SuperWatches

Smartwatches for the Space Age

Maygen

Diesel On Full Guard 2.5 Review

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The Diesel On Full Guard 2.5 ($199.99) is a stylish Wear OS smartwatch with fitness capabilities.

Diesel Smartwatch On Full Guard 2.5

Introduction

The fashion-minded will love this Fossil Group production. In development, it had the same treatment as the fourth-generation smartwatches. This translates to contactless payments, a heart rate monitor, built-in GPS and the safety of water-resistance. There are very few reasons to take it off. Which you’re unlikely to, as it carries a design iconic to Diesel fans.

It comes in at just shy of $200 if you’re considering the stainless steel option. Certainly cheaper than the Apple Watch Series 5 or Galaxy from Samsung. Still, it costs more than a Fitbit Versa 2.

The first version of the On Full Guard was clunky. The software was a little underdeveloped. The battery life was poor. The 2.5 sees improvement across the board. 

Let’s take a look:

Design and features

  • Masculine 47mm case
  • 13mm thickness
  • Water-resistant to 50m
  • Heart rate monitor
  • Google Pay contactless payments
  • Built-in GPS
  • 300mAh battery
  • Microphone and speaker

If you’re into Diesel already then you’ll love what you see. It’s inspired by the classic Diesel watch design. Very industrial. 

There are 4 options. You can choose brown leather or silicone strap. The former is a little more expensive but looks awesome with the stainless steel.

Whilst the case is a hulk, this version isn’t as cumbersome as the first iteration. The diameter is the same, it’s 1mm thinner and considering the additional features, it’s actually lighter.

Some features remain. Two twistable personalised buttons. These sandwich the rotating crown which then gives you a way of navigating the menus. Great for those who don’t want to totally rely on the touchscreen alone.

The screen is a bold AMOLED that reads perfectly. It’s been shaved by 0.1mm to 1.39mm.

The best bit about this version is that it’s water-resistant. Similar to the Skagen Falster 2, you’re able to swim in this watch. It’ll track your activities via a third-party app. The silicon strap is certainly better if you’re a swimmer.

Extras

As with the first version, the 2.5 operates on Wear OS. This means you get notifications, bespoke watch faces (including a funky neon), Google Assistant and third-party apps. 

If you’ve been a Wear OS user before then you’ll get everything you’re used to. Google has made improvements to the interface. Google Fit had a software revamp. You swipe for notifications. It’s easy to turn Do Not Disturb on or change the brightness of the screen.

Wear OS is a fair contender but it doesn’t hold a torch to alternatives like Apple, Samsung or even Fitbit. The core features work consistently, but it’s just not as evolved as the others.

Diesel made this feel like more than just a host for Google software. They have given the user a load of individual watch faces. Some are very on-brand for Diesel.

There’s an additional app called Dial Effects. This lets you see secondary information like the weather or your activity.

There’s the stylish T-On-i, which gives you an overview of your day which includes the weather and your step count. It’s more novel than the choices that come with the watch, but it’s another way to make it uniquely yours.

There are no major complaints about the software. The watch is run on a Snapdragon 2100 Qualcomm processor. There is a newer version of this, the 3100, but Diesel didn’t put it in. Reasons unknown. Perhaps the hardware isn’t able to handle it. This can give a laggy performance at times. It’s possible there could be an update in the future which would fix any frustrations.

Fitness Features & GPS

Some question their necessity. It’s a smartwatch with fitness features, not a fitness tracker. This is similar to the likes of Fossil for the recreational fitness fan. They’re alright, but if you’re serious about sport then this isn’t the brand you want on your wrist for your training sessions.

Accuracy of the GPS seems to be fine for 5k runs. Heart rate tracking for exercise is generous in comparison to a heart rate chest strap for measure. Again, this watch is better for its convenience than as a dedicated fitness tracker.

If you’re relying on Google Fit, you’re advised to try a third-party app instead. The Google experience is a little lacking. It’s alright if you want an overview of your activities during the day but it can be underwhelming on data.

Battery life

The battery power is a lot better than the first version. You’ll get two days out of it. The first Full Guard would give you a day at best.

For Wear smartwatches, between one and two days is about what you get. Two days is wishful thinking. The brightness and apps drain it pretty quickly.

Summary

If you’re a Diesel fan this is a great smartwatch for you. If you have a casual interest in your fitness level and want something that looks masculine, you’ll love it.

However, if you’re looking for more of a sports watch with smart capabilities, we point you to the Garmin Forerunner 945.

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Coros Apex Review

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$350 for a Premium Multisport Watch?

The likes of Garmin, Polar and Suunto should be worried because the Coros Apex is making waves.

There are three things that make the Coros Apex special.

  • looks great
  • has an exceptional battery life
  • costs less than $350

Granted, there have been some issues with heart rate accuracy. It’s not perfect, but, the Apex is a great contender in the fitness tracker world that serious runners and athletes should consider.

Advantages

You get a design that feels as premium as a Suunto or Garmin. There’s a rotating button on the side that is used for navigating menu options and shows the data on the screen with one push. 

This 46mm beast offers 35 hours of battery in GPS mode. 

The more slimline 42mm option offers 25 hour (for $50 less)

It’s incredibly cost-effective; you get multisport tracking, a sophisticated look and great battery life.

It’s incredibly user-friendly, mostly because there is a lack of features in comparison to alternatives. It has a ‘stamina’ feature that’s great for tracking a run, but it does rely on the heart rate monitor for this. 

You get six stats on-screen which is easy to read as well as insightful. 

There’s a training feature that’s easy to follow during a run and there are guided sessions that offer a helpful structure to your workout. 

Your Apex offers breadcrumb trailing and offers a back-to-the-start navigation feature that you can tap at any point.

Disadvantages

  • It only tracks swimming, cycling and running.
  • The structured sessions are essentially interval sessions and nothing more complex.
  • Heart rate tracking is a little inaccurate during a run. This impacts other features like recovery.

Running

The Coros and its six statistics are wonderful to swipe between during a run. You’ll need to set up the in-run data that you want on-screen. You need the app for this. 

It delivers the data you’d expect like your pace, time, distance and a couple of more advanced things like stamina. This gives you an idea of how much energy you should have left for your run and a percentage that will decline as you go. This data is available during non-exercising times so you can monitor how quickly your energy is used up in between your runs.

Most watches with GPS offer a recovery feature. Brands like Polar offer far deeper insight in comparison but the Apex offers beauty in simplicity. If you’re running and wonder if you have one more mile in the tank, you’ll be able to make an informed decision.

This depends on how accurate you feel the stamina data is. Again, the heart rate tracking can impact this, but it’s good to give you an idea.

The Apex is great for both aerobic and anaerobic training. It’ll offer more of those guided workouts based on the two options. If you put a chest strap on, this will boost the accuracy of your heart rate readings and you’ll get better data from your session.

You’re able to create your own workout, which is simple intervals again but can be used in the running mode. 

The power used during a run on the 46mm version is great. It was tested during a 24 hour endurance challenge and still had a third of the battery life left.

If you run 3-5 times a week, you’ll get these on one charge.

Cycling

The biggest difference between the running and cycling modes on the Apex is the data it offers. Your stamina data isn’t available, unfortunately, but you get another new option which relates to power. It requires an additional sensor for this, but again, it’ll give you great insight on the grade of the hill you’re on.

Cyclists wishing to go on a long ride will love the battery life more than runners. The intensity seems to be less with cycling and the readings more accurate. A separate HRM is advisable, still.

Sports Tracking

Newer versions of the 46mm track more than swimming, cycling and running. Now you can track things like hiking, trail running, general outdoor and indoor cardio sessions. 

The modes and data still aren’t as intricate as what you get with Garmin or Suunto but remember the price here and you’ll still be impressed. If you’re new to a certain sport or just want a general reading, the Apex will be a great friend. 

You can customise the label for the cardio modes. The outdoor one uses GPS to record your speed and distance. The indoor one will record your heart rate, calories burned and time elapsed.

Activity Tracking

You can use the Apex to track your activities during the day. Steps, calories burned and active energy, workout time and floors climbed. You can access this information via scrolling your watch display. 

Daily tracking isn’t the main concern of the Apex. It’ll give you a notification if you haven’t moved for a given period of time. The heart rate monitor isn’t consistent if you’re not exercising. Rather, it’ll take your heart rate every 10 minutes.

Sleep Tracking

In the app, you won’t actually see sleep tracking most of the time. Your data is only produced if you wear the Apex at night. Makes sense. In the morning, you will be presented with a graph that plots your heart rate. This is on a background that is colour-coded to illustrate REM sleep, light sleep and awake time.

You get a total time for each and average heart rate. 

It won’t tell you how you can improve your sleep quality. It also doesn’t notice any trends in your sleep patterns. Some, more expensive alternatives can do this. If you’re happy with general data, the Apex isn’t uncomfortable to sleep in.

The App

The Apex itself isn’t overly complex. It doesn’t offer more than you need on the display menus. Things are similar in the app, too. On the front page, you’re given your graphs for daily activities. Things like steps and active energy are plotted. You get some information about your training load and fitness. It’ll tell you your resting heart rate and VO2 max.

The app is the place to go for your previous workout history to look over previous performance.

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Breitling Watches – A History 

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Breitling

Breitling is a brand synonymous with history. Perhaps more than any other.

There’s been a lot of argument and claim in the watchmaking industry over which brand made which kind of watch first. It’s hard to know who’s right. 

When man first landed on the moon, he had a wristwatch with him. The first-ever powered flight had a chronograph in the cockpit. The military has always had wristwatches in the trenches.

1884 – The beginning 

Breitling has dominated the worlds of land, air and sea. Founder Léon Breitling started the company in 1882. The world was transitioning, thanks to the industrial revolution. Becoming more modern. Science, industry and sport were evolving. Breitling was paying close attention.

He knew these endeavours of progression were in need of the most accurate timekeeping possible. 

The craftsman had a desire for incredible feats of timekeeping innovation. He wanted to make something with superior accuracy. Breitling chased patents for everything he could from sports watches to chronographs.

1915 – The sky’s the limit

Breitling’s primary obsession was with aviation. Pilots were flying bigger and better machines. What they needed was a user-friendly timekeeper that gave them the freedom to go hands-free.

Pocket watches were the fashion of the time but having something on a chain was simply too cumbersome and challenging.

Breitling offered a solution. He claims to have made the premiere wrist-worn chronograph which had a separate button to the crown. This was extremely easy in comparison to the pocket watch. It wasn’t just easy to use in the air, those on land saw the benefit.

1935

As planes got more complex, Breitling was there. Whether the evolution of the wristwatch for pilots or navigation tools for timekeeping, Breitling made cockpits more efficient.

Recognition for the brand began to flourish and they gained accolades for their aeronautical time instruments. The RAF contracted Breitling to make chronographs. These devices became known for timing dogfights during WWII. 

Defiance in the 1940s

Willy Breitling took over the company his grandfather had forged. Nazis were in Switzerland at this time and blocking product exports. Especially anything that might aid war efforts and that included timepieces.

Willy had his grandfather’s defiance. He was an innovator too. He and a group of friends developed a makeshift aircraft that was used to fly the banned cargo; under the nose of the Nazis.

Willy Breitling needed an alibi during these midnight runs and so he went home via his local bar and had a drink or two. People became used to this and assumed he’d been there a lot longer than he had. He ended up a little tipsy from time to time, but largely he succeeded in getting the watches onto the wrists of the allies.

1949 – Peace at last?

Most people assumed that since peace was achieved then the need for chronographs would fall because the need for the air force was no more. Breitling, the innovator, adapted. He moved the brand with the times and met the new demand on the market – for elegant watches. 

People now wanted slimmer and more formal watches that would be worn with elegant evening wear.

Breitling began to focus on women’s watches. At the time, there wasn’t much investment in this area as the view was that wristwatches on women weren’t classy. Imagine! Breitling laughed because he saw the opportunity.

The Breitling Chronomat

Breitling didn’t abandon his roots. By the 1940s the brand was a Swiss giant. They continued to make their famous chronographs. This became the most popular model they would ever produce.

The Navitimer era — 1952

The Navitimer is the single most recognisable pilot’s watch. It has a knurled bezel and slide rule which is used to measure various in-flight timings. It’s an iconic land and key timepiece.

It slipped onto civilian wrists in the early 1950s. The design is so distinctive that it hasn’t been amended a lot over the years. A true icon doesn’t need to change.

The Navitimer was so successful and the engineering so reliable that Breitling instruments found their way into the most intricate of jet aircraft of the time.

The Navitimer Cosmonaute – 1962

At this point in the article, you’d be forgiven for forgetting that we mentioned Breitling conquered land, air and sea. Breitling even went to space. In 1962 Lieutenant Carpenter orbited our earth three times in his bespoke Breitling timepiece from the Navitimer collection. 

Not forgetting the sea part, only a few years prior to this, Breitling mastered the waters with the Superocean.

This watch was built for both recreational and professional divers. This design has lasted for years, even against the pressure of innovation and change.

2020 and onward

The current CEO is a chap called George Kern. Breitling is forging another new path in the luxury watch market. Kern is taking on new challenges and pushing innovation like those before him. 

He heard the desire for more lightweight, slim and refined watches. Just like the post-WWII era. Kerns has responded and slimmed down the collection. He’s introduced a beautiful simplification to the designs whilst staying true to the traditional design features. No mean feat. 

This can be seen in the Premier line which is a nod to the past with a contemporary twist. In fact, if you look closely, you’ll see it’s actually a homage to the history of the brand where, in 1943, Europe was heavily influenced by the jazz era and everything was sleek and sophisticated.

If you’re looking for a luxury traditional watch with a rich history and impeccable engineering, a Breitling will be a truly worthwhile investment.

If you’d like to continue learning about the luxury market, you’ll love this article about Rolex watches.

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Breitling Exospace B55 Connected Review

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Background 

There’s no doubt that smartwatches are more popular than ever. Apple is dominating this segment of the tech market and its offering keeps getting better and better. Some argue this has destroyed the mechanical watch segment of the market, which, to be honest, has been in strain since the 70s at the peak of the quartz crisis.

Luxury Swiss brands, back then, denied that emerging technology would last. It was viewed as a fad. They were so stubborn about this that some refused to move with the times and eventually their manufacturing plants were boarded up and closed for business. Not all of them fell, though. Some engaged with the new world of better materials and electronics, even if they did so begrudgingly.

Skip to today and we see that some of the luxury mechanical watch brands should indeed have done more to adapt and adopt the technology. Those that did are coming out with smartwatches that rival the tech giants Apple, Samsung and Huawei. The thing that’s remained steadfast the whole time is the concept of luxury.

One of the brands who’ve successfully survived is Breitling and we’ll be looking at their Exospace B55 Connected.

Breitling Exospace B55 Connected

The Breitling brand has been somewhat chaotic over the last 30 years or so, but on the whole, they’ve always pushed forward. CVC Capital Partners, Europe’s biggest private investment firm came along and acquired Breitling 3 years ago. This injection of funds was very welcome and with the appointment of new a new CEO in the form of Georges Kern, their entire manufacturing process was reformed.

Kern had a penchant for a classic aesthetic but equally pushed the brand into a position of pioneering wearable technology. The B55 prototype was unveiled at Baselword in 2015 and later that same year the production model was released. The timepiece was the idea of Jean-Paul Girardin, Breitling’s VP.

Girardin is also a keen pilot and so the brand is closely associated with aviation. The B55, therefore, is specifically designed to belong to their Professional collection which are serious pieces of equipment for the elite at what they do.

Design and features

As it sits on the wrist you’ll notice it’s not a dress watch. It’s quite a beast, but, it’s comfortable. It has short lugs that curve and a 46mm titanium case, meaning it’s lighter than it looks. It has a unidirectional bezel and the branded Breitling rider tabs make it move with ease. There’s hard knurling on the crown and this means you can easily turn it, even in gloves.

It’s uber-stylish and masculine. The B55’s list of features suggests it’s been made for military aviation experts rather than commercial pilots or simply those who like an aviation-style. 

The dial reflects the style of the 2014 Cockpit B50 ($7,799) but with better readability with the use of a blue contrasting handset with digital numerals.

It has a bright LCD backlight that can be used by pressing the crown, or, even cooler, iPhone users can activate it via their build-in inclinometer by tilting the watch 35 degrees, ie, a normal wrist movement to see the time. It turns itself off to reduce distractions.

The digital display is compatible with night vision and this reduces reliance on illumination in the dark, which would affect a pilot’s eyesight if wearing NVGs. 

The timer on the watch is so advanced that it will track takeoff, flying and landing times as well as block time for helicopter pilots. This refers to the time the rotors begin moving to when they stop. This is used to monitor the wear of the helicopter. Little fact for you.

It’ll give you two timezones. One is delivered digitally and the other via the hands. You can switch them with the push of just one button. It has timers for counting down and up, a perpetual calendar, up to seven alarms and a chronograph. There’s an electrical tachymeter, too. 

Connectivity

Breitling doesn’t like to use the label ‘smartwatch’ for the B55. They prefer to say it’s ‘connected’. Smartwatch implies the watch should be a device used in addition to your smartphone. Connected implies the reverse; in that, you need an app on your phone to act as an extension of your watch. You can get the B55 app on either iOS or Android.

Synching happens via Bluetooth and when your phone and watch are connected you get the benefit of accurate timekeeping through satellite-controlled atomic time signals.

Being connected means you’ll get notifications, too. The B55 has a twin digital readout. A quirky feature means you can ‘park’ the hands in position to allow readability of your notification and then double-tapping the crown puts them back to the correct time.

All made in-house

Breitling is passionate about being self-sufficient. The B55 is an example of this. Both the watch and movement are built in-house. Even the app has been custom developed just for them.

The movement is part of Breitling’s SuperQuartz line. Supposedly ten times more accurate than a normal quartz calibre.

Most impressive is the battery life. It has a unique lithium-ion cell battery which is recharged via a magnetic connector attached to the left of the case. This powers the watch for 2 months at a time. 

Summary

Typically, the B55 floats around the $7,000 – $8,000 level. Of course, closer to the higher end if you’re looking at titanium versions. 

There are plenty of models to pick from. The blue rubber strap, linked in this article, is the most popular.

There’s a B55 Exospace Yachting version ($5,100) that has a regatta timer. It boasts bold colours and the dial is carbon fibre. It stands out from the blackness of the rest of the range. 

Breitling’s dabbling into the ‘connected’ market is certainly a successful one. If you want a developmental achievement on your wrist, you won’t go wrong here.

To learn more about aviation watches that won’t hurt your pocket, check out our review of Citizen Watches, here.

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The Omega Watch Range

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atomic watches

Background

What is an Omega Watch? It was the first watch to be on the moon. It’s one of James Bond’s favourite brands, as well as President JFK. Even Elvis had one.

Omega has been producing sensational mechanical movements that have changed watchmaking in our time. Omega is the only real brand to go head-to-head with Rolex. This Swiss brand is the official timekeeper of the Olympic Games and is accredited as one of the most accurate brands in the world.

Founded in 1848, we still see classic designs in today’s Omega timepieces. It has developed incrementally and so we get a vintage feel with modern developments.

This article is a whistlestop tour of the Omega range to get you going if you’re thinking of investing.

Speedmasters

Considered to be the Porche of watches. This is the type of watch that made it to the moon on the wrist of Buzz Aldrin. 

In 2020 you can expect many different style of Speedmaster, including designs in real gold as decorated with diamonds. 

Moonwatch Chronograph ($5,349.00)

This model has a hand-wound in-house calibre. It’s a 42mm polished stainless steel case with a matching bracelet. You have the option to swap this for leather, NATO, or if you’re inclined to, velcro.

It’s 50m water-resistant. It has a fixed bezel, black dial and luminous hands and hour markings.

Co-Axial Chronograph, aka, “Dark Side of the Moon” ($8,900.00)

This a really modern look with a carbon case and co-axis movement offering exceptional performance. It’s just shy of 45mm in black ceramic with a nylon fabric strap. You can see some versions reach $12,000.

Skywalker X-33 ($5,799.99)

Released in 1998, this Speedmaster was made for astronauts. It has a quartz movement with dual display. It will give you multiple time zones, up to three alarms, a chronograph capability and countdown timer.

The case is 45mm of titanium with a matching bracelet.

Omega Speedmaster
Omega Speedmaster

Seamasters

These are the most robust dive watches packed with tech. 

Ceramic Diver 300M Co-Axial ($4,325.00)

Here’s one found on the wrist of Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond.

The 300m hasn’t lost its looks over the years. It has a helium escape valve located at the 10 position that completes a look of asymmetry. 

Although the look is consistent, there are a lot of variants. You can also get a chronograph version and, budget-dependent, ones decorated with precious metals.

The case is 42mm of stainless steel and the bracelet comes in any material you could want.

Planet Ocean 600M ($5,054.50)

This Seamaster is larger than the previous and has twice the level of water-resistance. You have a lot of choice here between GMT movements (and if you’re wondering what that is, we wrote an article on that here), carbon cases, chronograph functions and other features.

The 43.5mm case comes in stainless steel with a NATO strap.

Aqua Terra 150M Co-Axial ($6,899.00)

The Aqua Terra has a dual personality in that it is both a sport and dress watch. It’s both rugged and elegant. You can dive in it or wear it for a formal occasion.

It comes in either 38mm or 41.5mm stainless steel cases with matching bracelet.

The Aqua Terra also offers a 24 hour format and GMT hand. This is handy for setting the local time as well as knowing what time it is in your hometown, if you’re travelling. 

You can also get hold of a chronograph version, and this is $5,250.00.

Constellation

Here is where we find the most formal dress watches that Omega produce. There is a huge nod to the styles of the 40s and 50s. There’s a distinctive dial edge with a ruffle that’s common on the Constellation case. Women can find a diamond decorated timepiece here.

Globemaster Co-Axial ($9,140.29)

This design leans toward a classic 1950s vibe. This is a modern day dress watch rather than a sports watch. It’s a bread-and-butter dress watch that was made to complement your Italian leather tan brogues. 

You can get stainless steel, solid gold or a two-tone if you like a bit of both.

The case is 39mm and the bracelet comes in a supple leather.

Devilles

The Devilles range has the same dial as a lot of the older Omega watches. It has a decidedly vintage feel ranging from the 1950s and 60s. Largely due to the fact that, at this time, Americans were the core market for Omega. 

The Devilles you see today are the most elegant as well as the most complicated of all Omega timepieces. 

These watches are so fancy they extend from dress watches into haute horlogerie (high quality watchmaking).

If you like retro class and have the big dollars to spend, the Devilles collection will be bang on.

Co-Axial Chronograph ($4,944.50)

This is instantly recognisable as a classic, however, it’s also packed with tech. This offers a co-axial movement and this meets the Master Chronometer specification required for the utmost accuracy in mechanical timekeeping.

This offers a 42mm case and comes in various materials such as stainless steel, gold, leather, etc.

Hour Vision Co-Axial

This timepiece offers a sapphire case for the purpose of allowing a lateral view into the famous co-axial movement. Omega developed this window in the early stages purely for this function. It remains a unique characteristic of the Deville range. This, and they offer a calendar that will keep rotating all year thanks to the co-axial movement behind it.

The case is 44mm and comes in stainless steel with a leather strap. You’ll find it around $7,500.

Tresor Co-Axial 

A Tresor is part of a sub-line offering a sleek case and is made of precious metals and diamonds. They’re usually something you reserve for occasions where you’re wearing a tuxedo. 

If you wash caviar down with Dom Perignon, this will be something to your taste. 

It’s a 40mm case of yellow gold with a leather strap. It has a hand-wound movement on the inside, which is of course,  co-axial.

You can find a Tresor for around $18,000.

If you’ve enjoyed reading about the Omega collections, you should read our Swiss Watches for Men Guide. Thanks!

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Fitbit Flex Review

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The Fitbit Flex ($107.81) is not so easy to get your hands on these days as it’s been superseded by the Fitbit Flex 2. If you’re interested in dipping your toe into the Fitbit water with the first version of the Flex, you’ll find it comfortable, minimalist looking and water-resistant.

Background

The Flex dates back to 2013 and fits in with the rest of its step and calorie counting siblings, offering the features we’ve come to love from Fitbit trackers.

The biggest change in the design offers the wearer some advantages. The sensor located on the back is secure and the position it naturally sits on the wrist has been reported as nothing less than perfection, offering zero irritation, even in sweatier times.

There’s another benefit for those interested in tracking their sleep. Where the Fitbit One offered the chance to monitor sleep with the use of an additional velcro armband at night, the Flex stays on your wrist all the time and you don’t need to do anything different to get the benefits of sleep tracking; it’ll do it without you even knowing (so long as you don’t remove it). Before a firmware update in 2015, one would have to put the watch in sleep tracking mode, but these days it’s automatic.

Advantages
  • Sits perfectly on the wrist 
  • Lightweight
  • Comfortable
  • Automatically tracks sleep and activities
Disadvantages
  • The display information is limited thanks to the screen size
  • The wristband could be visually better
  • Only select Android devices work with this version

Design

The band is simple with a basic join mechanism. Unlike alternatives like the Jawbone Up ($99.99), this model has two separate components which are simply the strap and the sensor. The sensor is smaller than before (for example, on the One). This is thanks to a lack of LED display.

There are 5 LED lights which display the number of steps taken each day. You activate these by tapping the screen twice.

Closing the mechanism on the band takes some getting used to because it’s not intuitive. Here’s where it’s not quite as comfortable as the Jawbone Up, but it’s no less functional.

You can have your pick of many colours of wristband for the Flex. It’s easily customised. You can even get a gold bracelet if you like as Fitbit have welcomed third party designers.

The wristbands can be quite costly but you get what you pay for. You also don’t have to swap them if you don’t want to.

Power

If we look at the flex versus the Jawbone UP, the most obvious and immediate benefit is the wireless Bluetooth synchronization capability. Rather than taking the device off and plugging it in, the Flex doesn’t need this.

There is a limited number of devices available for this synchronization, though. Fitbit continues to improve its connectivity, though, and the later versions of most Fibit trackers have excellent performance with both Android, iPhone and even Windows phones.

The Flex comes with a USB dongle that you can use on either a PC or Mac. It works adequately, but mobile synching is far superior as you don’t need the cables.

The battery life is pretty good on the Flex, which is due to the minimal display drain on power. It will easily give you between 5 – 8 days between charges. 

The Jawbone Up does have stamina for 9 days (this depends on how much activity you do). Getting one less day is an acceptable price to pay for the wireless synching function and better display options.

Accuracy

You can wear your Fitbit on either your dominant or weaker wrist; you just need to tell it which your preference is within your app. 

Sleep tracking on the Flex needed some work. You might physically get up and out of bed multiple times in the night, say for kids, and the Fitbit will simply tell you that you were unsettled in the night. 

Steps are quite generous so take them with a pinch of salt. Perhaps the sensors are sensitive, but the Flex has a tendency to record most movements as a step.

Compared to the Up in a comparison of 100 steps, the Flex comes out close to the mark.

App

The Fitbit app is user-friendly and intuitive. It drills down in your data and displays it in a digestible way.

If you’re tracking your food, you might want to connect a MyFitnessPal account rather than use the native food tracking, but this mostly boils down to preference. They both work well, but you get more features with MFP.

You can be social via the app, too. You can talk to friends and family and participate in challenges to keep you motivated.

If you’re an IFTTT user, you can automate a number of features which enhance your overall experience with minimal effort. Check out the IFTTT website for more specifics.

Summary

Overall, the Flex is an incredibly useful fitness tracking tool. If you’re a newbie to fitness, Fitbit has some welcoming arms to ease you into a new, healthier lifestyle.

The pioneering Flex is still worthwhile despite the launch of the Flex 2. The more accessible price, being one reason. You still get a great basic tracker and if you’re thinking of investing in something more high-tech and expensive in the longer-term, but are new to trackers, the Flex is perfect.

You have to take the accuracy with a pinch of salt; the algorithms bubbling away working out data in the Flex are a little primitive in comparison to newer Fitbit models, but that’s to be expected.

The wristband would use some improvement. Despite being comfortable and light on the wrist, it could be seen as a little childlike rather than a cool tech device. In fairness to Fitbit regarding this issue, they did welcome third party designers onboard to extend the band range.

Fitbit Charge 2

Fitbit is a strong performer. The Flex is a wonderful option for anyone looking to join the family, but, be cautious as it’s not the best model on offer. 

If this has wet your appetite, but you want to check out more Fibit offerings on the lower end of their range, read why we think the Charge 2 is still a great option.

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