I’m happy to present to you the Fitbit Blaze fitness tracker watch review because the new range of wearables from Fitbit is doing away with the plastic look that we are used to seeing and have introduced a more premium looking activity tracker.
The brand has gone from strength to strength over the past few years and has established itself as a strong player in amongst fitness wearables- they have certainly made their mark and continue to do so with the new Fitbit Blaze tracker.
Feature-wise Fitbit has included more functionality, we’ll get into all this further down. The new blaze watch is already popular in the running community and I’ve spotted many gym-goers sporting it proudly during gruelling kettlebell squats and spinning classes. Feel the burn!
Fitbit has made it even easier to customise the new range but this time the main element is that the wristbands can differentiate it between a sports watch and a functional everyday watch that you could wear on social occasions.
The Fitbit Blaze has a square design encased in a steel frame that has a swappable plastic strap. The straps can be swapped for stylish ones to suit different occasions.
The Blaze is an upgrade to previous models such as the Fitbit Surge. It has a slim profile and feels very light when you have it on.
It’s comfortable enough to wear throughout the day as you would with a normal watch. The square screen measure 1.25 inches and powers a 16 colour touchscreen display.
You can select features directly from the screen and the watch has 3 buttons on the side. 1 on the left and the other 2 on the right to help select options when it’s not possible to do so on the screen with your sweaty hands. To conserve energy the screen turns off when it’s not in use.
The video below shows just how versatile the Fitbit Blaze is for both working out and socialising:
Watch Features
If you have used the Fitbit Charge HR you will be quite familiar with the features on the Fitbit Blaze fitness tracker watch, the main differences are that the Blaze has an OLED screen, improved notifications and exercise guides.
You have the ability to track burnt calories, daily steps, time spent being active, sleep quality and the number of stairs climbed. The built-in heart rate monitor can track exercises like running and cycling but you will need your smartphone to help with the GPS to track distance (more on this further down).
FitStar is a clever workout system which presents 3 guided sessions that pop up on the display to give you a structured workout whenever required-
The fitness settings are thorough and would satisfy any newbie or anyone improving their training program and looking for a premium fitness tracker.
As mentioned earlier, a slight setback is that the watch doesn’t come with GPS but Fitbit has made it possible to link the Blaze tracker with your smartphone and use the GPS on your phone via a feature called Connected GPS.
I usually take my phone with me to listen to music whilst running so this isn’t really a big issue for me. A silent alarm is another handy feature that uses vibrations to gently get you out of bed instead of an annoying alarm sound.
The video below shows how you can Track Your Workouts with Multi-Sport Modes:
Activity Tracking
The Fitbit Blaze tracker has plenty of options for different exercises including cycling, weight training, running, treadmills, kettlebell training, the list goes on. The tracker can also recognize your chosen exercise without you having to tell it. Neat!
The exercises record your heart rate via the sensor and exercise time to calculate calories burnt, additionally, the outdoor running and cycling activities use Connected GPS (via your smartphone) to accurately record distance and speed.
Sleep tracking on the Fitbit Blaze is very accurate and it also logs your midnight trips to the toilet. Although it’s accurate, it’s still very basic compared to rival activity trackers.
The sleep charts just show sleep, restlessness and wake whereas other products provide further sleep analysis (if that’s your thing) such as estimating deep sleep, light sleep and REM.
Heart Rate (HR) Monitor
Optical heart monitoring is accurate but it isn’t as good as a chest strap( this is standard across all fitness trackers).
If you’re going to be doing regular High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) then you’re better off buying atracker with a chest strap like the Garmin Vivosmart. The Blaze isn’t compatible with ANT+ or Bluetooth chest straps.
The watch accurately tracks your Resting Heart Rate- a way to measure improvements in your fitness.
The optical heart rate monitor maps your different workouts and gives useful accurate calorie burn information from your workout sessions or daily activities.
The video below shows how you can track your heart rate:
The Fitbit Blaze is a perfect entry-level fitness tracker for newbies and those looking at improving their fitness regime. Advanced trainers looking for specific zone training should considerthe Garmin Vivosmart.
Notifications
The watch can display text messages and incoming calls but not for 3rd party apps (except for WhatsApp which worked okay on the Fitbit Blaze).
The notifications don’t always show up even when the connection between the watch and phone is fine. Fitbit will need to sort this in an upcoming software update.
Fitbit will be soon changing how vibration alerts are received on the wrist but ultimately I think this option should be added for the user to choose the level of notifications rather than Fitbit making it the same for all its watches.
The Fitbit app
The Fitbit Blaze fitness tracker uses the same app as the rest of the other Fitbit product range. I would say this is a good thing because the app itself is easy to use, designed very well and is a great environment loaded with various challenges and trophies to be earned to keep workouts fun.
The app shows activities for the different days of the week and you are able to tap on a specific activity for a deeper analysis. For example if you tap on calories burnt you can look at your calorie output over time and sort by day, week or month and make comparisons.
The heart rate score is a very good measurement because it shows your resting heart rate over a period of time. As you become fitter the curve will show a downward trend.
The Fitbit app is one of the best apps amongst its peers. It’s very simple to use and understand but provides enough activity data without overloading you. The app syncs seamlessly between the Fitbit Blaze and your smartphone without any connection issues.
Battery life
Fitbit official battery times are pitched at 5 days usage which was accurate given the watch’s slim profile, constant notifications, bright OLED display, activity tracking and 3 workouts within 5 days- I would say this is a very strong point for the Fitbit Blaze as nobody wants their battery to die mid-way through a workout. Well done!
Waterproofing
The watch does Not come with waterproof expect for basic water resistance. Make sure you take it off before jumping into the bath and definitely no swimming with the watch.
US: Check current prices on Amazon.com UK: Check current prices on Amazon.co.uk
If you’re considering buying the Fitbit Blaze or already own one please leave your comments in the section below. I’d love to hear your experiences training with the watch. Thanks for reading my Fitbit Blaze fitness tracker watch review
If you are searching for a new fitness tracker then you should consider the Garmin range as a potential purchase. But can you use Garmin Vivosmart to up your game, improve your exercise program or create an entirely new one?
The VivoSmart is the second activity tracker from Garmin and is an upgrade to the Garmin Vivofit that was released last year. I’ll be looking at its new features, build quality, usability and the accompanying app in my review below to see if the Vivosmart is right for you… Read on.
Product Review: Garmin VivoSmart Cheapest place to Buy Colours Available: Berry, Purple, green, Blue, Black, Slate Guarantee: 1-year Limited Warranty Product Rating: 8 out of 10 ★★★★★★★★☆☆
Build Quality
The Garmin VivoSmart is extremely light, it weighs a mere 19 grams. Comfort can be felt from the smooth silicone finish and the use of notches that fit the wrist impeccably. In response to consumer issues with the band unsnapping on the earlier vivofit, Garmin have introduced a featured called vivoKEEPER which stops the band from undoing.
The band is subtle but stylish altogether. It scores top marks on durability with a tough silicone that will withstand the daily rigors of running, weight training, cycling, aerobics and pretty much any fitness activity under the sun. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the VivoSmart is water-resistant up to 50 meters for those that enjoy kayaking, canoeing, rowing and plenty other water activities.
Touch Screen
Similar to high-end fitness trackers the VivoSmart has a OLED touch screen which turns on when tapped twice. Not all touch screens are made equal, the responsiveness varies depending on the brand you buy. Reading this review you get to see just how good the screen is. Once the VivoSmart screen is turned on it’s very responsive when scrolling left or right and even a gentle swipe is acknowledged. It’s not as responsive to turn on but this might be a way for Garmin to avoid unintended gestures that accidentally turn on the screen when not required.
The screen displays time, weekday or weekend and the numeric day. If you scroll to the right you have access to your notifications and messages. The band can be paired with your iPhone, android or tablet. If you receive a notification on your paired device your band will vibrate and display it. This is a very convenient feature especially when you are exercising and don’t want the distraction of pulling out your phone every time you receive a notification. Simple features like this make a big difference.
Below is a video from Garmin that shows just how easy the VivoSmart can be paired to your smartphone:
Features
There’s a lot to cover but that’s a good thing right? The VivoSmart has an impressive set of features to control your fitness information from step count to distance to calories burnt.
MoveBar:
The MOVE Bar is a feature that displays a bar after a prolonged period of inactivity. It essentially tells you to stop being a couch potato, when the first bar is filled up it will blink and cause the band to vibrate showing 1 hour of inactivity. Thereafter, if you remain inactive, the next set of bars will blink after every 15 minutes. This feature is a great MOTIVATOR to keep you moving!
A short video below shows the MoveBar in action:
Smart Goals:
Once you have customized the App with your age, weight, height information, the Garmin VivoSmart starts to learn your activity patterns and sets Smart Goals for you. It will learn the amount of steps you make for example and automatically adjusts your daily goals and helps you to achieve a little more each day. If your fitness program starts to slow down the band will readjust your goals in line with the downtrend. If you would rather set your own goals you can do this manually within the app (More on this below).
If you hold down the band for a couple of seconds it reveals some extra features on top of the standard measurements above when compared to rival fitness trackers. You are provided a Stopwatch on the band which measures your running distance. A crescent moon activates the Sleep Mode feature to track movements throughout the night. The screen brightness can be adjusted, but a slight downside is that it’s a bit difficult to see in direct sunlight even at the brightest setting.
The next screen offers a triangle that lets you adjust privacy settings for notifications. The clever thing is that if you can’t find your paired phone or tablet you can press that icon and it will make your device play a loud sound so you can find it easily around the house. The band will also display a proximity meter to show how close you are to your phone. I’m sold!
Lastly is a symbol with arrows to sync your activity information. The more basic features include turning Bluetooth on or off, changing the time on the band, current band version with the battery level.
The App
Here’s the section you eagerly want to know about, the GARMIN Connect App. The menu buttons can be moved as desired to suit which features you want to use the most. The screen shows the number of steps taken, distance, calories burnt and goals automatically set by the VivoSmart. Selecting DETAILS shows an analysis of your most and least active times on a fancy graph. Nice!
The Garmin App is brilliant at syncing with the MyFitnessPal app so you can log your daily diet and get a more accurate measurement of calories. It’s a great partnership, The Garmin App + Band tracks the calories burned whilst MyFitnesspal logs your food intake.
HR Monitoring:
You also have the option of buying Garmin’s Heart rate (HR) monitor together with the band as a package. The HR monitor gives a more accurate of your heart rate during workouts so it makes sense to buy the monitor for the small additional cost. It will indicate if your HR falls into the rest zone, boosts to the maximum zone and everything in between. If you already own a HR monitor it will be compatible with the band if it uses ANT+ technology. The band isn’t compatible with HR monitors that use Bluetooth.
The SLEEP feature on the App screen will provide detailed information of your type of sleep throughout the night. The movement pattern on the graph shows how much you moved during the night which determines the quality of your rest.
The BADGES feature is your wall of trophies for achieving goals that you set for yourself or auto goals set by the VivoSmart band.
The SEGMENTS feature lets you measure yourself against other runners that have used the same route and shows the best time achieved. You can see the distance, time taken and their speed per kilometre. This is a handy feature for all you runners out there as it provides you with great motivation.
Although they are more features, the ones above are probably the most important ones.
WORKOUTS lets you make your own custom workouts via the Garmin Connect website. You can also manually input your Personal Records as and when you get the opportunity.
The menu button gives you access to the community, to buddy up with runners or other sportspeople to challenge and compare results. You can send a friend request to individuals that you wish to keep regular contact with. If you have family and friends that already own Garmin devices, it’s a great encouragement to set mini-challenges amongst each other. The Live Track feature lets you share your activity with your followers on your social media profiles.
The video below is Garmin’s official overview of the Vivosmart awesome features:
Battery Life
Garmin’s official battery time for the VivoSmart is 7 days but users have reported slightly less usage time. Taking into account the number of notifications that the band receives, its extensive features and vibration the battery time averaged at 6 days 12 hours which in my opinion is pretty good and not far off the official battery time. The charging cradle, although on the bulky side, is perfectly fine for regular use.
Conclusion
Can you use Garmin VivoSmart to up your game? With its arsenal of features and automatic goals I would say ABSOLUTELY! Garmin has designed a clever fitness tracker that works together with 3rd party apps like MyFitnesspal to help you make important lifestyle changes. It’s a worthy investment priced competitively.
Cheapest place to Buy
US: Purchase it on Amazon.com for only $89.00 or $109.00 with chest strap UK: Purchase it on Amazon.co.uk for only £99.00
Thanks for reading my post. If you are considering buying the Garmin VivoSmart or already own one please leave your comments in the section below.
The new polar A360 fitness tracker is designed by a brand that I trust, a brand that is well recognized for activity tracking with pinpoint accuracy. In an ever-growing competitive market for fitness wearables, Polar has kept up with its rivalries by introducing a stylish wrist tracker that incorporates a heart rate monitor and many other features.
Is the tracker any different from the alternatives? Is it good value for money? What sets it apart? These are some of the topics I’d like to touch on below.
The core function of the Polar A360 is to monitor and record heart rate (HR) based exercise. This type of HR monitoring is based on different HR intensities that are tailored to your heart rate levels.
This allows you to track your performance with a lot more accuracy and also helps prevent over-training because you are able to switch from light, moderate and intensive exercises.
You can monitor performance improvements i.e. if you are a runner you can measure pace improvements or what part of your training suffers a dip in performance.
When you’re not pouring out buckets of sweat, there’s also the added flexibility of being able to wear the Polar A360 during your normal day and the tracker will monitor your movements and steps whilst you go about your business.
Similar to competing smartwatches, it can also be synced with iPhones or Android phones and display your notifications on its vivid touchscreen.
If you’re feeling generous, the watch can be bought as an ideal gift for friends or family that love the gym, are dedicated athletes or even beginners but chances are you’ll probably want to keep it for yourself when you take it out the box. Personally I prefer thePolar A360 in white, it looks stylish and clean 🙂
WATCH DESIGN
The Polar A360 is designed with a changeable wristband made from silicone. You have the flexibility of swapping around the wristbands which come in a range of colours (black, white, blue, green & pink). The silicone material is hypoallergenic for sensitive skin types.
The watch has an interesting rectangular display finished in chrome at the longer edges. It is available in 3 sizes (i.e S,M,L) for comfort and an added level of customisation. If you’re unsure about your size, Polar have provided a size chart on their site to help you get the perfect fit prior to ordering.
The display screen measures 13mm x 27mm and has a pixel density of 152 ppi with a wide-viewing angle. The display is a full-colour TFT display with a capacitive touchscreen. Underneath the A360 is Polar’s proprietary heart rate sensor with 2 LEDs to illuminate the blood vessels and a photodiode to measure your blood flow. I’ll go with that.
FUNCTIONALITY
The features on the Polar A360 are similar to rival fitness trackers on the market. Nonetheless, I’ll go through the important ones worth mentioning.
As mentioned above, the watch incorporates a wrist-based HR monitor which is claimed to be almost as accurate as the flagship Polar H7 monitor (that straps to your chest). Hint: You can also pair the H7 monitor to the A360.
One of the A360’s primary functions is a pedometer that tracks the number of steps you’ve walked/run using its accelerometer.
Watch the video below for a Demo on Training with Wrist-based Heart Rate
It will measure your steps and calculate the distance covered during your walk or run, I’ll point out that the distance measurement is an estimate because the Polar A360 does not come with an inbuilt GPS sensor for distance.
It also measures calories burned, during your exercise session or throughout the day, based on your gender, age, weight, height and most importantly heart rate.
The A360 will also track your sleep patterns automatically if you leave it on at night. Notifications including text messages are pushed from your phone to the watch. How cool.
Polar is renowned for its smart coaching features to help you set specific training targets, see the main effect of your workouts, measure your fitness level, or even how your running performance is developing. The A360 is no compromise and is a brilliant training companion.
Polar’s official stats claim the 100 mAh battery lasts 12 days on 1 charge based on an hour’s daily workout and notifications switch off. Users say the battery doesn’t last quite as long. I still think if the tracker is reaching anywhere near the 12-day battery life mark it’s more than acceptable.
An added bonus is that the A360 is waterproof (up to 30 meters) and will appeal to swimmers. It probably will be difficult to use the actual touchscreen whilst swimming because, generally, touchscreens don’t respond well to water or sweat. A good way around this is to set the training program just before diving into the pool and then keep it going for the duration of your session, have your towel close by so that you can dry the screen and your hands at the end.
If you would like to use a mobile app with the A360, it works best with the Polar Flow app which can be downloaded for free. You will have access to a huge range of training programs, modes and monitoring. the A360 can be used with third-party apps on android or iOS.
The advantage of this fitness tracker is that it’s waterproof and can be worn whilst you have a bath. The wide-angle colour display is good both indoors and outside in the glaring sun. It can be charged using any Micro USB cable and it can be connected to a computer or laptop using the same cable.
PROS
Stylish design.
Integrated HR Monitor.
Waterproof.
Doubles as a smartwatch.
Color Touchscreen display.
CONS
No inbuilt GPS.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Polar A360 activity tracker and wristband (depending on colour selection).
Micro USB cable to charge the device.
Manual.
MY FINAL SAY
For a premium gadget, from a well-respected brand it would have been nice to have included GPS. Besides this minor setback I would say Polar make up for it through its accurate sensors and a stylishly designed fitness tracker that has a sturdy long-lasting build.
If you are looking for a training device that provides top of the range Heart rate-based training and useful data to take your performance to the next level then the A360 is great at providing you with this functionality.
Don’t forget to get the correct sizebefore purchase. You can choose either Small, Medium or Large.
Where Can I Buy The Polar A360?
US: Purchase it on Amazon.com for only $199.95 UK: Purchase it on Amazon.co.uk for only £129.00
If you are thinking of buying a Polar A360 or already own one please feel free to leave your comments below.
Today I’d like to review the Fitbit Surge which I tested for a few weeks and incorporated it into my fitness routine which comprised of running in different weather conditions, cycling, home aerobics (stepper and light weights) and circuit training.
Product Review: Fitbit Surge Colours Available: Black, Blue, Orange Guarantee: 1-year Limited Warranty Product Rating: 8 out of 10 ★★★★★★★★☆☆
Firstly the material onFitbit Surgeis made from durable elastomer, in other words,(more…)
Today’s review will be focusing on some of the best wearable fitness devices to help with tracking physical activities and get you in the best condition in no time. I’ll be giving you a quick summary of the must-have features including the native app that can be loaded to your Android/ IOS device for a detailed breakdown of your workouts and activities. Let’s go!
3. JAWBONE UP2
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