Last Updated: November 27, 2018 (Refresh Now)
Fitbit Surge Fitness Superwatch Black Small US Version
Last Updated: November 27, 2018 (Refresh Now)
5.0
SCORE
/10
Total Reviews
1000
Old Reviews
0
Unverified
371
Spam Test
WARN
Yes
BLUETOOTH
Yes
GPS
272.16 grams
WEIGHT
100 meters
SIZE
Review Analysis - 629 recent, verified reviews
Detailed Mode
Band
174fitbit, apart, bands, surge, wrist
+9%
-91%
" ... Finally, the straps fall apart far too quickly for something at this price point, considering they can't be replaced. ... The straps can not be replaced, at least not with oem straps. ... "
" ... I purchased this watch in January and by June the watch band had broken. ... Three months later the band broke again. ... Other than the band breaking, the watch has been satisfactory. ... "
" ... wristband can't be replaced, it gets unlatch from fitbit no longer able to wear ... "
" ... My first band broke 6 months in . ... then a year later, my second one broke, the band and the watch. ... "
" ... In addition, I developed a rash on my arm from just wearing the Surge during the day. ... "
" ... Design flaw the band separates from the watch and the company changed the design and renamed it. ... "
" ... The watch is ok, but the strap keeps falling off the watch. ... The strap is not one that you can go out and buy a replacement strap since it comes as one piece with the watch. ... "
" ... Note, THIS IS THE THIRD REPLACEMENT, WE'RE SAME THING HAPPEN, FITBIT DOESN'T REPLACE THE BAND. ... YOU CAN FIND AFTER MARKET BANDS, BUT THE FAIL TOO . ... "
Product Reliability
118months, surge, years, 6 months, fitbit
+14%
-86%
" ... One star because twice it failed to sync and second it claimed 7+days and lt was 5 days I had shut off the all day sync heart rate monitor and always connected last time I went to recharge it it was 4 days would i recommend this to someone else NO! ... "
" ... When I looked it up TONS of people have the same problem. ... "
" ... Over the past two years, I have become very disappointed with this watch: the functions would disappear from the screen causing me to reboot the watch each time ... "
" ... We bought two of these last time did this we just ordered a new wristband and still had same issue not to mention that all of our family members got fit-bits and every single one did same thing even tho were smaller model. ... They never respond after our second complaint. ... "
" ... I had the watch for 2 years and one month and it no longer swipes. ... "
" ... This watch broke within 6 months . ... "
" ... The watch on its own looses about two minutes per week. ... "
" ... This watch is defective. ... "
Comfort
71wrist, wearing, band, wore, fitbit surge
+27%
-73%
" ... It last less than a year before the wristband wore out. ... "
" ... In addition, I developed a rash on my arm from just wearing the Surge during the day. ... It is also very bulky on a small wrist like mine. ... "
" ... The Fitbit seemed to “shock” my wrist from Underneath. ... "
" ... Ultimately, I have made the decision to simply keep the broken watch and not make a new purchase because it would feel like I would be potentially flushing more money down the drain. ... If you do buy this watch, I guess my suggestion is dont sweat too much. ... "
" ... It’s high profile and edge make it impossible for a long sleeve to get over with a stretch like most watches. ... "
" ... So I am out over $200 for a watch I wore for a year and a half and a band that doesn't fit. ... "
" ... Oddly, it lasted the same amount whether I was wearing it or not. ... "
" ... It is very difficult to keep in the device and the slightest jar will cause it to fall out. ... "
Build Quality
69band, fell apart, surge, screws, rip
+6%
-94%
" ... It literally breaks or detaches (right above the watch) in the same place. ... "
" ... Finally, the straps fall apart far too quickly for something at this price point, considering they can't be replaced. ... "
" ... This watch broke within 6 months . ... "
" ... Two years of wearing and it fell apart- that’s not designed to last as they advertise. ... "
" ... Ultimately, I have made the decision to simply keep the broken watch and not make a new purchase because it would feel like I would be potentially flushing more money down the drain. ... "
" ... But the real complaint is the case. ... My biggest gripe, and repurchase killer, is the shape that sleeves won’t readily slide over. ... "
" ... It still works, just has a cracked face. ... "
" ... The band is the first issue, cracks easily, isn't designed for any abuse. ... "
Charging
58charging, watch, charged, hold a charge, fitbit
+14%
-86%
" ... One of the four charging pins rotted away and FitBit will not repair or exchange, I was not aware this was meant to be a disposable item . ... "
" ... After about 6-8 months Fitbit surge stopped taking a charge. ... "
" ... First the charger plug is difficult to attach and uses a weak magnet to stay connected. ... Many a morning I would wake to find the battery was not charged all. ... "
" ... Problem is that the charging cable will not stay connected. ... It is almost impossible to get it charged. ... Complained to fitbit and sent a new charging cable however they told me that there had been no changes. ... "
" ... Charge port broke two years and 5 days after purchase. ... "
" ... The watch stopped taking a charge in less than 1 yr. Fitbit wouldn't do anything about it . ... "
" ... was provided a replacement fitbit that wouldn't hold a charge. ... "
" ... I contacted the warranty company and they told me to send it to the with the charging cord. ... "
Device Compatibility
56surge, fitbit, pc, synch, bluetooth
+29%
-71%
" ... This watch has serious issues syncing to smart phones. ... It is the only bluetooth device that has issues syncing to my phone and it will schedule a sync but never do it. ... "
" ... It then becomes very frustrating (if you're not able to sync regularly) when your smartwatch "with one job" fails even at the simplest of tasks. ... "
" ... You have to synch your watch to an iPad or iPhone in order to adjust the time via Bluetooth. ... "
" ... Having trouble getting it to synch with phone. ... "
" ... It was very difficult to pair it, and he ultimately was never able to get it to work with his phone so returned it. ... "
" ... It sometimes can't be seen to sync on my PC. ... To get it to be recognized when it won't sync I have to go into Bluetooth settings on the PC and make it forget the device and then re-pair the device with the PC, I can also reboot the PC and it will then be recognized. ... My wife's Alta HR has the exact same issue with her PC. ... "
" ... This will not connect to many devices even ones they list as compliant samsung s5 ... "
" ... It doesn't sync all the time and sometimes I have to turn it off to sync. ... "
Battery Life
51battery life, charge, hours, hold a charge, surge
+20%
-80%
" ... It would only stay charged 17 hours ... "
" ... Many a morning I would wake to find the battery was not charged all. ... Often the charge in the battery was weak to the point that by early in the evening of the same day, say 8pm, the whole watch would go dead, often away from home where I could not charge the phone with the Surge’s recharging dongle. ... Some I could get anout 30 hours operation from the watch, other times it was less than 20 hours even though the battery indicator said it was fully charged. ... "
" ... It is almost impossible to get it charged. ... "
" ... The one-day battery life is not much, but neither is the iPhone’s. ... "
" ... was provided a replacement fitbit that wouldn't hold a charge. ... "
" ... I sent it back and got my replacement and again it would never hold a charge and now I can’t even send it back because the return window closed before she could bring it home from college. ... "
" ... Purchased this 2 years ago, and after moderate to regular use, it will no longer hold a charge. ... Unable to change the battery. ... The current condition is great, just the battery life is horrible after a couple of years. ... "
" ... Too bad because I love the Charge 2! ... "
Returns
44sent, returned, replacement, refund, replace
+9%
-91%
" ... Had to return it. ... "
" ... I called Amazon & a replacement watch was sent to me in August 2017. ... "
" ... They won't replace & have no where to fix it either. ... "
" ... Never worked and never receive my money back. ... "
" ... Don’t go through the hassle of attempting to set it up, call VS when it won’t and then return it. ... "
" ... Product did not function properly - returned. ... of the 3 received, returned 2. ... "
" ... Couldn't get it to work even with online help - that wasn't very helpful - returned it. ... "
" ... Sending it back. ... "
Apps
39fitbit, surge, sync, strava, android app
+64%
-36%
" ... And then you add to push the right buttons on the app to make the watch synch up with your device. ... "
" ... More health tracking options than expected with app installed on smartphone. ... "
" ... It communicates with the iPhone app quite well. ... "
" ... The Fitbit app that comes with this automatically transfers data. ... "
" ... The app allows me to track everything. ... "
" ... The iPhone app has a useful dashboard for monitoring daily activities and for recapping workouts. ... "
" ... May be good for walking or running, but save your money and download an app on your phone. ... "
" ... May be good for walking or running, but save your money and download an app on your phone. ... "
Pedometer
34tracking, tracker, track, calories, accurately
+62%
-38%
" ... Is very good for tracking your steps and workouts. ... "
" ... My employer has an aggressive Employee Health plan that requires tracking minutes of exercise, etc. ... "
" ... This thing keeps me on track and I love that I can see my steps, HR, floors, etc. ... "
" ... The watch also accurately reads changes in elevation. ... It allows you to set goals for the day, such as how many steps you want to take, how many calories you want to burn, or how many floors (just a proxy for elevation change) you want to climb. ... Get it for endurance exercise. ... "
" ... I know when to step it up and when I've met my goals. ... "
" ... Integrates with my fitness pal for calorie count. ... "
" ... It keeps you motivated by reminding you to get your steps in. ... And being able to see how many steps, stairs and calories you’ve burned is motivating in itself! ... "
" ... It keeps you motivated by reminding you to get your steps in. ... And being able to see how many steps, stairs and calories you’ve burned is motivating in itself! ... "
Fit
34watch, fit, apart, thirty, surge
+15%
-85%
" ... It literally breaks or detaches (right above the watch) in the same place. ... "
" ... To date, Fit Bit and Amazon have been very good about replacing it, and I have no doubt they may make the same offer, however, three watches, three times it has come apart at the same point, where the band meets the watch face. ... "
" ... It initially started bubbling, then the top separated from the bottom of the bad. ... "
" ... My biggest gripe, and repurchase killer, is the shape that sleeves won’t readily slide over. ... "
" ... It is very difficult to keep in the device and the slightest jar will cause it to fall out. ... "
" ... I feel bad because I know he wanted a fit bit for Christmas. ... "
" ... I have had the fit bit for 60 days!! ... "
" ... I have had the fit bit for 60 days!! ... "
Display Clarity
33display, watch, surge, easy to read, backlight
+12%
-88%
" ... I am now on my 3rd Fit Bit Surge watch. ... "
" ... 10 minutes later, I noticed my screen began to flicker and slowly, the display began to fade until there was nothing left. ... "
" ... I could still read the display but it needed to be fixed. ... "
" ... The display is glitching, the font is squeezed short, sometimes is shows the time two or three times and overlaps, sometimes the screen is blank. ... "
" ... I could not get it to sync and the watch face/time did not display. ... "
" ... Unfortunately, it appears I am not the only one to experience a cracked screen - with no real incident that I can point to as the cause of cracking. ... "
" ... Had it for a couple weeks ad the display stared showing errant pixels. ... "
" ... nothing worked and the screen clouded over and stayed that way. ... "
Heartrate
32heart rate monitor, accurate, surge, monitor, heart
+53%
-47%
" ... The hepatic feedback still worked as well as the backlight and also the heart rate monitor which still spoke perfectly with my fitbit app. ... "
" ... It tracks all my minutes and heart rate. ... "
" ... It’s step count is pretty accurate as is the heart rate monitor. ... "
" ... This accurately measures heart rate. ... I matched it with my cardiologist's EKG machine during a stress echo test and the heart rate readings were right on. ... "
" ... It keeps track of your heart rate, sleeping habits, steps, etc. ... "
" ... Accurate heart rate without the inconvenience of a chest strap. ... "
" ... I got it for the GPS tracker and for the heart rate monitor as I was training for a long foot race. ... The heart rate monitor is accurate when you use it for distance running. ... The app also shows your resting heart rate, which is a useful monitor of cardiovascular fitness. ... My workout may go like this: I warm up on a treadmill for about ten minutes and get my heart rate up to about 120. ... Then I go to the weights, and during my first set my heart rate reading drops to around 70. ... It seems to have more to do with the watch having difficulty tracking very fast changes in heart rate. ... If your heart rate climbs very quickly, then perhaps it ends up missing beats and records a lower heart rate. ... If I then sit still for two or three minutes, the heart rate will catch up and be close to accurate. ... I bounce from machine to machine without a long rest, so my heart rate reading stays below 100 most of the time. ... "
" ... Heart rate monitor was always 10+ seconds behind. ... "
Marketplace
32expected, vender, sent, replaced, piece
+19%
-81%
" ... However, this is a different kind of review. ... "
" ... i keep trying with this company. ... "
" ... This is a piece of junk. ... "
" ... Stuck in "Home" mode, returned to Amazon ... "
" ... A real POS! ... "
" ... Do NOT buy this piece of junk! ... "
" ... And I was embarrassed, I had to explain that it was “new” according to display for order on Amazon, not refurbished. ... "
" ... Hate 3rd party sellers on Amazon! ... "
Water Resistance
26swimming, water, water resistant, wet, moisture
+19%
-81%
" ... If you leave it in the bathroom during a hot shower you will have moisture accumulate under the face and it will initially restrict you from being able to swipe on the screen and eventually it will completely block the view of the screen. ... "
" ... Was never taken in the shower nor swimming, only perspiration from running. ... "
" ... Another thing about the Surge is it totally NON-Waterproof. ... "
" ... The watch had not been wet at all. ... "
" ... Junk - I got rain on it and it fogged up. ... "
" ... I alluded to this observation above when I talked about use of the stationary bike. ... "
" ... until I dropped it in 3 feet of water while wading in a fresh water lake . ... I can't imagine a watch that isn't at least a little bit water resistant . ... "
" ... until I dropped it in 3 feet of water while wading in a fresh water lake . ... I can't imagine a watch that isn't at least a little bit water resistant . ... "
Price
24waste your money, save your money, worth, save, price point
+21%
-79%
" ... Whether this is just poor quality or intentional obsolescence remains to be seen but either way this product is not worth your hard-earned money. ... "
" ... Not worth the $$s. ... "
" ... Don’t waste your money! ... "
" ... I am out over $200. ... "
" ... It's WAY TOO BIG and offers little to no additional functionality for the rather high price. ... "
" ... It's WAY TOO BIG and offers little to no additional functionality for the rather high price. ... "
" ... Do NOT waste your money on this junk. ... "
" ... Do NOT waste your money on this junk. ... "
Design
24watch, design flaw, tracker, look, klunky
+29%
-71%
" ... Design flaw the band separates from the watch and the company changed the design and renamed it. ... They won’t stand behind the reality that it had a design flaw and ask you to spend $179 to replace it! ... Not fixing a design flaw. ... "
" ... Not the best design. ... "
" ... Looked online to find this a common issue. ... "
" ... It is not durable at all. ... "
" ... It is not durable at all. ... "
" ... The design stinks. ... "
" ... Really a pitiful design. ... "
" ... Really a pitiful design. ... "
Software Platform
19software, app, watch, surge, android
+21%
-79%
" ... Alarms must be set through the phone, not through the watch interface. ... "
" ... This makes the watch worthless because you can't get to different apps to see your stats or do anything. ... "
" ... Software becomes corrupted? ... "
" ... Google searches all talk about rebooting the Surge which for me doesn't work. ... "
" ... Only to find out her Motorola android phone is not compatible. ... "
" ... Google “Surge bitfit configuration problem” and you'll see the problems so many people have had with this product. ... "
" ... My Surge worked for about 2 months before a software update turned my watch into a paperweight. ... "
" ... This looked very promising but I didn't like the software. ... "
Sleep Tracking
19heart rate, track my sleep, tracking, steps, sleeping
+95%
-5%
" ... Free app on the phone, track exercise/ steps, food, water, sleep, menstrual cycle, pulse, etc. ... "
" ... GPS, Sleep tracking, Tracks my heart rate, alarm clock and all. ... "
" ... It keeps track of your heart rate, sleeping habits, steps, etc. ... "
" ... While the watch functioned it was great, sleep tracking excellent, heart rate, etc. ... "
" ... Four day battery life so you can use it for sleep tracking via FitBit's app or a third party specialty app like Sleep Rate. ... "
" ... These little goals make the watch fun and make it a good motivator for fitness. ... "
" ... That seems to force me to think about my sleep in a positiv manner. ... "
" ... That seems to force me to think about my sleep in a positiv manner. ... "
Ease of Use
18watch, easy to use, various, scroll, run
+78%
-22%
" ... The Surge works well and is very easy to use. ... "
" ... It is easy to use. ... "
" ... Easy to read and scroll through the info. ... "
" ... Easy to read and scroll through the info. ... "
" ... much easier to use . ... "
" ... much easier to use . ... "
" ... Easy to use, looks nice, and great for tracking runs. ... "
" ... Easy to use, looks nice, and great for tracking runs. ... "
Features
18surge, new, get, functions, tracking
+89%
-11%
" ... Lots of exercise features. ... "
" ... This Fitbit model has good features. ... "
" ... I do like the tracking features. ... "
" ... Features are great. ... "
" ... Like the features ... "
" ... Like the features ... "
" ... love the different features it offers. ... "
" ... love the different features it offers. ... "
Screen Protection
16cracked, screen protector, moisture, fogged, clouded
+6%
-94%
" ... It still works, just has a cracked face. ... "
" ... Looked at the watch and face has multiple cracks! ... "
" ... The watch was great for about 15 months, then the screen showed a small crack, it appeared there was moisture inside, then the screen cracked in a crystallized pattern. ... Unfortunately, it appears I am not the only one to experience a cracked screen - with no real incident that I can point to as the cause of cracking. ... "
" ... nothing worked and the screen clouded over and stayed that way. ... "
" ... nothing worked and the screen clouded over and stayed that way. ... "
" ... Fyi, the discoloration on the bottom was an unsuccessful attempt to glue it down after this one started bubbling. ... "
" ... Fyi, the discoloration on the bottom was an unsuccessful attempt to glue it down after this one started bubbling. ... "
" ... First the band bubbled and was coming apart in less than two months they sent a replacement then in July the screen cracked and it's keeping track but can no longer read the screen. ... "
Controls
15home button, button, press the button, navigate, watch
+27%
-73%
" ... Considering there is no off button, you have to go through the menu to shut it down, that's not very practical when you start and stop several times a day. ... "
" ... The control of the watch was very difficult because of the cumbersome procedures to adjust the watch. ... Finding and pushing the buttons to do the synch was tedious. ... "
" ... Menu didn’t work well, couldn’t navigate. ... "
" ... Buttons no longer work? ... "
" ... Now the scrolling function only works in one direction. ... "
" ... I just opened the box and press the button side to connect with my app, it is connected but showing that the battery is empty. ... "
" ... (The bottom button won't respond when depressed.). ... "
" ... First experience, out of the box, the home button didn't work. ... "
GPS
15garmin, built in gps, tracker, running, map
+93%
-7%
" ... Built in GPS. ... "
" ... The Pros: I have been quite satisfied with the accuracy of the GPS tracker. ... "
" ... Go with a Garmin! ... "
" ... Go with a Garmin! ... "
" ... Also convenient for trail and street running using the build in GPS. ... "
" ... Also convenient for trail and street running using the build in GPS. ... "
" ... The built in GPS is great for running and biking. ... "
" ... The built in GPS is great for running and biking. ... "
Accuracy
15accurate, calories, tracking, accurately, gps
+93%
-7%
" ... Is very good for tracking your steps and workouts. ... "
" ... The watch also accurately reads changes in elevation. ... I've also worn it while on the stationary bike and it seems pretty accurate for that too, unless I go from zero to sixty (so to speak) really quickly -- in that case it lags behind and my heart rate reading may actually go down before starting to climb. ... "
" ... It keeps you motivated by reminding you to get your steps in. ... And being able to see how many steps, stairs and calories you’ve burned is motivating in itself! ... "
" ... It keeps you motivated by reminding you to get your steps in. ... And being able to see how many steps, stairs and calories you’ve burned is motivating in itself! ... "
" ... I have compared the chip times of my races and the times registered by the Surge and the Surge times are the most accurate. ... ⁃ It's useful and accurate when cycling. ... "
" ... The app is great in that it tracks almost every activity. ... The ability to see calories burned versus calories taken in is a great tool. ... "
" ... The app is great in that it tracks almost every activity. ... The ability to see calories burned versus calories taken in is a great tool. ... "
" ... Measures heart rate fairly accurate. ... "
Bluetooth
15synch, via bluetooth, uploading, sync, pair
+33%
-67%
" ... It is the only bluetooth device that has issues syncing to my phone and it will schedule a sync but never do it. ... "
" ... You have to synch your watch to an iPad or iPhone in order to adjust the time via Bluetooth. ... "
" ... iPhone "Bluetooth 25 error”, why would they release a product with this type of software issue? ... "
" ... Inconsistent synch, no way to make a wired connection. ... "
" ... Inconsistent synch, no way to make a wired connection. ... "
" ... Came unpaired with my new iphone and never would pair. ... "
" ... Came unpaired with my new iphone and never would pair. ... "
" ... I read the reviews and was aware of some of the complaints regarding battery life and not syncing with Bluetooth. ... "
For Kids
14husband, christmas, wife, treated, surge
+79%
-21%
" ... My husband loves this product ... "
" ... Bought this for my husband for his birthday. ... "
" ... (Don't get sarcastic here cause nobody will stay forever young.) ... "
" ... Son loves it ... "
" ... Wife Love's it. ... "
" ... Grandson loves it! ... "
" ... This was a present for my 13 year old granddaughter. ... "
" ... My husband loves this watch! ... "
Product As Described
12band, apart, advertised, screen
+33%
-67%
" ... And like some other pictures in reviews, the inside of the band completely came apart. ... "
" ... And like some other pictures in reviews, the inside of the band completely came apart. ... "
" ... The screen is too dark, and not as big as portrayed in the pictures. ... "
" ... The screen is too dark, and not as big as portrayed in the pictures. ... "
" ... not what i expected ... "
" ... not what i expected ... "
" ... When I first got the watch it worked exactly as advertised. ... "
" ... When I first got the watch it worked exactly as advertised. ... "
Setup
11submerged, studied, set, cared, watch
+45%
-55%
" ... I known others to have had this problem happen to their Surge and the replacement that they received. ... The 50% did not apply to the Iconic. ... "
" ... Everything he read was negative responses. ... "
" ... Instructions that came with the watch were far from clear or complete. ... "
" ... Instructions that came with the watch were far from clear or complete. ... "
As Gift
11husband, christmas, bought, watch, birthday
+91%
-9%
" ... Bought this for my husband for his birthday. ... "
" ... I have had this model since 2014, my son's gift. ... "
" ... Got it as a gift for my son and he loves it. ... "
" ... my husband loved it. ... "
" ... my husband loved it. ... "
" ... I bought this as a gift,,, they love it . ... "
" ... I bought this as a gift,,, they love it . ... "
" ... Perfect Father's Day gift for my husband. ... "
Cables
10charging cable, charging, wish the charging, told, surge
+10%
-90%
" ... Problem is that the charging cable will not stay connected. ... Complained to fitbit and sent a new charging cable however they told me that there had been no changes. ... "
" ... I contacted the warranty company and they told me to send it to the with the charging cord. ... "
" ... HOWEVER---the charging cable is a disaster. ... "
" ... I recieved the power cable with problem, it didn’t work. ... "
" ... I recieved the power cable with problem, it didn’t work. ... "
" ... I don't know if the cable is broken or the surge is the broken one. ... "
" ... I thought it was the cord. ... "
" ... I thought it was the cord. ... "
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Specifications
Body
Weight: 272.16 grams
Size: 100 meters
Connectivity
Bluetooth: Yes
GPS: Yes
Yes
BLUETOOTH
Yes
GPS
272.16 grams
WEIGHT
100 meters
SIZE