Fit watch?

silvercar

Grumpy_chap said:

Thanks @Sea_Shell - I understand all that but was hoping that there would be a way to get all the health tracking of a fitness watch but without needing the actual watch so it could go in a totally hidden place and leave the wrist free for a "jewellery" watch.  Obviously, that would mean the actual watch and messaging etc features could all be done away with, so it might create further flexibility in how the device would be designed. 
Clearly, this is a market opportunity waiting to be exploited.

Could you wear the fitness watch on the other wrist?

Grumpy_chap

I have thought of the opposite wrist.  Garmin do some simpler devices (rather like my first device) that are less watch but still rather bulky:
https://www.garmin.com/en-GB/p/582444
https://www.garmin.com/en-GB/p/782585
I was tempted by the first of those (Vivofit 4) but then realised it does not have heart rate monitor.  The second link (Vivosmart 5)  is rather bulky and does not include proper GPS.

Something like the Vivofit 4 plus HR monitor could work for normal wear if I also kept my more functional device for when I go for a run.  Can two Garmin devices work in sync with each other like that?

I did find a thread where there seem to be at least two or three other people who would like the same sort of thing as me:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Garmin/comments/o2hwm0/do_you_think_we_will_see_a_smart_ring_or_other/

It would be great if Garmin came up with something that looked like this and had the clever stuff in where the style plate is:
https://www.hugoboss.com/uk/silicone-cuff-with-logo-embossed-plate-small/hbeu58114249_999.html?cgid=23930

Or a Garmin version of the Oura ring.  Without the monthly subscription charge.

It looks like there used to be a Fitbit Flex that you could wear on one wrist with a proper watch on the other (but seems to be discontinued):
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fit-power-Replacement-Fitbit-Fitness-Accessories/dp/B01NA7UOAA
Also, the Whoop Strap, but that seems rather low on actual tracking functionality

Fitbit also seem to have a model that could be worn on the opposite wrist and is more "bracelet" but it seems a bit feminine in design to me:
https://www.johnlewis.com/fitbit-luxe-se-fitness-and-wellness-tracker-soft-gold/p5639604

All this talk about Fitbit almost makes me forget my previous unsatisfactory experience with the brand which is what drove me to be Garmin-loyal in the first place.

Grumpy_chap

It does seem as though a "two-Garmin" solution could work:
https://support.garmin.com/en-GB/?faq=UZRGMfTokn1TLQibO7nbn5#:~:text=The Garmin Connect App will,paired and available for syncing.

Full feature device for running or activity.
Less prominent advice for wearing in the office.

nickkohl

My Apple watch works good

Grumpy_chap

To pick up where I left off on this thread, I was in John Lewis at the weekend and they had the Garmin Vivosmart 5 for £45 so I purchased one of those.  It is a far more plain and compact design fitness tracker than my primary device - slightly less features but that will be fine as a secondary device only for when I am suited-and-booted and will wear the tracker on the right wrist with my proper watch on the left.  If possible, I will disable the watch display.

I have never used the TRUE-UP feature on the Garmin software but hope that it will do what it says on the tin.  I will be testing this out this week when I am in the office on Wednesday.  Fingers crossed.

Grumpy_chap

Good news - the two-Garmin solution works and the True-Up feature seems to accurately prevent double-counting or missed events / activity.  All tested over the weekend.

The Vivosmart 5 is a very plain band so hardly noticeable and the settings allow the display to be configured to almost always blank.  It is a good alternative, still a bit bulky, but does the job.  Sadly, the Vivosmart 5 has no floors count so, when I got home on Saturday, I had to do several up / down flights of stairs wearing the Viviactive 3 just to hit the daily target (though I am sure it was met several times over anyway).

One other observation I have noticed is that Garmin have updated their "fitness age" algorithm to "smart fitness age".  It is probably more accurate but I liked the old algorithm saying my fitness age was 20.  The new algorithm said 46 and the best I can achieve is 43

Sea_Shell

Having read this, and having a look on line, I'm really tempted to treat myself to a secondary feminine "jewellery" Garmin.

So, linking two devices to the app works well?

Grumpy_chap

Sea_Shell said:

So, linking two devices to the app works well?

Yes, it has worked very well indeed, particularly when used as intended in the online description of how the True Up function operates - mainly switching devices but avoiding duplication of records for the same time.

In fact, prompted by your question, I have just been out for a 5k walk wearing left wrist (primary) and right wrist devices.  The two tracked well together - right wrist auto-detected activity a little sooner so that resulted in a greater distance / steps / calories covered but really no delta of note between the two devices and body-locations.  (Right wrist was about 20 seconds extra time recorded as activity but less than 100 m / 100 steps difference).

Everything synced into the Garmin app correctly and it discarded one set of heart rate, steps etc data so the daily record is all as expected   One thing that has tricked it is both walk activities have come across as events - I will watch until 8 pm to see if one deletes itself, otherwise I will manually delete the right wrist (secondary) activity.  I guess it is an outlier event to actually wear two devices at the same time while doing activity.

Sea_Shell

You are Doc E Brown and I claim my £5. 🤣😉


"Damn, where is that kid" 

Grumpy_chap

Great Scott!
I wondered what was happening outside the window just after lunch:


It always seemed a cruel irony (but possibly some scientific proof ?!) that had that film been released a year or so earlier, John Delorean's fortunes would well have been quite different...