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Ships from: Amazon Sold by: A-Dub & More
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Ships from: Amazon Sold by: BH Deals Express (SERIAL NUMBER RECORDED)
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Fitbit Surge Fitness Superwatch, Black, Large (US Version)
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Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition: no shipping charges
Learn more about free returns.- Go to your orders and start the return
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Return this item for free
Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition: no shipping charges
Learn more about free returns.- Go to your orders and start the return
- Select the return method
- Ship it!
Return this item for free
Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition: no shipping charges
Learn more about free returns.- Go to your orders and start the return
- Select the return method
- Ship it!
Purchase options and add-ons
Brand | Fitbit |
Model Name | pace |
Style | Classic |
Color | Black |
Screen Size | 0.96 Inches |
Special Feature | sleep_monitor, voice_call, text_message, pedometer, gps, fitness_tracker |
Shape | Heart,Train |
Target Audience | Unisex Adult |
Age Range (Description) | Adult |
Compatible Devices | Smartphone |
About this item
- GPS Tracking- See distance, pace and elevation climbed & review routes and split times
- Get continuous, automatic, wrist-based heart rate and simplified heart rate zones
- Track workouts & view workout summaries; plus all day activities including steps, distance, calories burned, floors climbed and active minutes
- Monitor your sleep automatically and wake with a silent alarm
- See call and text notifications on the touchscreen display
- Sync stats wirelessly and automatically to your computer and over 150 leading smartphones
- Utilize the sizing tool in Product Details below to ensure proper fit
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Important information
Indications
• Make sure your band isn’t too tight. Wear the band loosely enough that it can move back and forth on your wrist. • If you use Fitbit Charge HR , Fitbit Blaze or Fitbit Surge , for better heart rate readings during exercise, we suggest wearing the band so it’s secure, but not too tight, and wearing the band higher on your wrist (about 2-3 finger widths above your wrist bone). Lower the band on your wrist and loosen it after exercise.
Directions
Keep it Clean: Regularly clean your band and wrist—especially after working out or sweating. Rinse the band with water or wipe it with a small amount of rubbing alcohol. Do NOT use hand soap, body soap, dish soap, hand sanitizers, cleaning wipes or household cleaners which could get trapped beneath the band and irritate skin. Always dry the band well before putting it back on. Keep it Dry: While Fitbit devices are water resistant*, it’s not good for your skin to wear a wet band for long periods of time. If your elastomer band gets wet—like after sweating or showering—rinse and dry it thoroughly before putting it back on your wrist. Be sure your skin is dry before you put your band back on. Don’t Wear It Too Tight: Make sure your band isn’t too tight. Wear the band loosely enough that it can move back and forth on your wrist. If you use Fitbit products with Purepulse Heart Rate tracking, for better heart rate readings during exercise, we suggest wearing the band so it’s secure, but not too tight, and wearing the band higher on your wrist (about 2-3 finger widths above your wrist bone). Lower the band on your wrist and loosen it after exercise. Give Your Wrist a Rest: Prolonged rubbing and pressure may irritate the skin, so give your wrist a break by removing the band for an hour after extended wear. Keep it Clean: Regularly clean your band and wrist—especially after working out or sweating. Rinse the band with water or wipe it with a small amount of rubbing alcohol. Do NOT use hand soap, body soap, dish soap, hand sanitizers, cleaning wipes or household cleaners which could get trapped beneath the band and irritate skin. Always dry the band well before putting it back on. Keep it Dry: While Fitbit devices are water resistant*, it’s not good for your skin to wear a wet band for long periods of time. If your elastomer band gets wet—like after sweating or showering—rinse and dry it thoroughly before putting it back on your wrist. Be sure your skin is dry before you put your band back on. Don’t Wear It Too Tight: Make sure your band isn’t too tight. Wear the band loosely enough that it can move back and forth on your wrist. If you use Fitbit products with Purepulse Heart Rate tracking, for better heart rate readings during exercise, we suggest wearing the band so it’s secure, but not too tight, and wearing the band higher on your wrist (about 2-3 finger widths above your wrist bone). Lower the band on your wrist and loosen it after exercise. Give Your Wrist a Rest: Prolonged rubbing and pressure may irritate the skin, so give your wrist a break by removing the band for an hour after extended wear.
Visible screen diagonal
1" / 3 cm
Compare with similar items
This Item Fitbit Surge Fitness Superwatch, Black, Large (US Version) | Recommendations | dummy | dummy | dummy | |
Try again! Added to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart | |
Price | $226.55$226.55 | $98.95$98.95 | -17% $249.95$249.95 List: $299.95 | $149.95$149.95 | $199.95$199.95 |
Delivery | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 | — | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 |
Customer Ratings | |||||
Accuracy | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 4.3 |
Mobile App | 3.8 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 3.8 |
Sleep tracking | 3.5 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.9 |
Battery life | — | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.0 |
Sold By | A-Dub & More | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Heart Rate Monitors USA | Amazon.com |
operating system | Apple iOS, Android, Apple iOS, Android, Windows, Apple iOS, Android, Windows | android | ios | Android | ios |
display size | 0.96 inches | 1968.51 inches | 1.69 inches | 1.34 inches | 1.69 inches |
connectivity tech | GPS | — | Bluetooth | Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth, GPS | Ethernet |
supported applications | Fitness Tracker, Pedometer, Sleep Monitor, text messaging message, GPS, distance tracking, Elevation Tracker, Heart Rate Monitor, calorie tracker, caller ID, Multisport Tracker, Music Player, Alarm, Time Display, Phone, text messaging | Sleep Monitor, Heart Rate Monitor, Alarm, Phone, Fitness Tracker, Reminders | GPS, Sleep Monitor | Heart Rate Monitor, Sleep Monitor, Find My Phone, Fitness Tracker, Voice Assistant, Music Player | GPS, Phone |
input interface | touch screen | touch screen | touch screen | touch screen | touch screen stylus pen |
wireless standard | bluetooth | bluetooth | bluetooth | bluetooth | bluetooth |
water resistance | waterproof | water resistant | water resistant | water resistant | water resistant |
From the manufacturer
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What's in the box
Product information
Product Dimensions | 8.2 x 1.37 x 0.55 inches |
---|---|
Item Weight | 2.72 ounces |
ASIN | B00N2BWF6Q |
Item model number | FB501BKL |
Batteries | 1 A batteries required. |
Customer Reviews |
3.7 out of 5 stars |
Best Sellers Rank | #342,207 in Sports & Outdoors (See Top 100 in Sports & Outdoors) #783 in Activity & Fitness Trackers |
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
Date First Available | October 27, 2014 |
Department | unisex-adult |
Manufacturer | Fitbit Inc |
Item Weight | 2.72 ounces |
Standing screen display size | 0.96 Inches |
Warranty & Support
Feedback
Product Description
Product Description
Train smarter and go farther with Surge—a sleek, fitness super watch designed to help you reach your peak performance. With built-in GPS, multisport functionality, and automatic, continuous heart rate, Surge delivers the stats you need to measure your effort and maximize your training time. Add activity tracking, automatic sleep detection, music control, and text and call notifications, and you have everything you need to stay connected, motivated and in the zone—no matter what goal you’re working toward.
From the Manufacturer
• Certain features like Auto Sleep Tracking and SmartTrack may be disabled when using this accessory. Classic accessory bands are the recommended accessory for high intensity workouts and sleep tracking. • Do not wear the Flex 2 Pendant accessory while sleeping or during high intensity activity, as doing so could create a choking hazard. • Flex 2 Pendant accessories contain magnets. Magnets may interfere with pacemakers, defibrillators, or other medical devices. Consult your physician and the manufacturer of your medical device before using to determine if these accessories are safe for you. If the accessories may be interfering with your pacemaker, defibrillator, or other medical device, do not wear the accessories.
Buying Guide
Move it up: Since blood increases further up your arm, wear your tracker higher on your wrist to improve the heart rate signal during workouts. Start by moving the device up to three finger widths above your wrist bone, then experiment with slightly lower placement. Keep it secure: The less your tracker moves during exercise, the more chance you have of maintaining a heart rate signal throughout the activity. Do not wear the band too tightly, as this can restrict blood flow and goes against our wear and care guidelines. Hold steady for ten seconds: High intensity exercises or activities that cause you to keep your wrist bent (like push-ups) or move your arms vigorously (like dance) may interfere with heart rate signals. If you stop seeing a signal during these types of activities, hold your wrist steady for ten seconds during breaks to get your reading.
Manufacturer Contact Information
Customers contact: support@fitbit.com
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the health tracking features of the wearable computer. For example, they say it does a fine job of tracking sleep and that it tracks your heart rate reasonably well. That said, some complain about the durability and battery life. They say the device starts ripping out and the silicon band will rip if you wear it a lot. Customers are also disappointed with fit. Opinions are mixed on quality, ease of use, value, and appearance.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers like the health tracking capabilities of the wearable computer. They say it tracks their heart rate reasonably well, does a fine job of tracking sleep, and is uniquely designed to measure heart rate all day. Customers also say it helps with keeping track of diet and fitness in a central location.
"...In the end, the device works as I want it to, is accurate enough for my level of concern, and with simple care and working with it, the rash is not..." Read more
"...--It doesn't count steps accurately.My walking steps seems to be fine, but I knew off the bat my running steps were way off...." Read more
"...It tracks each activity well via GPS and the heart rate monitor. I can not have my phone at work so about 10 hours a day, the Fitbit is untethered...." Read more
"...As others have said, it seems to track well for times when you are not exercising hard, and then it lags a bit from a strap based HR monitor for..." Read more
Customers are mixed about the quality of the wearable computer. Some mention that it performed just fine, is very usable, and is pleased with the results recorded. However, others say that it doesn't seem to work well, has poor features, and inferior in functionality as a smart watch. They also say the execution failed and the technology is not perfect since this is a first generation device.
"...The sleep tracking for mine seems to be working wonderfully as well. I can see when I woke up or had problems sleeping and it seems to be fine...." Read more
"...++ Notifications ++The notifications are a nice feature. The Fitbit will vibrate when someone texts or calls you...." Read more
"...The Fitbit Surge is a great concept. The execution failed, especially when combined with customer service and tech support agents who do nothing..." Read more
"...It also has a timer, an alarm that needs to be set up in the Fitbit desktop account. ⁃ It's useful and accurate when cycling...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the ease of use of the wearable computer. Some mention the touchscreen on the Surge is very easy to use and responsive, while others say that it can be a bit unintuitive, fiddly to use, and confusing at first. The instructions provided are less than adequate.
"...It isn't like strapping into something difficult, it's a simple and easy to put on strap so it's not a big hassle...." Read more
"...* Surge as a watch - 1/5: Very disappointed. The watch faces available appear to be a complete afterthought from the Fitbit development team...." Read more
"...This seamlessly integrates into their website with the same types of charts to see your progress over a certain period of time...." Read more
"...I still often noted the Surge reading significantly lower than the Polar, and it dropped off entirely a few times until I slid it further up my arm...." Read more
Customers are dissatisfied with the fit of the watch. They mention that it's very large for their wrist, the screen is too small to read in a quick glance, and the watch is pretty bulky. It takes up a lot of space on their wrists and hands. Some customers also mention that the measurement are sometimes way off and the band is too narrow.
"...The only issue with comfort is that it’s a bit wide, so if you’re wearing a buttoned shirt with long sleeves, it’s hard to tell the time without..." Read more
"...screen for the notifications (just a banner at the top).... way too small to read in a quick glance (like when driving), so pretty much useless to me..." Read more
"...I wasn't sure about the size of the device at first but it actually fits very nice and isn't a problem...." Read more
"...-Looks: sharp, clean lines and not too big. The watch face is on the thicker side and does interfere with long sleeves but overall it looks..." Read more
Customers are mixed about the value of the wearable computer. Some mention it's well worth the money, and at a reasonable price. Others say that it'd be better off buying a smart watch.
"...This scale is kind of expensive, but the seamless connectivity without hand jamming your numbers is worth the cost for myself...." Read more
"...it's still so far off that it's a useless set of data...." Read more
"...Make sure you add the $20 protection for 3 years. Totally worth it!" Read more
"...While it's not a smart watch per se, I do like the ability to get text and call notifications on the watch...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the appearance of the wearable computer. Some mention that they love how it looks, the weight on it is just right, and the texture of the product. However, others say that the design is bad, not the best looking watch, and looks weird.
"...on the run. ⁃ It can be worn at all times and seems to blend in with casual, formal and active wear...." Read more
"...This is a design flaw in the product for sure. Aside from this one issue, which will hopefully be fixed, the surge is great...." Read more
"...Like:-Looks: sharp, clean lines and not too big...." Read more
"...--It scratches easily and looks like crap in a day or two with normal use because of cheap flimsy material.I work on airplanes...." Read more
Customers are dissatisfied with the durability of the wearable computer. They mention that the device started ripping out, the band fell apart, and it didn't even last a week. Some say that the band was cracked and broken. Overall, customers are not happy with the quality and durability of this product.
"...The band by screws around the bottom of the device started ripping out and I am afraid to wear it until I can find out if it will be replaced by..." Read more
"...I manually set my stride, but that had no effect. It was obviously defective. And so my nightmare began. Here's the chronology:..." Read more
"...and looks like crap in a day or two with normal use because of cheap flimsy material.I work on airplanes. I do metal work...." Read more
"...friend who had his watch replaced after a few months due to the strap wearing out where the little torx screws attach the strap to the watch..." Read more
Customers are dissatisfied with the battery life of the wearable computer. They mention that it doesn't last long enough for long hikes, the battery started draining fast, and the GPS itself will drain the battery in only 5 hours. The smart phone notifications also cause the battery to suffer. The watch needs to be recharged frequently and the charging process is not dependable.
"...However, when it was just over a year old it died. It refused to hold a charge, then refused to charge at all...." Read more
"...GPS itself will drain the battery in only 5 hours per page 11 of the Surge owners manual (see link in comments section), so if you plan to use any..." Read more
"...I didn't use GPS at all. Battery life seems pretty good to me.--It doesn't count steps accurately...." Read more
"...reset solved the problem for a couple of months but the battery started draining fast again and I was content with charging it daily until it..." Read more
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Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
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My Surge arrived and I eagerly played with it. As far as pros, it was comfortable and easy to wear. Not overly bulky. I didn't develop a rash. Many of the features were nice - I particularly liked being able to use GPS on my hikes. But I quickly noticed that the step counts were way off. A walk that my husband and I usually take after dinner that should have been right around 2K steps only showed around 1200. I also noticed that I could be looking right at the Surge, walking around the house, and nothing registered. It locked up, as near as I could tell. I would walk normally, counting my steps, and they wouldn't show up. Flights of stairs also were missed. Long walks seemed to be the worst. I would walk and count off 100 steps, and only 50 or so were counted by the Surge. I manually set my stride, but that had no effect. It was obviously defective. And so my nightmare began. Here's the chronology:
7/16 - My fitbit arrived.
7/17 - I began some tests. I noted how many steps the Surge had recorded, paced off 100 steps, then noted the new number. I repeated this 10 times to get an average. The numbers it recorded ranged from 64 to 102. Overall, it recorded 853 out of 1000 steps, for an overall accuracy of 85.3%. I repeated the test for a second series, and this time the overall accuracy dropped to 80.5%. I used the support link on Fitbit's site to email them letting them know I had a problem. At that point the website said response time could be as long as 2 days.
7/20 - No response. I emailed additional information to add to my ticket. I had walked, according to the GPS, 1.73 miles. It registered 2232 steps. This would yield an average stride length of 49.10 inches, which is impossible given that I'm 5'2" tall.
7/23 - Gave up hope of hearing back through email and phoned Fitbit. The customer service agent was very helpful and arranged for a replacement to be sent. At this point I was happy.
8/2 - Received the new Surge. Tested it and found it had the exact same problem. It visibly locked up and didn't count steps. Emailed the support with data. I did more tests and found a possible correlation between speed and accuracy. When walking at a normal speed, accuracy was at 88%. When walking briskly (which is closer to my usual hiking speed), it dropped down to 54.8%. When walking very slowly and deliberately, it actually recorded more steps than I took. I also checked the customer forums and found other people with similar problems. One user complained she received two defective Surges and the third one was the one that worked. One theory was that the sensitivity was too high, so it was recommended to set the device so that it believed it was on the dominant arm as opposed to the non-dominant one. I tried this and there was no change (although I was impressed by the intrepid user who used a bungee cord to strap his Surge to his bicep so he could get his HR info). I appended more data to my open ticket letting them know I had set it to Dominant but there was no effect.
8/4 - No email from customer support, so I called again. This time the agent told me to hold down a pair of keys to "reload the software". Given that it had applied an update, I assumed this meant it was re-downloading and applying that update or being forced to apply an incremental one, meaning the problem was related to software. However, I later found out that all this does is reboot the device. I don't know why he had me do this instead of shutting it down from the menu. But having rebooted it several times daily, I could have told him that it has no effect. But at this point I mistakenly believed I had actually reloaded software, so I did more testing. In a nutshell - no change. I took a walk for 2.35 miles, and only registered 3473 steps, yielding an overall stride length of 42.8 inches. I did three more sets of tests. The first showed an overall accuracy of 59.6%, the second jumped to 95.6%, and the third dropped back to 77.6%. I emailed my spreadsheet with the raw numbers to their support people.
8/6 - I finally heard back from tech support through email! They sent me a generic message telling mt to set the Fitbit so that it believed it was on the dominant arm. Which I had told them I did way back on 8/2. Apparently they don't actually read their email. I responded and told them this. I also told them that my husband and I had taken a hike earlier in the day. Despite the fact that he's taller than I am, his Fitbit registered around 11,000 steps while mine only registered around 9,000.
8/9 - I received another email from Fitbit support, saying they wanted to investigate further. Since my husband has a Fitbit, they asked for his account info so they could compare data. I gave them this info, and also put my Surge in Hike mode and took a quick walk with him so that they could compare the data. I let them know this and included more data.
8/11 - Received a generic email from Fitbit asking if I still needed help with my Surge. I replied in the affirmative, and attached my previous reply.
8/12 - Received email from Fitbit support telling me to reboot the Surge. Which, again, I had done while on the phone with their rep back on 8/4. And I had specifically stated in a previous email to them that rebooting had no effect. At this point I was almost past my 30 days window to return the device to Amazon, a fact that I had emphasized repeatedly both on the phone and in email, Nobody would tell me if this was a hardware problem or a software problem, so I had no way of knowing if the device itself was defective or if the latest software update was the problem and it would be fixed in the next patch. I wanted it to work. I told them that if this was a software problem then I was willing to be patient. But given that I had no way of knowing if I'd received two defective devices (a bad sign in and of itself), and given that their support team had obviously given up even reading email from customers, I decided that it was safest to return it while I could. Which I did. I also ordered a Garmin pedometer.
8/15 - Received email from Fitbit support saying they couldn't read my email (a problem I've never had before). Which sounds sort of like someone crumpling up some aluminum foil to pretend they have a bad connection. I also received my new Garmin. I used it an an Omron model to repeat a previous walk. The Garmin recorded 3727 steps, and the Omron recorded 3762, a delta of 1%. The Surge, by comparison, had recorded only 2416 steps when I took the same route previously. That's off by around 30%. And it did make me feel much better about the Garmin. I did more stride tests of 100 steps each with the Garmin, and overall accuracy came out to 98.2% accurate overall, a far cry from the Surge.
8/17 - Received generic email from Fitbit asking if I still had a problem. I let them know it had been returned.
I do wonder what might have happened if they just sent a third replacement. More than one person on the forums had two defective devices and the third was the one to work. But that implies that they have a lot of defective units, which isn't exactly encouraging. Also, my husband's Fitbit One died around this point. It was one year old. So was my Fitbit Flex. So if the Surge actually worked, I would like assurances that it would last more than a year, which seems unlikely.
The Fitbit Surge is a great concept. The execution failed, especially when combined with customer service and tech support agents who do nothing more than read off of scripts. Hopefully another manufacturer will get it right. Fitbit didn't.
So this device has worked great for me. I have had it since June and everything was great, until the band started to break. The band by screws around the bottom of the device started ripping out and I am afraid to wear it until I can find out if it will be replaced by warranty. This is a design flaw in the product for sure. Aside from this one issue, which will hopefully be fixed, the surge is great. I wasn't sure about the size of the device at first but it actually fits very nice and isn't a problem. The issue people had with the rash, I never had a problem with. I used to use bodyglyde anti chafe stick to avoid it but no longer do and never have a problem. I would still recommend this item to anyone looking for a good device. Just be mindful of the band and contact Fitbit if you start to see any problems so that you can fix it before it is too late. And always follow proper wear instructions and outlines provided by Fitbit.
6/20/15
I have had this device for a week now. I originally bought the charge hr and was missing the gps tracking that I wanted for bike rides and walks/runs. I switched to the Surge and so far it has performed perfectly for me. It is great for my rides and runs and I love being able to see my paths. The hr function works fine on mine. I know a lot of more intense fitness people are complaining that it doesn't work as well as some others or that it is off a lot, but I honestly feel it works great. Most people say theirs peaks at 140 range but mine has always kept up with where I should be, no topping out that I can see yet. The sleep tracking for mine seems to be working wonderfully as well. I can see when I woke up or had problems sleeping and it seems to be fine. The one thing I think is off on that is the "time to fall asleep". It always says it took me 0 min to fall asleep which isn't true, but I don't really care how long it took me to fall asleep so I don't worry about that. The step tracking is about as good as you could expect, it is off a little bit, but between some extra steps and some probable missed steps, I figure it evens out. Plus I have yet to tailor it to my actual stride length so it would become more accurate if done. The different exercise options seem to work well. I haven't tried them all out but I have done some outside exercise as well as some gym exercises and the device seems to track everything well. The notification options are a little delayed on mine. My phone will go off and then it takes a good 30 seconds for a text to come through, I still haven't had it alert me to a phone call, but again, not why I got the device so I'm not worried about that function.
Finally, I come to the concern over the fitbit rash. I have had this for a week, wear it every day, and have not yet had a rash. I wear the device all night while I sleep. I then wake up and sync it before taking it off to shower. I wipe it down and dry myself off and then put on some body glyde anti chafe balm on the sides of my wrist and then put it back on. Once at work (I work in an office) I will keep it on for the morning and then take it off once I am settled into my desk and know I will not be moving around for awhile. This gives my wrist a break as well as avoids me tracking any false steps from simple arm movement at my desk. If I get up to go do anything (other than moving a few steps or something) I will usually put it back on. It isn't like strapping into something difficult, it's a simple and easy to put on strap so it's not a big hassle. I'm more active after lunch so I usually leave it on the rest of the work day. Once I am ready for my workout, I take off the device, wipe it off with some water, let it dry, and then put it on, a little tighter (3 fingers up or so) and then do my workout. After I log my workout I take the device off and wipe it down again, as well as let my wrist dry off. After that, I put it back on and it usually stays on until I am ready to sit down and relax a little for the night. I take it off if I'm just watching tv or something to let my arm breath again. Before bed, I put a little more body glyde on my arm and then put the device back on again and go to bed. The most I have ever had happen on my arm is some slight red after an intense workout but it has always gone away after an hour or less if you remove it and let it dry out and breath from the sweat. The redness is just from me keeping it tight on my arm during the workout. I think using a little bit of anti chafe helps creates a nice barrier to keep the skin safe during some wear. It does sometimes create a little residue on the band but it is easily wiped off with a paper towel and causes no problem. This system has been working for me. I do not have sensitive skin but I do not let it sit on my skin wet or damp if it is not needed.
In the end, the device works as I want it to, is accurate enough for my level of concern, and with simple care and working with it, the rash is not a problem.
Top reviews from other countries
1. Rapid deterioration in performance in the device in one year of ownership. gps absolutely doesnt work, where as tom tom and garmins work wonderfully in this aspect. Quality of GPS receiver is absolutely pathetic.
2. company has already given me 2 replacemennts [after a prolonged fight and complaint that is], both fail miserably in the gps department.
3. very erratic readings, especially if you training and running with this device, you will become completely frustrated. when you run at a 6 min pace it shows 8 min and vice versa. completely unreliable
4. Heart rate has stopped working properly, now most of the times i get a -- [blank reading] and it resumes at its convenience. very disappointing. dont think the heart rate is functioning properly now.
5 floors climbed, very inaccurate.
Overall, a completely disappointing product. this product may be ok for those who just want a tracker, but for that you can look at trackers which are priced much less. this is a strictly to avoid product. i do not want to spend another 25k and hence waiting for some time to replace this product.
My humble and painful opinion after using this product extensively for a year. PLEASE AVOID IT. sorry for the upper case. Now.. if at all you still want to read my earlier review which is down below, please go ahead.
I have bought this product on 6th July 2015 as a replacement to my tomtom multisport watch (incidentally bought on Amazon ) as i wanted a watch with GPS and also other trackers such as heart rate , steps and calories. Was impressed with the features described in Amazon. However, the watch has lot of limitations on the GPS and running side, which is the primary requirement. I usually run on mapped routes (i.e., where i have already run with other gps devices and know the exact distances) and found wayward readings (which i could see on the watch also). My some what detailed review is below.
Pros:
Watch with GPS, built in optical HRM ( so no belt required), steps, calories and also other exercises such as walk, yoga, pilates, biking etc (no swimming though). Good batttery life and also touch screen.
Cons:
GPS is inaccurate. Ran with the watch and once exported, the data in the map shows atleast a 10% variance with the track running over walls, sea etc?? this is a major drawback, where as my tomtom multisport especially on the gps front is unbeatable.
Have escalated this to fitbit and also understand from the online forums that a new firm ware upgrade is on the cards, but not sure whether the gps inaccuracies is covered and rectified. the fit bit team also is continuously buying time, but rectification does not seem to be forthcoming. this is the most critical feature and the inaccurate gps is a big let down. My tomtom is very very accurate in this aspect.
steps : feel is a bit exaggerated as it some times captures your movement in places like auto rickshaw etc.
I feel that overall if the gps experience can be improved, only then the product is a value for money. Amazon, really disappointed that a sub standard product is being sold in your market place.
P.s.: have just updated the firmware, but no use. gps is still faulty.
Update as on 18th July , had raised the issue with the company and had to really fight with them on the device's issues as they blamed it on the weather, sky, etc and gave them adequate proof vis a vis other devices. . After escalating this to the top management, finally the company has taken notice and has assured to take this up and has started some work. I have shared the various faulty routes generated by the device along with the screen shots and also have marked right routes in maps and given them. There seems to be an improvement in the accuracy , though not very marked. Will keep every one posted. So , am upgrading the device from 2 stars to 3 stars.
24/7/2015 Revising the rating to 1 star, no response from company on any of the queries raised so far. GPS was grossly inaccurate today.
Update as on 21st August- its been forty days since i raised the query of faulty gps, the company has made me work for providing map data of my run by plotting my course etc., but no resolution, the map of my run of 16th august shows that i have run more than ten kilometres in the sea.
My update as on 29th August 2015,
Company has replaced the faulty device on 27th August, the gps is working much better in the replaced device.Tested this in the walk, run and bike mode. I will be testing the device and posting a review after sometime.
Update on 20th April 2016:
GPS does not show any sign of improvement. Really frustrated with the performance of this watch on GPS front. very inaccurate readings.
Reviewed in Mexico on August 14, 2017
Pros:
• Tracking tool + Watch. Previously I used iPod nano to track steps & calories which I would often forget to carry - this is with me 24x7
• GPS is accurate – takes a while to connect though
• Automatically detects activities
• Heart rate tracking is helpful (though inaccurate sometime when hairs stick due to sweat)
• Can motivate you to do more - climb floors, walk or run
• Nice intuitive graphs and logs that show progress
• Activity logs can be edited
• Sleep tracker is almost accurate – will have to get used to wearing it all time.
• Daily goals (sleep, burnt calories, steps etc.) and option to edit daily goals is a plus.
• Fitbit sends you weekly status reports over email
• You data is stored centrally on servers so whatever device you use to sync with Fitbit will have the required data
• Historical data can help in tracking better
• Can even help you to track how your heart rate varies when you do different activities. Ex: I could see my heartrate being constant while I drive on highways at constant speeds vs increasing/changing when I drive in city.
Cons:
• Battery lasts for 3 days - doesn't last for 7 days as claimed (even after turning off - notifications, alarms, classic bluetooth, all time sync & quick view + setting heartrate to auto).
• Monochrome & not the best of looks (when you compare with Samsung Gear s2 or similar)
• Touch screen operation is sometimes painful (esp. when your hands are wet with sweat or water)
• Syncing can be a pain and it can take longer sometimes. Whenever I face any sync issue, I shutdown and restart Fitbit Surge which solves the issue.
• This product supports devices with Bluetooth Low Energy support - this wasn't specified in Amazon. I wasn't aware that my Samsung Galaxy S2 would not connect - tried multiple times, scoured Fitbit's site to find that the device is not supported - they have a PDF on their site showing compatible devices.
• Floor counting goes by the height [commercial buildings might have > 10ft of ceiling height] - Fitbit Surge counts floors in increments of 10ft. You might get more floor counts on commercial buildings.
• Few additional steps are added while you are driving or riding a motorcycle - they can be ignored. Good thing is it doesn't affect your calorie count. You can later create and activity for the time / rename the detected activity which is also good.
• Losing your dongle or recharging cable could cost you more as these are expensive and not available readily
• If your watch’s strap gets damaged, there is no alternative to buy another strap! Either Fitbit has to replace the watch or the watch would just be a paper weight.
Overall:
Happy overall - I believe the tracking is at least 90% accurate. Definitely helps in motivating to do more physical activities.