For those on a journey toward better health, the ability to track fitness levels, monitor daily activity, and stay motivated is essential. The Fitbit Force claims to be the perfect partner in this mission, combining a sleek design with intelligent tracking capabilities. But can this fitness tracker truly deliver on its promises? In this review, we take a deep dive into the Fitbit Force to help you decide whether it’s worth adding to your wrist.
TLDR: The Fitbit Force is a solid fitness tracker that packs accurate activity monitoring, comfortable design, and a simple OLED display into one practical device. While it lacks advanced features seen in newer wearables, it shines with its simplicity and reliability. If you’re seeking an easy-to-use tracker that blends seamlessly into your daily routine, the Force could be the ideal choice—assuming you’re okay with a few limitations. However, take note that the device has been discontinued, mainly due to a skin irritation issue, which was a major drawback for Fitbit in its early stages.
Design and Build Quality
The Fitbit Force features a low-profile aesthetic that emphasizes functionality over flashiness. Constructed using soft yet durable elastomer material, it has a wide rubber-like wristband and a small OLED display on top. The display itself is crisp and monochrome, showing the time, steps, floors climbed, and more at the press of a button.
Despite being a precursor to modern smartwatch hybrids, the Force was designed with a simple purpose: track activity without getting in the way. It weighs just under 30 grams, making it barely noticeable throughout the day. The clasp system is similar to a watch buckle, making for a secure fit—though some users reported it was a bit tricky to fasten at first.
Key design highlights include:
- Minimalist Design: Suitable for casual and athletic wear.
- OLED Display: One of Fitbit’s first devices to offer a comprehensive screen.
- Durability: Resistant to sweat, rain, and splashes (though not fully waterproof).
While the Fitbit Force earned praise for its appearance and comfort, it wasn’t without controversy. Shortly after release, numerous reports surfaced regarding skin irritation caused by nickel in the metal casing and adhesives. Fitbit responded by initiating a voluntary recall, pulling the product from shelves and promising future improvements—a move that ultimately shaped their future designs.
Activity and Sleep Tracking
Core to the Fitbit Force’s appeal is its activity-tracking capability. It automatically records steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned, and floors climbed—a feature still uncommon among trackers at that time, thanks to the built-in altimeter.
Tracking features:
- Steps: Real-time updates keep you motivated throughout the day.
- Floors Climbed: Counts elevation using an onboard altimeter.
- Calories Burned: Estimated based on movement and user profile data.
- Distance: Calculated using step count and stride length.
The Force syncs with Fitbit’s mobile and desktop app to provide analysis over time. The app interface, known for its usability, offers daily and weekly trends, goal-setting, and even competition with friends. The data updates every time the device syncs via Bluetooth 4.0, mostly with iOS devices and select Android models during its active lifespan.
While sleep tracking might not match the sophistication of today’s smart wearables, it does the basics well. You can monitor how long you slept and how often you woke up during the night. However, you need to manually initiate sleep mode by tapping a button for several seconds—a process that could be easily forgotten.
User Interface and Notifications
The Fitbit Force was the first Fitbit to introduce an actual screen, giving users instant access to activity stats without opening an app. The one-button interface cycles through the available data: time, steps, distance, floors climbed, calories burned, and active minutes.
Notifications are minimal. The Fitbit Force supports call notifications, alerting you via a gentle vibration when someone calls your phone. However, the lack of text or app notifications makes the Force a tracker rather than a smartwatch.
User experience highlights:
- Intuitive controls: Single button operation makes navigation easy.
- Vibration alerts: Useful during phone calls but limited otherwise.
- No touchscreen: Reliant on button cycling rather than swiping.
While other fitness devices at the time offered more robust interaction options, many users appreciated the Fitbit Force for its simplicity and “set-and-forget” functionality.
Battery Life and Charging
One of the high points of the Fitbit Force experience is battery performance. You can expect about 7 to 10 days on a single charge, depending on usage patterns.
The Fitbit Force charges with a proprietary charging cable, which means you’ll want to keep it safe—losing one could be inconvenient and expensive to replace. Unfortunately, the connector style did not become standard across Fitbit’s product lineup, so it’s specific to this model.
Battery performance details:
- Average battery life: 7 to 10 days per charge
- Charging time: Approximately 1-2 hours
- Charger type: Proprietary cable required
Long battery life means less time tethered to a charger—which is ideal for busy users trying to maintain a daily routine.
Limitations and Drawbacks
Despite its strengths, the Fitbit Force had a number of shortcomings, most of which became more apparent as fitness tech evolved.
Known limitations:
- No Heart Rate Monitor: Unlike later Fitbit models, the Force couldn’t measure heart rate.
- Skin Irritation Issues: A serious flaw that led to the product being discontinued.
- Lack of Water Resistance: Splash-resistant only—not recommended for swimming or full submersion.
- Limited Notifications: No support for texts, emails, or app alerts.
These limitations ultimately aged the device poorly in the face of newer wearables like the Fitbit Charge series or Fitbit Versa. That said, at launch, the Fitbit Force was ahead of the curve in many respects.
Final Verdict
The Fitbit Force served as a major step forward for both Fitbit and the broader fitness tracker market. It delivered data-rich performance in a compact package, introducing features—like a full OLED screen and elevation tracking—that would become standard in future devices.
However, the skin irritation issues that led to its discontinuation cannot be ignored. For those concerned about allergies or who want something with a waterproof profile or heart rate capabilities, looking at a newer model like the Fitbit Charge 5 or Inspire 3 may be a better option.
In summary:
- Great tracker for step-counting, elevation, and basic activity metrics
- Comfortable and lightweight to wear throughout the day
- Reliable battery life with an easy-to-use interface
- Drawbacks include lack of waterproofing, heart rate monitoring, and potential skin reactions
Is It Still Worth Buying?
Given that the Fitbit Force was officially recalled in 2014 and discontinued, it’s no longer available from reliable retailers. Purchasing one today would mean risking your comfort and possibly receiving outdated firmware or hardware.
Newer Fitbit devices offer expanded features, better design, and improved safety, but the Force remains a key chapter in wearable tech history for pioneering so many now-common functions. If you’re nostalgic or simply want to see where it all began, borrowing or collecting a Fitbit Force might be a worthwhile experiment—as long as you don’t plan to wear it daily.
