Garmin Vivosmart HR - Large Fit vs Fitbit Alta Fitness Tracker, X-Large

Although it can use two bands, one regular size and one extra large, they are adjustable just like a watch, so it allows the HR to fit in almost any wrist. The main straps are soft and flexible.

That gives it an edge over Fitbits, which are not waterproof). You can use it while showering, swimming, snorkeling and diving into open water.

It can notify you of incoming emails, phone calls, text and calendar reminders from your phone. It has a function for setting and following team goals. It warns you by vibrating if it detects you have been inactive for a long period of time. It has a "find my phone" feature. It can read entire text messages and has horizontal and vertical screen orientation.

This fitness tracker can also track the depth of your sleep, and it gets the exact time you fall asleep and wake spot-on.

Most micro-USB or USB-C charging ports on waterproofed devices eventually develop leakage over the long term. This device has a propietary charging port, designed to ensure that the unit remains waterproof in the long run.

To help conserve its battery, each time you are resting, your heart rate will be read every 5 minutes instead of every second.

The Fitbit companion app is incredibly resourceful, easy to use, and is compatible with every other Fitbit device. All you have to do is download it, link it with the tracker and you are good to go. The app’s interface makes it possible to effortlessly and seamlessly adjust your workout schedule, water intake goals and even sleep patterns. And if you are the kind that likes sifting through settings, there is much to accomplish on the app.

Familiarizing yourself with the tracker’s interface should not take you long. Its default screen indicate time. Depending on the selected face, your overall progress and date of the exercise might also be indicated on the home screen. It is also very easy to switch between calories burned, distance covered, steps taken and spent time Fitbit’s mobile app. The order of these pages can also be toggled to determine the order in which they appear on the interface. For instance, if you rather see the calories burned, you can change it to become your home screen.

The Fitbit Alto battery life is a force to be reckoned with. According to the manufacturer’s website, it can last for an impressive 5 full days and nights under constant use without the need to recharge

Understandably, you might want to keep your phone out of sight so that you can concentrate on your fitness goals. Nevertheless, this does not imply that you would not like to receive text, calls and calendar alerts. To compensate for this, the Alto operates over Bluetooth 4.0 which facilitates a seamless connection with your phone. Notifications are made possible via a vibration motor which buzzes to notify you of incoming texts, calls and most importantly to celebrate when you reach your fitness goals.

Beneath the screen, the Alta is fitted with an accelerometer which automatically detects your daily exercise activities and syncs them with the Fitbit mobile app to enable you to track your progress during and after exercises. And if you don’t like the inconveniences of handling your smartphone when working out, live progress can be tracked via the tracker’s screen but it has to be tapped first to become active. Nevertheless, it is important to note that it does not turn on a single tap. Sometimes you will have to double tap it for it to awaken. The face of the tracker is also highly customizable. It boasts 5 horizontal and 5 vertical positions. The choice here depends on where you find it easiest to access the screen from. It also switches on automatically whenever you flip your wrist on a time checking position.

If you are after a fitness tracker that can track most of your daily exercise activities, the Fitbit Alto will come in handy. It is designed to track your steps, distance covered, sleep, calories burned, active exercise time and stationary time using a 3 axis accelerometer.

Bearing in mind that you are out for a fitness tracker that will fit on a large wrist, you will be pleased to learn that the Fitbit Alta is designed just for that. I mean, the wristbands are customizable. To be precise, it comes with customizable straps which can also be replaced with third-party bands or adjusted to virtually fit on any wrist size. Even better, switching out the bands is pretty easy. You only need to slide and push the quick release button to adjust or replace it with whichever band cozily fits on your wrist and pleases your eyes. This high level of customizability not only gives you the autonomy to choose a comfortable band size but also the freedom to swap your brand and switch up your style. Being compatible with leather, metal and classic themed bands from the world’s leading fashion designers, you can count on this iconic tracker to create a look that best fits your occasion.