 2) just seem to be cheap nasty consumer electronics.

Also Ive had a forerunner 410 for donkeys and it still works fine. + a 910xt which eventually had a power button fault after 4.5 years of a lot of use- garmin replaced for about 75 quid as a refurb swap. Only difficulty was getting Garmin to respond to the 1st fault call. Once moving it all got sorted OK.
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Re: should I get a FitBit or Garmin [jbugno] [ In reply to ]
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I’ve had a FitBit Surge that ended up being destroyed by sweat after one year using it only for running... FitBit’s response was to offer me 10% off a new one. I ended up buying a Garmin 735xt.

After two years of heavy use in all activities (swim, bike, run, weights, yoga, and daily use) of basically never taking it off the screen started to show lines and the buttons had issues. Garmin sent a replacement watch within a week.

Things could be different now with the new FitBits but I really think Garmin is a much better watch. As for App UI, I didn’t really think one was better than the other, just different.

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Re: should I get a FitBit or Garmin [jbugno] [ In reply to ]
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Garmin; not even close.

My work gave me a FB Ionic....sold it on eBay and put the $$$ toward a Garmin.

Garmin has better HRM quality and GPS, and has feature sets more geared to serious athletes (ex. power meter support [though not for the Vivoactive]).

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Depression, Neurocognitive problems, Dementias (Testing and Evaluation), Trauma and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
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Re: should I get a FitBit or Garmin [Titanflexr] [ In reply to ]
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Yep. Consider getting Garmin. I have Fenix5 Plus. It is awesome watch: great GPS, on-wrist HR, loads of training specific features, and music too! Love it !
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