Fitbit Charge 2

I recently purchased a Fitbit Charge 2 wristband. Here is my experience after one week of continuous use. So far, it has surpassed my expectations. I had owned a Mio Slice before. It stopped working after about 6 months of use.

- Aug. 2018

updated - April 2019

This is a new model from Fitbit. They are the leader in wristband heart monitor devices. This model has all the features I was looking for. It was also on sale at REI for $120, a saving of $30 from the list price of $150.

Here are some main features...

• light weight
• water resistant
• long duty cycle - up to 5 days per charge via USB port
• easy to read display
• sync. to iPhone or iPad app
• maintain and track various activities including heart rate and sleep cycles
• instantaneous tracking of info such as steps and stairs and heart rate...
• extensive help and support
• supports various level of notifications

Fitbit uses a set of lights to measure your heart rate. It is a new technology that is very impressive. Here is a detail description. It is called photoplethysmography.

Photoplethysmography is a long word with a short explanation: light can be used to measure blood flow.

When your heart beats, blood flows, and the volume of the blood in your wrist changes. Blood—interestingly enough—absorbs green light. The higher your blood volume is, the more green light is absorbed.

To calculate blood flow, PurePulse shines a green light onto the skin and uses light detectors called photodiodes to measure how much light is being absorbed. This measurement is used to determine how many times your heart beats per minute.

Notice the spike in heart rate above. That is my practice session at the Fencing Club, I go every Thursday evening from 6-8:30 pm. It is visual proof this device works...

A new model of the Charge is just released. It is slightly larger in profile and contains a bigger battery. It suppose to last on average 7 days between charge instead of 5 days for the Charge 2 Model.

I ordered a stainless steel wristband from Oitom. It is the best band I found. It comes with a set of tools to adjust the links of the band for a perfect fit.

After a week of use, I am very happy with this product. It has surpassed all my expectations. I wear it all the time except for the one hour it takes to charge it. It lasts at least 4 days between charge. I sync. with my iPad a few times a day. I can review all my data and stats for today and the past week. It is personalized to my activities. I can view the data on the app with various amount of detail. After a while, I don’t even notice I am wearing it. It just does its job.

I also think it is good to have a history of your heart rate and sleep pattern. Some potential problems, especially with the heart, does not show up until it is too late. This is a simple and economical and less invasive monitoring system. I recommend it highly.

A good place to check it out and purchase a Fitbit is at REI. They have a very good return policy of 90 days.

Here is the link to their online store on the FitBit Charge 2. Alternatively, you can order it from Amazon.

Today, I discovered a hairline crack on the screen of my Fitbit. The device still works but I am afraid it won’t be waterproof any more.

I called the Fitbit support number and they offered a replacement. What a great experience. Their warranty period is one year full replacement. I look forward to receiving it in the mail in the next 5 days.

I will need to keep the same band and charger unit. They are sending me just the body of the device.