Charge 3 - actually waterproof?

[RRad18]

Just wanted to see if anybody else out there has successful swam or gotten their charge 3 wet without any issues? I’m a little wary on it actually being waterproof. 

Success stories, or fail stories, I want to hear them!

[vikkijo]

Lizzy - on this forum you've said the Charge is waterproof to 50mm and then you say don't shower with it as its water resistant ???/ 
I've bought it so I didn't have to take if on and on as I was use to having a waterproof watch, now  I just have a smiley face and no syncing

[Aerofitspace]

Hello,

I am having two (2) issues with my Fitbit Charge 3 since swimming with it in a pool:

1. The battery drains very rapidly. From full charge, it takes about 3-4 hours for the Charge 3 to be fully depleted. I conducted a battery drain test and customer support confirmed that there is an issue with the battery. 

2. The Charge 3 no longer syncs to my device. My device can detect the Charge 3 bluetooth, but is unable to pair. I have also tried to resolve this issue ad nauseam with customer support to no avail. 

My Charge 3 is just a few months past warranty, and as such, is no longer covered under warranty. I feel "cheated" by Fitbit in a sense that I did not use the product outside its "intended" and "advertised" uses, and now I have to pay a lot of money for a replacement unit just because this happened outside a few weeks of the warranty period. 

Is there anything Fitbit can do to honor a replacement of the product outright?

thank you for your understanding. 

[Dom85]

Is the waterproof feature dependant on what band you use? I bought a non-fitbit brand band a long time ago on Amazon and it works well but I notice its a little loser fitting against the charge 3 than the original band it comes with. When I put my charge 3 in water I had the same issues that I read about here - error screen, it dying and having to be reset, weird lines showing up across the screen and then recently it died all together. A little while before it died completely, I had started washing it with water and a bit of soap (trying to keep it clean on account of the pandemic) and that's when it started to act up even worse.

So my question is, whether the charge 3 is supposed to be waterproof even if you were to put it underwater without a band on? Or is the fit of the band part of how waterproof the charge 3 is?

Thanks!

[DisappointedwF]

I started having issues with my fitbit charge 3 soon after I swam with it, gradually, issues continued to get worse and a few months later, my fitbit is dead.

[PatrickGSR94]

The band simply clips onto the Charge 3 body.  It would not have any impact on water resistance of the body itself.

[Kellynolan]

Nope, the band does not matter. As a matter of fact, I am using the
original band and I have taken it off for all showers and any pools etc and
it is messing up AGAIN! This is the 3rd or 4th one!

[Ridgefield]

Just swam with my charge 3 and it has gone haywire. Screen keeps jumping and restart does not fix it. Regret swimming with it as now it does not work. Only had it for 6 months. What a rip off. My last fit bit lasted 3 years and was the cheaper version. Will see if the company will replace it but I doubt it.

[SMHinkle]

Just went in the pool with my Charge 3, and its unresponsive. It started vibrating erratically, went to the smiley screen, is no longer connected to my phone and the resets haven’t work. I’ve had it about 4 months, super disappointed. I bought it on Amazon and Amazon says ask Fitbit, and Fitbit needs an order# from their site. Hoping for some help. 

[jo_t]

Hi Jogger,
Same thing has happened to 2 of mine - both got replaced 👍🏽
Good luck 😉🍀

Moderator edit: personal info removed

[Kellynolan]

I am on my 3rd one that they replace. I have been taking it off while in
water. Now it is messing up again, probably only got wet while washing
hands or sweating while outside. I am so disappointed in this product!

Moderator edit: personal info removed

[LMT123]

Same thing has happened to me twice now.  One was still under warranty but the second one wasn't, so I had to shell out for a new one...  Seems like it is probably not really waterproof...

[LMT123]

They won't replace it if it's more than a year old...  even though it's advertised as waterproof!

[LMT123]

Me too.  Seems pretty crummy, when it is clearly a manufacturing problem that many of us experience.  They should replace it, or else stop claiming you can swim in it!

[LMT123]

Yes, that is what they claim, but what everyone here is reporting is that often, it fails after swimming.  I've had this happen twice now.  False advertising?

[CHS0566]

I had Charge3 for 14 month and last weekend was first time I went into swimming pool with it.
Now Charge3 display  and stair count is not working properly. 
Since I had it for more than 12 month, Fitbit  will not fixed it.
Fitbit offer 25% discount on selected model and Charge3 is one of the choice.
I will not buy Charge3 or Charge4.
Cannot trust the product description any more.
Definitely not a swim proof product.

[vikkijo]

Agree Jogger - its definitely not water proof as most of have found. It
was the ONLY reason I purchased it - an upgrade within the year from the HR
Charge. GRRRRR

[Kellynolan]

I have switched to a Garmin. I hope it is truly waterproof

[Atyne]

same experience here! And they will not replace it!

[CHS0566]

I am reviewing Garmin and Samsung device.   I will not go with Fitbit, again.
I used Fitbit for many years but now it is time to move to other product that worked as they say.

[jselanders]

I think I will try the Samsung too! It had happened twice now and they will not replace it.