So after a very frustrating experience with a Fitbit Sense (HR sensor inaccuracies, step counters going beserk when riding my motorcycle, etc) on top of tons of issues with the Sleep integration (tracking works for a few days then stops in the middle of the night), I decided I needed something reliable. The only good thing was battery life… (~2weeks)
Started using Sleep a few years ago with my phone as a tracker. Upgraded to a MiBand 4. Cheap device, worked surprisingly well! Used Notify and Fitness app (3rd party app). App is a complete mess of menus and config but once you get it right it worked great. Had ~2weeks battery life tracking ~8h of sleep a night + 30min of activity tracking a day. Unfortunately, after 18months, the battery started to degrade significantly and I would get barely 5-6 days. This is when I bought the Fitbit Sense…
Re-reading the thread here, I was hesitant to buy a WearOS device (especially with the current status of Wear OS 3). The MiBand 6 is impossible to get here… I considered the Amazfit line but I find them too bulky…
Then I thought “hey I need a GOOD HR tracker for running / treadmill”. I have an old Polar cheststrap that works great for this but is kind of stuff but the electrodes need to stay wet/humid.
So I went back to Polar - picked up a Verity Sense armband sensor. This thing is AMAZING. SUPER lightweight. Very confortable to wear (you barely feel it). HR is super accurate during running / treadmill. Sleep integration is awesome as well : turn the device on, start sleep tracking. It supports movement and HR with HRV. Battery life is listed as 20h. Since you turn it on / off manually, I can get 2 night of sleep + 2 training session between charge. After that, it’s around 20-30%. On the plus side, the Polar Flow app keeps your screen on (on Android at least) in treadmill mode so you see your HR live so you can tweak your speed in real time.
Only “problem” is that the status LED blinks purple when Sleep is pulling data… and this thing is BRIGHT… you can see it with your eyes closed. A small bit of tape is all that is needed.
Charging is super quick as well with such as small battery.
So if you’re considering a smart watch / fitness tracker for sleep integration and exercise tracking, give the Verity Sense a good look. I was completely dismissing those at first but now that I’m wearing my regular watch, it feels great not having to charge my time keeping device lol (I wear a Citizen Eco-Drive.. for those not familiar, they have a solar-charging face so no battery change required)