Can we talk about comparing those cheap fitness trackers to a proper Garmin?

I used a $25 one from Amazon for six months, then switched to a Garmin Forerunner 55... the difference in heart rate accuracy during my runs is night and day. Anyone else find the budget ones just can't keep up?

4 comments

4 Comments

shane_hernandez1mo ago

My old cheap tracker said I climbed 12 flights of stairs just walking to my mailbox on a flat street. That's the kind of data you get. Morgan_stone33 is right that moving is what counts, but bad numbers can mess with your head. I started doubting my actual effort because the watch was so wrong. It made me not want to use it at all.

joseph_green131mo ago

What about for just daily step counting though? My cheap tracker seems fine for that. I only really care about general activity, not hardcore running stats.

morgan_stone331mo ago

Honestly @joseph_green13, if your cheap tracker gets you moving then it's doing the job. I've seen people get so caught up in the fancy data that they forget to actually walk anywhere. My expensive watch once told me I had a bad sleep score because I rolled over, which felt like a personal attack from a computer. As long as the step count is close enough, who cares if it's off by fifty steps? You're still winning compared to the guy on the couch, right?

casey26824d ago

But what happens when the step count is way off, not just fifty steps? If it's adding thousands of fake steps from driving or arm movements, doesn't that ruin the point of tracking? You might think you hit your goal without actually moving much.