Unboxing the Fitbit. The first thing you notice is that they have taken a leaf off Apple with premium packaging. Everything from how the box opens, to the little folders for setup guide, charger etc. screams quality. It makes you believe you have a premium product right away.
- PurePulse tm. Heart Rate.
- Connected GPS.
- On-Screen Workouts.
- Colour Touchscreen.
- Multi-Sport.
- Call Text and Calendar Alerts.
- All-Day Activity.
- Sleep and Music Control.
Below is a picture of the clock face with my steps so far. The Blaze has four different clock faces you can select. The one below is my favourite. A quick tap on the touch screen changes from steps to HR to calories burned etc. To save battery if the Blaze is by your side the screen goes off. A quick flick of the wrist to view screen, and it comes back on. Very slick.
The Fitbit app software on your phone is brilliant. It gives a detailed breakdown of your daily statistics. Plus a weekly total of steps. It is easy to get new friends. Challenging them to daily or weekly step goals. Brilliant for that extra motivation. My Husband has had a different model Fitbit for over a year. He is not normally very social, isn't on Facebook has no friends on Twitter, and even he has over 100 friends on Fitbit!! He competes against them regularly in various events. In the short time I have had the Fitbit I have built up a Friend list and who doesn't love a bit of friendly competition.?
The app is available on iOS, Android and Windows Phone again not many Fitness bands if any work with any phone type. Another plus.
One of the most addictive features of the Fitbit family of wearables are badges which you get for doing specific goals. Some of my favourite badges I have earned on display here.
My best day so far was yesterday. I clocked up over 23,000 steps and climbed over 100 floors in the day.
More about the Fitbit Blaze:
- Black, Sizes Small, Large and XL.
- Tracks steps / distance / calories
- Monitors sleep and heart rate
- Works with Fitbit app
- Wireless syncing via Bluetooth
- Rechargeable battery
- Price £159.99
So a week in, how am I getting on? Read on.
The Fitbit Blaze automatically gives you a goal of 10,000 steps a day. (adjustable) I have kept that as my goal. I have beaten it everyday. Not always easily. Certainly if I am not on the school run and we don't go out it can be quite tough to do. Luckily for me Mollie our Border Collie pulls me out if I am feeling lazy. She I am sure would smash the target. (I wonder if they do them for dogs?)
The Blaze itself, fits snugly I had the large wrist size. Perfect for me. A lovely colour screen is the first thing you notice. You pick the type of face setting and away you go. I synced upto my phone, easy enough. Set up my profile height weight etc. I then left it a few hours to see how it went.
It obviously tracks steps. What I really liked was the heart rate monitoring which is always on. Perhaps not as accurate a reading as in a hospital, used though within context a great way to see if you are unwell and if you are working hard enough. It also monitors your sleep. Seeing how many hours I have slept.
A quick swipe of the quite brilliant touch screen and it switches to exercise mode. You can pick all your favourite activities. Mine are set to Running, Spinning, Cycling, Elliptical to name a few. Go for a run a quick swipe then either press start to go. Or sync with your phone if you want a mapped GPS run. Without phone it will guesstimate how far you have run. When I have gone without my phone results have been pretty accurate. Obviously no map to review after though. For activities such as spinning, the Blaze uses your heart rate data to create a unique look into your workout. Showing calories burned etc.
I have not even mentioned the FitStar personal trainer which is built in. Being able to control your music off your phone, ideal if like me your phone is in a armband. Silent Alarms, Stopwatch, Countdown timer, to name just a few of the other features. In another month or so I will do an updated review, check back if I still love it, finding out what else I have learnt.
Overall then I have one jealous Husband even though he has had his Fitbit over a year, never buying me one! If he had done maybe this could have been his. Unlucky!!
Also I have a device that I can see even on my quiet watching TV, chocolate eating days, is going to encourage me to go out and do some steps. The Blaze is a high quality product, with lots of fun features. It encourages you at your own pace to do that bit extra each and every day. A longer walk on the school run a detour on a shopping trip. The possibilities are endless, where will your Fitbit take you? Let me know.
Wearing my Fitbit Blaze below at my local Parkrun, last Saturday. Even without using my phone to give an accurate GPS mapping signal. The Blaze still measured my run as an accurate 5km so well pleased if I occasionally leave my phone at home.
Below a couple of pics wearing the Fibit Blaze as an accessory to my outfits. Very nice!! The Blaze unlike some of the other Fitbit models has interchangeable straps. So would look even smarter with some of the straps available.
