Fitbit recently came out with a new fitness tracker/smart watch — the Fitbit Versa. I have been using mine for three weeks now and am ready to share my review:
WHAT HAPPENED TO MY FITBIT ALTA HR?
While I was on vacation in Canada, my Fitbit Alta HR‘s (review here) straps broke and I couldn’t wear the tracker without it falling off my wrist. I have only had the tracker 5 months and I didn’t want to have to buy a $30 replacement band. I reached out to Fitbit and since my tracker is still under warranty and they sent me a replacement band; it’s just too bad that it took so long and I wasn’t able to use my Alta HR during most of my vacation. This has been a constant trend with the Fitbit bands for me, and I even took a break from Fitbit for a while. It’s really disappointing since the Fitbit isn’t inexpensive; for the price I expect my Fitbit not to break within the year.
FITBIT VERSA SPECIAL EDITION
Not having the ability to wear my Alta HR for so long had me thinking about a new fitness tracker. I already tried the Garmin VivoSmart HR, but the Garmin app just wasn’t for me. I just really like the Fitbit app and its interface (more than the Garmin app) and the new design of the Fitbit Versa brought me back one more time.
I chose to buy the Fitbit Versa in the Special Edition — rose gold/lavender. The Special Edition has a NFC chip so you can add your banking information and have the ability to make payments from the Versa.
I figured that the Special Edition was a good deal because it was only $30 more than the regular version and it came with two band options. The replacement bands already cost $30 a piece, so I basically just bought an extra band and it came with the NFC payment chip built into the Fitbit. Knowing Fitbit’s track record with bands breaking, I am happy to have a backup band.
UNBOXING + SET UP
Target has a similar-looking purple/rose gold version of the Fitbit Versa that is exclusive to them. I considered saving the $30 and getting this one, but they were sold out at my Target.
Inside the box, I got the Fitbit Versa with the small purple strap, a charging dock, the black straps (small and large), and the large purple strap. Right when I removed the protective film from the face of the Fitbit Versa, it turned on and prompted me to download the Fitbit app to begin the set up process.
Set up took a while and the Fitbit Versa had to remain in the charging dock until the process was complete, but you can swipe through some tips and features of the Versa.
DESIGN + FEATURES
I really like the way that the Fitbit Versa looks. I wasn’t sure if it was going to be too big on my wrist, so I spent a lot of time trying to find pictures on Instagram of people actually wearing it. The Versa looks kind of similar to the Apple Watch. I haven’t had the Apple Watch to compare to, but from far away, I’m not sure I would be able to tell the difference between the two.
Compared to the Alta HR that I have, the Versa is just as low-profile and lightweight. The screen is large and all of the icons are bright and easy to see.
Unlike the Alta HR, you can initiate a workout from the Versa which will prompt the device to track your activity and heart rate stats. This is a feature that my Garmin Vivosmart HR had, but I really missed when moving to the Alta HR.
The Fitbit Versa also has a really cool “Coach” feature that lets you select one of three pre-loaded workouts. The workouts will show you a quick little gif of the activity to do and then starts a countdown for how long you are supposed to do that activity. It’s just a nice way to get in a quick workout without having to think about which exercise you should do. My favorite is the 7-minute workout.
There is also a “Relax” app that guides you through a 2-minute or 5-minute breathing exercise that is supposed to help you relax. I like to take time to do the breathing routine because it’s a quick way to re-center myself and it really does work to calm my heart rate/de-stress.
You can receive texts and notifications on the Versa which give it more of a smart watch feel. You cannot reply to texts with an iPhone at this time and you cannot answer/take calls on the Versa. The Versa uses touchscreen and three buttons on the side to control everything. The screen seems resistant to scratches, but bought a screen protector just to be safe.
I mentioned that the Special Edition Versa has the NFC chip so you can make payments from your watch. I haven’t actually used the NFC yet, but I did add my Starbucks card and might try that out soon. I just haven’t really had use for it yet since I always have my phone with me.
You can customize the watch faces of the Fitbit Versa with a variety of free clock faces. Some clock faces are created by Fitbit, but some are created by other developers and may cost a small fee. I’ve only used the “Flare” face designed by Fitbit; I like it because the purple kind of matches my purple band.
WHAT I LIKE
The sleep tracking on the Fitbit is really cool. I love seeing how long I was awake in the night or getting that REM sleep. I especially like it because I notice that I sleep better after having a good workout during the day, and it’s nice to be able to quantify that.
I love that I can manually initiate my workout right from the Versa. Like I mentioned, this is a feature that my Garmin Vivosmart HR had and I was sad to lose it when I got the Alta HR. It’s super convenient to begin your workout from the Versa — it’ll track your heart rate and other stats for the entire duration and it’s no nice to be able to isolate your stats from that time.
I like the interface and navigating the menus in the Versa. The screen is super responsive, even after I added a screen protector. Even though I use my watch a lot to see texts and check the time throughout the day, the battery life is good so far. I find it easiest to just charge the Versa when I’m at my desk for a while or if I’m in the shower. Charging is fast and the dock is easy to use.
The Fitbit Versa is really comfortable and lightweight. I hardly ever notice that I’m even wearing it which makes it easy to keep wearing it 24-7. I love being able to see my stats for the day through the Fitbit app which is the best part about Fitbit to me. The app is super user-friendly, clean, and it works.
WHAT I DON’T LIKE
The straps are ridiculously difficult to swap back in to place. As a test, I tried to change the bands and they came out easily, but it took me maybe 10 minutes to reinstall them. I don’t know why it has to be so difficult, but it could be worse. I actually ordered another strap as a birthday present for myself and it should arrive next week, so wish me luck installing it.
Other than that, I am loving the Versa. For me, this Fitbit has the smartwatch features I like while being the same Fitbit I’m used to. I just hope that my multiple straps can hold up to my everyday wear and tear. Let me know if you have any questions and I hope this review was helpful!
