Fitbit

[Deleted member 3000]

The Fitbit seems to be making the news in the Forum, mostly by being lost! I have lost three so far, and have had three others fail during the warranty period (and one outside the warranty), so I can sympathize on that issues.

As a long time wearer, I have:
14,278,512 total steps
24,485 floors
6,239.5 miles
Cleats badge for 40,000 daily steps
36,000 daily steps - 8 times
Nile Badge for 4,132 lifetime miles
Great Wall Badge for 5,500 miles
Earth Badge for 7,900 lifetime miles
Shooting Star Badge for 20,000 lifetime floors
Lifetime Distance Badge - Russian Railway
Daily Climb Badge - Castle 200 floors (3 times)
Bridge Climb Badge - 175 floors - 9 times
Stadium - 150 floors - 13 times
Lifetime Climb Badge - Shooting Star (20,000 floors)
50 pounds Weight Loss Badge

The Fitbit is a lot like a Skinner Box. If you perform, you get a reward (trivial at best). Several times I have been a few stops short of my 10,000 step daily goal, and actually left my easy chair to walk around the block!

Particularly in training, you may find that a fitness tracker like Fitbit can add a little bit of incentive. All of my big days for steps and floors (upward elevation change; 10 feet is equal to a floor) have been on a camino. I have not had a Fitbit on all my caminos because of loss, breakage, or dead battery, but one has been with me on a lot of them.

 

[CaminoDebrita]

The Fitbit seems to be making the news in the Forum, mostly by being lost! I have lost three so far, and have had three others fail during the warranty period (and one outside the warranty), so I can sympathize on that issues.

As a long time wearer, I have:
14,278,512 total steps
24,485 floors
6,239.5 miles
Cleats badge for 40,000 daily steps
36,000 daily steps - 8 times
Nile Badge for 4,132 lifetime miles
Great Wall Badge for 5,500 miles
Earth Badge for 7,900 lifetime miles
Shooting Star Badge for 20,000 lifetime floors
Lifetime Distance Badge - Russian Railway
Daily Climb Badge - Castle 200 floors (3 times)
Bridge Climb Badge - 175 floors - 9 times
Stadium - 150 floors - 13 times
Lifetime Climb Badge - Shooting Star (20,000 floors)
50 pounds Weight Loss Badge

The Fitbit is a lot like a Skinner Box. If you perform, you get a reward (trivial at best). Several times I have been a few stops short of my 10,000 step daily goal, and actually left my easy chair to walk around the block!

Particularly in training, you may find that a fitness tracker like Fitbit can add a little bit of incentive. All of my big days for steps and floors (upward elevation change; 10 feet is equal to a floor) have been on a camino. I have not had a Fitbit on all my caminos because of loss, breakage, or dead battery, but one has been with me on a lot of them.

I really loved walking the Scottish W. Highland Way with a fitbit. Although it was a bit more work to charge it as well (along with the phone), I just loved clocking up the 30 and 42K days. I think my highest day was 48k.

Buen Camino!

Deb

 

[Latecomer]

...I have lost three so far, and have had three others fail during the warranty period (and one outside the warranty), so I can sympathize on that issues.

As a long time wearer, I have:
14,278,512 total steps
24,485 floors
6,239.5 miles....

I can only imagine the number of bands that you went through! I had 3 fail (on a fairly early Fitbit), in probably less than 300 miles one was replaced free. It has been in the drawer ever since.

¡Buen camino!

 

[Waka]

They seem to be the in thing at the moment, but how accurate are they in measuring your daily m image while walking?

 

[SabsP]

Ha, touch wood ! I seem to be able to get everything broken with my clumsiness but still have my first fitbit with the original wristband.I have to admit, only have mine from december 2016 ...
But like the OP says , it is a great incentive to get up from the couch in the evening to earn some extra steps.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I just got a fitbit and I love it!
I'm not telling you how many steps I'm doing each day because I'm fat and sassy right now.
But I'm increasing each day...

 

[SYates]

I must admit I use mine mainly as a watch and, on the Camino, to guesstimate the distance/time remaining to the next watering hole/albergue. Buen Camino, SY

 

[Kanga]

My frustration is that if the bracelet breaks, you lose the Fitbit, and the company will not replace or refund - because you don't have it. I think someone needs to take them on. I'm tempted, as I have two witnesses to the fact that the band was faulty (and I'm a lawyer), but don't think I have the energy/time/care enough to follow through!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

but how accurate are they in measuring your daily m image while walking?

They count steps using the Wii technology. The user puts in step length from which mileage is calculated. If you shorten your step or enter an inaccurate step length, then the calculated mileage will not be accurate. It is not tracking GPS technology. An automobile odometer counts tire rotation. As tires wear down an inch, the circumference changes by pi inches, and the displayed mileage (and speed) are not accurate. Think of the Fitbit that way; close enough to get you a speeding ticket!!

 

[nidarosa]

I lost my Fitbit Flex several times, the last time somewhere on the way to Sarria in 2015. I only noticed when I knew I must have walked more than 10 kms and it hadn't buzzed (my signal that lunch is on the cards). That same evening I ordered a Charge HR instead, because it has a watch-like clasp on the band. Not lost it yet, in fact I have bought another one for a spare now that it looks like they are being discontinued. I like seeing how far I have walked and also how much elevation - Ambasmestas to O Cebreiro was 186 floors, the hill after Bar Julia to Bruma on the Inglés was 163! I hardly ever use the heart rate function, I disable it to make the battery last longer.

 

[dougfitz]

They count steps using the Wii technology. The user puts in step length from which mileage is calculated. If you shorten your step or enter an inaccurate step length, then the calculated mileage will not be accurate. It is not tracking GPS technology. An automobile odometer counts tire rotation. As tires wear down an inch, the circumference changes by pi inches, and the displayed mileage (and speed) are not accurate. Think of the Fitbit that way; close enough to get you a speeding ticket!!

Exactly, well at least the first part. If you want your step length to be as accurate as possible, count your steps over a well established known distance. Use the 400 m circuit on a standard track and field ground and do four laps to give 1600 m - that will start reducing the variability. However, if you tend to step short going uphill, or step out going downhill, all the accuracy in the world on the flat won't be all that much help!

 

[cher99840]

My bands were fine but 3 of mine just literally fell apart. The first after one year and the company replaced it. The second lasted only 5 months and again it was replaced free. The third one died last month after 5 months and I didn't bother to call it in. Now I'm trying to get used to a Garmin. I like Garmin's GPS but do miss Fitbit's great app. I also miss the way Fitbit counted staircases. What Fitbit recorded as 24, Garmin records as 8. I had to lower my goal.

I too make sure that I get my 10k steps each day even if it means running in place. It's a motivator.

 

[trecile]

I have a fitbit Alta, and you can change the bands on it, so I have a nice secure one. I'm on the Camino now, and unfortunately, I've lost the charging cable, so it's useless at this point. It's annoying that the Fitbits use a proprietary connection, so I can't use a standard micro USB cable.
I like to use it to track my sleep. Sometimes it tells me that I got 6 hours sleep when it seemed like 4. Then I know that I should be able to walk 20 km.
I also like it for its silent alarm feature.

 

[naplesdon]

As several other post point out, calibrate your steps to a known distance. It does not calculate distance via GPS as stated in some of their lititure. I find the "floors climbed" report a little misleading, they claim it done by GPS but only counts your progress going up. So how did I climb 40 floors walking on the beach between Povoa de Varzim and Fao and only 238 between Orisson and Roncevalles?

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Alas the Fitbit does not count the number of steps but rather measures distance covered by the movement of your arms. When you walk with walking poles, and take two strides for each arm swing, it gives you faulty data. Thismis why even if you have walked for hours on the Camino it gives you almost as many steps for your afternoon and evening stroll around town, when you are not walking with poles. A good old clip-on pedometer may not give you all the fancy features of the Fitbit app, but for steps walked is more accurate if walking with poles.

 

[Waka]

They count steps using the Wii technology. The user puts in step length from which mileage is calculated. If you shorten your step or enter an inaccurate step length, then the calculated mileage will not be accurate. It is not tracking GPS technology. An automobile odometer counts tire rotation. As tires wear down an inch, the circumference changes by pi inches, and the displayed mileage (and speed) are not accurate. Think of the Fitbit that way; close enough to get you a speeding ticket!!

Thank you for the informative response.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

they claim it done by GPS but only counts your progress going up

I don't think Fitbit claims GPS, though third parties might do so erroneously. It is Wii technology that detects forward and upward acceleration motion. Wii bowling detects speed, rotation, angle, etc. to play a fairly realistic game of bowling.

Downhill is not counted. I tried to fool it by making a walking motion while an elevator climbed eight floors. It was not fooled. It did not count the steps, and it did not count any floors!!

 

[jmcarp]

As others have stated, Fitbits and similar exercise-type devices are basically just fancy electronic pedometers and are notoriously inaccurate for measuring distances. Only a GPS or a physical surveying tools like a tape measure or surveyors' wheel can give a near-true reckoning of distance, and even they have their drawbacks. Obviously, trying to use a tape measure or surveyors' wheel are totally inappropriate for keeping track of distances on the Camino or any other hike. As for a GPS, it measures distance as a series of straight lines between fixed points which are usually set by some pre-determined time interval, which can vary between a few seconds to a few minutes -- the shorter the time interval between readings, the more accurate the overall distance will be (unless you happen to be walking in a straight line over a long distance, like some portions of the meseta ). Thirty seconds or so seems to be a good compromise between accuracy and power consumption for most walking applications.

For proof of this discrepancy between pedometer-driven and GPS devices, just carry both types of device, or walk with someone who uses the other type, and compare the totals at the end of your walk. In my experience, there seems to be an average of 10 or 15 percent either way (longer or shorter) between the pedometer and the GPS.

This is not to say that Fitbits and similar devices, including smartphone apps like iPhone Health, do not have their place in providing reasonably accurate fitness data -- as long as the user has entered accurate personal information regarding body weight, height, age, stride length, etc, and are worn properly. But I would not trust them to give anything other than a rough approximation of distance traveled.

 

[gittiharre]

The Fitbit seems to be making the news in the Forum, mostly by being lost! I have lost three so far, and have had three others fail during the warranty period (and one outside the warranty), so I can sympathize on that issues.

As a long time wearer, I have:
14,278,512 total steps
24,485 floors
6,239.5 miles
Cleats badge for 40,000 daily steps
36,000 daily steps - 8 times
Nile Badge for 4,132 lifetime miles
Great Wall Badge for 5,500 miles
Earth Badge for 7,900 lifetime miles
Shooting Star Badge for 20,000 lifetime floors
Lifetime Distance Badge - Russian Railway
Daily Climb Badge - Castle 200 floors (3 times)
Bridge Climb Badge - 175 floors - 9 times
Stadium - 150 floors - 13 times
Lifetime Climb Badge - Shooting Star (20,000 floors)
50 pounds Weight Loss Badge

The Fitbit is a lot like a Skinner Box. If you perform, you get a reward (trivial at best). Several times I have been a few stops short of my 10,000 step daily goal, and actually left my easy chair to walk around the block!

Particularly in training, you may find that a fitness tracker like Fitbit can add a little bit of incentive. All of my big days for steps and floors (upward elevation change; 10 feet is equal to a floor) have been on a camino. I have not had a Fitbit on all my caminos because of loss, breakage, or dead battery, but one has been with me on a lot of them.

Actually, who cares. All that gear just adds to pollution of this poor overstressed planet. Another non biodegradable piece of junk. I really can't relate to it.

 

[cher99840]

Actually, who cares. All that gear just adds to pollution of this poor overstressed planet. Another non biodegradable piece of junk. I really can't relate to it.

I care because utilizing an activity tracker is fun and motivating. But we don't all have to like the same things.

 

[SabsP]

Actually, who cares. All that gear just adds to pollution of this poor overstressed planet. Another non biodegradable piece of junk. I really can't relate to it.

I value your opinion but I personally think a Fitbit, when used sensibly like any other " modern" device, is a good thing. Actually it helps me to be less stressed because it reminds me to get moving. And for work I do need a watch so this all in one gizmo is helpful.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Actually, who cares. All that gear just adds to pollution of this poor overstressed planet. Another non biodegradable piece of junk. I really can't relate to it.

And on the Camino, it is priceless as a vibrate alarm clock wether you want to get up earlier than most, or wear earplugs and don't hear everyone else getting up and risk sleeping in.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

But I would not trust them to give anything other than a rough approximation of distance traveled.

Why would one need more than that? The typical pilgrim is not trying to land on the center line of a runway.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

the Fitbit does not count the number of steps but rather measures distance covered by the movement of your arms

Wrong.

 

[naplesdon]

I think it is fun way to debunk Breilly even though I haven't carried one for about 5 years. I'm using Michael's WisePilgrim guide on the coast from Porto. Kudos, he has done a good job with his publication. My only issue with his guide is from the standpoint of visually impaired "ancient pilgrim" one needs a magnifying glass because there is so much detail.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Wrong.

How do you then account for the discrepancies when one is using walking polesor not?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Fitbit trackers use a 3-axis accelerometer to understand your motions. An accelerometer is a device that turns movement (acceleration) into digital measurements (data) when attached to the body. By analyzing acceleration data, our trackers provide detailed information about frequency, duration, intensity, and patterns of movement to determine your steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned, and sleep quality. The 3-axis implementation allows the accelerometer to measure your motion in any way that you move, making its activity measurements more precise than older, single-axis pedometers.

Fitbit trackers have a finely tuned algorithm for step counting. The algorithm is designed to look for motion patterns that are most indicative of people walking. The algorithm determines whether a motion's size is large enough by setting a threshold. If the motion and its subsequent acceleration measurement meet the threshold, the motion will be counted as a step. If the threshold is not met, the motion won’t be counted as a step. Other factors can create enough acceleration to meet our threshold and cause some over counting of steps, such as riding on a bumpy road. Equally, it's possible for the algorithm to undercount (not meet the required acceleration threshold). Examples here include walking on a very soft surface such as a plush carpet.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Fitbit trackers have a finely tuned algorithm for step counting. The algorithm is designed to look for motion patterns that are most indicative of people walking. The algorithm determines whether a motion's size is large enough by setting a threshold. If the motion and its subsequent acceleration measurement meet the threshold, the motion will be counted as a step. If the threshold is not met, the motion won’t be counted as a step.

Exactly, because we don't move our arms at the same rate when using poles, the number of steps is falsely decreased.

But really, once you figure out that walking8 hours a day on a Camino turns out to be 30-40k steps, you can put the device away and use the distqnces provided in all guidebooks.

 

[Sixwheeler]

Best thing I ever did with my Fitbit was to take it off and put it in a drawer somewhere.

 

[Dinkumdigger]

The things you learn on this forum.I'd never even heard of a fitbit until I read it here a few minutes ago.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I'd never even heard of a fitbit until I read it here a few minutes ago.

They started as a belt clip-on. Easy to lose.

They became a wristband with a poor clasp. They fell off. The "rubber" was toxic and caused irritation. They were all recalled, and none sold for nearly a year! They were issued again with a less allergic band, but a clasp that still spontaneously let loose, and the band broke. New models came out with better clasps, and many more features.

Now there are dozens of competitors, some better, but Fitbit was the first. It has a pretty good app that tracks food, weight, and water intake. For busy hands, there is always something that needs to be entered. You can compete with friends, and urge them to get off the couch and walk.

Their acceleration detectors sense movement, not necessarily arm movement, but you indicate whether it is worn on your dominant or non-dominant wrist so that false acceleration is not detected as actual movement. It works in your pocket, where it will sense the same acceleration, or in your backpack. Acceleration is not just a function of arm movement. As I said, it began as a belt device where no "swing" was needed. It is Gigo -- garbage in, garbage out -- so settings are important in accuracy.

If you need an accuracy that will allow you to find your front door after a pub crawl, find some more suitable device.

 

[jmcarp]

Why would one need more than that? The typical pilgrim is not trying to land on the center line of a runway.

I agree with that statement. My take on most of these threads about fitbits and gps tracks is that that some of us (I don't include myself in that group) are overly focused on trying to determine exactly how far they are walking rather than just enjoying the journey. What about the distances published in guidebooks? Certainly they are questionable at times, but does a km or two really matter at the end of the day? I don't wear a fitbit or any similar device, nor do I carry a GPS on the Camino (at least I don't use that function on my smartphone). I know that my average walking pace is approximately 4.5km/hr, and at the end of the day I can estimate the distance traveled by the time it took me to get there, less a few minutes here and there for a snack break or lunch, and a fudge factor for long climbs and descents.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I know that my average walking pace is approximately 4.5km/hr

I would need a jetpack to do that!

 

[OzAnnie]

I've had a Fitbit for 18mths. Original one a Christmas gift without time (just steps) but had the effect of starting me to make the effort daily and keeping this up (for myself. ! - not into challenges with others ).
Later changed to an HR with 'time, and extras ' like heart rate, sleep pattern. I love the silent alarm function but a real positive is the fact that I don't need to reset my watch when travelling to different world time zones because it syncs to my iPhone which gives the current world time.
I used to hate trying to change my digital watch !!
I am not concerned that it is not perfectly accurate to the 'n'th degree with distance -
My readings are close enough., and I get confirmation that I'm keeping my activity comparative to MY previous readings.
My HR battery fell apart after 6mths but reported the problem with photos and received a replacement from USA within 7 days. Replacement is good so far!
I had bought the original Fitbit HR in REI when in USA.
Works for me - I have it on all the time (bar charging it and when I shower !!)
Annie

 

[Sarah Olson]

As several other post point out, calibrate your steps to a known distance. It does not calculate distance via GPS as stated in some of their lititure. I find the "floors climbed" report a little misleading, they claim it done by GPS but only counts your progress going up. So how did I climb 40 floors walking on the beach between Povoa de Varzim and Fao and only 238 between Orisson and Roncevalles?

I am on my third Fitbit, an Alta this time, and they don't have the stairs climbed function (which made me sad!). If you look at their website, you will see that stair climbing is measured by altimeter, with 10 inches of height equalling one step (which is what the average house/building step is, I guess).

 

[naplesdon]

I am on my third Fitbit, an Alta this time, and they don't have the stairs climbed function (which made me sad!). If you look at their website, you will see that stair climbing is measured by altimeter, with 10 inches of height equalling one step (which is what the average house/building step is, I guess).

No, a standard house in the US is a 7 inch rise and a 10 inch tread.

 

[Sarah Olson]

My mistake. This is from the website: Fitbit's calculate "stairs" as a rise in elevation equivalent to 10'. This is measured by an altimeter in the tracker that senses air pressure and when a change in air pressure equivalent to 10' gain in elevation is detected it counts as 1 flight of stairs. Fitbit only calculates stairs walked up, you don't get credit for going down a flight of stairs. Also since Fitbit uses an altimeter based on air pressure you can get false stairs from a few things such as: an incoming storm that changes the barometric pressure around you, walking outside and it is windy, having a desk fan (or any other type of fan) blow at you, or being around a HVAC vent having that blow air at you.
Also, it doesn't register stairs when you wear it on a step machine because there is not a change in altitude.

 

[La Rubia]

I used my first Fitbit (the little tear-drop shaped clip-on) on my first Camino, from Leon. The first night, I posted my stepcount to Facebook, and my friends went nuts, so it became a daily thing. Before my 2nd Camino, the Ingles, I bought a Fitbit One (still a clip-on) because I wanted the altimeter function. Again, my friends went nuts, and needless to say, I won the weekly challenge with my FitBit friends. For me, the value of wearing my Fitbit was to bring my friends back home into the experience by showing them just how far I was walking and how much I was climbing. It's a lovely way to share and help people relate.

 

[tomjane40]

My frustration is that if the bracelet breaks, you lose the Fitbit, and the company will not replace or refund - because you don't have it. I think someone needs to take them on. I'm tempted, as I have two witnesses to the fact that the band was faulty (and I'm a lawyer), but don't think I have the energy/time/care enough to follow through!

Interesting. When I was in England last summer, I had only had my Fitbit alta a month. I lost it my 2nd day of a 3 week vacation. When I got home, I contacted Fitbit and they replaced the Alta immediately. I have found their customer service more than helpful. All in All, they have replaced 4 different devices for me. 3 being the Charge HR, which I think was their epic quality fail. I suggest contacting them again.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Wrong.

Quite right - it measures the movement of your arm. You might like to know that two hours of hard rockin' ukulele is the equivalent of 5700 steps.

Pity the medieval pilgrim that didn't have one (or a smart phone or tablet or mp3 player, modern footwear, lightweight rucksack - am I drifting off the point here?)

 

[Kanga]

@tomjane40 I will! Thanks for that. I contacted the retailer, but not Fitbit direct.

 

[OzAnnie]

@tomjane40 I will! Thanks for that. I contacted the retailer, but not Fitbit direct.

Hi Jill. @Kanga
With the 'fitbit' app on phone., I clicked on 'account '. Then ' help' and this brings up 'customer support '.
I put my initial query through there - from memory they then sent email response and 'to & fro' etc.
excellent service.
Annie

 

[CaminoDebrita]

Quite right - it measures the movement of your arm. You might like to know that two hours of hard rockin' ukulele is the equivalent of 5700 steps.

Pity the medieval pilgrim that didn't have one (or a smart phone or tablet or mp3 player, modern footwear, lightweight rucksack - am I drifting off the point here?)

Uh, I play Ukulele and it has NEVER registered steps while I've played.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

It is likely in the digital age that any device can be fooled. A Lieutenant in pilot training, who we called Zero, was told that the spoiler button in the rear seat would not override the button in the front seat when that button was being activated. The instructor in the back could not operate the spoilers while the student was operating them, but could do so to save the plane when the button was released. Zero then said, "So if I jammed the front button with my pencil, the Instructor could not operate the spoilers." The rest of us asked him why he would want to do that...

I tested whether the Fitbit could be fooled easily. Moving your arm in an airplane cabin as pressure decreases will not give you Floors. Moving your legs in an elevator will not give you Floors. Swinging your arms in your easy chair will not give you steps. It will detect steps and floor on your wrist, in your pocket, and in your pack, with or without trekking poles. If playing your ukelele will help you think you reached a goal of 10,000 steps in a day, play on! Zero would be proud.

 

[smj6]

...excellent service.
Annie

I concur, I went to FitBit direct when the strap broke & they replaced it free of charge immediately. However, I didn't use it on my Camino last autumn. My smartphone gives me approximate daily mileage & I didn't one another thing to charge up.
Suzanne

 

[Jeff Crawley]

It is likely in the digital age that any device can be fooled. A Lieutenant in pilot training, who we called Zero, was told that the spoiler button in the rear seat would not override the button in the front seat when that button was being activated. The instructor in the back could not operate the spoilers while the student was operating them, but could do so to save the plane when the button was released. Zero then said, "So if I jammed the front button with my pencil, the Instructor could not operate the spoilers." The rest of us asked him why he would want to do that...

I tested whether the Fitbit could be fooled easily. Moving your arm in an airplane cabin as pressure decreases will not give you Floors. Moving your legs in an elevator will not give you Floors. Swinging your arms in your easy chair will not give you steps. It will detect steps and floor on your wrist, in your pocket, and in your pack, with or without trekking poles. If playing your ukelele will help you think you reached a goal of 10,000 steps in a day, play on! Zero would be proud.

A couple of points of clarification - it's not a FitBit (TM) per se but another brand of fitness band (stopped wearing it as it started bringing my wrist out in a rash) and I wasn't trying to subvert the mythical "10,000" steps. I just forgot to take it off and, as I was packing my uke away, brushed the face and noted I'd hit 5700 "steps".

You DO know that 10,000 steps has no basis in medical health don't you? It appears that it comes from the marketing drive of a Japanese pedometer from 1964 (Tokyo Olympics) called the manpo-kei (10,000 step meter) when a Japanese doctor did a study that revealed that the average Japanese walked 3,000 to 5,000 steps a day and he figured if you could convince them to walk 10,000 steps a day . . . .

It's a bit like the equally spurious "8 glasses of water a day" but hey, if it encourages people to walk (and hydrate) more often (and it's not taken to excess) then why not?

I wonder what the result of walking 10,000 steps while playing the ukulele would be?

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I wonder what the result of walking 10,000 steps while playing the ukulele would be?

You would trip, fall on your ukulele, break it, and break an arm, hence having to postpone your next Camino. I would advise against it.

 

[Ian Afloat]

On long distances my step rate is about 1250/km. (I have consciously increased this from 1140/km to avoid heel planting). Number of steps = 1250 x distance covered. A simple calculation which I don't need a piece of electronics to do. If I've walked 8km that's my 10000 steps.

 

[HedaP]

Used fitbit the first camino and by far the best thing about it was the silent vibrating alarm function. I also used the clock and the kilometer functions. The kilometer measure was reasonably close to the camino guide app I used. I'm one of those people struggle a bit and like to know how far away my bed is towards the end of the day. Then the band wore out. This time I used a garmin vivofit 2. Old technology but it had two great advantages: a screen display that I could read without glasses and a one year battery so no recharging required. Alas no silent alarm but fellow pilgrims rustling plastic bags worked even better!