I've been using my Misfit Flash for almost a week now and it has its ups and downs.



My intention of getting a fitness tracker was to:

• Track my physical activity - and feel proud of how much exercise I actually do


• Track my sleep cycle - and hopefully find out how long I should sleep to wake up happy


• Compare how the amount physical activity my boyfriend and I engage in - and beat his scores!

1. Activity Tracking 

This is the basic feature of every fitness tracker and I'm glad it works pretty seamlessly. My steps/distance travelled is easily transmitted from the tracker to the app, which is then presented in clear and simple data.



That is expected of any fitness tracker. But the great thing about the Misfit Flash, is that I can track a specific activity (press and hold tracker), and later on, edit that activity as swimming/soccer/cycling, etc. The points earned are then adjusted to the actual calories and distance covered by these specific sports. Unfortunately, the flash has limited sports it can track. I use it mostly for Ultimate Frisbee and they don't have this activity, so I marked it as soccer, the most sport closest to it.

However, there are limitations to the tracker's features too. The website indicates that it can be placed on any parts of the body, but I have noticed different results when I wear it on my wrist, as compared to when I wear it hooked on my hips. It's easier to gain points when I wear it on the hips, which makes me wonder how the tracker actually determines a step made. Also, when I wore at my hips and watched TV in the evening, it mistook me to have started my sleep, and started tracking my sleep cycle. I also happened to have more deep sleep when I wore it on my hips.



2. Sleep Tracking 

It's magical how the flash can sense when I fall asleep and when I wake up. It'll indicate exactly what time I woke up, and not consider the remaining time spent rolling in bed. That, I feel, deserves a big round of applause.

But, like I mentioned earlier, it doesn't work quite as well when it's hooked on my hips.

In addition, it does not really highlight my sleep cycle. I can't use the data to formulate a better sleeping routine. It seems I have deeper sleep when I exercise more, but it doesn't tell me what time should I set my alarm to wake up happy. I have no clue how to interpret the data, and thus, it doesn't feel very helpful.

3. Social tools

It's easy to compare once I've added on boyfriend on the network. But I can only compare up to 2 days, and beyond that, nobody can remember who did better. In addition, the profile of each user doesn't show much. I wish I could see exactly what activity the person did to rake up so many points and their exact progress right now. This is something Up Move by Jawbone has, which makes the Misfit Flash, less engaging and the user, less competitive/motivated.



A real bummer is also how, none of my friends have a misfit, and my feed are just filled with random strangers that Misfit has kindly arranged to create a more social experience with the trackers.

4. Functionality 

I don't have much positive reviews on the physical product itself, besides how nice the surface of the Flash feels. Otherwise, the strap that holds the tracker, REALLY sucks. Just like many other reviewers, I had the same problem with how the strap doesn't hold on to the tracker. I just have to press and the device would pop out.

As a result, I have to always wear it to the tightest and perhaps, that was the reason why my strap actually broke.



It's pathetic. Fortunately misfit is kind enough to send a replacement. But, I doubt it'll last, given how my first one broke in less than a month. And if the second strap breaks, there's no way I can get another strap, because it's not sold separately by Misfit.

I'm practically begging for them to come up with a better design. It's just sad to have a wonderful product dragged down by bad accessories design.

In the mean time, I'm using the clip that comes with the device. It fits the device perfectly, and there are no concerns about the tracker falling out. It's a 100 times better than the strap.



In all, I am still satisfied with my Misfit Flash, despite the disadvantages I have listed. If you are keen, I would encourage you to get one right now, for it's on sale (again!) at only USD$29.99. Shipping to Singapore would cost USD$25.



PS: Misfit Shine is on sale as well, and it is very very tempting.