Fitbit Flex 2 Review

Quick Take

The Fitbit Flex 2 is a slim, customizable tracker with an impressive range of features for the price. Not only is it waterproof, but it can also track swimming, allowing you to monitor all your workout stats from the gym to the pool. You can really make it your own too, with the interchangeable accessories. Other standard Fitbit highlights are also part of the package, including SmartTrack^™auto-exercise recognition, smartphone notifications, and movement reminders. Learn more about the Fitbit Flex 2’s components and features below.

What To Know About the Fitbit Flex 2

With high-end materials and versatile style options, the Flex 2 will suit anyone looking for a stylish fitness tracker that isn’t too intrusive. At just 31.7mm by 8.9mm by 6.8mm and weighing just 23.53g (0.83 oz.), it’s a lightweight tracker that you can easily add to pendants, wristbands and more. The Flex 2 has some standout highlights, one of them being that it is waterproof. It will also track your swim stats. Then there are all the stellar Fitbit features such as auto-exercise recognition, sleep tracking, wireless data syncing and more. There isn’t the option for on-board music, heart-rate monitoring or GPS, but given the device’s very compact nature we aren’t surprised here.

Other Fitbit Flex 2 Key Features and Specs:

• Waterproof
• Swim Tracking
• Interchangeable accessories
• Movement reminders
• SmartTrack^™auto-exercise recognition
• Smartphone notifications
• All-day activity tracking
• Auto sleep tracking
• LED display shows progress goals
• Battery life up to 5 days

Design

Not everyone wants to wear their fitness tracker in the same way. One of the design highlights of the Flex 2 is that it is very customizable. The small removable tracker can fit into a number of bracelets or a necklace, so you can wear it any way you want. The wristband is made of a flexible and comfortable (but durable) elastomer material. It has a surgical-grade stainless steel clasp so you don’t need to worry about it falling off. It’s swimproof too (being water resistant up to 50 meters) so you can take it from the gym to the pool.

Sensors & Components

The Fitbit Flex 2 features the following sensors and components:

• 3-axis accelerometer
• Vibration motor

There isn’t a screen in sight. The Flex 2 instead features an LED display with 5 indicator lights. The display will light up when you get calls, texts and movement reminders as well as allowing you to monitor your daily goals with one tap. When your smartphone is nearby your Flex 2 will vibrate and display different color-coded LED lights depending on what the notification is that you are receiving (blue for calls and purple for texts). Although this can be confusing at first, it’s easy to get the hang of it after a few days of wearing. Not having a screen to read stats may be a deal-breaker for anyone who likes to keep on top of their detailed stats on the go. However, those who don’t mind using their smartphone or computer to keep on top of their readings throughout the day (or after workouts) may not be that fussed about this, especially considering how compact and discreet the tracker is. You won’t need to change the battery on the Flex 2 either. It has a rechargeable lithium-polymer battery which can be charged in around one to two hours. The battery will last up to 5 days anyhow, so it’s not as if you will need to plug in each day. As for connectivity, it features Bluetooth 4.0.

Functionality

As Fitbit’s first swimproof tracker, the FitBit Flex 2 can be worn in water up to 50 meters, so you can dive in the ocean or swim laps in the pool safely. It will track swimming automatically too. You can then see your workout summary in the Fitbit app after your swim. Out of the pool the Flex 2 will track your daily steps and distance, calories burned, active minutes, hourly activity and stationary time so you can monitor your daily activity and set goals. The SmartTrack™ feature means the Flex 2 will automatically recognize activities and record them in the exercise section of the app for you to explore later. You’ll get reminders to move throughout the day, so it’s a good tracker choice for desk dwellers who need a little push to move around every so often.

Like to monitor how well you’re sleeping? The Flex 2 has an auto sleep tracking feature with silent alarms for this purpose. This means you don’t need to think about how to track the quality of your sleep, the Flex 2 will do this automatically for you and wake you up peacefully with a silent alarm. You can sync all of these stats wirelessly to a range of devices using Bluetooth LE wireless technology (also used to send call and text notifications to your smartphone).

Verdict

Style meets function in the Fitbit Flex 2. The Flex 2’s inclusive set of features can assist you in living a healthier lifestyle as you get more in tune with your daily (and nightly) activity. Due to the slim, discreet design, however, some features such as GPS and heart-rate monitoring are left out. This could limit runners especially, and may make users feel like they are missing out on some pretty key stat readings. Also, there isn’t a screen as such, but rather a range of flashing lights which indicate different information such as notifications or daily progress monitoring. As mentioned, not having a screen to read stats on the go may be a deal-breaker for some. However, you would most likely want to check out your detailed stats in the app on your smartphone or computer after workouts anyway, so having these features missed out is a sacrifice many will be willing to make for the ultra-slim, discreet design. If you want a tracker that has a good range of features but doesn’t draw too much attention (and you don’t prioritize GPS and heart-rate monitoring), the Fitbit Flex 2 is a good option for you.