Fitbit Charge Wireless Activity Wristband, Slate, Small

This has been my first and only fitness tracker, so I can't give comparisons, but it really has been incredible. I love the customization of the info it shows, the convenience of the app on my phone, the dongle, and the app I can put on my computer. I can get the time at a turn of my wrist (with the new firmware update, that was my biggest complaint out of the box and they fixed it) and my morning alarm is silent but wakes me better than sound with the vibration. I have to say, that's my favorite function - I love that it vibrates when I get phone calls, and it has some range. Just this morning I left my phone upstairs on accident and while I was in the kitchen it vibrated with a call and then told me who was calling! Screw wearable tech like the moto 360 at $300, this has caller ID and costs less than half. Finally, the sleep tracking has changed my life. Research suggests that individuals NEED 7-9 hours of restful sleep at night or they start having metabolic and immune reactions. The sleep tracking is automatic, just wear your Charge to bed. On top of that, I really like the water intake tracking function in the app. Another thing I don't do enough of. I don't regret a penny I spent on this, because it's made me more health conscious just wearing it, and its function and convenience have improved my life.That said, let's get into the bad. I got a small, and boy, is it small! Measure your wrists people, I thought for a second putting it on out of the box that it wasn't going to fit. For reference, I am female, just under 5'4", and I was a 32 BMI when I bought this.This brings me to a good point, which is that I've lost 10 pounds since I got it, and my BMI now measures 27. (I've actually been able to move one in from the last hole!) It really makes you aware of your activity! I found it extremely motivating in regards to everyday movement and calories burned such as with taking the stairs (it tracks that) and parking further away from grocery store to get more steps in.Which brings us to another con: it's temperamental. It doesn't work when you're pushing a shopping cart, because your wrists stay steady, but it counts steps while you're sitting in aa moving car! I was flabbergasted by this, but after a bunch of research I discovered this is really common and unavoidable. And if you take it off in the car, it doesn't count calories and you run the risk of forgetting it there. So I downloaded an app called DriveBit, which you have to turn on and off when you're in a vehicle, but is the easiest way to log a no steps activity that still counts calories burned. It's an extra step in and out of the car though, so I put it on my non-dominate wrist, set the fitbit to dominate (to lower the sensitivity) and generally don't bother with the app unless I'm driving long distance.More bad is the clasp. If you get one of these, buy those rubber things in the related section to secure it. I've felt it pop open three times since I got it, the first being the day after it arrived in the mail. I wear mine a little tighter than I think is recommended, but it bothers me if it's too loose, so I feel it when it pops open. I don't think this has anything to do with taking it on and off, as another reviewer has suggested, just because of how soon mine did it after I got it. Though I will say I'm planning to get the rubber things, that does sound like a lot of hassle getting it on and off for the shower. Honestly, I'd save yourself the trouble and pay the extra for the HR, which has a watchband clasp.This brings me to the final bad thing, which you can see in the pictures. As some other reviews have mentioned, mine also started coming apart. The rubber wristband has pulled away from the hard plastic on the side and has actually ripped and pulled up next to the face. This is nerve wrecking, because I'm terrified I'm going to catch it on something and rip the whole thing apart. Lastly, the button has gone stiff and creaky, for no reason I can figure - I've never worn it in the shower or anything like that. I wouldn't say I've been particularity hard on it at all. It is a fitness tracker, and all I've done really is wear it, nothing more intense than some occasional running.Now this brings me to a BIG plus and the reason this gets five stars from me instead of four - I figured I'd look up the fitbit warranty information. On their website, it said to contact customer support, which was easy and didn't involve twenty minutes of pushing buttons to get the information you needed or through to a person. After basic info and my fitbit account email, I was informed I qualified for a replacement, to arrive at my house within 30 days and at no cost to me. I don't even have to send the old one back and worry about return shipping nonsense!I was eying cheap knockoffs to give people for Christmas, but no more. Fitbit, you now have me as an enduring customer, even though you wouldn't let me pay the difference and upgrade to an HR for the watchband clasp. =)

Once connected to the Fitbit site, I was able to quickly replace my wife's "Flex" with her new "Charge" then re-gift and setup her old "Flex" for another family member. A note to those looking for accuracy. Take the time to setup your account. The more accurate you are with your numbers (weight, sex, stride length, etc.) the more accurate your Fitbit becomes. Using it out of the box is fine as it is consistent allowing you to compare from day to day. Bottom line, if it gets you moving more, than all the better.Both the "Flex" and the "Charge" are fairly new arrivals to my family - about six months. My third product is the "Force" which is over a year old. This was a gift so I did not know what to expect, but I was intrigued and soon learned its value. The "Charge" is the replacement to the "Force" therefore I provide the following lessons learned with my experiences with the "Force" and expect the "Charge" to be very similar if not identical.Walking: Very accurate. At first, I often watched the step counter while I walked - both on the device and on my phone app. I was impressed with the accuracy of the step counter with or without swinging my arm. Of all the pedometers I have used, this continues to be the most accurate and trusted.Cheating the Software: Of course this is possible. You can get "bonus" steps (my words - not theirs) for shaking the device. The device is not too sensitive to shaking but does give you "bonus" steps. if you are concerned about these then I suggest that you bump up your daily step goal.Watch: The clock on this device is synced to my phone so it is as accurate as my service provider. It has not (yet) replaced my watch.In-Coming Calls: The "Force" received a firmware update this fall and started to show my in-coming calls on the "Force" display. I was pleasantly surprised as my phone is often kept on silent. The very useful "activity minutes" display was removed. The claim was that calculating the activity minutes was best left to the phone app, which is true as you use the app to record your exercise. However, I suspect that it may have also been a firmware size issue on the device and something had to make way for the in-coming calls. Either way - it was a fair trade and I greatly appreciate being able to see who it calling without interrupting my meetings.Sleep Calculator: My wife LOVES this feature, but I only have one word for it: Freaky. It records my every movement during sleep which is valuable but my subconscious seems to sense that the device is recording my every movement. The "Flex" and "Charge" also knows when you are sleeping and knows whey you are awake. They have a manual start/stop mode but you do not need to use it - its all automatic. The start/stop times seem to be very accurate and the device won't give me any auto sleep credit if I take it off at night. Like I said - Freaky.Cycling: My wife and I cycle often so my advice here is to take it off, enjoy the ride and enter your exercise in the phone app. This is the most accurate for your step counter and your calories burned. You can wear it and get the "bonus" from the road/trail or wear it on your ankle where it does a nice job of counting revolutions. But for me, I have a cycle computer that gives me all the information I need about my rides.Swimming: Never used. My simple thought here is that I don't step when I swim so there is nothing to count.Running: We don't.Suggestions for Fitbit. You have something awesome here, but I wonder how long you will be able to stay ahead of the competition. You seem to be reluctant to integrate with other apps and personal fitness devices are about to take a giant leap forward. Right now these devices integrate with a larger host device for social integration, storage, and more accurate calculations. I am looking for devices capable of doing this with minimal host integration. I would not expect this device to replace my phone but it should be able to add significant value without my phone. I am not sure I will move up to your "HR" or "Surge" models as much now depends on where the market takes these devices.