Bought the Fitbit Charge about 3 weeks ago. The band is impossible to securely fasten with the clip provided, needs a buckle like a wrist watch. Has neat, fun features but is worthless if it cannot be worn or keeps coming off.
Note: Fitbit does NOT sell refurbished products. These trackers are not covered under Fitbit’s warranty. Buyer beware!
$136 at Walmart when in stock.
Really wanted to get one of these. Spent time on the Amazon discussion boards and WHOA… are these problematic. All models in fact. Sad truth is that nearly all fitness trackers (Fitbit and others) are unreliable.
At least if you purchase new, you will have warranty coverage for replacement after replacement after replacement. Can’t say that about refurbs.
Uhh…I do lots of swimming . Would this thing lasted and calculated your movements under water ? Anyone know ?
I got a refurbished Charge about 6 months ago. The little plastic piece that goes over the charging cover started cracking early on and then coming off when I’d plug/unplug the charging cable after about 3 or 4 months. This week it completely broke in half. I think some super glue will keep it going awhile longer, but that’s pretty disappointing for something I paid $70 for and that I do take off for showering. My Garmin Vivoactive, however, is going strong. No issues at all and the battery charge may not last over a week like the Fitbit (usually more like 5 days), but I can wear it in the shower, pool, lake, etc. without worry. At $150, it was a MUCH better purchase than the Fitbit. I do think the Fitbit is more accurate on tracking sleep, but the Garmin does so much more and is just better built.
I have a Flex and a Surge. I haven’t had any problem with either of them. Not refurb, bought them new. You can change the band for the Flex, you can find bands on Amazon and Ebay - lots of colors/designs and you can switch the size if you want.
You cannot change the band on the Surge, you can choose either large or small (other colors are available, but again, you are stuck with whatever you get). There are “skins” for the Surge and screen protectors - but you can’t switch out the band. Make sure you measure your wrist and get the right size.
The Flex is more comfortable for me (smaller size), however, the Surge has more options. I like it mostly for the heart rate monitor. I tested the monitor against a heart rate monitor with a chest strap and it is just as accurate, only seconds behind in updating. The Fitbit App is nice to log your meals and keep track of your fitness and goals.
While I’ve had no problems, I have read on blogs and reviews that Fitbit goes out of their way with customer service: replacing defective units.
I’d get the Gamin Vivoactive if you’re a swimmer.
A lot of the fitbits battery life issues came about when they did an upgrade to the system for some reason. They replaced mine for free and the battery life is great.
The (flex) color in the picture doesn’t match the Navy Blue description. Does anyone know if this is in fact BLUE or NAVY band?
Our warranty is not through Fitbit.
Warranty: 60 Day Replacement Limited Warranty
For warranty support, please call 844-477-9429 Monday - Friday from 8:30AM - 12PM; 1:00PM - 5:00 PM PST. As long as you are in the 60 day window there is a no-questions-asked replacement guarantee for any Fitbit item that arrived defective. You will receive a replacement Fitbit with a return label for the defective unit.
Totally agree. I love Fitbit, but have had to switch out most of them, and Fitbit always backs the warranty…however, last time, I did have to jump through more hoops.
I see you already have one response but to be clear, these ARE NOT waterproof. They can handle sweat and a splash, but not swimming (or showering, etc…).
I got a Fitbit One in an earlier sale. Works great.
The One has a clip, so you it stays out of sight. Just make sure you don’t accidentally lose the clip. I did, but traced where I could have lost it, and with a locating app on Android, I found it.
We received 2 x firbit flex with 2 bands ea lg/sm. great shape (new to us), 4-5 days between recharge (with plenty of warning) , the user interface on computer or smartwatch is the truly amazing piece (how they update their program is amazing to me. Started out with 2 nike fuelbands. a little bulky for what we wanted, and the watch interface not as friendly. Were shopping for what worked for us. will buy new then, but the refurbs are great for a test drive. Splashproof, not water/shower proof, works for up. would recommentd to anyony who has done their homework. does what it says, and them sneaky programmers who work the night shit keep working on making it do more, easier… 
Does it track elevation / stairs? I’m having a little trouble determining with the translations on gearbest.
Uh, yes, you can. I bought a multipack of Flex bands in different colors at Best Buy, and change to a different color depending on my mood. The tracker itself has to be removed to put into the charging cradle. It pops in or out as desired.
My bad… typed faster than I was thinking… I meant Charge or Surge… the Flex you can change bands and even buy aftermarket ones that fit it.
That Changes things significantly.
While I like our FitBits and we recommend them to friends… I wouldn’t touch any FitBit product with such a limited warranty or without their support.
Giant pass on this one. Off to Costco instead to try to pick up a couple for my daughters.
Fitbit is not water-resistant enough to wear in the shower, so no, it cannot be worn for swimming. Which seems silly for a fitness tracker, doesn’t it?
I am on my second Fitbit Charge. The first died after 8 months. Fitbit customer service is excellent (probably because they have so much experience…). They went through a series of reset steps with me by chat, then sent a replacement Charge. One month in, I spent 30 minutes on the phone yesterday doing a reset because my BRAND NEW Charge would not sync.
Buyer beware - this is not a reliable product, new or refurbished.