In just the last few years, wearable fitness devices have gone from being futuristic trackers where only the most tech-savvy people were in the know, to gifts we now buy for our friends and families.
But do they really work?
Reviews
Elizabeth Bigham
Fitness goal: Lose weight and regain the body and energy level of my youth.
Model: Fitbit One
Score: 7.0
I’ve used the Fitbit One for over two years to lose over 50 pounds. It’s great for measuring and tracking daily activity levels and daily weight (if you use it with the Aria scale). The iPhone app allows for easy monitoring, which can actually be addictive. The "friends” capability facilitates competition and encouragement...Read more
Elsbeth Riley
Fitness goal: I bought a Fitbit to motivate change.
Model: Fitbit Flex
Score: 8.5
Overall, my Fitbit Flex is very useful and informative. Syncing automatically with my smartphone, it gives me up-to-the-minute information about my physical activity for the day. If I ever get home from work and see that I’m below my 10,000-step goal, I lace up my walking shoes...Read more
Joan Arata
Fitness goal: I bought a Fitbit One about 15 months ago to track flights of steps, my sleep, and food intake.
Model: Fitbit One
Score: 8.0
I love having a Fitbit! I also frequently give them as gifts. I originally bought it when my gym was doing a challenge to log 10,000 steps a day for 30 days. I didn’t win the prize, but I did get hooked on my Fitbit! I recently had an opportunity to provide Fitbits for some family members, including my 88-year-old aunt. She walks between 3.5 and 5 miles every day, and many weeks, she puts me to shame! We all connect and track our activity against each other’s, which helps us stay close since we live in different places...Read more
Olivia Lansinger
Fitness goal: I wanted a Fitbit Flex to get in better shape and track how physical activity improves my insomnia and mental health.
Model: Fitbit Flex
Score: 8.0
The Fitbit Flex offers all the features you’d expect in a fitness tracker, while still being more comfortable and attractive than many of its competitors. Smaller than a watch, the Flex tracks your steps through movement of your wrist...Read more
Alexais Morgan
Fitness goal: I wanted to try the Fitbit flex to lose weight and track my fitness.
Model: Fitbit Flex
Score: 9.0
I really like how the Flex tracks my every movement, including how restless I can be at night. I started to see a pattern of how I sleep if I overdo it when playing sports. This made me better understand how my arthritis affects my whole body...Read more
David Kopp
Fitness goal: I want to make healthy decisions and stay motivated.
Model: Fitbit Zip
Score: 8.0
My Fitbit Zip was a hand-me-down from my wife. Sometimes I wonder if it was really a hand-me-down, or if she thought I’d benefit from a little feedback on my activity level. Either way, my obsessive nature is a perfect fit for my Zip...Read more
Dean Stephens
Fitness goal: Track my fitness and find motivation for staying active.
Model: Fitbit One
Score: 7.0
The Fitbit One is small and durable. It doesn’t break immediately if you drop it or get it wet. The real-time step and stair counter keeps me engaged...Read more
Jeff Nielsen
Fitness goal: I use my Fitbit to reach my activity goals every day.
Model: Fitbit Force
Score: 6.0
I think the Fitbit is an excellent tool for monitoring daily activity. Although the metrics (number of steps or miles, stairs climbed, active minutes) don’t seem very accurate, it helps me track and know how active I am. Its ability to set goals and indicate when I’ve achieved my goal pushes me to make sure I wear the device to do a minimum level of activity every day...Read more
The Finish Line:
Average Rating: 7.68
Though all Fitbit wearable devices share a majority of features, it’s clear that every person uses their device differently. Whether it’s to study how daily activities affect a specific health condition or to stay connected with loved ones, the range of features provides you with multiple ways to engage with your own health and with others.
All of our reviewers found pros and cons to their device. Despite some imperfections, the average Fitbit rating was 7.68 out of 10, which is pretty good!
Best Features
Nearly every review shared a common theme: motivation. Some are motivated to get in their daily steps. Others are motivated to lose weight or sleep better. Sometimes a person just wants to move. Whatever the reason, Fitbit devices served to propel people toward their goals.
When it comes to tracking fitness, motivation is supremely important. According to a survey published by an industry firm in January 2014, more than 50 percent of people in the United States who owned an activity tracker no longer use it. Additionally, a third of people who owned a tracker stopped using it within six months.
The devices’ social component also earned plenty of praise. After they put their feet to the concrete — or pedal or treadmill — reviewers enjoyed the ability to connect with others. Sharing their stats motivated them and encouraged friendly competition.
The sleep tracking function wasn’t as easy to use as most reviewers would like. However, those who tracked their sleep considered the information helpful in understanding how their daily activity affected their rest.
Needs Work
With the good comes the bad, and reviewers discovered a number of significant problems with their devices. The first, and possibly biggest, issue is the physical strength of Fitbit devices.
Many of the reviewers’ devices broke or snapped. One model was even recalled because it caused skin irritation. You’d expect a fitness device to stand up to physical stress, but the trackers seemed to have some construction issues.
However, as one reviewer noted, the company is willing to replace broken devices. According to the company website, each device comes with a limited one-year warranty. If the device breaks due to a defect, the company will either repair or replace it at not cost.
Certain functions are difficult to use. One reviewer bought a Fitbit with the goal of tracking her food intake. But over time, the food tracker took too much work to engage with, so she stopped using it.
Another complaint is that, though the devices do well to track the activities they claim to track, it isn’t as accurate for other activities. The devices track steps, but they can only arbitrarily track something like swimming stats. In the case of the wristband, cycling goes completely undetected. One reviewer strapped his Fitbit Zip to his calf to track cycling movement.
Fitbits are designed for walking, running, and “general household or lifestyle activities.” Though you can manually input your activity type in the Fitbit app, the tracker will not be as accurate as it is for walking or running.
What the Experts Say
A recent study discussed the topic of how well fitness tracking devices worn on the hip tracked non-running and non-walking activities. A Fitbit was included in the study. Researchers found that activity monitors worn on the hip weren’t as accurate as shoe-based devices. Hip-based monitors actually underestimated energy expenditure during both relatively inactive and vigorous activities.
On the other hand, another study revealed that the Fitbit Zip and Fitbit One were more accurate at estimating calories burned than other fitness trackers were. The study, conducted by researchers at Iowa State University, found that the two Fitbit devices had an error rating of about 10 percent. Only one consumer fitness tracker fared better. The BodyMedia FIT (owned by Jawbone) had a 9.3 percent error rating.
Decision Time
If you’re considering a fitness tracker, you should:
- Determine your fitness goals.
- Review the pros and cons of each device.
- Choose a tracker that fills your needs and won’t end up simply gathering dust after a few months.
Elizabeth Bigham
I’m a healthcare executive with a high-travel job and a mother of two.
Elsbeth Riley
I’ve been an athlete all my life: soccer and gymnastics as a tot, basketball and track as a teen, yoga and running now. I bought my Fitbit Flex while working a desk job. I was driving over an hour, parking in a garage about 50 steps from my desk, and sitting all day.
Joan Arata
I’m a consultant at Healthline, helping to create opportunities in the healthcare practitioner market.
Olivia Lansinger
I’m a student studying public health at the University of California, Berkeley. One of my main interests is physical fitness and how it relates to all aspects of health.
Alexais Morgan
I’m a 36-year-old woman who has osteoarthritis of the knee. I’ve had five surgeries, all due to athletic injuries. I love sports and try to be as active as possible.
David Kopp
I’m a Texan living in Los Altos (Silicon Valley) and working in San Francisco. I have four kids to chase and will admit to putting my Zip on my calf when biking to make sure I get full step credit for all those biking miles.
Dean Stephens
As the CEO of Healthline, I understand the importance of physical wellness and the value of having data at your disposal to make positive, healthy decisions. A client gave me a Fitbit One because I had complained about lack of exercise due to a heavy travel schedule.
Jeff Nielsen
I build the technologies that power the transition from America’s “sickcare” to true healthcare. I received the Fitbit Force as a Christmas gift from my girlfriend — maybe as a not-so-subtle suggestion to get into better shape.
