When comparing Fitbit Zip vs Garmin Forerunner 235, the Slant community recommends Garmin Forerunner 235 for most people. In the question“What are the best fitness trackers that pair with iPhones?” Garmin Forerunner 235 is ranked 7th while Fitbit Zip is ranked 8th. The most important reason people chose Garmin Forerunner 235 is:
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.
Specs
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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 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.
Pro Customize the display screen to display the data most important to you
The display screens are fully customizable so you can control which stats you want to see.
Pro Extremely lightweight and comfortable
Despite the amount of hardware this tracker contains and it's large size, it's very lightweight and comfortable to wear.
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 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.
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.