Blaze Water Resistance

[SunsetRunner]

Time and time again we have asked you people to make the device Water Proof.

Why can't you get it through your thick skulls that there are water sports/activities.

Can I wear my Blaze while swimming?

Fitbit Blaze is rain, sweat, and splash proof. We recommend that you do not swim or shower while wearing Blaze.

Moderator Edit: Edited post title for clarity.

[Rich_Laue]

Personally i would like to have seem the Blaze with e-papper.

Pebble is a connected smart watch, with some exercise tracking.  This is not the market that fitbit has chosen to go after. I don't see a problem.  Where would the automotive industry be if every manufacturer made the same vehicle? 

Personally i done think any car should have an automatic transmission, that's just how i feel,  and i don't complain about Fords for thier oversite.

BTW i never said it was hard to do, frpm what i read on Pebble it has App mirroring not screen mirroring. To pick on a device that was not designed to your specifacations i  done understand. 

But then screen mirroring, connection of chest strap etc had nothing to do with this thread about the Water Resistancy of Fitbits.

[SimplyAdventure]

@Rich_Laue I agree completely. What I actually like MORE about Fitbit is it's focus. My Apple Watch is great but I only use it to 1. Check steps, 2. Check heart rate and 3. Notify me about incoming calls. Nothing else, ever. My Charge HR does all that AND is paired with a user friendly, persistent, social fitness network. The Blaze seems to offer all the benefits of the Charge AND some additional Fitness focused functionality. 

If it could get wet, it would literally be the perfect device for me. I actually find all the extra bells and whistles to be highly distracting and mostly pointless, and some (like the mic on the Apple Watch) are relatively serious privacy vulnerabilities in my mind. Also, don't wish for e-ink too much. The color e-ink on the newer Pebbles are terrible. A big step down from the clear greyscale of the original, as they are difficult to read (at best) in daylight.

I've personally owned a half dozen smart watches or trackers over the years and have been given numerous others to demo (a certain telecom company sends me stuff to play with and tweet about) and Fitbit's focus and execution put it firmly atop the heap of fitness trackers for me... so if you're perusing this thread thinking the grass is greener... unless you need notifications galore, it's not 😉

[SimplyAdventure]

To get us back on the waterproofing topic I'll drop this link here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEn_0aUR0RU

The comments in the video are telling... some great success using the devices underwater, some almost instant failures. 

So... if we get a Blaze and it gets wet, are we able to exchange within that first 45 return window if we pre-order or did our warranty violation deliver us a brick? I'm willing to test it out and take one for the team, if need be. I really want to come back to Fitbit full time. The sleep tracking alone is just killer. 

[SimplyAdventure]

To toss more waterproofing commentary onto the fire...

http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2015/01/fitbit-surge-depth-review.html#waterproofing

Looks like thr Surge is functionally waterproof, at least based on this review. Would surprise me if the Blaze performed worse, really.

[Rich_Laue]

Cnet has a very good article on the international standards of water resistance of electronic devices. The Flex, Charge, Charge HR are rated at 1 ATM, tye Surge at 5 ATM'S . These rating are gor when yge device is stationary in yge water.

Here is a screen shot of what 1 and 5 ATM'S are recomended for.

[mattfitz143]

MikeF, is this " forum " actually going anywhere. Almost everyone here wants a waterproofed Fitbit. The blaze. Is there any chance that this will happen. All it takes is one person bring it up in this forum and lots of people come out with there ideas of why they want it waterproof. All we want is a straight answer YES or NO. Will Fitbit make the Blaze waterproof?

[bbarrera]

---

@mattfitz143 wrote:
MikeF, is this " forum " actually going anywhere. Almost everyone here wants a waterproofed Fitbit. The blaze. Is there any chance that this will happen. All it takes is one person bring it up in this forum and lots of people come out with there ideas of why they want it waterproof. All we want is a straight answer YES or NO. Will Fitbit make the Blaze waterproof?

---

NO.

Here are the Blaze specs from the Fitbit website:

"Water Resistance

Fitbit Blaze is sweat, rain and splash proof, but is not swim proof. We recommend taking it off before showering, as it’s best for your skin if the band stays dry and clean."

[bbarrera]

---

@Rich_Laue wrote:

Cnet has a very good article on the international standards of water resistance of electronic devices. The Flex, Charge, Charge HR are rated at 1 ATM, tye Surge at 5 ATM'S . These rating are gor when yge device is stationary in yge water.

Here is a screen shot of what 1 and 5 ATM'S are recomended for

---

Pointless to show the screenshot, it doesn't apply to Fitbit. Because Fitbit has its own definition of water resistance. In addition, Fitbit doesn't use the term "water rating" - instead its some weasel worded "...has been tested..." language.

These are Fitbit "specs" for water resistance:

"Surge has been tested up to 5 ATM meaning it is sweat, rain and splash proof. However, the device is not swim proof.

"Charge has been tested up to 1 ATM meaning it is sweat, rain and splash proof. However, the device is not swim proof."

"Charge HR is sweat, rain and splash proof. However, the device is not swim proof or showerproof."

"Fitbit Blaze is sweat, rain and splash proof, but is not swim proof."

No swimming. And surprisingly the Charge HR is not showerproof.

To quote the Cnet article:

"Unfortunately, because there is no universal testing method, real-world usage is different for every device. For example, the Pebble and Garmin Vivoactive both have a water resistance rating of 5 ATM. Both companies state that the watches can be worn in the shower and while swimming in a pool (surface swimming), however Fitbit recommends Surge users to remove the device before swimming, despite being rated 5 ATM."

(Garmin actually rates 5ATM to include showering, swimming, diving into water, and snorkeling)

To quote DCRainmaker review:

"Ahh yes, the Fitbit Surge and waterproofing (and swimming).  One of the most confusing topics there is about the Surge, 100% due to Fitbit’s fairly misleading language on the topic."

and

"The issue though is that traditionally speaking 50m was more than sufficient for swimming, so this is really the first company to say “No, you can’t swim with it either.” – which, I’d point out is lame."

and

"What’s correct is that Fitbit just skimped on their waterproof implementation here."

[MikeF]

---

@mattfitz143 wrote:
MikeF, is this " forum " actually going anywhere. Almost everyone here wants a waterproofed Fitbit. The blaze. Is there any chance that this will happen. All it takes is one person bring it up in this forum and lots of people come out with there ideas of why they want it waterproof. All we want is a straight answer YES or NO. Will Fitbit make the Blaze waterproof?

---

If you really want my opinion then I'm with @bbarrera.

Not a chance. The spec has been announced, the devices are being made and will start shipping in a couple of months.

This was never about the Blaze becoming waterproof, though, since the design for that was finalised well before we ever heard about it. This therald is simply about those who feel Fitbit should have designed something else that isn't the Blaze, telling them so in a way that they may or may not take note of.

[yattom]

I kinda like fitbit products -- I purchased two Ones, the other one after accidentaly lost -- and our family are much helped by the Aria -- and I looked forward to Blaze, but it says no for swimming, and here comes Gramin vivostate HR 50m waterproof.  I'm sorry but I want to use while I swim.

[Rich_Laue]

I'm not sure how pointless screen shots are,  what was being pointed out is that for some reason Fitbits definition does not line up with the international standards for 5 ATM ratimg of the Surge,  while the 1 ATM rating for the Flex, Charge, and Charge HR conform with the standards of no swimming. Many however do awin with these models. 

[KLM117]

I'd love it - and it looks like there are plenty of others- that would like to see a Blaze version of the tracker you could wear swimming. This would give those of us that value the ability to use our Fitbit for swimming over having the altimeter feature, if that feature is what would be lost in the waterproofingredients process. PLEASE Fitbit, give us an option for this with Blaze. One version of tracker you can swim with, the other you can't swim, but can track steps. You might just have people who will buy both types of trackers so they can switch them along with the bands!!!

[bbarrera]

The best devices have an altimeter *and* you can swim/dive/snorkel.

[Rich_Laue]

Using the word best is very subjective. 

[matt9013]

@Rich_Laue

Gotta agree, the other trackers may be water resistent but I'd still rather take Fitbit any day over them. No sense in having that feature when everything else isn't as great as what Fitbit is offering.

Though I do hope one day Fitbit can give us a water tracker.

[bbarrera]

Allow me to rephrase (are you running for government office)?

High-end devices in the market, with fitness features designed for beginners, intermediate, or advanced athletes, include a barometric altimeter and can be worn while swimming/diving/snorkeling. The Surge lacks both common water resistance features (swimming/diving/snorkeling), and features to support  intermediate/advanced fitness objectives like VO2Max estimation, interval workouts, custom workouts, recovery, ANT+ sensor support, etc, etc.

[matt9013]

As the Blaze is middle tier maybe the next high end fitness tracker from Fitbit will have all of that. I mean Fitbit must hear how many people want it water resistent and like you said other trackers keep the barometric altimeter and are water resistent for swimming, diving, etc.

[JoanneinCA]

I'm probably Fitbit's biggest fan and have talked at least a dozen friends into getting a Flex in the last couple years since I purchased mine. And I shower with the Flex every day. But all the ads for the Blaze gave me the itch to upgrade to a device where I can see the number of steps right on the band. I was ready to hit the button to pre-order the Blaze on the Amazon site but then started reading about how the Blaze isn't shower proof or even really water resistant in any meaningful way.

After doing more research and following the posts here, I decided that the newer Fitbits are going a different direction than I want to go. The lack of water resistance is a deal breaker for me. I just ordered a Garmin Vivofit 2.

[matt9013]

@JoanneinCA

The Flex isn't water resistint for showers either though. Some people have no problems and others have problems. You just happened to be lucky with the Flex not breaking with the shower.

[JoanneinCA]

@matt9013, I have been showering daily for over 2 years with the Flex. I swim with it, have been in hot tubs with it and have taken baths with it. At the time I bought it, they weren't recommending not showering with it.