My experience with Versa 4

[JeffDaniel]

Other than claiming that the Versa 3 & Versa 4 are water-friendly, there is nothing specific mentioned about salt water. It has ruined three Versa 3's and one Versa 4 in the past two years - two of them on the same Gulf of Mexico vacation within a day of each other.

The 3's were out of warranty so I was offered 35% off Versa 4 - which is a condescending & greedy way of admitting the product is defective. The 4 was still under warranty and will be replaced but when it dies, I am completely finished with the Fitbit product line and will explore a heartier & more reliable fitness watch.  $200 should purchase a product with more than 3-4 years of usable life. 

So my advice - don't wear it in saltwater. Despite Fitbit's claims, more than likely, it will kill your Fitbit.


Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[MarreFitbit]

Hi there, @JeffDaniel. It's nice to see you around the Fitbit Community Forums. Thanks for bringing this to my attention. We‘re taking your comments and sentiments in regards to our products and services into consideration.

Although the Versa 3 and Versa 4 are water-resistant to 50 meters, I have seen that sea water (salt water) tends to damage many electronic devices, so it's always recommended that you follow the steps listed in the Wear & Care guide, and to dry the watch before wearing it. 

Keep in mind that these devices are more designed to be worn at a pool, river or lake, so I wouldn't recommend to use in salt water for a prolonged period of time. You can find all the information in this article. 

Thanks for your question about why we offered a discount towards a new Fitbit product instead of a replacement of your existing Fitbit products. Our limited warranty provides repair or replacement of products that have a defect while still in the warranty period. Your device is out of the warranty period, and therefore is not eligible for repair or replacement, but we want to offer you a discount to thank you for your loyalty to Fitbit. For more information about our warranty, see fitbit.com/legal/returns-and-warranty.

Even though I truly appreciate you took the time to come here and express your feelings towards your experience with your Fitbit devices and also want to find a resolution to your issue, my best advice is to keep the conversation with our Support Team. Note for this kind of inquiries/cases/process, there's not so much we here in the forums can do for you as this is something that our team handles based on our policies. Thanks in advance! 

[JeffDaniel]

While I appreciate your finely crafted and well-scripted response, it only masks the quality and reliability issues that Fitbit has with these watches. The watches are sold as 'smart watches' at a premium price but the life of the watches do not equate to the value spent. Also, it is no surprise that, conveniently, the warranty periods are set to such a short duration, that most claims will fall well outside the expiration date, leaving consumers with a useless watch & a "pat-on-the-back" discount to buy something that will fail again. Buying a watch from Fitbit is like getting a payday loan. Its great at first but soon you spend far more than its worth.

I have three dead Versa 3's in my nightstand drawer & a claim on a Versa 4. All werre purchased within a three-year period. My wife is wearing a Versa 4 that the touchscreen works intermittently. How would you convince me that this is a smart return on my purchases with Fitbit. One fail - maybe two are anomalies but this constitutes a distinct pattern of a poor product.