Alta HR Band Problems - Best Replacement Band

[sk-fit]

Hi.  Like many others, I have had problems with the band breaking away from the device.  I've tried two replacements from Fitbit without any luck.

Has anyone found a third-party replacement band that doesn't break? I'd love a recommendation.

[SueJK]

👍🏻

Sent from my iPhone
____________________________________________________________

Moderator edit: content

[ElizabethFar]

I found this replacement:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PYRQ64K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've only had it for 2 months but it feels more secure than the Fitbit band EVER did.  Have had absolutely NO problems.  

[Simonetti]

Did it still have the plastic u-shaped piece on it?
Please advise

[ElizabethFar]

It looks exactly like the original FitBit band. In fact, I’m using just the
piece with the holes in it for the peg to adjust the band to your wrist.
The “latch” just clipped right onto the unit itself – solidly, better than
the FitBit band itself. So, ½ of the band is original and ½ of the band is
the replacement. And, yes, I believe it has the band under which you snug in
the length of the part with the holes in it, although I’m not using that
half. Hope this helps.

[Simonetti]

Hi
I got my new band today. Black metal mesh. The horseshoe clip is metal and
imbedded in the rest band.
I hope this ends the problems.
Scotch packing tape 2" comes to mind next time. LOL

[torrymendoza]

I just started having this issue, took the band off completely, looked at each band horseshoe attachment points and noticed the plastic housing on the side that breaks away is no longer stiff, it is flexible. The other side is still intact. This looks like a manufacturer's design flaw, using plastic horseshoe connection points instead of metal. I now have to contact Fitbit to get a replacement, if they will give me one. I'm hoping the horseshoe clip is metal instead of plastic.

[Simonetti]

Hi
All the replacements and multi packs u get from amazon are all plastic. I
got the other dayy the metal band. I can't tell if the Horseshoe was made
out of metal embedded in the rest of the housing or if it's just a heavy or
plastic but I'm giving it a try it was 10$. I think I left a picture of it
in one of the threads so I can see which one I'm talking about.
Most of the time Fitbit will send you a replacement however they just send
you more of the same crap.
It's a design flaw and they should know it and they should take care of it
with this subsequent products I haven't heard whether or not they do I'm
sure they design department has no idea what's going on because I don't
think the sales department actually communicates with design Department and
that's a problem within the company and we cannot do anything about that
unfortunately

[torrymendoza]

Simonetti, you should go to the Fitbit website and if you don't have an account, create one. Go to contact support, then broken band call to action and you can file a claim because the Fitbit band has a warranty. They want photos, and a receipt. I bought my Fitbit Alta HR from Amazon, and a 3-year coverage, but the broken band issue seems to be something they know about, maybe not in R&D, but at least within Marketing since it's on their website. And if people post to Twitter and hashtag then it'll find traction. I purchased a 3 pack of replacement bands from Amazon for the time being, if they are plastic, I don't expect a long lifespan for them. I hope you have luck. 

[Simonetti]

Hi
I got the all metal bband. That was no bargain though because it says it
has a strong magnet to keep the band tight will it ain't that strong
because it keeps loosening up so I have to contact them as mine and tell
him to take this piece of crap back and I'll have to look for another one

[MzG]

My Alta HR strap broke yesterday, in the same place everyone complains of.  This is seven months old, bought in the UK (so guarantee is UK law).  This is their reply. “Keep in mind that our warranty policy doesn’t include replacement for damage due to normal wear”

What a joke, this is the UK, with UK law, not American law.  Normal wear not covered???

[Ebethjensen]

You should send that in to Consumer Reports Magazine for its “Selling It” section

Get Outlook for iOS

[SunsetRunner]

Well you would think it should last longer than that right? I have heard
that some people have had a replacement sent to them when contacting
Fitbit. I think mine broke because I was wearing it when sleeping. How
about you did you wear when sleeping? I seem to toss and turn which maybe
the band can get caught on something?

[MzG]

Yes I wear it when sleeping, but it is designed to do exactly that as it measures your sleep. It seems many people have the same problem, it fails where the strap connects to the Fitbit. They finally agreed to send a replacement (UK has a two year warranty as clearly printed in the Fitbit booklet). They kept  moving the goalposts and wanting more and more proof, but in the end they finally agreed to a replacement. We expect these things not to fail in a few months, it is clearly a design fault. I needed a copy of the receipt, code from the box (thank heavens I kept it), the fault code from their email writing on the photo of the Fitbit (had to be written on the photo!), the list of demands was long. 

[torrymendoza]

I do wear mine when sleeping and I also toss and turn. Fitbit will send you a replacement, but you need to take a few images on the broken end and send it in to them. If it is part of the design flaw, Fitbit does not hesitate to send you a replacement band. I am still waiting to hear, what, if anything they plan on doing to address the issue with a new design, a single/one piece squared horseshoe attachment in the band, maybe made from metal or a more dense piece of plastic. I hope you are able to get a replacement. 

[torrymendoza]

It definitely is a design flaw or a flaw in manufacturing. It sounds like you had to jump through way more hoops than I. I only needed to send images of the defective end and Fitbit quickly replaced the band. I was quite surprised how fast I received it actually. Any company that honors their product in this manner is a good company in my opinion. Not to mention, they have provided a forum for us to communicate, not all companies do that on their websites. They are also addressing the Apple iPhone iOS 13 issue some people are having. Thank you Fitbit!

[ElizabethFar]

I wear my Fitbit while I sleep. My band is tight enough to just allow my
index finger to barely go under the strap. Therefore, my Fitbit can't move
around, day or night.



The cheap replacement I bought is holding strong, no problems.

[SunsetRunner]

Just to comment if it is a design fault would you expect to see a pattern?
Like the band would fail in the same way for a large number? What I mean is
the band would fail on the left side only? Or if you were wearing it on the
left hand it would always fail on the same side? I noticed the way mine
failed was strange that way like why that side failed? I wonder how many
failed the same way after being replaced?

[margcase]

It’s DEFINITELY a design fault. Lol. I don’t recall the details of which side the strap failed but it failed the same exact way both times, very quickly, with sporadic use (not constant or ever overnight). It sucks. 😂

[Ebethjensen]

Astonishing that word doesn’t get out- they keep selling the same seriously flawed product. Meanwhile still in love with my Apple Watch a year later. And same band! Go figure!

Get Outlook for iOS

[mcsooner]

Fitbit replaced my first band. I haven't contacted them about this one. I think I'll have to pay.