So Long Fitbit

I have finally decided that I will no longer be a Fitbit customer.  It has taken a long time to convince myself that this was a good idea, but I finally made the leap.  It was on from a good (but not perfect) fitness tracking watch to something better.  I was a very religious Fitbit user from 2013-01-18 to 2017-12-15.  I started with the Fitbit One (which I still occasionally used when I wanted to wear a nice watch) and transitioned to the Fitbit Surge in early 2015.  Almost made it a full five years in the Fitbit ecosystem.  I had made it 13,086,461 steps, 29,855 floors, 6,314.46 miles and burned 4,494,072 calories before I called it quits.  Sad to be leaving a place where all my data resides, but their new tools just don't seem as good as the competition.  (Note: I plan to still use my Aria scale, but replace it with a Garmin smartscale when the Aria dies.  So, I guess I'm not totally leaving.)

I really enjoyed certain aspects of my Surge:

1. Continuous heartrate tracking
2. Reasonable battery life (days), though this was declining to only slightly more than one day if I worked out that day.
3. Vibration alerts from my phone
4. Silent alarms.  My Surge reliably woke me up for a couple of years.
5. Easy to kick off activities
6. Automatic tracking of long walks

Things that I didn't like about my Surge:

1. Rubbery band: stuck on clothing (especially my shirts with French cuffs).
2. Rubbery band: bubbled and eventually had to be replaced without Fitbit providing a name-brand replacement.
3. Black and white screen.
4. No option to pair with a chest heart rate monitor.
5. No replaceable bands.  If something happened to the band, it would have to be replaced.  No option for a nice band or a work-out band.
6. Charging port had gotten less reliable over time.  In fact, this was the proximate cause of me deciding that I needed to do something (i.e., get a new fitness tracker).

I looked at replacement options and decided six months ago that it was likely going to be the Garmin Forerunner 935.  But I also decided that I should hold off and see what else comes down the pike to determine if I would prefer somthing else.  I believe that the legitimate options were:

1. Forerunner 935
2. Apple Watch Series 3
3. Fitbit Ionic
4. Other Garmin watch (Fenix, etc.)

I ruled out the Apple Watch because I didn't really care about the smart watch functionality and didn't like losing sleep tracking.  The Fitbit Ionic has gotten some good reviews, but I feel like it would be more of the same as my current Surge.  I had an old Forerunner GPS watch for running and never once had a problem with it, so my brand view of Garmin was quite strong.

I decided that the "something better" was going to be a Garmin Forerunner 935 along with the Garmin HRM-Tri Heart Rate Monitor (and maybe some more gear down the road).  Some of the most interesting parts that I'm hoping to take advantage of are the following:

1. Other fitness measurements (e.g., VO2 Max)
2. Variable Heartrate (VHR) monitoring for recovery time estimation
3. Easy pairing with a chest heartrate strap
4. Running dynamics feedback with the HRM-Tri HRM.  As I get older, I'm most interested in staying healthy so I can continue to maintain my modest fitness level.  I'm hoping that this can help me correct or keep my running form reasonably solid.
5. Waterproof!  I can take it to the pool or swim and have no concerns.
6. Pairing with some biking measurement gear for long trips on my road bike.
7. Easily replaceable watch bands (quick disconnect).  Eventually, I see myself getting a black leather band and deciding on an "elegant" watch face for special events.

I'm still getting used to the Garmin, but I already have thoughts on the transition:

1. I'm liking the battery life.  On five days of continuous use (with a couple of one hour hikes and some spinning) now after getting to 100% charge.
2. The iOS app is solid
3. The Garmin Connect website is better than Fitbit's
4. I really like the audio prompts when I'm running telling me how my heart rate is doing.
5. I would like to see the heart rate on the screens for the various activities.  I think that this is possible, but I haven't figured it out yet.
6. Too much of the setup of the watch is done by manipulating the watch.  All of it should be accessible on the app.  Creating a new information summary page for running would be so much easier there than on the watch.
7. I do miss the touch screen cababilities on the Surge, but overall, I think it's a win.
8. Garmin should add a feature to turn on the screen's backlight when the user flicks their wrist in a manner consistent with them wanting to see the time.
9. Why does this watch not automatically connect to the Schwinn bike at Equinox to record my spinning workout details (or every treadmill)?
10. Fitbit's assertion that "Your data belongs to you!" is a joke.  Just try to export your information.  One month at a time (or one activity at a time).  No heartrate information for monthly information.  They have the data - they just won't give it to you in a reasonable format.  Even the date selector boxes are insanely designed (can't just type in dates).  Total garbage.

I'm sure I will have more to say, but this is where I am so far.  I'd obviously prefer a more aggressive price point, but this is a fantastic watch.