Suggestion for wearing FitBit Surge... heart rate monitoring.

[FatbikeVT]

I have been using my FitBit Surge for about two weeks and was a little fustrated with keeping the device 3 finger lengths up my arm and securing it there without being too tight.  This method was suggested in the manual for best results but the Surge would slip down during Xfit or mountain biking.  As a result, my readings were off and slow to update on the Surge.  Very fustrating since I was used to the realibility of a chest strap heart rate setup.  

Then, a simple solution came to mind and it is a sweat wristband.   I bought some Nike Wristbands which provide a great spacer and keeps the Surge about 3 finger lengths up my wrist.  It also allows for the Surge to worn securly without being too tight.   Additonally, since the Surge is in an area where there's a better pulse read, the heart readings are much bettter and the updates are more timely... still not as good as a strap setup but acceptable. 

In conclusion, the wristband is comfortable and allows for much better readings from my FitBit Surge.  As well, there is a bunch of different wristbands out there with different widths. 

I hope this helps others... I will continue to test.  

[JohnRi]

Depending on your skin tone and assuming the bottom of your arm is lighter than the top, try wearing it so that the watch is on the bottom of your wrist (palm side).  I noticed as I got tanner, the Surge had a lot of issues with my darker arm color.  All of the HR monitors on the fitbit's have issues with dark skin.  My arms got darker as there daylight increased, and my freckles got very dark too. 

My Blaze doesn't seem to have the same issue.  Which is interesting...  Although GPS tracking is 3% short compared to the Surge. 

I had the XL size Surge, and I lost so much weight, it doesn't fit me anymore.  So I got the Blaze.  But I miss my Surge at times...

But I like your idea with the arm bands...

[Svenny]

I agree. The accuracy of the heart rate monitor on the Surge is poor. Fitbit needs a chest strap heart rate monitor. 

[USAF-Larry]

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@Svenny wrote:

I agree. The accuracy of the heart rate monitor on the Surge is poor. Fitbit needs a chest strap heart rate monitor. 

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I don't think most fitness trackers would want to be burdened with a chest strap.  Chest strap heart rate sensors are typically used by professional athletes training for competition.,

[A_Lurker]

I remember years ago wearing a polar chest strap for a good portion of the day to try and get an idea of how many calories I was burning overall.  It is definitely not a comfortable way to walk around all day.  One of my recently purchased pieces of fitness equipment came with a chest strap monitor, but I haven't even bothered to put in on.

[Svenny]

Thank you for the response.



Sent from my Verizon 4G LTE smartphone

[FatbikeVT]

It has been nine months and this is what I found.  Based on an average of 4000 - 4500 calories burned a day.  49 years old. 

The Surge is a great way to gather total calories burned (heart rate based) for the day.    Using total calories burned is essential with regulating amount of calories consumed.  Hard to regulate a health weight when you have no idea what the your number of calores burned is.  Basically, most people over calculate calories burned and underestimate calories consumed.   

Now, for accurate real time heart rate info, use a chest strap monitor system along with your Surge. I do this for amateur mountain bike races when I need real time heart rate info so I don't bunk.   I get real time data while racing and calories burned for daily/weekly numbers.  For all other activities (non racing mountain biking, hockey, walking, Xfit) is just use the Surge with the wrist sweat band.

Still would like to see a chest strap integrated with the Surge... oh well.  Still a great product for calculating total calories burned.  

Stay lean (lower % body fat) and strong (build muscle) = Healthy weight!

[Tave]

I wear my Surge closer to my wrist.  I don't keep it too tight since I have noticed it has a harder time detecting a pulse.  I keep it loose enough where I can move it a little if my arm gets sweaty.

I have found the heartrate monitor to be pretty accurate.  Of course it is not 100%, but good enough to where I can trust it is calculating close to my actual burn.  That along with calorie tracking have produced good results so far.

[USAF-Larry]

You make some good points, @Tave. The important thing to me is that the heart rate monitor may not be 100% accurate, but it is relative - I can follow trends, and that is more important to me than realtime numbers.  Since I started using the Fitbit, my resting heart rate has declined from the high 70's to the low 50's, and I can tell by the trendline if it starts creeping up. Since that time, as my fitness has increased significantly, the level of effort I must put into exercising to get my heart rate up has also increased. Both of those are good signs, and thanks to Fitbit.