Fitbit or Garmin, which one will you choose...?

Good morning! There are many choices for fitness watches out there and there is a new one entering the realm of fitness trackers/smartwatches later in April by Garmin called, the vívoactive HR. This will the the second edition of this same smartwatch model by Garmin. Here's a look at the old model, a special slate, The Biggest Loser Limited Edition,

If you are wanting a device to monitor your steps, calories, prompt you to move after being chained to your computer desk for 90 straight minutes, and notify of meetings when you're smartphone is too far away, the vívoactive is a pretty good alternate from the ecosystem I have grown to love named, Fitbit. Why would Garmin choose to release a new model? Well, it has been over one year and all smartwatches are moving away from the chest-strap-hear-rate monitors of 1997. Do you remember visiting a sick person in a hospital and they had that white cap on their finger detecting their heart rate? Well, similar technology was converted for the consumer for under $800.00 and sans medical augmented pricing. Wrist detection heart-rate technology has changed much in the past three years. If you read this older article from 2014 by CNET you and see why that had to be improved.

Models tested

1. +Fitbit Charge HR 2. +Fitbit Surge 3. +Fitbit Blaze

4. +Garmin vívosmart HR 5. +Garmin  vívofit with an HR chest strap 6. +Garmin vívofit 2 with an HR chest strap

When I tested the Charge HR, Surge, and the Garmin wristband heart rates devices I matched them against a Bluetooth HR chest-strap by Wahoo (+Wahoo Support). The different between my wrist heart rate and the chest strap heart rate was very minimal. At most after a 30-60 minute of running or brisk walking the two devices were within four beats. The chest-strap HR did have a faster detection of increasing and decreasing whereas the wristband took many more seconds to realize I had stopped running. Today is Friday, April 15, 2016 and I've been using the Fitbit Blaze now as my primary heart-rate monitor, smartwatch, and fitness tracker. Of the models used it has been my favorite. I plan to test it again the new Garmin vìvoactive HR later this month when it is released.

Pricing

Current, the Fitbit Blaze sells for $199.00 and the first-generation Garmin vívoactive is on sale on Amazon.com for $209.00. Now, my prediction is if you wait another week or so for the new vívoactive to be released the prices on Amazon.com and other sites will continue to drop for nobody will be wanting the older model. The touchscreen for the original vívosmart was nice, not as sensitive as the Apple Watch or the Fitbit Blaze, yet for the pricing point, it was better than the touchscreen hardware Garmin used on their first-generation vívosmart or vívosmart HR. If you're looking for a tone of features and a waterproof watch, the Garmin vívoactive 2 may be worth waiting for. Am I going to return my Blaze and switch over to Garmin leaving the Fitbit ecosystem which has been my virtual friend since 2013...? Nope! The Blaze is an easy-to-use smartwatch and I've been able to have the battery last six or seven days. It also has a great screen both visible in sunlight and dims automatically when you go to bed or if you in a movie theater. Okay, I'll be honest, it is tempting to trade-in your fitness devices every four months, but for once I simply want to see if the Blaze will endure one-full calendar year. And it was a Christmas gift and has sentimental value. In the writer's opinion, yeah, that me, one cannot go wrong with either +Garmin or +Fitbit for they are similar to the +Android verses +Apple, both are great, you simply have to choose and stick with it. Good luck out there today and may the closest parking stalls be full allowing you to reach your 250 steps for the hour. Speaking of which... time for another glass of water on the third floor!

Sincerely,

Orange Rabbit Runner