Dear Fitbit,
You suck.
A couple of years ago, I bought a Fitbit Versa to track my swimming. I was so excited! Finally, I could stop counting lengths in my head and actually enjoy my workouts. But after a handful of uses, it ended up back in its box and shoved in a drawer.
Fast forward a year or so, I pulled it out, thinking, “Let’s give this another go!” But nope—it was dead. Completely useless. Of course, it was out of warranty, and the store wouldn’t replace it, even though I’d barely used it.
Still determined, I thought, “Maybe I just got a dud?” So I went ahead and bought ANOTHER Fitbit Versa. I was pumped. “This time,” I told myself, “it’ll be different. I can track my swims properly now!”
Here’s where it all falls apart:
The first swim with my NEW Fitbit Versa 4.
When I select “exercise” and then “swim,” I expect the Fitbit to track my lengths or at least the total distance I’ve swam. Seems like a pretty basic expectation, right? Nope. There were no useful stats whatsoever.
I get home and after some Googling, I learned I’m apparently better off letting the Fitbit automatically detectmy activity. Because that makes sense. Why even include a swim mode if it doesn’t work properly?
On my next swim, I take the advice to let the Fitbit figure things out for itself. I smash out a tough workout in an outdoor pool. It’s 16°C outside, I’m freezing my butt off, but I’m determined. I finish my session and sit poolside, shivering in the balmy 16°C, but excited to see my stats. I sync my Versa and apparently I’ve just been on a bike ride!
Determined to make it work, I go back to Google. I find a suggestion to turn off automatic detection for everything except swimming. “Surely this will fix it,” I think. So, back to the pool I go.
It’s Friday afternoon, 3:30 p.m., the sun is shining, and the pool is gloriously empty. It’s just me, the water, and my trusty Versa (ha). I smash out 56 lengths of a 33-meter pool. I jump out, sun on my face, and eagerly sync my watch.
What does Fitbit tell me? I’ve been on another bike ride. FITBIT, I DON’T EVEN OWN A BIKE.
So, Fitbit, you suck. I’m done. I’m off to buy an Apple Watch because, frankly, your product is hopeless.
