Physical Activity Tracking

[Blondie]

I know, it's an odd one but bear with me...

I'm looking at investing in an activity tracker for use when I'm at sea (Nike Fuelband SE, Jawbone UP24, Fitbit Flex etc) and I was wondering if anyone had any experience of using one on board and would mind sharing their experience?

Cheers!

[GuinnessMan]

I know, it's an odd one but bear with me...

I'm looking at investing in an activity tracker for use when I'm at sea (Nike Fuelband SE, Jawbone UP24, Fitbit Flex etc) and I was wondering if anyone had any experience of using one on board and would mind sharing their experience?

Cheers!

Fitbit flex is very good and I highly recommend it. Alistair routinely taunts me on it...

Now if only I could find the sodding thing...

Sent via smoke signal

[alistairuk]

I know, it's an odd one but bear with me...

I'm looking at investing in an activity tracker for use when I'm at sea (Nike Fuelband SE, Jawbone UP24, Fitbit Flex etc) and I was wondering if anyone had any experience of using one on board and would mind sharing their experience?

Cheers!

I've had fitBit ultra but it disappeared during the skinny dipping night in Cyprus - I've had fitBit one since then though, it can sync through your iPhone / android thing whenever your on wifi or cellular - as long as you sync it at least once a fortnight you'll get detailed hourly stats, if you do it at least once a month you'll get daily stats + detailed for previous 14 days.

[Blondie]

Am I presuming correctly that the newer, shiny all singing and all dancing ones sync via bluetooth and therefore would talk to the app without wifi/cellular? I'm looking for an activity monitor that will work with my iphone/ipad without relying on wifi/cellular.

[GuinnessMan]

Am I presuming correctly that the newer, shiny all singing and all dancing ones sync via bluetooth and therefore would talk to the app without wifi/cellular? I'm looking for an activity monitor that will work with my iphone/ipad without relying on wifi/cellular.

Yup. Mine works via bluetooth but can use internet and wifi to produce reports...

[alistairuk]

Am I presuming correctly that the newer, shiny all singing and all dancing ones sync via bluetooth and therefore would talk to the app without wifi/cellular? I'm looking for an activity monitor that will work with my iphone/ipad without relying on wifi/cellular.

The trackers work over Bluetooth, however you need mobile data / wifi in order to send the data to FitBit servers... You can't sync the FitBit's without an internet connection as everything is done via FitBit's servers.

It gives you this lovely page (I assume you can access it, can't remember what privacy settings I have); https://www.fitbit.com/user/2373SJ

The Nike tracking thing works without connectivity I believe.

[alistairuk]

Actually, it appears the iPhone app can retrieve the data from the fitbit and display it - despite it complaining that it needs an internet connection, although I don't know if it then sends it to FitBit later...

Edit:
Ok - no it doesn't send it later, you have to re-sync the tracker when you have an internet connection.

[Fox]

I'm so glad someone has asked this as I've been thinking of doing this as I'm convinced I walk miles and miles during cargo ops... Is the difference between the FitBit One and FitBit Flex just a case of wristband or no wristband? Right now I'm thinking I would crunch a wristband into something on ship but then lose the other one out of my pocket. Hmmm.

[alistairuk]

I'm so glad someone has asked this as I've been thinking of doing this as I'm convinced I walk miles and miles during cargo ops... Is the difference between the FitBit One and FitBit Flex just a case of wristband or no wristband? Right now I'm thinking I would crunch a wristband into something on ship but then lose the other one out of my pocket. Hmmm.

Pretty much and the Flex is just a band with little lights... the One has a LED screen so you can view your steps, flights of stairs etc. on the screen if you particularly want too. The One you just have to have on your person somewhere (they recommend in a pocket, on your waist or bra strap if you're of that sex). Similarly if you're going to use it to track your sleep, you just hit the button on it to create an event and then goto sleep - when you wake up, just hit the button to stop the event - given you've not moved it automatically assumes you were sleeping and creates a sleep log - you can manually change it on the web site if it's recorded you jogging as sleep (although you'd have to be really bad at jogging for that to happen). They provide a strap for your wrist to put it on when you sleep, but I tried just clipping it on collar when I went to sleep and it worked fine.

Battery on the One lasts around 10 - 14 days, occasionally longer and it fully charges within an hour using USB charger cable.

I tend to just leave it in my pocket, works fine - I tend to walk 3 - 4 miles a day on average on ship and numerous flights of stairs... Managed 12 miles on average each day during dry dock and **** loads of flights of stairs.

[Blondie]

Also the fitbit one will track stairs climbed which the flex won't do. This is a function I actually really want but I know I won't get on with a clip-on monitor so I'm trying to figure out if I can deal without having the stairs climbed logged.

I'm leaning towards the Nike Fuelband because the app interface is 'better' and it'll convert whatever intensity exercise I do into a common unit (Nike fuel). This should also (I hope) take into account stairs climbed...