KEY FEATURES
- New slicker design
- Waterproof to 50m with lap counting
- All-day activity and sleep tracking
- Interchangeable bands and accessories
- Automatic exercise recognition
- Smartphone notifications
- Manufacturer: Fitbit
- Review Price: £79.99
HANDS-ON WITH FITBIT’S NEW SLEEKER, WATERPROOF AND CUSTOMISABLE FLEX 2 ACTIVITY TRACKER
The original Fitbit Flex has been one of Fitbit’s strongest sellers, popular with those who want a relatively discreet tracker and don’t require the advanced functions that come with having a display. It’s getting a bit long in the tooth, however, and its design is looking rather dated.
Enter the Flex 2, sporting a far slimmer and sleeker look. The big new draw, though, is its waterproofing and swim tracking, which make it Fitbit’s first tracker that’s happy to be taken for a dip.
There have been other improvements elsewhere. The bank of LEDs that show your progress towards your activity goal are now placed vertically, and can pulse in different combinations to let you know if you have an incoming call, a message or a calendar alert. These can be configured in the Fitbit app.
There are some bold new ways to wear the Flex 2 as well. The tracker itself is 30% smaller than the older version and Fitbit has created a range of accessories to cater for different tastes. You don’t even have to wear it on your wrist, as you can opt for a pendant necklace accessory instead. Fitbit has taken a page out of Misfit’s book and made the Flex 2 far more of a fashion piece than before.
I really liked some of the jewellery-like accessories and can see them being a real hit, especially with those who want to have the flexibility to transition from the gym to gala-wear. Even the standard elastomer band is a big improvement on the old Flex when it comes to style.
If you want to take advantage of the new swim tracking you’ll have to wear the band around your wrist, as it won’t be able to track laps if dangled around your neck. Plus you’ll probably lose it in the pool anyway. The Flex 2 can track four different strokes: front crawl, breast stroke, butterfly and back stroke. Otherwise, you can expect the usual all-day activity tracking and automatic sleep tracking seen on the Flex.
Battery life is rated at five days, which is around what you could expect from the original Flex.
Fitbit has made some improvements to its app as well. A new Adventures option lets you take on solo challenges that take you on a virtual journey through real locations such as Yosemite National Park. By walking more, you progress along the route and are presented with photos at different milestones you can view with the gyroscopes in your smartphone by tilting and panning.
It’s a simple addition, but Fitbit says it’s adding more experiences such as the New York marathon, and I can see these helping people want to be more active. Otherwise there are the usual challenges you can take on with your friends to create a competitive, social element.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Adding waterproofing to an already winning formula is a smart move and makes the Flex 2 far more versatile than its predecessor. The new form factor and accessories are attractive and I think they’ll prove really popular with more fashion-conscious folk looking to get fitter. The improved notifications make it more functional than the older Flex and bring it more up to date with rivals.
At £79.99 it’s competitively priced, although you’ll have to pay more for the fancier accessories. If you’re looking for a few extra advanced features, TomTom’s recently announced TomTom Touch is worth considering as well. It has body fat analysis as well as a display, but it’s more expensive.
Be sure to check back for a full review soon.
Source: trustedreviews.com
