Fitbit Charge HR Review

Fitbit have made their mark on the UK fitness industry with their memorable ‘Find Your Fit’ marketing campaign.The motivating music, unusual activities, and new smart technologies that Fitbit teased us with in their TV advert left me eagerly wanting to join the Fitbit family with the Charge HR, and it was worth the wait.

Getting Started

Like most other fitness watches, the HR comes with very little instruction, although it really isn't needed. It was simply a matter of strap on and go (after downloading, profiling, and linking with the app of course).

Once it’s up and running with a simple tap of its LED screen, users can view their steps, calories burnt, distance travelled, stairs climbed, heart rate, and the current time.

Heart Rate

This was the feature I was most excited about, as in my opinion there is no more effective method of training. Heart-rate training provides the user with personalised feedback throughout their training, revealing exactly how hard their body is working, as well as many other detailed insights into their training zones, recovery, and overall level of fitness.

I have always trained with a chest strap to optimise my training, which can often be uncomfortable and frankly hassle to attach, so the continuous wrist-based monitoring was something I was particularly intrigued by.

Initially, the HR’s heart rate seemed to be accurate as it was producing readings I was familiar with at rest so I decided to put it through a spin class. I left the class a sweaty mess, expecting my HR to congratulate me on spending the majority of my workout in its ‘peak’ zone (166 bpm +) however this is what greeted me:

 As you can see, the HR has counted 0 minutes of peak performance and the majority of my workout is split between the cardio and fat burning zones with a peak of just 157 bpm. I don't believe this to be accurate, as when I usually track my heart-rate during a tough spin session, it peaks at around 170bpm and I tend to stay in the 'peak' performance range most of the time. 

The Other Features

The steps, calories burnt, and distance travelled were pretty generic, similar to almost every other fitness activity tracker out there; however the HR does boast two extra features which are a rarer find within this market: stairs climbed and sleep monitoring.

Stairs climbed I found an interesting feature, particularly for those working in an office, or perhaps commuting into work. I was pleasantly surprised on a trip to London by how many stairs I climbed simply travelling up and down from the tube.

Monitoring my sleep proved more of a challenge, as according to my HR, I barely slept at all!

I thought maybe the lack of sleep had affected my vision when I awoke to this, so I decided to research a little further into how to ensure the Fitbit was performing accurately. Fitbit suggested I update the app and swapped the watch to my less dominant hand.

To my relief, the change in results was drastic and the sleep monitoring has remained consistent from this moment on. So I would say to anyone else experiencing issues like this, swap your watch to your less-dominant hand.

The Fitbit App

The app consists of a dashboard of your watch’s feedback, each detail can then be selected to unlock further analysis of your performance. The set up is simple and effective; it was easy to navigate my way around the app and automatic syncing made it easy to see how my daily activity was going at the touch of a button. Other features include setting up daily goals and adding friends to compare results with, both of which gave me a little extra motivation.

Battery, Appearance and Comfort

If you’re committing to wearing an activity tracker it needs to be comfortable as you will be wearing it 24/7. The Fitbit HR comes in small and large sizes and fits comfortably just above the wrist bone. Aesthetically, I opted for a classic black watch, which could easily match every gym outfit while remaining smart enough to keep on in the office. For the more adventurous among you, the watch also comes in plum, blue, and tangerine.

Once it’s strapped on, the Fitbit HR is so comfortable it can be forgotten about until it’s battery dies in around two days time. This is with constant monitoring and a daily gym session. To maximise its battery life further Fitbit suggest turning off constant syncing and automatic heart rate.

Verdict

The Fitbit HR is a good all-round activity tracker and is ideal for most fitness users. The volume of feedback from the device is good and with prices ranging from £85 - £140 it's good value for money. The Fitbit HR’s simplicity makes it an ideal first activity tracker, the only drawback being that the heart rate reading is not always entirely accurate.

10 Fitbit Statistics

If you’re planning on buying a Fitbit, here’s the lowdown on the company you’re buying into:

1. Fitbit have a whopping 19 million users, beating Nike+ at 18 million. That’s equivalent to 35% of England's entire population!
2. Fitbit own a 34% share of the wearable technology market.
3. Fitbits are sold in more than 50 countries.
4. Fitbit ended 2014 with a revenue of $745 million!
5. In 2015, Fitbit sales were up to 30 million, which is sure to rise in 2016!
6. The Fitbit app is available on over 200 different types of smartphone.
7. Thermos partnered with Fitbit in their sales of water bottles which track your water consumption through their lids and fire it back to the mobile app.
8. In 2015, Fitbit had 579 members of staff. They’re also currently hiring!
9. Over 45,000 shops sell Fitbit products
10. Fitbit currently have 11 different trackers: 1. Fitbit Tracker, 2.Fitbit Ultra, 3.Fitbit One, 4.Fitbit Zip, 5.Fitbit Flex, 6.Fitbit Force, 7.Fitbit Charge HR, 8. Fitbit Charge, 9. Fitbit Surge, 10. Fitbit Aria and 11. Fitbit Blaze.