Re-design fitbit for Roller Derby

[TheGreatestMJ]

I have had a fitbit flex, and recently upgraded to a fitbit charge HR because it is more secure for wearing during roller derby.

However, even with the Plum XL, it barely fits on my upper arm, since it is too thick to fit under my wrist guard, and is pointless to wear over my wrist guard. My Flex wouldn't fit over my wrist guard, The XL barely fits.
You might not know that the Women's Flat Track Derby Association WFTDA has over 369 teams, and 76 up and coming teams. Many of us use fitness trackers of various variety. There are also men's flat track teams, and also banked track version of the sport. My team has over 40 women comprising 2 teams, and we are a small city in Muncie Indiana, other teams are much larger. This doesn't even count the international teams.

What we need is a very slim version of the tracker, at least 1/2 the height of the Charge, or less if possible, so that it will fit under our wrist guards, so it can still track heart rate, but is protected in case we would fall. When it's on your upper arm, if you get hit, it can go flying. With my arms, the Plum Xl will fit on the last notch, not securely... Maybe you can just make an extender strap for all models so women with beefy arms can wear it on our upper arms.  This website has a version of the wrist guard that I use, and most of them are very similiar... it would be nice if you made a tracker that maybe was a wrist guard, removeable fitbit electronics to be charged or washed, and able to buy replacement parts fairly cheap, as you go through a set of guards once a year. http://www.6pm.com/triple-eight-rd-wristsaver-black?zhlfid=139&kpid=27065384  But, you know something that could integrate into a helmet would be nice too. But honestly, thin, flexible, and with a long enough strap to wear on upper arm, ankle, or under/over the wrist guard would be perfect. Honestly something as thin as a piece of gum would be great.

Roller derby should be on the exercises as well.

Moderator Edit: Added Labels

[Snaile]

Reading through other posts, also being part of the roller derby community. Would it be possible to have an algorithm set up like the run one, for skating. One for in door track work not needing the gps (for the Surge) and an outdoor option integrating the gps to measure outdoor skating/skate boarding. Inline and Quad skates would work on the same algorithm due to the physical movements. I know that Fitbit bands are being used by lots of people who play and ref Roller Derby.

[SunsetRunner]

+1

[lillithfair2]

wow I have been searcnhing back and have seen many users asking about tracking skating. With a huge population of Roller Derby skaters- do you know roller derby is one of the fastest growing sports internationally? Not to mention all of the long distance and sprint inlines skaters- heck evern skateboarders and long boarders. Can someone at least let us know if this is being worked on ?

Denise

Moderator edit: Labels

[Ralphwallace]

+1

Yes very please an option for inline skating outdoors

[gnarley]

+1
Honestly the lack of ability to track roller skating will make me end up buying one of your cheaper models. I have a Flex and was going to upgrade so that I could GPS and heartrate track my outdoor skating. I was also really hoping to be able to track distance and heartrate for my indoor skating. I play roller derby and need this functionality to improve my lap times and get a better feel for how much I am actually burning calorie-wise. I will probaby buy a cheap fitbit instead of the top of the line model since it doesn't look like any of your products can do what I need. Super disappointed- please consider adding this!

Moderator edit: format

[LavastormSW]

As a derby girl, this would be really beneficial for me to be able to track my skating during practices. Something to look into for future updates?

[Emmalanae]

I agree 100% Rollerblading is where a majority of my high intensity exercise comes from.

[Kayla_marie814]

Yesss. My boyfriend just got me the charge 2, I work at sonic on skates occasionally and I need it to have a skating option. I roller skate pretty often. I'm considering getting a different tracker. My co worker has one with the roller skating option. 

[MarlenS]

This is a great suggestion and I think that this sport is a nice option to be added in the activities list. I find Roller Derby an exciting activity! Please spread the word so other Fitbitters vote and comment this idea.

[TheGreatestMJ]

Accurate tracking of skating inside is a nice additional idea... but just a fitbit that would fit under derby gear would be great as well! The Roller Skating in the activities list that you can add after the fact doesn't seem accurate at all for calories burned. Casual skating is nothing like Roller Derby Calisthenics, not to mention game play. We skate hard and fast. 27 laps in 5 minutes... my HR has been around 185 most of the time I'm skating. I'm glad other people are into better skating tracking for fitness and for derby!!

[leeboy39]

100% agree with this! Please add Roller blading as an option

[DannyT_79]

+1  

a training option for inline skating outdoors would be a huge benefit and make the training options perfect (at least for my purposes 😉 )

[Shanocrash]

I agree with above. Please add a skating/rollerblading/inline skating exercise option for the Fitbit Charge 2. GPS connect would be awesome for this too. 

[PCBS]

Skating is actually also extremely beneficial to a population of people who have challenges with the potential wear on their joints associated with running. Skating affords those people the opportunity to increase their cardio performance to a range that for serious skaters compares to running. And it's hard not to enjoy even intense skating. FitBit is missing a tremendous opportunity to help a growing baby boom population realize the potential this sport could have in strengthening the muscles around joints, in turn delaying major joint replacement surgery and improving people's odds to avoid nursing home care down the road. If FitBit believes in being a part of the healthcare/wellness solution particularly for the growing statistics of obesity, heart attacks, and diabetics in the U.S.  then you should think seriously about these pleas to add inline skating to the list of exercises. Skating can be a vigorous workout. I challenge FitBit to do their research, go beyond just tallying votes and consider ALL the varieties of fitness people can explore at all ages. FitBit has a reputation for raising people's awareness of their health. With awareness comes accountability and this combination maybe the only thing that can eventually fix this rising healthcare crisis in the U.S.  Inline skating as a fad might have died in the 90s but the benefits live on and most competitive inline skaters are not people obsessed with reruns of Friends and Seinfeld. These people in this blog are athletes and should be taken as seriously as you take the runners and cyclists. If a sport like speed skating is represented in the Olympics, it really should be valued enough by FitBit to seriously consider it. It would be pathetic if FitBit handed their proverbial lunch to Garmin or some other competitor.  Please let us know if this is going to be evaluated as a real option on your list of selections. Thank you. 

[Rollerbladejunk]

Please add a skating tracker to the charge as it is a key part of my routine. 

[Cfarran19]

Please add rollerblading to ionic set of exercises. 

[PCBS]

Where does Fit Bit stand on making progress with these requests? Please don't ignore.

[Cfarran19]

Further to my comment posted earlier,

I think you just need to make the "run" exercise not pause every time the arms stop moving.  I have tried using the exercise "run" with GPS when rollerblading on my IONIC and it works as long as I keep my arms moving.  I soon as a coast downhill the run routine pauses (since my arms are not swinging back and forth at this time) and then when I slow down and need to stride and swing my arms again then the routine starts again.  All the develops have to do is tweek the "run" routine not to pause when arms are not swinging and you would easily create an exercise routine that us rollerbladers can use.

Basically, I am looking for an exercise routine on the ionic that tracks my heartrate, GPS coordinates, distance travelled, speed, etc... without pausing on its own when my arms stop moving.  

[GosiaCz]

I have to add to requests: Please add a skating/rollerblading/inline skating exercise option for the Fitbit Charge 2!! It's my most often exercise and I cannot track it! Thank you in advance! 

[CyberJammer]

Great idea - I'd love a Fitbit that could be used for Roller Derby & so would almost every derby girl I've met to date over the last 7 years! I guess the obvious option would be to introduce an elastic arm band for wearing at the top of your arm where we usually wear our skate numbers (with the Fitbit facing inwards to minimise impact damage). The band would need to be around 2-3 ins wide & could be used with sleeves over to display skate numbers. 

[Conor_Larkin]

Just got my Ionic for my birthday.  Was really excited to start tracking my inline skating...  Only to find out this $300 tracker can't do this effectively.  Please add a roller skating algorithm or I will find a replacement tracker.  

-Conor Larkin

[charadarada]

Just got the ionic and thought I'd be able to track inline skating outdoors. Bummed I can't, would love it be possible in a future update pretty please! 

[Rollerblading]

I agree! I’d like rollerblading added.

[Clapoti]

+1

I'd also like to have the ability to track my roller skating with my Ionic... Now I use bike when going roller skating, but it's probably not as accurate for steps equivalent and calories burned. 

[Shebola138]

I've been able to put my Versa higher up on my arm, which is great for tracking my heart rate, even though it's still up against my wrist guard. However, it's definitely not accurate with the "steps", especially since I just put it on "work out". I love how many suggestions are on here for improving Fitbit for derby!