Fitbit expanded it’s range of fitness trackers earlier this year with their much anticipated launch of the all new Fitbit Alta and Fitbit Blaze models. Fitbit faithful were in raptures as their beloved step-counters got a radical new makeover and the feature that everyone has been asking for for years – interchangeable wrist bands. Small but significant when you wear your Fitbit EVERY day!
I was sent the new Blaze to put through it’s paces a month ago and it hasn’t left my wrist since. A perfect combination of form and function, the Blaze is almost everything the Fitbit Surge is not. Though, let’s be clear – the Surge and Blaze are apples and oranges, the defining difference being no GPS in the Blaze.
To be honest I was pretty gutted about this, I didn’t research (and should have) before I wore the Blaze running and it was immediately apparent that something was up with the tracking – the distance was .5km off, which affects pace, calories burned, steps etc. The watch was using my phone’s GPS (optional) so I turned that off and the next run tracked about 200m more accurately. Still not ideal, but I can live with it and I don’t need the map info that is recorded when using a GPS tracker.
Aesthetically, the Fitbit Blaze is beautiful, The colour screen is amazing and battery life isn’t compromised at all by the luxe, vibrant display. I’m still getting at least 7 days from a full charge which is so good IMO. I didn’t use the smartphone alerts at all on the Surge because the screen was a little blah, but I love this feature on the Blaze and use it all the time. Not having to pick my phone up to receive every alert is a massive help to my overall productivity as it eliminates at least a little distraction from vacuous social media wandering! The profile of the Blaze is incredibly slim and sits much more flush to your wrist than the Surge which tbh, is quite a fatty. I like a big watch so both the Blaze and Surge appeal to me, however I think some women are going to find both just far too big.
Another feature new to the Blaze is FitStar, an on-watch app that can take you through a warm-up, a seven minute workout or a mean abdominal session which I’ve been doing at night. I’m officially out of excuses to avoid those planks now lol.
My fave, fave, fave thing about the Blaze? The gorgeous, tan leather strap (sold separately) that I can pop my tracker in when I’m not running – or mumming! Think back to a Pop Swatch Watch of the ’90’s and mash it up with the clean lines and super-tech of a modern smart watch. That’s the Fitbit Blaze in a nutshell – but better.
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