Details
Brand
Fitbit
Model
Blaze
Battery Life
5 days
Use
Tracking
Latest Version
Yes
Key Features
• Easy to read face• Multi• sport tracking• Flexible band• Accurate 24/7 and resting heart rate• Fitbit and Fitstar apps• Lifestyle watch, not just for fitness
Comfort
The classic band that comes with every Blaze is made of elastomer. It is flexible and durable, which makes it comfortable to wear. The watch is light and mostly goes unnoticed. However, the large face, although easy to read and use, is a bit much for a small wrist, and can hinder wrist movement during certain activities.;While running or performing other physical activities, the watch is very comfortable. It moves with your body because of the flexible band material. It is also lightweight, which doesn’t impede performance or speed. The one area in which the Blaze could improve is band breathability. After a run or workout, my wrist is often sweaty and wet underneath the band. I have to wipe the watch down so it doesn’t develop an odor.
Size
s Available;The Fitbit Blaze face is available in one size. The band is available in small. which fits wrists with a circumference ranging from 5.5-6.7 inches, and large, which fits wrists with a circumference falling between 6.7 and 8.1 inches.;A slim band and frame were recently released by Fitbit to accommodate wearers that may want a sleeker profile from their watch. It is plated with 22k gold and is available with a black or pink band. The watch bands have 12 buckle holes that allow you to customize the fit of the watch.
Accessories
The Blaze’s accessories are limited to alternative frames and bands. A 22-carat gold plated frame and black or pink band can be purchased as a special edition item. Bands are also available in leather, stainless steel links, or nylon.;The Blaze is not compatible with other accessories like heart rate monitor chest straps. Fitstar, a workout and fitness app, can be purchased for your smartphone to increase the amount of workout available in your repertoire. There is a free version of this app, but it does not give you full access to the workouts available.
Use
If you are a multi-sport athlete, the Fitbit Blaze can accommodate and track all of your training and performance data. Sports it tracks automatically include running, walking, hiking, biking, and aerobic activity, which includes vigorous, constant-motion sports like soccer and basketball. It also tracks your fitness stats while playing golf. Don’t take the Blaze for a swim, however, Even though it is sweat- and splash-proof, it isn’t water-proof.
Style
One advantage of the Fitbit Blaze over other smart fitness watches is the customizable style. This device can be ordered in five different face colors. You can also order alternative wristbands that come in a plethora of colors and different materials, such as leather or traditional metal links. This smart-watch was designed not just as a fitness watch, but as a lifestyle watch. Fitbit wants you to wear it all of the time, for every occasion, and also always be aware of your progress toward your fitness and health goals.
Basic Features
The Blaze will track essential features such as your pace during a run, walk or hike, as well as the distance you went, and the duration of your activity. It also tracks lap time for your runs. This data can be viewed with the tap and swipe of the watch’s touchscreen display. It also sends this data to the Fitbit app, if you choose to download and sync it on your smart phone.
Advanced Features
The Blaze is full of advanced features. It has so many, in fact, that this watch has been deemed “unnecessary” (in a good way) by many users. As do most fitness trackers and smart-watches, the Blaze has a pedometer feature to track steps taken daily. It also counts how many steps you take per hour, how many miles you have traveled, the number of floors you have climbed, and the calories you have burned. If you have been inactive for a little while, it even sends reminders to get you up and moving. The Blaze tracks your current heart rate as well as your average resting heart rate. While engaging in physical activity, this watch measures not only your heart rate, but also your distance, pace, lap pace, calories burned, and total workout time. If you wear the Blaze while you sleep, the watch measures your sleep patterns and helps you analyze whether you had a restful or fitful night’s slumber. More specifically, software called Sleep Stages tracks your heart rate and data from its accelerometer to determine the type of sleep you are having: light, deep, or REM.
Connectivity
In order to use the Fitbit or FitStar apps with your Fitbit Blaze, you must have Bluetooth connectivity and a smartphone (with the apps downloaded, of course). The Blaze will connect with your phone and its relative apps within a 30-foot range.;This device syncs fairly quickly, within a matter of seconds. Data is saved instantly to the watch and is sent to the Fitbit app on your phone when your sync the devices manually or according to a set schedule. The Blaze can connect with over 200 types of devices to make sure you receive regular updates and reminders to get you moving.
Ease of Use
This smart fitness watch can be navigated with the tap or swipe of your finger. The screen is large and easy to read, helping you to perform the functions you want to.;The Fitbit online portal and app are both easy to use. Data can be inputted with the tap of your smart phone screen or the click of your mouse. The app alerts you when there is an update for itself or for the actual watch. The watch software updates can be installed with one click and the whole process takes 5-10 minutes to complete.
Power Source
The Blaze has a lithium polymer battery that can charge in just 1-2 hours using the watch’s charging port, which plugs right into your wall. The battery has a lifespan of up to 5 days. Fitbit recommends charging it every few days, before the battery dies, or else you risk losing data and off-setting basic functions like date and time.
Accuracy
All fitness trackers use their own unique algorithm to track steps as you walk and move throughout the day. Compared to other step tracking devices, users have found that the Blaze tends to overestimate your steps just a bit. However, being that the Blaze is worn on the wrist, and not near the hip, it can be expected that the count will be a little bit off.;When it comes to running or biking, the Blaze most accurately tracked distance when connected to a phone, because it can use its GPS feature. However, it is overly generous when used alone, because it uses your arm movement to track distance. For heart rate monitoring, the Blaze is extremely accurate, especially in the areas of 24/7 and resting heart rate. While exercising, the Blaze was less accurate when compared to a heart rate monitor that used a chest strap. The harder users worked out, the less accurate the Blaze’s measurement became.
Face
The face of this smart fitness watch is notably large. This is good for many reasons. It is easy to read whether you are standing still or participating in a physical activity like running, biking, or playing basketball. It also makes the touchscreen feature easy to use, as the large face allows for greater finger-tip accuracy.;The large face isn’t the greatest for small wrists, however, It can look overwhelming, even though it is actually a very lightweight watch. It can also impede the movement of small wrists during physical activities. For example, I wore my Blaze during a yoga class. It wasn’t very comfortable because the face prevented the full movement of my wrist while flowing through poses.;Although the perimeter of the face and its frame are larger in size, the stainless steel face frame is thin and lightweight. This helps makes the face less noticeable, even on a small wrist.
Band
The classic Blaze band is made of elastomer, and is black in color. It is a plastic material that is flexible and soft, which is highly preferable during a workout. Your wrist can move freely and comfortable, even though it is not the most breathable material.;Other bands can be ordered for the Blaze, including those made of leather or stainless steel links. A nylon band has also been made available for the Blaze. These help foster the notion that the Blaze is not just a fitness watch, but a lifestyle watch that is meant to be worn during any occasion.
Apps
The Blaze can connect directly to the Fitbit App for Apple and Android phones. This feature is only possible, however, if you have the bluetooth of your phone turned on, and is only truly useful if you wear your watch all the time.;Your Blaze will share its data with the app, which stores it so you can analyze your performance and health metrics at any time. The app not only keeps track of your workout performance, but also your sleep patterns, eating habits, and water consumption. These last two features require you to input data into your phone or your Fitbit website (which will automatically sync to the app). The Blaze also connects to FitStar, Fitbit’s workout app. There are free workouts available on this app, and paid ones as well. You can run the workouts via your Blaze or your smartphone, which allows you to watch a video demonstration of each exercise.
Sizes Available
The Fitbit Blaze face is available in one size. The band is available in small. which fits wrists with a circumference ranging from 5.5-6.7 inches, and large, which fits wrists with a circumference falling between 6.7 and 8.1 inches.;A slim band and frame were recently released by Fitbit to accommodate wearers that may want a sleeker profile from their watch. It is plated with 22k gold and is available with a black or pink band. The watch bands have 12 buckle holes that allow you to customize the fit of the watch.
Durability
This fitness watch is made of completely of durable materials. The elastomer band defies stretch and strain from wear and movement. The face plate frame, although thin, is made of stainless steel. I have dropped, bumped, and knocked mine around and there is not a scratch to be found on the frame or the face.
Price
The Blaze, in its classic form, has an MSRP of $199.99. Special editions have an MSRP of $229.95, and accessories range from $15 to $130.
Bottom Line
The Fitbit Blaze is meant for anyone that has made health and fitness their lifestyle, not just something they dedicate themselves to for only an hour each day. The Blaze offers many features, including multi-sport and sleep tracking, which give you a 360-degree picture of your health. The heart rate measurements are accurate, as is the run and bike distance tracking when paired with your phone’s GPS. The watch is comfortable to wear and can be worn for any occasion, especially when worn with one of the alternative bands. The Fitbit Blaze is an all-around decent watch to have to keep tabs on your healthy lifestyle.
