Replacement for a Fitbit One?
March 28, 2018 5:52 AM Subscribe
What options for non-wristband fitness trackers are available in 2018?
I love my Fitbit One. My second One, at two years old, is beginning to exhibit the same erratic behaviors that eventually did in my first One at about two years old, so I'm in the market for a replacement and Fitbit no longer makes the One.
I really don't want a wristband-model tracker because reasons, so I'm looking at the Fitbit Zip, but I'm concerned that it doesn't have as many features as the One. (The feature I'm most concerned about losing is when you hold down the button on the One and it gives you a count of how many steps/miles you've gone since you held down the button -- if someone can give me a term for that feature so that I can search for it specifically, I'd be very grateful.)
I'm also curious about what other options might be available outside the Fitbit ecosystem, especially if I can download my accumulated Fitbit data and upload it into the whatever software/dashboard the new tracker has. I'd be willing to consider a wristband model if the inner mechanism thinger will accurately count steps when it's removed from the wristband and put in a pocket.
Budget: under $150 would be great; willing to go to $200 if you can tell me why it's worth it.
I love my Fitbit One. My second One, at two years old, is beginning to exhibit the same erratic behaviors that eventually did in my first One at about two years old, so I'm in the market for a replacement and Fitbit no longer makes the One.
I really don't want a wristband-model tracker because reasons, so I'm looking at the Fitbit Zip, but I'm concerned that it doesn't have as many features as the One. (The feature I'm most concerned about losing is when you hold down the button on the One and it gives you a count of how many steps/miles you've gone since you held down the button -- if someone can give me a term for that feature so that I can search for it specifically, I'd be very grateful.)
I'm also curious about what other options might be available outside the Fitbit ecosystem, especially if I can download my accumulated Fitbit data and upload it into the whatever software/dashboard the new tracker has. I'd be willing to consider a wristband model if the inner mechanism thinger will accurately count steps when it's removed from the wristband and put in a pocket.
Budget: under $150 would be great; willing to go to $200 if you can tell me why it's worth it.
Jawbone has gone out of business, unfortunately. I really liked the UP, but the support's not there any more. You can pick one up cheap, but I wouldn't bother. Also, the Move has no display at all (although the app is/was great).
You can get aftermarket clips for just about any wearable that isn't built into the band, like this one for the Fitbit Alta. I suggest that one, because the Alta does have a display, although it doesn't have the sort of "stopwatch" progress tracking like you describe for the One. You can get that info from the app, but it's not right there on the device. If you did decide to forgo the display, the Flex 2 is nice because it's smaller. The "pebble" can be removed from the band and you can get clip holders for it. I don't have one, but I feel like it's reasonably accurate in my pocket as well. Has to be recharged like twice a week, though. The Zip has the advantage of long battery life, a replaceable battery, and clip design.
posted by Kriesa at 7:35 AM on March 28, 2018 [2 favorites]
You can get aftermarket clips for just about any wearable that isn't built into the band, like this one for the Fitbit Alta. I suggest that one, because the Alta does have a display, although it doesn't have the sort of "stopwatch" progress tracking like you describe for the One. You can get that info from the app, but it's not right there on the device. If you did decide to forgo the display, the Flex 2 is nice because it's smaller. The "pebble" can be removed from the band and you can get clip holders for it. I don't have one, but I feel like it's reasonably accurate in my pocket as well. Has to be recharged like twice a week, though. The Zip has the advantage of long battery life, a replaceable battery, and clip design.
posted by Kriesa at 7:35 AM on March 28, 2018 [2 favorites]
I have a Misfit Shine, which comes with both a wristband and a magnetic clip. I picked it up used for $35, but new ones are around $70-100, so well within your price range.
You can use it any which way, and it seems reasonably accurate for measuring activity. Syncs to apple or android via bluetooth. If you double-tap on the face, you get a blinking light indicating how close you are to your daily goal. No charging required, just have to replace the coin battery every 3-4 months.
posted by basalganglia at 10:54 AM on March 28, 2018
You can use it any which way, and it seems reasonably accurate for measuring activity. Syncs to apple or android via bluetooth. If you double-tap on the face, you get a blinking light indicating how close you are to your daily goal. No charging required, just have to replace the coin battery every 3-4 months.
posted by basalganglia at 10:54 AM on March 28, 2018
+1 Misfit Shine, and its successors.
posted by ApathyGirl at 1:37 PM on March 28, 2018
posted by ApathyGirl at 1:37 PM on March 28, 2018
The Garmin Vivofit 3 has worked fine for me ... you just have to cough up 25 bucks more for the clip thingy. It's not as useful as the defunct Sparkpeople tracker, though.
posted by worldswalker at 6:35 PM on March 28, 2018
posted by worldswalker at 6:35 PM on March 28, 2018
Response by poster: Oh hey, I did not know that aftermarket clips for the inner mechanism thinger ("pebble," thank you for that term) of wristband trackers were a thing that exists. This may change my search parameters somewhat, so thank you!
posted by spamloaf at 5:53 AM on March 29, 2018
posted by spamloaf at 5:53 AM on March 29, 2018
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by SansPoint at 7:05 AM on March 28, 2018