I am familiar with Fitbit products. You may have read my review of the Fitbit Charge I did a few months ago. You saw how I enjoyed the product and what I thought about it for the features that it offered. I was excited for Fitbit to release the Charge HR because I knew that heart-rate tracking was the next step up in helping keep track of activity. (You can check TechWeLike.com for my reviews of various gadgets).
This is the third activity tracker from Fitbit (I reviewed the Fitbit Flex and the Fitbit Charge before), so I am pretty familiar with the way Fitbit works. I’ve had the app (and a Fitbit tracker) for over a year now, and it’s one of my daily things to do/ and check on
Charge HR Build and Design
The Fitbit Charge HR and Charge look similar to one another. You have to get a little close to the trackers to see the minor differences. The pattern is different on both bands. The closure on the Charge HR band is a buckle, while on the Charge, the closure is a metal clasp (similar to the Fitbit Flex). The main and obvious difference between the two is the heart rate monitor on the backside of the Charge HR band. The heart rate monitor two blinking green lights. It makes the Charge HR a little bit thicker.
The Charge HR is slightly heavier than the Charge, not a noticeable difference. You’d notice only if wearing them at the same time. I lThe Charge HR has a display that looks identical to the Charge’s display.
Experience
By now I am used to having an activity tracker, but for those who are not familiar with Fitbit, I suggest you check my previous review as well. Just a quick list of what the display shows, the Charge HR has a display (some trackers don’t have a display). I find the display useful, you won’t have to keep looking into the app for your activity information. The display shows the time, date, steps taken, your heart rate, distance walked (miles), and stairs climbed.
Something I enjoy about the Fitbit Charge HR is that you can track individual exercises. You do that by holding down the button (that’s on the left hand side of the screen) to start and stop the timer which will track the stats for that time / workout. Fitbit really tries to help you with all around features.
Features
The stats are also synced to your Fitbit app via Bluetooth. The point of the stats syncing to the app is to create an activity log (you create an account on www.Fitbit.com). With the log you can see your habits and patterns over time. You can log your food intake to give you a better idea of your calorie burn vs your calorie intake. You can also log how much water you drink. The Fitbit app has definitely gotten better over time.
The Caller ID feature is pretty cool, especially when I’m at the office or around the house. I don’t carry my phone around with me and if I get the vibration on my wrist, I know to look for my phone. Would be cool if they had the notification for texts as well. The alert for a call is quick though, you might miss it.
Heart Rate Monitor
The main feature of the Charge HR is obviously the heart-rate monitor. The heart rate monitor is supposed to help give you an idea of your workout intensity. Fitbit calculates your heart rate by using the formula of 220 minus your age. You’re supposed to use this information to optimize your workout The Fitbit app chooses the level of the heart rate zones based on your age and weight that you put in your profile. But you can also set your custom heart rate zones in the settings. I stuck with the settings the Fitbit app gave me.
When clicking in the heart rate tab of the Fitbit app, you get a line graph detailing your resting heart rate for the past 30 days. Fitbit suggests wearing your tracker to bed to get the most accurate resting (when you are still and/or calm) heart rate. below the line graph, the weeks are then broken down by days, starting with the most recent and working your way backward. You see a color-coded line graph letting you know your average resting heart rate and it changes color for the times that it was in the heart rate zones (fat burn, cardio, and peak zones). If you swipe left on the line graph, you get multi-color bar graph detailing the “Minutes in the Heart Rate Zones” in the past 30 days.
Stats and Progress
Just like the Fitbit Charge and the Fitbit Flex, you can view your stats via the Fitbit app. It’s available on iOS, Android, and Windows Phone. Fitbit recently updated the app, and now you can have multiple Fitbits synced to the app at once. The tracker syncs with the app wirelessly (as long as the Bluetooth on your phone is on). It comes with the USB dongle that syncs the data as well.
Battery Life
The Charge HR has to be charged every 5 days. Thar’s actually not bad considering the constant monitoring. I would always play it safe and charge it every 4 days. Unfortunately, the Charge HR has a different charging cable than the Charge, and the Fitbit Flex. Be careful not to lose it. I’m not a fan of the different charging cables.
Pricing and Availability
The Fitbit Charge HR is available in two colors; plum and black. It is available in 3 sizes: small, large, and X-Large. I have the large and it fits pretty good. I have to use one of the first slots, but it ranges pretty well. Right now its $20 more than the Fitbit Charge at $149.99. If the price a selling point, you have to figure if the $20 is worth it for the heart rate monitor (I think it is). If features are the the deal breakers, take this into consideration: The Charge has a display and it does everything the Charge HR does except heart rate monitoring. The Charge HR does it all (and has a buckle closure). Last but not least, the Fitbit Flex doesn’t count steps up (elevation), heart rate, nor does it have a display. You have to measure your level of activity, what you need to track and price all in one.
YOU CAN BUY THE FITBIT CHARGE HR FROM FITBIT.COM OR AMAZON.COM
Overall
I’ve grown used to the Fitbit activity trackers and have enjoyed the growth in specs and quality. The Fitbit Charge HR is so far my fave Fitbit tracker. It has a great display, stats at a glance, and the heart rate monitor for a deeper level of training.
The heart rate monitor is not going to be as accurate as one with a chest strap. So if it’s that important to you, I suggest testing it out for a bit to see if you can deal with the stats the Fitbit gives you. I don’t depend on the heart rate on such a serious level so I am okay with the information it gives me. I enjoy having the Fitbit on and doing challenges with friends. It’s a good form of motivation to just get up on your feet.
This article appeared on TechWeLike (check out my other reviews there also)