The FitBit APP does a great job of tracking my trends in HR, calories, exercise, diet, etc. After starting with a SURGE in 2015 I swapped to a Polar M600 last summer because I want to see real time HR during exercise with clear guidance as to which band I'm in: Fat Burning, Cardio, Peak etc. I swapped back to an Ionic because Polar's trend information doesn't come close to the FitBit APP and I was actually gaining weight.
When I'm on my bike, or rowing it doesn't work having to look at the Ionic my wrist (I can't let go of an oar), so I prefer to have this information on my phone in front of me.
Even when the APP HR read out is linked in real time it doesn't provide the suite of real time information I want when I'm exercising.
My solution is to wear the Ionic to track the exercise and also use a Polar Chest Strap with the HR linked to the STAVA or Polar Beat APP on my phone. STRAVA gives me my real time HR as well as speed, distance, time, calories etc but won't link from the Ionic in real time
Why can't FitBit have the Ionic watch link to a realtime screen showing realtime HR, distance, speed calories - it would complete the way I use a GPS enabled HR monitoring watch. For now why not be able to link the Ionic to the Strava APP in real time - not just after the fact? It can be done with a LE Bluetooth Chest Strap so why not a Bluetooth watch?
I've seen negative comments about wrist based HR monitoring but I'm finding the Ionic as good as a chest strap, and for what I'm using even a 6 point ECG. So far I haven't had some of the loss of HR signal I had with the Surge under vigorous exercise, and the HR stays within the 1-2 BPM of a chest strap.
