Big issue while climbing to the "Top of the Bottom" (Vinson Massif).
I beat the "snot" out of my Fitbit Charge HR during the last 12 months. The excessive angle of the band/electronics housing interface eventually led to fracture of the electronics housing after repeated (almost daily) removal of sweet using a bath towel. Corrosion quickly set in and the unit started malfunctioning beyond use. On my way to the Antarctic, I purchased a Blaze (HR) in Santiago, Chile. The Blaze DOES NOT have the same wrist band "angle" problem the Charge HR did; great mechanical engineering guys! cool looks and a more rugged overall design.
Now the real issue. My cell phone was intentionally left behind at base camp. No need to carry a cell phone when there are NO CELL TOWERS anywhere within a 5 hour flight distance to where we were. The Blaze was originally synced and had the proper time going into the expedition. However, lack of repeated charging AND sub zero temperatures led to "no power" conditions at several times. THERE IS NO WAY TO SET THE TIME/CLOCK MANUALLY on the Blaze after a "no power" shutdown. After recharging, I could see my heart rate, I could see how many steps I had completed, but I could not tell what time it was. Simple solution - ADD A MANUAL TIME ADJUSTMENT screen. Should be a straight forward fix. I really like the Blaze.
The other irritant is the real small battery charge indicator. It is almost impossible to see in bright light (24 hour sunlight at that latitude during the NOV-DEC months)
Not sure if this was me or something intrinsic to the Blaze. I could not get a Sync going when I did not have an internet connection to my cell phone. I.E. IN ORDER TO CHANGE THE TIME on the unit I HAD TO HAVE an internet connection. Am I missing something?
I really like the Blaze. Just a few software tweaks will make it a champion accessory.
FitBit, keep up the good work! You are encouraging the population to get AND STAY active. . . in style.
