Does anyone have one? I was thinking about upgrading my garmin but am interested to know what other people think about this product. I have been sitting and studying waaaayyyyyy too much lately and want to start counting my steps. I know a simple pedometer would do but if this has the ability to do distance like my garmin, I would rather have one device to do both.
H and I both have Fitbits (I have a One, he has a Flex) and they operate on the same concept as a Fuel Band. I also have a Garmin Forerunner I use for running training, and honestly I don't think the Fitbit/Fuelband is a replacement for a GPS device.
First of all, it doesn't actually measure distance, it estimates it by using a step length (that you can set for yourself) and multiplying that distance by the number of steps you take. The fitbit can tell the difference between a running step and a walking step (you can set both) but I don't know about the Fuel Band. Either way, its fine until your steps aren't the same as the distance you set, and then the distance can be way off. So if you care about knowing exactly how far you go, stay with the Garmin.
If you care about how many calories you're burning, then I think the fitbit or fuel band are good options, especially for everyday things like walking, running, doing errands, etc. It's not great for biking or weightlifting because it doesn't pick up movement in the right part of your body. But if you're looking for something that can tell you (within maybe 10%) how many calories you burn the entire day, or on a single workout (again, running or walking are best), then the fitbit/fuelband are great. The Garmin won't do this.
So, yeah, it's kind of like comparing apples to oranges. What do you want/need?