Fitbit Charge 3 and Why You Should Want One

Fitbit Charge 3
24 Aug

Last Updated on May 21, 2023 by Michael Brockbank

I’m a big fan of the Fitbit line of Charge watches. I’ve had one since 2015, and they’s proven to be quite useful in a variety of ways. With the Fitbit Charge 3, I plan on doing so much more. And this goes beyond walking for fitness.

After all, I really don’t get a lot of steps in my day. I’m not one of those people who can crank out 20,000 steps in a 24 hour period on a regular basis.

My lifestyle really doesn’t allow this.

However, I do regularly use the movement tracker, heart rate monitor and calorie burn tracker.

Going Beyond Steps with the Fitbit Charge 3

Although the main focus of Fitbit is getting steps, whether you’re walking or running, it’s versatility makes it a great tool for other purposes. In fact, you don’t have to be an active walker or runner to really appreciate the product.

Like I said, I don’t get a lot of steps in my day…but I’ll still lose weight and strengthen my body.

Calorie Burn Monitor

As with previous versions, the Fitbit Charge 3 will come with a calorie burn monitor. By gauging your overall health, heart rate and physical movement, the device gives a semi-accurate portrayal of how much your burning.

Now, this doesn’t mean it’s 100% accurate. In fact, everyone has a unique physiology and will burn faster or slower than others. However, Fitbit uses averaged data which will give you an idea about your overall fitness levels.

Cardio Fitness Score

This is one of the features of the Fitbit Charge 3 I am most eager for. Although the website doesn’t go into too great of detail, the cardio fitness score sounds appealing.

Remember, I don’t get a lot of steps. But I will grind out 30 to 40 minutes playing the Xbox Kinect. This easily works up a sweat when you’re putting in the effort to get more out of the game. And this should record the data quite nicely.

Smartwatch Ability

The Fitbit Charge 3 goes beyond simply tracking fitness. In this newest version, it will also provide notifications and app updates from your smartphone. You can even get weather updates from your wrist.

I doubt I will use this feature much. There is a reason why I don’t have a smartwatch. I really don’t use my smartphone for much of anything other than tracking food in MyFitnessPal and getting the occasional phone call.

But I can see how this would be attractive to many.

Watch Bands

Fitbit Charge Bands

From what I can tell by looking at the Fitbit Charge 3, it doesn’t look like Charge 2 wristbands are going to work with it. Which is a shame because I bought a handful and never used them.

However, you can pick up a few different styles from Fitbit’s website. It’s also a strong possibility manufacturers will be on board to create some unique designs as well.

Fitbit Pay

We live in a digital world. With all the payment systems out there, the Fitbit Charge 3 just gives you one more way to easily pay the tab. Of course, this is only available in special editions and only from certain participating banks.

And wouldn’t you know it, neither of the banks I use is available on this list. However, some of the most popular banking institutions are capable of being used with Fitbit Pay.

For instance, Chase, American Express, Wells Fargo and Capitol One are available.

Guided Breathing

This is another function of previous versions of the product. It’s a feature I might take advantage of is the guiding breathing sessions.

Essentially, it helps you focus your breathing to reduce your heart rate. For those who are always stressed or suffer panic attacks, this might be something worthwhile.

I’m a fan of meditation in any form. It helps clear the mind while reducing your chances for a stroke or heart attack. And let’s face it, the world can use a little stress reduction in today’s age.

Female Health Tracking

I don’t really see myself taking advantage of the female health tracking feature. But those of the opposite sex might. However, I am curious to know if the system is accurate enough to track periods, ovulation and various symptoms.

Unfortunately, I can’t really go much into detail for obvious reasons. But from a techy perspective, I guess it’s kind of cool to sync yourself up to your watch.

UPDATE: A friend of mine who uses the Female Health Tracking in the Charge 2 says it works great. I’ll have to take her word for it.

And Common Features

The Fitbit Charge 3 will also feature the abilities of past iterations of the product. So things like automatic exercise recognition, 24-hour heart rate monitor, activity tracking and sleep tracking are available.

Improved Battery Function

According to the manufacturer, the Fitbit Charge 3 is to have a 7-day batter life. Currently, I have to charge my Charge 2 about every five days. Well, more often now that my watch is kind of broken.

I hope that in future versions they’ll produce a solar charging capability. One of my favorite Casio watches was solar, and it had functions galore. It could be a way to stretch out battery life to 10 days instead of seven.

Swimproof Design

And now for the most important feature of the Fitbit Charge 3 and the reason I am buying it as soon as it hits the market: a waterproof design. According to Fitbit, it’s resistant for up to 50 meters underwater.

For you non-Europeans out there, that’s roughly 164 feet. I highly doubt I’ll go that deep, especially since I live in Colorado. Diving isn’t all that much of a sport up in the mountains.

In the past, I had to estimate calorie burn when I went for a swim. As soon as I strap this on my wrist, I’ll have a better idea about how much I am burning in the water.

Saving My Pennies…

If you’re looking to pick up a Fitbit Charge 3, it’ll run you about the same price as a Charge 2 when it first came out: $149.95. I just hope it doesn’t need a plethora of updates to make sure everything is working right.

Perhaps the biggest reason why I am buying a Charge 3 as soon as I can is because of how Fitbit has made an impact on my life. The products helped me greatly as I went from nearly 300 pounds with heart problems to 223 and feeling much better.[template id=”3591″]

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