Inspire HR and Clip - nurse

[DJSadler]

Really frustrated this morning having unboxed my wife's new Inspire HR on her way back to work. 

I have replaced my old charge 2 with a versa, and thought I had a great solution for my wife. Who as a nurse can not wear any jewellery etc from the elbow down. Wearing a fitbit on the leg is not really a great professional look (unless you are out on parole :-)).

Then I found the inspire with clip !!

I went for the inspire HR and clip which was bought at extra cost so that when in strap mode she could use the heart rate for running etc.   

I duly upgraded the Inspire HR this am only to find there is no clip mode that comes up in fact it does not seem to change anything functionally. After a google it seems that the FITBIT upgrade has downgraded and removed this Clip function.

Really disappointed this end. I only hope it continues to accurately record the steps for her, else I will throw the device alongside my two charges 2's in the draw and will start to look for a better company and product who sees the health profession and others in similar predicament as a potential "influencing" market worth having.

Come on Fitbit I thought you were better than this or am I am missing something here ? I buy a more expensive HR version and lose the one capability I need. I do study things before buying so I am really surprised if I missed the fact that the Inspire HR does not work in Clip mode in the Clip. 

Can I ask why this has been done and formally request that the clip function be reinstated  on the next version release.      

[SunsetRunner]

I’m sorry you’re disappointed, @DJSadler , but the Fitbit clip Info page clearly identifies the clip as “Not compatible with the Inspire HR.” Now some of the third party sellers, such as Amazon, sell clips that will fit both the Inspire and the Inspire HR. The Inspire HR will still show steps but the heart rate will be screwed, since it can only read heart rate when worn on the wrist. To avoid this, simply turn the HR feature off when it’s in the clip. Turn it back on when needed. 

Hope this helps. Steps are my main goal and I frequently place my Fitbit device in a side pocket or in my cross body purse when it cannot go on my wrist for any number of reasons. 

On a side note, I would be wary of placing the Inspire HR in the Inspire clip. The HR is slightly larger and may pop out. The third party clips are designed for the larger Inspire HR. 

[DJSadleruk]

Many thanks for the prompt response and the retrospective but still partially helpful advice given.

However you are choosing to challenge my personal ability to read a website and choose a product rather than responding to my 2 key questions below.

1. I still have no indication from Fitbit as to why the Inspire HR can not be used on a clip - is this a technical constraint of the HR device or is it simply that a Clip is not available for it? 

2. Is there going to be anything done to resolve this for the vast number of health workers and others that are simply not allowed to wear devices or jewellery below the elbow?

Regarding my ability to choose the right product. (since you chose to raise this)

The current Fitbit sites are now very clear in both banners and detail.

However having worked in IT for the last 37 years I am very familiar with how easy content can be rapidly changed and do suspect that 5-6 weeks ago when I bought the inspire HR this was not clear. Why would I buy something that fundamentally doe snot do what I want it to?

More than this as I recall, even my reading of other reviews at the time (including Amazon) the issue of there not being a compatible clip for the inspire HR was not clear.

Forum Feedback

To cut to the chase - I do not want you to waste time checking content change control records or proving who is right here, as this is not helpful to the group I can attempt to find other avenues for this.

But the point I would make here is that  I understood that the point of a "Community Forum" was 1) to inform the Fitbit group and share knowledge, and 2) to provide a channel to officially request the manufacturer to consider change. 

Instead this member is left feeling very much belittled by the dismissive reply, and without answers which I believed would be useful to the community. Not a great FITBIT experience at all.

[SunsetRunner]

@DJSadleruk - I did not mean to challenge or insult. Sorry. Here are direct answers to your questions.

1. I still have no indication from Fitbit as to why the Inspire HR can not be used on a clip - is this a technical constraint of the HR device or is it simply that a Clip is not available for it? 

It is a technical constraint. The Inspire HR cannot be used in the Fitbit clip because the HR currently has no way to change to clip mode. So, if it is worn in a clip, the HR info will be skewed. 

2. Is there going to be anything done to resolve this for the vast number of health workers and others that are simply not allowed to wear devices or jewellery below the elbow? 

I’m sure Fitbit thought the issue was resolved by offering two versions of the Inspire, one of which can be worn in a clip. As for future plans, Fitbit does not release info on future plans.

[dlquackenbush]

Perhaps you can help me.  I have an original Charge.  I’m looking to upgrade to a newer version and one with the HR feature, hence the Inspire HR.  I realize that the HR version will not work if I use a clip but will all the other features work or would it be a waste of time?  I also saw you mentioned the HR is a bit larger than the non HR version.  Have you any experience with the clips on Amazon that say they will accommodate both?

[DJSadler]

I bought the Charge HR and charge hr clip. The hr function clearLy does not work with the clip for obvious reasons. But thus function does Work on the strap. My wife is a nurse does use this every day in the clip and it counts steps Etc as accurately as my versa. If I bought again though for her My advice would be though to stick with a charge without hr As she never uses the strap and therefore hr function. Hope that helps