I pre-ordered and recently got the Fitbit Blaze, February 25, 2016, day before my 4th Fitbitaversary. I have been fitness tracking for four years now with fitbit. My prior Fitbit tracking device was a Fitbit Surge. I have used also the Fitbit One and Fitbit Ultra. Plus, I have the Fitbit Aria Scales.

Below is the packaging.

Fitbit Blaze

This fitness tracker comes with a full blazing color screen. It does most everything the Fitbit Surge does, but it doesn’t have built-in GPS, it uses assisted GPS. So you will need to make sure to have your phone with you if you wish to use this function.

You’ll need to change some settings on your phone to allow the fit bit app to use your GPS. It seems this week is a little bit more readout on your watch. It’ll tell you your average beats per minute and your maximum beats per minute. The amount of time the distance the number of steps. Number of calories and your distance of climb.

I have noticed a difference with the distance on the fitbit blaze and Map My Walk app. It is not much of a difference in distance between the two, but I did notice the same thing with the fitbit surge too. Now, I do not know if there is a difference in distance and steps between the fitbit blaze and the fitbit surge. I didn’t test that out.

I love the animation that it does when you hit your daily goal. The vibration on it seems a little stronger then the fitbit surge.

The Fitbit blaze even has calendars notifications unlike the fitbit surge. It still has the call and text notifications. The navigation for everything is different than the fitbit surge and has taken awhile to get use to, but I am sure I will. I have noticed if the screen got dim, the notification won’t show unless you hit a button most of the time or tap the screen.

You can even change the bands, they have several colors to choose from. They even have leather and metal link type bands too. (see the top graphic). The unit does seem to snap securely into the band at this time, but that could be because it is still a new band. No telling how it does after so much of removing and replacing so you can charge the unit. Right now only Fitbit sales bands, I am sure it is a matter of time before someone markets and sells bands you can use. After repeating it, they said to just send the bands, instead of the unit.

Also on the band has a release for the bands to come free from the frame that holds the unit. See the back of your Fitbit Blaze (see also the picture above). I was able to get a 22 mm band and it worked. The people at the store helped me put it on. This could be a a temporary fix until I get the actually Fitbit Large band. (see picture below).

I do believe the Fitbit Blaze is one of the more classier and elegant looking fitness trackers that Fitbit sales too.

The Fitbit Blaze does come with a different charging cable that what the normally use for other fitness trackers they sell. It also does not come with a syn dongle like prior devices, as this device does syn on your smart phone with the newer type of Bluetooth. It can also sync to a windows computer with Windows 10 using Bluetooth. No word on a Mac. But it will also sync as I stated on most smart cell phones, I believe it needs Bluetooth 2. You are suppose to be able to use to use the cable for charging your fitbit blaze to sync as well. I connected my cable to my Mac, running OS X, 10.11.3, El Captain and it doesn’t allow me to sync. The App on the Mac just shows no wireless dongle and doesn’t show connected device, like it does with the fitbit surge when I had the cable connected to the computer.

The screen does dim on the Fitbit Blaze, unlike it did on the Fitbit Surge. But, it will come back up as you lift your arm. I noticed that it doesn’t always awaken right away when you raise your arm. I often have to tap the screen to get it to show again. But, I’m sure the dimming helps save battery life. Which Fitbit claims is 5 days. I actually got 3 days on my first charge. But I did use fitness tracking in it. My second time I got 6 days on it and didn’t use the fitness tracking much. So more you use the tracking more it will drain the battery. 

The heart rate monitoring on the Fitbit Blaze seems to track about the same bpm as the Fitbit surge. I always keep a high heart rate.

The Alarm when it goes off will vibrate, silent alarm. It also says Look Alive!

I do like it if you have all green on your screen, it will say “Now That’s A Lot of Green!”

FitStar allows you do do exercises it tells you what to do. You do it for that time period. It vibrates then tells you what’s next. Then when you are done it gives you a work out readout. I will say I’m out of shape and not limber for what they want done.

I just recently ordered and got the Fitbit Blaze, I ordered and XL, but the band is way too big for me. I really should have ordered a Large.

I did contact fitbit support on the the size, they said I would have to mail them this one back, then wait for the to get it, then once they get it, they will ship me back a replacement. I don’t see why they cannot just send me a Large band instead. Finally, after a little bit of talking to support, they told me to just send the bands and they will replace them. It would be easier and cheaper for me to mail back the bands. As I was told shipping would be at my own expense.

I will keep you updated on this from support.

What are your thoughts?

Feel free to add me as a friend on fitbit

_{This is my take of the Fitbit Blaze, I was not paid for this or asked to do this. I did pay and purchase the Fitbit Blaze myself. #Fitbit #FitbitBlaze}

Update September 26, 2019: After over three years, My Blaze is still working, however it stopped vibrating and seems the notifications don’t pop up like they use to. Once in while, it will work. Then that one time.

Update November 11, 2019, My Fitbit Blaze still won’t vibrate. But, I noticed that it goes dead fast. So I have disabled all notifications, but everything else still works. Bummer! Still not sure if I will update to Apple Watch or the new Fitbit watch.

Feel free to add me as a friend on fitbit

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