Fitbit HR feature

Ibby114 · ‎03-10-2010

I have a Fitbit Chrge HR - bought it a couple years ago and never synched it. I'm doing that now- the charging is taking a while [but plugging along!] ....

If I need to get a new unit, has the HR "PurePulse' feature been updated in current HR models? I remember when i got this there were many questions/comcerns about the heart rate tracking being VERY off. I was going to use the heart rate monitoring as a guide rather than anything definitive.

I called their CS about this and got a roundabout answer. Guess they didn't want to say anything negative, after the bad press back then.

nana59 · ‎05-12-2012

my husband just bought a heart monitor to wear to the gym....he recently had an annual appointment with his cardiologist...no problems....just goes because of family history....his cardiologist said there's no need for heart rate monitors....just listen to your body......just his opinion.....

Ibby114 · ‎03-10-2010

@nana59 wrote:
my husband just bought a heart monitor to wear to the gym....he recently had an annual appointment with his cardiologist...no problems....just goes because of family history....his cardiologist said there's no need for heart rate monitors....just listen to your body......just his opinion.....

@nana59 unfortuantely I neeed to monitor my heart rate. Mostly when I exercise but the 24/7 feature is good too. If it's accurate!

hckynut · ‎03-10-2010

@Ibby114

Don't know squat about a Fitbit, but I do know about the heart rate and the importance of it's accuracy, and how one's fitness is measured using just one's HR, no machines.

I have worn a Polar Chest Heart Rate Monitor(several different models) for close to 40 years. I have tried several other gadgets that claim to give an accurate heart rate and have yet to find one that actually is accurate, to the BPM. I can check my heart rate by "feel" and it sync up exactly to my Polar Monitors.

When you are in a hospital there is a reason they put me those electrode patches on you chest, not on your wrist/ear/finger tips/palms of your hands, and that is because they want accuracy, period!

I have seen several people ice skating looking at their Fitbit and a couple fumbling through the readouts to get it to their HR reading. A very fit person wants their highest HR number that very second, because when fit their HR drops very fast. In 10 seconds it can drop 20bpm, then what good is the reading? It ain't.

I will stick with my Polar when skating and all my Cardio/Strength, and all other workouts I do at home. Accuracy is important to this Heart Patient partly because I take my heart to it's Max.

hckynut(john)

pigletsmom · ‎11-21-2011

I switched from a Charge HR to a Charge 2 and honeslty I'm not sure if it's more accurate. I think it's probably close to accurate but I assume that it's not perfect. I did buy a magnetic band to use instead of the one that it comes with. That way I can wear it above my wrist and it stays put. They say you get a better reading there but with the band with the buckle it wouldn't stay there for me. The only skinny part about me is my wrist area! Plus the buckle on the regular band bothered my skin. I do think using the magnetic band helped getting a more accurate count.

Ibby114 · ‎03-10-2010

@hckynut wrote:

@Ibby114

Don't know squat about a Fitbit, but I do know about the heart rate and the importance of it's accuracy, and how one's fitness is measured using just one's HR, no machines.

I have worn a Polar Chest Heart Rate Monitor(several different models) for close to 40 years. I have tried several other gadgets that claim to give an accurate heart rate and have yet to find one that actually is accurate, to the BPM. I can check my heart rate by "feel" and it sync up exactly to my Polar Monitors.

When you are in a hospital there is a reason they put me those electrode patches on you chest, not on your wrist/ear/finger tips/palms of your hands, and that is because they want accuracy, period!

I have seen several people ice skating looking at their Fitbit and a couple fumbling through the readouts to get it to their HR reading. A very fit person wants their highest HR number that very second, because when fit their HR drops very fast. In 10 seconds it can drop 20bpm, then what good is the reading? It ain't.

I will stick with my Polar when skating and all my Cardio/Strength, and all other workouts I do at home. Accuracy is important to this Heart Patient partly because I take my heart to it's Max.

hckynut(john)

Thanks @hckynut - I agree that I need something the most accurate! I'll check out the Polar.

I'm a heart patient too. 100% blockage on the right with collaterals- and my blood flow is fine. Haven't had an 'incident' -- . and I'm trying to keep it that way! My blockage was discovered during pre surgical testing.

i tested the HR reading of my fitbit with my treadmill workout last night and it was accurate - for the most part. When I did the crazy inclines and speed it was off; But any more moderate mode the fitbit reading was [surprisingly] in line with the treadmill reading.

The fitbit HR reading is defintiely not the be all! I was hoping to read that the newer models had more advanced technology to read the heart.

Ibby114 · ‎03-10-2010

@pigletsmom wrote:
I switched from a Charge HR to a Charge 2 and honeslty I'm not sure if it's more accurate. I think it's probably close to accurate but I assume that it's not perfect. I did buy a magnetic band to use instead of the one that it comes with. That way I can wear it above my wrist and it stays put. They say you get a better reading there but with the band with the buckle it wouldn't stay there for me. The only skinny part about me is my wrist area! Plus the buckle on the regular band bothered my skin. I do think using the magnetic band helped getting a more accurate count.

Thank you @pigletsmom - I'll wear it above my wrist!

mimomof4 · ‎03-08-2018

If you need something to be 100% accurate, I don't know if the fitbit is the way to go. I would buy an approved medical device instead.

I like that the HR is on my FitBit and it helps give me an idea if I'm walking fast enough for an aerobic workout (or in a stressful situation LOL) but I don't depend on it for my health.