The greatest thing about the Fitbit Charge 2, and I suppose its predecessors, is not the actual device. It is the subtlety in which Fitbit changes your life for the better through its wearable and the accompanying app. Due to the Charge 2 and the Fitbit app, I am consciously tracking the amount of sleep I am getting (not enough), the amount of plain water I am drinking and the food I am putting into my stomach. I have found myself chugging down more H20 when I realise I have not reached my mark for the day and I am actually attempting to get more restful sleep. In the process I feel a lot better, both physically and mentally.
As for the Charge 2, it is a great upgrade over the Charge HR, which is Fitbit’s best-selling wearable. Everything that was great about the Charge HR – the PurePulse heart rate technology, the slim and lightweight profile, the five-day battery life, etc. – have been retained while other facets have been upgraded. The watch face on the Charge 2 is bigger and can display more information (but still lacking touchscreen capabilities), more workout modes have been added and the device thankfully now comes with a Connected GPS function so that you can track and map your runs.
The Charge 2 also comes with a nifty meditative breathing app Fitbit calls “Relax”. There are two- and five-minute sessions available and the Charge 2 gives you animation and vibration cues to inhale in and out accordingly. I’ve tried it a couple of times and it genuinely lowered my heart rate by as much as 15 beats per minute. Then I opened my inbox again and all of that work went to waste.
Class Action Lawsuit
At the start of the year, Fitbit was hit by a class action lawsuit in US regarding the inaccuracy of the company’s PurePulse heart rate technology. A few months ago, another lawsuit separate from the first one was filed against them regarding its sleep tracking features. These cases weighed heavily on my mind when I donned the Charge 2. However, as each day passed, I stopped caring about the actual tracking numbers on the Charge 2. Yes, they did serve as guidelines but I was more pleased with the steps I was taking to improve my life and the Fitbit Charge 2 regularly encouraged me when I needed it or a technological kick in my ass when I was slacking.
If you’re looking for a device that can accurately measure all the data in your life, you might be better off looking elsewhere. However, if you want a wearable that genuinely attempts to improve your life (with the caveat that you too are motivated enough to do so), then the Charge 2 can provide all that and more.
The Fitbit Charge 2 is priced at $248 and is available at authorised tech retailers