Last Updated: November 25, 2018 (Refresh Now)

Overview

Review Summary

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Specs

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Overview

Review Summary

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Specs

Reco

Garmin v vosport Smart Activity Tracker Slate S M

Last Updated: November 25, 2018 (Refresh Now)

6.9

SCORE

/10

Total Reviews

197

Old Reviews

Unverified

Spam Test

Yes

GPS

7.4 meters

SIZE

Review Analysis - 170 recent, verified reviews

Detailed Mode

Apps

garmin, smart notifications, detailed data, customization, apps

+58%

-42%

" ... I had problems with the Fitbit bands, but the software and the app were easy to use and very intuitive. ... "

" ... For running, free phone apps are better. ... "

" ... I can download the data and share with those who need it. ... The android app seems to be well designed and works great. ... "

" ... I was hestistant to try this one due to the fact i had the vivosmart 18 months ago and found it and the mobile app to be too cumbersome and difficult to navigate. ... The app will automatically find the new vivosport ready to connect and it's a few clicks and you're up and running. ... "

" ... Pairing with my iPhone through the Connect app was seamless to start with and I like that I can customize my screen from within the app as well. ... "

" ... The interface is great, especially with the integration to the mobile device app, the desktop and other apps, such as MyFitnessPal. ... "

" ... Great tracking and user app! ... "

" ... The re designed app is also much easier to use. ... "

Heartrate

heart rate monitor, hr, heart rate tracking, garmin, activity

+66%

-34%

" ... I like to track my resting heart rate etc due to heart issues though "disclaimer" these are not a medical devices . ... "

" ... Heart rate works great for me regardless of type of exercise and updates in real time (about once per second), and the thin profile and no buttons on the side make it easy to wear for any activity. ... Heart rate works significantly better than the Pebble Sport I had before. ... "

" ... It has a heart rate monitor, which we find useful. ... "

" ... The heart rate works well for normal activity HR monitoring but not so well when exercising. ... This also reads the heart rate a little better, I think. ... "

" ... The tracking for running and heart rate seems very accurate and the auto-sensing for weightlifting of reps and exercises is also fairly accurate. ... Conversely, it has to be born with a certain degree of snugness or it won't be able to get accurate readings for the heart rate sensor. ... "

" ... Love that I can monitor my heart rate without a chest belt. ... "

" ... Heart pulse monitor within 1-beat per minute of hospital grade equipment. ... "

" ... Bought this one for my niece and she loves it because it has the heart rate monitor AND she can swim in it. ... "

Device Compatibility

garmin, vivosport, connected, smart notifications, sync

+52%

-48%

" ... I can download the data and share with those who need it. ... "

" ... I had the Vivosport 3 watch and I am glad I sold it and got this, wanted something smaller and hooked up tp my IPhone and my Fitness pal, perfect tracker. ... "

" ... I like this device. ... "

" ... If you are transitioning from another Garmin device it will be a very easy transition. ... "

" ... Pairing with my iPhone through the Connect app was seamless to start with and I like that I can customize my screen from within the app as well. ... "

" ... I am really liking this health watch. ... "

" ... Garmin has been a staple for me as a cyclist and I now question if I can continue to buy their devices. ... "

Comfort

comfortable, wear, wrists, strap, watch face

+76%

-24%

" ... I can wear this thing without thinking about it and it gets the job done. ... "

" ... Though it fits and is comfortable. ... "

" ... I like the way it fits, its light on your wrist comfortable. ... "

" ... It's a lot more comprehensive and accurate, more comfortable to wear, and the battery life seems much better! ... "

" ... - Small, comfortable watch face (I had trouble with some larger options) ... "

" ... Great fit, soft strap, and easy to use. ... "

" ... Very light and comfortable. ... "

Band

strap, wrist, hr, garmin, tracker

+41%

-59%

" ... On top of that the band broke last week! ... I mean I received it on 25 March and the band broke not even 2 months later. ... "

" ... The very first day the band got damage. ... As per the manufacturer this specific watach band couldn't be replaced. ... "

" ... You cannot replace a broken wrist strap. ... One of the holes on the nylon wrist strap got caught on something while he was wearing it, and the strap broke. ... I couldn’t find a replacement strap being sold, so I contacted Garmin. ... They said you cannot replace the strap on this watch, and the whole watch needs to be replaced. ... Yet the whole watch is worthless because of a broken strap. ... We bought this watch for the technology, not for the strap. ... "

" ... When the band broke on that I decided to upgrade to the Vivosport to get the slightly lower profile on it. ... First thing to know is that the band is significantly shorter on both the S/M and the L models, by a couple of centimeters on the L edition. ... "

" ... My biggest complaint is the wrist strap (which is exactly what I was afraid of having read reviews before purchasing it). ... After only having worn it for 4 days, the rubber strap started to develop a tear starting from the inside corner of the hole that I wear it on. ... They took the position that "any band can tear" but did concede it to be unusual with it happening so quickly. ... It was almost as if it was my fault the strap tore in 4 days. ... In short, the wrist strap developed a tear in less than a week, Garmin did as little as they could to help me, and I have initiated an exchange for a new device (the entire unit has to be replaced, not just the wrist strap). ... "

" ... The band broke after 5 months. ... "

" ... With one-ish month of use, only taking it off daily when I shower, the strap is starting to tear. ... "

Pedometer

activity, tracking, stair, inaccurate, fitness tracker

+65%

-35%

" ... Bought it for girlfriend to match my new Garmin trackers, and she loves it! ... "

" ... Turns out the step count is very close. ... When you are talking about thousands of steps, +/- 50 is not a big deal, and it's usually closer than that. ... "

" ... I am not an athlete in training. ... I AM a regular guy who wanted to gather some metrics about my daily exercise and calorie burning. ... "

" ... The stress reading (which looks at a number data points - HR, steps, rest etc) and calculates how "stressed" you've been. ... "

" ... It is also great for step tracking. ... "

" ... I wore a fitbit zip for a few weeks at the same time and the steps were close. ... I'd say that the zip gave me more steps when walking but we are talking about 3% difference. ... When using during lifting, it guesses the activity pretty well. ... "

" ... - GPS tracking (great for stroller walks) ... "

" ... I particularly like the ability to track my workouts and cardio activities ... "

Software Platform

smart notifications, apps, navigate, buggy, way

+64%

-36%

" ... For running, free phone apps are better. ... "

" ... The android app seems to be well designed and works great. ... "

" ... The Garnin Connect software, which is a free download, works seamlessly with the device to keep track of all your fitness and activity statistics. ... "

" ... Pairing with my iPhone through the Connect app was seamless to start with and I like that I can customize my screen from within the app as well. ... "

" ... Brilliant concept and great user interface, but flawed device. ... The interface is great, especially with the integration to the mobile device app, the desktop and other apps, such as MyFitnessPal. ... "

" ... Great tracking and user app! ... "

" ... The re designed app is also much easier to use. ... "

GPS

garmin, first time, activity, walks, tracking

+64%

-36%

" ... The gps is a neat upgrade but using it does make the battery run down faster ... "

" ... I really like my garmin. ... "

" ... Garmin has given all sorts of excuses as to what I'm doing wrong, but the reality is the device isn't designed to measure elevation changes correctly. ... "

" ... The built-in GPS allows you to download and save a map of where you went during any activity that you are tracking with the device. ... "

" ... GPS feature proved more useful than I anticipated. ... "

" ... - GPS tracking (great for stroller walks) ... "

" ... The GPS takes a little while to connect the first time, but it is much quicker the following times. ... "

Accuracy

tracking, inaccurate, heart rate, stair, wooded

+64%

-36%

" ... It's very accurate when it comes to distance tracking and speed. ... "

" ... Product is accurate and wearable. ... "

" ... It is also great for step tracking. ... "

" ... When using during lifting, it guesses the activity pretty well. ... "

" ... Not sure the step count is accurate (seems to count double my actual steps), and GPS takes a while to lock in. ... "

" ... Easy to connect with the mobile application and provides quite accurate reports. ... "

" ... - My step count is more accurate on the Garmin than it was on my Fitbit. ... The mileage walked is also more accurate than the Fitbit. ... - My RHR is more accurate on the Garmin than on the Fitbit. ... I've been using the "Other" fitness option to record my Crossfit workouts, and unless there's running involved, the Garmin doesn't pick up my elevated heart rate. ... "

Battery Life

battery, charge, gps, days, every

+86%

-14%

" ... way better than any fit bit, battery lasts 5-7 days depending on things like using it to track your workouts etc. ... "

" ... I can recharge every week or so while I'm in the shower or whatever. ... "

" ... Battery lasts a week. ... "

" ... It lasts for days and charges quickly. ... "

" ... Two improvements - access to the battery charge is only when you plug it in. ... "

" ... Battery life is roughly 5 days for me. ... I wish there was a better way to know what the battery charge level is. ... "

" ... Battery life is stupendous. ... "

" ... Battery life for me is about 5 days while connected to the phone and receiving notifications. ... "

Sleep Tracking

tracking, tracker, activity, menus, sleep monitoring

+79%

-21%

" ... The watch works if you're looking for a decent HR monitor and fitness/sleep tracker. ... "

" ... It's able to track my sleep 90% of the time. ... "

" ... I recommend it if you need to keep track of exercise. ... "

" ... This is a good watch and activity tracker. ... "

" ... The steps is very accurate as is the stairs climbed, sleep achieved etc. ... "

" ... I bought this 4 months ago and at first it was pretty accurate with counting steps, floors, sleep . ... "

" ... So, summary, the Fitbit Charge 2 is has a better Relax feature (real-time biofeedback breathing) and more detailed Sleep Stages *when they work*. ... "

" ... If I'd known what I know now I'd find a better device for monitoring and analyzing sleep ! ... "

Display Clarity

display, screen is small, direct sunlight, bright light, backlight

+61%

-39%

" ... Easy to use, easy to read the screen, etc. ... "

" ... Screen can be easily read in direct sunlight which is great. ... "

" ... The screen is sensitive to the touch but I have had some challenges in starting the timer before an activity. ... "

" ... For me, it is a positive thing that the display is smaller than many other trackers, this is the first one I had where the display does not look oversize on my arm or extend over the edge of my wrist. ... "

" ... The device, with it's features & display is awesome, and I was really looking forward to trading in my Fitbit for the Vivosport, BUT the Garmin Connect app simply does not work. ... "

" ... - Unlike other reviews on here, I don't have issues with the sensitive screen. ... - I have no problems reading the screen in bright light, and the backlight doesn't turn on in the middle of the night nearly as much as the one on my Fitbit did. ... "

" ... The color display is a nice touch, not really necessary, although I do think it makes things easier to read on the small screen. ... Everything is navigated by holding, double tapping, or swiping the glass screen. ... The time stays on all the time, but you can set it so the screen gets brighter as you turn it and raise your arm to see what time it is. ... "

Product Reliability

vivosport, days, started using, mid, kinks

+38%

-63%

" ... During run will vibrate every few seconds, indicating "Time", very annoying, haven't been able to get that issue fixed. ... "

" ... Not a fan and would return it if it was still within the 30 days. ... "

" ... I have to unpair and then repair my phone to get it to work again. ... "

" ... The watch is only 4 months old. ... Was not abused. ... "

" ... I’ve had this for 5 months now and overall I’m pretty dissapointed in it. ... "

" ... Started using it only in mid-December 2017. ... "

" ... I had the vivosport for 2 weeks. ... I could feel I was working hard, probably in the upper part of zone 4, and the vivosport didn't recognize this at all. ... Everything was working fine until then. ... "

Ease of Use

app, intuitive, easy to use, navigate, feel

+79%

-21%

" ... Easy to use, easy to read the screen, etc. ... "

" ... It also is a little less than user friendly as to finding the embedded tools, but for the price, it is totally worth it. ... "

" ... If you are transitioning from another Garmin device it will be a very easy transition. ... "

" ... - Not super easy to navigate the start-up process and configure your settings - but online resources help a lot ... "

" ... Easy to set up and use. ... "

" ... The re designed app is also much easier to use. ... "

" ... Easy to connect with the mobile application and provides quite accurate reports. ... "

Features

work, size, really, option, need

+77%

-23%

" ... The features and functions work really well. ... "

" ... It is great for running with lots of features. ... "

" ... My preferred review site said that it was still a reliable tracker and had generally upgraded features. ... "

" ... Software has proven to be more stable than Fitbit at this time even though the Fitbit had some additional features. ... "

" ... The size and the features ... "

" ... It has all the features I need. ... "

For Running

running, cardio, track, cycling, run

+82%

-18%

" ... I was using my phone to track my miles running and decided to invest in a watch. ... "

" ... Perfect for my use (running and cycling). ... "

" ... This is a great device for sport activity however I think it will be more suitable for running, I am using it for crossfit and strength training and the screen is hard to use when you are sweating ... "

" ... Was surprised it knows when I'm on the elliptical or running. ... "

" ... Outdoor biking is what I hoped for and one of the reasons I got it. ... "

" ... I particularly like the ability to track my workouts and cardio activities ... "

" ... I am looking forward to testing it on workouts, runs, and cycling. ... "

Build Quality

tear, band, starting, watchband, suunto

+36%

-64%

" ... But this has not been the case. ... "

" ... Unfortunately the product seems to be fragile ... "

" ... After only having worn it for 4 days, the rubber strap started to develop a tear starting from the inside corner of the hole that I wear it on. ... Once the tear started, it only got worse and larger. ... "

" ... This is not a durable product. ... "

" ... With one-ish month of use, only taking it off daily when I shower, the strap is starting to tear. ... "

" ... In my case, I found that the band on the version I purchased is a little too short. ... "

Bluetooth

pairing, pair with phone, garmin connect, xmas, reestablished

+20%

-80%

" ... Third, Bluetooth connectivity seemed to fail from time to time becoming increasingly annoying until about a week ago, when it stopped working altogether. ... Usually the issue went away either by turning Bluetooth on/off both, on my iPhone and on the vivosport, or by restarting my iPhone. ... When the issue persisted, I removed the device from the Bluetooth list on my iPhone and then paired it up again. ... "

" ... Not clear instructions on what to do other "turn on bluetooth". ... "

" ... Device won't pair with phone. ... Apparently their proprietary software is required, but even with Garmin Connect pairing doesn't work. ... "

" ... - Unable to pair with phone ... The initial pairing (via Bluetooth) was fine (after a few attempts) but after the latest Garmin Connect it just doesn't work. ... "

" ... When the device goes away from the phone, and loses the bluetooth connection, the app never recognizes that the device has reconnected. ... "

Charging

battery, charge hr, reads, rate, garmin

+70%

-30%

" ... It lasts for days and charges quickly. ... "

" ... Two improvements - access to the battery charge is only when you plug it in. ... "

" ... - Charger is plug in type and recessed. ... "

" ... I wish there was a better way to know what the battery charge level is. ... "

" ... I was a little reluctant to purchase it at first, as she had a way simpler version for years that didn't require charging. ... "

" ... The Charge HR was better in this area. ... It has gaps and sometimes reads 1/2 the actual rate just like the Charge HR did. ... "

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Specifications

Body

Size: 7.4 meters

Connectivity

GPS: Yes

Recommendations

...

Yes

GPS

7.4 meters

SIZE

Recommendations

...