Activity/Fitness Trackers & HRMs

[Tangled Metal]

I've been interested in aids to maintaining a healthy life in the past and have tried traditional HRM with chest straps. I've also been reading about activity trackers, optical HRM, fitness apps like noom and Google fit. I like the idea of a holistic approach of getting the most out of activity time through say HR zone training, sleep monitoring, activity tracking with goal setting, etc. My question is whether anyone else on here tried one of these trackers?

I'm also looking at getting one. My perfect tracker would be one that replaces a chest strap to allow active HR zone training, but I would also like to monitor sleep (REM, deep, light and waking up in the sleep cycle). Also, I'd like it to record steps, different types of activity and monitor goals such as 10000 steps. Anyone got something suitable? They all seem to be small, discrete devices little more than a pedometer / fancy 3 axis accelerometer or something more suitable for just sports side of things.

Anyone got a recommendation? Thinking I'd like a cross between jawbone up24, withings pulse o2 and say mio alpha 2 or fuse and perhaps fitbit surge/charge/charge HR. They've all got their strengths but none do everything I think.

I've been a few months off the bike and my fitness is now dreadful. I've been going downhill for years now but last spring I started commuting for 9 months. I got a bit fitter but hit a plateau hence the idea of using any time on the bike to train as efficiently using HR zones. Getting methodical about it. I'm also concerned about sleep (toddler wakes middle of the night and I think I've got very bad sleep levels even if I get a full 8 hours).

[RogerThat]

There are apparently a slew of Apple watch clones coming from China in the next few months and at least a few of them have optical HRM, and all Android compatible at about 20% of the cost of the Apple offering and seemingly straight out of the same production line. Interesting time ahead for Cardio and sleep trackers, it seems timely, but I'm not too keen on 'opting in' to pass on my most personal vital signs to my doctor!

This seems to be the plan in the States, to relay your heart rate and sleep, and perhaps calories burned to your physician in real time. Taking Big Brother a step too far I think...

[Tangled Metal]

Well if you've signed up to Google fit or any other activity app you've signed up to data storage in the cloud with such data no longer just yours. So much data is being shared through apps that we are no longer free individuals. There's company's able to data mine your online history too. The whole idea of keeping yourself private online is probably a moot point. I personally have no problem sharing my health data with my gp if I know it's given the same level of privacy as face to face visits and medical files. In the UK I doubt they'll get this sharing up and running anytime soon though.

Apple stuff is overpriced IMHO and I actually don't like a lot of their designs. Guess I'm weird but I've never wanted to own Apple stuff because of their rigid link to iTunes and their ecosystems. I own the shuffle player though but only because it was the cheapest I could find due to it being discounted. I only rip CD music I own so really don't use iTunes.

Also I hear there are issues with Apple watch. Like the other big phone players their watch/ wearable devices seem to be more about the phone link and less about their functions on their own IMHO. Any HRM or activity tracker functionality seems weak. Better to go with activity tracker specialists IMHO.

[RogerThat]

I suppose it's like phone cameras and a dedicated SLR, you're always going to get premium results from a dedicated rather than 'all in one' type device. I await with interest the user response to the Apple fit watch.

[Tangled Metal]

I heard the apple watch only connects to the Apple health kit and not other apps. If true that is not ideal. No means to export data??

Personally I take the view that Apple is overpriced tech and always look elswhere for what i want or need. I was keen on the Basis Peak when it was coming out but the realities of it is a real let down. So much promise unfulfilled due to it's poor performance in active use apparently. Not good considering it has the might of Intel behind it. Basis was bought out by Intel a year or two ago. One of those cases of not having a recognisable product out there so buy one that is. I am sure Pebble will go that way if not already and also think that the tracker company Mio could go that way too (not the same as the bike computer company called Mio AFAIK). Certainly the big tech companies are loving the idea of activity and health trackers and smart devices. There is the Internet of Things for the home but that keys into sport, health and wellbeing too. They're all flooding money into health and medical smart devices or monitors (biosensors). Perhaps it will become the internet of the Person (IoP???) where we are all being monitored. Weight loss pills being advertised when your smart body analyser detects you're overweight. Or gym membership or diet/sports supplements if your tracker shows you are exercising a lot. All for a subsidised bit of hardwear and lower levels of privacy.

[al_yrpal]

These devices are of interest to people who like to monitor everything, but as I just bumble along they are of no interest to me. It will be interesting to see if these sort of devices ever become something of use to the ordinary person though.

Al

[Tangled Metal]

There are some devices related which are being used for medical reasons I believe. Of course biosensors are being developed for medical uses but these are not for most people other than under medical consultation. The devices for most people are glorified heart rate monitors or pedometers. if you are a cyclist it is possible a HRM os already in your kit list for training. However if you haven't got one then I doubt the trackers will be of interest to you. Most trackers are kind of a record of stuff you can already work out for yourself. I am sure you can tell if you've had an active day or not without knowing you have beaten a goal to be active or walk for an hour a day or 10000 steps or whatever. Just like if you are not into serious training then you will not need to know what your HR is for zone training or your power output or even your cadence via a bluetooth or ANT+ sensor. Who really needs to know their speed when cycling? Distance is another measure. If you are just riding for the pleasure of the ride then records consists of memories or at most photographs. Everything else is really just information out of interest.

However if you are serious about training for something then a HRM is probably the least you need. A tracker is useful too if it has decent sleep measurement and metrics. Afterall sleep is important as it is a key recovery stage. Also resting HR is useful to know. How much easier is it to know that you can just look back at the HR trace from you tracker to when you woke up for your RHR rather than a finger on your carotid artery. There are other metrics such as Blood oxygen which could be good for top athletes in hyperbaric training or climbers at altitude perhaps). Perspiration is a weird one along with skin temp. Do not see the point. The only one to have those is the Basis Peak but that one is not very good at recording active heart rate. It it priced to compete with th top end active optical HRM but is not capable or accurate enough for that so it is a glorified tracker that you can pick up for less than half the price.

I am interested in these devices not because I need them but because I want them. I just want it to be good for sporting activity (an advanced HRM) and good for non-sporting activity (sleep, steps, etc.). So far the ones that are good at each type are not too good at the other type. I am waiting for the tech to develop or mature then I will find the version that does active and day to day tracking.

It is all a bit of fun right now I think. Kind of like the first bike computers with cadence or calories used.

[RogerThat]

I see Microsoft has entered the fray with their own health tracker 'significantly cheaper than Apple '

It's not device specific and you can run it on Android or iOS. Interesting...

[Tangled Metal]

Well a year after starting this thread I finally got a Fitbit Surge. Got a good price from Argos for a price matched black model at the same special offer price as PCWorld. I chose it over the Microsoft band 2 because reviews reckon the surge and Charge HR are both better suited to the more active end of fitness tracking (1s HR recording not 5s).

Overall I like the fitbit app, HRM and Ease of use. I am not impressed with the sleep metrics (awake, asleep and restless sleep only no REM or quality of sleep score). The sleep function does tell me I have a very short period of being awake at the beginning then it I sleep and restlessness at each end of the sleep period with solid sleep in between.

Food logging is good including the way it can search for foodstuffs then find specific brands of each type of food. Even right down to those that supply something farm as a branding to imply a premium vegetable or something when the name of the farm is made up. The quantity entry needs to upgrade to you being able to type the number into a field not click a few up at a time (takes ages to go from 1 to 150ml for example.

HRM function allows fat burning, cardio and peak zones, the latter is at 85% or greater which is reasonable. I find it good to see how much effort I felt I gave in is clearly shown with the HR results. It also allows for a self set custom zone. It works well and is used to estimate calorie burn for you to monitor calories used with what you need and what you put in. Goals can be set on weight loss, maintaining or weight gain as required.

I'm glad I got it but it is not serious but fun to see the info change. I'm impressed at how I am finding it easy to log food. I have needed to do this for health condition before now but never have been able to keep it up long enough. Looks like the Fitbit app is seriously easy to use making me keep the log up. All good so far.

BTW does anyone have any views on this tracker or any other that you have used. Would be interesting to see what others think of their version of this gadget.

[fionat]

I got a Garmin vivoactive about 3 weeks ago. I really like how easy it is to track different activities - it's got built in running, cycling, swimming and golf. It doesn't, however, have a built in HRM. I haven't tried the swimming yet, but running and cycling are both spot on, and it works with any other garmin sensors (or HRM) that you own.

I'm pleased with it - as well as activity tracking, step counting and sleep tracking, it is a smart watch, so syncs with my phone to provide text and email alerts - something I didn't think I'd be bothered by, but really like - when I'm working I can just glance at the watch to see who the email is from without disrupting my work if it's not important.

Prices on Amazon go up and down - I paid £129, it's currently going for £125. I just noticed a new version with HRM is due for release on 14 April and can be pre-ordered for £209.