Surge to only last longer than its warranty?

[opiatedsherpa]

As a former Nike FuelBand user, I was getting fed up with some flimsy hardware for a $150 product, which by all accounts, kept me active and gave me a tangible goal to work towards on a daily basis, really, the first of its kind.  Nike did a decent job of recognizing their poor hardware design and they were able to provide replacements, albeit at a relatively slow pace.  So much so, that I had to purchase an extra one, just so I wouldn't be down for very long.

At one point, I tried the Fitbit Flex, while using the FuelBand, and was getting relatively similar results, but the lack of it being a watch as well, led me to drop the Flex, as it wasn't practical enough for me.

Once my fourth FuelBand kicked the bucket, the clasp coming away completely, the Surge had finally come out and I was excited.  I ended up winning one, fortunately enough, at a golf tournament last Spring and from there it was amazing.  Finally, it seemed like there was a product, worth while of its steep price tag.  13 months in, I'm not so sure.

I am a fairly active individual and try to remain so, even in the worst seasons in Canada, and that means running and playing sports in the rain or in the cold of the winter.  In Calgary, you'll see the best and the worst weather in a matter of hours and it can be hard on the body, not to mention, flimsy hardware.  Yesterday, on a 20km run, it was a mild start to the run, followed by a sudden gust of wind & rain and then after my run had concluded, it was hot and humid again.  Once the heat had started to beat down a bit, I rolled up the sleeves of my jacket and before I knew it...

The touch screen sensor of the Surge completely shattered.  I can still read the screen, the watch is still keeping my steps, but I can only access the screens that the buttons on the side will give me and I am afraid of what the vibration of the alarm or goal celebration will do in the next day or two.

Still, now it is 13 months in from when I received it, I will now have to shell out the $325, plus tax, minus a courtesy 25% coupon for it breaking.

One of my friends, who I encouraged to get a Surge as well, roughly around the same time I won mine, also had his problems, right around the 1-year mark as well.  As instructed, he took his Surge off to shower, swim and/or hot tub, and through general wear and tear, the band on his Surge completely came apart.  The clasp end on my Surge, much to the same degree, is coming apart on the top band, but still has a ways to go before it is broken.  It is trying though.

I fear, that even as a high priced item, that this device is also a consumable and is expected to be replaced on a regular basis.  I understand that there are a lot of New Year's resolutions people that would normally quit on these devices before they had a chance to quit on them, but I've been using these devices now for five years and am still being disappointed by their quality.

Six or seven months ago, I would have jumped at the chance to recommend this product to friends and family, moreso recommending the Charge HR for those who may not want to spend the high price for a Surge, but with all of these current issues between my Surge and my friend's Surge, I'm not so sure.

Personally, as a sales rep for a well-reputed global industrial enclosure manufacturer, I know what it means to stand behind a product that is meant to last and provide great customer service to my customers when issues arise.  This has been a very disappointing customer service exercise, because even though I'm saving 25% on my next Fitbit, I'm still having to spend more money on a new device that should last much longer than the warranty period.

[timroswell]

I hear ya. At least not alone. My Surge lasted 1 year, 2 months. I also have a Zip and Aria which I purchased when they first came out, both are still going strong.

[opiatedsherpa]

It's good to hear that some of us are not alone. 🙂

My Aria has taken a severe beating from my Roomba, but at least I can explain that fault and take some responsibility of my own... 

[HeydyF]

Hey guys @opiatedsherpa, @timroswell and @Redmoonstar, it is nice to see you around the Community! 

Thanks for sharing the issue that you had with your Surge @opiatedsherpa, this is indeed odd, to be honest with you, I haven't seen that before so I'm not really sure if this could be related or happening because of the weather, 'cause the Fitbit trackers are designed to stand weather changes. However I appreciate your feedback, believe me, I know how you feel about the resolution you received from Support, about the 25% discount that they can provide according to Fitbit warranty policies. 

Please note that we strive for excellent customer service and in the past often replaced trackers that were not covered under warranty. Though customer satisfaction remains our number one goal, the demands of running a global business require that we now enforce our warranty consistently. However as I mentioned, I will take your information as a feedback and pass it to our engineering team for then to work on improving the quality of the whole product. 

Have a great day! 

[Crash666]

I definitely see a trend here, I guess my next tracker won't be a fitbit. I've had mine for about a year, and it suddenly quit charging. Here's the cause:

The 2 center contacts are so worn away that they can no longer carry the charging voltage. After a year. Shoddy.

[timroswell]

FYI, I had posted this in another thread, but received no response from HeydyFitBit

HeydyFitBit
I see in one of your replies above, to quote you, "I. Truly sorry to hear about your Surge battery issues as Fitbit products are durable and long lasting and should not have become defective at an early stage and this applies to all are Fitbit frackers".
That being said, can you define what you mean by durable and long lasting? How long is long lasting? How long are they durable? What is the expected usable lifespan of the Surge? Is it reasonable to believe from my experience and a few others here, that the durability and long lasting you mention is really about 12 months? Surely Fitbit must keep track of warranty issues or complaints?
I'm not quite sure how people can say Fitbit customer service is awesome, since they are doing what is required on devices within warranty and nothing but a very small discount for devices out of warranty by just a couple of months.
I'm not trying to be difficult, but you did leave the door open for my questions, and I'm assuming since you are a moderator that you are also employed by Fitbit and just might have access to that information.

[Crash666]

I'm not a moderator, so I can't answer your questions. That said, I'm an
unhappy customer who isn't planning on buying any more fitbit products.
I plan to make my next tracker a Moto360 rev 2.
--
denial

Dean Clemmons

[SunsetRunner]

Very similar situation here. I'm also a fitbit premium member.
Can highly recommend the garmin vivoactive hr as a similar device to the surge, plus lots more to it.
I had to give up on my surge, even though it was great (within its 8 month lifespan)

[Crash666]

Thanks for the recommendation, but I have a Moto360 arriving tomorrow.
The first gen model had some issues, but it looks like rev 2 hit the target
--
denial

Dean Clemmons

https://www.linkedin.com/in/DeanClemmons

[MarreFitbit]

Hey guys @timroswell @Crash666! Thank you for the thorough feedback for the Fitbit environment, customer service and devices. This has not gone unnoticed and be sure that I will pass this along.

We don't want to create frustration in our customers. Fitbit has been designed to provide motivation and help you to reach your daily goals to success. Please know that we provide feedback to our team based on community posts and we are always working on improving our devices and overall environment based on that feedback.

Also, if you have a suggestion about the design of your tracker, I encourage you to post this in the Feature Request forums. I've found an idea addressing this situation, make sure to check it out here. Post your comments and votes so this can gain momentum!

Don't give up yet my friends, if you're facing issues with your Fitbit band I'd recommend always contacting Fitbit Support.