The Right ClickBattle of the Bands: Picking our favourite fitness bands
This is the final instalment in our mini-series 'Battle of the Bands,' comparing some of the most popular fitness bands available in Canada today. For an overview of the series, read Battle of the Bands: Finding the best fitness band for you.
After weeks of testing out the fitness bands featured in this series, the three other reviewers and I got together to discuss our favourites and pick the ones that best suited our needs.
Battle of the Bands:
Picking our winners
Best Appearance: TIE - Jawbone UP24 and FitBit Flex
Because of how "inoffensive" both the Jawbone UP24 and FitBit Flex looked, both were highly valued by the reviewers for appearance. Both are thinner and more subtle than the other three bands, with less of an in-you-face fitness band look, compared to the rest.
One reviewer gave an edge to the Jawbone UP24 because of how easy it is to slip on and off. Another was more inclined towards the FitBit Flex for the ability to easily change up the colour by replacing the band (about $10-$15 each, significantly cheaper than replacing the whole band) and the fact that its closed loop didn't catch on things the way UP24 did.
There was one reviewer who did prefer the Nike+ FuelBand SE's bangle look, since it was more jewelry-like than the others. For those who don't mind a chunkier band, there is some aesthetic value to the FuelBand.
Best Software: FitBit Flex
While the FitBit software came out on top overall, the Jawbone UP24's software was a very close second. All reviewers agreed that both had mobile apps that were easy to start using, user-friendly and informative, although there were some features on one that we wished had been on the other. For example, weight tracking is more obvious on the FitBit interface, while motivational features like notecards and "today I will" on the UP app were a great feature to have, too.
Even though it wasn't a favourite overall, the home screen of the Polar Loop found favour with one reviewer, as the ability to see at a glance how your daily activity breaks down is certainly nice to have. While the Gear Fit's apps were confusing, since you needed at least two to operate the band, the actual screen on the device was more informative than those on the other bands, meaning you didn't have to keep pulling out your smartphone to get an update.
Best Sleep Tracking: FitBit Flex
Not all of the bands did sleep tracking, and not all of the reviewers were interested in recording their sleep data, anyway.
For those who did test it out, the bands that allowed you to log sleep the morning after (both the UP24 and the Flex), although the Flex had slightly more obvious settings to manage sleep (one person had trouble editing sleep on the UP24, while another couldn't find where to log your sleep manually). By a very slim margin, the FitBit Flex beats the rest.
Best Exercise Tracking: TIE - Jawbone UP24 and FitBt Flex
Accuracy became the most important factor for two reviewers, giving the UP24, which is the only band we tested that you can calibrate, an advantage. All other bands either overestimated or underestimated the amount of calories burned, at least to some degree.
Two reviewers preferred the FitBit Flex for exercise simply because it felt more comfortable on a wrist during the work out, and because it didn't catch on things.
Best Syncing : TIE - FitBit Flex, Jawbone UP24 and Samsung Galaxy Gear Fit
Multiple reviewers reported issues with the Loop and the FuelBand when it came to syncing, with the bands either not loading the latest stats properly or not connecting at all. The Flex, UP24 and Gear Fit all synced up fine, however, and displayed information in real time.
Best Display: Nike+ FuelBand SE
Having a display showing more detailed information was the best part of both the FuelBand and the Loop, although the FuelBand's insistence on giving you information that wasn't entirely clear (like Nike Fuel or Hours Earned) lost it some points. The FuelBand's more prominent button to activate the display, however, was preferred.
The Gear Fit's highly detailed screen was great, as most of the band's useful features could be controlled directly from the band's display. There were some issues with the curved screen and use in direct sunlight, but it was otherwise nice to have a full touchscreen. The Loop was also difficult to read in the sunlight.
The UP24 had the least informative display, which would be a problem for those who aren't always carrying their cell phones with them. Having just a day light and a night light on the band means that it earned no favour in this particular category. The FitBit Flex was slightly more informative, although the five light system reflecting the user's progress could be a little confusing at first.
Best Battery Life and Charging: Polar Loop
None of the reviewers found the bands to be terrible on battery life, and all performed reasonably well for most of the reviewers (for some reason, all the batteries died faster on me. I should probably have that looked at). The Loop did last notably longer for one reviewer, giving it a slight edge.
What gives the Loop the win in this category is how easy and fast it is to charge. All the bands come with charge cords, and the magnetic connector on the Loop makes it the easiest one to use.
Best Overall Band: TIE - FitBit Flex and Jawbone UP24
I know, I know. All these weeks, and it ends in a tie? But here's the situation: If I were to tell you to run out and buy one band over another, and you were to listen, you'd be doing yourself a disservice. Both of these are great bands, with some minor flaws, and should both be considered equally based on your needs. Both have good interfaces, good battery life, good overall fit and the ability to sync up with other apps like MyFitnessPal and RunKeeper.
Two reviewers picked the FitBit Flex as their favourite for the streamline appearance, comfort, activity progress display, ability to change up the colour of the band at low cost and the easy-to-use interface. The other two reviewers preferred the Jawbone UP24 for the ability to calibrate it for accuracy, and the plethora of features it has, including inactivity alerts, nap mode, and the "today I will" daily motivational goals.
One last thing to consider when choosing between these bands: While we tested many features in this series, the time-frame didn't permit us to test long-term durability, which was the biggest complaint about the original Jawbone UP. Because of past problems, Jawbone's customer service has gotten very good at addressing issues of broken bands and sending out replacements. If you don't want to risk it, you're probably safer with the Flex, but at the end of the day, both bands are excellent lifestyle and fitness trackers, and will give you great bang for your buck.
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