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Slant community chat on Discord| 4 Recommended Products | Recommendations | Waterproof | Heart rate | GPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Fitbit Surge· · · | 2 | 2 | No | Yes | Yes |
| #2 Polar M400· · · | 2 | 0 | Yes | Chest strap compatible | Yes |
| #3 Samsung Gear Fit2· · · | 1 | 0 | Water-resistant | Yes | Yes |
| #4 Garmin Forerunner 235· · · | 2 | 1 | Waterproof (50m) | Yes | Yes |
Pro Continuous heart rate tracking eliminates risk of forgetting to activate the feature
The Fitbit Surge fitness tracker has automatic, continuous, wrist based heart rate tracking. Heart rate data is stored at one second intervals during exercise, and at five second intervals during non-exercise activities.
Pro LCD screen that can display multiple stats without the need of using the app
Similar fitness trackers depend on Bluetooth in order to relay info to a smartphone. Fitbit Surge can display information locally on the display which is far more convenient.
Pro Easy to operate compared to display-less options
While Surge easily syncs with iOS, Android, and Windows phones, it does not depend on them for functionality. The touch screen and physical buttons are a huge step up from display-less models.
Con Might cause skin irritation for some
A number of people are reporting the Surge causes skin irritation. According to the company it's a very small percentage of customers.
Con Fairly big investment
While it's one of the most advanced trackers that Fitbit offers, it comes with a hefty price tag.
Pro Gives you a lot of options for customizing different types of workouts
The "Sport Profile" feature allows you to customize what stats you want to see for each type of exercise. For example, you may want the GPS on for running but not for a circuit workout. These preset profiles save you from having to set up the device each time you exercise.
Pro Detailed reports
The fitness tracker offers excellent reporting including distance, speed, cadence, heart rate (if paired with monitor), ascent, decent, calories, recovery status, and more.
Con Short battery life when using the GPS
With the GPS turned on, battery life goes from around 24 days to 9 hours. This is likely fine for people who will always have opportunities to charge it after their run. However for anyone hoping to use the GPS for longer activities, such as hiking, that may not be long enough to be useful.
Con Known to become glitchy after a short period of use
The Polar M400 has some issues with reliability. After only a couple months of use, it's not uncommon for owners to report issues ranging from refusing to sync to the battery no longer charging.
Pro Works as a music player so it can be your sole device during exercise
The Gear Fit2 is one of the few trackers that allows you to store music directly on the device, which means one less electronic you need to carry with you on your workouts. Thanks to the built in GPS and notifications, the Gear Fit2 eliminates the need to bring your smartphone with you on runs.
Pro Keeps you constantly aware of your progress without needing to look at your smartphone
The display isn't limited to your stats for the day as it is with many other trackers. At a glance you can check out your progress for the week, or look at the full activity history of each day individually.
Con GPS drains the battery extremely fast
Not a great option for those who want to use the tracker for long hikes. With the GPS turned on, it goes through battery extremely fast. Only lasting a few hours before needing to be put on power saving mode.
Con Unreliable build quality
There are many reviews on Amazon stating people had issues with the device quitting after only a few months of use.
Pro Ideal tracker for runners
It's quite lightweight at 1.6oz and has a large bright display for easy reading while on the move in all types of lighting conditions. It's water resistant up to 50 meters so you're safe to wear it running in all types of weather.
Pro Quickly picks up a GPS signal
It picks up the GPS signal much faster than most other GPS fitness trackers available, so there is little waiting around for it to connect before you start your run.
Con Needs to be recharged often
Garmin states the watch has a battery life of 11 hours training and 9 days of use as a watch, which is a fairly short charge compared to other fitness trackers. However many people have found the actual charge to be much less, often needing to be recharged every couple of days.
Con Has trouble tracking heart rate during intervals
During interval training when there is a frequent change of exertion, the Forerunner 235 has trouble continuously providing accurate readings. It's better suited for running with a sustained pace.
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