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Add to SafariWhen comparing Fitbit Zip vs Polar M400, the Slant community recommends Polar M400 for most people. In the question“What are the best fitness trackers that pair with iPhones?” Polar M400 is ranked 2nd while Fitbit Zip is ranked 8th. The most important reason people chose Polar M400 is:
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.
Specs
Question Ranking
Pros
Pro Social component to help keep you motivated
The Zip keeps you motivated through friendly competition. Along with giving you a rank among your friends, you can also cheer them on or taunt them.
Pro Easy to hide under your clothes
The Fitbit Zip fitness tracker is very small, so you can easily wear it somewhere that it will be hidden (belt, pocket, bra strap, etc.). Unlike most trackers which have wrist bands, you don't have to worry about trying to make it blend in with what you're wearing.
Pro Fitbit app lets you track a variety of health-related stats
The app doesn't only display the stats from your device, it also lets you track a variety of different health-related stats by entering them manually. You can log your food for the day, how you slept, activity, weight, and more.
Pro Automatic synching that's easy to setup
The Fitbit Zip fitness tracker wirelessly syncs with both PC and smartphones via the Fitbit app. After getting it set up you don't even think about syncing, it's just automatic.
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 Gives you custom activity goals suitable for your level
The daily activity goal is a good way to find out how active you really are in your everyday life. Here you can choose your typical activity level from three options and see how active you need to be to reach your daily activity goal.
The time you need to complete your daily activity goal depends on the level you have chosen and the intensity of your activities. Age and gender also affect the intensity you need to reach your daily activity goal.
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.
Pro Ability to add training notes
The app allows you to add additional notes to your workouts for better tracking.
Cons
Con Lacking many of the features that fitness trackers often offer
The Fitbit Zip only tracks distance, steps, and calories burned. It's basically a pedometer with a smart tracking platform you can use for manually tracking the rest of your day. It can't tell you stairs climbed or heart rate, and there is no alarm, sleep tracking, or GPS.
Con Issues with the battery not working
The contacts in the device are very sensitive. If you don't place the battery in just right, it will only work for a short period of time before the battery needs to be readjusted or replaced.
Even when following instructions provided by the company, some people report that still can't get it working properly. The battery may end up lasting days instead of the promised 4-6 months.
You can see how to properly change the battery here.
Con Easy to lose
The tiny size of the Fitbit Zip makes it very easy to lose track of.
Rather than a wrist watch like many other trackers, it only has a slide on clip. The clip is fairly secure for normal activity, but you may knock the tracker off without realizing it.
Con Lacks a rechargeable battery
The Fitbit Zip fitness tracker runs on a 3-volt lithium-ion battery that lasts between 4 and 6 months. It requires getting a new battery every time it runs out of charge.
Con Sleep tracking lacks detail and accuracy
If you are awake for an extended period of time in the middle of the night and then fall back asleep, the fitness tracker may not see the additional hours as part of your sleep.
Con Unattractive and bulky design
The tracker is quite wide and hard to miss, it's not something that can blend in with what you're wearing outside of sport/exercise type settings.
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.
