Charge 2 with swimming feature

[CGati]

I hope Fitbit decides to launch a swim version of the Charge 2 at some point. I go swimming a few times each month, and it seems like a waste of money to buy a Flex 2 just for this one activity.

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity

[Dominique]

And if there were such a thing, people would ask next for GPS, an always on colour display (touch, of course) etc. Never-ending story.

[Hilary55]

If you make it waterproof, you would lose the altimeter and be unable to track stairs. It will always be a compromise and at least the consumer has a choice as to which feature is more important to them and more relevant to their individual fitness regime. I think a swim version of the Charge 2 is very unlikely as the tracker would have to be completely remodelled.

[SunsetRunner]

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@Hilary55 wrote:

If you make it waterproof, you would lose the altimeter and be unable to track stairs.

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This is not correct. Having an altimeter and being waterproof are not mutually exclusive. My Suunto is rated to 100 meters and has a fully functioning altimeter. Garmin has had this feature in their devices for years as well. Fitbit can do this if they really want to.

[lonerchick]

Is there a device that can track heart rate while swimming? I'm genuinely curious because people keep asking for it like its a common feature elsewhere.

[SunsetRunner]

Both Garmin and Suunto make heart rate belts that collect heart rate data under water and transmit it back to their respective devices once out of the water. The issue isn't collecting the data. The issue is transmission to wireless devices.

It has been shown, for example, that Garmin devices with wrist-based optical heart rate sensors (the Fenix, for example) can collect heart rate data underwater. Since they don't need to transmit the data to an external device, the readings are real-time on the watch.

Likewise, it has been shown that if a watch that is connected to a heart rate belt is kept close to the belt while underwater (close as in within a few inches), the transmission actually works. Of course, swimming like that isn't really productive.

[lonerchick]

Thank you.
I wonder... If the fitbit did work for swimming, wouldn't this distort steps? I guess you could put it in swimming mode.

[SunsetRunner]

You're welcome. As I see it, you shouldn't get credit for steps while swimming if the device recognizes swimming as an activity.

[lonerchick]

And whoa. The Fenix is $600!

[Dominique]

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@SunsetRunner wrote:

It has been shown, for example, that Garmin devices with wrist-based optical heart rate sensors (the Fenix, for example) can collect heart rate data underwater.

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So would you ditch your Fitbit One and your Suunto Ambit 3 in favour of the Garmin Fenix, if it does everything the other two are doing?

[SunsetRunner]

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@lonerchick wrote:
And whoa. The Fenix is $600!

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Yep, but it's also in a vastly different league than any of the Fitbit products. My Suunto is just north of $500, and the newest Suunto Spartans top out just north of $800. Nothing surprising there if you're used to these types of devices.

Heck, the new Fenix Chronos tops out at $1500, although that's a bit too steep even for me.

[SunsetRunner]

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@Dominique wrote:
So would you ditch your Fitbit One and your Suunto Ambit 3 in favour of the Garmin Fenix, if it does everything the other two are doing?

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No. The Fenix will do everythign the Ambit3 Vertical will do (more or less) plus everything the Fitbit One will do, but that's not good enough. I have had many different devices over the years from both Garmin and Suunto, and for my purposes, the Suunto devices work better than the Garmin devices. Far more stable and reliable.

Suunto just released the Spartan series that do it all, and by Christmas they will be releasing a Spartan with an optical heart rate sensor. That one I'll be keeping an eye on.

[lonerchick]

Oh yeah, it's not for someone like me.
For $600 I want the watch to shock me if I try to eat a donut 😛

[SunsetRunner]

Yeah, we're not quite there just yet.

[Dominique]

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@lonerchick wrote:
For $600 I want the watch to shock me if I try to eat a donut 😛

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Now, that would be a great feature! We already have "reminder to move", so "reminder not to eat junk" isn’t that far-fetched!

[CGati]

I have a Fenix 2 and a Charge HR today. I use the Fitbit for 24/7 tracking and the Fenix for running, swimming, cycling and cross-country skiing. As both devices are getting old, I'm looking to upgrade to a device that has optical HR and can do all of the above activities.

[SunsetRunner]

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@CGati wrote:
I have a Fenix 2 and a Charge HR today.

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I do something similar with my Ambit3 Vertical and One. The One goes everywhere and tracks my basic activity stats while the Ambit3 tracks much more detailed fitness and location data.

If you have been happy with the Fenix 2 and are looking for something on that level, then you might want to look at the Fenix 3 HR. Nothing wrong with Fitbit's products, of course, but the Fenix (or Suunto Ambit or Spartan) devices are better suited for that level of tracking.

My wife is in the other camp: she just pre-ordered the Charge 2 because she wants a smaller device to track her activities but isn't as concerned about the finer details or build quality that the Garmin or Suunto devices offer. Me? I like a chunky watch that's built like a tank. Hence the Suunto coupled with the Fitbit for me.

[Dominique]

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@SunsetRunner wrote:

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Suunto just released the Spartan series that do it all, and by Christmas they will be releasing a Spartan with an optical heart rate sensor. That one I'll be keeping an eye on.

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OTOH, the Suunto Spartan look quite bulky, and the model with the built-in HR sensor won’t get any smaller. I’m not sure I’d want to wear it 24/7. Although that’s what I said of the Surge, and I’ve now been in bed with it for 15 months. But a Suunto watch is bigger than the Surge.

[SunsetRunner]

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@Dominique wrote:
OTOH, the Suunto Spartan look quite bulky, and the model with the built-in HR sensor won’t get any smaller.

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For what it's worth, the Suunto Spartan will not have HR, at least not any time soon. The Suunto Spartan Sport will, and the Spartan Sport is thinner than the Spartan. In any case, they are definitely larger, chunkier watches. Horses for courses, as they say.

[songbird1329]

LOL.

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@lonerchick wrote:
Oh yeah, it's not for someone like me.
For $600 I want the watch to shock me if I try to eat a donut 😛

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There's actually a product I saw on Amazon that will help break bad habits.  It's a watch.