abasket for the WIN!!!
Awww, you guys are nice. For all I know they took everyone who applied! I do like being a cheerleader for others and feel like I can represent someone kind of typical who has had reasonable success on the wellness front - largely because of the help and support here! I’m just hoping that everyone else isn’t buff, thin and 30 years old…all of which I am not! 
My Vivosmart HR is a Regular size as opposed to an Xtra large.
Comes in an XL as well, but the only place I’ve seen it is on the Fitbit web site.
I found the L just a bit tight, but Fitbit agreed to exchange the band for an XL band for free, which is pretty nice since I bought it on Amazon. For some reason a ton of companies make bands in an L but almost none make an XL.
The step count compares pretty closely to my phone, which has a step counter built in.
The HR monitor seems less reliable. When my arm gets sweaty it doesn’t read accurately, compared to the HR monitors on the cardio equipment at the gym.
My biggest complaint is that you can’t pick which way is up on the display. I wear it on my left wrist, and since the button is on the left, you have to reach under the sleeve and get it with your thumb. It’s a little awkward.
You’re perfect, abasket!
I’m visiting my mom on an island in SW Florida so don’t hate me for this update. This morning I got up and ran a few miles on the beach. It was sunny, cool, and breezy. H and I also took a long walk where we picked up seashells. Saw a movie this afternoon and ate a big piece of cake tonight. This all feels suspiciously like a vacation.
Plantmom, you’re already living in Florida - now you have to rub MORE Florida, beach and CAKE in our midwest/chilly places!!! 
Enjoy, @PlantMom! We’ve been having pretty spectacular weather the entire time we’ve been here. H and I are sorry to leave – but it’s time to get back to reality.
Thanks for the offer, @MichaelNKat. I’m still mulling things over in the activity tracker department. I do like a lot of the Fitbit features – and if I switch to Garmin, what about all my Fitbit friends?
@notrichenough - I’ve been wearing my Charge HR on my left wrist, so have gotten used to getting to that little button. (Well, until said button fell off …)
Decisions, decisions …
CBB - ouch, your button fell off, no cat needed?
One thing I like about the Alta is no buttons. You just tap the display.
I’m getting warmer, fuzzier feelings about the Apple Watch series 2 as an exercise wearable. Turns out the variance in heart rate between it and my Garmin HR strap was an artifact of the strap being old and decrepit :). Replaced the strap with a Wahoo Tickr HR strap and now the watch and strap are generally within 2-3 bpms of each other at all times and are often the same during indoor cycling. (I was comparing the native exercise functions of the watch with the metrics I was getting on my cycling training apps using a hr strap.)
I bought the lowest level of the Tickr because all I need it for is HR pick up and it cost only $39. There are a gizzilion really good smartphone apps it works with. Because the Tickr series is both ANT+ and Bluetooth, it works with a broad variety of monitor devices from smartphones, to watches, Garmins, to bike computers. For runners and swimmers, the TickrRun and TickrX are particularly interesting cause of all the analytics they offer specific to the sport. The TickrX is even more interesting because it offers everything the Run offers, plus swimming, plus has an onboard memory so you can leave your phone or other monitor device elsewhere while exercising and download all the Tickr data when you are finished. The price for the TickrX retail is $99.99. If you carry your phone with you when you run outside any way, you have your phone’s gps for the routing functions of the apps and the TickrRun or TickrX for all the running analytics you could want, at a fraction of the cost of a Garmin watch (as much of a fan of Garmin as I am). Wahoo has done some really smart things with the Tickr series in terms of both features and compatibility with apps and monitor units.
Michael- what type of analytics does the Tickrx offer besides HR?
Was thinking about my OCD compulsion (and everyone else on this forum) with the daily 10k steps thing. I usually get around 2.5-3 k steps with normal daily activity. To reach 10k it takes a time comittment of approximately an hour additional activity of running/walking/cycling.
I think it is a huge accomplishment for anyone that can dedicate an hour each day to see that you’ve reached the orange colored bar.
Managed to get through my run. 12.4 miles that I did NOT want to do! I didn’t look at my splits and wanted to be around 11:00 since I was running more for time than distance. Shooting for 2:10. Wound up averaging 10:30 and negative split the run. I stopped back at my car at 6 miles for my Huma gel and some Diet Pepsi. I need to mix up some Nuun for the rest break and scrap the Pepsi, but it did taste good. It was 58 and humid, but at least it wasn’t cold. Glad that’s done! Good effort. Mainly flat but some rolling parts.
Congratulations, abasket! You are a great choice.
It was close to 40 degrees here at 5:00 am - unseasonably warm. It’s a beautiful day here.
Today was short for me -7.25. I got really warm on the run. I am going to a Pilates workshop this afternoon and another tomorrow - didn’t want to overwork my legs this morning. Got home and walked the pups, did some easy stretching afterwards which they found quite interesting.
I don’t know, MOWC - I think you’re onto something with that DP and Huma combination. Why mess with a good thing? :))
Ohio, here are some links that give far more detail than I could post without wearing my fingers down to nubs 
:
http://www.wahoofitness.com/devices/wahoo-tickr-x-heart-rate-strap#
https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2014/01/wahoo-fitness-tickr.html
@BunsenBurner - I have to ask - are you going to invest in Elliptigo? I was just reading through their materials and see they are going to try to introduce a model for less than $1000.
Congrats abasket!! I got my Fitbit Alta for Christmas & I like it a lot so far. I especially like the feature where I can see who is calling or texting me on the Fitbit display.
6 rainy miles this morning with run club. One gal is starting a monthly “Magic Mile” club on FB where on the 15th of each month we run a mile & report in with our time, competing only against ourselves & our own previous times. Sounds like fun - always good to mix things up.
Sounds fun, Gertrude!
Could not wait any longer… Got the special edition lavender/rose gold Charge 2 from Nordy’s.
Wish me luck tomorrow. Ugh. Half marathon I haven’t trained very well for, foot already ripped up. At least the weather looks nice, and tons of trees fell down in the park, so they had to reroute around the one big hill (yes)! I will be thankful when this is done. My poor husband keeps trying to be perky and encouraging, but it isn’t working out very well for him. >:)
Bus, you can do it! Will be rooting for you!! Go BUS!!!